Jul 11, 2022·edited Jul 11, 2022Liked by Tree of Woe
If magic were demonstrably real, wouldn't early attempts to study it have only produced further proof of it's power, and strengthened rather than weakened our belief?
In fact, the ancients were also faced with the puzzling mystery that the world they saw in day-to-day life seemed to lack the same magic they were told about in their myths.
The Greeks' primary explanation was that men had declined in power and stature since the Age of Heroes. (The Hebrews agreed that there were superhuman demigods in times of legend, but believed that these Nephilim were simply wiped out.) Plutarch considers a more interesting sub-problem in On The Failure Of The Oracles - that the fortune-tellers he sees in his day lack the numbers and mystic power of the oracles of legend - which he came to the fascinatingly stupid conclusion must be because the human population had declined.
So the decline of magic would have to long predate the birth of modern skepticism.
Obviously it's only anecdotal on my part, but with all the supernatural experiences I've had over the decades, I can safely say that Magic is a very real power. However it is dangerous in the extreme & unlike say, Electricity, it is *not* a, 'Neutral Force'. There is no such thing as "White Magic".
Way back, when I was young and working on a physics PhD during the week and playing D&D on weekends, I had similar thoughts: what if the Scientific Method was a powerful spell in and of itself?
Then again, the Dungeons and Dragons rules themselves hint at Christianity as a powerful Dispel Magic cult. Or there were the Illusionist characters who could make their audience help in casting real spells through the use of mundane trickery.
And there is that haunting Jack Vance story: "The Men Return."
''About two million years ago, before the last major cycle of ice ages during which Atlantis became a predominant civilization, some Bird-People born on Earth in previous ages, who had fulfilled their spiritual mission and migrated to Arcturus with their Star ancestors, the Blue Avians, long before the birth of Humanity, came back to this home-planet of their origins to settle. They lived and interbred with Humans, creating an elite bloodline dynasty in Hyperborea, which became known as the Elves of Halves, considered as 'half-gods'. They helped your people and fought intergalactic wars at your sides against reptilian invaders, dragons, orcs and titans, in battles kept in your ancestral memories.''
''They were greatly influential in the development of the Atlantean civilization of your Human times. When ice covered the Arctic, some moved into the underworld and became clearer skinned intraterrestrials. But over the course of time, they started interbreeding with Humans on a regular basis, and factions of them made pacts with reptilian lords, to divide this home-planet between ruling kings. From the Watchers they were, they forsake their mission, fell out of the Star Council and were ordered off the Earth, never to return.''
Radin has a number of books out, some of which relate truly astonishing experimental results. I've read three or four of his book; I find his result convincing.
Study of magic implies a nonbelief. The purpose of a study is to establish belief. Ergo, preceding the commencement of study, there was no belief.
This would dissipate the effect.
Also who knows how the effect spreads. Direct perception? Radius? Imagined perception? If all inhabitants of New York believe they live in a nonmagical city, and use their Imagination to layer this lack of belief on their mental-map of the city, is magic even possible anywhere in NYC? Even in a room full of Christians who deeply believe, is it possible the effect from neighbors cancels it out? If so, is the point of Churches to get us "in the mood" for the effect?
If magic were demonstrably real, wouldn't early attempts to study it have only produced further proof of it's power, and strengthened rather than weakened our belief?
In fact, the ancients were also faced with the puzzling mystery that the world they saw in day-to-day life seemed to lack the same magic they were told about in their myths.
The Greeks' primary explanation was that men had declined in power and stature since the Age of Heroes. (The Hebrews agreed that there were superhuman demigods in times of legend, but believed that these Nephilim were simply wiped out.) Plutarch considers a more interesting sub-problem in On The Failure Of The Oracles - that the fortune-tellers he sees in his day lack the numbers and mystic power of the oracles of legend - which he came to the fascinatingly stupid conclusion must be because the human population had declined.
So the decline of magic would have to long predate the birth of modern skepticism.
Obviously it's only anecdotal on my part, but with all the supernatural experiences I've had over the decades, I can safely say that Magic is a very real power. However it is dangerous in the extreme & unlike say, Electricity, it is *not* a, 'Neutral Force'. There is no such thing as "White Magic".
Delightful!
Way back, when I was young and working on a physics PhD during the week and playing D&D on weekends, I had similar thoughts: what if the Scientific Method was a powerful spell in and of itself?
Then again, the Dungeons and Dragons rules themselves hint at Christianity as a powerful Dispel Magic cult. Or there were the Illusionist characters who could make their audience help in casting real spells through the use of mundane trickery.
And there is that haunting Jack Vance story: "The Men Return."
The reality of magic has become more and more plausible to me as years have passed.
This is the best thing I've read all week. Extremely thought provoking. Thank you!
Magic is real, and so were orcs.
#+begin_quote
''About two million years ago, before the last major cycle of ice ages during which Atlantis became a predominant civilization, some Bird-People born on Earth in previous ages, who had fulfilled their spiritual mission and migrated to Arcturus with their Star ancestors, the Blue Avians, long before the birth of Humanity, came back to this home-planet of their origins to settle. They lived and interbred with Humans, creating an elite bloodline dynasty in Hyperborea, which became known as the Elves of Halves, considered as 'half-gods'. They helped your people and fought intergalactic wars at your sides against reptilian invaders, dragons, orcs and titans, in battles kept in your ancestral memories.''
''They were greatly influential in the development of the Atlantean civilization of your Human times. When ice covered the Arctic, some moved into the underworld and became clearer skinned intraterrestrials. But over the course of time, they started interbreeding with Humans on a regular basis, and factions of them made pacts with reptilian lords, to divide this home-planet between ruling kings. From the Watchers they were, they forsake their mission, fell out of the Star Council and were ordered off the Earth, never to return.''
#+end_quote
— [[https://cyberthal-ghost.nfshost.com/the-sasquatch-message-to-humanity-book-2-interdimensional-teachings-from-our-elders/][The Sasquatch Message to Humanity Book 2: Interdimensional Teachings from our Elders]]
Summary and corroboration:
The essential role of Prime Directive in understanding the alien phenomenon
https://scenicsasquatch.com/2022/04/14/the-essential-role-of-prime-directive-in-understanding-the-alien-phenomenon/
Radin has a number of books out, some of which relate truly astonishing experimental results. I've read three or four of his book; I find his result convincing.
Study of magic implies a nonbelief. The purpose of a study is to establish belief. Ergo, preceding the commencement of study, there was no belief.
This would dissipate the effect.
Also who knows how the effect spreads. Direct perception? Radius? Imagined perception? If all inhabitants of New York believe they live in a nonmagical city, and use their Imagination to layer this lack of belief on their mental-map of the city, is magic even possible anywhere in NYC? Even in a room full of Christians who deeply believe, is it possible the effect from neighbors cancels it out? If so, is the point of Churches to get us "in the mood" for the effect?
This bears further non-study.