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Originally Posted by Son of Númenor
How would Tolkien react to this notion? Does the concept of the All-Knowing Creator as, on some level, thinking wrongly that he is creating something that inherently Not Himself appalling to Catholics? How would he react to a fan asking of him, 'Is Gollum, on some level, Eru?' (These questions are not rhetorical, by the way. Although none here can speak on Tolkien's behalf, there are some who are far more versed in Catholic canon -- and in the Professor's own beliefs as laid down in his extensive body of work -- than I.)
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As you say, none here can speak on Tolkien's behalf, but as a professor (not a teacher, but one who professes) the same faith as the Master, I'll throw in my two bits about what I'm thinking.
You ask if an All-Powerful Creator thinking wrongly about something different than Himself is an idea that appalls Catholics. My answer is that it shouldn't.
According to Catholic belief, the REASON God created Mankind, and the whole world to sustain it, is that God desired other beings to Love and to Love Him. God, being God, can do whatever He wants. He is, in other words, omnipotent.
Since omnipotence is not limited by anything, God could create, were He to want to, a world that is totally opposed to all that we consider right and good. He does NOT do this, however, because of the love which He bears. God loves us, and wants us to love Him in return, so the natural world He creates is one in which love is a powerful force, in which love is naturally able to function.
(And yet, one could say, the very reason love is so powerful is that it is a SUPERnatural force, a force that is not inherently found in creation, and is thus so powerful simply because it comes from God.)
However, in order for love to be true love, it must come freely. Hence, free will. God wanted true, complete, free love. Love, in other words, that parallels the love He has for us. It was natural and necessary therefore that those who were to be the recipients of His love, and who were to love Him in return: us humans, be given the free will to choose to love- or to choose not to love.
Although many people choose to love, this free will means, and has always meant, that people would choose NOT to love, which is the cause of much of the EVIL in this world.
So, the short answer is that Catholics do NOT find the idea of God creating beings that choose to do evil abhorent.
How would Tolkien react to someone saying that, on some level, Gollum is Eru? To be honest, I think he would agree.
According to Christian faith, we are all called to treat every one of our friends and neighbours as Christ- as God. What we do to them, we do to God. What we fail to do, we fail to do to God.
On a similar note, God uses each and every one of us as His instruments, to perform his works on earth.
However, your original meaning of the question here seems to be "What would Tolkien say if you said that Eru, as Gollum's creator, naturally exhibits Gollum's less-than-savoury tendencies". In this case, I think that Tolkien would have to disagree with you.
Again, this goes back to the idea of free will. Gollum's more abhorent natures are the results of him choosing NOT to do Eru's (God's) work, to love. His less-than-pleasing attributes are the hallmarks of his exercising his free will AWAY from his creator, rather than indications of him being the work of that same creator.
Anyway, I hope I got the gist of the questions right, and I hope that my Catholic-based view of Tolkien's opinions doesn't overly offend anyone. I'm just stating what appears to me to be the case.