Can God create a rock so heavy that not even he can lift?

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Air Legend
Substitute God with a supreme comic book character so this can be comic book related.

I want to see what people on the vs forum have to say about this.

masterbruce
really depends on how you define God.

SnazzySmurph
No need for a second thread. erm

Air Legend
Originally posted by masterbruce
really depends on how you define God.
Ah you're smarter than the people on the comic book forum. Ok lets just substitute God with omnipotent being smile

masterbruce
Originally posted by Air Legend
Ah you're smarter than the people on the comic book forum. Ok lets just substitute God with omnipotent being smile

then the answer is yes

Sandai Kitetsu
Not this again.

Air Legend
Originally posted by masterbruce
then the answer is yes
thumb up It took four posts to accomplish what they haven't in five pages lol

Symmetric Chaos
Originally posted by Air Legend
Ah you're smarter than the people on the comic book forum. Ok lets just substitute God with omnipotent being smile

Given that there are a least 3 different ways to define omnipotence (one where the answer must be yes and two where it must be know) that doesn't really help.

hulkcpbifiussjf
are you referring to he as in god himself or what cause god could if he used most of his power to create this rock n then tried to lift it

Air Legend
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Given that there are a least 3 different ways to define omnipotence (one where the answer must be yes and two where it must be know) that doesn't really help.
Well the most popular definitions are unlimited power or being able to do all things, so that's what we'll go by... but the question has already been answered correctly lol.

Symmetric Chaos
Originally posted by Air Legend
Well the most popular definitions are unlimited power or being able to do all things, so that's what we'll go by... but the question has already been answered correctly lol.

There's the ability to do anything and there's the ability to transcend logic. Not all definitions of omnipotence include the second erm

Air Legend
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
There's the ability to do anything and there's the ability to transcend logic. Not all definitions of omnipotence include the second erm
If one can do all things, one can transcend logic erm

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Air Legend
Well the most popular definitions are unlimited power or being able to do all things, so that's what we'll go by... but the question has already been answered correctly lol. If you're able to do all things, you'd lift the rock... so it wouldn't be omnipotence. erm

That's the whole idea...

Sandai Kitetsu
I wonder where all these extra definitions are coming from.

Air Legend
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
If you're able to do all things, you'd lift the rock... so it wouldn't be omnipotence. erm

That's the whole idea...
You asked if God could create that rock. Here is what I said:
Originally posted by Air Legend
Yes there are many ways God can create this rock. One way is he can create a duplicate of himself, one of them not capable of lifting the rock, and therefore be able to satisfy both states simultaneously. The definition of omnipotence people are going by is being able to do anything right? So if God can do anything he can take away his omnipotence can he not? Therefore he can create that rock.
However this is all inconsequential because the word omnipotent is not found in the Bible. God has been reffered to as the Almighty but not as "omnipotent". God cannot do everything; for example he cannot sin or lie, it is against His nature.

Also, nonsense is nonsense even when talking about God. Just because you put the word "God" in front of the question doesn't make it logical, it will still be nonsense. Can God exist and not exist at the same time? Stupid question huh, but it makes the point that nonsense is still nonsense even when talking about God.
God can create that rock.

Symmetric Chaos
Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
I wonder where all these extra definitions are coming from.

Philosophers in need of money? Linguists? People trying to box omnipotence within human perception/experience?

masterbruce
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
If you're able to do all things, you'd lift the rock... so it wouldn't be omnipotence. erm

That's the whole idea...

the thing is God's intent is to create something he can't lift...so as long as he has that intention, he won't lift it. It doesn't go against him being omnipotent because its actually his will that the rock not be liftable.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by masterbruce
the thing is God's intent is to create something he can't lift...so as long as he has that intention, he won't lift it. It doesn't go against him being omnipotent because its actually his will that the rock not be liftable. But if his intent was then to lift it? Then he can do so, and therefore fail at failure...

Anyways, you're all wrong.

