Why are most Christians so accepting of magic

[tryphena rose]

In so much of our media and entertainment such as books, television shows, movies, video games and even music, magic is something that isn't used sparingly throughout the list of "creative" ideas to the world. In fact, it's getting harder to deter away from entertainment that doesn't contain some type of occult idea that defies the Truths of God.

When I first became a Christian, this was a big conviction for me as I wasn't into practicing anything occultic nor did I even believe it was true, however I was influenced by occult ideas based off of the media I was consuming, whether I had known it or not. As this was one of my very first convictions and I was strongly led by the Holy Spirit to turn from these things, I quickly saw how this wasn't the case for a majority of others. When things like Disney and Harry Potter are so popular, even among professing Christians, I'm left wondering how can this be so?

Talk to any born again believer who has come out of the new age movement and they understand how serious this is, because they've seen how far too real the deception of the enemy is to be lenient with these kinds of ideas, even at the expense of their own pleasure. In Revelation 21:8 the Bible says that sorcerers will have their part in the lake of fire. If this is taken seriously by God to include these kinds of people in the lake of fire, then why aren't the very ideas and practices that will put these people in the lake of fire, taken more seriously among Christians?

 

[timewerx]

Believe it or not, the mainstream media only cherishes the entertainment aspect of the Occult - fiction.

But when it comes to the real stuff with supernatural manifestations, they actually hate it and just as scared of it as everyone else.

I'm not saying the fictional / entertainment aspect of the Occult is harmless. On the otherhand, it is wicked dangerous!

Occult symbols in many cases are comparable to road signs. To guide motorists to their destinations. In this case, we are not dealing with cars but spirits.

 

[Strathos]

Because the 'magic' you see in fiction is... fictional. Imagine that.

 

[Sabertooth]

Why are most Christians so accepting of magic[?]

Because they haven't met the God of the Old Testament. (He's the same God in both testaments.) The New Testament has relatively little to say about sorcery & divination, so NT-only Christians mistake it for a non-issue.

 

[HowRU?]

I know what you’re saying Tryphena Rose, it seems that the theme of magic in television and movies is more widespread. I still remember the old sitcom “Bewitched”, produced in the 1960’s. It’s been around for quite awhile, it just seems to be a bit more prevalent and sinister than even 10 years back. It seems that way to me.
I and my family have always stirred clear of this flavor of entertainment, and have also felt the conviction to do so.

 

[tryphena rose]

Believe it or not, the mainstream media only cherishes the entertainment aspect of the Occult - fiction.

But when it comes to the real stuff with supernatural manifestations, they actually hate it and just as scared of it as everyone else.

I'm not saying the fictional / entertainment aspect of the Occult is harmless. On the otherhand, it is wicked dangerous!

Occult symbols in many cases are comparable to road signs. To guide motorists to their destinations. In this case, we are not dealing with cars but spirits.

Because the 'magic' you see in fiction is... fictional. Imagine that.

My question for you both then would be how do we draw a line in the sand on what we deem good fiction and bad fiction when it comes to the occult? Wouldn't this be a good instance of relying on our own understanding of things? Just because the world labels these things fictional, doesn't make them any less real. The world also calls God nothing but a fairy-tale, but again, it doesn't make Him any less real.

 

[Strathos]

My question for you both then would be how do we draw a line in the sand on what we deem good fiction and bad fiction when it comes to the occult? Wouldn't this be a good instance of relying on our own understanding of things? Just because the world labels these things fictional, doesn't make them any less real. The world also calls God nothing but a fairy-tale, but again, it doesn't make Him any less real.

If popular media was teaching people how to do real magic, you'd see it happening on the street every day.

Go ahead and try to cast a spell as described in Harry Potter or Dungeons and Dragons. I guarantee you that nothing will happen (aside from making yourself look incredibly silly).

 

[Mel333]

In so much of our media and entertainment such as books, television shows, movies, video games and even music, magic is something that isn't used sparingly throughout the list of "creative" ideas to the world. In fact, it's getting harder to deter away from entertainment that doesn't contain some type of occult idea that defies the Truths of God.

When I first became a Christian, this was a big conviction for me as I wasn't into practicing anything occultic nor did I even believe it was true, however I was influenced by occult ideas based off of the media I was consuming, whether I had known it or not. As this was one of my very first convictions and I was strongly led by the Holy Spirit to turn from these things, I quickly saw how this wasn't the case for a majority of others. When things like Disney and Harry Potter are so popular, even among professing Christians, I'm left wondering how can this be so?

