Superstition: Difference between revisions
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4. Excessive nicety; scrupulous exactness.<Br> | 4. Excessive nicety; scrupulous exactness.<Br> | ||
5. Belief in the direct agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular events, or in omens and prognostics.</Ref> | 5. Belief in the direct agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular events, or in omens and prognostics.</Ref> | ||
Christians are mentioned in [[Suetonius]]' biography of the Emperor Nero (Nero 16) as among those persecuted by him around AD 64 which was the year of the Great Fire of Rome. In this passage Suetonius describes Christianity as excessive religiosity using the term [[Superstition|superstitio]]) as do others like [[Tacitus]] and Pliny. At first there was little distinction between Christians and Jews prior to Nerva's modification of the Fiscus Judaicus in AD 96. | |||
Suetonius can speak of 'Christians' as members of a ''new cult'' that was contrary to the [[Imperial Cult of Rome]]. Those who had become accustomed to funding their [[temples]] with the immoral practices forcing the contributions of others so that some could continue to live at their expense. | |||
Romans, [[David Crockett|like Americans]], had considered taxing others for their personal benefit or gain as an immoral practice and [[Polybius]] had warned [[Rome]] of the consequences to the [[masses]] of such practices more than a century earlier. David, Paul, and Proverbs explained that such systems of [[social welfare]] would be a [[snare]].<Ref name="snaretrap">{{snaretrap}}</Ref> | |||
Jesus said such covetous<Ref name="covetnot">{{covetnot}}</Ref> systems of [[Corban]] made the word of God to none effect. [[Suetonius]], [[Tacitus]], [[FDR]], and [[modern Christians]] do not have seem to have had the humility see that those [[benefits]] were not only the [[wages of unrighteousness]] but they erode the [[social bonds]] required to maintain freedom and their liberties.<Ref name="desliberty">{{desliberty}}</Ref> | |||
=== Rites and practices === | === Rites and practices === | ||
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3. religion as distinct from virtue, or morality, consists in the performance of the duties we owe directly to God, from a principle of obedience to his will. Hence we often speak of religion and virtue, as different branches of one system, or the duties of the first and second tables of the law.</Ref> | 3. religion as distinct from virtue, or morality, consists in the performance of the duties we owe directly to God, from a principle of obedience to his will. Hence we often speak of religion and virtue, as different branches of one system, or the duties of the first and second tables of the law.</Ref> | ||
Today, superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. b : an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition. | Today, [[superstition]] is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. b : an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition. | ||
The blending of [[public religion]], which included [[public welfare]] with [[tutelary]] deities some times brought in elements of mysticism or dream interpretation as we see with [[Sumer|Nanshe]] the goddess of [[social justice]] and [[social welfare]] we see in early [[Sumer]]. | The blending of [[public religion]], which included [[public welfare]] with [[tutelary]] deities some times brought in elements of mysticism or dream interpretation as we see with [[Sumer|Nanshe]] the goddess of [[social justice]] and [[social welfare]] we see in early [[Sumer]]. | ||
Revision as of 09:36, 1 September 2023
Superstition
Superstition has had numerous definitions over the years. In 1828 Webster defined it as an Excessive exactness or rigor in religious opinions or practice that are both an extreme and unnecessary form in the observance of rites[1] not commanded, or the belief of what is absurd, or belief without evidence.[2]
Christians are mentioned in Suetonius' biography of the Emperor Nero (Nero 16) as among those persecuted by him around AD 64 which was the year of the Great Fire of Rome. In this passage Suetonius describes Christianity as excessive religiosity using the term superstitio) as do others like Tacitus and Pliny. At first there was little distinction between Christians and Jews prior to Nerva's modification of the Fiscus Judaicus in AD 96.
Suetonius can speak of 'Christians' as members of a new cult that was contrary to the Imperial Cult of Rome. Those who had become accustomed to funding their temples with the immoral practices forcing the contributions of others so that some could continue to live at their expense.
Romans, like Americans, had considered taxing others for their personal benefit or gain as an immoral practice and Polybius had warned Rome of the consequences to the masses of such practices more than a century earlier. David, Paul, and Proverbs explained that such systems of social welfare would be a snare.[3]
Jesus said such covetous[4] systems of Corban made the word of God to none effect. Suetonius, Tacitus, FDR, and modern Christians do not have seem to have had the humility see that those benefits were not only the wages of unrighteousness but they erode the social bonds required to maintain freedom and their liberties.[5]
Rites and practices
Superstition was considered to be "False religion; false worship" which was seen in the "Rite[1] or practice proceeding from excess of scruples in religion." As well as a "Belief in the direct agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular events, or in omens and prognostics."
While, in the same dictionary religion was seen including the truth or perfections of God as revealed in man's obligation and "accountableness to God" in true godliness with the practice and "performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men".[6]
Today, superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. b : an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition.
The blending of public religion, which included public welfare with tutelary deities some times brought in elements of mysticism or dream interpretation as we see with Nanshe the goddess of social justice and social welfare we see in early Sumer.
A rite or ritus is a word that designates the "The prescribed or customary form for conducting a religious or other solemn ceremony: [1]
In Polybius' writings he saw the use or at least the practice of religion at that time was becoming a "superstition". There were those who reduced the wisdom of the ages to more mindless superstitions by unmooring the precepts from the metaphors and allegories of the wise. They believed in the symbols of the ancient stories rather than their wisdom.
Polybius saw the degeneration of the masses and the downfall of the republic a 150 years before the first Emperor of Rome and 175 years before the birth of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist.
