I'm not a Jedi, but a ...

[alatar]

Thank you all for your input.

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

But Illuvitarian has such a nice ring to it.

It just sounds too 'vanilla' and so may be confused with some other idea, like that I don't eat squid.

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

How about Numenorean*?

On the other hand, it could be mistaken for a mathematical cult of some kind if the word is not read precisely.

That would be my fear, that either I was into numerology or was way too big a fan of the TV show Numb3rs.

*I left the accents out on purpose - you wouldn't want to confuse some poor American computer that's attempting to read your form, would you?!

Sometimes I would rather deal with a computer, as it least it can be consistent.

Originally Posted by radagastly

"Tolkienist," is acceptable. "Eruan," might be a better word, but let's face it, Tolkien would never approve of any of this. He was a Catholic. He really believed it! I'm not asking you to, (I don't, I never have.) but if this is really the what you want, then here it is.

So you are saying that if I believed that Tolkien works were the basis of a belief system, I should then indicate 'Catholic' on any form? Maybe you mean small 'c' catholic, as in "embracing all things; universal."

I hope you don't have a problem with it. It really means that you're doing things right.

I don't understand what you mean here.

Originally Posted by Mnemosyne

I suppose if you wanted to put something down that would follow both Middle-earth itself and what Tolkien thought of it, you'd have to say that you're a Natural Religionist. Of course, that would work better if you're a hobbit-fancier than if you go after those who actually did have some exposure to the revealed religion of Middle-earth...

What about some derivation of 'Middle Earther?' That's what I truly believe in, that world and its basis.

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Off-topic– Alatar, are you sure you actually have to give that information in order to make a claim in the US?

Surely no company would ask for information that it wasn't absolutely required to have. It's very important, I guess, if you've purchased a washing machine, to know if you golf...maybe it has something to do with the machine's usage...

In Australia, all you need is proof of purchase. I'm just saying, I think those questions are a bit of a scam.

No! I'm shocked to even consider such a thought...<alatar's eyes glance over at the title above his avatar>

Originally Posted by Hakon

This should be a game in Middle Earth Mirth. Lord of the Rings related religions. Here is one Frodoist. Seriously though sometime someone needs to write I worship Melkor or I worship Sauron on a form.

Frodo is a more identifiable word than either of the two Dark Lords, and so you may have something there. And stating that I worshiped either of the latter would, to me, just come off as somewhat childish. I think that the story of the Music of the Ainur is a wonderful 'creation' story, and so would want to indicate that I was more than just a sword-toting thug by my designation.

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

I suppose I would say that I am Eruhini, a child of Eru, which of course all humans were, and are. I suspect Tolkien would not have approved of it as a basis for an organized religion, but he couldn't have argued with the concept. Besides, I'm not one for organized religions, anyway. I dance to a far too different drummer.

Your religion allows dancing?!?

Pigeonholing is one of the most popular pastimes of obsessive controllers, and near always as I have experienced it, usually winds up being abusive. Businesses often call it "demographics," which is their way of figuring out whether or not you and your opinions are worthy of their consideration (all too often based on your age and/or income level). It stinks.

Yes, but you should try to have some fun with it. Looking over the entire form, you can get a sense of the 'real' question (i.e. wants to pigeonhole you, wants to sell you something, wants to spam you, etc), and so you can then devise a scheme that either gets your returned form thrown out for being an outlier, or skews their research.

The more dichotomies, the better.

[Mnemosyne]

Originally Posted by alatar

What about some derivation of 'Middle Earther?'

Maybe Ardan would cover all the possibilities, then. It even sounds as if it could be an actual religion... Ardanism...

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by alatar

Yes, but you should try to have some fun with it. Looking over the entire form, you can get a sense of the 'real' question (i.e. wants to pigeonhole you, wants to sell you something, wants to spam you, etc), and so you can then devise a scheme that either gets your returned form thrown out for being an outlier, or skews their research.

The more dichotomies, the better.

Any scheme to defeat prying and privacy invasion by the makers of products I do or don't want has my complete approval. I recall Stephen King once saying he had put 'rooster worship' as his religion on some questionaire.
I would say 'Endorian', but that could lead to awkward Ewok associations.

[alatar]

I'm becoming partial, as somewhat suggested by Mnemosyne, to Ardaian/Ardaianism <pronounced R - Day - E - an>. Sounds official enough, and I like that 'day' is in the word.

Your pronunciations may vary...

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by alatar

Sometimes I would rather deal with a computer, as it least it can be consistent.

Originally Posted by Oscar Wilde

Consistency is the last resort of the unimaginative.

Originally Posted by alatar

The more dichotomies, the better.

I think the more appropriate word to use here is "schisms." If we use Christianity as a model, we would have a variety of Tolkien religions. You know, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Quaker, Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Fundamentalist.

So we should recognise the different factions among Tolkien fans.

