Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Superstition" in English language version.
The etymological meaning of L. superstitio is perhaps 'standing over a thing in amazement or awe.' Other interpretations of the literal meaning have been proposed, e.g., 'excess in devotion, over-scrupulousness or over-ceremoniousness in religion' and 'the survival of old religious habits in the midst of a new order of things'; but such ideas are foreign to ancient Roman thought.
. . . equating all Christian beliefs except those accessible to unaided reason with superstition . . .
For there was scarce another of the celebrated bishoprics that had so few learned pontiffs; only in violence, intrigue, and superstition has it hitherto surpassed the rest. For the men who occupied the Roman See a thousand years ago differ so vastly from those who have since come into power, that one is compelled to refuse the name of Roman pontiff either to the former or to the latter.
[...] the observation of signs and times simply entails observibng properly and interpreting the results. [...] This branch of superstition requires an observer who interprets the findings, but this observer need not participate in any activity to disclose that which is to be observed.
[...] medieval prognosticatory superstition, which I describe as a aystem which, if properly applied, yields knowledge of the future. This working definition asserts that prognostication is a component of superstition. [...] Moreover, the working definition makes clear that prognostication is systematic, not random, and that it relies on ritual and order.
Prognostication seems to occupy a place somewhere between observation and divination, of which the observation of times is represented most frequently due to the primacy of temporal prognostics.
The group of observation of times contains all temporal prognostics, which make up the larger part of the English prognostic corpus.
Prophecy is a type of divination which is condoned by the church, since many aspects of the religious experience are tied up with prophecy. Examples include the prophets of the Old Testament, biblical typological allegory, the fifteen signs before Judgement Day, and the many prophecies uttered by saints.
There are many superstitions connected with religion, and people who belong to one faith are likely to consider people with different beliefs superstitious. Constantine considered paganism a superstition. Tacitus, on the other hand, considered Christianity a pernicious superstition. Martin Luther said that anything that does not center on Christ was superstition. St. Paul also believed this [...].
Disagreements about what counts as 'superstition' will usually be exacerbated when we move from one culture to another.
For there was scarce another of the celebrated bishoprics that had so few learned pontiffs; only in violence, intrigue, and superstition has it hitherto surpassed the rest. For the men who occupied the Roman See a thousand years ago differ so vastly from those who have since come into power, that one is compelled to refuse the name of Roman pontiff either to the former or to the latter.
For there was scarce another of the celebrated bishoprics that had so few learned pontiffs; only in violence, intrigue, and superstition has it hitherto surpassed the rest. For the men who occupied the Roman See a thousand years ago differ so vastly from those who have since come into power, that one is compelled to refuse the name of Roman pontiff either to the former or to the latter.
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