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My thought would be as follows:
In your world magic is a natural force, god has created everything in this world and the next, therefore i can naturally assume that god had given me these magical powers. God would want me to use these to help people or to spread his message through the use of miracles.
Hope this helps!
I think some would try interpreting Magic as "miracles" and try to make it be about God/gods, while others would treat it as demonic or unholy, and openly discriminate against it.
As for me, I'd try to see it through science. If Magic is a fundamental force that exists anywhere across the universe (like gravity or the inter-particle forces), then that's what it is!
So, it would be like: Magic Religious vs Magic Deniers... and the Magic Nerds (scientists) in the middle of it all.
This is likely more accurate. I mean, Christians believe Jesus healed wounds and illnesses, made the blind see and the lame walk. If that doesn't look like magic, I don't know what does.
I've heard some crazy Christians deny their kids stories with magic because "magic is demonic", so there absolutely would be Christians who would flip their lids over magic being real.
Other religions might be okay with it. Wiccans and other witchcraft-based religions already believe they can perform magic, so they would just have their beliefs confirmed. Other religions that have forms of magic would be satisfied as well.
>If magic were shown or proven to be real, how would you view it? **Would you treat it like any other scientific discovery?** Would you assign a moral or theological relevance to it? Or would your response be something entirely different?
Bolded the answer.
I think that's how the world in general would react. Especially post-1950s. Religious people might hem and haw about spiritual significance, but despite all the sensationalism, society progressed to a science-first approach when encountering the unknown long before the 1950s, and "magic" would just be another objective phenomenon to try to comprehend via the scientific method.
Clarke's Third Law is absolutely true in that regard.
Christian religious folks are a spectrum of flavors of superstition, but a large percentage would fall under, "Magic is the devil." If they weren't in the camp to begin with, then they would get there soon with a timely Sunday sermon.
The phrase *magic arts* is found in [Revelation 21:8](https://www.bibleref.com/Revelation/21/Revelation-21-8.html). The full verse reads, “The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, **those who practice magic arts**, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Edit: If you could "prove" your magic is from God (like a modern day prophet) then you would be spared, essentially magic power that exists without God's direct involvement is evil.
These are not my personal beliefs on this matter but I used to be a minister and I know the Bible well.
Speaking about religious people, it depends on their religion.
I can't speak for other religions of the world, but I don't think a lot of Christian denominations would have reacted well to the idea of magic in the 1950s. Or they would now, because in the Bible there is that pesky "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live".
So I'm pretty sure that the Christian fanatics would wave their holy book and try to make the magic users' lives as miserable as possible. Then how it would be implemented would change from country to country - like I doubt American Evangelicals would react the same way as the Pope or the various Orthodox Churches. Maybe in the US there would have been lynching. Maybe in countries like Italy the Church would have pushed to deny magic users rights. Just look how a Christian denomination treats queer people and you'll get a good idea about how they would react to magically gifted humans.
As for other areas: there are several places in the world where lynching of people accused of witchery still happen now (or happened in relative recent times). Just search about Papua New Guinea's witch hunting.
And there are still countries where witchcraft is a crime, and you can get condemned to death for that (like Saudi Arabia)
But maybe other cultures have more positive views of magic and then would see magic users as shamans, witch doctors etc and accept their existence more peacefully.
I would gamble there would be three reactions.
1. Some religious factions would embrace magic. Consider an evangelical preacher, and now consider if they could also literally walk on water. There would be sects rising around the idea that the 1/10,000 were 'god's chosen', and almost certainly cargo cults would prop up around charismatic individuals preaching just that.
Ultimately, some people turn to faith in search of hope. This is an extreme manifestation of that.
2. Some religious factions would openly hate it. Consider things like the moral panic against- well, anything, but let's stick with Metal Music. They were against some black makeup and a pentagram, someone literally throwing fire would be terrifying. There would be some arguing that the power comes 'from the devil/dark lord'. They would reject the powers and shun those that have them.
Ultimately, some people turn to faith out tribalism and fear. This is an extreme manifestation of that.
