When Moses appeared before Pharaoh, demanding that the Egyptian god-king “let my people go,” he threw down his staff in Pharaoh’s face and it was miraculously transformed into a roiling, writhing serpent. Pretty impressive, right?

Well, some of the servants and royal attendants surely gasped in amazement. But one group of onlookers was completely bored. Who were they? The royal magicians. They snickered and summarily dismissed such a basic parlor trick.

Trained magicians — whether in the court of Ramses or onstage at some Las Vegas venue — are the last people to actually “believe” in magic, in miracles, or in any kind of paranormal mystery. Magicians know too much. They know “magic” is tricks and techniques, smoke and mirrors.

As each new plague swept over the land, it was explained awa…