eyond doubt, there are lots of obvious links between Tolkien's imaginary world and the occult teachings of different secret societies. You who have read "Lord of the Rings", and "Silmarillion" in particular might know what I am talking about.

My own first contact with Tolkien's world was in 1968, when a European radio station presented "The Hobbit" as a summer-series. It was very well produced, with different voices for different characters, background sounds and singing even; I was totally fascinated. A whole scenario in 3D was playing inside my head, and for me it was very real. I was stuck in front of the radio every morning the whole summer through, and when Thorin died at the end, I was crying - like if I had lost a long gone friend. I experienced the same thing two years later when I read "Lord of the Rings" - the episode when Gandalf fell to his death in the depths of Moria (and the enormous relief when he later reincarnated).

J.R.R. Tolkien
 

My Own Experience with Tolkien

Throughout my teens, Tolkien was a big part of my life, and when he died in 1973 I thought the world must have come to an end. Seemed like he had so much more to give, and still the masterpiece which I'd been waiting for - the "Silmarillion" - was not yet released. Terrible ...!

However, his son, Christopher Tolkien, later put Silmarillion together and to my big satisfaction it was released, I think in 1977.

Of course, Tolkien was a professor in the English language and a wonderful storyteller, no doubt about that, but there is something more to it. Long before I knew anything about occultism, I had the feeling parts of his story was true in some way. Had Middle-Earth existed some time in the past? (Tolkien himself refers to it as old England.) 

Tolkien, the Bible and the Illuminati

Some of the following can only be speculations, but I think it is interesting to debate it, and I welcome any comments on it from you, the reader. I will attach my e-mail address at the bottom of this article, so you can give me your viewpoints and feedback on the subject, if you wish.

When we discuss the matter of the secret societies and the Illuminati(1), it's inevitable to make the comparison to Tolkien. Sauron is of course Satan/Lucifer with his occult power, and Gandalf is a member of a Brotherhood called "The Wizard's Council", which is a secret society in itself with magic rituals and esoteric wisdom.

The hobbits would from this viewpoint be the ignorant homo sapiens, who don't want to get involved and don't know very much about what is going on around and above them anyway. Just like in the world today, ignorant people are used for "greater purposes" by the secret societies, without knowing that they are being used.

Then there are the orchs, of course. I can't help comparing them to the small, gray aliens with their underground bases and malign intents. It seems like the Grays are hybrids and hence "created" and crossbred. So were the orchs, created by Melkor, the "fallen angel". Interesting also that Tolkien created a whole separate world with tunnels underneath the mountains. Many secret societies claim that the Earth is hollow and strange creatures live underneath the surface of the Earth.

A funny thing is (and I'm sure many Tolkien fans will recognize this), that you have a very clear picture inside your head of how the different creatures and characters in the saga look like. Sometimes you study pictures drawn by artists, related to Tolkien's world, and you sometimes get quite upset, because you "know" that's not the way they looked like. The opposite also happens. You think, yeah! This artist really got it! Do you recognize this? Personally, I think most of the characters in the movie "Lord of the Rings" pretty much confirm my own picture of how they should look like.

It's interesting from this viewpoint to compare the power-struggle of Middle-Earth with the power-struggle on Earth today, as we know it from a magical point of view(1). Because that's exactly what is going on today - an occult power-struggle above ordinary people's heads. We are the "ignorant", the "sheep", and the magicians are the "shepherds" (from an occult standpoint, not a Christian), eager to keep the sheep within their fold, so they themselves can stay busy with creating an empire for them to rule over.

Similar to many occult Masters, Tolkien got the idea to his masterpiece after he had been wounded in the first World War. He didn't know from where he got the idea, it just "came to him" (discussed in the Swedish book "Sagan om Tolkien", by Åke Ohlmarks, Norstedts 1971). Many occultists have had the same experience - some strange power(s) just channeling through them. Also, Tolkien was a professor in Oxford, which is controlled by the Illuminati. Question: was Tolkien a part of the Brotherhood to some degree? Did he know the occult technology, or is everything just a coincidence? He himself said he used parts of the Beowulf saga and the old Icelandic myths to create his own epos, but that doesn't explain everything. Hopefully we will understand this better as we continue the discussion in this essay.
 

