Critique this syllogism:

P1. God is the Creator of the Universe.
P2. Prior to the creation of the universe, there was no Creator of the universe.

C1. Therefore, prior to the creation of the universe, God did not exist.
P3. If God did not exist prior to the creation of the universe, then God could not have been the creator of the universe.

C2. Therefore the notion that God created the universe is a logical contradiction, and God does not exist.



Here is a string of comments from the above YouTube video:

jdglobal77:
Nobody is claiming that God is part of creation. He is defined as the self-existing creator of everything outside of himself, including time. Arguments about "before" are meaningless to a timeless being who created time. Arguments about coming into existence are meaningless to a self-existing being. This video did not deal with either of those issues. It deals only with the argument that God created everything from nothing.

lynneatwater:
@jdglobal77
By "self-existence" we take it you mean "non-causal" existence. If this is the case, would you first explain how such a self-existence came about, then define creation for us. We always thought creation was the emergence of existence itself. Thank you. Lynne

mesamike0:
"...would you first explain how such a self-existence came about, "

After you, Lynn. Where did the self-existent universe come from? How did such a self-existence come about?

lynneatwater:
mesamike0

Given that creation is impossible your question begs a contradictory response. Said in a different way, since the universal law of non-contradiction cannot be broken, our universe is inexorably eternal. Consequentially, to ask "where" or "from what" our universe came is an irrelevant query. Lynne

mesamike0:
@lynneatwater But you were the one who demanded an explanation of how "such self-existence" came about. Now you you are waving your hands and saying, "No, No, to ask such a question is an irrelevant query." Why is that question irrelevant when discussing a self-existent universe, but of utmost importance when discussing a self-existent God?

lynneatwater:
mesamike0

I agree. But take note. If you do not require that God be a creator, I agree that self-existence is relevant and especially so in the case of an existing God. If, however, you claim that God 'must be a "creator" in order to be God, issues of self-existence of that God instantly become logically inapplicable. For a more in-depth explanation concerning this or any other question or observation you may have, please address me personally at: lynneatwater@gmail.com. Thank you. Lynne




So..... This whole argument against the existence of God rests on the dictionary definition that God "IS" the creator of the universe, as if being the Creator is one of His essential attributes, without which he is not God.

That's like looking up the Wikipedia page for Kirk Douglas, and noting that he "is" the father of Michael Douglas, but then realizing there was a time before Kirk had a son named Michael, and then concluding that before the birth of Michael Douglas, Kirk was not the father of Michael, therefore the notion of Kirk Douglas as father of Michael is a logical contradiction. Therefore Kirk Douglas does not exist.

See, it all depends on what the meaning of "is" is...

For a much better critique of the argument, see Sam Harper's blogpost