Talk to any born again believer who has come out of the new age movement and they understand how serious this is, because they've seen how far too real the deception of the enemy is to be lenient with these kinds of ideas, even at the expense of their own pleasure. In Revelation 21:8 the Bible says that sorcerers will have their part in the lake of fire. If this is taken seriously by God to include these kinds of people in the lake of fire, then why aren't the very ideas and practices that will put these people in the lake of fire, taken more seriously among Christians?

Perhaps there is a small number of Christians who take Christ and the bible seriously and the rest say they are but are still conformed to the ways of the world. I'd call it luke-warm Christianity.

Whatever the reason, pretty much everything of and in the world that is loved and accepted has some kind of anti-christ or anti-christian influence behind it.

For instance, story-telling in movies counterfeit the good parts of the Christian story such as having a saviour (a super hero), or an orphan who is adopted into a family, or that our 'one and only' is a man or woman to make us complete, or someone sacrifices their life for another.

I think it's not taken seriously in churches or among Christians because people like to follow the herd and are peer pressured into following the culture of the world because they want to be liked.

It's very difficult to counter culture the word's culture because you will be rejected just as Christ was rejected.

In regards to magic, it's modern day influences are from Alister Crowley's book of Magick. Apparently Scientology stems from it. The religion of Thelema.

 

[Blade]

Amen tryphena rose... Father for give me.. for all I have seen done played with.. it was for self..not you. And for what I cant remember.. hold not to my charge.. I am so sorry Father..

I think we .one dont believe its real. Or we believe ..we can handle it. Way to many stories about bad things happening in the family. And you ask.. do you happen to have Harry Potter books? YES! Tell them.. get rid of them.. then talk to me in a week. EVERY TIME all the bad things stopped.

Reading watching something that does not lift up bring any glory to GOD or Christ. Where He is not even in it.. and its ok? Something based on lies not real? Did we not read the OT? Does what I read see speak think.. does it EVER exalt its self ABOVE Christ? And its ok? Jesus is not in it.. has nothing about JESUS.. and its ok?

So many have never seen the supernatural. To be fake.. something had to be true. Satan can not create. Only mimic..copy..twist.. fake.

Go search on this stuff.. talk to some of them.. For me.. if its not of by for my Father.. I don't want it.. I want .I work for.. everything I do say think to give HIM glory. Not better I sin more then most.. its just IN ME..always has been. To pray never stopping.. to sing worship Him.. always.. to have Him on my mind every moment of every day.. is what I live and work at. Just me

 

[tryphena rose]

I know what you’re saying Tryphena Rose, it seems that the theme of magic in television and movies is more widespread. I still remember the old sitcom “Bewitched”, produced in the 1960’s. It’s been around for quite awhile, it just seems to be a bit more prevalent and sinister than even 10 years back. It seems that way to me.
I and my family have always stirred clear of this flavor of entertainment, and have also felt the conviction to do so.

Yes, exactly. You can take horribly dark shows like American Horror Story, Supernatural and even lucifer and all these things would be labeled fiction but are complete abominations when it comes to the Truth of God. I used to be heavily into fantasy, particularly video games like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts and these games toy around with the ideas of various gods, magic, darkness vs. light, possession and all these things are just evil and counterfeits to the truth of God.

It's great to hear I'm not alone in my convictions, so thank you for sharing!

 

[tryphena rose]

If popular media was teaching people how to do real magic, you'd see it happening on the street every day.

Go ahead and try to cast a spell as described in Harry Potter or Dungeons and Dragons. I guarantee you that nothing will happen (aside from making yourself look incredibly silly).

But all it takes is an idea or a small influence. It's what I believe sucks people into other religions and most of the time, it begins with just an idea or a small influence. You don't normally (if ever) see people praying in the streets, but they do it within the comfort of their own homes. There's lots of evil that takes place behind close doors and God knows this because He knows what lurks in the hearts of men and the heart, is a deceptive thing.

This testimony is specific to witchcraft and the woman specifically mentions how Disney influenced her as a young girl to look further into witchcraft, eventually leading into practicing and professing it. A forewarning though that this testimony mentions abuse. I know everyone has their own story, so I'm not sure if you're sensitive to it or not. I just want to give you a heads up regardless.

 

[Mel333]

But all it takes is an idea or a small influence. It's what I believe sucks people into other religions and most of the time, it begins with just an idea or a small influence. You don't normally (if ever) see people praying in the streets, but they do it within the comfort of their own homes. There's lots of evil that takes place behind close doors and God knows this because He knows what lurks in the hearts of men and the heart, is a deceptive thing.

This testimony is specific to witchcraft and the woman specifically mentions how Disney influenced her as a young girl to look further into witchcraft, eventually leading into practicing and professing it. A forewarning though that this testimony mentions abuse. I know everyone has their own story, so I'm not sure if you're sensitive to it or not. I just want to give you a heads up regardless.