Why? Because it's Ineffable, which is the only correct response here.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Air Legend
You asked if God could create that rock. Here is what I said:

God can create that rock. I'd point out the contradictions and unlogical arguments (or those that become so when applied to this thread, anyhow), but I really don't care anymore.

God, omnipotence, etc?

It's ineffable.

I win.

Leaving now.

masterbruce
basically, with this rock thingy, you're asking if a being with no limits can set a limit for himself

then the answer would be no, so I change my original answer

Air Legend
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
I'd point out the contradictions and unlogical arguments (or those that become so when applied to this thread, anyhow), but I really don't care anymore.

God, omnipotence, etc?

It's ineffable.

I win.

Leaving now.
Yea ineffable to you. There are many simple reasons why God can create the rock. I already pointed out some of them.

Air Legend
Originally posted by masterbruce
basically, with this rock thingy, you're asking if a being with no limits can set a limit for himself

then the answer would be no, so I change my original answer
An omnipotent being can do anything, thus an omnipotent being can set a limit on himself.

Sandai Kitetsu
How can a being with no limits not be able to limit himself. erm

Air Legend
Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
How can a being with no limits not be able to limit himself. erm
He can confused Where you asking me this?

Sandai Kitetsu
I'm asking master bruce.

Big Sexy
I remember discussing this paradox back in junior high.

Air Legend
Originally posted by Big Sexy
I remember discussing this paradox back in junior high.
Yea and there is a simple answer to it but over on the comic book forum they are trying to come up with convoluted theories. It's good for a laugh lol.

masterbruce
Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
How can a being with no limits not be able to limit himself. erm

EUREKA, I'VE GOT IT!

1. God is omnipotent.

2. By asking him to create a rock he can't lift, basically all he has to do is give up his omnipotence.

3. He creates a rock and then removes his omnipotence.

4. Now, he can no longer lift the rock and is no longer omnipotent.

5. He has become man.

Conclusion: God CAN create a rock he can't lift, at the cost of losing his godhood.

Soljer
Could the omnipotent being draw a square circle?

Could he fushzpatz longshawrp? Wacizzley mop-bop?

A question like this is nonsensical.

Air Legend
Originally posted by masterbruce
EUREKA, I'VE GOT IT!

1. God is omnipotent.

2. By asking him to create a rock he can't lift, basically all he has to do is give up his omnipotence.

3. He creates a rock and then removes his omnipotence.

4. Now, he can no longer lift the rock and is no longer omnipotent.

5. He has become man.
durno

Air Legend
Originally posted by Soljer
Could the omnipotent being draw a square circle?

Could he fushzpatz longshawrp? Wacizzley mop-bop?

A question like this is non nonsensical.
I already made that point earlier in this thread.

Sandai Kitetsu
Or he could just lift the rock, that he couldn't lift. erm

masterbruce
Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
Or he could just lift the rock, that he couldn't lift. erm

no, that's a contradiction. he can't create something he can't lift if he can do anything.

my solution is perfect, with no contradiction or illogicity.

Soljer
Originally posted by Air Legend
I already made that point earlier in this thread.

My apologies for repeating you - I'm not about to read multiple pages of one of the oldest religious debates ever, however, as the thread has continued, you obviously didn't get your point across.

Not that I really expect people to get it at this point, either. erm.

masterbruce
Can anyone tell me what's wrong with my solution? I think I've just solved the age old enigma...I'm a genius.

Soljer
Originally posted by masterbruce
Can anyone tell me what's wrong with my solution? I think I've just solved the age old enigma...I'm a genius. No. You haven't. People have proposed the very same thing before - and the problem is that it requires an exchange. Something a truly omnipotent being would not need to make.

The only actual 'answer' to this question is what I (and apparently, Soujaboy) posted earlier.

Fizzlebim fang pop.

Sandai Kitetsu
Originally posted by masterbruce
no, that's a contradiction. he can't create something he can't lift if he can do anything.

my solution is perfect, with no contradiction or illogicity.


Of course he can, he's omnipotent and can do anything. That includes defying logic, what's so hard about that to get.

masterbruce
Originally posted by Soljer
No. You haven't. People have proposed the very same thing before - and the problem is that it requires an exchange. Something a truly omnipotent being would not need to make.

