Nebulous "It" and Absolutes

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Hookbill will do nicely Firefoot.

I would like to again put forward the argument that with the deliberate inclusion of Evil in the world it makes The chosen relationship with God/Iluvatar that more intimate and special. Without Evil we would not think that Knowing God was anything special.

But in creating Arda already flawed by incorporating Melkor's themes Eru increases the likelihood that the Children will choose evil - its more likely you will fall on uneven, unstable ground than on level, solid ground. So, by incorporating Melkor's themes He takes away complete freedom from the Children. Evil is already inherent in Arda from its making. This is why within Arda no-one has true free will, because circumstances, including innate evil in the matter of Arda, will affect their choices.

Iluvatar would not let Evil ultimately take over the world, he can't, if evil began to gain ruler ship he would intervene, but there will always be good in the world, and there will always be Evil. Without the evil present we cannot chose to be evil or not to be. as you said, davem, because of circumstances, Free will is taken away, this is where i do not agree, within the circumstances people have the choice to do what they will in those circumstances. But i see how you can think that some ones upbringing can affect their choices in later life, however the choices still remain to follow what you have been taught or to go on another path. Which is why there is hope for all people on the earth, as all people have the choice to stop following the path of evil and go onto the road to salvation.