Arguments Against God - Prefection vs. Creation

Monday, December 04, 2006

Internet is a tool that we can use to expand our knowledge, not only in the technological aspect, but also in spiritual, philosophical, science, etc. The existence of easy access to all kind of knowledge is parallel of propagating the arguments against God which is now one click in front of us. One of them is the perfection vs. creation argument by Theodore M. Drange.

The Perfection-vs.-Creation Argument

1. If God exists, then he is perfect.
2. If God exists, then he is the creator of the universe.
3. A perfect being can have no needs or wants.
4. If any being created the universe, then he must have had some need or want.
5. Therefore, it is impossible for a perfect being to be the creator of the universe (from 3 and 4).
6. Hence, it is impossible for God to exist (from 1, 2, and 5).

The argument emphasizes the needs or wants of God which is unscriptural about the moral attribute of God and the creation of the universe. The author of this syllogism made an unjustifiable ground based on biblical and philosophical aspect. If we scrutinize the given premises we may be able to recognize the flaws behind premise 3 and 4.

I have my full agreement with premise 1 and 2. On the contrary I definitely disagree with premise (3). The scripture clearly teaches us that God desire for all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4). That desire of God in 1 Tim. 2:4 clearly states that man is the beneficiary and not God. The purpose of man’s creation is to fellowship with God and to enjoy Him forever. This is consistent with Christian theology which teaches that only imperfect like human needs/wants redemption (Rom. 3:23, 6:23). Based on this evidence without a doubt God in his perfection doesn’t need redemption. Only the sinners need redemption.

Now the word “wanting” is craving for something that is lacking from within. The question that lay in this argument is how can God crave for redemption if he is the author of it (Heb 12:2)? How can God crave for anything where He created everything? Yet the argument employed a premise that God is the creator (2) and a perfect God (1)

Looks like that premise (1) and Premise (2) pointing to premise (3) contains an inherent contradiction.

Premise (4) is the logical implication of premise (3) If and only if the argument can show Godly desires and wants are etymologically and ontologically the same. So I would like to challenge the author of this argument to present to us the theological and philosophical arguments that an all sufficient God is incompatible to have a desire to fellowship with human.

Premise (5) is valid conclusion if the author can demonstrate Premise (3) and premise (4)

In Conclusion premise (6) is invalid because premise (3) misconstrued ontological wants from Godly desires. The argument fails to demonstrate the inconsistency of premise (3) and (4). In fact, a case could be made that an imperfect human desires to commune with a perfect being. This is evident to all imperfect free human agents.

As long as a perfect God maintain his divine purpose of bringing humanity to eternal communion which is in Roman 8:20-23 and at the same manner man even in his imperfection desires perfection for “He (God) has set eternity in their heart (Eccl. 3:11)”. Divine desire for human eternal union is still ontologically possible. Hence, premise (6) is unjustified.

After examining all the given premises, I am now fully convinced that God didn’t create the universe because He wants it. He just did it out from his free sovereign will. Whatever reason why God created the universe is a metaphysical question which I truly believe that will reveal to us in His own perfect time.