For example, those who were mere followers of movie fashions might be considered "Tolkienistas", as simply dedicated followers of fashion. (apologies to Ray Davies)

Tolkienites would possibly be the original wanderers of the holy land, that of first publication whereas Tolkienians might be those of the '70's, the newish cult which carried banners of "Frodo Lives". Then, with the release of The Silm, we might have Christ-Tolkians, as followers of the editing practices of Christopher Tolkien. Those who have truly drunk of the waters of faith, heeding both CoH and S&G, might possibly be considered Tolkienists, in remembrance of Baptists. Those who believe that a Seventh Age epic might be possible could be considered to be Seventh Age Adventists.

I think you get the picture.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Tolkienites would possibly be the original wanderers of the holy land, that of first publication whereas Tolkienians might be those of the '70's, the newish cult which carried banners of "Frodo Lives". Then, with the release of The Silm, we might have Christ-Tolkians, as followers of the editing practices of Christopher Tolkien. Those who have truly drunk of the waters of faith, heeding both CoH and S&G, might possibly be considered Tolkienists, in remembrance of Baptists. Those who believe that a Seventh Age epic might be possible could be considered to be Seventh Age Adventists.

So, then folks who only follow Middle-earth via the internet would be Tolksbyterians?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

So, then folks who only follow Middle-earth via the internet would be Tolksbyterians?

Indeed. For them, hell is a white screen of doom.

Also, as there was a split in the Presbyterian church in Canada, so there could be a sub-set of Tolkien fans who call themselves Presbytolkians, who argue over whether Tolkien should be read to children or whether children should read him themselves.

EDIT: Look at that! Not only did I cross post with Big al, but our posts are timed the same. He must have beat me by a few seconds. But hey, this isn't an Olypic sport!

But the quandry: do I answer him here, or double post? Or does he double post and correct my fractionating?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

EDIT: Look at that! Not only did I cross post with Big al, but our posts are timed the same. He must have beat me by a few seconds. But hey, this isn't an Olympic sport!

Maybe the posts were alphabetized. And 'al' beats' be' in that race.

But the quandry: do I answer him here, or double post? Or does he double post and correct my fractionating?

I don't think that any number of posts can correct what's fractured with a certain poster - not that I haven't tried...

But now that I've posted, feel free to post a reply to my earlier post (unless you're posting right now).

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I want my computer to be unimaginative, as well as my car, my watch, the roof of my house, the roads over which I traveled this morning... There's room in the world for some consistency as well as the unpredictable, and what of those who are consistency unpredictable (not to mention any nicks)?

I think the more appropriate word to use here is "schisms."

This is another reason to avoid Esty's suggestion, as right off the bat, you have two groups, and eventually that will lead to some ugliness. For example, anyone familiar with the Christmas cartoon, The Year Without a Santa Claus by Rankin/Bass? You'd think that such a 'wonderful' children's cartoon (note that I consider this show to be a form of torture, and avoid it as possible) would not cause controversy, but it did. Ages ago, when I was in school, the show, then shown only seasonally as there's weren't videotapes yet, caught on in class. One guy decided that he liked Heatmiser, and so another just *had* to champion Snowmiser. A day or two later and most of the class is divided into the two factions, with badges and other flare indicating which group one was a member of. I hated the movie even then, and so didn't join either, but this just increased the number of people who didn't like me - each side, when I turned down their offer of membership, *obviously* thought that I was going for the other side - which I wasn't.

Luckily, spring arrived.

Anyway, as Tolkienophiles are a minority, I'd hate to see us fractionated.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by alatar

Anyway, as Tolkienophiles are a minority, I'd hate to see us fractionated.

Well, then, let us avoid fractions, quantums, imaginary numbers, decimals, decibels, and choral bells.

Originally Posted by alatar

]
So the question then is, what, if I believed as, say Aragorn or Elrond or Frodo or Galadriel, would be my similar Tolkienesque response?

I'm willing to bet that the one response which would keep all us Tolkienophiles together would be the response that Tolkien himself would likely have resorted to if such a form came to him on a particularly nasty day in the increasing mordorment of our government.

There, I think that says it with as much cryptic aura as possible.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

quantums

Speaking of all things quantum, let it be known that Bb and I seemingly exhibit some sort of quantum entanglement, where, whichever Tolkienist religion I would end up choosing, she would then instantaneously (and without knowing my choice) choose the diametrically opposed one.

[LadyBrooke]

On the original question, if Aragorn had to answer the form it would probably be "One of the Faithful".

I hate those stupid forms though. There is no good reason you need to know my religon in the U.S. unless something has changed since the last time I read the Constitution and we are now One Nation United Under One Church and you are planning an Inquistation (sp?). Or my gender or my race or anything else. I'm a person who bought your product if I want more info from you I'll contact you.

I never know what to put on the religon question either because I don't belong to any given church. I read the Bible and I believe in God and Jesus. That's it. No Church of Christ or Catholic Church or anything.

Can you tell I've had to fill out some of these forms today?

[Hakon]

A few weeks ago I got my working papers and they asked for an approximate time of birth. Why do they need to know that much? They have the date and the year.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Originally Posted by alatar

Yes, but you should try to have some fun with it.

Oh, certainly. I always enjoy messing with their heads. I usually answer "race" with "human," and sometimes "sex" with yes or no, depending on my whim. And I've put in much stranger things than that. Back when I was very active in SF fan circles, "freaking out the mundanes" was one of our favorite pastimes.