The only actual 'answer' to this question is what I (and apparently, Soujaboy) posted earlier.

Fizzlebim fang pop.

I disagree.

When you ask God to create something he can't lift, what you're really asking is for him to become NOT OMNIPOTENT.

Therefore, he has the power to remove his omnipotence, as he is God.

However, once he removes it, he no longer is omnipotent, and therefore can no longer lift the rock.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Soljer
No. You haven't. People have proposed the very same thing before - and the problem is that it requires an exchange. Something a truly omnipotent being would not need to make.

The only actual 'answer' to this question is what I (and apparently, Soujaboy) posted earlier.

Fizzlebim fang pop. Hypocriticaly returning to this thread... temporarily.

That's not Souja. Similar names, but that's Toaa/presence.

Anyways, you're all wrong... it's ineffable.

masterbruce
omnipotent = can do anything

therefore, an omnipotent being can become not omnipotent.

however, once you're not omnipotent, you can no longer become omnipotent.

Sandai Kitetsu
Originally posted by masterbruce


however, once you're not omnipotent, you can no longer become omnipotent.


Whwere are these extra conditions coming from?

masterbruce
Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
Whwere are these extra conditions coming from?

it's not an extra condition, it's logic

an inomnipotent (limited) being can not make himself omnipotent (limitless)

however, an omnipotent being can make himself inomnipotent

its common sense really

Sandai Kitetsu
Originally posted by masterbruce
it's not an extra condition, it's logic



Omnipotentence is a supra logical concept, my friend.

masterbruce
Originally posted by Sandai Kitetsu
Omnipotentence is a supra logical concept, my friend. accepting that, I still don't see any flaws with my reasoning of how god can create an unliftable rock just by losing his omnipotence

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by masterbruce
omnipotent = can do anything

therefore, an omnipotent being can become not omnipotent.

however, once you're not omnipotent, you can no longer become omnipotent. Are you seriously making the implication that someone who can do anything would have to make a sacrifice to overcome a simple paradox?

Supra logical... it's ineffable.

masterbruce
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
Are you seriously making the implication that someone who can do anything would have to make a sacrifice to overcome a simple paradox?


so what if he has to make a sacrifice...he still succeeds at creating a rock that he can't lift right? that's all the question poses...never said anything about not making any sacrifices, which is the trick part because no one thinks that way.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by masterbruce
so what if he has to make a sacrifice...he still succeeds at creating a rock that he can't lift right? that's all the question poses...never said anything about not making any sacrifices, which is the trick part because no one thinks that way. If you can do ANYTHING, you don't have to make a sacrifice, or trade anything, in order to defeat a simple little paradox.

It's INEFFABLE.

Sandai Kitetsu
Is this really that hard to get?

masterbruce
Originally posted by masterbruce


1. God is omnipotent.

2. By asking him to create a rock he can't lift, basically all he has to do is give up his omnipotence.

3. He creates a rock and then removes his omnipotence.

4. Now, he can no longer lift the rock and is no longer omnipotent.

Therefore, God, an omnipotent being, has succeeded at creating a rock he can't lift

this is called thinking outside the box for a solution

Soljer
Originally posted by masterbruce
this is called thinking outside the box for a solution

No, it's called an invalid argument, and repetition of a falsehood does not change it's truth value.

You keep trying to pass it off as a 'solution' when it is not one.

You've solved nothing. You're incorrect. Try to wrap your head around it.

masterbruce
Originally posted by Soljer
No, it's called an invalid argument, and repetition of a falsehood does not change it's truth value.

You keep trying to pass it off as a 'solution' when it is not one.

You've solved nothing. You're incorrect. Try to wrap your head around it.

you calling it incorrect doesn't make it incorrect. you have to say WHY it is incorrect.

as far as I know, my solution does not violate any conditions set by the paradoxical question

Soljer
Originally posted by masterbruce
you calling it incorrect doesn't make it incorrect. you have to say WHY it is incorrect.

as far as I know, my solution does not violate any conditions set by the paradoxical question

Sure it does.

