Can God Make a Rock So Big that He Can't Lift It?

[Lon]

What makes you think God is confined to our understanding of logic?

It isn't logical in our world, even.

I think your logic lacks imagination.
Do you think there is no way to know if God can create a rock so large in a space so small that there is no way for it to move in an upward direction?

Imagination? Sure, pink invisible is pretty imaginary, wouldn't you say?


This question is directed at God's omnipotence, that there is nothing He cannot do.

The question is a problematic in that it doesn't ask for one, but two things which infinitely cancel the other out. It goes like this:

Questioner: Can God do anything?
Believer: Yes.
Questioner: Then can God make a rock He cannot lift?
Believer: Yes (or no, doesn't matter).
Questioner: Then there are some things God cannot do?
Believer: No.
Questioner: But if He makes a rock He cannot lift, then there is something He cannot do, He cannot lift it.
Believer: Oh no, He can lift it alright.
Questioner: Then He cannot make a rock that He cannot lift up.
Believer: Yes He can.
Questioner: You clearly do not have a handle on this.


The right way to address the question is to say this:

Questioner: Can God do anything?
Believer: Yes.
Questioner: Then can God make a rock He cannot lift?
Believer: It is a nonsense question. It isn't asking anything. It looks like it is asking something but the question itself cancels itself out before we could even ask it of God. You can't answer an illogical question and this one contradicts itself.
Questioner: You didn't answer my question.
Believer: Yes I did, I told you, you werent being logical asking it.

 

[steko]

Can God Make a Rock So Big that He Can't Lift It?

No, and He can't make round triangles either.

 

[Aimiel]

He did make a rock so big He couldn't lift it, but it was only because it took up the entire universe, which is infinite and there was nowhere for it to be lifted TO, since it took up all of eternity. He then spoke it back into non-existence and said, "Enough of this childishness, I mean, I know that was too funny, because I'm still wiping tears away from laughing so hard... now... let there be light."

 

[xAvarice]

He did make a rock so big He couldn't lift it, but it was only because it took up the entire universe, which is infinite and there was nowhere for it to be lifted TO, since it took up all of eternity. He then spoke it back into non-existence and said, "Enough of this childishness, I mean, I know that was too funny, because I'm still wiping tears away from laughing so hard... now... let there be light."

The idea of a God existing is bizarre, the idea of a capricious deity brought into existence... inexplicable.

 

[Lon]

The idea of a God existing is bizarre...

The idea of God not existing is bizarre.

...the idea of a capricious deity brought into existence... inexplicable.

Has not a lot to do with this particular radio show or thread.

Just because you 'can' use your atheist platform to question everything about Christianity and Jesus' existence, doesn't mean you should.

 

[Christian Liberty]

God can do what is humanly impossible, which I believe is the context for the Luke passage. He cannot do the irrational or that which is inherently wicked, because it's against His nature, and He cannot deny Himself.

Exactly. That was my point. I didn't mean to say God couldn't do things that are humanly impossible duh

Psalm 92:8,15 8 But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. 15 To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.​

If the rock is already most high for evermore, how can it be lifted?

Then you're still limiting God, just in a different way. The problem still exists

Can God make a rock so big?

of course - He made Earth, He made Jupiter, Saturn, Mars

He made the entire universe - all that we can see and more

And he can lift them all.

Although, Jupiter and Saturn aren't "Rocks", they're gas giants

It'd make a good poll:

1) Yes
2) No
3) I don't know
4) Neither, it isn't a logical question like asking if I can be pink-invisible.

(3 and 4 are the only logical options)

(4.

No, and He can't make round triangles either.

This...

The idea of a God existing is bizarre, the idea of a capricious deity brought into existence... inexplicable.

The idea of God existing is as bizarre as the assumption that there's a painter when I look at a painting.

I freely admit that this particular hypothetical is bizarre.

 

[xAvarice]

The idea of God existing is as bizarre as the assumption that there's a painter when I look at a painting.

I freely admit that this particular hypothetical is bizarre.

The funny thing with that is that your own position contradicts it, of course things can exist without a creator.

Or does God have a creator?

You can't compare the design of something against the backdrop of nature, nature creates itself.

A mountain has no designer.

 

[xAvarice]

The idea of God not existing is bizarre.


Has not a lot to do with this particular radio show or thread.

Just because you 'can' use your atheist platform to question everything about Christianity and Jesus' existence, doesn't mean you should.

This is a very subjective post, and my ideology is that everything should be questioned, especially extraordinary claims.

 

[Frayed Knot]

My answer remains no, unless you change the definitions of the words. Much like God "can't" create a square circle. We use the word "Square" and "Circle" to describe two contradictory concepts.

Did God create the laws of logic, or are they something that even God is bound by?

 

[genuineoriginal]

This question is directed at God's omnipotence, that there is nothing He cannot do.

The question is a problematic in that it doesn't ask for one, but two things which infinitely cancel the other out.

Your problem is due to a belief that all powerful means unlimited power instead of maximum power.

No, and He can't make round triangles either.

That is a serious problem. Our topologists are able to make round triangles, so are our astro-physicists. Why do you think God is unable to do what mere men can do?

 

[Lion IRC]

If God wanted to create a rock so heavy that He could not lift it, then He could.

If not then He would not meet my definition of either the word God (with a capital G) or the word omnipotent, as in maximal Being - unlimited ability.

Suppose God created a rock and He wanted to call it The Universe.

Now suppose God wanted to make Himself at One with the Universe. Can you lift the Universe or lower it back down? Where is up? Nowhere. There is nothing else but the universal rock which cant be lifted by anyone. Literally an immovable object.

This is of course, just sophistry and ambiguous word gaming. But thats what many/most invented human paradoxes are. And accordingly, thats wherein lies their solution. The heavy rock paradox is an atheist counter-apologetic that was invented in the human mind. Inventing a solution is just as easy.

I know it's not the orthodox approach to the immovable rock "paradox" but I think it can also be resolved in other ways apart from conceding that God is a little bit impotent when it comes to rocks we deem illogical.

I hold the view that God can literally do anything He wants and that He is creative enough to do so in a fashion we wouldnt think possible until after He had done it.

(By then we would all be sitting there gobsmacked, realizing that... DOH!... of COURSE! ...why didnt we think of that?)

I understand that limiting God's omnipotence solely to the "logically possible" is one handy way to resolve the paradox. But I have always been suspicious of folk who use human logic to limit God.

Remember, there are rational folk who assert that it is logically impossible for an eternal God to have a Son.

...or to put it another way, could God create a rock so heavy that Jesus Christ couldnt lift it.