I'm going to ask this very very delicately. I'm genuinely curious and I don't wish to offend anyone's beliefs.
I'm trying to understand people of the cloth who do gospel magic, and their audiences.
Here's where it gets tricky, and again I don't want to offend anyone, I really want to know.
In my way of looking at things, I would think it would be blasphemy for a religious performer to imply that s/he had similar powers to a Higher Being. Isn't that being extremely prideful?
How and why has this form of magic become so popular? And why am I wrong?

Wrong forum, and wrong assumption about what they claim.

I purposely posted here, as I thought it would cause less controversy here. As I said, I don't want to upset anyone.
I understand that if a Leader turns water into wine, that in some respects it is a lesson, a metaphor about what happened according to religious teachings. But it seems to me that since
1) they are not revealing their methods, and
2) creating a state of wonder in their audiences that is real, with the Leader as the will agent
then it is a strong possibility that there will be the attribution of supernatural power to the Leader by audience members. This sort of thing has happened enough in the past that I would think that scrupulous Leaders would avoid putting themselves into this kind of context.
Seems to me it's a lot different from just playing a banjo.

The ONLY outcome of posting here is hearing from the majority of people who don't engage in your intended subject.

BTW most f the gospel magicians I know are much closer to banjo playing than devious Anti Christ deception.

While I don't do Gospel magic, I don't claim to have powers of any kind. I am an entertainer, not a shaman.

Landmark, the answer is simple, they don't claim real powers.

I have no idea what a gospel magician even is. What do they do? Do they perform for religious spectators?

I think gospel magicians perform effects that they can use as object lessons in propagating the gospel.

But I don't know, of course.

I'm curious about Tom's reference to the banjo. Tom, you know that for me the banjo is a rock and roll instrument, right?

My performance of "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" on the banjo at the last department picnic had the crowd ROARING. Even the radical feminists were throwing their underwear at me. It was a huge success.

I followed it up with a sugary sweet rendition of "Tammy", which went over less well.

But what can I say? I'm an artist.

Stone, videos of you on the banjo?

Devious anti Christ deception? No, that wasn't on my list of possible reasons for gospel magic.
I am saying that it seems a fairly widespread form of gospel entertainment/teaching. Given the associations of MAGICK to western religion, it surprises me that this vehicle is so widespread. As I said, it seems different in quality than singing gospel songs on the banjo or guitar. Just trying to understand more about it and its origins. I could post in the gospel section, but I thought it more likely that some in that section, for whatever reason, might take offense at the question.

I have always been curious as to what a gospel magician is as well.

Have look here:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewf......16&16194
and see if your questions are already answered in their dialogs

I'm still wondering why Tom, having made so many posts in this thread, including his very first one pointing out it was in the wrong section, hasn't used had it moved . . .

Test

Stoneunhinged is correct. See What is Gospel Magic?

I'd like to hear if the patter for their tricks differ from "regular" stuff

I remember getting a "Buddah Temple Screen" at Lou Tannen's many MANY years ago. I sat there looking it over in a public area in NYC. (Not giving away the secret.) I looked up and saw two Asian gentlemen looking at me and whispering to each other. I looked at the prop trying to see it from their eyes. A screen with three Buddah's on it and three Chinese characters (which I found later said something to the effect of "Cigarettes Sold Here") I was uncomfortable with the prop and wondered how I would feel if an Asian magician was to use a device that had three Christs on it.

A few years later, I found a website that sold Temple Screens with three Jesus's on one side and three Satan's on the other!

Not exactly the same concept as obviously the screen would be used to produce items in regards to the pictures shown (Sinful things from Satan, Life and Grace (or whatever) from Jesus)

As to my own Buddah screen, I put together new covers for it that showed three exclamation points on one side and three question marks on the other.

I found your question to be a valid one Landmark.

Several years ago I played a character for a pilot Children's tv show. While I'm not religious the other cast members were. They performed "gospel magic" before becoming cast members on this show. They were very clear that they never claimed to have super natural powers but were entertainers who used the opportunity to speak about the gospel through stories and entertainment.

This explains in a nutshell what a gospel magician does.
Gospel magic is the use of otherwise standard stage magic tricks and illusions to promote Christian messages. Gospel Magic does not claim to invoke spirits or paranormal powers.
Gospel Magic is intended to present the Christian good news through "visual parables"; the trick or illusion in Gospel Magic is used to present theological points in an entertaining way with the intention that people will remember[citation needed].
Gospel Magic is generally presented as stage magic or platform magic, but it can be adapted to close-up magic or micromagic situations. It is uncommon for a Gospel Magician to use mentalism.

On an other note, the former magic magazine, Newtops, contained a column on Gospel magic which gave patter for existing effects that could be used to enhance gospel stories.

Well now I know what to do if I want to ensure that a thread will be revived three years later...

Anyway, thanks Chrystal for your reply.

Was it god?