You're implying that an omnipotent being could ONLY accomplish something by stripping away his omnipotence.

Hence, he wasn't an omnipotent being to begin with.

masterbruce
Originally posted by Soljer
Sure it does.

You're implying that an omnipotent being could ONLY accomplish something by stripping away his omnipotence.

Hence, he wasn't an omnipotent being to begin with.

no, I never said it was the ONLY way to accomplish it.

is there another way to do it without defying logic, perhaps, but I don't know it.

or maybe as you and others have suggested, there is no other LOGICAL way, hence ineffable.

however, I am saying the solution I offered is ONE feasible solution within the bounds of logic for God to accomplish the task, at least that's my opinion.

Supermanluv
I bet evryone on here agrees its a paradox though ?

nvrbeenwthagirl
Originally posted by masterbruce
basically, with this rock thingy, you're asking if a being with no limits can set a limit for himself

then the answer would be no, so I change my original answer

Then the being wouldn't be unlimited. A being with no limits could limit themself. But an Omnicient being would do such a thing. this was why the beyonder was an idiot.

batdude123
Originally posted by Supermanluv
I bet evryone on here agrees its a paradox though ?

This is the definition of a paradox.

Merlyn
Argh..

These type of threads are ridiculous. roll eyes (sarcastic)


Am I the only one who realizes that an omnipotent being can do anything?

Such a being has the power to literally write/change ANY conceptual "laws" he wishes...


Such a being is beyond logic and explination.


Making a thread like this is to belittle said being's power down to "human standards", thus no longer making the being in question, omnipotent. smile

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
Anyways one last time for this thread, say it with me everybody...

IT'S F*CKING INEFFABLE, DIPSHITS!

Air Legend
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
It's ineffable to me dipshits
Fixed 313

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Air Legend
Fixed 313 Your solution is the same as Masterbruce's, and therefore failure.


You don't get it at all. no expression The problem or the paradox...

Air Legend
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
Your solution is the same as Masterbruce's, and therefore failure.


You don't get it at all. no expression The problem or the paradox...
You mean you don't get it no expression
Anyways, to sum it up again- NONSENSE IS STILL NONSENSE EVEN WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT GOD.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Air Legend
You mean you don't get it no expression
Anyways, to sum it up again- NONSENSE IS STILL NONSENSE EVEN WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT GOD. Then it's ineffable. erm

Do you even know what that word means?

Air Legend
Originally posted by SnazzySmurph
Then it's ineffable. erm

Do you even know what that word means?

That doesn't make it ineffable.
Ineffable- incapable of being expressed in words.
The answer is very capable of being expressed in words. There are logical ways that an omnipotent being can create the rock like making a clone of himself or taking away his omnipotence and defying logic but what it really comes down to is NONSENSE IS NONSENSE EVEN WHEN TALKING ABOUT GOD.

It's not ineffable, it's nonsense.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Air Legend
That doesn't make it ineffable.
Ineffable- incapable of being expressed in words.
The answer is very capable of being expressed in words. There are logical ways that an omnipotent being can create the rock like making a clone of himself or taking away his omnipotence and defying logic but what it really comes down to is NONSENSE IS NONSENSE EVEN WHEN TALKING ABOUT GOD.

It's not ineffable, it's nonsense. It's nonsense because you're incapable of expressing in words the level to which an Omnipotent being can alter logic.

Hell, he can alter the world so that 2+2 = Fish. Thusly, wherever there is a group of four, the item is replaced with a fish, or groups of fishes, or math classes, etc.

He can alter the world so that by lifting the rock, he is actually NOT lifting it, and by being capable, he is actually INCAPABLE, but at the same time easily performing the task.

How?

Well, I couldn't tell you. Because, to any of us, it's ineffable. smile

Soljer
Not true.

It isn't ineffable, by your definition of the world.

The square circle, for example.

janus77
nope. the answer will always be no, imo.

or else there'd be conceptual space for a +more powerful+ entity, one which could lift that which God cannot lift.

