Would you care enough?

[muffin_goddess]

If a great evil befel the land we now live in and I was chosen to do something that may or may not save us from this evil would you care enough to follow, to stick with me through the bad and good? I doubt many people would have the strength to do so, I'm not even sure if I have, but I'm sure I would try. Try with every ounce of strength in my body to help people I've never met and never will meet. You've never met me but would you be willing to risk everything for me? Do you think you have the strength of Sam, Pippin, Merry, Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli? Could you do it? Would you even try?

[Tarlondeion Of Gondolin]

I dont know, probably wouldn't unless something happened to me like my loved ones were killed or something personal. Though I might be able to spur myself to great feets! I'd like to think I could but if it came who knows!

[Tarlondeion Of Gondolin]

PS. My loved ones were killed by this great enemy.

[Aralaithiel]

I would, but only on the following conditions:
1) That my family and/or friends were fatally harmed by this evil.
2) That myself, family/friends would be fatally harmed by this evil.
3) If this evil would result in a 180 degree change in my life, and for the worse,i.e. loss of basic freedoms.
Just for the heck of it, no way! smilies/biggrin.gif

[Rosa Underhill]

Personally, I believe that a great evil has already befallen this world but very few know of its existence; it is far too subtle to be seen so clearly. I know already that I can do nothing against it, that I didn't even know of it's existence until I met and asked for the help of a certain Someone. (Three guesses Who it is! C'mon, guess! smilies/biggrin.gif)

I admit, though, that, knowing me, I wouldn't do much to help defeat the evil you refer to, muffin_goddess, at least, not kowingly. But then again, maybe I would. I can't really say. Whatever I did do to help, though, you can be certain that the above mentioned Someone would be behind it all. smilies/biggrin.gif

[Kalimac]

Rosa, um, would Someone be Iluvatar? smilies/smile.gif. (To be honest, I'm wondering what the secret evil is, actually...probably shouldn't get the real world into this thread, though...)

This sort of thing is always like asking "What if you were in occupied France?" or something along those lines. I hope I'd fight the evil out of sheer altruism and take the saving of people I'd never meet as sufficient reward, and of course it would be. To be honest though, I can easily see myself trying to duck out of harm's way as long as the evil wasn't (a) coming after me or people I knew personally or (b) trying to conscript me (trying to forcibly enrol me to be Chief Assistant to the Mouth of Sauron, something like that where I'd be actively helping perpetrate its deeds). Then I would fight it - probably by sabotage. It would be difficult to find the resolve though, and it would take a lot of faith just to avoid despairing, if it were anything like the evils I'm thinking of...

[Nazgûl Queen]

<center><font color="red">I think I'd do everything I could to stop it if it affected me personally.
Otherwise... *shrugs shoulders* who cares?

[Thinhyandoiel]

Everyone likes to think they'd help, but in the face of adversity, we don't really know what we'd do. I'd hope I'd give my all to help you muffin_goddess, but I can't really say which way I'd be. Although, I can say that I don't need personal motivation to get off my butt and help. Just knowing there's evil is enough. Like in today, I can really do nothing because of my young age and because of the location I'm in. (Canada) What good can I do from Canada? What good can I do if I can't even leave the house without my parents jumping down my throat? My point is, I want to help, but can I? Can I endure such hardships? I doubt I could, though the hope still remains in me that I would. Could, would, should. Stupid, stupid words. Making me all confuzzled.

[muffin_goddess]

I was in a really morbid mood last night and I think I know what Rosa's "secret evil" is and I'd just had it shoved down my throught and was feeling very guilty because I couln't do anything. I do hope though that I would not need personal motivation to try but untill something happens you never know... *sigh* you never know!

[Rosa Underhill]

Rosa, um, would Someone be Iluvatar? . (To be honest, I'm wondering what the secret evil is, actually...probably shouldn't get the real world into this thread, though...)

Oh, He goes by lots of names. smilies/biggrin.gif Iluvatar, Aslan, Sion, Jesu, Yhwh, Jeshua... smilies/biggrin.gif (I was refering to God. I like being weird that way.)

I guess I'll let the "secret evil" out of the bag but I'm thinking this'll make people laugh because most people don't take him seriously at all anymore. I was refering to Satan/Lucifer. I won't go any deeper than that since I'm likely to offend someone if I do.