The Sumerian Scriptures

Tolkien was very aware of the Sumerian Scriptures. If you look at the Genesis in "Silmarillion", you see the similarities to old Sumer. Eru is from this sense Anu, the alien king/god of Sumer, and "ainur" would be the "Anunnaki". Melkor (Satan) is the fallen angel, Sauron's (Lucifer's) teacher. There is also another connection, a play with words. Moriah is the name the Illuminati use about themselves, for their Order(1), and Tolkien uses the word Moria, referring to the hidden, secret realm in the tunnels under Misty Mountains. Symbolically the realm of Moria could be compared to the Realm of Moriah, the place where secrets are kept.  The sorcerer (Gandalf) fell into the depths together with the Balrog; died and were reborn, coming out even wiser, dressed in white instead of grey. White is wisdom. Saruman chose the other road and joined the Black Order of Mordor. He eventually caved himself in (as most black magicians do), and the good forces celebrated victory.

There are more "coincidences" with the Sumerian scriptures. This is an excerpt form the the website "Tolkien's Lord of the Rings: Truth, Myth of Both?":

"Dr. Ralph C. Wood, Professor of English at Baylor University and an expert on Tolkien's work, described those "lesser gods" or ruling spirits. Notice that the reigning God sounds more like the aloof deity of deism than the caring God of the Bible. Other "gods" would fit right into Norse and Celtic mythology (two areas of research that fascinated Tolkien):

"At the top stands Ilúvatar, the All-Father, corresponding roughly to the One whom Christians call God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth. From him all things proceed, and to him all things return. He is the beginning and the end, the One who shapes all events to his own purposes. He... only rarely intervenes in his Creation, preferring instead to work through... fifteen subordinate beings....

"Manwë, the Good and Pure.... is most concerned with air, wind, clouds, and the birds that fly. Manwë's spouse is Varda, the Exalted. She made the stars, established the courses of the Sun and Moon, and set the morning and evening star Eärendil in the sky. Thus is she known to the elves as Elbereth (Star-Queen) and Gilthoniel (Star-Kindler). She listens to the cries of both men and elves in order to come to their aid and succor.

Next comes Melkor ("He who arises in Might"). Ilúvatar gave to him greater power and knowledge than to any of the other Valar.... He desired to have his own power to create things out of nothing--to give them true Being--as the All-Father did. So he searched in the Void for the Flame Imperishable, disturbing the original Music which Ilúvatar had created to keep the Timeless Halls in harmony....

Ulmo ("pourer, rainer") is... lord of waters... he dwells in the Outer Ocean or in the waters underneath Middle Earth, governing the movement of all oceans and rivers. Ulmo cares greatly for the Children of Ilúvatar, advising them by direct appearances, by dreams, or through the music of waters....
"Irmo ("master of desire") is the author of visions and dreams...."(2) emphasis added"

Just like the Sumerian Gods, the Tolkien "lesser gods" were lords over the elements; Ulmo was the "Lord of Waters" as were Enki in the Sumerian Scriptures.

 

 

Was Tolkien an occult or a Christian writer? 

 

Christians are divided into two camps with regards to Tolkien's books. One camp says there are allegorical links between his myth and Biblical truth, while the other camp points out the occult links, and emphasizes that "Lord of the Rings" was written to deceive and mislead people, and steer them away from God and into the occult:

 

"Sadly, many professing Christians via the lie that anything done by a 'Christian' is acceptable, have accepted the occult. Tolkien was defined to be a Christian. Satan then got acceptance for his evil occult series of Lord of the Rings by gullible people that believe anything done by a 'Christian' is acceptable..."

 

"...Satan has used Tolkien and his occult series in very successful attacks against both the lost and professing Christians. The devil succeeded in getting the occult accepted by both groups, the lost and professing Christians and Tolkiens [sic] demonic works played a major role in the process.

