We have a problem...
There are more and more testimonies when people write that on the Tolkien Society forum they were explicitly told not to share there anything even remotely touching on the topic of Tolkien's faith. "The Tolkien Society believes that anyone should be able to enjoy the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and be able to participate in the community without discrimination." (see here) — unless you're a Christian wishing to contribute your perspective to its Facebook forum, of course.
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| Artwork by a former member of the Tolkien Society |
I look East, West, North, South, and I do not see Sauron; but I see that Saruman has many descendants. We Hobbits have against them no magic weapons. Yet, my gentlehobbits, I give you this toast: To the Hobbits. May they outlast the Sarumans and see spring again in the trees.
Dear Tolkien Society members, I need your testimony here too. There are many people who had the opportunity to feel the attitude of the Tolkien Society's elite towards speakers who represent the world of J. R. R. Tolkien's Christian, Catholic values. I can add your testimony here.
I was persecuted too.
OdpowiedzUsuńHow it began?
Usuń10 years ago....
OdpowiedzUsuńHi Ryszard,
OdpowiedzUsuńA few things to say, because like you said in your blog post above, there is a problem. However, I think the problem is not quite what you think It is, sadly.
Firstly though, I want to say I appreciate, respect and enjoy all the hard work you put into this wonderful research project about Tolkien’s ancestors. I hope it comes to fruition as a book in the future.
However…
I feel this continued assault on the Tolkien Society and also their volunteer helpers from the TS Facebook group is seriously beneath you. As it gets worse, it’s engulfing all the great work you are doing here. The Tolkien Society is well within their rights to moderate their own page how they seem fit. As a pervious moderator of a forum from another fandom, I know first-hand the abuse and downright disgusting attacks on a moderators’ character that some people will sling. I am not saying you did that.
Regarding your post about the sculpture in the Oratory, where this started from. The TS page isn’t the only time a problem has happened with you posting it, is it? You put the same image of a sculpture elsewhere and the thread got locked. I know because I am on the same place as you. So there was a problem with this post, which the TS wanted to avoid in the first place (they were right it would cause issues) – they have experience now in running that page, dealing with the various sides of our fandom, and sometimes against their own better judgement they allow a thread to run, only for a few posts later to see it turn into a name-calling mess. These people are volunteers, giving their own time, to give us a space to talk. I have had posts refused, I never complained. I just said “No problem” and carried on with something else. I trust these people, from their experience of dealing with fans, to make the best judgement for that group. I can talk from my own experience, people have some strange ideas and will throw curveballs. They will also call you all sorts of names and demand things they actually aren’t entitled to.
Tolkien is everyone’s. His work does not belong to one group nor come from one thing. Tolkien is a complex man, who a lot of us admire and love his work. But our connection does not give us the right to demand other’s don’t.
The Tolkien Society has and continues to bring fans together, I will always defend it on that. It has made a space for discourse. They do not have to have a FB group – with all its issues of personality/religious/cultural/political clashes – I am surprised they do. I would rather they kept it, it’s a great place to find out new things and also chat to likeminded people. It took a lot of hard work for the Society to be where it is. Hard work done by the board, admin and many many others – all volunteers. They deserve better treatment. And our fandom doesn’t need people gatekeeping it – and I’ll be clear on that, I mean telling a person Tolkien is a Christian and so only Christianity must be discussed. I don’t disagree – Christianity should. And It does. I even picked up a book or two last week, for myself to get my head round the Christian Tolkien.
Ryszard, as someone who understands your passion for something, I reach out and say let this one go. You need to, else it will consume you and all your good work. No good comes out of the path you are treading. As a fellow fan, as someone researching Tolkien, as a human being. Let it go, move on, get more fantastic stuff for us to read and enjoy.
Lastly, I think this is relevant to what I have just said.
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
-- Matthew 6:14-15
Thank you for your voice and your opinion. It is important for me.
UsuńGreat! There's always more than two sides I find. Sure others have other opinions too.
UsuńIMO mysle, że istnieje różnica miedzy moderowaniem a cenzurowaniem. jeśli istnieje towarzystwo jakiegos autora to - niezaleznie od naszych prywatnych pogladów - musimy pokazac wszystko co dotyczy tegoż autora, kazdy aspekt sprawy. jesli autor byl religijny nie można tego cenzurowac, jesli był gejem też nie, jeśli był ateistą tez nie, jeśli był chory psychicznie też nie, jeśli był komunistą też nie, jesli w jego twórczości odgrywaly role psychodeliki też nie itd... jeśli towarzystwo danego autora nie chce pokazywac tresci z nim zwiazanych w ich pełni to znaczy że takie towarzystwo fałszuje obraz sprawy.
OdpowiedzUsuńpoz :)
tal
dziwi mnie to wszystko. czemu by miało towarzystwu przeszkadzac pokazywanie takich tresci? Ja np czytałam artykuly o elementach czy o skojarzeniach buddyjskich, manichejskich i neopoganskich ktorych sie dopatrzono w dzielach Tolkiena, i jakoś nie widzialam żadnego powodu by te teksty cenzurowac. Dlatego nie widze powodu by cenzurowac interpretacje chrzescijanskie.
OdpowiedzUsuńpoz :)
tal