The Utter Foolishness of it All

"Can God make a square circle? Or a rock so big he can't lift it? You say he can't? But I thought your God was omnipotent? If he can't do these things, then he's not omnipotent."

Answer: God also happens to be the creator AND standard of logic and absolutes, and this argument shows not only a disregard for absolutism but also a glaring lack of logic. For example, what defines a circle? Or a square for that matter? Is it just the terminology, or also--and that more importantly-- the inherent qualities thereof (e.g. circumference, radius, lack of edges and corners, etc.)? A circle ceases to be a circle, both in name and quality, when it suddenly possesses a bunch of corners and straight edges.

Let's apply that to the rock argument. A rock, by definition, is a solid fragment or large mass of hardened mineral--an object with finite volume. God, on the other hand, is described by the Christian Bible as the very embodiment of infinity (Psalm 90:2). He has neither beginning nor end in all of his aspects. So how could he possibly create an object of limited size that he, an omnipotent being, cannot lift? That object would logically have to be WAY bigger than he is (i.e. bigger than infinity!) for him NOT to be able to budge it an inch. This is a logical fallacy. NOTHING can be greater than that which is infinitely great, and furthermore a rock would cease to be a rock by definition if it lacked any measurable qualities. Can you see the absurdity?

Secondly, the skeptic here challenges the concept of absolute standards and makes a play on words. He seeks to redefine meanings, primarily so that the Christian would be left confused and unable to tackle the real root of the problem within the atheist/skeptic, which is an unbelieving and rebellious heart naturally biased against anything God has to say (remember...Adam and Eve were tricked into wanting to know better than God, which led to the rebellion in Eden). You will want to point out that God is THE standard for uniformity and order; governance exists only if there was a governor to pass, implement and maintain laws. A circle is such because he decreed it to be. Rocks are finite because he decreed them to be. That which God has made crooked we cannot make straight (Ecclesiastes 7:13). Otherwise, to what purpose would the Scripture say "Woe unto them that call evil 'good', and good 'evil'!"? (Isaiah 5:20)

Lastly, the skeptic has tried to impose limitations upon God in attempting to challenge his omnipotence by letting him contradict himself. Surely, if he is all powerful then he could do anything, including becoming inconsistent! We may simply point him back to the transcendental argument. Just as we may ask who defines laws and universal standards, we may also ask who defines limitations and boundaries. Shall God, the unchanging God, be at all limited by the fact that He cannot bring into existence a certain logical fallacy due to certain universal parameters, when HE HIMSELF is the very reason those same parameters exist? We must point out to the skeptic the fact that God cannot contradict himself, for an ultimate standard cannot be inconsistent. He cannot be irrational (for he is the basis of rationale) or evil (for he is the standard of good).

God is not some arbitrary, random force. If anybody remembers that old comic book Judge Dredd, one may wish to note that the title character's tagline was "I am the law". God is no different! He IS the very basis for the law, as the law reflects his divine character (this is why Scripture's authority rests upon God himself...because the Bible is the very word that proceeded from God). Without law and order, there can only be...guess what? Anarchy. Chaos. Without consistency, there would be inconsistency. Without light, there would be darkness. Without good, there would be evil.

Take note: the opposites of all these concepts--law, order, consistency, light and good--are not concrete qualities in and of themselves. Rather, they entail the LACK of the aforementioned qualities. And shall an infinite God lack anything? Just because he cannot do something contrary to his nature does not mean that he is lacking. WE are the ones who are lacking because we cannot conform to his nature! We lack righteousness, therefore we are unrighteous. We lack wisdom, therefore we are foolish. We lack love, therfore we are unloving. God is not wanting in these things, for he is complete. And he cannot do the things which proceed from the shortage or absence of the qualities enumerated here, for that would mean he is lacking in some way.

Therefore, sorry skeptic dude. God can't make a square circle, for that would be a contradiction in terms. He is unable to make a rock so big he cannot lift it, for that would be a contradiction in concepts. And he isn't "limited" according to your demand for inconsistency as a quality, for he is the very reason that limitations, standards, consistency and the notions thereof exist.

Think about it. If God didn't exist, why would a circle be a circle at all?

(For more on this, visit Ryft's blog here, which contains a much more detailed article on the same subject. I love this apologetics stuff)