Question for atheists

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thinkandmull said:
Dear sirs,

What is your definition of magic?
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Like many words interpretation of this one is contextual. If someone is proposing “magic” as part of some real world event I interpret it as being a process real or imagined for which there little to no understanding. Though a person that proposes magic as part of an explanation may feel confident that he/she understands how it works.
 
As AC Clarke pointed out…any technology, sufficiently advanced, is indistinguishable from magic. Magic is something we just haven’t figured out…yet. Oh, I’m a practicing Catholic, guess I need more practice!
 
KnowtheSilence said:
Forces outside of the natural realm that can be manipulated by human actions.
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I think those supernatural forces would like people to believe that they are manipulating them when it is in fact the other way around.
 
Polycarp1 said:
I think those supernatural forces would like people to believe that they are manipulating them when it is in fact the other way around.
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👍

By faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God; that from invisible things visible things might be made.

Hebrews 11:3
 
It is a bit tricky to define “magic” upfront, so let me define “occultism” first. Broadly speaking, occultism is the notion that unfalsifiable accounts of phenomena are acceptable, e.g., that phenomena can be adequately explained apart from the scientific method.

“Magic” is any of the phenomena occultism exempts from examination by the scientific method. So when something is called magical, it is a description of the speaker’s presuppositions about that phenomena more so than the phenomena itself.
 
thinkandmull said:
Dear sirs,

What is your definition of magic?
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Magic is difficult to define in a way that all would accept.

Magic could refer to a miracle. That is, a deliberate act by God no one can explain and seems beyond reason. For example, creating the universe from nothing, a good deal more impressive as magic than pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Or magic could refer to an event that happens which it seems impossible to explain, such as the notion some atheists might entertain that the universe created itself.

Theists and atheists alike are susceptible to magical explanations, though the latter might deny this. 🤷
 
The thing about magic is we all know it without a technical definition required. We also know that miracles are not magic, but they are magical. They give us a sense of awe and wonder at what a wonderful God we have. Cheap magic tricks on the other hand can only give us a cheap imitation of that awe and wonder, knowing that the magician operates within the natural laws using slight of hand to fool us. God, on the other hand creates the natural laws and is therefore free to disobey them or use them as he sees fit for his good purposes.
 
I think fisherman carl that magic is hard to define. It would be above natural law but below the transcendental realm. We Catholics don’t believe in it. I was wondering what atheists believe about magic because why can’t we just say “it is laws which we don’t understand”? Why say they contradict natural law instead of being a form of it. Atheism takes the magic out of life!
 
fisherman_carl said:
The thing about magic is we all know it without a technical definition required. We also know that miracles are not magic, but they are magical
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Outside of a fictional context I’d have to disagree with you; I don’t think we all agree that we have all ever seen magic or supernatural or miracles or atleast don’t all agree that a certain event was from magic or a miracle.
 
David Blain: sticks needle through arm
Ricky Gervais: “You do that and people go, ‘Wow! Magic!’ but no, you really did stick a needle through your arm!”

Seriously though, how many of those magic/miracles stories do we hear, “Doctors have no idea!” pulls out wallet for BS card
 
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