God is ultimate power. all the other stuff is just retarded wish fulfillment.

janus77
Originally posted by masterbruce
no, I never said it was the ONLY way to accomplish it.

is there another way to do it without defying logic, perhaps, but I don't know it.

or maybe as you and others have suggested, there is no other LOGICAL way, hence ineffable.

however, I am saying the solution I offered is ONE feasible solution within the bounds of logic for God to accomplish the task, at least that's my opinion.
your solution's quite cool but... at the point when he matches his powers against the rock (when he's no longer omnipotent) you violate the only inviolate rule in the paradox. he must retain omnipotence.

God creates a rock the size of a mountain, strips himself of his Godly powers and becomes jesus, goes down and fails to shift the mountain.
is he God any more? no. who failed to move the mountain, God or jesus? jesus.



basically omnipotence is the power to create and overcome everything external to the actor, the source of omnipotence.

God cannot kill himself nor pose a challenge to himself beyond his abilities because he would - in so attempting to do - be facing an opponent equally omnipotent (himself).

Creshosk
Originally posted by Creshosk
Actually that "example" is one that I easily shot down in a thread dedicated to the subject of "Omnipotence is a logical paradox".

The only hard part I had was getting people to understand the answer to that specific example.

Create a rock that's larger than anything else in the universe. Then you can't lift it because there's nothing to lift it from.

The problem you face is Work = Force x Distance

Assuming you're smaller than the rock:
Lifting it with your hands would be akin to doing a hand stand. Lifting it with energy would be akin to flying from it.
Assuming you're larger than the rock:
With it being the only thing other than yourself. you still face a POV problem of being unable to mesure the distaence the rock has been lifted without the possability of it being you that moved.

With no way of mesuring then Force can be infinite, but if the distence is 0 the work is 0. and you have not lifted the rock. Because the big question my solution poses is: What are you lifting it from?

The problem is within the descriptions of the events rather than the events itself.

He succeeds at failing without failing due to the way the words we used are defined. Is he still moving the rock? Yes. Is he lifting it? No.

Hell he could slap that rock and make it spin in place. The specific example is defeated. However the question remains of "Can an omnipotent being do that which he cannot do?" Yes. Otherwise the limits you're placing on him means we're dealing with a being who is bound by logic. And since Logic is not all binding as illogical things and illogical actions still exist in spite of the existence of logic...

It's transcedent. Logic is merely a tool or desciption of the way we human preceive the world. If there is something that defies description such as emotions...(go ahead and try to explain the exact reeling of being happy, or sad) then there are things outside the bounds of logic and therefore not bound to them.

As Smurph pointed out an omnipotent being could rewrite the rules of reality. to defeat other paradoxes.

A circle is only a "circle" because that's the word that we use to describe that which we preceive to be a circle. A Circle exists outside of the word and is not bound by our description of it.

A rose by anyother name would smell as sweet... our descriptions of what the omnipotent being would fall short of being precise. This is why it is ineffable. Because of the limitation on our language. I do not expect you to accept this. If words were adequite to decribe the problem so that you would accept... well then my explination would be different as well then wouldn't it?

KMC_Drifter
Well, take the account of Jesus into consideration. The Scriptures confirm that Christ was both God and Man. In other words, Jesus was fully God and He was fully man. Jesus(God) in a mortal body retained His divinity...unable to sin...atone for the sins of mankind, etc. However, it is clear that God limited Himself in a mortal body. As a human, Christ had the need to eat, drink, sleep, etc. All these things, He had never had the need to do before.

It is apparent that Christ also had limited omniscience. He fortold many end time events as well as events about to befall the Jewish people. He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 A.D. However, when asked by the apostles concerning the time of the end...Armageddon, Chirst could not say. He said only the Father in Heaven knows the time and day of the end.

Remember, all of these things were only human limitations due to the human flesh that God robed himself in. Once He returned to Heaven, Christ..the Second member of the Trinity...knew when the time of the end would be...why...because He is God.

