• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Concerning God's Omnipotence and Omniscience

Is God bound by logic?

  • Yes.

  • No.


Results are only viewable after voting.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Zor

Regular Member
Jan 29, 2007
283
2
✟22,949.00
Faith
Atheist
I was debating with someone over the God paradoxes that stem from God being all powerful and all knowing. Two examples of these are:

"Can God make a problem so difficult that he himself cannot solve it?"
"Can God make a rock so hard to lift that he himself cannot lift it?"

The person I was debating said that Christians believed that God was not bound by logic. I said that Christians believed that God was bound by logic. By logic, I don't mean the laws of nature, but rather that there cannot be a contradiction. e.g. God cannot make a square circle. God cannot make a problem too difficult for him to solve because there is no problem too difficult for him to solve. God cannot make a rock so hard to lift that he himself cannot lift it because he is strong enough to lift anything. etc.

I also said that ALL powerful and ALL knowing refered to all that was logically possible. Because of this, the paradoxes did not apply to God because they were logically impossbile. My debate partner kept on saying that Christians don't believe this and the the bible does not support this.

Am I accurately representing the beliefs of Christians when I am arguing that God is bound by logic? Does anyone believe this?
 

ephraimanesti

Senior Veteran
Nov 22, 2005
5,702
390
82
Seattle, WA
✟30,671.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
i praise God that He is NOT bound by logic--GLORY TO HIS NAME! John 3:16 has got to be the most illogical statement of Truth ever made--and the most glorious!

A BOND-SLAVE OF CHRIST,
ephraim
 
Upvote 0

Radagast

comes and goes
Site Supporter
Dec 10, 2003
23,896
9,864
✟344,531.00
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single

The laws of logic are eternally true. That's not a limitation on God, however.

To quote the standard answer, a meaningless phrase doesn't suddenly become meaningful by putting the words "Can God" in front.

God indeed cannot make a square circle, because a "square circle" is meaningless.

I also said that ALL powerful and ALL knowing refered to all that was logically possible. Because of this, the paradoxes did not apply to God because they were logically impossbile.

That is correct, although some Christians might not realise it.
 
Upvote 0
S

solarwave

Guest
Am I accurately representing the beliefs of Christians when I am arguing that God is bound by logic? Does anyone believe this?

You are totally right. God can do anything that is possible and knows everything, but knows which are and are not true. God cannot make a rock so heavy that He cannot lift it and it is not in His nature to do so ether. God is bound by logic because it is just the reality of, well reality. When you start saying God is illogical it starts messing everything up.

*
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reactions: Radagast
Upvote 0

tansy

Senior Member
Jan 12, 2008
7,027
1,331
✟50,979.00
Gender
Female
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I voted yes (though as Idon't know everything about God, I may be wrong), but it's my opinion that God wouldn't go against logic. Some things may appear illogical to us, but that can be because we haven't got the whole picture. God has always seemed an incredibly logical person to me, and seems more so the more I get to know Him.
 
Reactions: Radagast
Upvote 0
R

RobinRedbreast

Guest
Mod Hat On


Hey guys

This thread has been cleaned up (this included some edits and a lot of post deletions), and is being re-opened.

Please note that Christians may not debate (or argue!) with other Christians when giving advice to non-Christians. Please do not address each other, and address only the OP from here on out with your advice.

http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?t=108638

Cheers!



Mod Hat Off
 
Upvote 0
Status
Not open for further replies.