[piosenniel]

i would probably be as conflicted as Boromir. hopefully, i would figure out the 'right' thing to do before i endangered the quest.

[Mayla Took]

*Gives a grand round of applause for Rosa* I totally agree with you Rosa. I most certainly do believe in God and Satan. But I am so happy that someone like you came out and said it! Satan works very slowly and unnoticeably most always so that we do not see the evil that is befalling our world! I am not offended by people who talk about their religious beliefs. Even if they are not what I believe! Thank you Rosa! Don't give up your faith! smilies/biggrin.gif

[Kalimac]

Rosa, don't worry about it - I don't think Tolkien fans tend to be the sort of people who heap scorn on the idea of a perennial evil or Satan. It is the sort of thing which is worst when it perniciously hard to notice - what was it Lewis said about the road the Hell being the smooth one without signposts? Screwtape Letters, I think.

This does tie into the discussion somewhat, though, since when we're talking about resisting an evil that arose, most of us (me included) would only really feel driven to fight it if it came after us in its starkest and most obvious form, threatening us to the point where basically our only option was to fight directly or die. It's when things get slowly worse and worse but well, you can live with it that is probably the worst state to be in.

[Starbreeze]

I would like to think i would - I thought about this and I guess i've always believed that I have that kind of "inner strength" - but whether I actually would is another matter.

[Turgon_of_Gondolin]

uh.... Rosa you offended me lol smilies/smile.gif
I think that you are right about the stuggle against satan

I'm sure i would be willing to go on whatever quest would be needed to save this world until it got tough i.e. battle, terrain, lack of food etc.

[muffin_goddess]

whoops, I'd just had polution deforistation etc. etc. shoved in my face and knew that what ever we try to do now it won't help because the damage is done thats my "secret evil" but I suppose everyone has their own "secret evil"

[Kuruharan]

The problem with waiting until something affects you personally is that by that time the opportunity to stop whatever it is may have already passed.

If you wait too long you'll end up powerless and alone and there will be nobody left to help you.

[pippin_took0]

If I was in a place like the Shire, completely oblivious to the danger, I don't think I'd do anything. If I was in the position of any of the 4 hobbits, I think I would go on the Quest and try and help... But you can't really tell unless you're in that position.

[VanimaEdhel]

Of this I am sure: I would fight for all, fight for justice. I would fight for the side that I felt in my heart was right. In reality as well as the Elf I am on here, I believe that one life, or even 10, can be spared if a greater good is acheived. I also believe that death is only the beginning (they stole my saying in "The Mummy" smilies/frown.gif ). Well, that is my point of view. I would do anything. As long as it was for good.

[Mirkgirl]

Hope I will...... the other option is go to the evil side

[Aralaithiel]

You didn't offend me either, Rosa. Those of us who follow Jesus battle the dark evil every day. But, we have Ilúvatar on our side, and we shall prevail!
Anyhoo...it usually doesn't take long for some powerful evil to affect you personally; unless of course, you are oblivious to it. OK...now I am rambling. Must eat! Back later! smilies/biggrin.gif

[the witch king]

lol i would be the great evil that fell on the land!

[Lindril Arvilya]

Personally, I think that Thinhyandoiel and I are in the exact same positions. I am a youth in Canada and can go nowhere without my beloved parental supervisors making absolute sure that I come to no harm i.e. that I go nowhere without them knowing about it.
However, there's still a lot I can do. Oh good word, yes. There's enough evil and corruption (real true vampires and Satanists, friends who have fallen... *weeps for those who have given in to Sauron*) in my life that I'll have my work cut out for me.
Anyhow, on the topic I was meant to respond to, I would go. I really would. Unless I had a family. But I'm assuming that I'd be living alone, and I would go out to "take up the cross" and take on Sauron.

[Garen LiLorian]

There are plenty of "secret evils," as well as plenty of not-so-secret evils. The most difficult choice is which crusade you feel will do the most good. Unfortunately, Satan tends to have more than one plan in motion at a time, and we as individuals can only do so much. I'd like to think that, in the sort of situation which was described above, that I'd do whatever it took. All the way to Mordor. But to me, at least, it seems like there are about 40 or 50 great quests going on, and it is singularly easy to let them pass by.
I hope I communicated that...

[Meela]

knowing me, id either discover my inner demon child and destroy the world, or sit in a forgotten place somewhere and sulk/hide, or do some kinda little thing, like deliver messages.