Acceptance of mythology?

[Theron Bugtussle]

Originally posted by Lush
Theron, perhaps you mis-read my post? I was talking about the fact that a number of Tolkien's characters mis-used their Eru-given powers. Mushroom's original statement was taking the opposite viewpoint.

Yeah, I think I was not so clear in what I was responding to in your response to Mushroom. My point is more or less along these lines:

0) Eru - original source of all authority and ability.

1) Morgoth or anyone else (Valar, Maiar, Elves, Men, etc.) receiving a gift of authority or ability from Eru, the prime creator, has the free will to do evil with it, corrupting themselves to some degree, depending on how much evil and how long, etc.

2) Anyone taking their cues and instructions (pattern of operation) from either source 0 or 1 takes also the good or evil thereof.
-- (A) So, someone originally good, taking power and ability from Eru, or indirectly from someone else good, starts out good. But can choose to do evil with the authority and ability.
-- (B) However, someone taking their pattern and method of operation from Morgoth or someone already declared/defined as evil, chooses the evil power, the evil pattern, the evil goals. Starts off more openly evil, less 'redemptive' options possibly.

For example, even Sauron was given a chance to repent. He posed as though he had, but was a hypocrite, and remained confirmed in his evil. Likewise, Saruman.

The fact that a good person can do or choose evil, yet have options for redemption, seems clear in your description of Galadriel (of which I was unaware, BTW, not having read the Sil yet) and in Tolkien's treatment of Gollum while with Frodo and Sam.

So to go back to my main point. Yes, all power originally comes from Eru. That is without question. But Eru neither created evil, or made any evil power. Yet evil and evil power are manifest in the stories. The evil nature of certain beings' power or use of it, is in their rebellion against Eru and his will.

P.S. I have been in the corporate environment too long. I think in bullet points...