And yet fully grown, seemingly reasonable, people do it everyday, in every part of the world.
I had a good friend in high school who used to do amazing sleight of hand magic tricks.
One day a fellow student, whose mind had just been blown by a disappearing balloon, said "That's impossible, it MUST be magic."
My friend looked him straight in the eyes and said "Just because you are not smart enough to figure it out, doesn't mean it's not something that can be learned."
If you think that a simple magician's trick could not make even the most intelligent among you at least briefly consider the supernatural, then you have not seen the right trick.
And remember, the Puritans burned and drowned women for being 'witches' with no proof, while spending their Sundays praying to a God they could neither see nor hear.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to have my kids understand that it's not magic, it's fast fingers.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time such performers advertised as "prestidigitators" or "illusionists". Nowadays they're happy to tap into credulity by calling themselves "magicians".
Calling someone a liar, simply because they choose to believe something that you cannot, is the epidomy of intolerance.
ReplyDeleteI don't care what you have seen, felt, experience, etc. there are all sorts of folks in this world. The reason you hear about the crazies is just that-they're crazy!
The reason you don't hear about the millions of other religious folk is that they go about their business, and expect you can take care of your own business. People are capable of taking ANYTHING to an extreme. Period. But the majority are good folk, would help out another, when needed, and not judge others, based on a personal decision.
You forgot to mention that a large number of them don't speak out against the voluminous screaming of the loud mouths, thus becoming part of the problem.
Delete" I don't care what you have seen, felt, experience, etc. there are all sorts of folks in this world. The reason you hear about the crazies is just that-they're crazy!"
DeleteThat was the epitome of good! May I borrow it?
Magic is real. To believe otherwise is small minded. Remember the Asimov quote (to paraphrase) "any sufficiently advanced technology is INDISTINGUISHABLE from magic" (emphasis mine).
ReplyDeleteIn the Lord of the Rings, there were these magic orbs that allowed people to see and communicate over distances. In the book, they were called Palantirs--in real life, I call it Skype.
Magic allows the creation of something from nothing--so does current quantum physics theory.
Alchemists searched for a way to transmutate metals--change one element into another--physicists are able to do that and have even created about 25 new types of elements.
You may say "Those don't count, those are science & technology--not magic!" I say, "You're moving the goal posts."
Remember the Asimov quote …
DeleteAsimov may well have quoted Sir Arthur on one or more occasions, but Arthur C. Clarke is credited with originated this saying, commonly known as Clarke's Third Law.
Good Magic is fantastic, but there's nothing worse than a mediocre magician with a weak repertoire of magic tricks. David Blaine is one of the best, he pushes his boundaries, and Harrison's response was pure gold.
ReplyDeleteThis post of yours, Gryphen, goes so well with the one you posted on Sunday, "Your Sunday Morning Moment of Zen".
ReplyDeleteThanks for both of them!