Will the films overshadow the novel, as unlikely as that may seem to us right now?

That is absolutely insane. Tolkien is one of the best writers of the century.

It seems to be a "popular controversial issue" these days. Some people have even banned A Wrinkle in Time, which is about as Christian a book as you can get!

Hah! You call this sacreligious! The BIBLE is about as sacreligious as it gets!

Not to advertise - this isn't even my site - but check this out:
www.skepticsannotatedbible.com

Well, Mr. *Six-Pounder Field Rifle* (aka IronParrot), that's dangerously close to a religious toe-stepping! There are 'Frontier' boards, which are not so civilized, where that could topic be better gutted open. I figured that the more heartless cavemen invented "God" so that cavewomen would know that at least SOMEONE loved them. Kind of like a boobtube for the spirit that kept everyone occupied, and that sprouted gameshows. As world-weary and cynical as that sounds, religion in general has provoked human imagination farther than has any other stimulus. Being a "Christian" is still a high and fine ideal, so long as the person does it for themselves and their soul does not perish of doubt.