Divination and the gods
i've been thinking about the difference between the gods and the monotheistic conception of god in regards to divination lately
it's strange that divination to contact the gods is fairly ubiquitous in polytheism, yet almost unknown in monotheism
and i think it is tied up in the relationship of monotheistic conceptions of their god to authority
What's ur definition of divination
in this context it is the recieiving of messages 'of whatever articulation' from the gods through the use of a divinationary rite or practice
i.e. something insitgated by the human, rather than by the god
since the monotheistic conception of god exists to solve the problem of 'what is the basis of morality' his will must be embodied by human institutions, that can stay "on message"
i mean even the philosophers who hewed to monisim didn't attempt divination to communicate with the god as they conceived it
the monotheistic rejection of divination as a way of communicating with divinity disempowers the individual, forcing them to approach to the institution for sanction of any planned activities, and unable to counter an acts of oppression if the institution chooses to move against them
And ultimately it serves to place institutional authority between the human individual and the divine
And ultimately it serves to place institutional authority between the human individual and the divine

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