Ask Your Preacher - Archives
“Illusion Confusion”
Categories: GRAB BAGI was wondering if practicing magic tricks is a sin?Sincerely,
Abracadabra
Dear Abracadabra,
Modern magic bears little similarity to the magicians that the Bible condemns. We must remember that the magic and occult practices that the Bible strictly condemned were performed as a form of worship and a way to gain supernatural power. For example, look at Simon the magician found in Acts 8. Simon practiced magic and used that magic as a way to get people to believe he was a god (Acts 8:9-11). Sorcery was a form of idolatry, and their magic tricks were part of the ritualistic worship of false gods – that is why you found people burning their books of magic when they became Christians (Acts 19:19).
Today, magic is openly considered an illusion. Everyone knows that magicians use smoke and mirrors to trick the eye, and most modern magicians even refer to themselves as ‘illusionists’. They aren’t performing tricks as part of idol worship or to get people to worship them – it is merely entertainment. In short, modern magic isn’t sorcery; it is just harmless fun, so don’t feel guilty about learning to pull that rabbit out of a hat.
