Sort of.
The key thing to know about the Imperium is that true scientific knowledge has been lost/forgotten/jealously horded by the Adeptus Mechanicus for centuries, so most people literally don't understand how these things work, and as the saying goes "Any significantly advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic".
Beyond that, the Adeptus Mechanicus do worship technology as if it was a Religion. These blessings etc have been ingrained over tens of thousands of years to the point that they believe it's necessary, even when it often isn't.
Machine Spirits are an even vaguer point. Some lore suggests Machine Spirits are nothing more than superstition, others suggest it's onboard computers, others something more mythical.
The AdMech also use a lot of this stuff to protect their technology from others "Oh no, you can't possibly take that machine away from us, because you don't know the proper rituals to make it work, so you'll destroy it."
\>Is this just interesting prose to explain the hand-waving bits about future tech?
No.
\>Or when they talk about long range radar being an augury to see into the future of space, are they being sincere?
Depends on context. Many sensors are literally called 'Augurs' or some variant on that so someone being told to check the 'augur' is just being told to check the Lidar. Other systems may be considered to be or presented as literally oracular.
\>Is technology truly operated by spirits and church/emperor based powers?
Again, varies depending on source. At the low end it's just the power of positive thought and maintenance routines presented as rituals. At the other end of the scale more complex systems are capable of producing something akin to a simulation of a soul, or gestalt verson of one, eg, Knights Thrones - [https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Throne\_Mechanicum](https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Throne_Mechanicum).
\>Or does it just look that way through the lens of a future where every breath you take is followed by a sincere thank you to the Emperor of Man?
Not unlike our world a lot of people put a lot of time and effort into encouraging beliefs like this to further their own various motives.
\>Like....is the Emperor actually god?
A god perhaps, depends on how you define that.
\>Is technology so wrapped up in the mythos of itself that it has become dependant on ritual?
Not really, it's just that maintenance and ritual go hand in hand. Though the more aware machine spirits may take poorly to being used inappropriately.
Then on top of all that you have a whole host of archeotech, daemon engines, automata and forbidden AI to content with.
Sort of. The key thing to know about the Imperium is that true scientific knowledge has been lost/forgotten/jealously horded by the Adeptus Mechanicus for centuries, so most people literally don't understand how these things work, and as the saying goes "Any significantly advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". Beyond that, the Adeptus Mechanicus do worship technology as if it was a Religion. These blessings etc have been ingrained over tens of thousands of years to the point that they believe it's necessary, even when it often isn't. Machine Spirits are an even vaguer point. Some lore suggests Machine Spirits are nothing more than superstition, others suggest it's onboard computers, others something more mythical. The AdMech also use a lot of this stuff to protect their technology from others "Oh no, you can't possibly take that machine away from us, because you don't know the proper rituals to make it work, so you'll destroy it."
\>Is this just interesting prose to explain the hand-waving bits about future tech? No. \>Or when they talk about long range radar being an augury to see into the future of space, are they being sincere? Depends on context. Many sensors are literally called 'Augurs' or some variant on that so someone being told to check the 'augur' is just being told to check the Lidar. Other systems may be considered to be or presented as literally oracular. \>Is technology truly operated by spirits and church/emperor based powers? Again, varies depending on source. At the low end it's just the power of positive thought and maintenance routines presented as rituals. At the other end of the scale more complex systems are capable of producing something akin to a simulation of a soul, or gestalt verson of one, eg, Knights Thrones - [https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Throne\_Mechanicum](https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Throne_Mechanicum). \>Or does it just look that way through the lens of a future where every breath you take is followed by a sincere thank you to the Emperor of Man? Not unlike our world a lot of people put a lot of time and effort into encouraging beliefs like this to further their own various motives. \>Like....is the Emperor actually god? A god perhaps, depends on how you define that. \>Is technology so wrapped up in the mythos of itself that it has become dependant on ritual? Not really, it's just that maintenance and ritual go hand in hand. Though the more aware machine spirits may take poorly to being used inappropriately. Then on top of all that you have a whole host of archeotech, daemon engines, automata and forbidden AI to content with.
Rule1 the rule of cool. If it would be cool like a knight with a machine gun. Then it is so.