I personally think it might be easiest for you to get into the magic of the series by watching the lotr movie trilogy first. I might even suggest you start with the theatrical versions instead of the extended editions, simply based on my own experience. I watched them when I was 15 and fell in love. I watched the theatrical version every year until I was 18/19. Then I tried the extended editions in college and there was no going back after that! But the theatrical versions were very approachable.

Don’t try to take it all in at the same time. Watch the movies and then enjoy that for a bit before jumping into another part of it. And ignore the people attacking you, they’re just jealous you get to experience this for the first time.