This post contains content not supported on old Reddit. Click here to view the full post

I've been thinking about Eru Ilúvatar lately, and I think there's a pretty serious problem with the way we're supposed to understand him as a perfectly good being.

The thing that really started bothering me is Melkor.

The Ainur come from Eru's Thought. Tolkien says that each Ainu comprehended "that part of the mind of Ilúvatar from which he came." So Melkor isn't some evil force that appeared independently and then invaded Eru's creation. He is something Eru created, and his nature ultimately comes from Eru.

And Eru knew what Melkor was going to do.

That's where it gets difficult for me.

Melkor doesn't just rebel and then get dealt with. He goes on to destroy the Lamps, destroy the Trees, murder Finwë, steal the Silmarils, corrupt Arda and spend thousands of years causing an absolutely enormous amount of suffering.

Eru knows all of this is going to happen.

And he lets it happen.

The obvious response is that Melkor has free will. Sure. I'm not arguing that Melkor didn't choose his actions. But that doesn't really address Eru's part in all of this. Eru created Melkor knowing exactly what he would become. He knew what Melkor would do with the power he gave him.

And Eru isn't incapable of intervening. We know that because when Númenor attacks Aman, Eru intervenes directly. He destroys Númenor and changes the shape of the world.

So apparently Eru can intervene when he wants to.

Which makes Morgoth's entire career rather difficult to explain. Eru watches him destroy and corrupt things for thousands of years, but doesn't stop him.

Then there's Eru's response to Melkor's discord in the Music:

"no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me"

That's a pretty extraordinary thing to say in this context. Eru isn't presenting Melkor's rebellion as some unexpected disaster that got out of hand. Even Melkor's discord ultimately has its source in Eru and gets incorporated into the Music.

And this is where the "it's all part of the plan" explanation starts bothering me.

Okay, but why this plan?

Eru is supposed to be omnipotent. He isn't some king trying to make the best of a bad situation after something goes wrong. He created the situation in the first place.

If he knew what Melkor was going to do, then the suffering caused by Melkor wasn't an unfortunate surprise. It was something Eru knowingly chose to allow when he created Melkor and set the Music in motion.

According to Gandalf, Sauron can’t help but project his own inner logic onto everyone else.

“For he is very wise, and weighs all things to a nicety in the scales of his malice. But the only measure that he knows is desire, desire for power; and so he judges all hearts. Into his heart the thought will not enter that any will refuse it, that having the Ring we may seek to destroy it. If we seek this, we shall put him out of reckoning.”

He who desires power above all else will never understand the actions of someone who does not. He judges all hearts on the scales of his own malice.

Gandalf, who does not desire power above all else, possesses a different kind of wisdom — the wisdom of folly.

“Well, let folly be our cloak, a veil before the eyes of the Enemy!”

But why is folly a veil before the eyes of the Enemy?

We never see things as they are; we see them as we are. Someone bent on power cannot truly understand someone who rejects a tool for gaining power. In his eyes, such a person is simply foolish.

Who in his right mind would refuse a means of achieving quick and certain success? Only someone who understands the mind of the Enemy. Sauron can see those who desire what he desires. But he cannot see those who reject power in the form of the Ultimate Power Tool.

Those who reject power become invisible to the Lidless Eye. “Folly” is the perfect cloak, hiding us from the Enemy’s gaze. The Lidless Eye is a metaphor for total surveillance.

As we drove through Houston yesterday, my son pointed to a surveillance camera by the side of the road — an ALPR, or automated license plate reader.

“What are they for?” he asked.

“Someone wants more control,” I replied.

“What for?”

“Power. If you can get more power, why wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah. It seems foolish not to.”

“Exactly. We need to become fools if we want to remain unseen by Sauron. He believes everyone is like him — that no one in their right mind would refuse tools designed to maximize power. But this makes us completely visible to the Eye.”

“What makes us invisible?”

“Humility. The forces of spiritual darkness cannot see humility. The less we use their ‘power tools,’ the less visible we become. Our folly becomes our cover — and true wisdom from above.”

Gregory of Nazianzus once wrote about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil:

“This latter was the Tree of Knowledge; not, however, because it was evil from the beginning… nor was it forbidden because God grudged it to men… But it would have been good if partaken of at the proper time; for the Tree was, according to my theory, Contemplation, which it is only safe for those who have reached maturity of habit to enter upon; but which is not good for those who are still somewhat simple and greedy.” — The Second Oration on Easter

The sin of our forefathers was not that they partook of the fruit, but that they partook of it at the wrong time. God never grudged knowledge to humans, but He withheld it — just like we withhold matches from three-year-olds. He didn’t allow us to touch knowledge before the right time.

Tools are not evil in and of themselves. They become evil when we, in our simplicity and greed, refuse to wait for the “right time.” When we grasp for power, it becomes our undoing. When we wait for it to come at the right time, it becomes an instrument for good.

Power can only be given to the one who doesn’t need it. Ultimately, only a hobbit is strong enough to save the world. When you think you can, you can’t. When you think you can’t, you can.

i’ve become really curious about the ships of Middle Earth recently, particularly The White Ship that takes Frodo, Gandalf, Shadowfax, Elrond, etc.

i’m especially interested in reading where The White Ship is described in Tolkien’s words. i’ve found lots of illustrations online of a few different ships, but not much text to support the different aesthetics of each of them.

this feels so niche so i apologize if there’s not much else to it and i’m just being greedy asking for more information!

Greetings, Middle-earth!

Unfortunately, my journey to Canada has been halted and I now have two tickets that I would love to give away for free to fellow fans rather than let them go to waste.

---

🏔️ Vancouver - 1 ticket

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Live Concert + Movie Screening

📍 Queen Elizabeth Theatre

📅 August 28 at 7:30 PM

💺 Sec LDRESS, Row 19, Seat 116

---

🏔️ Calgary - 1 ticket

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Live Concert + Movie Screening

📍 Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

📅 August 29 at 7:00 PM

💺 Sec CTR1, Row N, Seat 136

---

I bought these tickets together with my friend. I don't know what he plans to do with his tickets but I'm hoping to pass mine on to you who can make use of them and would genuinely enjoy the journey, whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned traveller.

This will not be First Come, First Served. If you're interested, comment which screening you'd like to attend and tell me your absolute favorite thing about The Lord of the Rings!

I'll reach out to the chosen recipients myself by Sunday, 23th. Please also make sure you're able to attend the respective screening. You will need a Ticketmaster account to receive the ticket.

May your road go ever on and on!

ok hi!

My bf and i have been dating a few months ( will be around 6 months for his bday) and I’m currently trying to work out what to get him for his birthday. I’ve been thinking either a lamp that has the ring and gandalf in or potentially a map for his wall, however I’ve just seen a ring from Weta workshop which looks really cool (but is around (£300). However, I’m not sure if this is too much considering we haven’t been together that long and I’m also not 100% sure on his ring size so he may end up having to wear it on a chain around his neck.

He also doesn’t normally celebrate his bday massively apparently but I want to celebrate him and he does so much for me normally i don’t mind spending the money if he’ll like it,

Basically, do you think it’s worth getting him the ring or shall I get him something cheaper such as a map or anything else anyone can recommend???

I loveeee going all out for peoples birthday and hope he would love the ring but can some fans pls tell me if they would like it?? He wears one ring all the time and it can be displayed aswell as just work i just don’t know if it’s too much to soon and don’t want to scare him away lolllll,

Thank you!!!