Given: God is all powerful, and He is therefore capable of everything He wants.
Question: Can God create a rock heavy enough He Himself can't lift it? If He can't create that rock, he is not capable of everything. And if He can create a rock He Himself can't lift, He ain't all that mighty either.
2007-07-04 19:22:35 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ok, it's an old question, i knew that, but seriously, what do christians take of this?
2007-07-04 19:28:12 · update #1
He can,and then He can pump himself up to be able to lift it.
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2007-07-04 19:26:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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.
2007-07-04 19:40:38 · answer #2 · answered by Graham 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Christian take is that God cannot create something that is impossible to exist by definition. Just like He cannot create a square circle because it cannot exist, since He is almighty there cannot exist an object in his creation that He doesn't have absolute power over.
2007-07-04 19:30:42 · answer #3 · answered by Martin S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure. We're capable of putting a man on the moon. We don't fly there on our own, we have to create a rocket to get us there. We had to be smart enough to build the rocket.
I think your assumption that God can do anthing he wants is naive. God would only want things that are correct and that follow his laws. Whether speaking of the physical laws of the universe or spiritual laws, he must obey them just like you and I.
2007-07-04 19:27:56 · answer #4 · answered by rndyh77 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope. If He could no longer raise it He would not be all-powerful and as a result He would not be God. as a result, what this inane question is genuinely asking is that if God ought to create a concern wherein he's no longer God. Nope!
2016-10-19 21:12:32 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ah, but there are 2 things God cant do..lie, and sin.
So you get the front line for being an idiot, now get that blue ribbon.
God gave you common sense, its you that refuse to use it right.
2007-07-04 19:34:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hoy stu pido, God Creasted the world and the universe. Can you think of a rock bigger than the universe?
2007-07-04 19:26:54 · answer #7 · answered by luosechi 駱士基 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In logic, this question falls under one of the fallacies. I believe it's called "hypothesis contrary to fact". Thus, this question cannot be answered correctly since it's illogical.
2007-07-04 19:32:25 · answer #8 · answered by Ian 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's one of the problems with absolutes, isn't it?
2007-07-04 19:27:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That question is so outdated. Is that the best you can do?
2007-07-04 19:25:51 · answer #10 · answered by C J 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