Thursday, June 25, 2015

Christ and Lord of the Rings: The Connection

So, I know what you're thinking. What does a fantasy trilogy have to do with christianity? Some of you (those fantasy haters) may even be wondering what a fantasy trilogy has to do with anything.
Well, several things.
The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a book trilogy following the journey of a wide cast of characters as they struggle to destroy the One Ring and defeat the dark lord Sauron.
There are about a million different connections between Christianity and these books but today I am focusing on one: Samewise Gamgee.
If you've read the books or seen the movies, you're probably smiling to yourself or yelling excitedly. Sam is a fantastic character. What you might not know is that he is a Christ-like character. Here's how:
1. A faithful friend
Sam is ALWAYS there for Frodo. No matter what. When Frodo tries to go off alone to destroy the ring without taking any one else from the Fellowship with him (in Fellowship of the Ring), Sam gets into the water to follow him. He tells Frodo that yes, he's leaving but that Sam is coming with him. This is a representation of Christ. Christ is always there for us, maybe not even when we want him to be.
2. He will always come back.
During Return of the King, Frodo tells Sam to leave, taking Gollum's word over Sam's. When this nearly kills Frodo, Sam comes to the rescue, with the phial of Galadriel. Even after how awful Frodo was to him, Sam saved him. Christ is the same with us.
3. He will carry us.
At the end of Return of the King, as they have almost reached the top of Mount Doom to get rid of the ring, Frodo can no longer go forward on his own. To this, Sam says, "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you!" He the carries Frodo the rest of the way to the top. Christ will never carry our loads for us. He can't. But he can carry us through these burdens.
Need I say more?
Sam is a symbol for Christ. Here's a final quote from Sam to show that he was wise and good and Christ-like from the end of The Two Towers:
"I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something...That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for."
-Sam, The Two Towers

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Why Humans are Awesome

Good morning all!
So I work five days a week, as many of us do. During these days of vacuuming and dusting, I often spend my time in some pretty deep thought.
For example, yesterday.
Yesterday, I was dusting and thinking to myself. Here's what I decided:
Humans beings are absolutely incredible. We have this drive that the rest of living things on Earth do not have. The drive to make a difference, to change something, to make something better. Animals do not share this drive. They live to survive. In a sense, humans survive to live. 
Think about it. Every person on this Earth wants to do something great. No one wants to just eat and sleep. Why? Because we know we are capable of so much more.
I think this is why I'm a writer (honestly, I've never really known what peaked my interest). I want to make a difference and, for me at least, this is how I can. I can teach truth and I can touch hearts. That's how I change things.
Everyone has a drive. Something they wish to accomplish, even if they have become bitter and cynical enough to say that they don't.
So here I am today saying, DON'T LET GO OF YOUR DRIVE. This is what makes you human, this is what makes you so amazing. 
Don't let that go.