View Single Post
Old 08-10-2009, 12:40 PM   #176
alatar
Doubting Dwimmerlaik
 
alatar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Heaven's basement
Posts: 2,499
alatar is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.alatar is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Thanks for the reply and for the citations!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inziladun View Post
As an aside, I did not review this long thread, so apologies in advance if I repeat anything unnecessarily.
Let's all say, "Sorry" to all of those that posted before us, then move on.

Quote:
If Tom is Eru's little joke, he's been at it quite a long time by the standards of his Children.
Can't a god do without a calendar? Surely Manwe was still at it, and all he got to do is sit and watch the wind.

Quote:
For Elrond to call a creature old means they are old. 'Oldest and fatherless' I've always taken to mean simply that the Elves had no idea who he was or where he came from: he was just there.
During the time Tom was hanging out in ME, Eru was getting things done; destroying Númenórë and approving the plan hatched by the Valar to send Maia to Middle-earth to lead the fight against Sauron, among others.
Can't a god do more than one thing at once?

Quote:
That said, if Tom is Eru, I don't know that I'd be inclined to think him insane or 'native', uncaring of the playing out of the Music. Not, as you say, that it would be beyond the abilties of an omnipotent Creator to accomplish the running of the affairs of the world from his 'summer home' in the Old Forest.
What I mean is that He may somehow be knowingly unaware that He's God. That, to me, is a form of insanity.

Quote:
Conclusion? It seems entirely possible to me that Tom could have been a manifestation of Eru.
At least it is possible.

Quote:
The idea of Eru splitting into male and female sections that seem deeply in love in with one another I find more than a little distubing.
One the other hand, why not? If Tom is Eru, Goldberry must be accounted for as well, and that's as good an explanation as any.
Why? God begets and creates, but also watches over and provides. To use biological gender terms for a superlative being is simply to show relationship. God need not mixes his/her/its genes, which is the only reason we have the two sexes (some species do just fine without). What struck me, in regards to Eru being Tom *and* Goldberry, is how well they interact when they serve supper to the hobbits. Don't have the text right here, but reread it and you see what I mean.
__________________
There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.
alatar is offline   Reply With Quote