ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Paganism in Middle-earth

In Middle-Earth, there was a belief system called "paganism" which was followed by some people. Imagine that Middle-Earth is a make-believe world, just like the one in your favorite storybook. In this world, people believe in different things and have different gods and goddesses that they worship.

Paganism is a way of thinking and believing in many gods and goddesses who rule over different aspects of nature, like the sun, moon, trees, animals, and water. In Middle-Earth, people believed that these gods and goddesses had special powers and could help them with different things.

For example, if someone needed help with growing their crops, they might pray to a goddess who was in charge of plants and fertility. Or if they were going on a journey, they might ask for protection from a god who was in charge of travelers.

In Middle-Earth, some people would have special places called "holy places" where they would worship their gods and goddesses. These holy places were often beautiful, like forests or mountains, and the people would make offerings or say prayers to their gods and goddesses there. These offerings could be things like flowers or food.

Paganism was an important part of the culture and beliefs in Middle-Earth, and it helped shape the way people saw the world and how they interacted with nature. It gave them a way to connect with the natural world around them and to show respect and gratitude for the things it provided.

It's important to remember that paganism in Middle-Earth is just part of a story, like a pretend game. In the real world, people have different beliefs and religions, but in Middle-Earth, paganism was one way that people understood and explained their world.