(urth) people in TBOTNS

[Chris]

To go along with the counterargument: you also have the insistence of the 
Valar to incarnate themselves (or whatever term you wish to use) in Ea, and 
the creation of the dwarves, etc.

Perhaps in the early stages of the singing, however, things weren't in 
decline... I'm not sure this matters that much, though. For example one 
could similarly say there was a period between "Let there be light" and the 
fall from the Garden where the Biblical earth was not in decline as well.

> > You are exactly right to tell the type of story Lord of the Rings is it 
>is
> > neccesary to go to entropy, exactly.  But, I was just pointing out that
> > Tolkien's universe is not in a state of decline from the very 
>beginning...
>
>Counterargument: At first Morgoth cooperates with the Valar in the work
>of building up Ea, then he feigns cooperation, and finally rebels. I 
>suggest
>that the decline was present from the beginning, but that at first it was
>only in Morgoth's heart.
>
>--Dan'l

--
"You must not be soft, but cover yourself up; for you must discover an 
intellection abstractional and fraudulent."