The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

experts in divination and magic goes back to early Babylonia, if not further. Chaldean renown was gained from their sophisticated systems of divination where astrology and astronomy were chief disciplines. With these the ancient Chaldeans specialized in omens augury, dream interpretation, spell binding and casting, horoscopy, and sorcery. Magic was their main divinatory tool. The Chaldean mind-set was set toward nature worship. How it operated and its times and seasons of operation were essential to the success of their magic formulae. To the Chaldean, natural laws were executed by deliberate, rational, and intelligent beings who could be placated, appeased, and cajoled into serving mortals under the right circumstances. The object of their manipulation was to subvert natural law, curtail its effect in human life, and impede the normal courses of life. Intelligence, not erratic spiritual maneuvers, was used to carry out the magic spells and rituals employed. A blend of science, medicine, and numinism were used to identify and isolate the presence, causes, motivation, and affects of demonic activity responsible for the sickness, disease, calamity, or prosperity their magic was to remedy. Intense schooling was required because such knowledge involved intimacy with the unseen forces and a thorough acquaintance with their ways, rules, protocols, laws, and parameters. With such knowledge the Chaldean priest could implement ways to overthrow the work of subordinate spirits and invoke higher spirits to perform at their word. Doing so relied on an intricate knowledge of each one’s manifestations. Medical treatments mixed drugs and magical potions with religious rites and magical words. 262. Chance—The belief and explanation of events and incidents appearing to happen of their own accord. Chance ignores any logical plan or governmental orchestration of creation or the world and its inhabitants. Coming from the Latin, the word springs from meanings that define “a fall, as in line with a cadence.” The idea is that there is a pulse to life that, if left uninterrupted, would cause things to fall according to some invisible order or decree. Hence, the phrase “let the chips fall where they may.” The word seeks to explain the belief in events and incidents appearing to happen of their own accord. Chance contends that all that was done at creation, a creator being irrelevant. Invisible events are released by the forces of cause and effect who merely pull a lever, if you will, that pours out on the planet what has been stored waiting for the right moment. Sovereign intervention or similar rhetoric are believed to be inconsequential in human affairs. 263. Chant—A repetitive song sung to inspire and motivate the appearance or