14 December 2019
Word of the Day: Vain Observance
VAIN OBSERVANCE. A form of superstition that tries to achieve a certain
effect by the use of unsuitable means. Implicit in vain observance is the belief
that there are hidden preternatural forces at work in the world which dispense
with the need of using ordinary, natural, or supernatural means for obtaining
a desired effect. Vain observance also implies the expectation of an infallible
result whenever certain words are said or actions performed. There is only a
shade of difference between vain observance and divination. In both cases reliance
on the evil spirit is involved. But vain observance, unlike divination, is not
concerned with obtaining knowledge of the future or of the occult. Its focus
is on obtaining some external results, such as making a successful business
deal or recovering one’s health.
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