Hi Lido.  This is just a casual observation pertaining to your answer.  Please do not take offense.  I like to refer to the areas of esoterica (tarot, astrology, numerology, divination, magic, etc.) as, "Arts:" not sciences.  I prefer to call them, "The Esoteric Arts," rather than, "The Esoteric Sciences," as they are often called in older occult literature.  You are correct.  In the past, Science has condemned divination as well as most all of the other occult disciplines.  The reason, I believe, is that the two fields do not understand the essence one another.  Science and art are somewhat related, but very different from one another.  Scientists simply report facts as objective reality would dictate through repeated experiments called, "The Scientific Method of Thinking."  This thought process yields wondrous results.  Science has landed men on the Moon, split atoms, cracked the human genetic code and even come up with a way of annihilating humankind as we know it.  Yet, the Scientific Method is fairly primitive way of thinking in that it is an automatic response to the environment: really, no different from a deer smelling smoke, registering in its brain as, "Danger!," and it fleeing.  There is no real thought process other than sensory stimulus and automatic reaction.  Artists, on the other hand, have permission to go deeper.  The, "Artistic Method of Thinking," if there were such a term, is acknowledging facts and going further by adding meaning to them.  For example, the science of astronomy and the art of astrology are identical in that they chart the movements of the heavenly bodies.  However, the art of astrology takes things one step further.  It adds meaning to these movements (ie. it speculates on their affects on the planet, Earth, and its inhabitants.  Do you see what I mean?  Science argues its points only from its own perspective.  Esoterica argues its points only from its own perspective.  There is no acknowledgment from either of the two fields that they are, essentially, very different from one another.

By the way, science is beginning to retract its condemnation of the esoteric arts.  The science of psychology/psychologists and the art of magic/magicians (not the parlor tricks kind, but the other kind) are beginning to realize on a grand scale that they are speaking the same language, only in different dialects, similarly to the way Classical musicians and Jazz musicians realized this back in the 1950's.  The science of physics, particularly, Quantum Mechanics is beginning to validate a lot of what esoteric artists have known instinctively and practiced for a long, long time.  So, the fields are reconciling with one another slowly but surely.  It's just that we artists have to wait for science to catch up with us:):):):):):):):):)

Regarding religion: religion is man-made.  It likes to place itself on a plane of authority just one step below God.  It likes to think of itself as God's authority on Earth.  More, accurately, I think it likes to place itself in the position of man's authority over other men, as evidenced by the prominent corruption characteristic of all three religions you mentioned.  Religion functions as a medium through which one can gain access to God/the Divine.  On the other hand, most of the esoteric arts allow an individual direct access to God/the Divine, thereby negating the very purpose of religion altogether.  Thus, naturally, religion is going to condemn anything and everything that challenges its authority including the esoteric arts such as divination.

Again, it is not at all my intention to offend you, Lido.  These are just some immediate thoughts that came to mind which I thought were worthy of comment.                

I am not offended by your comments. On the contrary, I found them clearly and kindly presented.

In my defense I realize my answer was presented briefly and perhaps too strongly one-sided. I do not like to type long posts as a rule. Personally I am a technical person, and believe in the value of science and the scientific method. I also know the limitations of science. I value the power of reason and it's results in philosophy and metaphysics.

I will concede that "there are more things in this world than are dreampt of in your philosophy....." ( mangling Shakespeare) . And I believe that is where you are coming from.

I must say I disagree with your assessment of religion. I believe that God has revealed Himself to mankind and has told us some of the truth about Himself. But that is subject far too complicated to get into here.

In closing, thank you for taking the time to state your position, and the grace with which you did it.

The best to you.