Can god do anything?

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nobspeople
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Can god do anything?

Post #1

Post by nobspeople »

It's been said god can do anything. It's also been said god can do anything but what god can't do (examples given to me included: forcing people to do anything, break existing rules of nature to name a couple).

Simple question:
Can god do anything?
Why or why not?
Another way to ask the same question, is:
Does god limit its abilities?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

Mattathias
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #11

Post by Mattathias »

nobspeople wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:47 pm It's been said god can do anything. It's also been said god can do anything but what god can't do (examples given to me included: forcing people to do anything, break existing rules of nature to name a couple).

Simple question:
Can god do anything?
Why or why not?
Another way to ask the same question, is:
Does god limit its abilities?
The question assumes the existence of god. Who or what is god? Undefined.

Does god have character? Unspecified.

Has god given man knowledge of god’s character? Unspecified.

If so, where, when and how has god made it known? Unspecified.

What is the character of god? Unspecified.

If god truly exists, has character and has made it known to man then it can be expected that god acts in character.
The hound of Jewish monotheism

nobspeople
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #12

Post by nobspeople »

[Replying to Mattathias in post #11]

The question assumes the existence of god. Who or what is god?
ANSWER: the christian god in the bible, as that's what's normally spoken about here

Does god have character?
ANSWER: all powerful, all knowing, all creating, loving and vindictive, it seems

Has god given man knowledge of god’s character?
ANSWER: many christians may say YES

If so, where, when and how has god made it known?
ANSWER: many christians say the bible and direct communication to them

What is the character of god?
ANSWER: similar to above question; see answer above

If god truly exists and has character then it can be expected that god acts in character.
Doesn't answer the question if god can do anything directly.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

benchwarmer
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #13

Post by benchwarmer »

[Replying to nobspeople in post #1]

The Bible gives one example of something God cannot do:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... rsion=NRSV
No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.

So the answer to the OP is: No. God can't do anything. Apparently there is at least one thing He cannot do. It's in the Bible. QED

nobspeople
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #14

Post by nobspeople »

benchwarmer wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 10:41 am [Replying to nobspeople in post #1]

The Bible gives one example of something God cannot do:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... rsion=NRSV
No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.

So the answer to the OP is: No. God can't do anything. Apparently there is at least one thing He cannot do. It's in the Bible. QED
Technically, it says god can't be tempted. It then goes on to say he tempts no one, not that he can't tempt no one.
But wasn't jesus tempted by the devil at one point (Matthew 4:1-11 At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.)?
If so, then that means this isn't true or jesus isn't god. :-k

That aside, god allows tempting (see gensis and the story of job), so is it simply semantics? I can't build a house but if I pay someone to do so, isn't it pretty much the same in reality?

And if god can't be tempted (as some say) then he's not all powerful. Unless, he limited his own power. Which would mean he was once all powerful, then made himself not all powerful?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

Mattathias
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #15

Post by Mattathias »

nobspeople wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 10:39 am [Replying to Mattathias in post #11]

The question assumes the existence of god. Who or what is god?
ANSWER: the christian god in the bible, as that's what's normally spoken about here

Does god have character?
ANSWER: all powerful, all knowing, all creating, loving and vindictive, it seems

Has god given man knowledge of god’s character?
ANSWER: many christians may say YES

If so, where, when and how has god made it known?
ANSWER: many christians say the bible and direct communication to them

What is the character of god?
ANSWER: similar to above question; see answer above

If god truly exists and has character then it can be expected that god acts in character.
Doesn't answer the question if god can do anything directly.
My first attempt to answer your question was made with the assumption that you were asking about the God of the Bible. Your response confirms that it was.

I believe in the God of the Bible. I offered testimony from the Bible which was ruled inadmissible. I’ll refrain from presenting additional biblical witness to the character of the God of the Bible and how it has been revealed / demonstrated to man.

My personal testimony is that the God of the Bible acts in my life in the manner which he says, and others have observed, is in keeping with his attributes as revealed in scripture and in history.

My direct answer to your question is this: The God of the Bible cannot act in ways which are contradictory to his revealed attributes.

Do you believe in the God of the Bible? Do you believe in the God whom you are asking about?
The hound of Jewish monotheism

nobspeople
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #16

Post by nobspeople »

[Replying to Mattathias in post #15]

Thanks for the responses
Do you believe in the God of the Bible? Do you believe in the God whom you are asking about?
I did. Fact is, I was a devout christian for decades; prayer, fasting, bible studies, communions, baptism, et al. But I grew out of it, thankfully. My personal take and experience is this:
the god of the bible is not real; it's an amalgamation of many different groups' beliefs and the wants and needs of individuals collected in a series and presented as one, grand god. I've seen nothing that can prove the christian god any more real than one's wants and desires.
I won't go as far as say 'there is no 'god'' as, like everyone else, I don't know. There seems to be 'something' big 'out there', but what it is....?
That said, learning from both believers and non-believers is good to do; I've learned a lot and hope to continue learning.
The God of the Bible cannot act in ways which are contradictory to his revealed attributes.
Can you elaborate on these attributes? What are they? How did you come to that understanding? How can you prove them (or can you)?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

Eloi
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #17

Post by Eloi »

[Replying to nobspeople in post #1]
If a person has an excellent voice, would that mean that he must be singing all the time or making everyone hear how he sings so they know he has a good voice?

nobspeople
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #18

Post by nobspeople »

Eloi wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 11:58 am [Replying to nobspeople in post #1]
If a person has an excellent voice, would that mean that he must be singing all the time or making everyone hear how he sings so they know he has a good voice?
No one said that.
This would mean this person can sing and sing well (apparently). Though, if any of the popular music is to show, 'well' is in the ear of the beholder.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

Eloi
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #19

Post by Eloi »

[Replying to nobspeople in post #2]
The same rule applies to God.

Although God does not have to show the world everything he can do, he has taken care to show us part of it in the creation of him that surrounds us directly, in addition to the book that he had written so that we would know what he did, he is doing and will do.

Do you think that a father of a family tells his young children everything he does and can do?

nobspeople
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Re: Can god do anything?

Post #20

Post by nobspeople »

[Replying to Eloi in post #19]
The same rule applies to God.
Why? Says who?

It would do good for you to review the title of the thread: "Can god do anything?". Not MUST god do anything.
Although God does not have to show the world everything he can do,
Then your further responses aren't necessary as this isn't what the thread's about.
... he has taken care to show us part of it in the creation of him that surrounds us directly, in addition to the book that he had written so that we would know what he did, he is doing and will do.
In this thread I didn't say anyone HAS to DO anything, simply asking if god CAN do ANYTHING. Big difference
Do you think that a father of a family tells his young children everything he does and can do?
No father of a family is all powerful, all knowing, all creating, so the analogy isn't apt.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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