Valar and Maia abilities?

[Ivriniel]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Well, I would clarify that idea to say that the Valar had great difficulty detecting deception because that act was in itself negative. It was said of Manwë that he did not comprehend Melkor's devotion to evil because Manwë himself was free from it. I think the same could be said of the other Valar. And yes, though that lack of insight led to their being deceived, I see it as also being a saving grace in that none of them followed Melkor into evil, turning away from their assigned duty of "administering" Arda for the One.

Hey there Inziladun,

I take your point. I'd forgotten that take on truth-speaking, and had some flashes of remembrance as I read your post, and it makes sense when I think about it. It's an interesting feature of the position about evil, the way it's put in the mythology. Evil-see-evil-do, so good-see-good-do, and no overlap.

The subject of evil, in one sense, as Tolkien writes about it, is a big area. I'd love to hear your thoughts: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=18738 where I'm looking at this aspect of Eru's offspring.

If Eru made the Valar--and Melkor.....yadda yadda (see the URL). I've given thought to how Manwe's great sight might be adapted to this, without his manifestation of evil. As a being who exists in a contrast to Melkor, then there are many ideas about how Manwe's Sight and how to extend that.

I speak of a Power I call 'unsight' (I realise this is not cannon Tolkien--but, it's where I went thinking about Manwe and his 'not seeing' Melkor).....

cheers
ivriniel