Concept of God Flashcards
(10 cards)
Argument 1 For his omniscience
A-We don’t have free will
R-Free will is essential to religion
M-God doesn’t know the future as it doesn’t exist
Argument 2 for his omniscience
A-Free will and Gods omniscience are compatible
R- God is the ultimate cause of evil
M- He may have good reason for causing evil
omnipotence
A-God can do anything that is logically possible, not just everything
R- The paradox of the stone
M-The paradox of the stone is still a logical impossibility
omnibenevolence and omnipotent clash
A- God is omnibenevolent meaning it is impossible for him to do any evil, however an omnipotent being has the power to do evil acts
R- His inability to perform evil acts is not due to his lack of power, it is because he is necessarily morally perfect.
Euthyphro dilemma
Is God good because he sets the standard for moral goodness (does he invent morality?)
OR
Is God good because he perfectly follows some independent moral standard (does he perfectly conform to moral rules?)
Problem with the Euthyphro horns
+ counter to the dilemma
1) Problem of abhorrent commands, he could make murder good
2) Denying God’s omnipotence, he wouldn’t have the power to make evil acts good acts.
Counter- (false dichotomy) he neither invents nor conforms, his nature is the standard for moral goodness and would stop him from issuing abhorrent acts, his commands come from his loving character,
Define eternal
He exists in eternity, a timeless realm with no past, present or future, he exists beyond the universe and observes everything simultaneously in a “timeless now”
Conflict between his eternity and immanence
How could an eternal being be immersed in the universe, causing changes to happen in time
Everlasting + conflict with omniscience
Some argue that he is everlasting not eternal as he exists in time but has no beginning or end
counter- if he is located in the presence how can he know what will happen tomorrow
everlasting and eternal
he was eternal and atemporal before creation, he did not exist through time, he became everlasting after creation, when time was made.
