I originally read both Tolkien and CS Lewis without seeing any of these things! But you are right and on re-reading them I see a lot more. I'm a convert myself and I've always appreciated the story of Ruth in the Bible as a conversion story.
One of the books of Scripture I still need to read! I like that St. Matthew included Gentiles in Our Lord's genealogy, even ones who lived immoral lives, to show that all of us can be redeemed.
Thank you for sharing your conversion story. I was raised Baptist and after a long journey became Catholic as an adult. I've loved the LOTR since I was a kid. It definitely had a huge influence on me, and it seems like I love it more as time goes by and I can how Catholic it is.
Your experience is one of the main reasons I started Saint Tolkien. I consider it to be a clear proof of Tolkien's holiness and heavenly influence that so many people, like us, have become Catholic and been strengthened in our faith with help from his work. He reaches many people who might otherwise be closed to Catholicism. Thank you for sharing your story, too!
I don’t think you can name a single prophet or person in the Bible who came to believe because they encountered a religious system; *because* thry thought the law was beautiful or were in awe of the Ark of the Covenant. They had direct, personal encounters with God/the truth. And that is suspiciously absent from your conversion story.
Your love of the Catholic religious system is not faith in God. It is existential relief from the emptiness of the world.
The Bible rarely shows conversions. Most people in Scripture, such as the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New, already believed in God when they entered the scene. If someone only converts when they have a direct mystical encounter with God, they will likely never convert; nor should we only convert because God gives us what we want. Such proof-based faith is not faith at all. God established the "religious system," as you call it, of the ancient Israelites and of the Church, and countless people throughout history have converted because of its inherent, God-given truth, goodness and beauty.
Your presumption about my faith says more about your own, which centers entirely on your own authority and preferences instead of in submission to the objective authorities established by God in history. Your faith is in yourself, not in God. I will pray for your soul.
It doesn’t matter how rare the conversions are, they never convert because they are enamoured with religious systems.
Abraham was the first convert, literally called out of idol worship to serve God.
And no one said anything about mystical. But true conversion entails an encounter with God as a reality nonetheless. I’ve known people who converted by witnessing miracles or simply by sudden certainty God existed as surely as anything else real. The fact you think God is unwilling to provide evidence or certainty of his existence is quite sad and sounds like a cope because you’ve never encountered it yourself.
You should know God exists with certainty. Faith comes into play when it’s time to believe God is good and true while going through trials.
God gave me the authority to judge the merits of a person’s faith when he said: “you shall know them by their fruits.” You have not encountered God. You don’t celebrate that he is true and real, only that the church scratches the itch you desperately meed for order and aesthetics. I’m judging your fruit.
“Pray for your soul.”
Why would you need to pray for my soul if you aren’t implicitly saying I’m not a Christian? So you can judge my faith, but I can’t judge yours???
You run to this person’s defence but he doesn’t think much of his supporters. Notice how all the comments affirming him didn’t even receive a response. Just me, the person who punctured his image.
I already responded to Jennifer above. I respond to almost everyone who comments on my posts, at least by liking their comment. I just have a life other than the internet that tends to take up my time. On the other hand, when I can tell people are only interested in exchanging arguments and insults, I make my points, then move on, as I will now.
Annie, Kaleb doesn't need me to defend him. My soul purpose is to share an understanding of TRUTH that will surprise and delight, because when we approach Our Lord Jesus as children, all things are possible. That Annie, is Catholic Truth.
Thank you for sharing your conversion story and pointing out so many things that I’ve missed in Bilbo’s story. Very well written too! Much appreciated.
I originally read both Tolkien and CS Lewis without seeing any of these things! But you are right and on re-reading them I see a lot more. I'm a convert myself and I've always appreciated the story of Ruth in the Bible as a conversion story.
One of the books of Scripture I still need to read! I like that St. Matthew included Gentiles in Our Lord's genealogy, even ones who lived immoral lives, to show that all of us can be redeemed.
Thank you for sharing your conversion story. I was raised Baptist and after a long journey became Catholic as an adult. I've loved the LOTR since I was a kid. It definitely had a huge influence on me, and it seems like I love it more as time goes by and I can how Catholic it is.
