What is the force that LIMITS the omnipotence of a deity?

Question

Presumably the deity is the supreme force in the universe, and source of all other forces. However, in the below question, one theist claims limits on the omnipotence of his deity (where the answerer would find these limits I do not know; if from the deity himself, the deity would be acknowledging SOMETHING else out there must be even greater than the deity):
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aq4oP_UL1c98MKROeZ66Jhzsy6IX?qid=20070818123219AA14dcy&show=7#profile-info-ad3c419b222f6dc94d74261064692404aa

please remember the fundamental difference between can't and won't

this question isn't about what the deity chooses or doesn't choose to do (giving people free will doesn't change the giver's abilities), it's strictly about the abilities and limits ascribed to them by some humans (on what evidence, who knows)

I don't understand the "logic" of saying that the creator of all rules (logic, physics, chemistry, etc) can't "violate" the thing it created -- if it created it, presumably it could modify it at will

Laura Y: thank you for evading the question, what an original action that was

Answer 1

Free thought

Even God can't force your love from you, because a love that is forced is not a love at all.

This limitation is why every religion has had either no god, a non-omnipotent god (or gods), or a place outside the presence of that god (and therefore conveniently detatched from that omnipotence).

Answer 2

The word Diety is a misnomer. This is a Human creation. There really is no such thing. There is however an all-encompassing Spirit, the Oneness that sustains all the multiverse. This universal being is at the root of all consciousness. This Oneness requires no worship or sacrifices, that stuff is all for us, not for the Great Spirit.
This Nameless Oneness (that we always try to name anyway) lives in all life, in all consciousness; and is completely limitless in its being or existence. The Great Oneness or Buddha Nature as the Buddhists say creates the universal laws of all universes or dimensions. It is not "like" anything since it is unique, and stands alone in its perfection and mystery.
Humans love to create imaginary gods in their own image, and this just highlights their inability to understand the reality of life. The truth about the Universal Oneness is much more interesting and a lot harder to comprehend than this human creation we call diety. Sir Thomas More said, "The trouble with god is that god is not what God is."
I see a time in the future when science and religion will meet at the nexus of reality, when all physical laws are understood, and the origins and destinies of all the universal infinite dimensions will be made clear. As long as science and religion disagree you can be sure that we have not gotten to this point yet.
It is not enough to merely say that the diety created the universe. This is superstition and dogma. Tell me what this so-called diety is and tell me how it created the universes and then you will have my attention. I would want this explanation in scientific terms, not in Bible quotes. I just don't trust all the lying, self-serving, self-proclaimed prophets, priests and "saints" that write religious scripture. These are mostly dishonest, narrow-minded people that you'd never allow into your home. And we are expected to take their word on life, the universe and everything?
It is not possible to have an all-powerful, all-wise, all compassionate Spirit at the heart of all life and then say that this Spirit has limits. Who among us can make that call?

Answer 3

Love is the only force that can limit omnipotence. God is love and can therefore limit Himself in what He does if he chooses. Logic is how we try to explain what God has made. Logic is more of a man made deity that says 'I am greater than God.' Non-believers use logic to say there is no God. Believers know that logic exists at the discretion of God but does not control all things. The falling of Lucifer was that he felt he was greater than God. He uses logic to sway a lot of people and we continue to use logic whenever possible. But that doesn't mean that Lucifer is logic or that we should not use logic. It is only part of a unique phenomenon.

Answer 4

According to Creation Scientist Em Adjineri, it's called the Law of Conservation of Potence.

Answer 5

Humanity.

Answer 6

Joshua 24:15 (New International Version)
15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Answer 7

There is no force that limits God. When we ask silly questions like "Can God create a rock He can't lift?" we forget that God is NOT subject to the natural laws of gravity, force, etc., as we are. See my answer there; it's too long to repeat.

: )

Answer 8

of course god could create a rock that he could not lift. but if he changed his mind and decided he could lift it, he could. that is the logic of omniscience. the rules apply, but you can change them as you go along. kinda like being a referee, but with unlimited cosmic power.

Answer 9

God cannot make a logical contradiction - where do you not get this? You however can.
If you want to make this statement as something to support that God cannot do 'anything' - have at it.

EDIT:
You're using faulty logic to claim he should be able to defy logic.

Apparently your God can lie, where do I sign up????

Answer 10

God is the only force in my life