Apparently Disney has all these subtle images in the animations to influence people.

Here's a link to the vid:

Maybe Disney has subtle spells in it? Wouldn't surprise me that the dark side influences children when they are young.

 

[tryphena rose]

Amen tryphena rose... Father for give me.. for all I have seen done played with.. it was for self..not you. And for what I cant remember.. hold not to my charge.. I am so sorry Father..

I think we .one dont believe its real. Or we believe ..we can handle it. Way to many stories about bad things happening in the family. And you ask.. do you happen to have Harry Potter books? YES! Tell them.. get rid of them.. then talk to me in a week. EVERY TIME all the bad things stopped.

Reading watching something that does not lift up bring any glory to GOD or Christ. Where He is not even in it.. and its ok? Something based on lies not real? Did we not read the OT? Does what I read see speak think.. does it EVER exalt its self ABOVE Christ? And its ok? Jesus is not in it.. has nothing about JESUS.. and its ok?

So many have never seen the supernatural. To be fake.. something had to be true. Satan can not create. Only mimic..copy..twist.. fake.

Go search on this stuff.. talk to some of them.. For me.. if its not of by for my Father.. I don't want it.. I want .I work for.. everything I do say think to give HIM glory. Not better I sin more then most.. its just IN ME..always has been. To pray never stopping.. to sing worship Him.. always.. to have Him on my mind every moment of every day.. is what I live and work at. Just me

Amen Blade, amen.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:33-34

 

[tryphena rose]

Apparently Disney has all these subtle images in the animations to influence people.

Here's a link to the vid:

Yes! I have seen this before. It's a good reason I don't trust Disney in particular. They have no good reason whatsoever to add these things into children's movies and there isn't anything they can say that would justify that.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

I used to be heavily into fantasy, particularly video games like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts and these games toy around with the ideas of various gods, magic, darkness vs. light, possession and all these things are just evil and counterfeits to the truth of God.

That is just your interpretation of the matter.

 

[tryphena rose]

That is just your interpretation of the matter.

So those things aren't evil and counterfeits to the Truth of God?

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

So those things aren't evil and counterfeits to the Truth of God?

Correct. Final fantasy VII was a great story not a gauntlet thrown against the face of God.

 

[Sabertooth]

Apparently Disney has all these subtle images in the animations to influence people.

Here's a link to the vid:

Some of that may be intentional, others are not. I am an amateur figure artist (which includes eidonomy, the study of external anatomy, head-to-toe) and it's easy to find sexual anatomical forms on otherwise non-sexual phenomena, such as architecture (which can be deemed phallic or yonic), weather maps[!?] or electronic components.

A headphone plug.

[There is even a folded piece of paper that appears to many as a woman's cleavage. -deleted (that's how convincing it is...)]​

See The Rorschach Test...

[Edit: See Pareidolia - Wikipedia ]

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

Depends on what you define as magic. Harry Potter, based loosely on witchcraft. LotR, based on nothing, just fictional magic. Then you have magic as in illusions, tricks...etc.

Most people I have seen seem to be ok with all three. Which makes no sense because the first one is the kind we should avoid. The second one is a grey area given its not based on witchcraft but some would still question it.

Stuff like American Horror Story, Chucky, Harry Potter, Sabrina...etc christians shouldn't be into. Anything with occult things like a crystal ball, pentagrams...etc and I am out. Most horror movies are occult and dangerous.

In the end people tend to say they watch based on their own conviction. Which is fine. However we should forget that sometimes we confuse "what we want" with conviction.

I'd also add that technically your picture you are using tends to be associated with magic. Granted you may not know that. More so fictional magic. Which I am more or less ok with. I was playing a mobile game where you would have teams fight each other in a fictional fantasy world. The one character I had I never really paid attention to her ability. Then I noticed she shes uses it, she shines a pentagram symbol. I deleted the game and never looked back.

Then again it may have been a pentacle. Which some said is different.

 

[tryphena rose]

Correct. Final fantasy VII was a great story not a gauntlet thrown against the face of God.

It may be great by worldly standards, but not by Godly standards. Final Fantasy VII doesn't honor God in the slightest, and this is my point. It contains a wide array of spiritual aspects like the lifestream which gives life to all on the planet, Sephiroth wanting to absorb the energy of the lifestream in order to become like a god, magic materia which is basically just casting spells and more. You see, it's the spiritual truths that lie behind the ideas that is my problem, not necessarily the game itself. I, like you, enjoyed Final Fantasy VII a lot and it was a big part of my childhood, but as a Christian I can't turn a blind eye and let negative spiritual influences into my life if I'm to live by Godly standards.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2