Is God's power the same as magic?

[OnceConvinced]

Theists often get upset when people talk about God doing acts and referring to it as magic. But is there any real difference?

The first recorded act of God was creating light and what did he do? He made a verbal incantation: "Let there be light!"

Note: Abracadabra Hebrew meaning: “I will create as I speak,�
https://www.thejc.com/judaism/jewish-wo ... a-1.466709

So we have a god supposedly conjuring up things with magic words. Then we also have people claiming to have magical powers (some even claim those powers come from God himself).

Is there really any difference?
What are those differences?

[bjs]

Obviously this depends on how we define “magic� and how we define “God.�

However, if we stick with traditional definitions for these words, then magic is a human being attempting to influence the physical world by non-physical means. The acts of God, or “miracles,� are the work of a Being which exists outside physical universe and therefore, by definition, is not subject to the laws of physical laws of this universe.

So if our goal is accuracy, then calling the actions of God “magic� is certainly inaccurate. If our goal is something other than accuracy then that is a horse of a different color.

[Tcg]

However, if we stick with traditional definitions for these words, then magic is a human being attempting to influence the physical world by non-physical means. The acts of God, or “miracles,� are the work of a Being which exists outside physical universe and therefore, by definition, is not subject to the laws of physical laws of this universe.

So magic is a being known to actually exist relying on that which is known only through rumor and imagination.

A miracle is a being known only through rumor and imagination performing works known only through rumor and imagination.

That certainly sums it up well.


Tcg

[Zzyzx]

.

Obviously this depends on how we define “magic� and how we define “God.�

However, if we stick with traditional definitions for these words, then magic is a human being attempting to influence the physical world by non-physical means.

A more appropriate definition: magic is defined by the lexicographers at Oxford Dictionaries as The power of apparently influencing events by using mysterious or supernatural forces. www.lexico.com/en/definition/magic

Notice that no ‘person’ is required. There are claims that fairies, leprechauns, gods, angels (and occasionally people) have power to influence events using mysterious or supernatural forces. Your suggested personal definition does not take precedence over Oxford Dictionary.

The acts of God, or “miracles,� are the work of a Being which exists outside physical universe and therefore, by definition, is not subject to the laws of physical laws of this universe.

There does not seem to be a generally accepted definition of ‘God’.

So if our goal is accuracy, then calling the actions of God “magic� is certainly inaccurate. If our goal is something other than accuracy then that is a horse of a different color.

How does the proposed ‘God’s’ supposed power differ from “influencing events by using mysterious or supernatural forces�?

[Danmark]

"Of course it is." Both magic and God's intervention are supernatural and imagined phenomena with no explanation advanced by their proponents. If believers in 'magic' or 'god's miracles' could explain the mechanism of either imagined power, they could advance an argument. But they don't and can't, so they can't argue the point.

[1213]

...The first recorded act of God was creating light and what did he do? He made a verbal incantation: "Let there be light!"...

If that is counted magic, then I think anything people speak can be counted magic. And if saying “let there be light� is magic, I don’t know what is bad about that magic.

[JehovahsWitness]

...The first recorded act of God was creating light and what did he do? He made a verbal incantation: "Let there be light!"...

If that is counted magic, then I think anything people speak can be counted magic. And if saying “let there be light� is magic, I don’t know what is bad about that magic.

Now I understand, when I say to my students "There will be silence in here right now!" and it goes all quiet, I've cast a spell on them. That explains a lot, who knew?!



JW

[benchwarmer]

...The first recorded act of God was creating light and what did he do? He made a verbal incantation: "Let there be light!"...

If that is counted magic, then I think anything people speak can be counted magic. And if saying “let there be light� is magic, I don’t know what is bad about that magic.

You appear to missing the point. It's not the saying of the words that is magic, it is the act of saying words and having something happen by non natural means. i.e. something that did not exist before (light) poofing into existence.

Example: "Let a jelly donut appear all by itself on my desk!" and POOF a jelly donut appears with no intervention from anyone or anything else. Magic.

Saying something and having it happen due to natural means is not magic.

[Danmark]

As a child I believed in the magical powers of God. I took Jesus seriously when he said we could move mountains around. As i got older, I notice the only 'miracles' were things that could be explained by natural causes. Amputated limbs and permanent teeth knocked out never grew back. God only healed spiritual stuff, or stuff that could be faked. I grew to have more faith in physicians than in the supernatural.

[marco]

Obviously this depends on how we define “magic� and how we define “God.�

However, if we stick with traditional definitions for these words, then magic is a human being attempting to influence the physical world by non-physical means. The acts of God, or “miracles,� are the work of a Being which exists outside physical universe and therefore, by definition, is not subject to the laws of physical laws of this universe.

Then it might be clearer if we restrict our attention to what humans do. I have seen people produce rabbits and doves from what appeared to be an empty hat and I call this magic. There is of course an explanation for it, but the performer was a good magician. If a man who appears to be blind is touched by someone and instantly sees, then I call this magic. I have no idea how it was done but a good explanation would be collusion. A miracle is a piece of magic attributed to divine interference. If one prays for deliverance from an attacker and a bolt of lightning strikes the attacker dead we can call this miracle or very good luck.

If we have what is called strong faith then a whole variety of inexplicable events become easily explained, as were thunder, lighning and eclipses in ancient times. Magic becomes miracle depending on how profoundly we believe in supernatural interference.