The atrocity of the Akallabêth

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by lmp

If morality is not absolute, then Eru has no basis for punishing anyone who does evil, for if evil is a constructed notion, then who is to say that Melkor was evil and Manwë was good? It could be argued that it was vice versa, and a raging and vain debate would ensue that could not have a solution, and Tolkien's themes in The Silmarillion, which are presented in the Ainulindalë, are a sheer vanity and can hold no weight.

What is anything in Arda if it is not constructed? Everything is constructed by Eru, he is everything, he is omnipotent. Please tell me where evil comes from if Eru did not make it? Because if he did not make it then Eru's Authority instantly falls apart. Tolkien states it plainly - Eru is All. Those are the rules we begin, and end, with.

Let's imagine that one day in Middle-earth the Orcs were suddenly blessed with a lot of good luck, which happened to come from Eru (and bear in mind that the text also states that the Ainur do NOT know all of Eru's intentions, he keeps rather a lot back, in fact most of time is known only to Eru), and that Elves and Men suddenly started to fail. we would say that evil had come to Middle-earth. But would we still consider this evil if Eru did it? And I know what's going to be said now, that Eru would never do such a thing! How can you think that?! Well he could if he wanted to. Is Eru bound by your rules, my rules, the rules of Men, the rules of Melkor? No. If he is bound by anyone's rules but his own then yet again he loses his Authority. All anyone can do is hope that Eru is on their side, and sometimes he isn't, as shown by those innocents who die at Numenor.

So morality cannot be a constructed notion; it must come from Eru.

So where did the concept come from if Eru did not make it? If he made everything?

That means someone, something, else is at work which has Authority over Eru. And that doesn't work. If Eru is not omnipotent in this world then the entire work falls apart.