Religion & Magic

I am reading a book called "Early Mormonism and the Magical Worldview" (written by a BYU professor who is now a former BYU professor because of the book). I am only 3/4 through the introduction but it is already very interesting.

The author makes the point that magic and religion are very similar. The difference is that society has deemed magic as "bad" and religion as "good/virtuous". They both use ritual, words, signs, actions, etc. to achieve certain results.

I agree with the author that religion and magic are fundamentally the same. This comparison reveals a lot about the author's worldview resulting from his LDS background. It is also an example of why I am no longer LDS nor do I consider myself "religious".

In a magical worldview (this is describing the occult and NOT the optical illusions of modern day magicians) a person attempts to manipulate his surroundings (both visible and invisible) by appealing to some kind of natural order through ritual, incantations, proper behaviors, sacred objects, etc. This manipulation is to achieve a result desired by the person whether that be health, wealth, wisdom, defeat of an enemy, finding treasure, telling the future, etc.

In a religious worldview, a person uses similar manipulations such as ritual, incantations (liturgy or prayers), proper behaviors (morality), sacred objects (cups, temples, altars, oil), etc. to attempt to achieve a desired result. The result desired may be similar to those described above, or it may simply be "heaven" or a kind of "paradise". The main difference I see between magic and religion, is that while the occult may be trying to manipulate nature or the unseen world, the religious try to manipulate God to achieve their desired result.

In religion, God becomes the means to an end. This is true, in some way or another, of all major "religions" (Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Mormonism). About Mormonism specifically (since the author's background is what sparked this blog post), the manipulation plays out something like this.

In Mormonism, God is the means to the end of man's exaltation (godhood). We bind God through the performance of ritual (ordinances), proper behaviors (works/obedience), sacred objects (garments/temples/seer stones), etc. and he must therefore bless us in this life and grant us exaltation in the life to come. "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (rough quote D&C 82). This runs parallel to the magical idea that if a person says the incantation correctly, is a virgin, and does the ritual dance correctly, then "nature" or whatever power they appeal to, will be compelled to grant their demands.

The idea that God is a means to an end is further evidenced by the statement I have heard many times (and made myself) that "If all we are doing in heaven is singing praise to God I think that will get pretty boring. God is not that selfish that he would want us to spend eternity singing his praises." Also the idea that "Even if I'm not in the celestial kingdom with God, I'll be comfortable wherever I am." In both ideas, God is not what is desired - rather the person desires comfort or godhood.

Christian denominations are not immune to this kind of "religious" thinking. There are many in Baptist, Methodist, and non-denominational churches who obey God, "get saved", attend church, etc. because they are seeking their heavenly reward - whatever they envision that reward to be (this usually involves a mansion of some sort and eternal comfort - possibly playing a harp on a cloud). Or, they are simply trying to avoid their understanding of hell (small houses, fire, and eternal discomfort - also, no harps).

This is why true Christianity is different from every major religion. Christianity is not a religion, it is just the reality of what God is doing in the universe and what our role is in that reality. The Christian does not seek to manipulate God in order to receive a desired outcome. For a true Christian, God IS the treasure we seek (mansion or no mansion). When God is the treasure you seek, then hell becomes anywhere that you are separate from God. God's purpose is not to be the means by which we can move on to bigger and better things (our own godhood). There is nothing bigger and better than He is (X infinity). His purpose is the glory of His name by reconciling the world to himself through the saving work of Jesus Christ. God is bound by nothing and can not be manipulated. The good that He bestows upon us is because of His grace and mercy - not because we have bound Him by our obedience, ritual, etc.

Much more could be said about this. Suffice it to say that the magical/religious and the Christian paradigms are fundamentally different and have a profound effect on how we view ourselves, God, our purpose, God's purpose, morality, obedience, heaven and the meaning of life.

I'm interested to see what else the former BYU professor has to say on magic.