The power of stories

[atrib]

And the article I posted proves Campbell wrong IMHO. Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings are pretty much interchangeable as far as moral teachings go. Both are stories of "the anointed one" rising, being perfect, and taking their God given heritage. Like Jesus.

Frodo was perfect? I don't want to post any spoilers here, but, seriously?

Yes. Morally perfect. Like Jesus "father, why have you forsaken me".

The Jesus figure in Tolkien is Aragorn

Aragorn is nothing like Jesus. Have you read the LOTR?

 

[Keith&Co.]

Yes. Morally perfect. Like Jesus "father, why have you forsaken me".

The Jesus figure in Tolkien is Aragorn

Aragorn is nothing like Jesus. Have you read the LOTR?

Aragorn had a beard...?

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

https://www.polygon.com/lord-of-the...11-christian-evangelical-protest-harry-potter

Here's a Christian minister talking about the difference between Lord of the rings and Harry Potter.

No, I can't follow the logic either. I think it's a Christian thing.

But it does underline the power of stories. And how we can use them to create meaning and identify friends and enemies

Religion is mostly ritualism seems to me. Telling and retelling stories is just part of the larger ritual. The religion, the larger ritual, is itself a kind of meditation, strengthening and self healing typically done at the group level. We all do those things. What distinguishes most of religion from other rituals is the incorporation of woo. I can take regular walks in my orchard, observe the natural world, marvel at life's variety, etc., and forget the woo entirely. But if I start singing songs and making offerings to the great woo then I'm being religious in the typical sense.

And who really gives a fuck what an evangelical thinks about the differences between Tolkein and Potter in terms of woo value?

 

[atrib]

And the article I posted proves Campbell wrong IMHO. Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings are pretty much interchangeable as far as moral teachings go. Both are stories of "the anointed one" rising, being perfect, and taking their God given heritage. Like Jesus.

I can't speak for Harry Potter as I have only read the books once several decades ago, but the story of the LOTR is nothing like the Jesus story. Nobody is "anointed", nobody is perfect - they are just regular people upon whom a great responsibility has been cast. And they succeed in the end because they work with one another to get things done.