huscarl86 t1_itfuc6j wrote
Reply to comment by pojmalkavian in I just read The Silmarilion and I am speechless. by Tenorius
When you consider the Valar are to some extent avatars of elemental forces, them sitting on their arses while Morgoth runs amok makes a bit more sense. Because each and every time they intervene to help Elves and Men it results in catastrophic destruction to the very fabric of the world.
Even in the War of Wrath, where the bulk of the fighting appears to have been done by the Maiar (lesser angelic beings) and the Elves of Valinor rather than the Valar themselves, the collatoral damage required to bring down Morgoth is still enough to sink an entire continent.
Allarius1 t1_itgpp3h wrote
I thought that had more to do with that fact that Morgoth “wove” himself into the fabric of arda. So it would be impossible to defeat him without causing irreparable damage.
Kind of like the old gods from WoW.
OnePostDude t1_itkjj9t wrote
this is correct as Sauron is also woven into middleearth but only in limited account
pojmalkavian t1_itfv1vo wrote
The collateral damage is required if the most evil of evil that ever evil-ed is to be defeated.
They sat on their asses while Morgoth enslaved, killed and destroyed men, elves and the same Middle-Earth that the supposed guardians of Eru's creations were to protect. Eventually, they do have to intervene to bring him down, so why not do it eariler to prevent destruction and lost lives up to that point?
pelicanontheroof t1_itr242u wrote
The Valar aren't perfect either, and can make mistakes. Also remember, in the beginning, Melkor was stronger than all other Valar combined. The Valar did intervene swiftly after discovering the Elves when they invited them to Aman to protect them from Melkor. While that may seem an obvious thing to do, in the long term it might not actually have been the best idea. The first mistake might have been creating Aman at all, and living apart from Middle Earth. The second mistake might have been inviting the Elves to leave Middle Earth and come live with them there. It is implied that, counterintuitive as it might seem, in the long term it might have been better for the Elves to have stayed in Middle Earth. Maybe that might have prevented the corruption of men (humans) in the first place, among other things.
I keep saying "might," because it's impossible to know for sure. The string of causation is impossibly vast and complex. The point is that even something which seems obviously the right thing to do might not actually be.
But really your question can basically be boiled down to, "Why does evil and suffering exist at all?"
If God/Eru Ilúvatar is so all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, why create a being like Melkor in the first place? Why even permit the existence of anything that has the potential to go wrong?
That's just a mystery. Nobody, not even the Valar, knows that. There is only the assurance that no matter how terrible and hopeless things may seem, there is no evil or suffering for which there won't ultimately be justice, because everything has its source in Eru:
"Thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined."
Also when Feanor rebels against the Valar and rejects their summons:
"When the messengers declared to Manwë the answers of Fëanor to his heralds, Manwë wept and bowed his head. But at that last word of Fëanor: that at the least the Noldor should do deeds to live in song for ever, he raised his head, as one that hears a voice far off, and he said: ‘So shall it be! Dear-bought those songs shall be accounted, and yet shall be well-bought. For the price could be no other. Thus even as Eru spoke to us shall beauty not before conceived be brought into Eä, and evil yet be good to have been.'
But Mandos said: ‘And yet remain evil. To me shall Fëanor come soon.’"
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