Diffrence Between A Magician And A Priest? Options

Have been recently introduced to a circle but feel a bit out of place as firstly the elders there use what (at the moment at least) seems like a totally diffrent system to the one I'm used to (although to be honest it is the way of my people and I should be using it) some thing as apparently slight as starting in the west rather than the east shirks my self enough to destablise my whole practice. Anyway thats all besides the point, they are an impressive group one elder has been walking around possesed by an Egyptian diety for weeks on end unbeknownst to me and my inability to be impressed by most things.

Still they asked me to join and I took them up on the honour. Forgetting my indiviualistic mentality, my disliking of popular culture and group activities in general the main ''problem'' is that they are priests and I'm a magician and there seems to be a line somewhere.

Noticed some on here are happy to call themselves priests but there is a diffrence. Other than the fact that a magician uses diffrent systems the oath taken in initiation is the same.

Do the C.Magicians on here class themselves as Priests?

Whats the diffrence between a priest and a C.Magician?

Htp
Mc

A magician is one who practices magick, be it stage or occult. A priest is a member of some organized religion. Both have things in common. Both have differences as well.

I would also say that 'magician' is a very broad, catch-all term. All Sorcerers, Witches, and Priests, are magicians, but not all magicians are sorcerers, witches, or priests.

Specifically, as acid suggested, priests are somewhat religious in their magick, but I wouldn't say they are always part of an organized religion - however, while not all magicians dedicate themselves to a particular Deity or class of deities, to be a Priest is to be dedicated to a deity/deities.

peace

I would say that personally the term Priest usually includes the idea that the person is a member of an organized group or at least a practices at times with multiple people.

The word Priest derives from Presbyter (Elder) and usually carries the connotation of some authority within a group hierarchy.

I agree with the previous posts that Magician is a catch-all term. I think that Priest should not be used wholly as a self-identification but is an idea that must be recognized by at least one other individual.

The term "priest" does denote an obvious religious implication. A priest is seen as an authority within a religous community, who is closer to the God or gods than the rest of the community. He is entrusted with the faith of the community, and looked to for inspiration as a mediator between diety and man. In all honesty, an initiate is probably closer to his diety than a priest of the same belief is, because the relationship between the two is considerably more personal and expressed on all levels of existence. this holds particularly true of mystics, who's main goal is ecstatic union with the diety. In terms of christianity, a christian mystic generally has a much more personal relationship with God than the preist may have.

The biggest difference between priest and magician is that a priest relies wholly upon the structure of religion for his entire spiritual development. A magician may lean upon a religion for guidance, but is not wholly sustained in it, being quite capable of active spiritual evolution, opposed to the passive evolution of the Priest.

Vagrant was right in saying that magician is a sort of "catch-all" phrase, but only when looked at under the defined term of "a practicer of a system of magick". There is a distinct difference between a magician, and a true Adept, which should always be in mind. Those who have ever encountered an Adept will understand this, and those who havn't or don't understand the difference, will understand one day with diligent practice and perseverance.