Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:
Our discussion has been light:
It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog
However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB
Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr
Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog
Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB
Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed
To the very philosophical:
…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla
To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…
…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB
Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog
…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1
Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed
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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom
…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253
Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed
So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.
Maybe he visited Tolkien-Town on his way back to Rivendell.
I agree. That is one way Satan divides Christians. If we are too busy bickering amongst ourselves, we won't be able to do God's work..
I do believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father and that the other "isms" have missed the boat. But within the framework of recognizing Christ as Lord and Savior I believe there are many valid interpretations, none of which are exclusively right or exclusively wrong.
I believe that you can interpret theologies many different ways, but the most important thing is that Christ is God's son, sent to earth, died on the cross for all our sins, rose again on the third day, is now in heaven with the Father, and will come again to take his children home. All other issues such as how you worship, exactly when Christ will come again etc. etc. are just not important in the overall picture. We need to live our lives in such a way that others can see Him in our lives.
LOL! During my Freshman year in college (Spring of 72), my Daddy traded in his truck and bought a used phone company van for himself and a 1964 Chevy Nova for my sister and me. When we went to get it, it had a "Beaumont High Bulldogs" vanity plate on the front. At first we were so grossed out because Beaumont was considered a hick school; it's in the woods in South Central MS. After a while, thought, the name grew on us, so we started calling the car 'BEAUMONT'. We drive that car for about 6 yrs. and that sucker was a TANK!
I had an AMC Hornet when I was in college. My friends called her "Mabel."
Mabel she will run. Mabel she won't run. (it was mostly won't)
Could you send it to me please? I can get the info to our local homeschoolers group!
LOL! That is something that never would have occurred to me to send! I guess those MREs need some 'fixing' huh? BTW, what the heck is CARMEX? I understand about the sharpening stones and honing steels, but why the powdered graphite and q-tips? Do you use them to keep your rifles clean?
Since a lot of these folks are in the desert, would lip balm be a good thing to send? We have an 'Ocean State Job Lots' store close by. You can get all kinds of neat, inexpensive stuff ! The kids and I can have a fun 'field trip' to the store to get goodies for the Marines.
Regarding Elijah's comments about Christianity:
Too many people today espouse the philosophy that God is just great and wonderful, as long as He doesn’t require too much of me (i.e. make me be “religious”). Just so long as he doesn’t interfere with my “lifestyle” choices. Just so He doesn’t “get in my way”. Just so He doesn’t make me do anything I don’t want to do, that wouldn’t be right “for me”, etc. etc.
But this way of looking at it has it all backwards. God created us, and loves us, and knows what best fulfills us. He paid a sacrificial price for us in order to restore us to what our full potential could be. He does not ever want us to operate out of guilt, anxiety, fear, or compulsion. He wants us to respond to Him with love and faith and a clear conscience, knowing that He will redeem all our mis-steps and mistakes. Jesus said: Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and learn of me. My yoke is easy, my burden is light….
Just some of my thoughts….
Uh...OK htur... we won't bash elves any more if you won't allow it.... cancel the elf bashing everybody....lose the icon OT.....
*snicker* *snicker* *splutter* *hack*
Did the door handles keep falling off? After 'Beaumont', I bought a 68 AMC Rebel, which I named, of course, 'REBEL'! Sir SuziQ always tells everyone he married me for my car. I tell him him he must have been pretty hard up for a car if he married me for 'Rebel'! He cut his car repair teeth on that car. He even got some galvanized metal and replaced the rear left floor board!!
You mean this one?
Nooooo!! I like my icon!
I have been wondering about that since I first saw the movie. I had just assumed that he made a new one in Rivendell since there was no explanation for it in the movie.
I understand your reluctance to get into a heavy religious discussion here. After all, why take a chance and ruin what we have going here?
Although ruin may be too strong a word....
I don't remember. I just remember it wasn't the car I wanted. I bought it after my dad died, and my brother and my mother had promised a local dealer (a long-time family friend and former employer of my dad) that any new car we bought, we'd buy from them. I didn't promise anyone that and I got stuck with a lemon.
Soon as I could after college, I traded it for a truck.
Nope, I have the battle scars to prove that ruin is exactly the right word...
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