do you believe in magick?

[Hedgehog Instigator]

I'm kind of fascinated by the fact that many aspies adhere to alternative spirituality

 

[Nitro]

I'm kind of fascinated by the fact that many aspies adhere to alternative spirituality

I play the agnostic theist card

 

[AspiePie]

Well...as a Baby Boomer I believe in music....and the Lovin' Spoonful.

Ah the Disney theme song!

 

[NateSean]

I'm kind of fascinated by the fact that many aspies adhere to alternative spirituality

It's not really alternative though. The concept of Magick predates the Christian/Catholic faith, so it would be more accurate to refer to it as "traditional" spirituality.

As to whether or not aspies are more inclined towards it, the psychiatric field would probably chalk it up to the "magical thinking" that is allegedly a symptom.

 

[Judge]

I'm kind of fascinated by the fact that many aspies adhere to alternative spirituality

Yep. But then magick aside, seeing dead people who momentarily materialize in front of you in broad daylight also tend to put a spin on one's spirituality as well. In my experience, science and religion seem often behind the curve rather than in front of it.

IMO this plane of existence appears full of phenomena that cannot be adequately explained. Whatever one chooses to call it.

 

[garnetflower13]

I lean towards paganism, and also keep a sort of agnostic stance towards things. That being said, myself and many in my family have had more weird and paranormal experiences than I can count.

 

[AspiePie]

on a serious note.. Does anyone understand Gnostic Christianity or Sufi Islam.. Those can be practices of Magick?

 

[Alex Dame]

Growing up with MY mom, I've been continually encouraged to believe that there is no magic, and that everything works because of the way God wills it to. That said, just because it's what SHE believes doesn't mean it's what I believe. What I believe in is being open minded. The presence of God doesn't necessarily exclude the existence of magic. I once heard that two gardens were planted, and one died while the other flourished. They were both given the same amount of sunlight and water, and fertilizer, but there was one difference between them; One was prayed over, the other was cursed. I believe that there is some magic, but I don't know that much about it, or which stories are true, or why something works the way it does. However, there's so much in life I don't understand, and still so many things that nobody can explain, I, for one, have no problem believing in magic to explain some of them. It doesn't mean I don't also believe in science and logical thinking, because I do, and it doesn't mean I'm really gullible either. I just like to keep an open mind about magic, that's all.

 

[ancusmitis]

I think music and literature can be magical in a sense...but that's probably not what you are looking for.

Christians think that their bible is holy because it was divinely inspired, but to the Greeks and Romans that was any creative enterprise at all. When a Greek poet makes an invokation to the muse, they aren't just being pretentious; they really believed in that stuff.

 

[Tanya]

I think music and literature can be magical in a sense...but that's probabl not what you are looking for.

Christians think that their bible is holy because it was divinely inspired, but to the Greeks and Romans that was any creative enterprise at all. When a Greek poet makes an invokation to the muse, they aren't just being pretentious; they really believed in that stuff.

And there may be truth to what the Greeks thought. I believe that inspiration comes from the collective unconscious, which I believe is largely run by the souls of the dead. Magick, in my opinion, is a communication between us and them. If you seek only that, you miss the bigger picture, which is God himself. However, as someone already pointed out to me, this is only my opinion.

 

[Crossbreed]

Yes. I believe it exists, but I don't believe it is a good thing. http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-witchcraft.html

 

[granolaturtle]

I'm a Christian, myself, but I did go through a Wiccan phase. It's an interesting worldview and I don't really find it threatening to my religion at all (unlike some more paranoid people). Stuff like magic becomes a lot less intimidating when you actually know what it's usually about. Which is mainly trying to find out who you're going to marry and increase positive energy with incense/oils/crystals.

Whether it works or not is all up to your worldview. I don't practice it (although I still use incense due to the pleasant smell), but if others want to try, why not? I do like to use Ouija boards and tarot cards, but I don't do it seriously.

 

[Tanya]

[There's"Crossbreed, post: 274163, member: 14191"]Yes. I believe it exists, but I don't believe it is a good thing. http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-witchcraft.html[/QUOTE]

Theres certainly food for thought in that. I read soul cards and a crystal ball, but I stay somewhat detached from what I read and dont necessarily take it as truth . I simply use it to broaden my outlook. I know it's not particularly a Christian approach, but then I'm not strictly Christian . I am as much a buddhist .

