Hocus Pocus…There Goes Your Soul!

Magic is defined by “Webster’s Dictionaryâ€

this is a topic I've always had itching in the back of my mind....

As far as I know, this essay is the first dealing with this topic (correct me if I'm wrong), and its a great start. Maybe I'll do some research and write a follow-up essay

Very well-written essay. Nice job

Thanks...I haven't proofread it yet...this is the rough draft for my college english class...I am sure it is full of errors...but I thought I would slide it in here for a little insight from you guys.

Wow, great essay and great points! Great job!

I like your essay except for the David Blaine part...

Him dressing in black has nothing to do with demons. Black is simply a color.

His emotionless expression is simply his presentation for the effects. He is trying to look as if he is in deep, deep concentration. David wants to make it seem like he is intently focused on the effects he does. The only time he acts like he's drained of energy was when he levitates, which I was never a big fan of self levitation, so I think thats bad presentation. He never refers to any "force", but he does make numerous references to the power of the mind. Every magician does at some point. If you don't believe me, buy his book, Mysterious Stranger. He basically pours his whole life of magic into the book, and he explains how incrediblly happy his feelings were when he does his magic and endurance stunts.

I'm sure you've seen the video of him go up to the homeless man and borrow his cup of coffee. Then, he visually changes the coffee into coins, which he gives to the bum, who has tears of joy in his eyes. What you didn't see, is that afterward, David let the man stay with him in his hotel for the night. David gave him a bath, some ice cream, and all of his remaining cash, which was a couple hundred dollars. He explained this in his book.

Another example was when he went to Haiti in his "Magic Man" special. In Haiti, magic and voodoo were the same thing, and people often ran away from him or were scared of him before he even showed them a trick. He was constantly explaining that it was entertainment, that it was good, and that it was not black magic, and after he performed for them, everyone had a smile on their face.

"Magic allows people to recapture their childlike wonders and strip away their defenses. Magic makes people vulnerable. That's when they're the most beautiful, because they're no longer hiding and no longer afraid."
-David Blaine

I really look up to David Blaine a lot. And I agree with your essay. I just want you to reconsider what you wrote about him. I'm not criticizing you, just sharing my honest opinion and defending it

I wasn't refering to David Blaine in the way that I see him...I don't care what he wears or how dry he is...this is just how he comes accross to certain evangelicals...that is what I was trying to say...The way we magicians see him and the way others see him are two totally different perspectives...same with Chris Angel....people have told me that those two give them a bad vibe. They don't give me a bad vibe because I know that they are just performing tricks...but some people take their stuff way too seriously, and reason being: the way they dress and present.

Okay, good to hear that you dont think of him like that. Just be sure to explain thats how the public percieves him in your great essay

Yeah, lot's of people relate criss angel to devil worship things because of his appearance and the crazy stunts he does like hanging from fishhooks on a helicopter and being burned alive.

I think Criss Angel's quite aware of what his kind of imagery can stir up... A little controversy is good publicity.

I liked this essay. Before I blow anybodies mind by being blunt with this post, understand a couple things first. I am not religious. I do not believe in organized religion. Religion has been the cause of so many lost lives and the brute of war between so many past and present. Am I bad talking anyone if they are a part of organized religion? No I am not. I believe in a god like many do. I just do not feel that I must participate in Sunday Service to prove my good will to the lord. With that information said, understand this is not an item to create debate but only my personal feelings and experience.

Your Last WARNING.. If you are super religious then do not continue to read below this statement. Do not bash my views as you have been prewarned that it may be offensive to you.

I was not caught off guard at all by reading that the woman barged in the store saying it was more less an abomination of the lord to have the magic shop open in town. Now why does this not suprise me? Most and remember I am saying most and not all organized religion groups or members are the first ones to JUDGE without knowing what they are talking about.. By running in there she felt like maybe she was a warrior of the lord.. Now keep in mind maybe I do not know what I am talking about either. Its only my personal experience and thoughts.

These A.K.A relegious warriors say that the magician is of something evil and we are masters of deceit and misdirection. They just do not like what they can not understand. If it is not explained in the bible then organized religion members do not like it and are afraid of the concept. When people question things I constantly hear too many people like this telling me something that starts off with "Well the Bible Tells Us to blah blah blah blah" . How bout tell me what you think and how you feel about things. I do not care what the Bible told you. To many people take the Bible as a manual to Life.. I can not blame them though because it has some great philosophy in it. I have read most of the Bible and it is a very good book. Also there is one man teaching that the bible should be used in this way that he interprets it.

