Thinking out loud here, so to speak. Proposal for thought:

Science is the process of turning magic into reason

For example, many people joke that computers operate by magic. Of course, this is not true, but then again, for many individuals, it might as well be. When one supposes that the rains come from a magical incantation, then later learns the processes of clouds and dew points and such, has anything happened to the rain? Of course not. But the perception has changed from magic to reason. Scientific study is responsible for this alteration.

I mention this in respect to the Biblical prohibitions against practicing magic. Consider Deuteronomy 18:9-12 (CEV):

When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to

imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God.

The immediate reaction of many Christians is to reject anything that our culture throws into the concept of magic. At any rate, this is a prohibition that I don’t think is harmful. And while I also don’t think reading fantasy novels should be rejected out of hand for this reason, I understand when a Christian makes that choice.

I rather have another point that I think is worth considering. Instead of reading “do not…[engage] in witchcraft,” read instead (for the purposes of this article) “do not engage any power which you do not understand.” Because you may be engaging a power which is antithetical to God’s work and holiness. In this case, the prohibition would become much larger, if we give the name “magic”–and we often do–to anything that does not seem understandable. But it also allows an additional path. Prohibitions need not be permanent, but to lift them requires understanding the power behind the operation and asserting that it is not something against God and his work.

I acknowledge that these thoughts may be misguided and incomplete, but I think it’s worth at least a few moments of consideration.