This argument is futile. Let's take a look:
-Bombadil's name states that he is "Eldest and Fatherless". The elves named him such. However, he is also mysterious beyond explaination, and is an enigma that cannot be finally solved.
-Fangorn never claims to be "Eldest". It is well known that the Elves awoke the tree-shepherds, therefore making all ents younger than elves, and therefore younger than any Maiar on Middle-Earth.
-The various Istari, being Maiar, and therefore Ainur, were the first creation of Eru: the "fruit of his thought". This would place them far before anyone that awoke in Middle-Earth, be he man, elf, or ent.
-Statement 3 poses a problem, because how can Bombadil be eldest if he is not a Maia? And then we further the question by asking how we know that Bombadil isn't a Maia. But we realize that there is no specific evidence that says that he is a Maia, rather than a Vala, or even Eru incarnate.
-By now, we have lost all consideration of who is "eldest" because we lack a clear understanding of Bombadil's nature. The discussion turns to him and him alone, and we create yet another "Who is Tom Bombadil?" thread.
I think that wraps it up.
Iarwain
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"And what are oaths but words we say to God?"
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