But there's evidence it occurs by magic?
No evidence of
magic (which is unbiblical) either. There is of course the inability to explain a process beyond comprehension or defining with the best words (like me).
I suppose it would be understandable to
naturally say and think "it
appears to be like magic."
I wonder if Aesthete is going to complain that Learner is playing games of semantics?
A supernatural being waves his hand and a non-linear, unnatural process occurs...but it cannot be called, "magic." Because...(checks notes)...because there's no magic in the book with stories about talking snakes, and scrying bowls, and water turned to wine, and a lich, and witches, and curses, and "straked" goats from "straked" sticks.
Yeah.
No evidence of magic (which is unbiblical)
When Christians
don't believe in some supernatural phenomenon, they call it "magic."
When they do believe, they call it other things. Often, they speak of "miracles" or "answered prayers."
I grew up among Christians, so I defer to Christians on this terminology: Since I don't believe in any of it, I call it all "magic."
Magic isn't unbiblical. Pharaoh's magicians were able to perform certain enchantments, but were not able to duplicate all the signs from God. Only some. Ultimately, God's power is shown because all power is of God. The Scripture says, in one place, that Satan provoked David to take the census of Israel, which God forbade. In another place, it says God moved David to do this. There's no conflict whatsoever - God works all things after the counsel of His will, and all things were created by Him and for Him. The Bible says, of those who received not the love of the truth that they might be saved, that God will send them a strong delusion that they should believe a lie. 2 Thess 2:1-12 - the lie here is the false gospel of Roman Catholicism, which is what this text prophesies, and the man of sin refers to the popes of Rome collectively. Indeed, the history of Catholicism has many false signs and lying wonders, as the prophecy tells us - e.g., stigmata, levitations, weeping statues, apparitions of Mary, etc. Likewise, even devils are shown to make requests of God, and have those granted (Mark 5:10-14).
And while all this is true and literal, and Pharaoh's magicians really did perform wonders such as turning a rod into a serpent, it's also a metaphor. Men are seen to bow down and worship idols, which are the works of men's hands (Isaiah 2:8). This is spiritually applicable in the New Testament to anyone who is working for righteousness before God and has not submitted himself to the righteousness of God and rested in Jesus Christ for his righteousness. So idolatry, sorcery, etc., is worshiping the creation and not the Creator, which is foolishness. God blinds men so that they will worship a tree as a god, while some laugh and yet they won't repent of their works-idolatry, which is spiritually the same thing. And that's what everyone who, who does not worship God in spirit and in truth. But I worship the Creator of all things in spirit and in truth!
So, yeah, if you actually consider the Bible, you'll see it's the most supernatural book of all. Because we can see all the signs pointing to Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. These were written down before the time of Christ so that we can see God's power in telling the future.
So I don't know what all this fuss is about "magic." All power is of God. God created the whole universe. He is omnipotent. The universe operates in accordance with certain physical laws, but God made those laws and can work outside of them whenever He pleases. To worship the laws of the universe is yet another example of worshiping the creation over the Creator, and is ultimately just as dumb as worshiping a tree. Those laws and constants had to come from somewhere, and God made them. And we discover that the universe is so finely-tuned that even the smallest alteration in the laws of the universe would render life impossible.