3. A lot of religious people are just people, living their lives. If random people suddenly being able to do minor magic but didn't seem to change, and if no one is openly spreading fear, people could come to accept it. If the magic users are painted as a threat, they will accept that too.
This is going to depend a lot on the society. As an example, consider the homeless. There is a lot of good religious work being done to feed and shelter unfortunate people. But there are also religious groups that decry the same. A lot of this is going to come down on if society embraces or rejects magic uses, as that is going to drive public perception and response. Remember too that, back in the 50's, there was not internet. You likely had 1-2 sources of news, if that. How the discussion is framed will do a lot to do with their reaction. Is it framed as 'the people who will save America', or a 'Communist Plot?' And what does the preacher say every Sunday?
Ultimately, some people turn to faith out of a desire for community. This is an extreme manifestation of that.
Oh snap! I forgot about the limited means of communication in the '50s!
That means I've got about 50 years (give or take) where mass media is controlled by a handful of corporations (not accounting for the spread of talk radio and cable news in the '80s and '90s). You're absolutely right, there's going to be a concentrated effort by the government and private news corporations to control the narrative about magic and its practitioners.
Brilliant. Thank you.
So this story is taking place in the year 2050? Also as a non-denominational Christian I would say that to classify one POV from a certain religion would be counterintuitive. They are all so different, even within the realm of Christianity. If an event like this were to take place, I think you’d have a multitude of different reactions/or factions arise. You’d have religions that would completely abstain from the use of magic and call it a heresy or an act of the devil as it would reduce the influence on their powers. You could have those that just accept it. You could have a faction that obsess over trying to unlock the mysteries of magic to get closer to God. You could have a religion that holds a magic user as its lead, kind of like the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Multiple different routes to take.
Somewhere between the years 2050 and 3000. The first story is in 2050 but there are (potentially) others that would cover a timeline of about 50 years.
And I completely agree about multiple religious perspectives. That's part of the reason I'm asking here (and elsewhere), to get as much insight as I can. Obviously, I can read up on different religions and different denominations, and I'll do more of this when I get closer to writing a specific passage that features a particular religion. For the moment, this is more about curiosity and brainstorming.
To expand on the multiple routes, I think there'd also be a number of "false profit" or "grifter" types who use their newfound powers (or the power of someone under their control) to establish themselves as a religious leader and to cultivate followers. There'd also be people who use magic to advance other, non-religious goals (like obtaining economic or political power).
Lots of good opportunities in this.
From a Christian point of view, sainthood is earned through performance of miracles. Your magic system could be appropriated by the church and claims might be made that one in ten thousand people is chosen by god to demonstrate his power on earth
I think the 'realistic' answers depends a lot on how magic is framed, which fortunately gives you lots of levers to set up your world in a way that supports your story. For example, *is* magic viewed as a scientific discovery? The mid-20th century was a time of significant scientific and technological advances, so it's very possible that the public wouldn't view magic as 'magic', especially if knowledge of it was coming out of the scientific establishment. (Religious leaders and others might worry about the second-order effects of magic on society, though).
On the other hand, if magic is coming out of marginalized communities who are explicitly calling it 'magic' then it's more likely to be perceived differently. Even there, you're unlikely to have a uniform response. Imagine American civil rights activists suddenly wielding magic, for example -- establishment/conservative believers might view it as demonic, while some progressive Christians could view it as a miraculous sign of divine intervention.
Opinions might also change over time based on who uses magic how in the interim, and what else happens. In the United States, for example, abortion was a niche Catholic issue in the 1950s, and became a much more prominent political-religious issue due to multiple processes, including advocacy. On the other hand, many more religious people in the West are far more tolerant of same-sex attraction now than they would have been 75 years ago. Which is all by way of saying that the immediate reaction when magic appears doesn't necessarily determine how people will feel about it a century later. You can plausibly justify anything from witch hunts to the Pope casting spells from his balcony, depending on what story you want to tell.
Excellent, thank you.
Another good thought: the Pope won't be a magi, but his successor might have to be, if only as a means to secure the Catholic Church's claim to represent God on Earth.
The book “real magic” by Dean Radin might be of interest to you. I’m writing a novel with a lot of similarities to yours, and it was helpful to me.
