[Redcloak]

There are a few things wrong with the analogy. The Elves don't leave the world. They "go into the West", to Valinor, but are still in the world. They are part of the world, hence their immortality. (Men, on the other hand, are not tied to the world the way the Elves are. They were given "the gift of death" by Illúvatar and thus leave the world.) The Elves don't leave Middle Earth "because of Sauron". They were called to Valinor by Manwë and the other Valar ages earlier. They weren't supposed to be in Middle Earth. Those that were there, the Moriquendi and the Noldor, were disobeying the Valar.

[sonofron]

"They were called to Valinor by Manwë and the other Valar ages earlier. They weren't supposed to be in Middle Earth. Those that were there, the Moriquendi and the Noldor, were disobeying the Valar."

the call by the valar to the elves to come to valinor was an invitation, not a command. there were elves who never went to valinor, the avari and some of the talari(sp?), also known as dark elves. these elves were not "doomed". the noldor went to valinor, and later left and they were doomed by the valar because their reasons were flawed.