Let's Talk Morgoth

[davem]

Originally Posted by Drigel

I would submit that Lorien would be considered a 'secondary world', created by Galadriel. Since, by the time of her coming to those woods, and the time hence, there is nothing like it in all of ME. Though it is a reflection, or memory, of an earlier unstained time, it is "something apart" from the rest of ME, and is (for lack of a better word) "removed" from the linear timeframe that those woods are surrounded by.

It is a kind of 'secondary world' but not in the sense of, say, Middle earth (from our perspective),or the Star Wars universe - ie a 'fiction', an invention, a world that never existed which had been made up by an artist. As you say, Lorien was an attempt to recreate rather than sub-create.

Originally Posted by SpM

Although even the High Elves had only indirect knowledge of Eru. They were one step removed, so the requirement for faith on their part was limited to trusting what the Valar told them of him.

Well, I'd say the High Elves had a choice between monotheism (if they believed what the Valar told them about Eru) or polytheism (if they didn't). They wouldn't have had the choice of atheism, as they were aware of the 'fact' of the existence of supernatural beings.