Tag Archives: simon magus

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Magic

The word “magic,” with or without the K at the end that Aleister Crowley preferred, derives from “magus,” a term for a Zoroastrian priest. I’ve seen indications that it might have referred to a specific tribe or caste. When the … Continue reading

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The Art of the Infernal Deal

I can’t say I totally buy the trope of deals with the Devil. If you actually believe in Satan, you presumably also believe in all the Heaven and Hell stuff, and is there any case where being tortured eternally is … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, Focus on the Foes, Fundamentalism, History, Jack Chick, Magic, Mythology, Plays, Politics, Religion, Urban Legends | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Reaching Across the Aisle

The Acts of Simon Magus in the First Century AD: A Search in Secret Egypt, by Glendenning Cram – I read a review copy of this after the author commented on my blog post on Simon Magus, and announced that … Continue reading

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Laughing at Legends

Three more Tom Holt books this time: Grailblazers – I think this one is a clear improvement over the last few Holt books, showing the author honing his style. As usual, it focuses on one element of folklore, in this … Continue reading

Posted in Arthurian Legend, Authors, Book Reviews, British, Egyptian, Greek Mythology, Mythology, Norse, Tom Holt, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sensational Sorcerer of Samaria

In early Christianity, a common scapegoat was someone called Simon Magus. He was identified as the founder of Gnosticism, a false Messiah, and sometimes even the father of all heresies. So who was Simon Magus really? It’s a bit difficult … Continue reading

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