Tolkien, Converts, and the Center for American Progress

Last updated on: December 29, 2014 at 4:56 pm by Mark Shea

Tolkien, Converts, and the Center for American Progress 2014-12-29T16:56:49-07:00 Mark Shea

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A reader writes:

I had wanted to write you about one matter, but in searching for your email address, I encountered another.

About the individuals suffering from the craniorectal impaction regarding Tolkien and LOTR. Their argument is- No converts, ergo, not Catholic. I am a convert. I entered into full communion with the Church. Tollers deserves a fair share of the credit. One convert. So their argument collapses. BTW- I am working on a book on Tolkien and Catholicism.

The matter about which I did want to write is the statement by Paul Reville at the Center for American Progress to the effect that “All you child are belong to us.” I have heard and read the reactions of some on the Right along the “cold dead fingers” line.

I have another suggestion, one that I carried out, and I am encouraging others to do so.

Take Mr. Reville and CFAP at their word. Contact or call them. Tell them that you need some help- whether it is standingg in at car pool for a child, or taking one to soccer while you run the other to ballet, or asking for help with tuition, from pre-school to college. Have people contact them and ask for Mr. Reville, and leave a message. Be polite and good natured. Do not argue the big picture. Be literal and make them look as foolish as they are. Also, tie up their phone lines and servers. Also, if your child is of the age of reason, have THEM call and ask for a pony.

http://www.americanprogress.org/about/contact-us/

Just a thought. There is another matter as well, for the moment, I covet your prayers that the Our Lady of Lourdes says yes.

Re: Tolkien. The Reactionary who attempts the convert-scalp-counting method as a way of saying “No converts, so not truly Catholic” only demonstrates that Reactionaries (who hate evangelism) are so far removed from the process of evangelization and conversion that they simply do not know anything about actual human beings who have gone through it. I can’t tell you how many people, myself included, who regard Tolkien as being one of the hugely important influences in their conversion. His sacramental vision, his plain goodness, were and are enormously attractive witnesses. I can’t help thinking heaven will have something of Middle Earth about it.

As to my reader’s suggestion, I’m all for creative, non-violent ways to stop evil. That seems like one.

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