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Originally Posted by Lalwendë
I find it hard to take that Eru would do this in order to teach Men a lesson, as those who were doing wrong were killed, along with a lot of innocents - not just in Numenor but also in Middle-earth as that too suffered huge floods and earthquakes - and who would there be to learn from this? Plus it would put Eru in the position of being an unpleasant figure. I'm quite happy to go along with Macalaure's idea that Eru did not intend to kill these people, just to change the shape of the world (which was something the Valar could not do).
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There was plenty of collateral damage by Yahweh in the bible. I mean really, actually count the amount of massacres Yahweh not only condoned, but ordered, and you will be amazed. God-sponsored genocide in the bible took no account of young or old, men, women, children or infants. The innocent fell with the guilty, unless they were the chosen, and in Tolkien's case the chosen were the Faithful, and they were spared.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lalwendë
In matter of fact, the perpetrators weren't really punished. Sauron got a fright and legged it from the ruins, while Ar-Pharazon and his Men are entombed in Valinor waiting for the final day, in a strong echo of Loki waiting for Ragnarok:...
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Sauron cannot be technically killed, can he? So disembodying him was about all one could do. And I think the greatest mortal king of the Second Age being buried under a hill for eternity does have some poetic justice. I mean, it's almost merciful. In a Christian sense, Ar-Pharazon would have face the eternal torments of Hell in the same circumstance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lalwendë
Would Eru be so petty as to try a school teacher trick of keeping the whole class behind because one of them has been shooting spit balls? Hmmm...
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Again, taken in context with the biblical Yahweh, Eru comes off looking much less vengeful and spiteful...almost kindly, in a wrath of god, apocalyptic sense.