The atrocity of the Akallabêth

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

There is the distinct danger too that if one person strongly associates Eru with God (their God) then when someone comes along and criticises or puts an alternate view it is sometimes seen as Blasphemy! (the ! is important) and they will be Offended. But people have every right to question a character in a book, no matter what anyone else associates with it.

There is always a temptation to read more into that which one likes well than that which the author intended. Perhaps it's inevitable. It's not necessarily a bad thing if the reader is aware of it.

It's a separate issue however to propound an alternate view compared to the stated nature of a character. In the case of Eru, part of that nature is transcendance and monotheistic deity. Quite simply, that is how Tolkien describes Eru. Therefore, the characteristics of a transcendant monotheistic deity adhere to this character. That there are many similarities to the Judao-Christian God comes therefore as no surprise. However, there are differences, and those are well worth studying .... so long as they really are there rather than being unexamined constructs (and opinions) of our own minds that we bring to the topic.