[davem]

Again, ignoring myths as a path to spirituality.

Tolkien's work is not a 'mythology'. A mythology is the work of a people over millenia. Whatever Tolkien produced it is not technically a 'mythology'.

Could you give that specific quote??

As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none....The Lord of the Rings has been read by many people since it finally appeared in print; and I should like to say something here with reference to the many opinions or guesses that I have received or have read concerning the motives and meaning of the tale. The prime motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybeexcite them or deeply move them.

I don't see the logical connection between writting something about God in a fictional setting and inability to differentiate between one's fiction and (perceived) reality.

Which assumes that Tolkien was writing something about God in a fictional setting, of course. And even if he was the reader is not required to accept, let alone agree with, what the author says. And if the author gives us a work of fiction rather than a work of theology, one must assume he wanted it to be read as a story, not a work of theology.

The problem with this quote is that it says nothing of the standing of those who died.

So killing a million 'bad' people is OK?. Tolkien seemed to consider the fall of Numenor & the deaths involved to be a tragedy. You seem to be shrugging your shoulders & saying its OK.

That is what it seemed; part of Sauron's loss of power is that he spent a great part of it on corrupting Numenor. This is the only possible exit out of that hell; as Tolkien stated, there are certain encounters with evil that cannot be won by mere humans without supplication to God.

And yet Eru spared Sauron (& the Orcs & other servants of Sauron btw - whose attrocities far exceeded those of the Numenoreans). I don't see where 'Hell' comes into M-e - where it is never mentioned as a metaphysical reality.

And you say that, because?

The last leaders of the Faithful, Elendil and his sons, escaped from the Downfall with nine ships, bearing a seedling of Nimloth, and the Seven Seeing-stones (gifts of the Eldar to their House)

The idea that the whole of the faithful of Numenor could gather together in one place (& fit themselves into 9 ships) without being noticed is hardly credible.