# God is there anything he can't do ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2002, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131 "2002-12-27T08:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![trader\_of\_shots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trader\_of\_shots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trader_of_shots)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/1 "2002-12-27T08:48:04Z")
I so know this has been covered before … but can’t find it but… Can god make a fire so large and burn so hot that even he can not put it out ? I am curious to see how the church (or those of strong faith) react to this obvious trap question. ---
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/2 "2002-12-27T08:53:09Z")
HE doesnt have to ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/3 "2002-12-27T08:54:54Z")
[Try this.](http://www.objectivethought.com/atheism/rock.html) Note that this isn’y a church response, it’s a logical response. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/4 "2002-12-27T08:57:36Z")
There would seem to be [some fires](http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/centralia-history.htm) no one can put out … ---
**Author:** ![trader\_of\_shots](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trader\_of\_shots](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trader_of_shots)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/5 "2002-12-27T09:09:14Z")
"it follows that a god can only make rocks he can lift " I like that. ---
**Author:** ![fauxpas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e480ec/32.png) [@fauxpas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fauxpas)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/6 "2002-12-27T09:11:03Z")
its pretty cool huh? ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/7 "2002-12-27T12:45:31Z")
Hello, Great Debates! ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/8 "2002-12-27T14:46:34Z")
OK, I’ll try to treat this one seriously. The classic Jewish answer is that God cannot that which is categorically impossible. Thus God cannot create a rock He cannot lift, He cannot make a round square and He cannot create a Blue Invisible Pink Unicorn. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/9 "2002-12-27T14:46:48Z")
More like, Not so Great Debates ! ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/10 "2002-12-27T14:53:39Z")
Methinks TRADER OF SHOTS and FAUXPAS are in cahoots. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-is-there-anything-he-cant-do/145131/11 "2002-12-27T14:58:49Z")
In short, by definition, there is nothing an omnipotent and omniscient being can’t do. Throwing such things as ‘making a round square’ don’t work as the request itself is logically inconsistent.