Immortality of the soul and God's omnipotence

[SentinelofTruth]

KingCoil:

Or the paradox repeated time and again by atheists, “Can God create a rock so heavy He cannot carry it?”

No, he could not. That rock would be greater than perfection. It would therefore be logically impossible.

 

[SentinelofTruth]

KingCoil:

So, better you talk about some other paradox for example, as God is all merciful why is there hell taught in Catholicism.

This isn’t a paradox either. This is just God being just. If there were no hell, there would be no ultimate justice and therefore no ultimate love either.

 

[fred_conty]

I have read so far only the post #1 of this thread.

As far as I know in Catholicism God can destroy anything He had made.

So, better you talk about some other paradox for example, as God is all merciful why is there hell taught in Catholicism.

Or the paradox repeated time and again by atheists, “Can God create a rock so heavy He cannot carry it?”

KingCoil

In our nice wonderful society where everyone is suppose to have medical insurance, and other such support, why do we still have prisons?

That’s why God has a prison.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.

 

[steph_86]

Regarding (C), Human souls are not really “defined” to be immortal; (B) would be closer to “God created human souls which are immortal.” Human intellectual operations are immaterial, so the human soul is immaterial. It follows not that it is a logical contradiction for a soul to go out of existence, but that the human soul (being immaterial) cannot be destroyed by material means. That says nothing of whether God could destroy a human soul.

God would not even “need” to destroy a human soul. Catholics believe that God sustains everything (including that which is immaterial) in existence at every moment. For a soul to go out of existence, God would just have to stop sustaining it. This is all counterfactual, though, since God, having willed a human to exist, would not change His will (since He is immutable) and stop sustaining the soul.

So it would be “contradictory” for a human soul to go out of existence, but it is not a logical contradiction derived from the definition of “immortal,” since when we say that a soul is immortal, we are not quite saying that it is exists necessarily, just that it cannot be destroyed materially.

This is a very good explanation. In your understanding, what would cause God to change his mind, and no longer sustain a soul’s existence?

I assume by this, and as you have stated, that, God does hold the power to take a soul into non-existence.

Also, does God’s sustaining power extend to the devils and the damned souls in Hell? Does God maintain them in existence also? In my understanding, yes, he does.

 

[HardRockGTR]

I have read quite a few interesting defenses here. What strikes me is that “God willed the existence of a soul and won’t go back on His decision”. Who’s to say God’s decision wasn’t to create souls that, were they evil in the end, were to be destroyed?

Perhaps a bible passage or theological argument?

 

[fred_conty]

The human soul God alone creates. And the soul being a spirit is immune to physical corruption, such as a bullet, rust, age, decay, etc. Which means even if the material universe came to an end, the soul would not end but continue to live being a spirit.

So God would have to will it out of existence as he willed it into existence, which means that a mistake was made. And since God does not make mistakes, (ta dah).

But since man makes mistakes, he may wish he were willed out of existence.

 

[steph_86]

This is a very good explanation. In your understanding, what would cause God to change his mind, and no longer sustain a soul’s existence?

I assume by this, and as you have stated, that, God does hold the power to take a soul into non-existence.

Also, does God’s sustaining power extend to the devils and the damned souls in Hell? Does God maintain them in existence also? In my understanding, yes, he does.

I would like for someone to reply to my questions, please.

 

[fred_conty]

I would like for someone to reply to my questions, please.

You said, “… what would cause God to change his mind, and no longer sustain a soul’s existence?”

Answer

So God would have to will it out of existence as he willed it into existence, which means that a mistake was made. And since God does not make mistakes, (ta dah).

You said, “Also, does God’s sustaining power extend to the devils and the damned souls in Hell? Does God maintain them in existence also? In my understanding, yes, he does.”

Answer

You are correct.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.

 

[polytropos]

This is a very good explanation. In your understanding, what would cause God to change his mind, and no longer sustain a soul’s existence?

I assume by this, and as you have stated, that, God does hold the power to take a soul into non-existence.

Also, does God’s sustaining power extend to the devils and the damned souls in Hell? Does God maintain them in existence also? In my understanding, yes, he does.

I agree with fred conty’s response. There is nothing that would cause God to change his mind. God doesn’t change his mind period. Things also don’t cause God to do anything; his actions are not contingent on something happening to him.

 

[HardRockGTR]

The human soul God alone creates. And the soul being a spirit is immune to physical corruption, such as a bullet, rust, age, decay, etc. Which means even if the material universe came to an end, the soul would not end but continue to live being a spirit.

So God would have to will it out of existence as he willed it into existence, which means that a mistake was made. And since God does not make mistakes, (ta dah).

But since man makes mistakes, he may wish he were willed out of existence.

He could have simply willed it “mortal until justified”.

 

[fred_conty]

He could have simply willed it “mortal until justified”.

But then that would be contrary to its nature of being a spirit. A spirit as was mentioned is indestructible. Mortal is destructible.

Let’s say on the outside chance that God could make a soul material instead of spirit, then if justification took place, then God would then have to make the soul indestructible or eternal which involves changing it. That would seem a bit aukward.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.