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Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

These questions are unanswerable from the texts. Tolkien's own beliefs no doubt informed his writing, however, and from these one may discern that nothing came into being as a "surprise" to Eru. Foreknowledge is not, however, the same thing as predetermination. Be that as it may, I still think you're wasting your time.

Although I wouldn't call it a waste of time I agree that you can gain any sure knowledge of these questions from the text. I also suggested we'd drop this a few posts up. But then again, every theory in theology or philosofy are unprovable by nature and despite of this many people much smarter than us spend a lot of time on the subject.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Of course they're applicable. There are only so many modes that Evil can take:

• evil is the negative of good
• good is the negative of evil (perhaps impossible)
• evil & good co-exist from the beginning

How about: there is no evil? Or that evil is everything? Maybe evil was invented in the 19th century by Charles Darwin? All these possibilities seem equally valid to me. Personally I don't believe in the existance of evil in any absolute sense. "Evil" is a relative concept invented by men and exist only as a cultural and lingusitic construct.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

...Yet the Lord of the Nazgul is also described, at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, thusly. He throws back his hood: 'he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set'. Merry's blade cleaves "undead flesh". So there is flesh, but in the negative realm that Frodo discovers on Weathertop. This shows the negative, but very corporal, both functioning at the same time, in the Ringwraiths. The Nazgul Lord's blade bites deep into Frodo's shoulder. His mace wrecks Eowyn's shield and breaks her arm. That's not mere fear. So there's physical presence as well as negative.

I never suggested that the wraiths had powers only in the spirit world and that they did not have physical bodies. It is clear that they can wield swords, ride horses and wear clothes.

To me it seems that the rings of power can take the wearer into the spirit world, altering/heightening their perception and let them see things that are hidden from others. Those of strong will can also manipulate and seek to dominate the minds (soul/'fea') of others with the rings. Invisibility is just a side effect. An important point for Tolkien is how moral choices are much more important than physical strenght. This is also why the powers of the nazgul are mostly mental, and the ability to resist them is measured in moral character and strenght of will, not by physical potency.

And I'm afraid I find your theory of the nazguls existing in a "negative realm" at the same time as in the actual physical realm far fetched. The separation betwen a physical world and a spirit world I spoke of isn't just something I made up. Tolkien wrote quite explicitly about this and it is a very important part of the metaphysics of Arda. That the ringswraiths primarly exist and are most powerful in the spirit world is something I think is well founded by the texts. Can't be bothered to look for quotes now but read the parts when Frodo wears the ring again and I think you will see what I mean. And consider Glorfindel, and how he is mighty in both worlds, or something like that.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Gobtwiddle! The way Tolkien describes Valinor, it seems like a very physical place, and upon entering Arda the Valar take on physical forms after their nature. Nothing immaterial here!

I stand by my previous statement. What I said I believe is explicitly written in 'The Silmarillion' or 'Morgoth's Ring'. The children are a 'fea' and a 'hroa' living in harmony. The 'hroa' of the Ainur is just a rainment and they can choose to to travel 'naked' without losing any part of their being.