Whom are you going to invoke?

Although the people’s religion did often call upon God, Jesus, Mary, and the various saints, as well as upon some pagan gods and goddesses (and even more frequently invoked minor spirits such as fairies, elves, and demons), it did so only to invoke their aid, having little interest in matters such as the meaning of life or the basis for salvation. Instead, the emphasis was on pressing, tangible, and mundane matters such as health, fertility, weather, sex, and good crops. Consequently, the centerpiece of the people’s was, as it had always been, magic. The Triumph of Christianity, page 266

<idle musing>
The issue, as it always has been, is control. We want to be in control in order to protect ourselves. We are scared and don't trust God to take care of us. After all, he might not do what we want him to do! Genesis 3, anyone?
</idle musing>