The All Powerfull?

[Electra]

Hello, all. Here is a question for Christians, i appologize if this has been asked, nothing showed up on the search.


If God is all mighty and all powerfull, creator of everyhing we see, the heaven and the earth, people, trees, rivers...everything, could he create a stone, so huge and heavy, than he himself wouldn't be able to move it?

If there is nothing God cannot do - then surely he can create such stone, yet if he does and he cannot move it, then wouldn't that suggest that he isn't all powerfull afterall?

If such thing/event is impossible for him to do, then he himself has limitations, no?



This is a philosophical question and I am really interested as to how Christians would look at this and answer.

Thank you in advance

note - i refered to God as ''him'' because its how the The Bible refers to God.

 

[GodFlute2]

could he create a stone, so huge and heavy, than he himself wouldn't be able to move it?

If there is nothing God cannot do - then surely he can create such stone, yet if he does and he cannot move it, then wouldn't that suggest that he isn't all powerfull afterall?

If such thing/event is impossible for him to do, then he himself has limitations, no?

Umm...that's an oxymoron, a statment or question that contrdicts itself. There is no answer you just keep going in circles.

 

[Bingle]

There is a problem with such a question. The rock has to be within a gravitational field for it to be immovable first anyway and seeing that God creates gravity...


Come on get real!

 

[LegomasterJC]

Why would God have any reason to create anything that would go against His character?
This same question applies to prayers that people say wanting God to give them things.
God will not give things that do not bring glory to Him because such things are not good for us. They are detrimental. That is why it is important to pray "Lord not my will but Yours be done."
Asking such questions seems like such a useless grasp for some reason why God could not be true. I asure you God is all powerful. This very statement also implies that He would not do something that would limit His power.
It is different altogeather when He decides to hold back His power. Like when He became man and lived on Earth for a while. It did not Limit his power. He is still God and He still has all of His attributes but simply chose not to show His great power for it may have destroyed them all.

 

[HtchHikr]

Such as "How many angels can dance on the head of a needle?"

This is a philosophy exercise and really doesn't mean anything.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it does it make the sound of one hand clapping?

Ummm. Yeah.

 

[SoulFly51]

If God is all mighty and all powerfull, creator of everyhing we see, the heaven and the earth, people, trees, rivers...everything, could he create a stone, so huge and heavy, than he himself wouldn't be able to move it?

An interesting question, one that has been brought before me previously.

Answer: Simultaneous Yes and No. God cannot be placed in a box. The problem is with the question, not the answers.

 

[tdcharles]

He would first have to place a limitation on Himself in order for that limitation to exist. So yes, it is possible, and yes, His power is limitless.

 

[Electra]

Noone is putting a god into a box - it is a simple question of possible/impossible. My question has nothing to do with me asking you wether God exists, for the sake of this argument I am assumuing he does, I am asking about the idea that ''he'' is all powerfull, and infinate and with no limitations.

This philosophical question is actually rather relevant.

And for all ''theres a problem with the question'' and ''this is a paradox'' - again the question arises, should this present a problem for god? If there is nothing he can't do - then creating something such as a huge stone that even he is unable to move shouldn't really be a problem. Limitless power means just that- it is limitless - no limits and no bounderies of the possible or impossible. If even for god, there is something is impossible, then evidently the power isnt limitless.

Also, the ''get real!'' comment - I see how you would make a non believer convert to Christinity - just tell him ''you're questining Christinaity - get real''
Im sure many athests will run for the chance to convert.

This isnt attempt to insult anyone, it is challanging and questionning your belief. Many of your instant responses of defense and bashing of my question only suggested to me the insecurity you feel about someone questioning your religion. why?
You were meant to make me believe and sell me your philosophy of religion, whatever your answer might be, not jump down at me.
All good either way.

***

LegomasterJC, you made an interesting comment, adn id like to ask you about it. You said God will not give things that do not bring glory to Him because such things are not good for us.
I didnt understand this perfectly, but as far as i have, God doesnt give things that dont bring glory to him? How does war, poverty, discrimination and the suffering in this world bring glory to him? What about people who are born deformed, didnt God made them too? So how does this fit?

Again, its a question, not an insult, and if you do take it as one, i apologize, but if you indeed feel insulted then perhaps the problem lies with you, as my intentions are not such whatsoever.

 

[Rafael]

God wouldn't do anything ignorantly or without reason. Being omniscient and omnipotent would not mean He would be devoid of practical sense.

http://www.carm.org/atheism/God_rock.htm

 

[tdcharles]

God has no limitations. The inability to lift a rock is the result of a limitation. God would have to self-impose a limitation in order for it to be too big for Him to lift. This does not contradict the fact that God is omnipotent, and I believe it answers your question. edit: keep in mind that we can never truly understand God, my comments on this shouldn't be accepted as fact.