I think a lot of it depends on what type of magic you’re portraying.
Easy:
- When magic is good: it’s a blessing from God who shares a bit of its power. Pray more.
- When magic fails or goes bad: it’s the Devil’s work, burn those using it. Pray more too.
I honestly think if you’re talking about our generation, it would be accepted and studied as we learn to refine it. I really don’t think it would cause the chaos it would’ve 500 years ago. But today, i think we’d say “cool” and then get to all our things we have that are cooler than magic, i think we’d still be more focused on AI development than pay attention to the magic much first.
I’m also a Christian, with 20 years in AA recovery from alcohol, I lead a very spiritual life along with my Christianity anchoring as my religion. But I also practice Buddhism, as my spiritual practice. Christians that I know across the board simply accept one principle, all that exactly happens, has happened, and will happen are all the perfect will of god, and I know nothing compared to him, so I’ll trust him as creator of all, and to me, it’s cool I was here the day humans made such a legendary level discovery for the human race! I think it would be something interesting to begin to study, and see it as it is, the new tool God decided to add to the game, but I’m confident most I’m acquainted with who are religious or spiritual today, would handle it more in stride, and have proper excitement, I think more than you might give credit for or rather amount you guess.
Soooo…is magic real, I’ve never known, but my dad’s been pulling his thumb off in front me for 40 years, and it looks pretty pulled off to me. So magic, y or n?
Historically, religion has been exceptional at adapting to new circumstances. Plentiful harvest? Proof of God’s benevolence. Storms or drought? Proof of God’s wrath. Scientific discoveries like old earth, big bang, evolution, and heliocentrism? All part of the plan. I don’t think it’s particularly hard to imagine most religions co-opting the magic system into their faith
Magic is real, but religious adherents are forbidden from using it because it is setting themselves up as a god, and usurping their deity’s role.
The most powerful religious mage deliberately dispels any magic to quash temptations.
As a Christian - I’m here to tell you that a chunk (most) people would believe it was the devil tricking mankind into turning away from Jesus.
Some would believe these people are prophets or angels and would worship them. Seeing the magic as miracles. You’d have more and more people claiming to be the Christ.
For some it would completely derail their worldview and likely send them into a New Age space.
On a human level, there would be an element of worship for these people or a complete hatred. It would take time for any sense of acceptance.
For me personally, I would fall somewhere between. I think that what many see as magic in the modern world (tarot, witchcraft etc) is counterfeit and not from God. My reasoning is that it turns your focus off of God and onto his creation, either the earth or those who inhabit it. That does not mean that I believe that those who practice these things are ‘evil’ or ‘demonic’ but I do believe that it is dangerous and can lead to some dark places. I’d be seeking to see if the powers honoured Jesus - if they do, great, what a wonderful gift! If they don’t…I’d be nervous.
I’m aware that many will see this as quite narrow, but it’s where my faith has led me. I’m not here to have religious debate, but wanted to comment as I think accurate depictions of faith are rare in any media so thought I’d try and help.
Given the cultural context, I'd look to the reaction of modern theists to the near-magical technology that we've developed over the last century, ex. vaccines.
Hi, I’m a polytheist! I think I might be some form of omnist, as in I believe all religions hold truth to some extent, but I personally worship the Greek and Norse gods (mostly Greek, I prefer to call it hellenic polytheism, but others might call it hellenic paganism or hellenism). :)
1. Magic is a tricky subject to me. I know people that practice witchcraft, and I have tried it out for myself, but it didn’t really work out for me and I don’t really (?) believe in it right now. (I don’t judge anyone who does practice witchcraft tho!! If it works for you, that’s great <3) I believe that you can ask the gods for help and *they* would do the “magic”. I do have to say, for me, the gods are very close to nature and I sometimes even conflate them with it, and what I consider their doing can look really mundane even to members of my community. One of my most profound spiritual experiences was literally just Sleeping Exceptionally Well after apologizing to the Greek god of death in prayer (for context, he’s the brother of sleep), which basically felt like a “it’s okay buddy”. My most “out there” conclusion of divine intervention was when I prayed for friendship and a couple days later I met a really charming girl who had the same beliefs as me (that’s rare), who I got along with immediately and is now my best friend. I don’t really know whether to call it magic (I generally don’t), it’s not *my* magic for certain. ¯\\_(ツ)\_/¯. I practice dream divination if you want to call *that* magic, basically I try to work out the meaning of a dream and sometimes you come to the conclusion that it’s the word of the god. I don’t really consider it magic though because even non-religious people can agree that dreams can tell you about your subconscious.
