Sunday, November 3, 2013

Impossibilities of God

“There are two kinds of arguments given to show that the theistic conception of God contains contradictions. One form of the argument goes like this: If God were really all-powerful, then He could make a stone so heavy that He could not lift it. But if He could not lift it, then He would not be all-powerful. Hence, no such God can exist.
            “In response, some theists have noted that God cannot do something which is impossible by definition. As it is impossible to make a circle square or to create another uncreated God, theists hold that it is impossible for God to make a stone that He cannot lift. Other theists explain that the problem begins with the use of a double negative: “If God cannot make a stone that He cannot lift, then He is not omnipotent.” If we were to put this into logical notation, however, the statement would read: “Any stone which God can make, He can lift.” Worded this way, the statement does not present any limitation to God’s power.”
            -Norman Giesler Christian Apologetics
 
            If something is impossible, by its very definition it is unable to be possible or else it would have never been impossible in the first place. One may argue that God is not limited by the definitions of man nor logic, but you would have to use both logic and definitions to support said claim which would be circular reasoning. For example, “God can make a world where the impossible is actually possible and the illogical is logical.” How could one make such a statement without having meaning behind said words? Using definitions to prove the possibility of contrary definitions.
           


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