Why an Absolutely Omnipotent God CANNOT Exist
Think about this… Can God create a rock so heavy that he cannot lift it?
You might have already encountered this question before and you may already have your answers to this but kindly allow me to use this question to prove that an Absolutely Omnipotent God CANNOT Exist. Note that I used the word “Absolutely” so as to avoid other definitions of omnipotence. I say this because I have encountered definitions of the word that describes omnipotence as merely the capability to do anything that the omnipotent being wishes.
So, why do I think that an absolutely omnipotent god cannot exist? The answer to this is pretty obvious. An absolutely omnipotent god can do anything whether he wishes to do it or not. Such a god will always be able to do whatever challenge is presented to him because he is absolutely omnipotent. But can such a god create a rock so heavy that he cannot lift it?
If you say yes, then that god ceases to be omnipotent because at the moment of the rock’s creation, this god will already have something that he cannot do. If on the other hand you say no, then he is not omnipotent to begin with.
I’m in no way saying that any holy book suggests the existence of such an absolutely omnipotent god. Rather, I’m simply questioning the thinking of some who keeps on telling that god is absolutely omnipotent. To me, that’s pure rubbish because an absolutely omnipotent god is bound to meet a challenge that he either cannot do or will cost him his omnipotence afterwards.
Read more about the Omnipotence Paradox at Wikipedia.
Posted in Thoughts of a Filipino Atheist
September 17th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Hi Master Mike,
Thanks for sharing me the “The God Delusion” documentary. Really good stuff. It is par with liberal ideas. Although, I am not that as atheist as with Richard Dawkins, the documentary he made has kernels of truth that should be known by most of us.
However, most of the people in this world are bound into their own boxes and are afraid to step out of the conventional and be inquisitive. Sad to see though that when Prof. Dawkins interviewed some “religious” people (per se), in the way they reacted, they are the most volatile and dangerous narrow minded people around. That is why, there are relentless conflicts around the world and most of the people are being held by the grip of their own so-called “correct” religions.
However,as a liberal, I still believe in the existence of a divine being, the one we call God. And it is my duty to find knowledge to get to know him. You are correct. Religion is not the basis of forming a sincere and personal relationship with God. It is our motive and sincere want to form a personal relationship with him. No person could ever contradict that. Not even the pope. It is because the relationship is between you and God. No one else.
This is why I have been questioning religion for so long (eversince I was in 6th grade). Why we have to be hostile towards unbelievers, atheists, gentiles etc. When in fact, they are humans too, like ourselves? Why do we have to force others to believe in the so-called truth that we have? and damn others who do not believe?
I hope I can find the book of Prof. Dawkins. I appreciate the insight he had presented. And I hope by the time I am able to get to have the knowledge to get to know God better, religions (especially the extremists and the fundamentalists) have not retarded the growth of reasoning of man.
Regards,
Kat
September 20th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Religion is the opiate of the masses.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 am
Please answer yes or no to the following questions:
Can God create a rock so heavy that he cannot lift it?
Can God create a spherical triangle?
Can God remember a time that he was not omnipotent?
Have you stopped beating your wife?
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
The answers to your questions depends on your view of God Kenny.
As for my wife, I admit that I used to hurt her physically before (but not beat her) but I have to say that I finally overcame this weakness. You can ask my wife for confirmation.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Hi there Mike! I believe that the God(s) that we worshipped were our intelligent planetary neighbors who temporarily(might be some are still w/ us) lived w/ us in the past and even was responsible for our genetical creation
September 23rd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Hi Chris!
Far-fetched as it may seem, that would not be impossible and in fact is more plausible than the god that so many world religions believe in.
Mike
September 26th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Mike,
I think you missed my point. I asked for a yes or no answer to the questions. You can’t answer yes or no to the question: Have you stopped beating your wife? If you have never beat your wife. So it is not a valid question. None of the other questions I asked are valid. They are all illogical. It does not make God any less omnipotent because you ask an illogical question.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
No, I don’t think I missed your point.
Your question about my wife was valid for me and may not be valid for others. The beauty of that question though is that the answers are based on facts of life. If I have never hurt my wife then it might be illogical but that doesn’t mean the question itself is entirely illogical.
As for the questions about god – they may seem illogical to you because you assign attributes to god that make these questions illogical – namely being omnipotent. If you however believe that god is strong but not absolutely omnipotent then you can answer the questions as well.
if god were not absolutely omnipotent and simply the “most capable” being of all, the answers to your questions would be:
Can God create a rock so heavy that he cannot lift it? – YES
Can God create a spherical triangle? – YES (all he needs to do is change the name, even I can do that)
Can God remember a time that he was not omnipotent? – YES
Now, that actually is the point of this article – that an absolutely omnipotent god will never be able to prove his omnipotence without losing it.
September 27th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Mike,
I reread your post. Now what you are saying makes more sense to me. I also read the wikipedia article you referenced. That article does show that there are valid points on both sides of the issue.
I guess I got caught up in thinking you were speaking of the Christian God (you do reference Christians quite a bit). Silly me though. Like you said the Christian God does not necessarily claim absolute omnipotence. There are things is character will not allow him to do.
My favorite paradox is the Buttered Cat Paradox.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Hi Kenny,
Sorry for referencing more on Christians. It’s just that I see Christians more often than those of the other religions. If you say that the Christians God does not claim absolute omnipotence then that’d be easier to comprehend. Now if that’s the case, I find Chris’ thinking of who God is is definitely far more plausible than a spiritual God. I quote:
“I believe that the God(s) that we worshipped were our intelligent planetary neighbors who temporarily(might be some are still w/ us) lived w/ us in the past and even was responsible for our genetical creation”
Cheers!
September 27th, 2008 at 11:01 am
And oh, the Buttered Cat paradox is funny.
April 30th, 2009 at 7:26 am
Nearly all educated atheist scholars have dropped this paradox. You should consider doing the same, Filipino Atheist. The theist can reasonably answer the question with: NO, but this doesn’t confute his omnipotence.
Consider studying this further, as this paradox was resolved long ago.
-adamryan
April 30th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Thanks adamryan. I will however keep this post here for the sake of blogging history.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Mike,
Let me answer the yes or no, bcoz as far as I’m concerned its merely just a trick question.. but i won’t answer it the way you want people to answer it.. Yes, He can create a rock so heavy that only He can lift.. There, he remains his omnipotence.. I’m sorry, but i think the only people who falls for thess kinds of question are the ones who has weak faith..
August 11th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Mmmm… buttered cats. Too bad they’re haram.
BTW, Mike, you fell for it!! AhLOL!!
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
IF God is all KNOWING, then why are (as so many christian churches teach, why are we here on this earth TO PROVE we are WORTHY to someday enter the KINGDOM of GOD in HEAVEN, he knows if were worthy or not, he is all knowing EH? so to me that is a fallacy or contradiction, your thoughts??
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 am
perhaps god’s not so sure about it after all. LOL