[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Farael

But even then, Sauron would have probably taken over Middle Earth anyhow.

Isn't this rather the point. They might have hidden the Ring. They might even have been able to do so securely. But it would not have prevented Sauron defeating the Free Peoples militarily.

Originally Posted by Tuor of Gondolin

But more fundamental is an underlying philosophy that i see in Tolkien's Middle-earth that Iluvatar would not permit a permanent Sauron taking over Middle-earth

But doesn't it rather defeat defeat the point of their (and particularly Frodo's) struggle and make it all rather unnecessary if Eru was always going to "save" them in the end anyway?