Lord of the Rings

One connection that I made in our Lord of the Rings reading to Theology and Christianity was during the conversation between Gandalf and Saruman. I thought Saruman’s choice to side with evil was similar to Pilate’s (and many others) decision to go along with the crucifixion of Jesus. Saruman says, “This then is one choice before you, before us. We may join with that Power. It would be wise, Gandalf. There is hope that way. Its victory is at hand.” This line shows that Saruman cares more about power, wealth, and his personal safety over aiding what is good. I thought this was similar to people turning against Jesus because many turned away for the same reasons. Instead of vindicating Jesus because he could find no fault in him, Pilate hands him over to the Jews because he is afraid of losing his power and afraid for his safety.

On a more bigger picture outlook, a theme I noticed throughout this excerpt was the fact that it is much easier to choose evil, but there is reward in fighting the good fight. Gandalf shows that he does not want to give into the evil of the Ring and instead chooses to fight it and save the world. We see that doing this and standing up for what is right, leads to the ultimate reward. And, just as we see in Christian thought, fighting through hardship in the name of Jesus, leads to ultimate happiness.