How do you feel about movies with magic and such?

[John81]

So, you're equating God's power with magic in fictional stories? Okay, that is way off. Sorry. And, just so you know - Lewis never intended the Chronicles to be allegorical. Christians have taken the series and whitewashed it. That doesn't make it acceptable in God's eyes. No-one ever said it was wrong to write about imaginary worlds. The wrong comes from putting into those imaginary worlds that which God has forbidden in His Word.

LOTR is a Catholic work - the author admits it. And it's to be held up as an example? And, just because (in your opinion), CON and LOTR aren't as "evil" as Harry Potter, it's okay to read them? You know, a little bit of poison kills just as dead as a lot.

:thumb:

[Annie]

I agree that there is no good magic. However, the "magic" in the Chronicles of Narnia, for example, is not witchcraft. It is only loosely-defined magic, if one could call God's supernatural ability "magic". The magic in Narnia (used by good guys) was instituted by Aslan (allegorical version of God). It is not the magic we are used to, which is demonic power. It is the same as the miracles Jesus performed (those were certainly supernatural, remember?). I know, Jesus didn't do "magic". Well, neither do the characters in Narnia. The only characters in that story that practice actual witchcraft are the evil ones (White Witch, etc.).

Interesting ideas, ed. I don't agree completely, but I do identify partially with your explanation about "magic" in Narnia. "Magic" in Narnia does indeed parallel "supernatural work" in our world. (I would not say that it is "supernatural" in LOTR, however.) Notice that in Narnia no "magic" is done by the human characters, even "through" Aslan or the WW (or anyone else).* The only characters with any "magical/supernatural" ability at all are Aslan and the WW/Jadis...the creator of Narnia and leader of the forces of right, and the sworn enemy of Aslan throughout the series. (There is one "magician" in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader whose power comes from Aslan.) Indeed, these characters parallel (not allegorically, but certainly symbolically) the supernatural forces of good and evil in our own world. Anything "magical/supernatural" that happens in Narnia is a direct result of the actions of these two characters. This is just another reason to celebrate Lewis's books as stories which shape the imagination of our children by pointing them to reality--what is really happening in our own world--the battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil, with good always triumphing--and teaching them to love the good, beautiful, true, and right, and to hate the ugly, false, wanton, and wrong.

*The one instance I can think of off hand of a human character being in a situation where evil forces were applied to for "supernatural" help is in the scene in which the hag and the werewolf try to call up the WW from the dead...and that idea is presented as taboo/verboten. Caspian fights against and kills those who are performing what the book calls "dark magic." (This scene parallels what is known in our world as the seance--something that is condemned in Scripture.)

By the way, why can't humans imagine a world that is created by God? God gave us an imagination in order to reveal the truth to us through that imagination. Why must our imaginations necessarily have no basis in reality? If a follower of God (like CS Lewis) imagines a world, there is no reason why God should not appear in that imaginary world. If God is in your heart and mind, he most certainly can be in your imagination. That does not mean that God is imaginary, but that our imaginations reflect our knowledge of God.

Again, interesting point, ed. I don't see why a human cannot imagine a world that is created by God. (If we can't, then we have no basis in reality, since our own world was created by God. ) Our imaginations do indeed have "a basis in reality," and our imaginations do indeed "reflect our knowledge of God." The imaginary world of Narnia does that; it reflects C.S. Lewis's knowledge of God and of how God's world works. But "God" is not a character in Narnia, except indirectly through symbolism (not even allegory).

One final thought, for those who have a problem with the magic in the Chronicles of Narnia or LOTR: Have you ever noticed the difference between those books and books like Harry Potter? The main difference is that when you read Harry Potter, you can feel in your heart that there is something fundamentally wrong with it. They are pervaded by evil throughout, including the good guys. This is not the case with CON or LOTR.

I enjoyed the Harry Potter books. I did not "feel in my heart that there is something fundamentally wrong with" those books. Would I allow my 12 year old to read them? No...but it's not b/c of the magic. Edited May 14, 2011 by Annie