I hope the guy takes some reasonable security cautions for the near future. If the tantric has him killed by more conventional means in the relatively short term, he could claim it was his spell that did it (right until he got dragged into court for murder, of course.)
Well. Here's one point that's being missed in all this. Whether you believe that magick is real, or that it all has to do with the victim's psychological susceptibility, there's one point that is, I daresay, universally accepted: if you don't believe, you can't receive.
I mean, look. Back in the early 70's, an acquaintance who had a permanent deficiency of blood in his LSD stream gave me the secret of defending myself from attacks by demons: Don't believe in them! Because, you see, as physical effects are transmitted via the medium of electromagnetism, magick is transmitted via the medium of faith. Now, okay, the guy was bat-s*** crazy, but there's something there, y'know? Works for magick, or religion, or whatever you want to call it.
So this particular guy can claim that his spells didn't work because his victim didn't believe. And whether you believe in his powers or not, he'd be right.
The article I saw actually sort of addresses this; it says that standing up to the tantrics publicly was important, because it gave others the strength to disbelieve -- thereby robbing them of their power. (Which they didn't have... but that's beside the point.)
He *could* have claimed that -- but he didn't. His one excuse (that the article mentioned, at any rate) was "a very strong god whom Sanal might be worshipping obviously protected him," which was false. So he's at best misguided about what he's doing, and more likely a charlatan.
Not that I would have much respect for a self-described black magic user even if he *was* telling the truth.
If the magician knows he is a fake, why go on TV to prove it? If he only thinks it works, where did he get that belief? And what does he think the authorities would do to him if he succeeded in killing a man on live TV?
However, if other victims actually do succumb, due to psychological reasons, then in fact, black magic DOES WORK.
So this seems not a triumph of rationality, but as he says, one god being more powerful than another. That god being atheism.
That said, that god of atheism just got stronger today.
Maybe, but this guy was called the most powerful black magician. So, he is surrounded by sycophants who told him that he was the best, and of course he could perform this death spell. But, now he has to believe that the spell actually is correct. So either he has to have seen someone else do it, and be assured that he missed nothing, or trust the guy who told him didn't leave something out (intentionally or by accident).
Perhaps I am too rational (or not confidence-ridden enough) to even empathize with him, but I can't see believing that I can perform a spell without having tried it once. Certainly not to the point of doing it on live TV.
Let's put it in another context. I have a quadratic formula which claims to solve any quadratic equation. My friends all tell me that I am uber leet mathematician. Do I really go on TV claiming to solve any quadratic equation without trying it at least once? What happens if the contest assumes real roots, and yet only provides equations with imaginary roots. I am screwed.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-24 04:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-24 05:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-24 08:48 pm (UTC)I mean, look. Back in the early 70's, an acquaintance who had a permanent deficiency of blood in his LSD stream gave me the secret of defending myself from attacks by demons: Don't believe in them! Because, you see, as physical effects are transmitted via the medium of electromagnetism, magick is transmitted via the medium of faith. Now, okay, the guy was bat-s*** crazy, but there's something there, y'know? Works for magick, or religion, or whatever you want to call it.
So this particular guy can claim that his spells didn't work because his victim didn't believe. And whether you believe in his powers or not, he'd be right.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-24 09:22 pm (UTC)There's some sort of loop here...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-24 09:30 pm (UTC)Not that I would have much respect for a self-described black magic user even if he *was* telling the truth.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-25 01:16 am (UTC)Seems fishy to me.
If the magician knows he is a fake, why go on TV to prove it? If he only thinks it works, where did he get that belief? And what does he think the authorities would do to him if he succeeded in killing a man on live TV?
However, if other victims actually do succumb, due to psychological reasons, then in fact, black magic DOES WORK.
So this seems not a triumph of rationality, but as he says, one god being more powerful than another. That god being atheism.
That said, that god of atheism just got stronger today.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-25 02:18 pm (UTC)Charismatic people told him it was true, and he believed them? That's how a lot of faulty belief systems spread.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-25 03:41 pm (UTC)Perhaps I am too rational (or not confidence-ridden enough) to even empathize with him, but I can't see believing that I can perform a spell without having tried it once. Certainly not to the point of doing it on live TV.
Let's put it in another context. I have a quadratic formula which claims to solve any quadratic equation. My friends all tell me that I am uber leet mathematician. Do I really go on TV claiming to solve any quadratic equation without trying it at least once? What happens if the contest assumes real roots, and yet only provides equations with imaginary roots. I am screwed.