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Would an omnipotent God ever do what He does not want to do?

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
An omnipotent God can do anything, so that means that there is nothing in logic that would prevent an omnipotent God from doing something He does not want to do.

Would an omnipotent God ever do what He does not want to do?

The answers to choose from are yes, no, or maybe.
  • If you answer yes, explain why you think God would do what He does not want to do.
  • If you answer maybe, explain why you think God might do what He does not want to do.
  • If you answer no, explain why you God would never do what He does not want to do.
Thanks, Trailblazer
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
Wanting is in the realm of duality (with not wanting) and thus not an attribute of the Divine. So to me the question does not make sense since God is beyond duality.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
Wanting is in the realm of duality (with not wanting) and thus not an attribute of the Divine. So to me the question does not make sense since God is beyond duality.
I am not sure exactly what you mean by duality. So you do not think that God has desires and preferences?

If God has a will, then God must will things, so He must make choices about what to will.
If God ordains things, then God must make choices about what to ordain.

That means that God must have desires and preferences.
 

Polymath257

Think & Care
Staff member
Premium Member
An omnipotent God *could* do what 'He' didn't want to do *if* 'He' could change 'his' mind.. So, at one point, 'he' didn't want to do something, but at another point 'he' did, so it got done.

So the question becomes whether an omnipotent God could change 'his' mind. That might also bear on the issue of omniscience.

At least, that's how it seems to me. But then, I am an atheist....
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
I am not sure exactly what you mean by duality. So you do not think that God has desires and preferences?

If God has a will, then God must will things, so He must make choices about what to will.
If God ordains things, then God must make choices about what to ordain.

That means that God must have desires and preferences.
That conceptualizes God as limited with a will and making choices.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
An omnipotent God *could* do what 'He' didn't want to do *if* 'He' could change 'his' mind.. So, at one point, 'he' didn't want to do something, but at another point 'he' did, so it got done.
I meant at any moment in time (earth time, since there is no time in God's dimension), would God do what God does not want to do, do something that was against His Will?

Hypothetically speaking, God could do something He did not want to do, because God is omnipotent, but why would He? Certainly, nobody could ever make God do what He did not want to do, so why would He do it?
So the question becomes whether an omnipotent God could change 'his' mind. That might also bear on the issue of omniscience.
It does bear on omniscience but God cannot change His mind because an omniscient God knew what he was going to do from the beginning. An omniscient God knows everything all at once; so God knew what He would do that would affect this world before during and after it happened in this world. Another way of saying this to say that the essential knowledge of God surrounds the realities of things, before as well as after their existence.
At least, that's how it seems to me. But then, I am an atheist....
But you are on the right track, because even though God knew all along He would change it, God does change what He does that affects this world. God does not just do something and never do anything ever again. What God did in the past worked for the past but it does not work for the present. If it did, the world would not have all the problems it has.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
What would make you think God would even think of things he didn't want to do
I am a theist so I do not think that God would ever think that way....
Of course God would not think of doing anything He did not want to do.
Some atheists think that He would so I was just wondering why they think that way.
 

epronovost

Well-Known Member
That conceptualizes God as limited with a will and making choices.

Your deity doesn't possess the attributes of consciousness then? It's more of a "conceptual god" like love or hatred or balance than an "individual god" like Zeus or Yaweh or Shiva.
 

Darkforbid

Well-Known Member
I am a theist so I do not think that God would ever think that way....
Of course God would not think of doing anything He did not want to do.
Some atheists think that He would so I was just wondering why they think that way.

Sorry, I see where you're now
 

Aman Uensis

Member
I would say maybe? If we take into account that human suffering and all that is part of God's plan then I can't foresee there being anything that God does being something that God would not want to do because He/She/It currently does everything and anything. But if we do see God as being an ultimately "good" entity then perhaps God would choose never to punish whatever God deems as a good human being?

Also, perhaps God would not want to do something related to God itself? Like not exist? Would God ever choose to not exist? Could God even will such a thing or would God be beholden to the rules of existence?
 

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
God would do according to what character God has. If God takes personal responsibility for guiding humanity God would be present to tend to the affairs of mankind. We humans would have a manual for every issue of being.

There would be a relationship between God and God's creations, hands down.
 

74x12

Well-Known Member
An omnipotent God can do anything, so that means that there is nothing in logic that would prevent an omnipotent God from doing something He does not want to do.

Would an omnipotent God ever do what He does not want to do?

The answers to choose from are yes, no, or maybe.
  • If you answer yes, explain why you think God would do what He does not want to do.
  • If you answer maybe, explain why you think God might do what He does not want to do.
  • If you answer no, explain why you God would never do what He does not want to do.
Thanks, Trailblazer
Yes, because He has feelings also; but knows what is right to do.
 

Darkforbid

Well-Known Member
I would say maybe? If we take into account that human suffering and all that is part of God's plan then I can't foresee there being anything that God does being something that God would not want to do because He/She/It currently does everything and anything. But if we do see God as being an ultimately "good" entity then perhaps God would choose never to punish whatever God deems as a good human being?

Also, perhaps God would not want to do something related to God itself? Like not exist? Would God ever choose to not exist? Could God even will such a thing or would God be beholden to the rules of existence?

Your religion is:

Noun. dyadism (usually uncountable, plural dyadisms) The tendency to categorize things into dyads or pairs; binary classification.
 
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