[Raynor]

Originally Posted by davem

If we take the original Silmarillion (which was effectively limited to the First Age) Eru is not a 'player'
...
His only real intervention into the world is in Numenor

I would call this the logical fallacy of argument from ignorance; even if most of his actions are invisible to recorded history, the previous quotes I gave, of which I have the nagging feeling you continue to ignore, show that he is not passive at all.

Originally Posted by davem

Creating the Children ws an act that happened 'in Eternity', before time,

Actually, if the Eruhini were created before time, they would be Ainur. They aren't.

Originally Posted by davem

I can't accept the point that the Valar lay down their authority because the Children are involved - that didn't stop them going in at the end of the First Age & stomping all over the Children who had gone over to Melkor.

Considering that

Originally Posted by Osanwe kenta

[Melkor] knew that Manwe was bound by the commands and injunctions of Eru, and would do this or abstain from that in accordance with them, always, even knowing that Melkor would break them as it suited his purpose.

Originally Posted by Atrabeth Finrod ah Andreth

the designs of Eru ... governed all the operations of the faithful Valar

we can only surmise that even this was a result from a direct and current command [- or a past and indirect one.].

Originally Posted by davem

More life is a good thing, postponing death is a good thing, not dying when you were 'intended' is a good thing.

Acccording to the Atrabeth, all these were good before all Men started worshipping Melkor. After that, their nature became tainted.

Originally Posted by davem

Which is Tolkien's choice - Tolkien decides that it is the 'only way'.

Yes, because Melkor was the greatest of all the Ainur; his might surpassed them, and was second to Eru only; this might became the corrupting power in the creation, which cannot be erased save by Eru. The fall of the most gifted is a recurrent motive: Melkor, Feanor, the Numenoreans.

Originally Posted by davem

there is no 'ideal' state for Arda to return to - Arda cannot be returned to an 'Edenic' state, because in Arda there was never an Eden.

There was a specific moment in time when the marring moved from a conceptual and moral level to a physical one - the coming of Melkor to Arda at the building of Utumno

Originally Posted by Of the beginning of days, Silmarillion

And though the Valar knew naught of it as yet, nonetheless the evil of Melkor and the blight of his hatred flowed out thence, and the Spring of Arda was marred. Green things fell sick and rotted, and rivers were choked with weeds and slime, and fens were made, rank and poisonous, the breeding place of flies; and forests grew dark and perilous, the haunts of fear; and beasts became monsters of horn and ivory and dyed the earth with blood.

Men cannot be returned to their 'original, unfalllen' state, because they were never actually unfallen & never dwelt in an unfallen world.

Men are created unfallen by Eru; Silmarillion (and more so Atrabeth) reffers to a certain moment when the marring of Men occured, after their coming.

Originally Posted by davem

And Eru is not a transcendent mystery, nor is he a loving compassionate Father - he is a petulant, angry Artist, who will smash & kill what 'offends' him.

This view is in stark contradiction with that of the valar and the elves - and of the faithful Men. Concening the denial that Eru is good and that his work will end in good, it is said in HoME X by Manwe:

Originally Posted by Of the severence of marriage, Later Quenta Silmarillion

This the Marrer hath denied, and in this denial is the root of evil, and its end is in despair.