I must relate this story in third person because it happened with my Mom at work. They were discussing if Wizards were human or not. Of course my Mom is knowledgible enough to say that they are not, that they are spirits that were sent to protect Middle-Earth. She tried to read the Silm when she was younger but never got through it so she doesn't know about the Valar and Maiar being the same but of different class. Anyway she was trying to convince her co-workers of this and they just weren't getting it and they were argueing that Gandalf was human because he died and because he was old. She said he was sent to ME as an old man to represent wisdom and a humble nature and that it wasn't his true form and that he didn't really die per-se but was reincarnated to a higher level. Which in my humble opinion isn't far from the truth if it isn't the truth.
And then there are some of the typical questions that some of you have already posted. And since I have no friends that are as deeply into LOR as I am whenever they may ask a question (usually about the movies) and I try to explain whatever it is to them they seem the more confused because of it. *Sigh*
p.s. I like you signatures Saraphim and you too Gil-Galad!