"You shall be as gods".
It's how the devil tempted Adam and Eve. It's also the motivation for every sorcerer and sorceress ever. The only way to get superhuman power is to work with devils who lend you some of their angelic abilities FOR A PRICE (your immortal soul).
I was meditating and philosophizing on man's deep desire for omnipotence -- it might not be overpowering in most men, but let's just say it's as common fantasy -- which is explored in literature and cinema in many ways, including Star Trek: TNG with the "Q". There is one episode where Riker is given Q powers. That episode was philosophical to the hilt, very interesting, and why I found (and still find) Star Trek TNG to be worth watching with some caveats.
Just for starters, if you COULD make all kinds of magical things happen, you'd be stepping on God's toes. Particularly on God's Providence. You'd basically have to be God to not mess things up royally. Other books and movies have explored this aspect as well, such as "The Butterfly Effect". You try to fix things, but you end up making things worse.
For example, look at even a low-level exercise of omnipotent powers (like the "Q" powers) -- something that wouldn't blow up the earth or change history. Say I just make myself 20 lbs lighter, give myself an 18 year old's metabolism, and fix a few other minor health problems -- but then I'd be more attached to life on earth and would probably become much more proud. The same with creating a pile of gold coins. It would have unintended side effects that you couldn't foresee.
God has things figured out on a different level. In the end, God knows best and our happiness consists in CONFORMITY with God's will.
Topic: Dreaming of omnipotence - the devils own dream (Read 261 times)