tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8160415.post2900384345493671232..comments2024-03-15T08:55:29.800-04:00Comments on The Musical Priest: Theology or MagicAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01087811856300842855noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8160415.post-899854210476325432011-09-27T11:35:43.440-04:002011-09-27T11:35:43.440-04:00"Magical" thinking sneaks up on people w..."Magical" thinking sneaks up on people when they mis-represent the gospel. <br /><br />I think a great example is the phenomenon of 'the sinner's prayer' we see here in the south. They think that saying the prayer once when they were younger saves them from hell, as opposed to actually entering into God's grace -like an incantation.Lee Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16125914337130507758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8160415.post-7644529863711135422011-08-02T12:03:45.896-04:002011-08-02T12:03:45.896-04:00I wanted to know the response too! Funny... I am r...I wanted to know the response too! Funny... I am reading The Spirituality of Imperfection (Kurtz & Ketcham)and just read last night the section on magic versus miracle. You might like this quote (p. 118) "Miracle involved opennes to mystery, the welcoming of surprise, the acceptance of those realities over which we have no control. Magic is the attempt to be in control, to manage everything--it is the claim to be, or to have a special relationship with some kind of "god." Spirituality is aligned not with magic and the effort to control, but with miracle, "the wonder of the unique that points us back to the wonder of the everyday."<br /><br />I think that magic cannot leave one open to grace. While we may engage in magical thinking (I know I do!)at times, this is a very immature form of thinking, being, believing, and we should be able to recognize/accept it as such. Gently of course. Maybe this is all part of the "Control-F" generation? Altho I don't think they have the only dibs on this kind of thinking.<br /><br />We do not create miracles, we witness them. This seems to me to be the key. Anytime I think I can control God or direct God, well, then I am just trying to be God and that doesn't really work.<br /><br />This book also goes on to make the distinction between willfulness (magic) that demands magical control over being changed and willingness (miracle)that creates an openness to being changed.<br /><br />Important distinctions I think!Nanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10375461078977866753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8160415.post-80171700494088374042011-08-02T09:51:05.687-04:002011-08-02T09:51:05.687-04:00In my short tenure in the faith (just over 3 years...In my short tenure in the faith (just over 3 years confirmed and 3 years before that studying the theology of the Church with a Religious Priest) I would have to say that this, unfortunately IS the type of thinking many Christians (and Catholic Christians too!) feel these days. We have gotten too far from the Teachings of the Church I feel, and have become too secular in our thoughts. I strongly feel we need to get back to our roots in faith...<br /><br />Don<br />http://exposeyourblog.comDonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07159668310453607824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8160415.post-17603879182556494292011-08-02T09:35:06.417-04:002011-08-02T09:35:06.417-04:00Don,
I would have to get permission to post the r...Don,<br /><br />I would have to get permission to post the response. The claim was that the students had misunderstood the presentation. This may, in fact, be the case but it leaves me to wonder if this type of thinking isn't actually rather common among Catholics and Christians, the notion that we can somehow manipulate God to do what we want. You know, that "My will....err....Thy will" conflict we so often face!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01087811856300842855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8160415.post-83602547798904076702011-08-02T05:21:50.744-04:002011-08-02T05:21:50.744-04:00What was the response from your colleague?
In Chr...What was the response from your colleague?<br /><br />In Christ,<br /><br />Don<br />http://exposeyourblog.comDonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07159668310453607824noreply@blogger.com