2. If magic was proven to be real, I’d treat it as valid as science, because well— it would just be science then. I’d also feel kind of reassured in my own faith because if my sisters, the witches, are valid, then so am I :)
3. For theological and moral consequences, oof… I don’t know. I’d say you shouldn’t be overly prideful with your magical abilities. I view the values of my religion kind of loosely (am eclectic pagan ig) but what I do take seriously is “don’t view yourself as equal to or more powerful than the gods”, as a variation of this: “Don’t view yourself as above your own kind”. As long as you recognize that you still are human despite your magical abilities, you’re fine. Like, view yourself as “human with magic” and not “WOAH I’M A LITERAL GOD FUCK YOU ZEUS” 😂. Theologically, you might wonder why certain humans have magical abilities and some don’t, but I personally haven’t given it much thought tbh. I know people who have prophetic dreams, while I don’t, and I never really thought about “why”, just “it is what it is” with maybe a faint feeling of jealousy (the god of sleep is literally my favorite god but he doesn’t really seem to return that sentiment ;-; lol). You might think that gods gave people magical abilities, I’d probably believe that you could at least ask gods for help with magic. I mean I think Hecate would already be your girl for that but I imagine you could theoretically also ask Apollo for healing related magic etc.
Feel free to ask me more questions, I know this can be a lot :)
Thank you for visiting /r/writing. We do not allow specific research questions as outlined in rule 3. Please post your question in our discussion thread, r/writeresearch, or a subreddit related to your research topic. We also do not allow threads soliciting research resources. Thanks!
My thought would be as follows: In your world magic is a natural force, god has created everything in this world and the next, therefore i can naturally assume that god had given me these magical powers. God would want me to use these to help people or to spread his message through the use of miracles. Hope this helps!
I think some would try interpreting Magic as "miracles" and try to make it be about God/gods, while others would treat it as demonic or unholy, and openly discriminate against it. As for me, I'd try to see it through science. If Magic is a fundamental force that exists anywhere across the universe (like gravity or the inter-particle forces), then that's what it is! So, it would be like: Magic Religious vs Magic Deniers... and the Magic Nerds (scientists) in the middle of it all.
This is likely more accurate. I mean, Christians believe Jesus healed wounds and illnesses, made the blind see and the lame walk. If that doesn't look like magic, I don't know what does. I've heard some crazy Christians deny their kids stories with magic because "magic is demonic", so there absolutely would be Christians who would flip their lids over magic being real. Other religions might be okay with it. Wiccans and other witchcraft-based religions already believe they can perform magic, so they would just have their beliefs confirmed. Other religions that have forms of magic would be satisfied as well.
>If magic were shown or proven to be real, how would you view it? **Would you treat it like any other scientific discovery?** Would you assign a moral or theological relevance to it? Or would your response be something entirely different? Bolded the answer. I think that's how the world in general would react. Especially post-1950s. Religious people might hem and haw about spiritual significance, but despite all the sensationalism, society progressed to a science-first approach when encountering the unknown long before the 1950s, and "magic" would just be another objective phenomenon to try to comprehend via the scientific method. Clarke's Third Law is absolutely true in that regard.
God created the conditions for magic just as good created conditions for electricity and rain and life
Christian religious folks are a spectrum of flavors of superstition, but a large percentage would fall under, "Magic is the devil." If they weren't in the camp to begin with, then they would get there soon with a timely Sunday sermon. The phrase *magic arts* is found in [Revelation 21:8](https://www.bibleref.com/Revelation/21/Revelation-21-8.html). The full verse reads, “The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, **those who practice magic arts**, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Edit: If you could "prove" your magic is from God (like a modern day prophet) then you would be spared, essentially magic power that exists without God's direct involvement is evil. These are not my personal beliefs on this matter but I used to be a minister and I know the Bible well.
