[Keneldil the Polka-dot]

OK then, we are in agreement about Eru. Looks like we are not with regard to Orcs.

I can see your point, but if you look at the title of the thread it is 'Inherent' Evil. Basically, I take this to mean that Orcs are actually created imbued as it were with evil, rather than their making a choice to be so

If you look back at my post, you will see that I presented the idea that the ONLY thing that is inherently evil is the choice to act against the will of Eru. Evil is a choice made, not a thing to be. Orcs are not stained by the evil done in creating them. They are evil when they chose against the will of Eru.

If they are tools, then they are still inherently evil. They were created by Morgoth as tools for evil, and are thus against Illuvatar.

My intended definition of "tool": someone or something used to enact the will of someone or something else. A knife is not inherently evil regardless of the intention of its maker. A tool is merely an extention of the one that wields it. The good or evil originates in the wielder, specifically in the wielders intentions when using the tool. If orcs did not have fea, then I would agree they were simply tools.

Is light no longer light without darkness? If there is to be a perfect world, is no longer perfect because there is no evil?

I agree with your point, light is still light. I am just saying without an opposite, what does it mean really? Same with good and evil. Same if everything really did taste like chicken. Saying something tastes good would mean nothing. I did not mean to imply a perfect world is less than perfect because evil doesn't exist in it.