Articles

Popular fantasy-fiction and childhood fairy tales have taught us a certain
view of what constitutes magic. Popular psychology discusses the concept
of "magical thinking", or unconnected cause-and-effect thinking (such as
"if I do A then B will result" with no concrete connection between cause
and effect) as a barrier to true psychological growth. Many of us have
memories of magic that responds immediately and concretely to our
workings. What do all three of these have in common? All three of these
descriptions do not accurately describe what magic is and how it works on
Planet Earth.

[Ed: This was originally written in a discussion about the vampire
community, but the concepts apply equally well elsewhere]

One can have awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering without
concluding that it is one's God-given right to step into that person's life and rearrange it according to our own standards. judgments and desires.

There is a certain bias in the occult community concerning fantasy. I
understand it, for I have it, too. When someone speaks to me of an idea or
concept, no matter how potentially valid, if it turns out that their source
of inspiration was a novel, a movie, a game -- then I am less inclined to
listen to anything else they have to say.