Can the omnipotent God create a stone which he(she?) him(her?)self Cannot carry?

(Note: blasphemy added by levik. Disregard if offensive)

At this late date in the discussion, I don't know that many people will read this, but I have a different perspective on this question. To avoid the emotional response to discussions on God, let's ask instead, "Can an omnipotent hoober-goober create a stone which it cannot carry itself?"

If the hoober-goober cannot create such a stone, by definition it is not omnipotent. If, on the other hand, it cannot lift the stone, then again by definition it is not omnipotent. What this proves is that nothing can be literally omnipotent, because literal omnipotence conveys the ability to do things that cannot be done or, for that matter, the inability to do things that can be done. This is a question about the meaning of omnipotence, not the existence of God.

Posted by Bryan on 2003-06-23 11:52:45