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Iarwain · 08-01-2003, 06:05 PM

I agree very much with Saucepan. When Tolkien says that Melkor had committed the"greatest evil" of all in the corruption/creation of orcs, we ought to ask the basic question of why this is the greatest crime. Was it because he put them through horrible torture? I'd guess this was not the reason, because he did that many times in much more varied ways. Then, could it have been because he altered them and caused Eru's divine creation to permanently change? Perhaps, but he did the same thing (on a slightly lesser scale) with Dragons, Trolls, and other conscious things of creation too. Perhaps we should think more of what Eru gave to the "Children" that was truly unique. He gave them a destiny/destination (whichever you prefer), and he gave them a choice. The consequences of the choice I'll leave unexplored, because Tolkien's creation does not fulfill the need for explaination there, but the choice itself is big. Or is it? What are the consequences of the choice? If, in Middle-Earth one chose to live a life of justice and servitude, how would the ending consequences differ from if one chose to live a life of injustice and tyranny? I feel that I am horribly off topic, but the thought-train express has taken me here, and I believe that the roots of a new discussion are sitting in what I've just been thinking and writing. I'm off.

Iarwain

08-01-2003, 06:05 PM	#65
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	I agree very much with Saucepan. When Tolkien says that Melkor had committed the"greatest evil" of all in the corruption/creation of orcs, we ought to ask the basic question of why this is the greatest crime. Was it because he put them through horrible torture? I'd guess this was not the reason, because he did that many times in much more varied ways. Then, could it have been because he altered them and caused Eru's divine creation to permanently change? Perhaps, but he did the same thing (on a slightly lesser scale) with Dragons, Trolls, and other conscious things of creation too. Perhaps we should think more of what Eru gave to the "Children" that was truly unique. He gave them a destiny/destination (whichever you prefer), and he gave them a choice. The consequences of the choice I'll leave unexplored, because Tolkien's creation does not fulfill the need for explaination there, but the choice itself is big. Or is it? What are the consequences of the choice? If, in Middle-Earth one chose to live a life of justice and servitude, how would the ending consequences differ from if one chose to live a life of injustice and tyranny? I feel that I am horribly off topic, but the thought-train express has taken me here, and I believe that the roots of a new discussion are sitting in what I've just been thinking and writing. I'm off. Iarwain __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"