The point is...that God can place limits upon Himself and be Omnipotent. On Earth, Christ(God) could not lift any more weight than an average human. So, could God create a rock that He can not lift? Apparently so...if God created all things, then He created the geological process that takes place on Earth. Any given boulder...formed over time would be too heavy for Christ to lift. Than again...lol..if lifting the boulder was part of Christ's plan..in terms of showing the people a miracle..then Christ could draw the power to do so. Basically, however, Christ(God) had normal human strength.

Some may say that God is not omnipotent based on the account of Christ. However, who did Christ pray to in the Garden of Gethsemene? He prayed to His Father in Heaven...the first Person of the Trinity. Keep in mind that the Trinity is actually ONE God....not three Gods.

For any naysayers...the Trinity also is indicated in the Old Testament. In the book of Genesis...the first verse...it states that..."In the beginning, God created" The Hebrew word for God in that verse is Elohim. Elohim is a plural proper noun in Hebrew. Even more interesting, in Hebrew, plural indicates...3 or more...unlike English. In Hebrew, you have singular, dual, and plural. Thus, God(Elohim) means a Triune God in that verse.

What this means is that while Christ was limited in power on Earth...the Father in Heaven, as well as the Holy Spirit was were not limited. God still retained His omnipotence.

This means that God can portray Himself as omnipotent and not omnipotent at the same time(in the human person of Christ Jesus).

Really, all these things are beyond human comprehension. How can ONE God be THREE Persons in ONE. It defies logic...yet, it is so. We are not required to understand it...only accept it. How can a being have no beginning or no end? Again, it is something that finite creatures could never understand. We as humans are limited by the concept of time. Everything has a beginning and an end in OUR minds. However, God transcends time...and that is a concept we can not understand.

Anyway...I'm through..lol

janus77
lol, I was using the God-jesus thing loosely. not in strict accord with doctrine or lore.

just pointing out that once you instantiate a 'limited' form for yourself, you change the terms of reference and remove the unlimited from the argument.

Erik-Lensherr
Originally posted by KMC_Drifter
Well, take the account of Jesus into consideration. The Scriptures confirm that Christ was both God and Man. In other words, Jesus was fully God and He was fully man. Jesus(God) in a mortal body retained His divinity...unable to sin...atone for the sins of mankind, etc. However, it is clear that God limited Himself in a mortal body. As a human, Christ had the need to eat, drink, sleep, etc. All these things, He had never had the need to do before.

It is apparent that Christ also had limited omniscience. He fortold many end time events as well as events about to befall the Jewish people. He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 A.D. However, when asked by the apostles concerning the time of the end...Armageddon, Chirst could not say. He said only the Father in Heaven knows the time and day of the end.

Remember, all of these things were only human limitations due to the human flesh that God robed himself in. Once He returned to Heaven, Christ..the Second member of the Trinity...knew when the time of the end would be...why...because He is God.

The point is...that God can place limits upon Himself and be Omnipotent. On Earth, Christ(God) could not lift any more weight than an average human. So, could God create a rock that He can not lift? Apparently so...if God created all things, then He created the geological process that takes place on Earth. Any given boulder...formed over time would be too heavy for Christ to lift. Than again...lol..if lifting the boulder was part of Christ's plan..in terms of showing the people a miracle..then Christ could draw the power to do so. Basically, however, Christ(God) had normal human strength.

Some may say that God is not omnipotent based on the account of Christ. However, who did Christ pray to in the Garden of Gethsemene? He prayed to His Father in Heaven...the first Person of the Trinity. Keep in mind that the Trinity is actually ONE God....not three Gods.

For any naysayers...the Trinity also is indicated in the Old Testament. In the book of Genesis...the first verse...it states that..."In the beginning, God created" The Hebrew word for God in that verse is Elohim. Elohim is a plural proper noun in Hebrew. Even more interesting, in Hebrew, plural indicates...3 or more...unlike English. In Hebrew, you have singular, dual, and plural. Thus, God(Elohim) means a Triune God in that verse.

