[Raynor]

and does Tolkien state how old these children were?

I am not aware that he does.

What mother wouldn't happily see her children killed for playing at being Orcs?

You are mixing the situations in an uncalled for manner. I have never argued such a thing. You can see that from the quote above this.

As I stated earlier, in Robert Foster's Complete Guide to Middle-earth Miriel is stated to have been one of the faithful, & Christopher Tolkien himself praises that book for its accuracy.

May I see a direct refference from Tolkien anyway?

So, in Tolkien's opinion the 'extermination' of the German people could not be justified - whatever they had done - even 'consenting to a Dictator'.

Nothing in that quote exonerates the germans on behalf of fear. That was the initial statement made by Lal, which is unsuporter by this particular letter. Furthermore, we would need to establish where the analogy with the germans should stop - ideology and manipulation doesn't match Sauron's marring, and anything that the nazis did doesn't amount to an actual attack on Valinor.

You are assuming Tolkien said that the downfall of Numenor was a Noachian situation. He did not. He said the escape of Elendil was a Noachian situation, which it was to a small extent (in that Noah is said to have led the only human survivors of a cataclysm whereas Elendil leads the survivors of one cataclysm and other humans continue regardless of it). But one chapter of a novel does not define the whole. Especially when we are told what it is meant to represent.

Nothing warrants restricting the religious comparison only to Elendil; that qualifier isn't found. One similarity doesn't exclude the others. This still is a false dillemma.

There simply is no argument.

So exceptions are possible?

Yes.

As would Numenor without its Fleet.

Numenor still intact would have Sauron and most likely other servants at his will. The system would continue.

So the Children of Numenor were more 'evil' than fully grown Numenoreans on the Mainland?

If not by choice, then by Sauron's marrring.

If that was the 'best' he could do, I'm not impressed.

Well, if you could give a better solution...

So burning them alive would have been ok if there had been proof? Its not that burning someone alive is wrong in & of itself, only if you have no evidence?

The point was that there was nothing to justify taking their life. And I believe no one should be burned. I also don't believe in the capital punishment that still is practiced today in certain countries - it does little after the fact. I am interested to explore if there were better approaches than Eru's to Numenor.

And you're still saying its ok to kill 'evil' children.

Ok, let me ask you too: do you think a parent would rather have his children grow up to be instruments of the most horrible evil that can be conceived than not live at all? I agree, again, that this is the most crucial part of the debate.

Killing someone does not guarantee their free will.

Free will doesn't come with a white check to do unrestrained evil, against one's self or others. If violence can be avoided, free will respected and life preserved, I agree it is the best way out.