(August 18, 2012 at 10:28 am)spockrates Wrote: I think it will help to consider whether your definition of omnipotence is a viable one before we proceed to applying it to any concept of God: Let's say a guy named Ed becomes omnipotent. He is neither omniscient, nor omnibenevolent. He just has that power we call omnipotence. Now Ed is a dishonest person, which is something he does not like about himself. He decides that now that he has the power to change himself, he is going to use it to make himself 100% honest 100% of the time.I can't tell if you are trying to avoid my question at this point. I have made it very clear that the God in question isn't an omnipotent one, but one that abides by his own nature and the laws of logic.
Omnipotence is logically impossible as an attribute. It is only real in concept. The God we are talking about cannot be omnipotent unless you are willing to concede that he has the ability to do things against his own nature.
For example, if I was omnipotent except for things that violate my nature, I would simply have whatever power I normally would have. Flying is against my nature, so I couldn't fly. Things like that.
Quote:My question is this: Once Ed makes himself perfectly and always honest, can he still tell a lie? If he cannot lie, then how can omnipotence be the power to do anything and everything? I'm thinking some choices are mutually exclusive. What are you thinking?I have already made a point to say that I am not talking about an omnipotent God.
If someone is perfectly honest then they are incapable of lying.
My conclusion is that there is no reason to believe any of the dogmas of traditional theology and, further, that there is no reason to wish that they were true.
Man, in so far as he is not subject to natural forces, is free to work out his own destiny. The responsibility is his, and so is the opportunity.
-Bertrand Russell
Man, in so far as he is not subject to natural forces, is free to work out his own destiny. The responsibility is his, and so is the opportunity.
-Bertrand Russell