Tolkiens [sic] occult stories were first published in the 1950's. It is interesting to note that Tolkien took 12 years to write his occult stories and he released them in the 13th year. He was a true occultist and the devil was pleased and blessed his work!" (3)

"John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a man of many contradictions. For example:

• Back in 1969, he wrote a letter affirming that "the chief purpose of life, for any one of us, is to increase according to our capacity our knowledge of God by all the means we have, and to be moved by it to praise and thanks." (8) Yet the primary focus of his life was his mythical Middle-earth, headed by a distant and impersonal "God" who might confuse rather than clarify the nature of the Biblical God.

• In his personal letters (many are included in a book titled The Letters of J. R. R Tolkien), he expressed caution toward occult practices. But he equipped his team of mythical heroes  -- the fellowship of the Ring -- with the pagan powers that God forbids. For example, "Gandalf [a helpful wizard] is able to wield potent magic... To do battle with the forces of darkness, Gandalf the Grey can call upon not only his spellcraft, but also his staff of power and the Elven sword Glamdring." (9)  

• Tolkien once told a Jesuit friend: "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work... the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism."(11) People defending Tolkien, saying he was a strict Roman Catholic and thus Christian, should read more about Roman Catholicism and especially the Jesuit Order. Both these "religious" groups are nothing but front groups for the Illuminati - the power that is currently controlling political events in the background, to create a One World Government, and to pave the way for the "AntiChrist". Challenging question: Was Tolkien actually also a Jesuit in secret?

• A staunch Roman Catholic, he affirmed his faith in the One God who created the universe. But his mythical God stopped creating before the work was finished, then turned the rest over to a group of lesser gods or "sub-creators." In other words, Tolkien invented a hierarchy of deities that defied the Biblical God's wise warnings concerning both real and imagined idolatry." (5)

 

Personally, no matter what Tolkien's intentions were, I believe that the effect his epos created was an increased interest in the occult. I can speak from my own experience; after had read his books, I wanted to know more about magic and sorcery, and directly or indirectly, his work eventually led me to one of the occult secret societies, where I became a member. However, I finally realized how I was used there for evil purposes, and left.

Today we have Dan Brown and "The Da Vinci Code", which also has helped to increase the interest in the occult. Brown says he is neutral regarding whether the secret societies are benevolent or malign, but his books present them as mysterious, and working for humanity. The same thing goes with Hollywood and movies like "National Treasure" and other similar films. They present a wrong picture of what secret societies are, most likely as a counter-attack against serious researchers like myself and many others. (After I wrote this paragraph, I accidentally stumbled upon the following article, http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=9607, which further gives strength to these arguments. I quote from the forth and fifth paragraph of this article, published on December 29, 2004, but I strongly advise you to read the full article, as it continues in the same manner):

 

"Last year’s “The Da Vinci Code” has made Dan Brown enough money to start his own religion, as well as inspiring a number of nonfiction titles to seek the truth behind his premise of secret societies, da Vinci’s art, and the bloodline of Jesus Christ. “Cracking the Da Vinci Code” by Simon Cox and “Cracking Da Vinci’s Code” by James Garlow look for flaws in Brown’s conspiracy. But Martin Lunn’s “Da Vinci Code Decoded: The Truth Behind ‘The New York Times’ #1 Bestseller,” despite having a bulky name, got the farthest up the charts. All of them seem to have forgotten that Brown’s book was a best seller in fiction. Unfazed by the allegations of embellishment, a new version of the book came out this year: “The Da Vinci Code Special Illustrated Edition,” so we don’t have to rely on Brown’s descriptions of the art anymore.

Magic and ingenuity made two series top sellers for both adults and children [my emphasis]. After five books and three movies, interest in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books are still strong. Now a boxed set collects the first five books of the adventures of the boy in wizard school..."

Tolkien's books have had a great influence on people and they paved the road for other forms of occultism. Games like Dungeons and Dragons were heavily influenced by Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". In addition, his books influenced a numerous of other authors to write similar stories, which boosted an interest in the occult and magic. In my upper teens, I started writing fantasy short stories and novels myself, obsessively inspired by Tolkien. This was in the early 70's, but when I tried to get them published I was met by a very interesting remark from the book publishers. Now in retrospective, this remark makes sense. They often said that it was "too early to publish these kinds of stories", but that I should wait another 5-8 years. They "expected" a new trend on the book market, and that trend was the "Fantasy genre". Now, looking back, I know they were right. Suddenly, the bookstores were overloaded with fantasy novels and they sold like water in Sahara, and still do, now boosted by the movie trilogy "The Lord of the Rings", Harry Potter and more.