This man is the preacher. The preacher is not much different from the magician. Excpet we lie to people so they can in the end have fun and ejoy our trick. Most likely they know we are lying most of the time but it makes it fun for them. So the way they are both the same is that they both lie. Have you ever been to church or seen a church session on TV or the raido or something? While experiencing this did you ever hear the preacher say that God spoke to him last night and here is what he said. Or that demons surrounded his bed and told him to stop spreading the word of God? I heard these similar words from numerous preachers in my life. Do you think God really spoke to the preacher? If so what makes him so special to get to hang out with God every other day and talk about the church? Maybe you spread the word of God before, and did God drop by and give you a little chat before you did your preaching? Im gonna take a wild guess and proclaim that they are lying and that God never really talked to them at all. However now the church crowed has a sense of restored or renewed faith because God is talking directly to the man who spreads the good word to them on Sunday. The preacher has just fooled everyone (For good cause) that God speaks to him. He has misdirected and everyone of the truth but what he accomplished was unity in the church by delivering the word of God directly. The preacher acts as if he is a miracle man that in some religions convince you to hold snakes or other can say some words and install the holy ghost in you like an internet download.

Understand that its just not happening that way.. Dunk you under water and your sins are cleansed. If this is the case then thank god I take a bath everyday. Oh wait, I cant baptize myself it has to be a preacher because he has special powers that when he pushes me under with his hand then it works.. Is any of this sounding familiar? If they claim the magician to be that of lies and misdirection then the preacher is an everyday magician. He is a master in his art and was trained by the preacher before him. In the older days many great magicians had mentors and that has faded from being the case these days and that perhaps is why its just not the same as it used to be. However the magic preacher had a mentor to guide him before he started preaching. Most every preacher had one before they preached solo. This is what makes the world of preaching so successful..

All I am trying to say is that someone who misdirects should not preach to thier people to heckle others who misdirect. Bottom line is that the woman had no right barging into the mans store making her gestures. If you made yourself appear as a miracle man and then you started your own religion do you think people would follow you? Yes they would if you were good. If Blaine made a church it would be full for Sunday Service. Ok Im going to stop beating the issue cause Im sure you see the relation I am trying to point out.

IMPORTANT READ THIS- BY POSTING THIS I IN NO WAY MEAN TO UNDERMINE ANYONES RELIGION OR BELIEFS. I THINK ITS GREAT THAT WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT OR WE WOULD BE ONE BIG BORING CULT OF PEOPLE. I ALSO IN NO WAY AM BASING ANY OF THIS POST ON FACT BUT RATHER MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS AND EXPERIENCE. I DO NOT IMPLY THAT ALL PREACHERS LIE OR MISDIRECT AS MAGICIANS DO BUT AGAIN ITS ONLY MY EXPERIENCE. DO NOT GO TO YOUR PREACHER AND TELL HIM SOME GUY ON THE INTERNET SAID THAT HE LIES BECAUSE YOU HEARD HIM SAY SOMETHING THAT I REFERRED TO. GOD JUST MIGHT SPEAK TO HIM AND HE MAY BE TELLING THE TRUTH BECAUSE ITS NOT SOMETHING I CAN PROVE, AGAIN ONLY MY THOUGHTS. IF TOTALLY MISSED THAT LAST SENTENCE AND DID SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HIM THEN YOU WILL LEARN VERY QUICKLY THAT THE DEVIL WORKS IN MANY WAYS TO PULL YOU AWAY FROM RELIGION. I JUST DONT THINK THE DEVIL HAS INTERNET ANYWAY THOUGH.

I mean no harmful words to any man or woman.. What ever your god is then God Bless you. If you do not believe in a God then Bless You. If you just sneezed then Bless you too.

This is very goodd

Thanks...I scored an 88 on this essay...that was the highest score in the class...

Congradualtions,very well written.It made me think for a while.



-YNWA

Eh? Why aren't these groups Christians? They believe in the one God and that Jesus Christ was his son who came to earth and died for us that our sins may be forgiven. Is there another definition?

James the Junky

You put all that effort into saying all that junk that clearly was a pure example of my story.. Thanks for reinforcing my views.. I was not judging anyone in that post in fact I dont think I mentioned any relegious group directly (atleast I dont think so). I shared an experience and a personal view. You say I should have stopped after before losing my credibility? What credibility? You dont know me and never will, atleast I dont go around posting dumb 2 liner comments telling somebody hey you suck like most 17 and under on this board do. Its not going to help me sleep any better at night because you think I am credible. More than likely I have done more than you, seen more than you, and heard more than you. Thus giving me more experience than you on issues and topics.. Dont get me wrong I respect your reply because it seemed to be partially contructive. Fact is though I have been around the world 3 times. I was raised in organized religion in 3 different relegions. Every preacher talked to god for some reason. Anyway being around the world a few times has probably made me experience some things.. Keep in mind I was never pinpointing your preacher or your relegion.

You cleary missed what I said.. You told me nothing I said was based on fact that everything was only my personal views... How about dont tell me things that I already said in my post.. Read below..

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