Could God create a rock so heavy He could not lift it?

[BigChrisfilm]

[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] Question: "Could God create a rock so heavy He could not lift it?"[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] Answer: [FONT=Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] This question is frequently asked by skeptics of God, the Bible, Christianity, etc. If God can create a rock that He cannot lift, then God is not omnipotent. If God cannot create a rock so heavy that He cannot lift it, then God is not omnipotent. According to this argument, omnipotence is self-contradictory. Therefore, God cannot be omnipotent. So, the question, could God create a rock so heavy He could not lift it? The quick answer is "No." But the explanation is far more important to understand than the answer...[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] This question is based on a popular misunderstanding about the definitions of words like "almighty" or "omnipotent." These terms do not mean that God can do anything. Rather, they describe the amount of God's power. Power is the ability to effect change - to make something happen. God (being unlimited) has unlimited power, and the Bible affirms this (Job 11:7-11, 37:23; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Revelation 4:8; etc.). Therefore, God can do whatever is possible to be done. God cannot, however, do that which is actually impossible. This is because true impossibility is not based on the amount of power one has, it is based on what is really possible. The truly impossible is not made possible by adding more power. Therefore, unless context indicates otherwise (e.g. Matthew 19:26 where man's ability is being shown in contrast to God's), impossibility means the same thing whether or not God is involved.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica] So, the first part of the question is based on a false idea - that God being almighty means that He can do anything. In fact, the Bible itself lists things God cannot do - like lie or deny Himself (Hebrews 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:13; Titus 1:2). The reason He cannot do these things is because of His nature and the nature of reality itself. God cannot do what is not actually possible to be done, like creating a two-sided triangle, or a married bachelor. Just because words can be strung together this way does not make the impossible possible - these things are contradictions, they are truly impossible in reality. Now, what about this rock? A rock would have to be infinitely large to defeat an infinite amount of lifting power. But an infinite rock is a contradiction since material objects cannot be infinite. Only God is infinite. There cannot be two infinites. So the question is actually asking if God can make a contradiction - which He cannot.[/FONT]

 

[Gomez]

Could God make a burrito so hot that he couldn't eat it? I can and it is possible.

 

[Bookofknowledge]

You don't have to go through lengths to explain this simple answer because people have nothing but limited knowledge.... They have seen a rock which to humans is a solid mass but In Qur'aan there is verse which says mountains will move and turn into fine dust and they will float...

The question in return is to ask how heavy and how big you want that rock to be? Do you not see that rocks are floating in the sky and outer-space how heavy you think those are?

16:79
Do they not see the birds, that wing their flight in the air towards the sky? Who holds them up but Allah? Surely in this there are signs for the true believers.

When God says He is Al-Mighty, we as human don't know His strength... Has he not created you with a single drop of sperm?

2:214
Do you think that you will enter Paradise without any trials while you have known the examples of those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and were so violently shaken up that even the Rasool and the believers with him cried out: "When will Allah's help come?" Then they were comforted with the words, Be aware! Allah's help is ever close.

How heavy do you want this rock to be and if you say so heavy that God can't lift it, then tell me what is the strength of God?

If you can't tell me that then tell me the mass weight of all the stars and planets, rocks... floating in space in all the galaxies...

 

[the-fact-is]

Allah is the Almighty. He can do everything. but will not do what does not suit His being God like eating, drinking....etc

22:65. See you not that Allâh has subjected to you (mankind) all that is on the earth, and the ships that sail through the sea by His Command? He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except by His Leave. Verily, Allâh is, for mankind, full of Kindness, Most Merciful.

 

[Skillganon]

Can Jesus(pbuh) lift a 1000 tonne rock?

 

[Iron Lion]

Can Jesus(pbuh) lift a 1000 tonne rock?

i think the question is more "would" Jesus lift a 1000 pound rock.

 

[Druweid]

From 'The Ravings of a Madman':

I was talking to Gawd one day, and I asked him, "So what about that theory, that you can't create a rock too heavy to lift?" He thought for a moment, snapped his fingers, and there appeared a large boulder. By large, I mean it was about as big as me, around 6 feet in diameter. I asked, "That's it?" and he replied, "Could be." I begged further, "So you really can't lift this?" Again, he replied, "Could be." Well, I looked at this rock for about a minute or two, and finally asked, "So now what?" Gawd reached over to the rock and lightly flicked it with his index finger. Instantly, the rock exploded into a million flower petals, effectively burying me up to my neck. I looked at Gawd in mock disgust, and there he stood, arms akimbo, grinning from ear to ear.

So I can't tell you for sure about the rock thing, but I can certainly tell you he has a real interesting sense of humor.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Can Jesus(pbuh) lift a 1000 tonne rock?

Jesus said we could do it also.

(Young) Mark 11:23 for verily I say to you, that whoever may say to this mount, Be taken up, and be cast into the sea, and may not doubt in his heart, but may believe that the things that he saith do come to pass, it shall be to him whatever he may say.

 

[Asimov]

Chris, I think the question itself has evolved into an argument that states that Logic is not contingent upon God...therefore we must assume that Logic necessarily exists.

Many theists say that God created logic, and therefore he's not subject to the laws of logic.

 

[BigChrisfilm]

Chris, I think the question itself has evolved into an argument that states that Logic is not contingent upon God...therefore we must assume that Logic necessarily exists.

Many theists say that God created logic, and therefore he's not subject to the laws of logic.

I think I understand what you guys say just as well as you guys understand what I say, lol . I mean does anyone understand what this guy just said, my brain still hurts.

 

[elijah115]

Chris, this is a stupid thread. Sorry but it is. (Said in love.)

 

[BigChrisfilm]

Chris, this is a stupid thread. Sorry but it is. (Said in love.)

I appreciate your critique.

 

[Emkay]

BigChristfilm:

Good thread! I enjoyed reading that which you wrote. I guess its the same with the two sided triange - it cannot logically exist and therefore cannot be done. This in no way inhibits God's power, rather it is a limit on things that can [logically] exist.

 

[BigChrisfilm]

yep, I thought it was helpfull as well, this quote was taken from gotquestions.org if you would like to see more,

 

[Asimov]

I think I understand what you guys say just as well as you guys understand what I say, lol . I mean does anyone understand what this guy just said, my brain still hurts.

I'm saying that little quote you provided about God only shows that God can only do what is logically possible. If that is true, then God is limited to the Laws of Logic.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I'm saying that little quote you provided about God only shows that God can only do what is logically possible. If that is true, then God is limited to the Laws of Logic.

If God had wanted man to live underwater He would have given him gills.

(Young) Genesis 1:28 And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, `Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.'
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[BigChrisfilm]

I'm saying that little quote you provided about God only shows that God can only do what is logically possible. If that is true, then God is limited to the Laws of Logic.

God can not do what is impossible, that is correct.

 

[arunma]

Ha. The first time I heard this question was when mother once posed it, after we had departed from the Hindu temple (I'm not sure who mentioned it to her). It didn't keep me up at night about the existence of God back then, and it certainly doesn't now. At the time, I simply assumed that it was an interesting philosophical point that was meant to be discussed among fellow theists. Imagine my surprise when I found out that this is actually a skeptic's argument. Surely you skeptics can do better than that!

Could God make a burrito so hot that he couldn't eat it? I can and it is possible.

Well Jesus is a Jew, and during his earthly ministry, he never visited Mexico. As such, he would not even be eating a burrito. It is more likely that he would dine on matzah ball soup.

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

How can God lift anything? He doesn't have a form, remember! Or will he lift things using his mind power?

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

If God is infinite, are His creations outside of God or contained in Him?