Respectfuly, I think the focus of this thread should have been changed to "The Good News" forum. Whether your intention was that way or not, the plot of your effect follows Christian dogma.

I find it interesting that you use Christian concepts yet just happened to "look up" to see a Satanic book's cover. I wonder why a person would happen to have it around with the front cover out. Of course, I know you didn't read it because you would have known that the book is about self-interest (enlightened or otherwise) and not about evil.

One of the problems of using any sort of symbolism is that different people react in different ways to the same symbols. One person sees a cross and thinks of divine intervention and salvation while another person sees close to 2,000 years of terrorism and persecution. One person sees a pentagram and thinks of the "ultimate evil" while another person sees it thanks of the blessings of the God and Goddess. In short, using symbolism in a specific form will eventually upset some people.

A better way to approach this would be more generic. "For thousands of years, this symbol has been reputed to be filled with magical power..." People who find the symbol evil or sacred can both agree with that. But even then, you could get complaints--"Why are you using that evil sign?" "Why are you using our sacred symbol in your conjuring?"

It would be just as easy to come up with your own symbol, or perhaps a lesser-known symbol, and create the same effect. Since you happen to have "The Satanic Rituals" around with its cover out, I'm assuming you have other books filled with symbols you could use.

I do but as I said it was posted on a whim, not that I ever use the routine, it was just to get people thinking about the effect.
And how a gimmick like that can be used within bizarre.
By the way my last show I was asked afterwards if I was a real life Devil worshipper as I had a pentagram upside down on my table. Now I could of been arsey and said it wasn't upside down for me, or I could have said that to believe in the Devil you have to believe in God, but I didn't I politely said, "No."

Gentlepeople, no insult was intended in my post about the chosen symbol, just an example of the kind of reaction one could get if one presented the effect in that way to someone who is a member of what the Center For Religious Studies has stated is the fastest growing religion in America, the Wiccan faiths.

To some, it may be "nothing" to use a symbol in an incorrect and insulting way with regard to someone else's religion, but the moment that their faith gets the same treatment, they go ballistic.

My point was that, with a VERY MINOR TWEAK (changing the symbol used in the effect) one could take an effect that I freely admit is VERY strong and remove the possibility of a significant portion of the public taking offense.

If that's "nothing," then it's a pretty big nothing.

Members in this forum put their material out for comments and review. I made my comments based on my initial gut reaction to the presentation. I later clarified my position in another post, complimenting the creator on his inventive and impressive effect.

If you check my posts, you will find that I do my best to be a reasonable person, posting positive and supportive comments in a number of these forum boards and that I don't get up on my soapbox very often.

But we all have to remember that everybody has a hot button or two somewhere and that religion has a very high likelihood of being a place where such buttons can be found.

I apologize if my rant offended anyone, but I stick by my comments about the misues of symbols.

We are supposed to be entertainers. Offending people to no good purpose is generally not very entertaining.

Just my 2 cent's worth.

Happy New Year!

Lee Darrow, C.Ht.
http://www.leedarrow.com

You are right by the way Lee!!
Have a good New Year.
Lyndon

As another example of dual meanings for the same symbol, the swastika has been used for centuries by the American Indians of the Southwest. It is woven into blankets and rugs as well as other instances where it is a very positive symbol with good connotations. Of course, this was the same symbol used by Hitler for his Nazi party insignia.