The Lord of The Rings and The War of Good Versus Evil Today

In J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King, the forces of evil that seek to rid the world of all mankind are at full strength. These same forces are assembled together under the dark lord Sauron. Although, these agents of darkness form a massive army together, it is not a cohesive fighting force. The strength of this army of darkness comes from it’s sheer size and ferocity. It’s savagery towards all living things strikes terror into the hearts of men.

This does not imply that this army of darkness is invincible or unstoppable. The very soldiers of this army are weak, morally corrupt beings. There is no virtue whatsoever inside of them. Therefore, the soldiers themselves are pure evil. Evil, by it’s very nature, is self-serving / self-destructive. There is no honor among the wicked. Although Sauron’s army is massive indeed, it is no match for the forces of good in the end. This is a central point of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The way that evil is depicted in the novels and films is true to form. Evil is an entirely destructive force. Evil feeds upon itself. It can and will spread like wildfire when it is left unopposed. However, evil is also self-serving and self-defeating. This leaves all evil doers and forces highly vulnerable, especially to the forces of good. Evil can only truly flourish if it stands unopposed. J.R.R. Tolkien well illustrates this important point.

This is why men and women of faith and moral courage MUST remain on the lines of defense against injustice and tyranny in this world. Our numbers remain comparatively small. But, if we don’t stand in opposition to the great evils in our world today, who will?

The central characters of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy are all faithful and virtuous beings. All except for the creature Gollum. Gollum’s mind and spirit are corrupted by “the will” of the Ring of Power. This divides him into two: Smeagol and Gollum.

Gollum hates and loves the Ring, as he loves and hates himself. The Ring is representative of temptation itself. Gollum is unable to forgive himself for a past crime: murder. Therefore, he is unable to break from the temptation and evil that surrounds him. This is an important reminder for all. Forgiveness heals and strengthens us. It enables us to move forward and respond to a higher purpose in life.

In The Lord of The Rings trilogy, ALL who come into close contact with the Ring of Power are tempted by it to a degree. The temptation is to take the ring for themselves. But, again the Ring has a will of it’s own. It seeks to corrupt the Ring Bearer so that it may be returned to Sauron. (The Ring is his very source of power) Only those who are strong in virtue and faith are able to resist the will of the Ring. Although, all struggle to resist it to a degree.

Tolkien illustrates how the truly virtuous of this world outmatch evildoers in strength and wisdom through the selfless intentions and actions of characters like Aragorn, Gandalf, Frodo, Samwise, Legolas, Gimli, Arwen and others. Those who are faithful and virtuous are prepared and equipped to resist evil and defeat it. This is because those who are strong in moral fiber have the willingness and ability to place the needs of others ahead of themselves, even at the risk of mortal danger.

Tolkien also offers beautiful and compelling examples of the bonds that form between those who are tried and tested together under the most challenging of circumstances. It is an unbreakable bond that is formed indeed. The central characters of the trilogy represented all races that were in existence at the time in the “Middle Earth”. The men, women and other beings that possessed natural faith and good will were brought together to serve a higher purpose.

However, many of the races or groups represented were at natural odds with one another. Ultimately, they proved themselves to each other, and to themselves, by virtue of their selflessness, courage and strength of character. This brought them together as a singular force in the war against evil itself. Unity and singleness of purpose is absolutely essential to combat evil in all it’s forms present in the world today, especially religious persecution.

IN CLOSING

One might say that The Lord of The Rings is a timeless tale of good versus evil. That is only partly true. J.R.R. Tolkien understands the true nature of evil in the world today, including the fact that all evil originates from a single source. Tolkien also demonstrates the corruptive / destructive nature of evil. Left unopposed, evil spreads like wildfire throughout the world.

However, when men and women of faith and moral character confront evil in a firm and unified manner, evil implodes. Evil withers away in the presence of God. This is why it is essential for Christians and all People of God to stand together and confront the great evils and injustices that threaten mankind today.

Which side will you choose?