A Miscellany 278
Random thoughts on a very large stone
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by: Jamie Ivy
I came across a “proof of God’s non-existence” known as the paradox of the stone.
In summary: If God is omnipotent then Zie (zie is a non-gendered pronoun) should be able to create a rock so large that Zie cannot lift it. (or something like that).
The Atheist response (the ones who laud and praise quantum mechanics and advanced mathematics): If God can or cannot lift the rock then that is a limitation –> God is not omnipotent –> God does not exist.
The Christian response: … well … it really is as circular as any of their arguments. Some redefine ‘omnipotent’ while others don’t bother responding, and those are the more coherent responses I’ve read.
My Responses:
- Define this stone as the origin of a plane. No matter how it is moved it is never lifted because it cannot be displaced from the origin.
- A rock on earth’s surface could easily be lifted by a man (say … Jesus). The same rock on the surface of a neutron star would be much harder to lift (Weight = Mass*Force)
- The mentioned rock is the only object in existence … you get the point.
- 4) God = [God the Father (can lift), the son (can’t lift), holy spirit (made of fire … hell?)], but this depends on the God in question parsing Zirself into unequal parts.
Theists, a lack of non-proof is not a proof of non-lack. Besides, if only this ‘proof’ was considered, then I am divinity. There are a few thought experiments that seem more like riddles than actual proofs. The whole discussion seems more like a point-and-click in-browser game than anything real.
Wow, I totally feel like a troll. Maybe I am.