Is God magical?

I have many, both positive and negative, thoughts and feelings about God’s role in the life of humans on earth. I’ve tended to keep these thoughts to myself when in the company of fellow faith adherents—

especially at church—but I honestly believe this should not be. Sharing doubts, frustrations, conflicting beliefs, etc. ought to be encouraged. They shouldn’t be so quickly answered with a “Yes but…” either. Otherwise, how do you grow in an informed, mature faith? Furthermore, how do you answer those who say religiously devoted people are blind followers? And how can anyone truly know that their theology is sound?

For me, one of the biggest issues is what we might call “the Hand of God.” We’ve all wondered if God truly does reach down with his hand and make or prevent things from happening. If you had a near accident on the highway, was it God’s hand that kept you unharmed? If you were in urgent need of a sum of money needed to keep your business/organization going and at the last minute the money came in to the very dollar amount, was that God’s hand?

I want to say yes, but if on the same planet there exists a family who lost their lives in a car accident (or in some more terrifying manner), or an honest couple who became homeless because of a lack of income, are we to believe that God picks and chooses some instances over others?

To take it to a more extreme level… We all know that millions of people live in squalor and die from preventable diseases every day. We also know that innocent children get raped, tortured, and terrorized every day. I don’t blame God for that, I believe the onus is on us to change this world, not hope God “steps in.” But if God steps in when I’m about to lose my footing when I’m shoveling snow off my roof but not when an innocent child is abducted and killed, I would—obviously—not want any part of anyone who operates that way. 

For me, the “hand of God” being there is more about presence. In a seminary course I took years ago the professor shared with us about a woman who was enslaved for her entire life and experienced/witnessed events that none of us would wish on our worst enemy. As an old woman she was speaking to an audience eager to hear her in London, England and she told them that no matter where she was, no matter how horrifying the situation, there was never a place she was where God wasn’t there as well. That I can get behind. I’ve had wonderful blessings in my life and terrible things in my life. I don’t believe they are because of some divine faouritism nor divine punishment. They are life and, yes, God was there.

The intention here is not to crap on anyone who gives God credit for good things. I can roll with the idea that he is the source of all things good, as well as with the idea that we need to be grateful for those things. But his hand entering in to alter events in a way to help us avoid hurt, be financially comfortable, avoid calamity, avoid bad weather, etc. just seems like an uncaring, unjust worldview.

It makes one wonder… is it that we really love the idea of the magical and unexplained? In magical movies (like etc.) we don’t need an explanation for what a “fairy godmother” is or how a mix of wind and glitter can change a boy into a frog. We like the magical and perhaps want to cling to it when it comes to our daily lives, or maybe even our faith. There certainly are “magical” things about the divine that I think we can revere and enjoy. But when left unchallenged, it can be lofty at best, and toxic at worst.

Congratulations . This is your week. Interesting to note here: This movie and were made and released in the same year and directed by the same person, Victor Fleming. And when you think about it, could easily have been given the title

Best Actress:

TIE: Vivien Leigh as Scarlet O’Hara in and Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in .

Best Actor:Clark Gable as Rhett Butler in

Best Quote:“A fine bunch of water lilies you turned out to be. I’d like to see anybody make me wash, if I didn’t wanna.” — Grumpy in Another great quote of his is said during “Someday My Prince Will Come.” He says, “Ha! Mush!”

NOTE: I mean no disrespect with the Jesus pic above. Any depiction where he looks like a bearded midwestern soccer mom deserves to be ridiculed.

My favourite magical movies:

1. Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

3. Peter Pan (2003)

4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

5. The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy (2005-2010)

6. Elf (2003)

7. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

8. Beauty and the Beast (1989)

9. Pinocchio (1940)

10. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)

Honourable mentions:The Neverending Story (1984), Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), Aladdin (1992), Cinderella (1950), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Sleeping Beauty (1959), Enchanted (2007), The Polar Express (2004)

Also, I recommend doing a google image search for “Margaret Hamilton posing in front of Oz poster.” The first image should be a picture of the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West standing in front of a movie poster for TWOO. I love it so much!