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Lord of the Rings Trilogy / The Hobbit

Discussion in 'Books & Publications Forum' started by Rev. G, Sep 17, 2002.

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  1. Rev. G

    Rev. G New Member

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    Have any Baptists out there read THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy? Thoughts? Comments? Anybody enjoy it? Anybody think it is "demonic"? Just curious.

    Rev. G
     
    #1 Rev. G, Sep 17, 2002
  2. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    Demonic? You're joking right? JRR Tolkien was a Christian. He was good friends with CS Lewis (his Screwtape letters book is dedicated to Tolkien). In fact, one brought the other to Christ.

    Anyways, I've read some of the Hobbit. I thought it was a great book and hope to read all of the trilogy one day.

    Bro. Adam
     
    #2 Brother Adam, Sep 17, 2002
  3. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    Read all four... Way back when!... Thought they were great stories and hours of reading entertainment... Good vs Evil... Took it for what is was Fantasy Literature!... Good Escapism... And I saw the first movie! Waiting for the next three... I feel the Hobbit will be remade with real people!... Brother Glen [​IMG]
     
    #3 tyndale1946, Sep 17, 2002
  4. kman

    kman New Member

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    I read them when I was a teenager. Am actually rereading them now. I find Tolkien an awesome story teller! He is hard to beat, in regards to fantasy/fiction.

    -kman
     
    #4 kman, Sep 17, 2002
  5. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    Brother Adam asked:

    Demonic? You're joking right? JRR Tolkien was a Christian.

    In the broad sense, at least - he was Roman Catholic.

    In fact, one brought the other to Christ.

    Yes, Tolkien was instrumental in Lewis' conversion. In his public works, Lewis tends to downplay this - in Surprised by Joy the story of his admitting that God exists is longer and more dramatic than his conversion from theism to Christianity. He says only that between leaving on a 1931 trip to the zoo and arriving there, he became a Christian.

    What he doesn't say was that this was the culmination of a long talk with Tolkien and another friend, Hugo Dyson, the night before. Tolkien appealed to Lewis' love of myth and argued that Christianity was a true myth invented by a real God. I believe that detail comes out in one of his letters.

    Anyways, I've read some of the Hobbit. I thought it was a great book and hope to read all of the trilogy one day.

    The Hobbit is great, but it's a kid's book, especially compared to the trilogy.

    [ September 17, 2002, 04:52 PM: Message edited by: Ransom ]
     
    #5 Ransom, Sep 17, 2002
  6. lizajane

    lizajane New Member

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    The first time I read these books was when I was eight years old. I have re-read them many times since then, and am actually making my way through them right now. These are fabulous books for young and old alike.
     
    #6 lizajane, Sep 17, 2002
  7. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    I read 'em in high school & highly recommend them. FIrst flick was great. Looks like the next one will be, as well.
     
    #7 Johnv, Sep 17, 2002
  8. Rev. G

    Rev. G New Member

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    From my own perspective, I greatly enjoy Tolkien's work. I do not think they are demonic - I know that Tolkien's work points out the struggle of good vs. evil and the corrupting influence of power. Still, there are some out there who would claim that this work is "ungodly" because of the wizards, elfs, etc. I just put that out there to see what people thought, that's all.

    Rev. G
     
    #8 Rev. G, Sep 18, 2002
  9. Jonathan

    Jonathan Member
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    Actually he was an Anglican who appears to have been quite honest in his approach to Scripture.

     
    #9 Jonathan, Sep 18, 2002
  10. Rev. G

    Rev. G New Member

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    Folks, thanks for the e-mails and all. Please know that I understand Tolkien's position (particularly in regard to wizards, elves and the rest). Again, I comprehend the work and thoroughly enjoy it. Not only do I own all the books, I bought a DVD player just so I could have the new movies on DVD and enjoy them for a lifetime! I just know that not everyone views Tolkien the same way I (many of us) do. [​IMG]

    Rev. G
     
    #10 Rev. G, Sep 19, 2002
  11. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    #11 Ransom, Sep 19, 2002
  12. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    Yes, I've read the Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and the Return of The King. And now my 10 year old son is reading them.

