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maurile Regular user San Diego 102 Posts |
Interesting article here:
http://www.dtl.org/article/robison/levitate.htm Not really about Gospel Magic, but this seemed the most appropriate forum for it anyway. |
BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
Interesting information.
On one hand, I guess it is a testimony (no pun intended) to the skill and craft of the performer, and on the other hand - to the zeal for righteousness of the spectator/authority. But this pretty much also atests to the old saying that "you can't please everybody." I had two friends (a pastor and a deacon) who began to pray over me and attempted to cast out demons when I just mentioned doing magic. My attitude is that; "I don't want to offend anyone! any more than is necessary......" So I quit talking about it with them. No sense offending them. Some day, I will be performing somewhere and they will happen into the audience, and they will get it - or maybe not. Life is simple. Do right (according to God - and His Word) and then if people have a problem with what you are doing, it isn't a problem with you. It is a problem with God, and His Word. What I do is entertainment. It is tricks, and illusions that prove that you can't trust your senses - you need to put trust in a higher place. The highest place; God! Coincidently? I heard Hadden Robinson, a preiminent expositiory Preacher/Teacher on Moody Radio last night saying that he had spent a lot of money on magic tricks as a youth, and he clearly made the point that what the Bible admonishes us against - in "Magic" is not a card tricks or sleight of hand! It is about calling on gods (notice small "g") or spirits to perform our bidding in unnatural activities. If you don't know who Hadden Robinson is, that won't mean much. But if you know of him, you will appreciate the clarity and foundationaly sound teaching of that. BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Burt Yaroch Inner circle Dallas,TX 1097 Posts |
Quote:
On 2002-03-15 07:04, BroDavid wrote: I like your mantra (if I may mix my religious metaphors) but could this possibly be giving too much authority to one's actions? Perhaps you wouldn't mind explaining this a little further. Thx. (I was going to PM this to you but as this tread was really just pointing us to an article I thought others might enjoy your insight.)
Yakworld.
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maurile Regular user San Diego 102 Posts |
Quote:
Do right (according to God - and His Word) and then if people have a problem with what you are doing, it isnt a problem with you. It is a problem with God, and His Word. I'd say if people have a problem with what you're doing, they do have a problem with you. They have a problem with you and God, but it's still a problem with you. Think of it this way. If someone goes around doing evil things because Satan told him to, you'd have a problem with that person, right? His claim that he was "just following orders" wouldn't absolve him of the blame. Similarly, if someone really has a problem with what you're doing when you follow God's Word, you can't say the problem isn't really with you -- it sounds too much like the "just following orders" excuse. I'd say that if someone has a problem with me when I'm doing God's will, he really does have a problem with me. And if I'm going to keep doing God's will, I'll have to be prepared to live with that. It's my choice, and I'll take responsibility for it. Is this too off-topic? I apologize in advance if it is, but the portion of the message Yak quoted made me think about it, and I thought it was an interesting issue. |
Burt Yaroch Inner circle Dallas,TX 1097 Posts |
Dude it's your topic. I need to apologize to you if anything. I too just thought it an interesting perspective. I think I agree with your assesment as well.
Yakworld.
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BroDavid Inner circle America’s North Coast, Ohio 3176 Posts |
Ok, maybe I can clear up what I meant.
My point is simply this; Right is right, even if nobody else is doing it, and wrong is wrong even if everyone else is doing it. There are absolutes, and God's Word is the absolute measure of these absolutes; right and wrong. Yaks question was a good one. Does this give too much authority to ones own actions? And the comment by maurile saying that it sounds like the "just following orders" defines, both pretty much approach the same point; Is there room for abuse in such a belief? My s answer; Yes! That is one extreme, and really reminds me of Flip Wilson, and "the devil Made me do it!" And in a world where we have gotten so far from accepting no personal responsibility for anything, this may sound like what I meant. But that is not the case. I am saying, that I am responsible - not to my own desires, nor to anyone elses standards except God's. Does that mean that someone won't have a probelm with me; no - but it does mean that I don't have to be responsible to make them happy. I am responsible to please God. And if I am in a right relationship with Him, and know and Do His word and and His Will, I am ultimately accountable to Him only. Could others be offended and take issue with me - sure. How will that affect me? Some... Will it change what I do? No! It also doesn't mean that I can break Man's Laws - speeding, etc, because I think God told me to hurry up or whatever. It isn't God's nature to tell anyone to do wrong. To put the issue back into the context of magic, there are some of my friends, in and out of the pastorate who don't think I should do magic, So I won't do it - in their face. But I won't stop doing it. Because I think I am doing what God has called me to do; go and tell the world. And Magic is the key to many doors for me to do that. And whether you agree with me or not, I want to say thanks to both of you for the discussion. Everyone had some interesting things to say. Good think stuff! God Bless, BroDavid
If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.
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Burt Yaroch Inner circle Dallas,TX 1097 Posts |
Thanks for taking the time for that BroDave. Very nice.
Yakworld.
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Maynooth Regular user Australia 105 Posts |
My two sheckles worth.
I love bacon but I wouldn't stand my barbecue up in front of the local synagogue (spelling? sorry) and cook it there even though it isn't a problem with my beliefs. If someone else's beliefs conflict strongly with entertainment magic I would avoid doing magic for them. In fact to get into the secular world, if I attempt to introduce the magic subject to a non-religious person and they make it clear that they don't like magic I wouldn't perservere either. Magic, like music or comedy can carry a message and I think a joke or song from the minister falls in the same catagory as magic. If it carries a message of God's love, whatever your belief in God, then it is not a bad thing. Oh, I've just run out of sheckels... cheers. Maynooth
The race is long and in the end it is only with one's self.
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John Regular user 153 Posts |
I usually make a case in my introduction, saying something like this: "What I appreciate about illusion as an audience is that when it happens, for the moment it happens, the impossible is made visible. When you think of it, that's a pretty good art form to use to speak of and give glory to life's Lord because Christian's believe that in Jesus Christ the impossible has not only been made visible, it has been made real. So for a few moments this evening I'd like to use the art of illusion to speak of the truth of Jesus Christ.
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