http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/view ... 65&forum=5

You decide.

Yep, I've run into that too. I am in the Cincinnati OH area and we do have people from Appalachia and rural areas that still believe that we are WITCHES! When I get booked at churches some have requested that I don't bring in cards "because cards are the devil's work."

I have also been asked to not mention Harry Potter. Religion and logic are not always compatible.

A lot of it is simple ignorance. People are of the mistaken belief that Playing cards evolved from Tarot cards, which were developed for fortune telling. Fact is I was of this mistaken belief. Turns out that Playing cards have been in existence for a LOT longer than the tarot, and that the tarot came a lot later.

As for Harry Potter. To many churches there is no difference between stories about Witchcraft, and the Occult, even if written as pure entertainment, and Witchcraft itself, or the occult. And it is their belief that Witchcraft exists, and has something to do with Satan. When Wiccans are basically nature lovers and worshipers that pre-dated Christianity.

As I see it the main problem is one of.." If our pastor says it it must be true, if anyone disagrees it's the devil." Kind of hard for them to get any info independant of their denomination since they do not believe in science being " neutral". All one can do is keep them in prayer. ( not trying to be funny )

I've seen this as well. It's quite ridiculous that people still have these illogical beliefs. In a time of so much information, the fact that people still believe in witchcraft is simply crazy. Yet, I have performed for a couple of witches. Which was an interesting experience.

Yep, same here except mine were spelled with a "B." Those can be rough gigs.

HA!

I've been accused of being Satan on several occasions and of using witchcraft as well. My typical answer is, if I could do real magic, do you think I'd be here. . . doing cards tricks . . . for YOU? No. I'd be in Hollywood living in a house made of money.

lmao... a house .. made of money... I almost spit soda on the keyboard from laughing...

"Your pizza is here sir!"
From inside - "I left the money on the portch".

I would be careful with fire effects.

How many Extreme Burn Gimmicks would it take ...to turn a house made out of singles into a house made out of hundreds? hmmm.... would probably beat the world record for the worlds biggest illusion

What a silly question.
I'm magic remember, my house was always made of hundreds (never use the cheap materials).

Hahaha !!!

A house MADE of money would be an interesting sight, why didn't the three little pigs try that ? Because they were broke that's why.

Anyway, i've been accused of black magic and all that nonsense. A couple of weeks ago i was showing some basic card tricks to this guy i met, we were simply talking about psychology and why magic is entertaining and all of that, so i turned a 7 of hearts face down on the table and turned to this girl who was sitting there watching and was about to do a verbal force and she politely said "Oh i'm sorry, i can't do it today" and i asked "Why?" and her response, "It's sunday". She had some issue with thinking of a card on this 'holy day'.

Thankfully i rarely get it anymore. The fact that i don't use the word 'magic' in my performances at all might help.

I remember when i first started doing tables over 10 years ago and i was about to do a trick and this woman said "Is this satanic ?" to which i replied "No, it's the Invisible Deck" and she nodded and continued.
I have no idea what she thought then.

I bet Eugene Burger gets it all the time.

Well I think that we should be sensitive to other peoples needs. Let's not be called "Magicians" lets be called"Ilusionists"! We shouldn't call them "magic tricks" we should call them " Ilusions"! Well lets just finish it all of instead of "Magic" we should call it "Ilusion".

Come on give us a break people! If we say Illusion then we are pretty much saying there is a gimmick or sleight of hand, "Try and Spot it!" If I was coughing to cover the sarcasm my internal organs would be lying on the keyboard!

I have been nicely turned down before because of a person's beliefs, but I haven't been called satan yet that seems like a really extreme and ignorant comment...
that house of money comment sounds pretty convincing though

There's a reason as to why many of us like to call it magic, not simply tricks or illusions, let me just find that from another thread for you, as to what they call me I don't mind as long as it's not satan