God paradox facts for kids

The God paradox is a tricky question in philosophy. It asks: If God can do anything, can He create a mountain so heavy that He cannot lift it?

This question is a paradox because it seems to have two answers, and both make God seem less powerful:

• If God can make a mountain too heavy for Him to lift, then there's something He can't do: lift that mountain.
• If God cannot make such a mountain, then there's something He can't do: create that mountain.

If either of these is true, it suggests that God might not be all-powerful, which is what "almighty" means.

Thinking About the God Paradox

The God paradox is a good example of a philosophical problem. People have thought about this question for a long time. Here are some of the ways people have tried to answer it.

One idea is that God could choose to make Himself unable to lift the mountain. Because God is all-powerful, He can choose to limit His own power. So, He could make a mountain He can't lift, but He could also choose to regain His power and lift it later. This idea suggests that God is so powerful, He can even choose to be less powerful for a moment.

What God Can't Do (Logically Speaking)

Some people say that God can only do things that make sense. If you say a mountain is "too heavy for anyone to lift," it doesn't really mean anything when talking about God. This is because God can lift any mountain.

So, God cannot lift an "unliftable" mountain because that idea doesn't make sense. He also cannot create an "unliftable" mountain if He can lift everything. God can still lift any mountain that is not defined as "cannot be lifted." For example, God can make a mountain as heavy as He wants. But He cannot make a round square because that is a contradiction.

Using Logic to Understand

In logic, we often solve problems by breaking them into smaller parts. Let's try this with the God Paradox.

The paradox asks: If God can do anything, can He make a mountain which is too heavy for Him to lift?

Let's think about what "God can do anything" means:

• God can make any mountain.
• God can lift anything.

Now, let's add the idea of an "unliftable mountain":

• God can do anything.
• God can make an unliftable mountain (because He can do anything).
• God can lift anything (because He can do anything).
• God cannot lift the unliftable mountain.

If the last point (God cannot lift the mountain) is true, then the third point (God can lift anything) must be false. This means the first point (God can do anything) would also be false.

This way of thinking suggests that the statement "God can do anything" needs to be explained more carefully. Some thinkers, like C. S. Lewis, say that logical contradictions are not "things" that can exist. They are just nonsense. So, asking if God can make a square circle or an unliftable mountain is like asking nonsense. It doesn't become a real question just because you add "God can" to it.

What God Can Do (Even the Impossible)

Some people believe that God is able to do things that seem to make Him less able. They think this because the Bible says, "with God all things are possible" (from Gospel of Matthew 19:26).

However, other parts of the Bible mention things God cannot do. For example, Hebrews 6:16 says God cannot lie. Malachi 3:6 says God cannot change. James 1:3 says God cannot be tempted by sin.

Some have suggested that God can do things that go against our usual logic. They say that if God lives in other dimensions, different rules of logic might apply. For example, we say God cannot make a square circle. This is true in a flat, two-dimensional world. But a cylinder can look like a square from the side and a circle from the top. This shows how adding another dimension can change what seems possible.

God is Limitless

Another idea is that God has no limits. His strength is endless. If He chose to create a mountain too heavy for Him to lift, He would also instantly become strong enough to lift it. This means trying to put a limit on God, who is limitless, doesn't make sense.

God's Power is Beyond Our Understanding

In the Book of Job from the Bible, God speaks to Job from a whirlwind. He asks Job: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?...where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth?" (Job chapter 38, 1-4).

This means that God's powers are far beyond what humans can understand. Our own reason and understanding are seen as part of God's creation in the Book of Genesis.

Images for kids

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  Detail depicting Averroes, who thought about the omnipotence paradox in the 12th century. This is from a 14th-century painting by Andrea da Firenze (di Bonaiuto).

See also

In Spanish: Paradoja de la omnipotencia para niños