God can do anything. Can he make a rock so heavy that he cant pick it up?

Answer 1

This "paradox" lacks is vital information concerning God's nature. His omnipotence is not something independent of His nature. It is part of His nature. God has a nature and His attributes operate within that nature, as does anything and everything else.
For example, I have human nature. I can run. But, I cannot outrun a lion. My nature simply does not permit it. My ability to run is connected to my nature and I cannot violate it. So too with God. His omnipotence is connected to His nature since being omnipotent is part of what He is. Omnipotence, then, must be consistent with what He is and not with what He is not since His omnipotence is not an entity to itself. Therefore, God can only do those things that are consistent with His nature. He cannot lie because it is against His nature to do so. Not being able to lie does not mean He is not God or that He is not all powerful. Also, He cannot cease to be God. Since He is in all places at all times, if He stopped existing then He wouldn't be in all places at all time. Therefore, He cannot cease to exist without violating His own nature.
The point is that God cannot do something that is a violation of His own existence and nature. Therefore, He cannot make a rock so big he can't pick up, or make something bigger than Himself, etc. But, not being able to do this does not mean He is not God nor that He is not omnipotent. Omnipotence is not the ability to do anything conceivable, but the ability to do anything consistent with His nature and consistent with His desire within the realm of His unlimited and universal power which we do not possess. This does not mean He can violate His own nature. If He did something inconsistent with His nature, then He would be self contradictory. If God were self contradictory, He would not be true. Likewise, if He did something that violated his nature, like make a rock so big He can't pick it up, He would also not be true since that would be a self contradiction. Since truth is not self contradictory, as neither is God, if He were not true, then He would not be God. But God is true and not self contradictory, therefore, God cannot do something that violates His own nature.
Another way to look at it is realize that in order for God to make something so big He couldn't pick it up, He would have to make a rock bigger than Himself. Since He is infinite in size, He would have to make something that would be bigger than Himself. Since it is His nature to be the biggest thing in existence because He created all things, He cannot violate His own nature by making a rock that is larger than He.
Also, since a rock, by definition, is not infinitely big, then it isn't logically possible to make a rock, something that is finite in size, be infinite in size (no longer a rock) since only God is infinite in size. At dictionary.com, a rock is defined as a "Relatively hard, naturally formed mineral or petrified matter; stone. a) A relatively small piece or fragment of such material. b) A relatively large body of such material, as a cliff or peak. c) A naturally formed aggregate of mineral matter constituting a significant part of the earth's crust." A rock, by definition is not infinitely large. So, to say that the rock must be so big that God cannot pick it up is to say that the rock is no longer a rock.
What the critics are asking is that God become self contradictory as a proof He doesn't exist. Their assertion is illogical from the start. So what they are doing is trying to get God to be illogical. They want to use illogic to prove God doesn't exist instead of logic. It doesn't work and the "paradox" is self-refuting and invalid.

A more important question...is do you have a relationship with GOD....if you did, this question would have been answered.

Answer 2

Yes. God can make a rock so heavy that he can't pick it up, and simultaneously becomes strong enough to lift it. God's powers are multifarious. There is nothing He cannot do. God cannot be limited by anything. God's nature is limitless. Whatever He chooses to do, He can do. When people attempt to say God is limited in some way, they are not talking about God. How can God be limited, and still be God? For instance, someone might say that God cannot lie. God can lie, but when God lies, it is Good. We cannot attach our morality to God, because God is not subject to morality. He is transcendental, and has no laws He must obey. We have to obey, but God does not.

Answer 3

Philosophers of religion generally agree that the concept of omnipotence does not require logically impossible or self-contradictory abilities. Thus it would be absurd to think that an omnipotent being could create a square circle for example. Hence, if one believes that god is omnipotent it is not necessary to believe that he could therefore create a stone so heavy that even he could not lift it, because the latter idea is self-contradictory.

Seriously this question has been asked so many times on here, why didnt you just search it and look for the answer? Just because you can string words together that make a sentence does not make it logical.

Answer 4

NO. If He couldn't %. it up He does no longer be all-powerful and for this reason does no longer be God. So, this inane question (which has been requested a minimum of two hundred circumstances in this communicate board) is truly asking if God can create a difficulty in which he's not God. NO.

Answer 5

no way because nothing is to heavy for god. and if there was something that insane, he would not be god due to the fact that something is more powerful than god. if god could not pick up a song. that song would be more powerful than god.

just think about that one

noproblomes.....

Answer 6

He can’t make a rock, he can’t move a rock, and he is not as real as a rock.

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lady_blu_iz -

And, he cannot move a rock. And, he can't win an argument against a rock - now that is stupid.

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MyPreshus -

I believe the point is - why doesn't he 'think' some kindness and decency into the world? Why doesn't he 'think' some food for the starving and some relief for the suffering? Why doesn't he 'think' some intelligence for his followers?

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Darryl L -

If he can't pick it up, how can he make it fall on someone?

Maybe he can 'think' up a fulcrum and lever.

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Ken D -

You might not be able to outrun a lion over a short distance, but you (preferably with the assistance of a few friends) can run a lion to death once it is winded? And if you have the right weapon - you don't have to run at all.

Answer 7

Do you have any IDEA how many times this question has been asked?

To avoid "violation" I will answer. God doesn't have limbs, nor does he deal with time space matter and energy. He could create something as heavy as you like. If he wants it lifted, he merely "thinks" and it is in the air. It has nothing to do with strength (or lack of) or being able to create the "impossible".

What's your point?

Answer 8

He made a rock so heavy that you can't pick it up, already. Get serious before He makes one like that fall on you.

Answer 9

How can there not be infinity?

How can there be an end to space?

How can something extend beyond space?

How can something be too heavy for God?

Answer 10

The world is rock and God holds it in His palm and it never colliided with heavenly bodies.