What this means is that while Christ was limited in power on Earth...the Father in Heaven, as well as the Holy Spirit was were not limited. God still retained His omnipotence.

This means that God can portray Himself as omnipotent and not omnipotent at the same time(in the human person of Christ Jesus).

Really, all these things are beyond human comprehension. How can ONE God be THREE Persons in ONE. It defies logic...yet, it is so. We are not required to understand it...only accept it. How can a being have no beginning or no end? Again, it is something that finite creatures could never understand. We as humans are limited by the concept of time. Everything has a beginning and an end in OUR minds. However, God transcends time...and that is a concept we can not understand.

Anyway...I'm through..lol

Excellent . What can I say ..


thumb up GJ

spetznaz
First of all an omnipotent being is the same as an almighty being ....the two words are not just similar ....they are the same.

Almighty means as it states ....all mighty.

Omnipotent stems from omnipotence, which stems from omni (all) and potence (strength, power, ability) ....all ability, all mighty.

Same thing.

Anyways, going back to the situation.

Can an almighty deity create a rock so heavy that he cannot lift it?

Well, yes.

But how, because the logical issue is that since the deity is omnipotent he can do anything, including creating such a rock. BUT if he creates the rock and is unable to lift it, then that strikes away his omnipotence. HOWEVER if he cannot create said rock, then he is not omnipotent in the first place!

So what gives? How is it capable?

In much the same way that the Bible has God finding a way to reconcile (sinful) man with His (God's perfect) righteousness.

In Christianity we have man falling into sin, and thus automatically been made separate from God since Jehovah is perfectly righteous and no unrighteousness can come before him.

In Jewish tradition what they would do is they would find a goat, lay hands on it and 'put the sin' of the people on the goat, and then they would release the goat into the wilderness to die (with the sin of the people). By the way, that is how the phrase 'scapegoat' came into being ....think about it.

There were also sacrifices of lambs for the same purpose ....the shedding of blood to 'cover' the sin.

Which brings about Christ .....a way for God to reconcile himself with man. But how? Simply come to Earth as both God and Man, live a sinless life, but then take all the sin of man unto himself. The ultimate 'scapegoat.'

Another way of looking at it is how in the book the Chronicles of Narnia that the Lion manages to find a way of breaking the Witches control ....same thing ....being the ultimate sacrifice.

Anyways, for the purposes of the comic book forum, God basically split himself (well, he is 3 in one .....but that is another discussion).

In this comic situation it would probably be along the same lines.

Being omnipotent, he would be able to create a rock so heavy that God couldn't lift it.
Being omnipotent, he would also at the same time be able to lift ANYTHING, including something created to be so heavy that even God couldn't lift it.

Impossible?

Not if you are more than one.

That is one scenario.

The second way of doing it would be to attach some sort of cosmic significance to the rock ....in that if He lifts it all creation apart from him passes away. Since God is love, he would be honor bound never to lift that rock.
Thus, he would (physically) be able to lift it, and with ease, but he would NEVER lift it because of what the implications would be (destruction of all creation).
That would create a situation where an omnipotent God has created an object that he would NEVER lift ....a stone so 'heavy' (due to implications) that he could never lift it.


Which goes back to how i started ....Christ.

The sealed covenant of his death, per the Bible, is something that can NEVER be broken. I believe it is Romans 8:28 that states it as follows:

'For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'

It is unbreakable. Not even God himself can go against that. Not because he CANNOT ....but because doing so would be undoing EVERY SINGLE THING that he is.

Anyways: It is possible for an omnipotent being to create/do/say something that even he cannot undo/unsay/uncreate ....lift.

But it would not be a direct situation.

Hope that helps.

Astner
The answer is, "there is no God"

Astner
Originally posted by spetznaz

Then my friend we just have to refrase the question in general.
Can God create a rock so heavy that no version of him can lift it?

spetznaz
Originally posted by Astner
Then my friend we just have to refrase the question in general.
Can God create a rock so heavy that no version of him can lift it?