    J.R. Tolkien was indeed a Christian. He's also a very good story teller... These books are very good, and very well written.

    I'm reading the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis to my girls at bedtime. A fantasy also written by a Christian. Who I understand knew J.R. Tolkien.

    As far as the J.R. Tolkien books being demonic... the books are a story of the battle between good and evil , and that good (Hobbits, Elves, Wizards, and Humans) will ultimately prevail over evil. These books are classics. I've seen the movie and in fact have it on DVD. It's marvelous. I can't wait until the next one.

    I'm sure there will be fanatics that will take these works of fiction and say that a Christian shouldn't read them...because they assume that the faith of a Christian can be knocked off it's foundation easily. They will undoubtedly base there opinon on here-say and not on personal experience, as is often the case. But, I having read them, say this is not so. I have found nothing in them that would hinder my walk with Christ. [​IMG]

    [ September 19, 2002, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: WisdomSeeker ]
     
    #12 Wisdom Seeker, Sep 19, 2002
  13. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    Just as an interesting and bizarre aside, was anyone else aware that "Tolkienism" has actually reached the status of a religious cult in Russia, with several thousand adherents?

    Amongst other things (I suppose), Tolkienists believe that hobbits actually inhabit the earth and dispense wisdom.
     
    #13 Ransom, Sep 19, 2002
  14. Eladar

    Eladar New Member

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    Rev. G

    Please check your profile for my pm. It may be info you already know, but maybe not.

    By the way, has anyone here read the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales or any of the History of Middle Earth?

    I will delete this once I get a reply from Rev. G

    Thanks for your patience.
     
    #14 Eladar, Sep 19, 2002
  15. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    No I haven't. I didn't know there was more.
     
    #15 Wisdom Seeker, Sep 19, 2002
  16. Eladar

    Eladar New Member

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    WisdomSeeker,

    I've sent you a PM too.
     
    #16 Eladar, Sep 19, 2002
  17. Rev. G

    Rev. G New Member

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    Tuor:

    Thanks - I received the message.

    Yes, I've got the Silmarillion and the History of Middle Earth. Great stuff, huh?

    Rev. G
     
    #17 Rev. G, Sep 19, 2002
  18. Eladar

    Eladar New Member

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    I spoke too soon when I said I'd delete the posts. I didn't know we didn't have that ability at this site.

    Rev G.

    I guess there is something wrong with the PM message because it says you never read it.

    As to your question:

    Some of it I like, others I don't. Which volumes of The History of Middle Earth have you read? I'm really surprised you have even heard of them. Most people are like WisdomSeeker and haven't even heard of them.

    By the way, by your response, I think that you aren't exactly telling the truth. I think you thought that the History of Middle Earth was a single book.

    [ September 19, 2002, 11:24 PM: Message edited by: Tuor ]
     
    #18 Eladar, Sep 19, 2002
  19. g_1933

    g_1933 New Member

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    Those books are great! I also enjoyed the movie and am looking forward to the next one. I have heard people discussing both sides for and against it being demonic. I would just say that if it is a stumbling block to you then by all means stay away from it! But if you argue with your brother or sister about it and cause divisions then you are both wrong anyway.
     
    #19 g_1933, Sep 20, 2002
  20. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    WisdomSeeker said:

    No I haven't. I didn't know there was more.

    The Silmarillion was originally intended to be the sequel to The Hobbit, but Tolkien's publishers talked him out of it. He published it later - after the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I believe.

    I have a copy, but I haven't read more than the table of contents and a few pages since I bought it, and it's packed up at my parents' place along with many of my other books that I accumulated during my university years. Essentially, The Silmarillion is the story of the creation of Middle-earth and how the Rings of Power came to be.

    The History of Middle-earth volumes, of which there are around 20 right now if I remember correctly, are Tolkien's notes, published posthumously by his son Christopher. His attention to detail in creating his fantasy world is amazing; I have read none of these as yet, but as I understand it, essentially these volumes comprise the history of the various cultures in Middle-earth, languages, and backstory for LotR.
     
    #20 Ransom, Sep 20, 2002
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