Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site spp2.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!trwspp!spp2!urban From: urban@spp2.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Only one God? Message-ID: <284@spp2.UUCP> Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 18:47:45 EST Article-I.D.: spp2.284 Posted: Thu Nov 29 18:47:45 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 2-Dec-84 05:03:38 EST Reply-To: urban@spp2.UUCP (Mike Urban) Organization: TRW, Redondo Beach CA Lines: 24 This is a request for information. Please do not flame or proselytize in response. I have been told that the word "God" for the entity who creates the cosmos in Genesis is a translation of "Elohim", and that this world has the Hebrew form of a plural. There are several other indications in the Old Testament that appear to admit of other gods (otherwise, how could you have other gods before the one delivering the commandments? Or, isn't it funny to say "I'm a jealous god" if you're the only god there is?) My question: is there any sort of tradition in the Judaeo-Christian world that holds that there are other gods? Can the Old Testament be interpreted as indicating that the god spoken of is the god of the Jews, but that there are other (lesser) gods? Or am I completely misinformed? Note that Islam is particularly clear about asserting that there is no other god besides Allah. Why is this such an important point? Thanks for your time. Let's see if we can keep the level of discussion relatively high for once. Mike