Read the 2nd part of my post .....the one that starts with 'The second way of doing it would be to attach some sort of cosmic significance.' There I explain how it is possible for an omni-potent being to create something that cannot be lifted, even by the being. I even tied it with the Jewish and Christian perspectives of the blood sacrifice (Jewish in the form of the scapegoat and the slaughtered lamb, and Christian in the form of Christ as the slaughtered lamb) and the inherent significance in bringing man and God together.


Originally posted by Astner
The answer is, "there is no God"

A matter of personal opinion that cannot be effectively debated on a comic-book forum.
Suffice it to say, to those that believe God is real God is real to them. To those that believe God is not real God is not real to them.

It is impossible to convince one side to switch to the other, even if it was on a non-comicbook forum. The fact that this is a comicbook forum only makes something that is nigh-impossible to debate even harder.

Personally I believe there is a God. Many others believe there is no God.
That is fine with me.
I do not push my beliefs upon them (nor mock theirs), and I generally prefer that they do not push theirs on me (or mock mine).

Soljer
As mentioned, you can believe or not believe - that's a personal choice. To argue the FACT of the matter, though is asinine.

Hence why some form of agnosticism is the only logical choice - whether it includes a belief, or a disbelief. stick out tongue.

batdude123
Originally posted by spetznaz
Read the 2nd part of my post .....the one that starts with 'The second way of doing it would be to attach some sort of cosmic significance.' There I explain how it is possible for an omni-potent being to create something that cannot be lifted, even by the being. I even tied it with the Jewish and Christian perspectives of the blood sacrifice (Jewish in the form of the scapegoat and the slaughtered lamb, and Christian in the form of Christ as the slaughtered lamb) and the inherent significance in bringing man and God together.




A matter of personal opinion that cannot be effectively debated on a comic-book forum.
Suffice it to say, to those that believe God is real God is real to them. To those that believe God is not real God is not real to them.

It is impossible to convince one side to switch to the other, even if it was on a non-comicbook forum. The fact that this is a comicbook forum only makes something that is nigh-impossible to debate even harder.

Personally I believe there is a God. Many others believe there is no God.
That is fine with me.
I do not push my beliefs upon them (nor mock theirs), and I generally prefer that they do not push theirs on me (or mock mine).

Hey spetz. It's been awhile. smile

batdude123
Originally posted by spetznaz
The second way of doing it would be to attach some sort of cosmic significance to the rock ....in that if He lifts it all creation apart from him passes away. Since God is love, he would be honor bound never to lift that rock.
Thus, he would (physically) be able to lift it, and with ease, but he would NEVER lift it because of what the implications would be (destruction of all creation).
That would create a situation where an omnipotent God has created an object that he would NEVER lift ....a stone so 'heavy' (due to implications) that he could never lift it.

However, in this scenario, God could find a way to lift it and find a way for it to not unmake reality. Reality as we know it is like puddy to an omnipotent entity's desire.

Otherwise, God would be using self-induced restrictions upon himself.

RUNMAN
definition of omnipotence: power to make babies

Creshosk
Originally posted by Soljer
As mentioned, you can believe or not believe - that's a personal choice. To argue the FACT of the matter, though is asinine.

Hence why some form of agnosticism is the only logical choice - whether it includes a belief, or a disbelief. stick out tongue. w00t

CaptainStoic
No God would not create something that he could not defeat, this is an oxymoron. God as in all power give more power to his creations??? Ridiculous.

SnazzySmurph
Originally posted by Soljer
Not true.

It isn't ineffable, by your definition of the world.

The square circle, for example. I'm not getting into further reduced semantics.... erm

It's ineffable. Screw you. mhm

spetznaz
Originally posted by batdude123
Hey spetz. It's been awhile. smile

I've been around ....posting here and there whenver i have some time. Might be flying to South Africa soon, and I am up to my gills in work, so time is kind of hard to come by. But I'm still around.

Nice to see/hearfrom you.

Spetz!

Endless Mike
This is really, really stupid.

carver9
He got this thread from me. I created a thread asking can beyonder create a rock so big that he cant lift. Nice try though.

pr1983
Doesnt beong here, closing...

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