In today’s example, molecular biologist Mark D’Arcy offers a question meant to challenge the idea of an omnipotent—that is, all powerful—God. The tweet reads: "Can God create a stone that cannot be lifted? If yes, then he is not all powerful since he Himself cannot lift it. If he cannot create a stone that cannot be lifted, then he is not all powerful. Either way, God is not all powerful."

This challenge is plagued with problems. First, omnipotence is not the power to do anything. Rather, it’s the ability to do anything power can do. Even infinite power cannot do what is contradictory or absurd. This isn’t a limit on God’s power. It’s a limit on the kinds of questions we should be asking about God’s power.

Second, it’s an illogical question. That’s because it subtly smuggles in a contradiction by asking if God’s omnipotence can defeat His omnipotence. It’s like asking, “Can God win in arm wrestling match against Himself?” It’s nonsense.

Ironically, in his attempt to show the incoherence of an omnipotent Creator, this atheist relies on an incoherent question.

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