XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox   
   From: jointuser@thepub.co.za   
      
   Steve Hayes  wrote in message   
   news:3fa70cc3.138922620@news.saix.net...   
   > On 3 Nov 2003 16:17:17 -0800, yzetta@yahoo.com (zett) wrote:   
   >   
   > >hayesmstw@hotmail.com (Steve Hayes) wrote in message   
   news:<3fa5e149.62244597@news.saix.net>...   
   > >> On 1 Nov 2003 18:10:38 -0800, yzetta@yahoo.com (zett) wrote:   
   > >>   
   > >> >For me, the single most fascinating thing in all of Tolkien's writing   
   > >> >is the idea of death as a natural part of man, not a punishment for   
   > >> >sin.   
   > >> >   
   > >> >Does anyone know where he might have gotten this idea?   
   > >>   
   > >> From Christianity?   
   > >   
   [snip]   
      
   >   
   > It is possibly something Tolkien got from ancient Greek religion, though   
   I'm   
   > not sure that the idea of death as a "punishment"  is primary in   
   Christianity.   
   > The real contrast might be death as an enemy, and death as a gift.   
   >   
   > The primary Christian understanding of death is that it is an enemy --   
   "the   
   > last enemy to be destroyed is death" (I Cor 15:26), and speaks of Christ   
   as   
   > the one who "might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the   
   > devil - and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the   
   fear of   
   > death" (Heb 2:14-15).   
   .geocities.com/Athens/7734/books.htm   
      
   Does it not also say in the New Testament: "The wages of sin is Death?"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)