The Bible Says...

I was looking up a passage in one of my old Bibles the other day. It's a teen study bible, so it has added content for teens. In the back of the Bible there is an index of subjects (such as family, parents, money, sin, etc.) and page numbers where you can find them. Well I happened to turn to the page that had Magic on it. So out of curiosity I looked at the two page numbers that were listed to see what this Bible had to say.

The first one had nothing to do with magic (it was just a reference to someone using God's name as a "magic" word). But the second page made me laugh, but it also made me kind of mad. It's a section called "The Bible Says" and this one was on magic. Here is what is says...

"Today's magicians pull rabbits out of hats and do other tricks to make people or even elephants seem to disappear. Real magic involves the use of charms, spells or rituals to influence people or events. Much magic in Bible times was an attempt to control demons and other supernatural beings. To some extent, all occult practices involve the use of real magic. People often turn to magic because they want more control over what happens to them. They're afraid, and they don't trust God's control over the events of their lives. When many people in Ephesus became Christians, they realized the evil in real magic. They burned their books of magic (Acts 19:18-20). People who know that God loves them don't have to be afraid of the future. God is in control, and he will take care of them always."

It amazes me that people actually believe this. It's no wonder that Christians have such a skewed view of Paganism. So let's point out the places where this passage went wrong (at least in regard to my own beliefs, I know this won't apply to everyone but it's how I feel and what I think).
1. If you are going to reference "real" magic...spell it correctly. Magic is pulling rabbits out of hats. Magick is what is real.
2. Pagans who practice magick don't believe in demons.
3. Magick isn't about control, it's about spirituality and a connection to the Divine.
4. Pagans trust God's control and the Goddess' control. But the future isn't set in stone, we can still plead our case.
5. Magick in and of itself isn't evil.
6. Paganism is not about being afraid of the future.

I don't know who came up with this crap, but it's ridiculous! In my opinion of course...