The Lord of the Bible?

[littlemanpoet]

Or a fifth .... (related to the fourth) .....

Recognition.

....of something dynamic and powerful at a level most books don't reach. The story of LotR strikes a chord that rings with the very tembre of creation itself as it is. Thus, it's a recognition

of Reality.

.... and Christians but not only Christians are drawn to this story like no other in the entire century during which it was written. Those who believe as did its author find themselves saying, "I know this! I recognize it! It's in harmony with the very warp and weft of what I know! I want to celebrate it by sharing it with my friends."

Originally Posted by davem

...for example, when he claims that the events at the Sammath Naur are a playing out of the lines in the Lord's Prayer ('Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us') he is definitely pushing it. To try to force that kind of analogy, to try to turn one of the most powerful moments in literature into material for scriptural exegesis (or more likely a very embarrassing sermon) is to treat the story (& the reader) with contempt.

davem, you should be ashamed for doing the very thing you are complaining about. If Tolkien made such a statement, it would behoove us to understand that those words from the Lord's Prayer apparently meant that much to him. To so criticize his most dearly held beliefs is to treat him with contempt. Do please attempt to see this from Tolkien's point of view.