Your experience is one of the main reasons I started Saint Tolkien. I consider it to be a clear proof of Tolkien's holiness and heavenly influence that so many people, like us, have become Catholic and been strengthened in our faith with help from his work. He reaches many people who might otherwise be closed to Catholicism. Thank you for sharing your story, too!
I don’t think you can name a single prophet or person in the Bible who came to believe because they encountered a religious system; *because* thry thought the law was beautiful or were in awe of the Ark of the Covenant. They had direct, personal encounters with God/the truth. And that is suspiciously absent from your conversion story.
Your love of the Catholic religious system is not faith in God. It is existential relief from the emptiness of the world.
You're applying your own subjective views on others. People come to faith in many ways, and you cannot judge the inside of a person's soul.
The Bible rarely shows conversions. Most people in Scripture, such as the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New, already believed in God when they entered the scene. If someone only converts when they have a direct mystical encounter with God, they will likely never convert; nor should we only convert because God gives us what we want. Such proof-based faith is not faith at all. God established the "religious system," as you call it, of the ancient Israelites and of the Church, and countless people throughout history have converted because of its inherent, God-given truth, goodness and beauty.
Your presumption about my faith says more about your own, which centers entirely on your own authority and preferences instead of in submission to the objective authorities established by God in history. Your faith is in yourself, not in God. I will pray for your soul.
It doesn’t matter how rare the conversions are, they never convert because they are enamoured with religious systems.
Abraham was the first convert, literally called out of idol worship to serve God.
And no one said anything about mystical. But true conversion entails an encounter with God as a reality nonetheless. I’ve known people who converted by witnessing miracles or simply by sudden certainty God existed as surely as anything else real. The fact you think God is unwilling to provide evidence or certainty of his existence is quite sad and sounds like a cope because you’ve never encountered it yourself.
You should know God exists with certainty. Faith comes into play when it’s time to believe God is good and true while going through trials.
God gave me the authority to judge the merits of a person’s faith when he said: “you shall know them by their fruits.” You have not encountered God. You don’t celebrate that he is true and real, only that the church scratches the itch you desperately meed for order and aesthetics. I’m judging your fruit.
“Pray for your soul.”
Why would you need to pray for my soul if you aren’t implicitly saying I’m not a Christian? So you can judge my faith, but I can’t judge yours???
Annie, in 1998 I converted to Christianity.
For seven months I listened to the 'little voice.'
I moved away from the 'old man.'
I even listened to evangelicals on the minivan's radio.
I was at wits end right up till that fateful moment when it all changed, around 2 pm on April 16th.
Thats when three 'little words' were planted in my soul: "It's all true."
And after I felt them enter I KNEW just what to do.
I drove the 13 miles to the Ark of the Covenant in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. I was home.
WHY? Because this 26 year sinner revert KNEW that the IT'S is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that I was baptized into 39 years earlier.
Kale's journey is just as TRUE.
Your's will be too.
You run to this person’s defence but he doesn’t think much of his supporters. Notice how all the comments affirming him didn’t even receive a response. Just me, the person who punctured his image.
I already responded to Jennifer above. I respond to almost everyone who comments on my posts, at least by liking their comment. I just have a life other than the internet that tends to take up my time. On the other hand, when I can tell people are only interested in exchanging arguments and insults, I make my points, then move on, as I will now.
When I had made the observation, you had not yet responded to or liked anyone’s post except mine.
And you say you don’t have time to engage with me, but you returned to manage your image once again. lol
Sincerity is so easy to fake. It makes me wonder why you aren’t even bothered to try.
Annie, Kaleb doesn't need me to defend him. My soul purpose is to share an understanding of TRUTH that will surprise and delight, because when we approach Our Lord Jesus as children, all things are possible. That Annie, is Catholic Truth.
Thank you for sharing your conversion story and pointing out so many things that I’ve missed in Bilbo’s story. Very well written too! Much appreciated.
Thanks as always, Shannon! God bless!
Interesting perspective. I never considered Bilbo's adventure to be a path to conversion.
Amen!