Polybius used the term "superstition" to described what was seen as a mysterious establishment of "cause and effect". Many did not understand by reason nor personal revelation how the Law of nature and Natures' God worked. They believed an unseen spiritual realm had an influence on the world around and sought comfort against the unknown in the hope of incurring a divine ally who could protect them from "the dark".
The Greek goddess Tyche and the Roman Fortuna, according to the memes of mythology presided over the fate and fortune or prosperity and plight of the cities nof the people, as well as their personal destinies, both good and evil.
Blaming the misfortunes of life on God or gods rather than taking responsibility for our own choices has been one one the first memes and practices of man.[7]
While religion was originally a duty to god and your fellowman superstition was an abdication of that duty
Polybius saw this "superstition in ancient Rome" as an "instrumentum regni" a term used by Tacitus meaning "instrument of rulers". Tacitus said there is "No better instrument of good government than being good friends"[8] He used the phrase to express the exploitation of a form of legal religion by State as a means of controlling the masses. These practices of Public religion through legal charity degenerated the social bonds of communities and weakened the people to achieve political power and control over a more compliant population.
Public religion and legal charity could make the people extremely dependent upon the State and its free bread while they forgot the ancient ways of charity but clung to the symbols rather than their essence and meaning. The ancient ways were forgotten[9] as the people indulged in the dainties of the rulers often at the expense of their neighbors.
There has been a sacrifice of truth and the hands of Sophistry of those who would use the ignorance of people to control them by unmooring the meanings of the Memes of culture from their purpose.
What was the purpose of the golden calf?
It was not mere superstition that motivated them, but practicality and a lack of faith. The people literally deposited their gold on the altar of the golden calf. Gold was deposited into a large statue for all to see. The wealth and the community was melded together into a common purse. [10]
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Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 RITE, noun [Latin ritus.]
The manner of performing divine or solemn service as established by law, precept or custom; formal act of religion, or other solemn duty. The rites of the Israelites were numerous and expensive; the rites of modern churches are more simple. Funeral rites are very different in different countries. The sacrament is a holy rite - ↑ SUPERSTITION, noun [Latin superstitio, supersto; super and sto, to stand.]
1. Excessive exactness or rigor in religious opinions or practice; extreme and unnecessary scruples in the observance of religious rites not commanded, or of points of minor importance; excess or extravagance in religion; the doing of things not required by God, or abstaining from things not forbidden; or the belief of what is absurd, or belief without evidence.
Superstition has reference to god, to religion, or to beings superior to man.
2. False religion; false worship.
3. Rite or practice proceeding from excess of scruples in religion. In this sense, it admits of a plural.
4. Excessive nicety; scrupulous exactness.
5. Belief in the direct agency of superior powers in certain extraordinary or singular events, or in omens and prognostics. - ↑ Table as a snare
- Psalms 69:22-23 “Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake."”
- Romans 11:9 “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:”
- Proverbs 23:1 "When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee: 2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat."
- Exodus 23:32 "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee."
- Exodus 34:12 "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:"
- Deuteronomy 7:16 "And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that [will be] a snare unto thee."
- Judges 2:2 "And ye shall make no league [covenant] with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?"
- Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
- Proverbs 6:2 “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.” Swear not
- Luke 21:34 "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth."
- 1 Timothy 6:9 "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
- "Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?" Isaiah 40:21 is about the message of John the Baptist who was "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" Isaiah 40:3 to avoid the "snare" of the legal charity of the welfare state which which makes the word of God to none effect bringing man back into captivity as human resources.
- ↑ Covet not
- Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour’s."
- Deuteronomy 5:21 "Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any [thing] that [is] thy neighbour’s."
- Micah 2:2 "And they covet fields, and take [them] by violence; and houses, and take [them] away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage." Property and inheritance tax.
- Habakkuk 2:9 "Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul."
- Mark 7:20 "And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."
- Romans 7:7 "What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."
- Romans 13:9 "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
- 1 Corinthians 5:10 "Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
- 1 Corinthians 6:10 "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." See Not inherit the kingdom
- Ephesians 5:5 "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." See Not inherit the kingdom
- 2 Timothy 3:2 "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- 2 Peter 2:3 "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."
- 2 Peter 2:14 "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:"
- Colossians 3:5 "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"
- ↑ Destroyers of liberty
- "That the man who first ruined the Roman people twas he who first gave them treats and gratuities. But this mischief crept secretly and gradually in, and did not openly make it's appearance in Rome for a considerable time." Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus (c. 100 AD.) This would include Julius Caesar and eventually Augustus Caesar which is why Plutarch also reported, “The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits.” This was a major theme of the Bible:
- There were tables of welfare which were both snares and a traps as David and Paul stated and Peter warned would make us merchandise and curse children. Proverbs 23 told us not to not eat the "dainties" offered at those tables of Rulers and Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10 we cannot eat of those tables and the table of the Lord. We are not to consent to their covetous systems of One purse or Corban which makes the word of God to none effect.
- We know when the masses become accustomed to those benefits of legal charity which are the rewards of unrighteousness provided by benefactors who exercise authority and the Fathers of the earth through the covetous practices that makes men merchandise and curse children as a surety for debt.
- ↑ 1. religion in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion
2. religion as distinct from theology, is godliness or real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men, in obedience to divine command, or from love to God and his law. James 1:26.
3. religion as distinct from virtue, or morality, consists in the performance of the duties we owe directly to God, from a principle of obedience to his will. Hence we often speak of religion and virtue, as different branches of one system, or the duties of the first and second tables of the law. - ↑ Genesis 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
- ↑ Nullum maius boni imperii instrumentum quam bonos amicos esse» Tacitus, Historiae, IV 7.
- ↑ Jeremiah 18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up;
- ↑ “Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.” Proverbs 1:14-19