I can not agree with you in 100% regarding some thoughts, but you got good point of view

The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.

People are as happy as they make up their minds to be.

I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100%, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong.

Middle Earth Middle East and Mediterranean

New Numenoreans North and South Americans (USA)

Black Numenoreans Caribbeans and Central Americans

Dunedain Original 14 Colonies (Virginians and Canadians)

Easterlings China, India, South Asians, etc.

Elves Europeans
Vanyar Scandanavians, Baltic, Polish
Noldor Germans
Teleri French
Sindar Spanish
Avari Mediterranean

Dwarves Balkans, Slavs

Rhorrim Russians

Rhohan Russia

Rhun Russia/Siberia/’Istans

Hobbits
Frodo England
Sam Wales
Merry Scotland
Pippin Ireland

Gondor Western Roman Empire Remanants

Arnor Eastern Roman Empire Remanants

Eriador Central Europe

Mordor Middle East

Minas Tirith Rome

Osgilliath Jerusalem

Cirith Ungol Syria

Ithillien Iraq

Baradur Tehran

Morgoroth Iran

Gandalf Pope John Paul II

Saruman Osama Bin Laden

Isengard Pakistan

Afghanistan Westernfold

Annuminas Constantinople

Rivendell Paris

Lorien Geneva

Umbar Libya, Egypt

Mirkwood Transylvannia

Numenor Americas (albeit bigger)

Valinor Australia (albeit smaller)

Tirion Sydney

Tol Eressea New Zealand

Rhovanion Russia (to the Ural)
and Rhohan

Haradwaith Sahara, Arabia

Forodwaith Northern Russia

Shire/Bree UK

Greyhavens Norfolk/Suffolk (southern England) Ports

Anfalas Iberia (Spain and Portugal)

Cities of Numenore

Romenna New York

Armenelos Washington, DC

Eldalonde Los Angeles

Meneltarma Denver

Andunie Seattle

Even among fantasy devotees who recognize Tolkien as the father of the modern genre, few realize that Tolkien insisted that The Lord of the Rings is “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.” This probably comes as a surprise to most Catholics as well.

Readers of The Lord of the Rings are unlikely to find a “Catholic Middle-earth” by looking for overt references to the Christian gospel or hidden Catholic symbolism—Tolkien rejected this type of analysis—however they will find it by looking at Tolkien’s motivations as a writer.

Checkmate? Seriously, google “tolkien religion”. There’s more at the link.

Tolkien was a DEVOUT CATHOLIC, dude. It’s kind of hard to be “anti-religion” and a massgoing Christian, at least in this universe. He ALSO considered himself a nonviolent anarchist, ultimately, in that he rejected the worship of ANY government/state/political entity and elevating it over the rights of human beings, whether it was an official tyranny like Prussia/the Iron Curtain or a “soft” one like the Cold War/pre-war Imperialist west.

But the ideals of self-government and minimal interference/limitation on freedom are hardly being “anti-government” in the general philosophical sense. You don’t see the governments of Rohan and the Shire and Gondor or Laketown or the Little Kingdom getting *eradicated*, after all, even when demonstrably in need of reform.

You don’t have a right to your own facts, sorry.

President Bush’s secret plan to win the Iraq war? Santorum creeping his way toward the election? An uber-elite Special Forces squadron who have been sneaking up carefully — one inch at a time for the past five years — on Osama bin Laden? Jack Bauer approaching the secret master “OFF” switch that will remotely shut down all the radical Islamists in the world?

For the most part Tolkien hated Allegory, so I doubt there is any anti-religious or anti-goverment message in LotR. The only god who plays a really prominent role in the story is Sauron, and he is more of a fallen archangel, for the most part gods go unmentioned.

but they ARENT too young to be pages!

It doesn’t matter what YOU “think” Tolkien was anti-religion and anti-government. It is not what I think, it is what is called a fact

It’s a fact!? Whose fact? Define what you mean by anti-religion. Tolkien was a practicing Catholic. Anti-government?

You will find Lord of the Rings at #40. Do you think that it was banned because it is pro-government and pro-religion? Get a grip. It is okay to be wrong every now and then.

I don’t mind being wrong or saying I don’t know. It doesn’t bother me, really. I’m too old to mind either. As for LOTR being banned; it’s not because it’s allegedly anti-religion, anti-government. It’s because it is FANTASY, filled with elves, orcs, hobbits, magic, wildly violent warring scenes, and a few wizards. It’s on a list of banned books for the same reason some people want to ban ‘Harry Potter’ – though there is no comparison storywise of course.

My favorite book (and movie), Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ is #4. Kinda makes you wonder.

Oh and another thing, the name Gandalf is from a Norwegian mythologic tale. My grandfather is from Bergen. He read all kinds of stuff to us when we were kids, as did my father. Tolkien is from the era as my grandfather – although mine was a bit younger – so alot of the Icelandic, Norwegian, Germanic stuff myths, epics, poetry, etc., we were exposed to as kids.