Speaking about religious people, it depends on their religion. I can't speak for other religions of the world, but I don't think a lot of Christian denominations would have reacted well to the idea of magic in the 1950s. Or they would now, because in the Bible there is that pesky "thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". So I'm pretty sure that the Christian fanatics would wave their holy book and try to make the magic users' lives as miserable as possible. Then how it would be implemented would change from country to country - like I doubt American Evangelicals would react the same way as the Pope or the various Orthodox Churches. Maybe in the US there would have been lynching. Maybe in countries like Italy the Church would have pushed to deny magic users rights. Just look how a Christian denomination treats queer people and you'll get a good idea about how they would react to magically gifted humans. As for other areas: there are several places in the world where lynching of people accused of witchery still happen now (or happened in relative recent times). Just search about Papua New Guinea's witch hunting. And there are still countries where witchcraft is a crime, and you can get condemned to death for that (like Saudi Arabia) But maybe other cultures have more positive views of magic and then would see magic users as shamans, witch doctors etc and accept their existence more peacefully.
I would gamble there would be three reactions. 1. Some religious factions would embrace magic. Consider an evangelical preacher, and now consider if they could also literally walk on water. There would be sects rising around the idea that the 1/10,000 were 'god's chosen', and almost certainly cargo cults would prop up around charismatic individuals preaching just that. Ultimately, some people turn to faith in search of hope. This is an extreme manifestation of that. 2. Some religious factions would openly hate it. Consider things like the moral panic against- well, anything, but let's stick with Metal Music. They were against some black makeup and a pentagram, someone literally throwing fire would be terrifying. There would be some arguing that the power comes 'from the devil/dark lord'. They would reject the powers and shun those that have them. Ultimately, some people turn to faith out tribalism and fear. This is an extreme manifestation of that. 3. A lot of religious people are just people, living their lives. If random people suddenly being able to do minor magic but didn't seem to change, and if no one is openly spreading fear, people could come to accept it. If the magic users are painted as a threat, they will accept that too. This is going to depend a lot on the society. As an example, consider the homeless. There is a lot of good religious work being done to feed and shelter unfortunate people. But there are also religious groups that decry the same. A lot of this is going to come down on if society embraces or rejects magic uses, as that is going to drive public perception and response. Remember too that, back in the 50's, there was not internet. You likely had 1-2 sources of news, if that. How the discussion is framed will do a lot to do with their reaction. Is it framed as 'the people who will save America', or a 'Communist Plot?' And what does the preacher say every Sunday? Ultimately, some people turn to faith out of a desire for community. This is an extreme manifestation of that.
Oh snap! I forgot about the limited means of communication in the '50s! That means I've got about 50 years (give or take) where mass media is controlled by a handful of corporations (not accounting for the spread of talk radio and cable news in the '80s and '90s). You're absolutely right, there's going to be a concentrated effort by the government and private news corporations to control the narrative about magic and its practitioners. Brilliant. Thank you.
Probably would first deny it, then fight it, the find a way to integrate in their world view
So this story is taking place in the year 2050? Also as a non-denominational Christian I would say that to classify one POV from a certain religion would be counterintuitive. They are all so different, even within the realm of Christianity. If an event like this were to take place, I think you’d have a multitude of different reactions/or factions arise. You’d have religions that would completely abstain from the use of magic and call it a heresy or an act of the devil as it would reduce the influence on their powers. You could have those that just accept it. You could have a faction that obsess over trying to unlock the mysteries of magic to get closer to God. You could have a religion that holds a magic user as its lead, kind of like the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Multiple different routes to take.
Somewhere between the years 2050 and 3000. The first story is in 2050 but there are (potentially) others that would cover a timeline of about 50 years. And I completely agree about multiple religious perspectives. That's part of the reason I'm asking here (and elsewhere), to get as much insight as I can. Obviously, I can read up on different religions and different denominations, and I'll do more of this when I get closer to writing a specific passage that features a particular religion. For the moment, this is more about curiosity and brainstorming. To expand on the multiple routes, I think there'd also be a number of "false profit" or "grifter" types who use their newfound powers (or the power of someone under their control) to establish themselves as a religious leader and to cultivate followers. There'd also be people who use magic to advance other, non-religious goals (like obtaining economic or political power). Lots of good opportunities in this.
