by Peter Brock Ii

Created on: October 24, 2008

The problem with religion is not the institution, but its logic. The paradox of the stone is the greatest example. It states: God can either create a rock so big, he cannot lift it, or God cannot create a stone so big he cannot lift it. Either way, there is something he cannot do. The Philosophy of Religion teaches this example to explain God's omnipotence, or lack there of.

It's not about the church, its minority of a few bad seeds, or its political intrusion. The church has been instumental in aiding millions of people in need. It has been a place and symbol of faith, discipline, and guidance. Its political affairs, in the U.S., have been a counter to a liberal agenda limiting religion's role in society in the name of liberty. Both sides of the coin must always be played. So when one ideology intrudes on another, the equal and opposite force will push back. The fact that, at best (or worst for that matter) something like 10 in 100,000,000 church leaders have abused the trust people have put in them is no reason to condemn the institution, indeed, the discovery of these exceptions will only ameliorate it. Of all the churches in the world, and the daily services of them, there is hardly a degree of corruption that would bring it down.

The real problem with religion is its lack of logic. Religion, Western religion, stresses the perfection of God. God can do no wrong-another thing he can't do-and is all-powerful. This is completely illogical and is a burden on faith. The paradox of the stone, as articulated by William Rowe, puts faith on the stand. It essentially claims that if we are to worship God, because he is the creator and is all-knowing, powerful, and present, then why is there something he cannot do. It humanizes him. Any explanation of this would be hard to classify as persuasive. Religion is based on faith and faith alone. Any interpretation by any church could be debated. The idea of faith though, is most crucial because it is the driving force behind our desire to abide by a specific doctrine. If the faith in the religion is under scrutiny, so is the religion itself.

The paradox of the stone is a detriment to religion because it questions the validity of centuries of biblical scholarship. If the most holy of men have been getting it wrong, then why should the layman feel confident in his trust of the metaphysical? All of this doesn't change the fact there are people who live the holiest and most faithful lives and accomplish some of God's greatest miracles. From Mother Theresa to the stranger who saves the life of another, people have been helping humanity on faith alone. What this paradox does is present a central problem in how we as human beings understand and know God. Consequently, changing our perception on who we are as people and our mission on Earth. If religion is going to withstand the difficulty of reasoning this paradox, people will have to embrace the problem and look to nature for answers. After all, that is where we find God's greatest gifts.

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