XPost: alt.books.cs-lewis, rec.arts.books.tolkien   
   From: hayesmstw@hotmail.com   
      
   On Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:46:19 -0300, Derek Broughton    
   wrote:   
      
   >Steve Hayes wrote:   
   >   
   >> I recently posted  a note on my blog about the number of visitors from   
   >> Muslim countries at some web pages I maintain about Christianity and   
   >> literature.   
   >>   
   >> Someone commented in response that there had been discussion on the web   
   >> about Tolkien's orcs representing Arab Islamic armies.   
   >   
   >Only insofar as the LOTR films stressed an oriental look (not of the Orcs,   
   >but the human allies)... One can't fault Tolkien for that.  Of course,   
   >Mordor is East of the civilized lands, too.  I suppose you _can_ fault   
   >Tolkien for that - but it had to be _some_ direction.   
      
   And the west was sea.   
      
   >> I have heard people say that the Calormenes in the Narnia books represent   
   >> Muslims, and some have even indignantly claimed that they are a deliberate   
   >> attempt to denigrate Muslims -- except that the Calormenes' religion in no   
   >> way resembles Islam, though it might bear some resemblance to pre-Islamic   
   >> religions of the Middle East.   
   >   
   >I've always felt it bears a resemblance to a pseudo-Christian bigot's idea   
   >of Islam.  I _hope_ Lewis didn't intend that, but I'm afraid he might have.   
      
   The society might have come out of the Arabian nights, but the religion is   
   more like Assyria/Babylon.   
      
      
   --   
   Steve Hayes   
   Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/litmain.htm   
        http://www.librarything.com/catalog/hayesstw   
        http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf/Methodius   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)