Is Eru God?

[Aiwendil]

Davem wrote:

I wonder if this is because it offers answers to those very 'permanent problems' & that on some level those answers seem either over complex & metaphysical, or overly simplistic. Maybe those readers just feel 'No, that's not it' - even if they can't supply the 'right' answers for themselves.

I don't know. Speaking for myself, I'm a great fan of the Silmarillion but I am not religious. If religious 'answers' are what put people off about the Silmarillion, then one would think that I'd be among the first to be put off by them.

Or maybe it works the other way - maybe because I don't approach the Silmarillion with the objective of learning about some extra-literary 'Truth', I am not disappointed when I fail to find it.

Edit: Cross-post with alatar, who makes a good point and one with which I agree. It seems to me that it is the style of the Silmarillion (and particularly the published Silmarillion) to which some people react negatively.