Imagine someone reports that a statue of Jesus moved its lips and spoke to them. Would this necessarily be a miracle—a supernatural event?
Some Christians argue that such an event could, in principle, be explained naturally. They suggest that the molecules making up the statue’s mouth might, through an extraordinarily unlikely physical fluctuation, move in such a way that speech occurs. Physics does not forbid such events outright; it only tells us that their probability would be unimaginably small, though not mathematically zero (see Answering the New Atheism: Dismantling Dawkins’ Case Against God, p. 12). On this view, the event would not have to be a miracle. At the same time, believers may add that it could still be a miracle. Perhaps the conclusion is that we cannot know.
However, from a rational standpoint, the most reasonable assumption is that the event—if it occurred at all—had a natural explanation. Science can show that extremely improbable events (“blips”) are possible, but it cannot demonstrate that a supernatural cause has occurred. Any event labeled a miracle could, in principle, be an unusual natural occurrence. For this reason, even dramatic events—such as the resurrection of Jesus—cannot by themselves establish supernatural claims like divine saviourhood without independent, compelling evidence.
Suppose, for example, that a statue appeared to bleed due to some rare physical process. Given how unlikely such a process would be, exceptionally strong evidence would be required to establish that it truly occurred and was correctly interpreted. Testimony alone would not be sufficient; careful investigation would be necessary. The same standard should apply to reported religious miracles. If we would not accept someone’s word alone for a supposed physical “blip,” we should not accept miracle claims without rigorous evidence either.
Even if miracles were possible in principle, it would not follow that any particular reported miracle is credible. Believability depends entirely on the quality of the evidence. Claims must be examined, tested, and investigated, not simply accepted on trust.
Belief in magic typically assumes that the future is not fixed and that outcomes can be altered by non-natural means, such as rituals, spells, or prayers. Some proponents appeal to quantum physics to support these ideas. However, this appeal misunderstands what physics actually says.
As Keith Ward explains in More Than Matter?, quantum physics undermines strict determinism but does not eliminate laws of nature. Events at the subatomic level are governed by probabilistic laws, not by arbitrary or supernatural interventions. Randomness exists, but it operates within well-defined constraints (pp. 94–95). Even apparent unpredictability does not imply freedom from natural law.
Furthermore, no phenomenon exists in complete isolation from the rest of the universe. This interconnectedness limits what is physically possible. As physicist Michio Kaku notes, once certain fundamental principles are fixed, even a creator would have no freedom to alter the basic structure of reality. This undermines the idea of a God who freely intervenes to suspend natural laws at will. A deity who lacks freedom of action would not resemble the traditional Christian concept of God, which depends on divine free will.
Magic, by definition, involves causing events to occur without natural means: making someone fall in love through a ritual, turning water into wine by a gesture, or changing God’s plans through prayer. These are all forms of supernatural causation. Superstitions—such as believing that walking under a ladder causes bad luck—differ only in degree, not in kind. Both rely on unsupported causal claims.
Belief in magic and superstition is often selective and biased. For example, one person may believe that stars control human fate but reject other superstitions; a Catholic may believe God speaks to the pope but not to Joseph Smith. This selectivity reflects preference rather than reason. Encouraging such bias is harmful because it promotes comfort over truth and sets a poor example for others.
Notably, believers in magic do not experience better health, longer lives, or greater success than skeptics. This empirical fact strongly suggests that magic has no real effects.
Some attempt to use concepts like the Uncertainty Principle or the wave–particle duality of light to justify magical thinking. While quantum mechanics shows that reality is indeterminate at very small scales, it does not imply that human thoughts can control macroscopic events. Effects observed at the subatomic level do not automatically scale up to everyday human experience.
The Copenhagen Interpretation holds that measurement affects quantum outcomes, but this does not mean that conscious intention reshapes reality at will. Observation is something that happens to us, not something we freely impose on nature. Feeling cold, for instance, is not something we choose. Likewise, even if observation plays a role in quantum phenomena, it does not follow that we consciously cause those outcomes.
If magic were scientifically verified, it would be widely used, reliably effective, and subject to commercial and experimental exploitation. Scientists would be publishing manuals and selling tools for it. The fact that this has not happened is telling.
When magic fails, believers often shield it from criticism by making it unfalsifiable: spells only work if you “help yourself,” or disbelief interferes with success. Such claims explain away every failure and therefore explain nothing. Anything that cannot be tested or potentially disproven is indistinguishable from superstition.
Science advances by skepticism, testing, and rejecting explanations that do not fit the evidence. Magic demands belief without such scrutiny. For this reason, there is no scientific basis for magic, and treating it as credible undermines scientific thinking. To reject science in favor of magic is not a neutral position—it is a rejection of the most reliable method we have for understanding reality.
BOOKS CONSULTED
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BIZARRE BELIEFS, Simon Hoggart and Mike Hutchinson, Richard Cohen Books, London,
1995
INSIDE THE SUPERNATURAL, Jean Ritchie, Fontana, London, 1992
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MAGICK IN THEORY AND PRACTICE, Aleister Crowley, Castle Books, New Jersey, 1991
MALLEUS SATANI, Suzanne Ruthven, Ignotus Press, London, 1994
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MIRACLES OR MAGIC? Andre Kole and Karl Janssen, Harvest House, Oregon, 1987
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POWER OF THE WITCH, Laurie Cabot with Tom Cowan, Arkana, Penguin, London, 1992
POWERS OF DARKNESS POWERS OF LIGHT, John Cornwell, Penguin, London 1992
PSYCHIC SELF-DEFENCE, Dion Fortune Aquarian London, 1988
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SECRETS OF THE AMAZING KRESKIN, Kreskin, Prometheus Books, Buffalo, Texas 1991
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THE COMPLETE BOOK OF FORTUNE, Blaketon Hall, Exeter, 1988
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THE TAO OF PHYSICS, Fritjof Capra, Flamingo, London, 1992
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THE WORDSWORTH DICTIONARY OF THE OCCULT, Andre Nataf Wordsworth Reference, Herts
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UNDERSTANDING THE NEW AGE, Russell Chandler, Word UK, Reading, 1988
WHAT IS THE NEW AGE? Michael Cole, Jim Graham, Tony Higton and David Lewis,
Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1991
WHY I AM A BUDDHIST, No Nonsense Buddhism for Modern Living, Stephen T Asma,
Watkins, London, 2011
WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE WEIRD THINGS, Michael Shermer, Freeman, New York, 1997