Is this magic? Or is it power from God? Or both?

[veritasseeker90]

I'm very confused a bit by my own book.

In The Keeper, the Stones of Fire were gifted by God (or the Ancient One) to have powers that could help the people. This doesn't pose a problem to me, but later in the book...

After generations of the people pulling away from God, they start using the Forbidden Knowledge, which is basically a form of magic, but in the book, it's not called by this. The way I use it, it's not really as if it's coming from themselves, but from something else. But the Ancient One forbade them from using it. I've been adding some mythological creatures in... (Aka, Death Hounds are the Deceiver's Assasins and slightly resemble Hell Hounds from myth. )

There's many elements to this book that revolve around Eden and the Fall of Man, but I'm just wondering, when does this go too far? Blending myth and God.

[Jeff Gerke]

It sounds like Gideon's ephod. Gideon trusted God like few others, but when all the fighting was done he had the people make him a golden ephod. Things were fine until Gideon died, then they began worshipping the ephod.

Don't know if you've gone too far if you're aligned with a biblical model like that.

[beckyminor]

I guess I would have to ask if the setting of your book is Earth. If it is, then I think the blending of God and myth gets more dicey. But if you write in a totally alternate world, I think that level of separation makes it easier to try different things with mythological creatures and the like.

But maybe that's just me and my tendency to play it safe.

[veritasseeker90]

beckyminor, no this isn't Earth. I make reference to earth several times, but it is another planet created later that follows some of the same history just different.

For example, my book pretty much spans all of Christianity: the Fall, the sin, the return to God, the disbelief and pulling away, believing everything comes from ones own will and ultimately the gift and death of Christ. I don't know, I feel like this book needs to written like this (I've often prayed about it) but I have an acute fear of what people will think if they ever DO happen to read my book.

And as far as the Forbidden Knowledge, I think I might have found a good way to describe it: it is the gift that God gave which was taken and twisted by the Deceiver.

Jeff, I will have to read that. Thanks you for your thoughts guys!

[renblack]

I use atleast two different "magics" in my world - one gifted by God persae and one more akin to traditional 'fantasy magic'. They have distinct differences. For instance, the magic can be used by anyone who was born with the ability - usually because of either genetics passed from parents and/or exposure to magic element early on in life. It takes lots of energy to control so it exhausts the user depending on the amount and of course it takes study and can go wrong. On the other hand, the power from God can only be used by individuals who are pure of heart and worthy to use it. It can tire a person out, but at a drastically slower rate and rarely significant. It also is foolproof in essence since the results are according to God's will instead of whether or not the user has studied how to do something. Oh, and the power is undiscernable by those out of sync with God - where as with the magic, another magic user can study what one person does and sometimes can replicate it (depending on how close they paid attention).

In terms of the magic - it is in no wise evil in and of itself, but can be used for good or evil. However, many people do not realize that issue fully and many only parallels of "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely." I guess their version might go something like "Power corrupts. Magic corrupts absolutely."

[Kristen]

My short answer would be that "power from God" used to further His will would be called "miraculous." "Magic" would be the thing "taken and twisted by the Deceiver" and then used to oppose God's will.

[Teskas]

Since you've made it clear that you are in an alternate world (i.e., not planet Earth), it doesn't read as though you've written anything improper. If anything you seem to have aligned yourself with good doctrine, namely, certain things are possible, but forbidden.

For example, humans have the power to access divining spirits, but Scripture forbids us to do so. It is forbidden for our sakes, but this doesn't mean we don't find dopey college kids playing with ouiji boards in their dorms. They can be warned by their parents or pastors, but they still might do it, and find it "works"--they learn about something hidden, maybe something about the future. They get excited, and before long are sucked into the dark world of the occult.

There is nothing wrong with treating the themes of "forbidden things" in CSF. Personally, I think it is a good thing. It can also be interesting science fiction, and an effective artistic tool.

Here's a modern, secular example:

In the Star Trek movie, The Final Frontier (with a lot of new-agey faults, which I'm not defending), Spock's brother Sybok is a renegade from Vulcan society. He has been exiled for (among other things) employing forbidden arts, one of which is the ability to access people's private memories, and private feelings. What emerges from Sybok's unlawful activity becomes the catalyst for the Enterprise to set sail for its adventure beyond the Great Barrier. One of the sub-theme points is Spock's rejection of Sybok's use of the forbidden Vulcan arts. Spock, too, has these powers, but has had the discipline not to use them. The viewer admires Spock all the more for his moral choice.

As long as a Christian writer does not praise bad behavior, and it is artistically appropriate to move the story along, he can legitimately use the theme of forbidden practices in his work. From what you have described, you haven't done anything wrong.