 

[granolaturtle]

[There's"Crossbreed, post: 274163, member: 14191"]Yes. I believe it exists, but I don't believe it is a good thing. http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-witchcraft.html

Theres certainly food for thought in that. I read soul cards and a crystal ball, but I stay somewhat detached from what I read and dont necessarily take it as truth . I simply use it to broaden my outlook. I know it's not particularly a Christian approach, but then I'm not strictly Christian . I am as much a buddhist .[/QUOTE]

I think a surprising amount of us Christians use things like 'energy crystals' and herbs and whatnot. It's not as strange when you consider that a lot of these things were simply folk remedies. Heck, even back in the medieval ages, the Catholic church's position on stuff like that occasionally just amounted to "meh, it's nonsense but harmless".

 

[AGXStarseed]

Here's some links that may get the discussion going deeper, but please keep it civil and respectful:

http://www.livescience.com/39119-myths-about-witches-wiccans.html
http://www.sereneconneeley.com/html/articles/article_witch.html

 

[RidingDutchman]

I'm kind of fascinated by the fact that many aspies adhere to alternative spirituality

Personally I don't believe in anything. Magic and religion to me are just guides to how to live a better life but I don't believe in any deity, magic or spirituality.

Before I got on this website and reading up on the symptoms with stuff like literal listening and logical thinking I would have expected aspies to be overwhelmingly atheist.

Part of this is probably also the place where I live. In the Netherlands religion is basically dead. Many elderly people who used to be firm churchgoers don't even believe anymore (personal experience working with elderly) so it is also probably a huge part of how you were raised and how people around you go about the subject.

Just to be clear. I don't think people who believe in anything are weird or anything like that, in case I'm coming across in a different way to how I think I am.

 

[granolaturtle]

Personally I don't believe in anything. Magic and religion to me are just guides to how to live a better life but I don't believe in any deity, magic or spirituality.

Before I got on this website and reading up on the symptoms with stuff like literal listening and logical thinking I would have expected aspies to be overwhelmingly atheist.

Part of this is probably also the place where I live. In the Netherlands religion is basically dead. Many elderly people who used to be firm churchgoers don't even believe anymore (personal experience working with elderly) so it is also probably a huge part of how you were raised and how people around you go about the subject.

Just to be clear. I don't think people who believe in anything are weird or anything like that, in case I'm coming across in a different way to how I think I am.

But what 'logical thinking' means can be so subjective. That's the problem.

 

[Crossbreed]

But what 'logical thinking' means can be so subjective. That's the problem.

And "logic" only describes a sequence of thoughts from premise A to B to C, etc. to conclusion Z. Even with the most flawless logic, if one starts with a different premise A, they will arrive at a different conclusion Z. (It is the choice of premise A that makes the process so subjective.)

 

[AsperDragon]

Well. If you believe the bible, then magic exists and is bad.....but then thry ssid the same thing aboug pagsn traditions and festivals and yet people still practice the sympathetic magic of bringing a tree into their home (even if they are ignorant of the act as being magic) So, personally, I believe in magic, and like all things, it is how you use it that determines if it is good or bad.... The bible helps pastors do good all the time...but its still just a bible....not inherently good or evil.....it cant be inherently good when a pastor uses it for good without it becoming 'bad' when someone uses it for bad purposes....the good and bad of it are determined by the way ig is used.
If i use the bible to convince people i am holy and that they should trust me with their bank account, and then i empty that bank account and use the money for hookers, i have committed a bad act. ..but it doesn't make the bible an evil tool. ..just as using magic isnt inherently good or evil...it is determined by the acts of the person using it. If tools can become "evil" based on how the users of that tool act, then the Christian Bible would probably be cobaidered evil based upon the acts committed during the Crusades...or the Inquisition. ..or the..well you get my drift.

Magic is real. It is a tool. How a tool is used is the important aspect. Use a hammer to build someone a house and they will probably think that is a good thing (and it is) but the good thing was the act of helping someone by building a house. ..the act was good, the hammer wasnt. ..now use the same hammer to torture someone and you are committing a bad act but that doesn't make the hammer bad.

 

[Skylar]

Yes. Being a wiccan I believe in the power of magick as the most natural force in the world.