Quote from Tirinor
Quote:
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Are you saying that you think Eru was the contrived consciousness of the world, an idea? I'm not sure I follow what you are getting at.
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I've been trying to get the feel for this Universe for some time now. The Silmarillion does specifically reference Eru Illuvatar many times, and this Creator is associated with a consciousness. The Music, Arda, and the Children are all described as being made with a deliberate force. However, I've also been reading some of the other stuff (C. Tolkien's histories, other J. Tolkien publications, and published critiques), and also trying to read a little bit between-the-lines of the Sil. I've just been forming this idea in my head about how his world operates according to this Rhythm. According to the Sil., Eru basically created the Music (or Valar, Gods, whatever), that formed the ideas which were to be manifest in Arda. At that point, Eru essentially departs and leaves it all to the Gods that chose to descend there (he does, however, insert his Children as a big secret for many ages).
I realize that my little idea doesn't make much sense, and that there really isn't anything solid that I can reference as a proof. It's a work in progress.
As for the reality of God (Abraham's) vs. scientific theory; I just sort of thought it was all really unrelated to Tolkien's Eru. It never occurred to me that I needed to reconcile the Gods of Arda with the Gods in use by today's religious institutions. Tolkien did say in a lecture back in the 1930s that he liked the idea of fusing ancient mythology with religion -- therefore equating Eru with the Christian's God is plausible, if one really, really wants to stretch it. (The bible-thumpers would have you burned-at-the-stake for it though, I think)
Please don't get me wrong! I love a good Religion debate [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img], I just didn't realize that this question was anything closer than an adjacent idea to that.
Anyway, Tirinor, you do understand my post: Eru Illuvatar is the underlying and unseen Rhythm of that universe, more than an
idea I guess, but not a
Creature.
I truly hope to offend no one. I am (obviously [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] ) new to this, and I'm not making any statement for or against any of the Real Religions or the Big Bang, or anything like that. My thoughts here belong solely within the realm of Tolkien's universe.
[ December 14, 2002: Message edited by: Dûndurion ]
[ December 14, 2002: Message edited by: Dûndurion ]