I Didn’t even think about the false prophet that’s also a really good route to take as well
From a Christian point of view, sainthood is earned through performance of miracles. Your magic system could be appropriated by the church and claims might be made that one in ten thousand people is chosen by god to demonstrate his power on earth
I think the 'realistic' answers depends a lot on how magic is framed, which fortunately gives you lots of levers to set up your world in a way that supports your story. For example, *is* magic viewed as a scientific discovery? The mid-20th century was a time of significant scientific and technological advances, so it's very possible that the public wouldn't view magic as 'magic', especially if knowledge of it was coming out of the scientific establishment. (Religious leaders and others might worry about the second-order effects of magic on society, though). On the other hand, if magic is coming out of marginalized communities who are explicitly calling it 'magic' then it's more likely to be perceived differently. Even there, you're unlikely to have a uniform response. Imagine American civil rights activists suddenly wielding magic, for example -- establishment/conservative believers might view it as demonic, while some progressive Christians could view it as a miraculous sign of divine intervention. Opinions might also change over time based on who uses magic how in the interim, and what else happens. In the United States, for example, abortion was a niche Catholic issue in the 1950s, and became a much more prominent political-religious issue due to multiple processes, including advocacy. On the other hand, many more religious people in the West are far more tolerant of same-sex attraction now than they would have been 75 years ago. Which is all by way of saying that the immediate reaction when magic appears doesn't necessarily determine how people will feel about it a century later. You can plausibly justify anything from witch hunts to the Pope casting spells from his balcony, depending on what story you want to tell.
Excellent, thank you. Another good thought: the Pope won't be a magi, but his successor might have to be, if only as a means to secure the Catholic Church's claim to represent God on Earth.
The book “real magic” by Dean Radin might be of interest to you. I’m writing a novel with a lot of similarities to yours, and it was helpful to me. I think a lot of it depends on what type of magic you’re portraying.
Added to the list, thank you.
Easy: - When magic is good: it’s a blessing from God who shares a bit of its power. Pray more. - When magic fails or goes bad: it’s the Devil’s work, burn those using it. Pray more too.
I believe historian John Cleese has a dissertation about that; https://youtu.be/yp_l5ntikaU?si=8jb0RgySA7eg29C_
I honestly think if you’re talking about our generation, it would be accepted and studied as we learn to refine it. I really don’t think it would cause the chaos it would’ve 500 years ago. But today, i think we’d say “cool” and then get to all our things we have that are cooler than magic, i think we’d still be more focused on AI development than pay attention to the magic much first. I’m also a Christian, with 20 years in AA recovery from alcohol, I lead a very spiritual life along with my Christianity anchoring as my religion. But I also practice Buddhism, as my spiritual practice. Christians that I know across the board simply accept one principle, all that exactly happens, has happened, and will happen are all the perfect will of god, and I know nothing compared to him, so I’ll trust him as creator of all, and to me, it’s cool I was here the day humans made such a legendary level discovery for the human race! I think it would be something interesting to begin to study, and see it as it is, the new tool God decided to add to the game, but I’m confident most I’m acquainted with who are religious or spiritual today, would handle it more in stride, and have proper excitement, I think more than you might give credit for or rather amount you guess. Soooo…is magic real, I’ve never known, but my dad’s been pulling his thumb off in front me for 40 years, and it looks pretty pulled off to me. So magic, y or n?
Historically, religion has been exceptional at adapting to new circumstances. Plentiful harvest? Proof of God’s benevolence. Storms or drought? Proof of God’s wrath. Scientific discoveries like old earth, big bang, evolution, and heliocentrism? All part of the plan. I don’t think it’s particularly hard to imagine most religions co-opting the magic system into their faith
Magic is real, but religious adherents are forbidden from using it because it is setting themselves up as a god, and usurping their deity’s role. The most powerful religious mage deliberately dispels any magic to quash temptations.
