Christian Illusionist / Magicians

[blahblah]

mmm.... yeah... I suppose, but standing in the street and preeching to people can be kinda scary for the spectators, (not saying preaching is bad but saying that it can be indimidating), well I dont have much experience.

I think you should find another way to convert people (if thats what you want to do).

 

[FOO:L]

i love the fact that this hasnt turned into a bashing session. woohoo t11!
anyway, i think magic should be kept seperate from religion.
i do think its good that your using the forums to meet other christians though, networking and all that jazz.

 

[RDChopper]

mmm, If I remember right Justin Miller had some troubles in the past for his religioun(he is Christian). A site started to bash him because he defends his religion, but everything went allright.

On the othe side, there is not to much I can say to you, I am catholic, and I usually
preach differently...And on my point of view I think that maybe preaching and doing tricks at the same time could go wrong, and although I haven't tried it I dont think is a good Idea ( well maybe combining a storyline or something related to your religioun with the tricks could work).


Cheers and good luck mate.

P.S man you are not "That" alone, there are a lot of us that defend and love their religion, so you can be quite sure that you are going to find support here.And although Im am from a different religion, I respect what you are doing and I apreciate it.Peace and love brother

 

[Brakkiss]

Isaac, check your PMs!

 

[bd]

I can see this turning into a huge religion vs. magic debate. My views? Magic is one thing, religion is another. Don't mix the two unless you have a good reason for doing so.

Mitch

Mitch hit this spot-on. (Sorry, always wanted to use that phrase.)

People want to see magic and illusions to see the effect, not to hear a message about your religion. Don't confuse the two seperate entities and try to relate magic tricks with Christianity.

-Ben

[I believe this topic should be closed.]

 

[Brakkiss]

People want to see magic and illusions to see the effect, not to hear a message about your religion. Don't confuse the two seperate entities and try to relate magic tricks with Christianity.

-Ben

Well....here's the rub. If you're specifically a Christian, you are of the belief that EVERYTHING you do is to reflect God's glory. So, if you decide - as a Christian - to perform magic, it ought to be for God's glory.....which ultimately isn't that hard, seeing as how magic can really brighten up someone's day - to me, a very Christ-like action.

One of my favorite effects I've seen (and perform) is "Simply Divine" off of Jay Sankey's 22 Blows to the Head. I have 2 versions: the "magic" one and the "Christian" one. Would I perform the "Christian" version for a perfect stranger? No.

While I don't feel it's right to say that magic SHOULDN'T be used as a message for any religion....there IS a time and a place to just be a magician.

 

[4757joshua2]

mmm, If I remember right Justin Miller had some troubles in the past for his religion(he is Christian). A site started to bash him because he defends his religion, but everything went alright.

Intresting...

I am! (A Christian.)

 

[magicbysage]

Everybody keeps mentioning how it would be weird, wrong, or immoral to use magic as a tool to witness to other people. I don't view it this way. For example, say, you're doing some street magic and have a small window of ten to twenty minutes to perform your magic. Chances are, you're not going to form a relationship with your spectator, so, if you are going to witness, do it at the same time as your magic and find a way to relate the two. However, if you feel that you can form a relationship with your spectator, then you could also witness after the magic. The bottom line is this: if you're a Christian, you are called to witness to others. That's it. No and's, if's, or but's about it. If God has given you the ability and talent for magic, it wasn't without a purpose. Find a way to use it and you're set.

 

[blahblah]

I thourght being a christian was to praise god? Im an atheist so tell me if im wrong, if you find a way to try and convert people and do magic at the same time then good for you! but think about it very carefully before doing it.

if your talking about christ (who made water into wine, walked on water and came back from the dead (again tell me if im wrong))

I think magic is to give somone an experiance and charm them into beleiving something impossible just happend, talking about god (I think) would make the atmosphere awkward.

again this is just what I think so tell me if im wrong about anything.

 

[4757joshua2]

I thought being a Christian was to praise god?

It's a bit more than that. PM me if you're interested in details.

Im an atheist so tell me if im wrong, if you find a way to try and convert people and do magic at the same time then good for you! but think about it very carefully before doing it.

if your talking about Christ (who made water into wine, walked on water and came back from the dead (again tell me if im wrong))

I think magic is to give Simone an experience and charm them into believing something impossible just happened, talking about god (I think) would make the atmosphere awkward.

again this is just what I think so tell me if im wrong about anything.

Yes, it does make it quite awkward. That's why I don't do it.

 

[Justin.Morris]

Ya know, I think Tyler, brakkiss, and Magicbysage, have hit the mail on the head. Magic is part of your talents and abilities, and God has called Christians to witness with words, not just actions. I love my brothers who do strictly gospel magic, but I personally find it cheesy to do all gospel magic (although that often works well with kids). But as a youth pastor, I just do magic for people. I build relationships through it as with any other skill or ability or interest that I have. I use it as illustrations/object lessons, but I don't do professors nightmare and talk about how each rope represents a part of the trinity etc...
Think of it like skateboarding, or music, or sports. It's not important when you play baseball with people to try and make baseball have a spiritual aspect to it. You can use it as an illustration, but it doesn't work (although it possibly could in the odd situation I suppose) to tell the players that the ball represents Jesus, and you are the batter etc.

