[ecurbh]

One of the great works of literature inspired by Christ is The Lord of the Rings, and the ubiquity of virtuous hatred in the books and films has left some people uncomfortable. Recently, the film version of The Two Towers, the second installment of the trilogy, was released on DVD. Watching it again, I was reminded of the despair exhibited by some critics. One reviewer was put off by the breathtaking scene when the armies of the West come face-to-face with the armies of the evil wizard Saruman. The good soldier Aragorn calls to his men, "Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none."

Aragorn’s army is beaten back into a corner of the castle, and his king feels all is lost. "What can men do against such reckless hate?" he wonders.

Aragorn doesn’t hesitate: "Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them."

To one critic, this response was too clean and easy–and too evocative of the "hysteria" following September 11. The left has continually tried to muffle Americans’ hatred for radical Islam by equating it with racial profiling, but that hasn’t worked. Americans know evil when they see it, and all the social and economic reports from Amnesty International won’t change that.

Ring Ping!!

There and Back Again: The Journeys of Flat Frodo

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[MrConfettiMan]

Thanks for the ping, ecurbh.

Exp89, here's a thought-provoking article for 'ya. Perhaps we'll discuss later.

[Sindarian]

The good soldier Aragorn calls to his men, "Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none."

To me, this was the stupidest line in the whole film. Anyone who was there at the deep already knew what the score was. In no way was there room for talk or barganing. Any Elf or free man knew the tales of old and how their enemy was created and what the result of defeat meant for them and their families.