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10-14-2004, 03:40 AM | #1 | |
Hobbit
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Norway
Posts: 23
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A question to ponder
One of the most magnificent questions I have come across regarding the importance of Tolkien's works was posted at TTF two years ago. I don't know if it has been posted here, but if it has, please forgive me for posting this:
Quote:
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Utúlie'n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie'n aurë! Auta i lómë! |
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10-14-2004, 05:49 AM | #2 |
Fëanorophobic
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Between the pages of a book
Posts: 1,417
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A few things I don't get:
-When you say that the Bible is much shorter than Tolkien's work, which part(s) of the Bible do you mean exactly? Because the OT and the NT put together would be much longer than any Tolkien book I know of. -Just because the Bible is shorter, how does that make it "shallower" than Tolkien's work? After these 2 questions, I think my opinion is quite clear. The Bible has many layers of meaning to it, too. Much more layers than any human work could have. |
10-14-2004, 06:51 AM | #3 |
Hobbit
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Norway
Posts: 23
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It isn't easy for me to reply on behalf of the original poster, but from the description as much shorter, I take it that he refers to the New Testament.
But of course, all of Tolkiens works put together does amount to quite a lot of pages. Anyway, I don't think that the length of the works would be crucial when determining what is true and what is fiction. I think that how the works are written would be the determining factor. At least if the reader is completely unfamiliar with the works, and is able to read them with an unbiased attitude. As the original poster said, the world of Tolkien is better described in depth historically.
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Utúlie'n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie'n aurë! Auta i lómë! |
10-14-2004, 09:19 AM | #4 |
High King at Annuminas Administrator
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Wyoming - USA
Posts: 10,752
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I'm certainly biased, so I would HOPE they would choose the Bible.
Hard for me to be objective on this one, so I'll just watch a bit.
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10-14-2004, 09:36 AM | #5 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: sikeston, MO, usa, earth, sol
Posts: 3,114
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If these aliens had only the Bible, the Koran, and LOTR?
If their universal language translator worked for Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Arabic, English, and the subtleties of Elvish? I think they would discover that the Bible was the original and the Koran and LOTR derivative. This assumes they are objective and submit the works to analysis on the multiple levels of letters, words, phrases, concepts, development, and "moral of the story" comparisons. Equal attention to analysis on all levels to each book (eg, they all get source criticism, redaction criticism, etc).
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Inked "Aslan is not a tame lion." CSL/LWW "The new school [acts] as if it required...courage to say a blasphemy. There is only one thing that requires real courage to say, and that is a truism." GK Chesterton "And there is always the danger of allowing people to suppose that our modern times are so wholly unlike any other times that the fundamental facts about man's nature have wholly changed with changing circumstances." Dorothy L. Sayers, 1 Sept. 1941 |
10-14-2004, 10:43 AM | #6 |
Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: On the Bay of Belfalas
Posts: 1,125
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I agree with inked. I think any impartial observer would consider Tolkien's work to be derivative of the Bible. I won't comment on the Koran, being biased.
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10-15-2004, 04:51 AM | #7 | |
Hobbit
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Norway
Posts: 23
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Quote:
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Utúlie'n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie'n aurë! Auta i lómë! |
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