Damned if you do, kablammed if you don't

[The Might]

Good point there Folwren, which makes me have another idea...
Was this really..."kablamming"?
Death was the Gift of Men, something that, as stated in the Silmarillion, would make the Elves and even the Ainur will envy Men for as time passes.
A life under Melkor's rule on the other hand...isn't that great is it?
So if you ask me, I think that by disobeying Melkor and getting killed Men would actually do themselves a favour.

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Folwren

As I said, I haven't read what you're referring to.

I believe he is reffering to a text in HoME X.

Originally Posted by Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth

Then one appeared among us, in our own form visible, but greater and more beautiful; and he said that he had come out of pity.
...
- Now build Me a house upon a high place, and call it the House of the Lord
…
The first Voice we never heard again, save once. In the stillness of the night It spoke, saying:
- Ye have abjured Me, but ye remain Mine. I gave you life. Now it shall be shortened, and each of you in a little while shall come to Me, to learn who is your Lord: the one ye worship, or I who made him.

Originally Posted by The Might

And also I remember seeing some quote of Tolkien's, from the letters I believem where he way pointing out that if Men weren't mortals, they would just be something very close to Elves, and there wouldn't be much point in creating them as Secondborn as such.

A very interesting point is found in this text too:

...their 'immortality' cannot have been the longevity within Arda of the Elves; otherwise they would have been simply Elves, and their separate introduction later into the Drama by Eru would have no function.

Originally Posted by hewhoarisesinmight

He gave a choice to the human race, death or evil worship and damnation for eternity. Why would Eru just create a race just for them to have those two choices?

It wasn't just these two choices since, as pointed previously, many (though not all) that wanted managed to escape. However, there is a considerable amount of salt to be taken with this story, considering that Men thought they should have been immortal, and also because Melkor appears in a fair form - of which he was not capable anymore after his evading from Valinor

Originally Posted by Of the darkening of Valinor, Silmarillion

Now Melkor came to Avathar and sought [Ungoliant] out; and he put on again the form that he had worn as the tyrant of Utumno: a dark Lord, tall and terrible. In that form he remained ever after.

[The Might]

Yes Raynor, that's the quote I was talking about, wasn't sure where I had seen it though.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by hewhoarisesinmight

By saying this they would proably be doing Eru's will but then Melkor would smite them. So that's all the good members of the human race gone, leaving all the evil ones creating an even worse race then the one we have at the moment. Is that what Eru really wanted?

We know that had anyone stood up to Melkor and refused to worship him then they'd get their 'gift' of Death and all that. That's a given, surely. But I think that what hewhoarisesinmight (hewhohasalongscreennametotype ) is saying is that if everyone did that, then there would be no good guys left at all to 'resist' anyway! It's a good point to make about the very practical matter of mankind simply surviving.

I hope Folwren is right and that Eru would step in and save some of the men before they all got wiped out!

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I hope Folwren is right and that Eru would step in and save some of the men before they all got wiped out!

I agree

Originally Posted by Atrabeth

If we are indeed the Eruhin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any Enemy, not even by ourselves.

Although this is stated in relation to estel, it is consistent with the depiction of Eru.

Has anyone figured yet the purpose of the merisu smilie?

[Elmo]

I don't really understand your point, Melkor smiting the children will not deprive Eru of them, they will in fact be closer to him (apparently)

[Raynor]

Melkor smiting the children will not deprive Eru of them

I believe your tongue is firmly placed in your cheek . Eru had far greater plans with the Children than to allow this species to be crushed

Originally Posted by Ainulindale, Silmarillion

And they saw with amazement the coming of the Children of Iluvatar, and the habitation that was prepared for them; and they perceived that they themselves in the labour of their music had been busy with the preparation of this dwelling, and yet knew not that it had any purpose beyond its own beauty.
...
[] of their operation everything should be, in form and deed, completed, and the world fulfilled unto the last and smallest.

Some of the reasons of creating the Men is for them to bring their part to Creation, to inherit Arda, and that their deeds should redound to the glory of Eru.