Magic in writing

General Christian Theology

Magic stance

 
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francis
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Re: Magic in writing

Post by francis »

I found the articles very interesting, but I'm hesitant to condemn writers like Lewis (I don't like his apologetics, but that's another matter entirely,) because his fiction was one of the few ways that I reached religion in my secular upbringing, (imperfect methods of evangelism, if you will.) I also work with kids, and one thing I've learned is that you can't shelter them entirely--certainly I wouldn't have fantasy books around my house, but once my children are old enough to understand God, I'm not going to stop them from reading books like Narnia because I believe it's better that children understand why things are wrong early on rather than simply forbidding them. It's one thing to discourage false ideas, but it's another to completely forbid books like that, especially as kids get older--if they sense you're not open to discussing why things are good or bad, they won't discuss things like this with you at all and might go down a path of sin instead.
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Fidelio
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Re: Magic in writing

Post by Fidelio »

I was a worldling to the age of 27. As a child our parents got us a Ouija board "game" and we played with it. I think that was a bad influence in my life. I also delved into New Age via native American religion. When I was born again I cast all those things off but realized that there may still be influences.

Not sure homeopathy is necessarily a dark art so much as just silly. They give you a liquid that had the poison or whatever substance reduced so much as to be significantly not present. Whether that can affect you positively I don't know, but similarly to give one immunity to poison ivy, one method is to take a very very weakened dose. There is truth to that because one can build immunity to poison ivy by repeated minor exposures.

I once witnessed water witching and it was spooky. In fact I think my dad used an Indian at our cottage to find a well location that way, but I did not witness that event.

I am okay with some magic in books etc if it is the bad guys, but not the good guys (hence no Harry Potter). It depends on a case by case basis. I do like Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung which involves some magic and gods and demi-gods but that is presented in a way that it does not bother me. But it is nothing like Harry Potter.

I do believe that if someone knocks on the door of the occult, demons are happy to answer that door. We are best off to avoid that sort of stuff.
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Convert to Anabaptist truth early 2019; now associated (friend) with the Apostolic Christian Church of America.
RZehr
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Re: Magic in writing

Post by RZehr »

I agree with you.
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Mountain Merle
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Re: Magic in writing

Post by Mountain Merle »

I see a difference between make believe and magic. Uncle Remus stories are make believe but teach good life lessons.
One of my favorite stories from an old reader is the one about the giant that wants to befriend the villagers. But they are so fearful of him that they always run and hide and believe the lies that the evil wizard tells them. That is until little Gwendolyn falls into the well and hears what the giant is saying. I've actually used this story as a children's class in church.
When our granddaughter lived with us, her and I thoroughly enjoyed some of the Narnia books. Puddleglum being my absolute favorite.
But Harry Potter? I wouldn't touch those books with a ten foot pole or have them available to my children.
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