 

Were they psychic, or how else did they know that people would want fantasy novels in 5-8 years? There is nothing esoteric about it; actually this is a typical phenomenon. The same thing happens in the occult music industry(4). The book- and music industries decide the future trend and start promoting it on a big scale, and they know exactly how to get people interested; how to do that is already thoroughly researched by them. As with everything else in big business, politics and banking, the trends are always set in the direction of creating a New World Order, whether the artist, writer, or common man is aware of it or not. Those two media - books and movies - are excellent tools for the Illuminati, because their message reaches millions of people at once. Therefore, the fantasy genre is an introduction to the acceptance of the occult, which has to be looked at in a broader perspective, as we rapidly are heading towards a global, occult Super state. The occult rock group, Led Zeppelin, also used Tolkien's fantasy world in a few of their songs; the best known are probably "Ramble on" "The Battle of Evermore".

 

Now, was Tolkien a Christian or an occult writer?

 

"Decades ago, when witchcraft and wizardry were hidden from public view, young "Middle-earth" visionaries had no real-life place to test the new suggestions. That has changed. Through books, local covens, the Internet and other available sources, seekers can easily find tutors and practices that turn wizardly fantasy into practical occult reality. This sobering fact makes our world today radically different from the times when Tolkien and his friends shared their stories with each other.(5)

 

Tolkien himself denies any supposed allegorical link between his myth and Biblical truth, it's not fair to hold his stories accountable to that truth. Nor is it wise to continue claiming that they teach us God's truth. Those who do could easily be tempted to lower their guard, set aside discernment, internalize the fascinating suggestions and be drawn to occult images.

 

In "The Fellowship of the Rings" Gandalf falls into the depths of Moria and dies, just to reincarnate later, much wiser, from Gandalf the Grey to Gandalf the White. Here is Tolkien:

 

"Gandalf is not, of course, a human being (Man or Hobbit). There are naturally no precise modern terms to say what he was. I would venture to say that he was an incarnate 'angel'...(6)

 

And now this:

 

"This incarnate "angel" wouldn't fit into the host of Biblical angels. But he could well fit in the hierarchy of "devas" or "angels" and ascended masters in the elaborate spiritual system called Theosophy or "Ancient Wisdom." Popularized by Madame Helena Blavatsky, this esoteric blend of Hinduism and Western occultism received its doctrines from "ascended masters" or spirit guides such as Djhwal Khul who channeled his messages to the medium Alice Bailey." (5)

 

Interestingly enough, shortly after I had published the first version of this article on the Internet in 1998, I got a letter from a visitor, who was told by a high initiated witch, that both Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were initiated in the H.O.G.D. (The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn), which is a deeply occult, black magic secret society. The Golden Dawn is closely related to Madame Blavatsky's "Theosophical Society". During a discussion about Tolkien and his work, this male witch commented that "The Hobbit" and the rest of the Middle-Earth series was merely an elementary 'primer' for witchcraft. He was even a bit irritated at the lack of background knowledge about Tolkien among the people gathered. Later he added C.S. Lewis to the conversation as another well known literary figure who was initiated in the H.O.G.D. If this is true or not is hard to say, but it is interesting and well worth looking further into. However, there are more indications that both Tolkien and Lewis had Golden Dawn connections. The following website is no longer on the Internet, but I still have a saved copy of it, so I am hereby re-posting it: "Hermetic Imagination: The Effect Of The Golden Dawn On Fantasy Literature".

 

Another allegory Tolkien uses is the one about Atlantis, the legendary continent that sank into the ocean. In Tolkien's world, the equivalence to Atlantis would be Númenor, the big island to the west where the Great Kings of a Divine bloodline, lived. Just like with Atlantis, Númenor sank into the ocean in a devastating catastrophe, and the survivors escaped to Middle-Earth where they mingled with "ordinary" humans. This is almost exactly how the story about Atlantis is told as well; how the blue-blooded survivors escaped the catastrophe, to Egypt and other places in the Mediterranean.