Did Tolkien find the idea of war honourable?

[davem]

Isn't war inevitable in Middle Earth, even from before its creation? When Illuvatar allows the whole of the Music, even Melkor's input, to be given form, & Melkor himself to enter into Arda, conflict is inevitable. The more Morgoth puts forth his power & intent into the matter of Arda, the more evil, & war, its most terrible physical manifestation, is guaranteed. Wars happen because the inhabitants of Middle Earth are fallen beings in a fallen world

So, war is inevitable in Middle Earth. The issue then becomes, how they are fought, with what motives, & perhaps the Bhagavad Gita has something to say on that issue. Tolkien's heroes in the main fight for the right reasons, in a, generally, honourable way. Defeats & fruitless victories are the way of things in Arda, & will continue to be till the Great End. Taking War as a given, Tolkien seems to be saying the real issue is how we behave in wartime, & holds up Faramir as the ideal.

Bethberry, as far as the Manichaean issue goes, we've been going round in circles on that one in the 'Frodo at Sammath Naur' thread.