Implications of Omnipotence


The concept of omnipotence seems to reign prominent among most religions, specifically among their myths articulating the origin and the inevitable destruction of our universe. Omnipotence, meaning all-powerful/perfect and predictably all good, produces many contradictions and questions merely by definition. The prospect of a life form being omnipotent is impossible. For the omnipotent being would inexorably be the creator and destroyer of all things; however, a perfect (omnipotent) being needs not to create anything else, for it is perfectly harmonious in its state, let alone creating an imperfect universe necessary for destruction.

Every race, culture, and individual for the most part seem to have some grasp on a deity or deities that omnipotently created everything and all-lovingly watches over all. Some people will declare these beings’ omnipotence as fact and infallible, but with no deliberation of the entire scheme of things. Most believers, with some exceptions, say that one must have faith, and irrelevantly tack-on, “Our god(s) is all-powerful, and loves all his/their children however imperfect they may be.” If something is perfect and all- powerful then nothing imperfect can come from it. This also proves that the concept of opposition would not exist; everything would perpetuate in perfect harmony. Most monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc. believe in a single omnipotent god that loves man above all as sons and daughters. If such a being exists and is truly omnipotent, why is there so much pain? Man suffers from plague, war, and natural disaster. How does man’s agony in any way depict an all-knowing and all-loving being? Followers often use the sayings: “It is his (omnipotent being) will” or “He (omnipotent being) works in mysterious ways,” in order to justify man’s constant sorrow before this being’s feet. According to the Bhagavad-Gita (Hindu sacred book), when “all the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the silent sky, that would be like the coming of the Mighty One. I am become death, the shatterer of worlds.” With the presence of nuclear power, this quote seems somewhat disheartening; nevertheless it reiterates the fact that if there is a force above all, it being omnipotent is unfeasible. If a creator/destroyer does exist it cannot be omnipotent if it must destroy what it created.
Slavery, genocide, manifest destiny, communism, capitalism, dictators, monarchies, over population, family structures, and much more all contain frailties that mar man’s well being. Wouldn’t it be a given for an all-powerful being to omit such creations when it was originally at the drawing board? If all the pain and imperfections was created by the same being that twisted everything else together, then it does not love us, nor is it omnipotent.