The world is full of magic. It's inescapable. The question is, "Is it real?" Some people say yes...some say no...still others are undecided. Even those who have decisively answered the question for themselves find themselves wondering if all magic is bad. Could it be that there is an inherent dichotomy within the realm of magic? Is there a good magic and a bad magic? In my attempt to answer these questions, I'm going to cite pop culture, review a biblical perspective, and talk about christians using it in their conversation.
What is magic? According to the nearest available dictionary, Magic is defined as, "The power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces." Now that we have defined the term, we can develop it later. For now, let's see what popular culture thinks about magic.
In 1939's Wizard of Oz, Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, asked Dorothy whether she is a good witch or a bad witch. The question perplexed Dorothy as it perplexes me today. Popular culture was cultivating the idea of good and evil within the realm of magic long before Dorothy landed in Oz, and it will continue to cultivate it for many years to come. We encounter this tension everywhere. While Sinatra is crooning about a witchcraft that strips his conscience bare, CCR put a spell on you, and Puff the Magic Dragon put a smile on your face and a dent in your fridge...(the munchies are naturally drawn to "Magically Delicious" Lucky Charms. Let's face it: Songs, movies, books, and billboards broadcast a magical message into the hearts and minds of millions of people every day. Not even the wide world of sports is unaffected. Think of the Orlando Magic, or of Washington's modification from the offensive Bullets franchise to the "less offensive" Wizards franchise. All this being said, perhaps no other medium has done more to accelerate the reception of mainstream occultism than the film industry. I would say books are equally as effective as film, but truth be told, they have formed a symbiotic relationship over the past century. It's nearly impossible to write a best-selling fiction novel without Hollywood producing its visual counterpart. And within this genre, nobody does it better than Disney. Think about all your childhood favorites: Pumpkins turning into Carriages, Tea Pots singing love songs, Magic carpet rides across the desert, Kisses bringing beauties back to life, Dragons, Genies, Gentlemen, and Giants! It seems there is no shortage of stories to tell about magic. Also, inherent within the message of each of these mediums is that: 1) Magic is real. 2) Magic is desirable. 3) Magic can be used for either good and evil, but it is not intrinsically one or the other. Obviously, popular culture has been enchanted by magic.
So what does Scripture say about magic? Exodus 7:8-12 says, "The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' and it will become a snake." So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs." Judging by the language used, though I am not an expert yet, this passage is not meant to be taken allegorically. Pharaoh's magicians legitimately possessed some kind of power which allowed them to manipulate supernatural power in order to accomplish a supernatural feat. Another example is Saul and the Witch of Endor. In 1 Samuel 28, we are reminded that Saul has banished all the sorcerers and mediums from the land, and we are told that Samuel is dead. In despair, Saul seeks out the Witch of Endor. After promising her she would not be punished, the witch asked Saul, "Whom shall I bring up for you? Bring up Samuel, he said. When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!" Again, this woman possessed the power to manipulate supernatural forces. There are other examples, but these two stick out to me more than others. Anyone holding the presupposition that Scripture is the trustworthy, inspired word of God, must, at the very least, believe that magic was at least real at some point in history. From there, it isn't much of a stretch to believe that magic is as real today as it was back then.
However, simply believing magic is real falls short of God's commentary on the subject. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament condemn it. For the sake of space, I will only provide one example of each. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, "There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD." Strong words from the law. Many people like to think the New Testament is more forgiving of such practices, but the evidence runs contrary to this belief. In Paul's letter to the Galatians, he writes, "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." It's interesting to me that sorcery still makes it into the mix. Most people glaze over that word in this passage, but it's every bit as relevant today as it was Paul's day. God will not tolerate the occult. Clearly, there is a disconnect between culture and Scripture. This shouldn't come as a to surprise anybody, but I think it would be profitable to take note of the disconnect and also discuss what christians mean when they talk about magic.
Christians are told not to "conform to this world." Still, we are to live in it. We must walk the same ground, breath the same air, eat the same food, and see the same sky as those who are not like us. Even though our intrinsic value has skyrocketed dramatically, though not by our own doing, our present circumstances have not changed so dramatically. This can present some difficulty because not all christians are at the same level of maturity, and even the ones who have reached some level of wisdom do not seem to agree on all things. So how should christians react to magic in mainstream society? First, there needs to be a point of clarification. Some people use the word magic loosely. In many cases, they do not mean to refer to manipulating supernatural powers. Instead, they mean something closer to the word enchanted, which simply means to fill with delight. That is why I'm free to say such and such was a "magical" experience. Every language evolves, and as it does so, certain words change meaning and get distorted in the vernacular. Also, many people simply mean to speak of illusions when they speak of magic. This is why I'm able to enjoy watching David Blaine and David Copperfield without being offended by their work. They are not magicians. They are illusionists. So at this point, christians who use the word magic to refer to enchantments or illusions are still in line with Scripture. Now we come to a more serious question. What if magic of the supernatural sort is what christians are referring to when they discuss activities they participate in or tolerate? Galatians 5 answers the the first part of the question. Christians who practice magic and sorcery may not be christians at all. As for those who tolerate magic, I have one more major distinction.
Magic has historically been a prominent fixture in the world of literature, and in the last hundred years, christians have embraced various fiction novels which portray magic as both good and bad. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series and Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia have attained a venerated status among christians, and almost nobody bats an eye. Yet these same christians express, quite loudly, their disapproval of children's novels like the Harry Potter series. Is there a difference of any real significance amongst these series? For starters, Tolkien and Lewis shared an interest in Norse mythology, and this shared interest made its way into their works. Rowling, on the other hand, appeals strictly to sorcery in her works. Is this distinction worth much? Not really, but when you consider the ultimate purpose of their messages, it's easy to see how christians excuse one for the other. Sorcery is more explicitly condemned in Scripture, and the Rowling's intent is not to convey some deeper spiritual or biblical truth. To conclude this section, while magic as a literary device may be useful, it is important to clarify the biblical stance that magic, in all its forms, is inherently subversive to God, His word, and His people.
Quick review: 1) Magic is real. 2) Magic is offensive to God, and therefore unable to be deemed good magic. 3) Christians can comfortably tolerate and participate in magic when what they technically mean to communicate are concepts of enchantment or illusion. 4) It is neither okay to participate in or tolerate any form of magic that is synonymous with sorcery. I don't pretend that complexity exists and exceptions abound regarding nearly every subject imaginable, but strictly speaking this is the christian perspective.
One final point: Using the definition above, I have been asked whether or not prayer, faith, and miracles can be considered "good magic" on the basis that they attempt to influence the natural course of events by manipulating mysterious or supernatural forces. The short answer to this question is no. The long answer is....in my next blog! Haha. You'll have to wait to find out! Thanks for reading. Let me know your thoughts. I'm sure I've said something inconsistent or controversial enough to incite a response. Thanks again!
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