"fectease and multiply, and fill the universe and subdue it, and rule over all manner of strange beasts and living creatures in the infinite airs, on the infinite earths and beneath them " Him the idea of God expanded with the idea of history Bs-chatological questions, forced to postpone themselves to yet more distant futures in "real time," were (though never dismissed from speculations of fear and hope) forced to yield to more immediate and local issues Thus the idea of God diminished, opening a way for those who could (or who pretended they could) offer promises for the immediate future based on an arcane development of oracular power It was a time of sorceresses whose powers were real Women with the power to control and attune their bodies and minds to the rhythms of history seized their opportunity to dominate world populations It was a time of goddesses, such as Kubebe of Komos, Hawt of Humidis, Sente the All-knowing of the WaUach group whose worship spread to many planets, Venera of Gamont, and many others It was a tune when Kali unveiled many of her most dread faces to reign supreme over the destinies of men The measure of the witch-priestesses who served at her altars is seen m the fact that they never boasted how they grasped die firebrand in her loins Not content with their rule over single planets, they saw advantages in joining together (their own form of ecumenical movement) so that they might shape the universe Thus flourished the power of the Bene Gessent and the establishment of their breeding program Then came the Butlenan Jihad, causing generations of chaos The god of machine-logic was overthrown among the masses and a new concept was raised "Man may not be replaced '' This B G -sponsored campaign removed from men a rival power of fu-turo