# Could your GOD create a boulder too big for him to move? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 14, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091 "2003-05-14T00:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![InLikeFlynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f19dbf/32.png) [@InLikeFlynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InLikeFlynn)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/1 "2003-05-14T00:07:35Z")
Hmmmmmmmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/2 "2003-05-14T01:16:44Z")
Check out this webpage: [[http://www.objectivethought.com/atheism/rock.html](http://www.objectivethought.com/atheism/rock.html)](The rock that can not be lifted.) The question has been done. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/3 "2003-05-14T01:18:47Z")
Wow. So original. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/4 "2003-05-14T01:36:09Z")
Yes, but he could still move it. Being God is cool like that. ---
**Author:** ![zwaldd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a9adbd/32.png) [@zwaldd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwaldd)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/5 "2003-05-14T02:09:52Z")
Yup. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/6 "2003-05-14T02:12:06Z")
Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/7 "2003-05-14T02:20:24Z")
There is no rock. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/8 "2003-05-14T02:50:36Z")
Why do systems of measurement apply to the thing that created them? What’s God’s shoe size? ---
**Author:** ![patternagainstuser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/eb9ed0/32.png) [@patternagainstuser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/patternagainstuser)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/9 "2003-05-14T02:58:35Z")
God’s shoe size is eternal My god couldn’t make an unmovable rock, because all things are part of god, so therefore so is the rock. As he does follow natural laws of physics, he can’t lift himself (can you!?). ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/10 "2003-05-14T04:53:02Z")
My god could, but that’s just because he’s bigger than your god. _Heathen._ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/11 "2003-05-14T11:28:10Z")
Omnipotence need not be defined as the ability to do anything, even if that that thing is not a thing at all. Can you smell the colour nine? no? Is there something wrong with your nose? Or is there something wrong with the question? ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/12 "2003-05-14T12:04:25Z")
One question, I have wondered about since being told Gods omnipotence doesn’t include logical impossibilties, does the measurment problem prevent God from having perfect knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/13 "2003-05-14T12:05:27Z")
sorry, ‘?’ not ‘.’ at the end of the last post. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/14 "2003-05-14T12:06:00Z")
The question is phrased badly, agreed. My belief (reflecting mainstream and traditional Judaism) is that God can (and does) limit Himself. Let’s not piddle about with rocks, let’s talk about free will. Can people have free will if God knows all and controls all? The answer that Judaism offers is that God deliberately limits himself and does not interfere with human free will. People are free to make their own decisions, even if those decisions are contrary to God’s wishes. ((Minor footnote: There is one known exceptiont to this, God does seem to interfere with Pharoah’s free will in the story of the plagues and Exodus from Egypt. But aside from that remarkable exception, God allows humans free will.)) So, the rock question is answered similarly, but it’s much less interesting. I’m always amused by people who think that such a silly logical paradox can somehow disprove the existence of God. Equally silly, of course, are peole who think they can prove the existence of God, but that’s a different story. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/15 "2003-05-14T12:07:30Z")
also, doe quantum uncertainity mean that it is possible for a person to know, say for example the position of an object better than God? ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/16 "2003-05-14T13:28:37Z")
Why do people think God should be limited by physics, or even logic. I am sure God _can_ smell the color nine. It doesn’t make sense to me, but then, I’m not God. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/17 "2003-05-14T13:33:19Z")
Yes but if God isn’t limted by logic, it brings us back to the “questin can he create a boulder that he can’t move?”, in which either an answer of yes or no seems to limit his powers in some way. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/18 "2003-05-14T13:36:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rhum Runner \* > \*\*Why do people think God should be limited by physics, or even logic. I am sure God _can_ smell the color nine. It doesn’t make sense to me, but then, I’m not God. \*\* Smelling the color nine is so easy these days…Just go out to your local farm, look through the fields…find the biggest mushrooms you can find… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/19 "2003-05-14T13:49:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MC Master of Cermonies \* > \*\*Yes but if God isn’t limted by logic, it brings us back to the “questin can he create a boulder that he can’t move?”, in which either an answer of yes or no seems to limit his powers in some way. \*\* Why can’t the answer be both yes and no at the same time? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091/20 "2003-05-14T13:51:36Z")
Isn’t the question logically meaningless? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-your-god-create-a-boulder-too-big-for-him-to-move/175091.md?page=2)