The Edain - The Twice Fallen?

[Amarie of the Vanyar]

In addition to what HerenIstarion has said, with which I totally agree, it is said that considering Death only as a punishment is a direct consequence of the lies of Morgoth:

Thus it was that a shadow fell upon them: in which maybe the will of Morgoth was at work that still moved in the world. And the Númenóreans began to murmur, at first in their hearts, and then in open woeds, against the doom of Men, and most of all against the Ban which forbade them to sail into the West. (...)

And the Doom of Men, that they should depart, was at first a gift of Ilúvatar. It became a grief to them only because coming under the shadow of Morgoth it seemed to them that they were surrounded by a great darkness, of which they were afraid; and some grew wilful and proud and would not yield, until life was reft from them.
Akallabêth; The Silmarillion

This is the main effect of the First Fall of Men. That men, even the ones that try to remain faithful to Eru, tend to be afraid of Death. And that only very few, like Aragorn, reach the grace of dying as Eru designed it for men.

Very good topic, and a really interesting post Ancalagon'sFire [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]