Melkor/Arda Marred or Remade

[Saurreg]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

The question that arises is 'Whom do we hold responsible for evil, now?'. (I just realized that it maybe just shows how pitiful humans are that they always have to blame somebody for what they call 'evil') If we want to blame somebody, we are left with no other candidate than Eru himself. Eru of course would not be evil, he would combine both good and evil in himself. Somewhere (there you have it ), I think, is written, that evil in Eä is defined as a revolt against the will of Eru. How can this work if evil was in the will of Eru?

My theory is that evil and the subsequent suffering it brought about was crucial in Eru's creation of a new and much better world. By being challenged, living things would be forced to adapt and evolve and in turn become greater than they started out in the beginning.

As for why a forced evolution was needed, then I do not know. Perhaps Eru wanted the inhabitants of the new world to be worthy of inheritance of such a gift and remember well the sacrifice they has been paid for its inception, or it could be a way to strengthen them for the challenges that await them in that new world.