So don't shy away from using magic to meet people and build relationships with people, or using it to clarify as an object lesson, but don't feel like you need to make every effect you do into a gospel presentation.

Some fantastic Christian Magicians to check out if you ever get the opportunity are Jared Hall, Brock Gill, and one of my favorites, Derek Selinger.

j

 

[bentley]

Brock Gill is an amazing Christian Illusionist. He did a special on tv called the Miracles of Jesus and doing magic. I am a Christian and sometimes do magic for churches which have a religious theme. I find it quite easy to do both at the same time.

 

[Jeremy C.]

I am a Christian too. I didnt want to make a whole other thread about some similar....Has anyone wanted to do mentalism really badly, yet people might think it's from Satan and stuff like that?

 

[Brakkiss]

I am a Christian too. I didnt want to make a whole other thread about some similar....Has anyone wanted to do mentalism really badly, yet people might think it's from Satan and stuff like that?

Hahaha, yeah, it's kinda funny. I usually say something like, "But you don't REALLY believe in magic, right?"

It creates this paradox in their mind, where they KNOW there's some kind of trick to it all....but the IMPOSSIBLE just happened, right in front of their eyes.

It makes for some good laughs for me as the performer.

 

[bcp on pcp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB_6gFVn3Og This guy does Paul Gertner's routine with a christian messege. Personally, even though he made the trick better, I liked Gertner's routine better. Why? Because it didn't try to convert me. Basically, people get mad when you try to convert them, so don't try it unless your already at church. Most people today are not christian, or even midley religious.

 

[RDChopper]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB_6gFVn3Og This guy does Paul Gertner's routine with a christian messege. Personally, even though he made the trick better, I liked Gertner's routine better. Why? Because it didn't try to convert me. Basically, people get mad when you try to convert them, so don't try it unless your already at church. Most people today are not christian, or even midley religious.

right,well as the nice catholic that I am, I have learned that most of the time people will reject you if you try to convert them...


for example(this is going to be a bit long) I am a coordinator In a group of the church dedicated to young guys and girls, as part of the activities there I am the one who gaves them speeches related to church, and on the first day of the group I asked them a question....



"Really? Why do you come here?"

A lot of them quietly started to answer...

"Because I want to meet girls"" because I dont have nothing better to do""because my parents made me" etc....


And I told them," well I got into the church because of the same reasons that you gave me...Yes I was here to meet girls etc, but if I have remained loyal and part of the church for all these years (8 years) is because I believe in all this and I want to be part of it."

"So I hope that in all the things that we are going to live, you guys change THOSE reasons, for the only reason to be here that is important....faith."


From experience, I can tell you that most of the time the people are going to reject you if you go and try to convert them right away, in my opinion they are going to be converted by time and experiences, that's why when I am inviting someone to the group I never say to them"hey! Believe in god!", of course not! A lot of the guys our age found it useless, so I usually try to gain there attention by something the would like"

You are not going to catch a fish with something you like, you need to give them something THEY like.


And when somebody asks me, "hey! were did you learn this?" I usually say,"IN church" haha that always gets their attention.


So sorry for long post, thanks to those who read it, and as always is my humble opinion. Cheers!

 

[Rick Genii]

I'm christian, but I don't do gospel magic or anythign like that, I just do normal magic, also, in tricks where i need a secret assistant, my friend who is jewish won't help me because he says its lieing, and then I ask him if he thinks being a proffesional actor is lieing, and then we get into this huge debate.

 

[blahblah]

so I dont know if ive got this right...

are you jehovas (Im sorry about my spelling) witnesses? because I was asking my mum about "witnessing" people and she didnt understand what it ment, and shes a christian.

I guess if you wanna convert people, you could actually use wounded, but like completly change the patter to something like...

"look, im a christian, and I beleive in christ, and he did lots of miracles but one thing that stands out is this, blood would come out of his palms (did he do that?), now this is just a trick but it looks really awsome... watch"

I dunno what this would do? its just an idea...

 

[RDChopper]

so I dont know if ive got this right...

are you jehovas (Im sorry about my spelling) witnesses? because I was asking my mum about "witnessing" people and she didnt understand what it ment, and shes a christian.

I guess if you wanna convert people, you could actually use wounded, but like completly change the patter to something like...

"look, im a christian, and I beleive in christ, and he did lots of miracles but one thing that stands out is this, blood would come out of his palms (did he do that?), now this is just a trick but it looks really awsome... watch"

I dunno what this would do? its just an idea...

Very very bad Idea, (in my opinion)I created a thread talking about how sensitive could this trick could be, and what would mean to those people who "believe" and I think that using "wounded" with those connotations with the trick could result in some dangerous reactions with the people.


Christ didnt make blood came out of his hands, the only thing close is when he showed the holes made from the cruxifiction on his hands to peter.

Is just to sensitive, we can't predict how the expetator is going to react.


and the thing you are asking is stigmas, there are some people who has those, I suggest you look over the internet for it.

 

[blahblah]

okay... it was just an idea really...

but I think people shouldnt try and convert people with magic- because magic is for entertainment and for fooling someone into beleiving someone into beleiving the impossible.

and converting people is asking them to completely change their life and I think you should find a better way of doing that than magic. but its my opinion and probabbly not yours so yeah...