And what about the Numenoreans who were just going about their lives? The ones who weren’t among the faithful, but weren’t taking an active role in persecuting them? What about the babies? Was everyone who the Valar murdered on Numenor responsible for these supposed crimes? And did any of those crimes warrant death?

As I said, such is the price of Evil. It rarely leaves the innocent alone.

But it wasn’t the so-called evil that exacted that price. It was the Valar, who are supposed to be the ultimate good.

Uh, sure.

So…you’re agreeing with me?

No.

The Valar did not pass judgment upon Numenor as they were explicitly forbade from harming the Children. When the Great Armament landed on Aman, the Elder King laid down his right to call upon Eru to pass judgment on something utterly unprecedented. Prior to this, Manwe sent omens to warn the King’s Men of the Doom they would face if they continued upon the path of hubris.

Everything stems from Eru and it was Him that sunk Numenor as punishment. To morally debate the matter is effectively the same folly as Melkor sowing discord into the Music of the Ainur.

Eru may be god, but that doesn’t make him right.

How so? Can you explain how our concept of morality is superior to a transcendental, omnipotent being?

I’m not sure if one morality can be objectively considered to be superior to any other morality. To get along, we do need rules that most people agree on, and I think most people agree that it is wrong to kill innocents. Eru might disagree, but I think he would be in the minority.

It is also hard to see what right Eru has to punish anyone for anything when everything that happens is part of his plan. Surely, if he didn’t want the Numenoreans to turn against the Valar then they wouldn’t have.