Is God omnipotent?

I posted something similar to this based on the Scott Adam's 'God's Debris' but figured it would make an interesting topic. Is the Christian God as seen in the Bible really omnipotent? Let's define omnipotent; everything is easy, there is no conceivable challenge for an omnipotent God. There is no motivation to act, because no stimulation is required for some(one/thing) that is omnipotent. All feeling and emotions already come in unlimited quantities if desired, but again, because of omnipotence, why are there any desires at all? What is left then for an all-powerful being? Some may argue that such an omnipotent being would create, to seek intellectual stimulation. But the omnipotent God already knows the outcome of his creation. Besides, there would be no challenge and therefore no stimulation in the creation.The Christian God clearly shows none of these traits. The Christian God is often described as a jealous God, showing emotion, taking interest in the lives of his creation. What about the actions of the Christian God make him seem to be omnipotent? The stock Christian response is either God is Love or You’re trying to put God in a box. I know this because I’ve tried asking this of my Mom’s pastor, they really answer with things like that. The problem with the first statement of course goes back to the idea that an omnipotent being wouldn’t require or feel love, or if he wanted to would have it in unlimited amounts, this statement doesn’t even make sense to me in context. The second answer I got was even more absurd, how is trying to remove all limitations and restrictions on the way an omnipotent being acts putting him in a box? If anything giving him human characteristics and emotions is what confines the concept of God.I have tried to explain some things that have been rolling around in my head for a while now and I would like some input. Is this an acceptable definition of omnipotence, and furthermore, does the Christian God display the same characteristics of an omnipotent God?-Brad

I, for one, don't see any indication of God's omnipotence through his 'son' Jesus as written in the NT. Jesus' many actions often counter the claim that he was all-powerful, all knowing, all good etc.The god of the old testament, however merely states that he is all powerful, but logically I don't believe it's possible to be all-powerful at all, given the common interpretation of the word as "able to perform any act within logical bounds" since if god posesses ALL the power (can it be measured anyway?) then there is no power left for anything else, specifically man.Stated logically:
P = power
G = god
M = manG∀P→M∉PAnd vise versaM∈P→G~∀P

Man, atheists have it so much easier.

Let me ask you this. Is the cobalt bomb the most destructive bomb ever created by man? Oh wait, there's no such thing as a cobalt bomb.Added by edit:Chances are that AM will reply with something along the line of "rocket like behavior..." This ain't rocket like. I was trying to demonstrate that you can't expect an answer in this regard for something that doesn't exist, like the cobalt bomb.This message has been edited by Lam, 09-26-2004 07:23 PM

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The Laminator
For goodness's sake, please vote Democrat this November!

I suggest you people stop confusing yourselves and ask God to fill you in, at best these arguments seem a tad desperate - and are becoming *yawn*, repetitive, don't you know that your silly limited brain cannot rid the truth of God. I suggest we make a thread called " desperate speculations, and vast attempts to rid the truth of God ".You see Crash, atheists have it easy because they always take the negative [doubt] - and doubt has always been the easy path, I agree. Now Abraham's faith - hope against hope - that's tough! And it was counted as righteousness by God.And so, watching threads like this pass me by becomes easy - knowing these confused and silly notions come from man, and cannot touch our faith.

Not doubt, scepticism.I'm glad I live in Missouri, now, because the state motto fits so well. You guys know the Missouri state motto?It's the "Show-Me State." You believe that there is a God? Show Me. You believe in aliens? Show Me. Oh, man, there is nothing easy about scepticism. It's a constant battle against lazy thinking. It requires eternal vigilance against confusing your hopes with the facts. It requires nerves of steel to say "I don't know yet" when an attractive fiction is already avaliable.Believeing in fairy tales? That's easy. All you have to do is close your eyes.

Boy, did you think that one up all by yourself? Wow - I've never heard one that good before.Listen, you're arguing with yourself dudeguy, you've just said atheists have it easy, all I did was agree.

You were wrong about what we had it easy about. Life for the atheist is hard, but better than the alternative of knowing self-deception. But at least we don't twist ourselves up in knots worrying about abilities fictional characters do or do not have.

*Yawn*

mike the wiz responds to crashfrog:

quote:

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you've just said atheists have it easy

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No, he didn't. He said the exact opposite. Do you bother to read posts before you respond? Now tell us, mike, what do you think "there is nothing easy" means?Please explain to us how "nothing easy" can be read to mean "easy."

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Rrhain
WWJD? JWRTFM!

I think he was referring to my message 3 of this thread, where I said that atheists have it way easier.

Seems to me that message 2 was the last that was on the theme.Adminnemooseus

anyone else have anything to add to the topic of discussion? or were we done at message two. Also, Mike, how would you describe 'all powerful' or omnipotent? Was my description unfair in some way? Have I missed something?
-Brad

It's great to see such interest in God!Shadow,It can be very difficult to answer certain questions about God. For one thing, we are dealing with a being that defies our common conceptions.If we try to define an attribute of his such as omnipotence, we can be frustrated because we don't have a reference to help us understand such a concept.Most of the knowledge we have concerning God is in the bible. If you haven't already read it, I highly recommend that you start there.

dpardo If you don't understand what it means why do you use the word omnipotent to describe god.Perhaps you have it wrong.

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"You cannot reason a person out of a position he did not reason himself into in the first place."