Eru Illuvatar is the creator of this world, the creator of the Maiar and the Valar, and also the creator of Manwe and Melkor, his sons. Manwe, Lord of Wind & Ruler of Arda, felt no lust for power and focused only on maintaining order in Arda.
Melkor, on the other hand, possessed a desire for creativity and freedom. Eru knew this. In fact, Eru gave them these traits, as well as free will. Now I ask you, do you notice the parallel? He had given them free will, and was now angry at his own creation for exercising the freedom given to them. Melkor was a visionary. Melkor was a genius mistreated by his creator and his peers and corrupted only by their selfish, needless behavior.

Manwe had imprisoned Melkor in the Halls of Mandos after he had caused the destruction of the Lamps of Valar, the two lamps - one in the North, and the other in the South - which had provided light for the world. Manwe, being completely conceited and self-serving, naturally lied and fell "short" like the rest of every being in Arda, and being such a patronizing tyrant, he expected others to act likewise. Melkor, on the other hand, has his own ideas, knew how to take a scientific approach to life. He was deceitful, and had grown bitter thanks to his alienation from his trusted brothers and sisters in blood. This is the duality of the two brothers. They were, in reality, no different from one another, only, simply one had gained the larger following and by extension had been crowned "morally righteous" by the mindless children lacking of intellectual growth.

Melkor had used his brother's naivety to his advantage and Manwe, unable to comprehend his naturally clever speech, was fooled by a mask, too foolish to recognize it was the same mask he and his companions had sealed to their faces.

Do you see, reader? Do not simply choose to follow a belief, simply because those that believe in it attempt to convince you that anything else is objectively "wrong". They can guilt you, offer you "redemption", but be your own person - do what you do because you think it's what should be done. They feed off of your need for companionship, and public popularity, as well as menial positions of power. Do not let them consume you and dictate your life.

Written by Black Prophet Alatar
This will hopefully exist as a scroll in the BaradDur Atheneum, if it's not already a flaming pile of debris.

Very much in the manner of Alatar

Free will's design is for the purpose of rendering meaningful worship to God, rather than bionic service without meaning

Alatar wrote on 23rd February 2022, 01:28 AM:

The Fallacy of "Good"
Eru Illuvatar is the creator of this world, the creator of the Maiar and the Valar, and also the creator of Manwe and Melkor, his sons. Manwe, Lord of Wind & Ruler of Arda, felt no lust for power and focused only on maintaining order in Arda.
Melkor, on the other hand, possessed a desire for creativity and freedom. Eru knew this. In fact, Eru gave them these traits, as well as free will. Now I ask you, do you notice the parallel? He had given them free will, and was now angry at his own creation for exercising the freedom given to them. Melkor was a visionary. Melkor was a genius mistreated by his creator and his peers and corrupted only by their selfish, needless behavior.
Manwe had imprisoned Melkor in the Halls of Mandos after he had caused the destruction of the Lamps of Valar, the two lamps - one in the North, and the other in the South - which had provided light for the world. Manwe, being completely conceited and self-serving, naturally lied and fell "short" like the rest of every being in Arda, and being such a patronizing tyrant, he expected others to act likewise. Melkor, on the other hand, has his own ideas, knew how to take a scientific approach to life. He was deceitful, and had grown bitter thanks to his alienation from his trusted brothers and sisters in blood. This is the duality of the two brothers. They were, in reality, no different from one another, only, simply one had gained the larger following and by extension had been crowned "morally righteous" by the mindless children lacking of intellectual growth.
Melkor had used his brother's naivety to his advantage and Manwe, unable to comprehend his naturally clever speech, was fooled by a mask, too foolish to recognize it was the same mask he and his companions had sealed to their faces.
Do you see, reader? Do not simply choose to follow a belief, simply because those that believe in it attempt to convince you that anything else is objectively "wrong". They can guilt you, offer you "redemption", but be your own person - do what you do because you think it's what should be done. They feed off of your need for companionship, and public popularity, as well as menial positions of power. Do not let them consume you and dictate your life.
Written by Black Prophet Alatar
This will hopefully exist as a scroll in the BaradDur Atheneum, if it's not already a flaming pile of debris.

Valid argument, one problem.
Melkor's creativity was turning the world into darkness, corrupting creatures made by Illuvatar into monstrosities, and slaughtering and treating everyone lesser.
Creative ideas.

Things like the Valar didn't help when Morgoth attacked Middle Earth, and only the elves led by Feanor and his sons, made any action to defeat Melkor, and many other things prove it..

Damen wrote on 23rd February 2022, 03:31 AM:

Very much in the manner of Alatar
Free will's design is for the purpose of rendering meaningful worship to God, rather than bionic service without meaning

I'd argue free will's design is for the purpose of rendering whatever meaning you can make of it. If that's worship to God so be it.

fable wrote on 23rd February 2022, 09:27 AM:

Quote:

Valid argument, one problem.
Melkor's creativity was turning the world into darkness, corrupting creatures made by Illuvatar into monstrosities, and slaughtering and treating everyone lesser.
Creative ideas.

Maybe that's just how you're forced to see it. I mean, are they really monstrosities? Can you really call Melkor evil simply because he began treating everyone lesser, but in the same way everyone treated him lesser. Maybe you just need to have seen it from Melkor's point of view.