John Lofton/Oaths

[Francisco Martin]

Mr. Lofton wrote in relevant part: "Interesting what happens when you
de-abstractionize discussions by being specific, by, for example, simply
quoting God's Word. In any event, let me take a swing at the questions
asked below. My point was that, as God says, there's only one God --- Him.
You either take an oath to Him or a false god. And He is "relevant" to
everything."

COMMENT:  You earlier quoted a passage from Exodus.  That passage other
passages of the Tanak clearly recognize the existence of other Gods. For
example, the Torah refers to "Gods" (the English  transliteration of the
Hebrew word "Elohim").  The Tanak does place YHWH first among Gods, but it
does not say that there is only one God.  Indeed, Satan has a place (as a
prosecutor-type role) on the Council of Heaven in the Book of Job.  The
development of monotheism occurred much later.  

Francisco Forrest Martin