# Things God cannot do **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 25, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402 "2003-02-25T15:17:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![McDuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@McDuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDuff)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402/41 "2003-02-26T03:57:21Z")
Why does God have to be separate from the universe? Why can Zie either be Inside or Outside the universe? The most logical answer to the question seems to be, to me, that God is a solipsist. 🙂 On the issue of what Zie can and cannot do, I’m reminded of something I heard that was attributed to an Irishman somewhere. When asked if God could create a rock so heavy He couldn’t lift it, the Irishman replied “Sure He could. And then, just to show how Omnipotent He was, He’d lift it.” That’s silly, but I like it. ---
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402/42 "2003-02-26T05:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > **More precisely, you’re bound by your abilities.** No, I’m bound by my **nature** , as are all things. > [@](#): > > **Just as God has free will, so do we.** _Besides_ the immense conceptual problems with _humans_ possessing free will, there are even greater issues when considering whether _God_ has free will. Isn’t God supposed to be omniscient? That would have to include an atemporal understanding of his own actions. > [@](#): > > **God is bound by His nature because He chooses to be.** And how does He choose this? I’m sorry, but your argument goes in circles. You can’t explain how God can choose without referring to His will, and you can’t explain His will without referring to His nature. > [@](#): > > **All terms (even “omni-” terms) have to have some limits.** Incorrect. The Tao possesses no limits, and therefore possesses them all. This is why the concept of “existence” cannot be applied to it. > [@](#): > > **Likewise, when one mentioned omnipotence, I don’t think it logically must include the ability to do that which is logically and categorically impossible. No being can be omniscient and forgetful at the same time. No being can be all white and all black at the same time. The inability to be something that cannot be does not make the being who cannot do this non-omnipotent.** [sigh] First, the transcendence over logic and possibility is generally considered an aspect of the historical God. If you claim that God is bound by these limits, you’re not discussing the historical God. So what _are_ you discussing? Secondly, you’re avoiding the basic question: did God determine these limits, or are they beyond His power to change? ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402/43 "2003-02-27T02:27:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\* > The doctrine is not illogical, any more than a three-sided pyramid (ignoring the base) is both a single object and possessed of three distinct faces. It merely challenges our human presumption that individuality and personhood are in 1:1 correspondence – each individual is a separate person and only one personhood to the individual. \*\* Sure, saying a three sided pyramid is a single object with three faces is not illogical. If that were analogous to the trinity, I wouldn’t see a problem. But I think the appropriate analogy would be to say that the single pyramid is three pyramids. At least, that’s how I read it. The creeds you cite (and speak disparagingly of) don’t sound like explanations to me, they sound like, well, dogmatic statments of acceptance. Now, I have no qualms with someone believing this about god. If it’s something you want to accept on divine revelation or the power of faith - good for you. But I can’t agree that it’s “logical”. It flies in the face of logic to claim that one single thing is the same as three distinct things. ---
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402/44 "2003-02-27T15:35:10Z")
He cannot erase himself from all existance… unless he already has. ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402/45 "2003-02-28T00:51:22Z")
God can not make the WB network watchable. ---
**Author:** ![Mayor\_McJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@Mayor\_McJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayor_McJesus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402/46 "2003-02-28T01:19:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jonpluc \* > \*\*God can not make the WB network watchable. \*\* Correct. Satan is clearly in charge of that network. How else can you explain _The Surreal Life_ or _Reba_ ? On another note, what does God do for fun? Can He have fun? Is that what He did on the 7th day when, according to Genesis, He “rested?” Or did He actually sleep? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-god-cannot-do/157402.md?page=2)