 

[newbride02]

"I didnt understand this perfectly, but as far as i have, God doesnt give things that dont bring glory to him? How does war, poverty, discrimination and the suffering in this world bring glory to him? What about people who are born deformed, didnt God made them too? So how does this fit?" -electra

When you believe in God and something awful happends, like suffering, or war, or 9/11 for example, you just have to know and believe there is a reason for it. You may not understand it, (as many of us dont' understand 9/11) but there is a reason. God is much smarter than we are. Another point I believe is, God also gave us our own free will...I believe, to an extent, he lets us do whatever we want to do, Godly or not. Its our choice and if we want to go out and kill someone, God isn't going to stop us (he may try to talk to us but often people will ignore him) We will have to answere to him on judgement day.

 

[Electra]

God would'nt do anything ignorantly or without reason:

http://www.carm.org/atheism/God_rock.htm

Merci for the link. I'll read it and get back to you with questions I have (if any)

 

[Splendor Of My Soul]

If God is all mighty and all powerfull, creator of everyhing we see, the heaven and the earth, people, trees, rivers...everything, could he create a stone, so huge and heavy, than he himself wouldn't be able to move it?

If there is nothing God cannot do - then surely he can create such stone, yet if he does and he cannot move it, then wouldn't that suggest that he isn't all powerfull afterall?

If such thing/event is impossible for him to do, then he himself has limitations, no?

God of course "can't" create an "unliftable" stone, not because he is incapable of doing so, but because he can lift any stone he can make. A double-negative (can't and un-liftable) is in fact positive (can and liftable), hence the dilemma is false.

Inability to create such object is not a sign he isn't omnipotent, but that on the contrary he is in fact omnipotent because he can lift anything and everything he can make no matter how big.

Pax Vobiscum

Gerardo

 

[cschauer]

I am not a christian but this question is very easy to answer. God Can make a rock then set a limitation against himself so that he can not lift it. Since he is in control of limitations, if he did want to move it, he could then take off the limitation against himself so that he can then move it.

 

[LegomasterJC]

That's a good way of saying it.

 

[Electra]

God of course "can't" create an "unliftable" stone, not because he is incapable of doing so, but because he can lift any stone he can make. A double-negative (can't and un-liftable) is in fact positive (can and liftable), hence the dilemma is false.

Inability to create such object is not a sign he isn't omnipotent, but that on the contrary he is in fact omnipotent because he can lift anything and everything he can make no matter how big.

Pax Vobiscum

Gerardo

Thanks for your answer.

My question continues though,if we are talking about god who has limitless powers, then such thing as 'paradox' or the 'impossible' should not present a problem.
I am not putting god into a box, nor am i putting limiatations on his power - the rest of you who replied are.
If you tell me, my dillema and this challange is false, then you are dismissing any possible solutions and thus implying that god cant do such a thing.

My answer to this isnt 'yes he can' or 'no he cant' - my personal answer revolves around the issue of teh ability of something to be ''all powerful'' and without any limitations, hence the name in the title.

 

[LegomasterJC]

"something" can not have the ability to be "all powerful" Only God. I like the way cschauer put it.

 

[L.A.W.]

Do not tempt God.

If God created a rock so large and heavey that He couldn't even lift then He wouldn't be God, no? If He is not God then we all should worry because if He couldn't have held up all the sin in all creation then we would all be doomed and surely go to Hell.

But because God is the Almighty and anything is possible through Him, that we were saved from ever going to Hell, if we so believe in His Son Yahushua. For here is a mystery: God holds all of creation in a fraction of his majesty-glory-power. If He was to look away from creation even for a moment all of creation will be destroyed. Life comes from Him, and if God the source of life turns away even for a moment, then creation would end in a blink of an eye. God is all knowing and all seeing. Nothing hides from Him. Nothing is out of His reach.

 

[Faith In God]

Hello, all. Here is a question for Christians, i appologize if this has been asked, nothing showed up on the search.


If God is all mighty and all powerfull, creator of everyhing we see, the heaven and the earth, people, trees, rivers...everything, could he create a stone, so huge and heavy, than he himself wouldn't be able to move it?

If there is nothing God cannot do - then surely he can create such stone, yet if he does and he cannot move it, then wouldn't that suggest that he isn't all powerfull afterall?

If such thing/event is impossible for him to do, then he himself has limitations, no?



This is a philosophical question and I am really interested as to how Christians would look at this and answer.

Thank you in advance

note - i refered to God as ''him'' because its how the The Bible refers to God.

Good to see you. There is an inherent problem with this test as it is testing ability in inability. Can God create a stone? Yes. Can God create a stone of any size? Yes. Can God not-do anything? No. Here is one thing which God cannot do: not-do a [edit]physical[/edit]thing. Then you must remember that this thing you ask about God He will not do. Why? Because He said that He is done creating. There are other things that God cannot do according to His own word: "God cannot lie". Since God is the definition of good, God cannot do 'bad' as 'bad' is what He defines it to be and He is not bad, but good. Instead of coming up with mind games that are no doubt fun to come up with and strain with in thought, take some time to think about God's attributes and what He will judge humanity by. Eternity is more important than mind games.

 

[LegomasterJC]

Done creating? Where did He say that? Scriptures please.