[eliot mayfield]

Re: A modest proposal.

Can God create a stone so large that He Himself cannot lift it?

Can God create a person so stupid they can't think but they can use a computer?
I guess so!

[One-eyed Jack]

Re: A modest proposal.

Sheesh, Skyseer. What the hoary old conundrum about the stone really asks is, "Can God choose to limit His own powers?"

If He chooses to make a stone that He cannot lift, then He has chosen to place a limit on His powers, e.g., to make something that it is outside his power to lift.

God can limit His power in whatever way He chooses. For instance, although He can resurrect people from the dead, He chooses not to resurrect Ronald Reagan, at least not right now. He can turn himself into a burning bush and hide in your closet tonight, but He probably won't choose to do that.

One solution to the original question: God can make a rock so heavy He cannot lift it, unless He changes His mind and decides He can lift it. God can always choose to limit His powers, but He retains all powers in potentiality nonetheless.

Another solution: God is perfect, timeless, and all-knowing. One aspect of perfection is perfect action -- that is, none of God's actions are purposeless and trivial. Therefore He would not choose to do something silly like make an unliftable rock, or jump-start Britney Spears' career. The question misses the point of God.

In reality, the question has already been answered...by demonstration. God made the universe such that it conforms with certain physical laws. If you throw an egg high into the air, it will come plummeting back down and break, because that is what the laws of gravity, electrodynamics, and poultry say will happen.

God has circumvented the laws of the universe now and then. Men call such happenings holy miracles. So God can choose to limit His actions -- by creating the laws of physics -- but He retains the potential power to circumvent those limitations.

Now here is a real question:

God, looking down upon His children from His throne outside space and time, sees many good and intelligent men doubting His existence because there seems to be no trace of Him in the physical laws of the universe. He also sees horror like the mutilation of innocent children by the warring armies of the Congo.

So God begins to work purposeful, scientifically-verifiable miracles. Whenever His prayer is said over a mutilated child, the child is miraculously healed. Previously unbelieving doctors and scientists are amazed, and the evidence convinces them that a good and benevolent God must indeed exist.

Billions of human souls, God's lovely children, are saved from damnation and eternal torture.

So here's the question: Why hasn't God done this?

Think you know the answer, Skyseer? Write it on the back of a 14-foot rotomolded touring kayak with fore and aft hatches and 350 lbs carrying capacity, and sent it to "One-eyed Jack, 10045 Gillespie Corners (under the bridge), Oregon 92403".

No, actually you can just write it here...

~~ OEJ

[imback]

Re: A modest proposal.

Yeah there alredy is one it's called the Kaaba.

[One-eyed Jack]

Re: A modest proposal.

The Kaaba? What a pile of horse dookie, imback.

The Kaaba is a cubical building the size of an Iowa farmhouse. It is architecturally more boring than the Leaning Tower of Pisa, less imposing than Mount Rushmore, and sillier than the Great Effigy of Mickey Mouse in Hollywood.

The Kaaba is named in honor of a legendary file-sharing program called Kazaa. The Muslim "prophet" Sharman created Kazaa and bundled it with spyware and adware in order to spread the false doctrine of Islam.

Like camel fleas, Kazaa is hard to get rid of.

The Kaaba was built to house the original Kazaa programming code. It is obsolete.

~~ OEJ