Unmasking the Masquerade: Three Illusionists Investigate Deception, Fear, and the Supernatural by Rod RobisonMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Three illusionists, mentalists or stage magician set forward to write to write a book that debunks psychic phenomena and occult magic. They say it is all false and they build powerful arguments that will have you walking away convinced. Now here is the thing all three of them are devout Christians and have been involved in Christian outreach. Now might not be the time for me to appear to be preaching Christianity since I am a Jew who has dabbled in paganism and a Christian missionary was killed doing something stupid.
No less the book makes sense. The first writer discusses the phenomena of faeries, spiritism etc. the first writer even offered thousands of dollars to anyone who could do a legi psychic act in laboratory situations. Thus far no one has come forward. He explain how the the mediums who supposedly spoke to the dead. Their helpers or gimmicks would make wrapping noises and certain tricks would make the table much move. Cold readings were done by reading a persons body and making vague questions comments that lead the psychic to the right answer. Sometimes they got it wrong and tried to cover it up. The cottingly faeries was another hoax,later admitted to later by the girls that they were fakes. Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle bought into it. The Lincoln family bought into spiritism.
The second author discusses the biblical definition of magic and what exactly Satans powers really are. He is not as strong as he is made out to be. Most people, devout Christians included have their beliefs about the occult that are derived from movies. Satan cannot cause sickness, hurl curses or even raise the dead. Humans do not have this power either. Only God does. Satan is actually gods servant. His job is to tempt men to sin, to test them. Most tricks that the magicians did in biblical times were just thst trickery and deception. Pharaoh magicians could not keep up with Moses because Moses had real power while they had trickery.
The last part is more ideological and in this part the author lays claim that Jesus is the Messiah and he was no mere magician. It states that the miracles he pulled off could not be mere tricks because to walk on water or multiplication of fish and loaves could not be faked and any magic trick needs to be set up in advance.
Regardless if you are Christian or not if you are the type drawn to spiritual movements then this is a book you want to read. There are plenty of fakes out there, psychics, mediums,faith healers, Hindu saints. They will make things materialize out of thin air, this is stage magic. They may heal someone but belief is strong and it could be psychosomatic.
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