Would the Middle Earth saga be considered a religion in of itself?

[Jessica Jade]

noted that there are no 'unique' lessons out anymore, and for that reason, everything that attempts to provide insight is only reiterating what we've all been taught -Legolos

Insight doesn't have to mean that we are being exposed to things that we've never thought of before. It just means that we've gained a newer and more profound way of looking at certain situations in life.And isn't that what art is all about? Great art and literature is something that opens up a new path to me and allows me to percieve things in ways that i would never have thought of, or that would not have been possible otherwise.

is writing in such a way that the "lesson" penetrates to the heart and becomes a deeper part of oneself. -Mark12_30

You put it so beautifully, Mark!

And for the record, in answer to Bethbery's question- I definitely believe that one can find spiritual inspiration/insight in fiction and in things that they don't believe in.