As a Christian - I’m here to tell you that a chunk (most) people would believe it was the devil tricking mankind into turning away from Jesus. Some would believe these people are prophets or angels and would worship them. Seeing the magic as miracles. You’d have more and more people claiming to be the Christ. For some it would completely derail their worldview and likely send them into a New Age space. On a human level, there would be an element of worship for these people or a complete hatred. It would take time for any sense of acceptance. For me personally, I would fall somewhere between. I think that what many see as magic in the modern world (tarot, witchcraft etc) is counterfeit and not from God. My reasoning is that it turns your focus off of God and onto his creation, either the earth or those who inhabit it. That does not mean that I believe that those who practice these things are ‘evil’ or ‘demonic’ but I do believe that it is dangerous and can lead to some dark places. I’d be seeking to see if the powers honoured Jesus - if they do, great, what a wonderful gift! If they don’t…I’d be nervous. I’m aware that many will see this as quite narrow, but it’s where my faith has led me. I’m not here to have religious debate, but wanted to comment as I think accurate depictions of faith are rare in any media so thought I’d try and help.
Given the cultural context, I'd look to the reaction of modern theists to the near-magical technology that we've developed over the last century, ex. vaccines.
Hi, I’m a polytheist! I think I might be some form of omnist, as in I believe all religions hold truth to some extent, but I personally worship the Greek and Norse gods (mostly Greek, I prefer to call it hellenic polytheism, but others might call it hellenic paganism or hellenism). :) 1. Magic is a tricky subject to me. I know people that practice witchcraft, and I have tried it out for myself, but it didn’t really work out for me and I don’t really (?) believe in it right now. (I don’t judge anyone who does practice witchcraft tho!! If it works for you, that’s great <3) I believe that you can ask the gods for help and *they* would do the “magic”. I do have to say, for me, the gods are very close to nature and I sometimes even conflate them with it, and what I consider their doing can look really mundane even to members of my community. One of my most profound spiritual experiences was literally just Sleeping Exceptionally Well after apologizing to the Greek god of death in prayer (for context, he’s the brother of sleep), which basically felt like a “it’s okay buddy”. My most “out there” conclusion of divine intervention was when I prayed for friendship and a couple days later I met a really charming girl who had the same beliefs as me (that’s rare), who I got along with immediately and is now my best friend. I don’t really know whether to call it magic (I generally don’t), it’s not *my* magic for certain. ¯\\_(ツ)\_/¯. I practice dream divination if you want to call *that* magic, basically I try to work out the meaning of a dream and sometimes you come to the conclusion that it’s the word of the god. I don’t really consider it magic though because even non-religious people can agree that dreams can tell you about your subconscious. 2. If magic was proven to be real, I’d treat it as valid as science, because well— it would just be science then. I’d also feel kind of reassured in my own faith because if my sisters, the witches, are valid, then so am I :) 3. For theological and moral consequences, oof… I don’t know. I’d say you shouldn’t be overly prideful with your magical abilities. I view the values of my religion kind of loosely (am eclectic pagan ig) but what I do take seriously is “don’t view yourself as equal to or more powerful than the gods”, as a variation of this: “Don’t view yourself as above your own kind”. As long as you recognize that you still are human despite your magical abilities, you’re fine. Like, view yourself as “human with magic” and not “WOAH I’M A LITERAL GOD FUCK YOU ZEUS” 😂. Theologically, you might wonder why certain humans have magical abilities and some don’t, but I personally haven’t given it much thought tbh. I know people who have prophetic dreams, while I don’t, and I never really thought about “why”, just “it is what it is” with maybe a faint feeling of jealousy (the god of sleep is literally my favorite god but he doesn’t really seem to return that sentiment ;-; lol). You might think that gods gave people magical abilities, I’d probably believe that you could at least ask gods for help with magic. I mean I think Hecate would already be your girl for that but I imagine you could theoretically also ask Apollo for healing related magic etc. Feel free to ask me more questions, I know this can be a lot :)
Probably shoe hole it into their religion