Lent 2015

[dreamflower]

"It is mercy, not justice or courage or even heroism, that alone can defeat evil."

PETER KREEFT, The Philosophy of Tolkien

Comments

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

This has always been one of my favorite bits of Tolkien: that war may be able to make room for peace and virtue and all that, but it doesn't accomplish it on its own. You need actual virtues taking advantage of that space.

Very close to my own philosophy, actually, except I think that the (practical) necessity of war is very much a symptom of Arda Marred, and something those of us in the primary world fall on much too easily, even happily. But that's a different topic entirely.

[dreamflower]

I love the fact that it was all acts of mercy that enabled the malice of the Ring to be destroyed. First was Bilbo's sparing Gollum, then Gandalf commended him to the Elves, who also showed him mercy, Frodo showing him mercy when he was caught, Faramir sparing him for Frodo's sake, even Sam spared him when it would have been safer not to.