Read this before posting!
-This is a civilized debate. As such, all standard rules of civility and mutual respect apply. Please be nice, treat all members with respect, and abide by the forum rules at all times.
-Use of ad hominem as an argument technique is not allowed. Ad hominem means trying to discredit a person or what they say with personal reasons; ie "But none of what you say can even count because you are a Buddhist anyway."
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-If a situation arises where one person puts forth a claim, it is that person's responsibility to provide evidence to prove the claim, not anyone else's responsibility to provide evidence to disprove it. If evidence to prove the claim is not brought forth, the claim can be disregarded. This is called the burden of proof.
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Topic of debate: Whether or not God exists
For the purpose of this thread, "God" is defined as an omnipotent (meaning, can do anything) being and the creator of all the universe. If you must attribute any particular religion towards the definition of God in order to better express your thoughts, attribute Christianity. If your belief system includes a different version of God than that of the Christian God, please take note of the fact that this thread focuses on the Christian idea of a God when posting.
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Now, then. I'll start off with challenging two aspects of God: Omnipotence and existence.
First, omnipotence. I have a simple question: "Can God create a rock that is so heavy he cannot lift it?"
There are two possible ways to answer this question:
-Yes, he can, because an omnipotent God can create anything. However, this means that there now exists a rock that cannot be lifted by any power in the universe (and which, the assumption is, remains unliftable). This limits God's power because he cannot lift the rock, meaning he is not truly omnipotent.
-No, he cannot create such a rock, because an omnipotent God can lift anything, and as such, it is impossible for such a rock to exist. However, this also limits God's power, as there is something he cannot create. Thusly, he is not truly omnipotent.
To dispute God's existence, I would like to invoke the burden of proof upon those who claim he exists, meaning believers in God. Please note that this is a response to the general claim that God exists, and not a claim unto itself; therefore, the burden of proof is not on me.
I will also point out that if God is not omnipotent, as described in the definition of God, then he does not exist.