[portmanteur]

The Lord of the Rings is a fundamentally Catholic work, written in English, and one of the most popular works of literature of the past century. So it is not unusual for an English-speaking Pope to quote from it.

Further, what shade would be thrown, and why? What criticism of Palantir would the Pope be attempting to make here?

[simonw]

> What criticism of Palantir would the Pope be attempting to make here?

The quote in question:

> It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.

Palantir very much strikes me as a company that is attempting to "master all the tides of the world".

And honestly, just reminding people that Lord of the Rings is a book concerned with morality and the fight against evil counts as throwing shade at Palantir, since they named their company after a corrupted device from those novels.

[simonw]

Here's similar thinking from the Catholic Herald, who are significantly more qualified to opine on this than I am! https://thecatholicherald.com/article/is-magnifica-humanitas...

[hackyhacky]

> The Lord of the Rings is a fundamentally Catholic work

That's a bit of a stretch. I've read the whole thing and I can't recall any mention of Christianity at all.

> So it is not unusual for an English-speaking Pope to quote from it.

Interesting. How many other popes have quoted Lord of the Rings in an Encyclical Letter?

[portmanteur]

It is not a stretch. Tolkien was a devout Catholic. The story has a wide variety of allegorical symbolism pointing to a profound Catholic faith. The ring is a metaphor for sin. In famous scene of Boromir’s death, in telling Aragorn he succumbed to temptation by the ring he says, “I have failed.” To which Aragorn, the rightful King, recognizing Boromir’s atonement, replies, “No, brother, you have won a great victory.” This is a blow-for-blow metaphor of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, aka Confession.

Many writers have written on the vast number of Catholic themes and metaphors in LOTR, but one great example is Frodo’s Journey: https://www.amazon.com/Frodos-Journey-Discover-Hidden-Meanin...

Many of his arguments are summarized in this interview: https://youtu.be/HKqvCRc0wWU?si=CPY3SpvRsZ_ZK-Tw

[hackyhacky]

> Tolkien was a devout Catholic.

There are many Catholic authors. Not everything they write is necessarily a "Catholic work."

> The ring is a metaphor for sin.

You are welcome to your Catholic interpretation of his work, but Tolkien himself famously said that "There is no 'symbolism' or conscious allegory in my story."

As a piece of symbolism, the ring doesn't make any sense. Is he saying that elves helped make sin? And that it can be destroyed in a volcano? In context, it's incoherent and inconsistent with Catholic dogma.

Even if we buy your view that the ring is a symbol for sin, that hardly makes it specifically Catholic. Many religions have a concept of sin, including other branches of Christianity.

If you were to make a case that LOTR is a Catholic work (not an Evangelical, or Lutheran, or Hindu, or Jewish work) you would need to include some specifically Catholic references, such as that scene where the Orcs worship Sauron's mother. (/s)

> Many of his arguments are summarized in this interview: https://youtu.be/HKqvCRc0wWU?si=CPY3SpvRsZ_ZK-Tw

I was excited until I realized that the interview is not with Tolkien, but with some random bozo pushing a religious-nationalist agenda. What makes his interpretation of Tolkien's work more valid than that of Tolkien himself?

Also, you did say that it's not unusual for popes to cite Tolkien. I'm still waiting for your supporting evidence in this matter.

[suburban_strike]

> There is no 'symbolism' or conscious allegory in my story.

Every author says this; they have a financial stake in not alienating outgroups they hope to sell their book to.

Fiction authors (and actors) are professional liars, who sell very convincing lies for a living. Their words should not be trusted so easily.

[hackyhacky]

Your pointless cynicism (about a man who turned down many opportunities to make money) is not instructive about the question of whether or not his work is "Catholic."