'Which is as Fate to all Things Else’

[Gurthang]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

This assumes that "all that Men do is already set in stone by Eru" - which seems, to me, to be quite unsupported by the text. Even setting aside the (strong) argument that a world without free will contradicts Tolkien's Christian ethos, it seems clear from the Ainulindale that Men are free. This is actually made even more evident in the first version, the Lost Tales "Music of the Ainur", and I see no reason to think that the underlying idea ever changed.

See my theory (yes, I am not convinced wholly of it yet) that I typed up in post #5.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

But, on anything like a traditional interpretation of Genesis, the flood was not part of God's original plan. God's original plan was for humans to live in the earthly paradise of Eden.

I will only say that I disagree with you. I think that saying more would lead to a discussion that is altogether not allowed on the Downs'.