tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post7173689856153728031..comments2024-03-28T21:32:26.550+00:00Comments on Bruce Charlton's Notions: How did Good Magic become impossible - how may it again become possible?Bruce Charltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-42548569010003851862018-06-29T19:45:31.596+01:002018-06-29T19:45:31.596+01:00You include in your history of "good magic&qu...You include in your history of "good magic" many instances which would be the manipulation of volitional but indifferent (to human destinies, at least) forces which we may call natural.<br /><br />This category includes sailing of small craft, especially on the open sea but really anywhere, as well as surfing, para/hang-gliding, even some advanced martial arts and similarly trained forms of physical activities like climbing or swimming. It would also contain some performance arts like music and high-level dance.<br /><br />These arts are not at all impossible for modern people, though they have been shouldered aside from being sources of significant power by technology (which has always had a deep relationship with magic, both natural and diabolical).<br /><br />Alternatively, the "good magic" of divine origin, which the original Magi (from whom we take the term 'magic') practiced, was religious priesthood. <i>True</i> priesthood, calling upon the power of God rather than exploiting the credulity of men, as priestcraft does. To say that this is not currently possible is to ignore a vast body of well-documented accounts of miracles wrought through faithful appeal to divine intervention. Of course, some of these accounts really are just priestcraft, the 'evidence' is produced by a hysterical reaction to social pressure from an authority figure.<br /><br />But not all.<br /><br />I've been present for enough exercises of legitimate priesthood to know that it can produce physical phenomena which are not possible by mere socially induced hysteria (or by any hysteria). That said, I can do many similar things through my affinity for certain volitional natural forces, especially fire and magnetism. And frankly, given that I usually seek licit permission to exercise that affinity, it can be hard to tell the difference. But there definitely is one.Chiu ChunLinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03519192610708043962noreply@blogger.com