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Originally Posted by SpM
Now, while I am by no means an atheist, I do not have strong religious beliefs and religion does not take a central role in my life. And I certainly do not ascribe to the view that, in "real life", people or objects can be inherently evil. Yet I have no difficulty in accepting this concept in LotR. To me, it is consistent with the world that Tolkien has created and made credible.
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This sums up where I am coming from; I don't subscribe to any particular belief, but I am also no atheist. And I too don't agree with the idea of inherent evil. So why can I accept this?
Possibly it has, quite literally, to do with 'suspension of belief'? Not only do we have to let go of our own world to some extent to get into Tolkien's created world, but we also have to let go of our own
beliefs. Within the work are ideas and symbols that might or might not be ascribed to all kinds of beliefs, and while it is in no way wrong to search for and identify these, it's also important to realise that this is a secondary world with a different moral structure.
What intrigues me about it is to consider whether I myself would cope in Arda, and I have to come to the conclusion that I would not. For one, I would have some misgivings about whether the Orcs really were inherently evil, because at heart I'm a liberal (small L politically
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I'm not sure if age might always have something to do with it, as when I first read the books I was beginning to develop keen political opinions which I think would have rejected a lot of the moral stances found within Arda. But maybe experience might have something to do with it. Yet I know someone who used to be a staunch marxist who read LotR not all that long ago and was not offended.
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Originally Posted by alatar
And in regards to emblems such as Hell (as described) and the serpent on the flag etc; aren't there certain (possibly cultural) images that are typically used to signify 'bad?'
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Some time ago I watched a documentary which explored the human emotion of disgust; it is just as instinctive a reaction to us as fear, love, hate etc. Apparently disgust is inbuilt as a natural reaction to those things which are bad for us, which may explain why most of us are not fond of flying insects or food which smells rotten. A serpent may cause many to react with natural disgust which is why it is often shown as a symbol of evil. Conversely, many will deliberately over-ride this natural reaction and take a conscious interest in serpents; this may be why those who wish to convey their power choose such emblems as a way of conveying how masterful over such trifles as emotions they are.