in general, do you think atheists or religious people are more superstitious?

Question

and why?

please say whether you're an atheist or believer for context

some people say it's obvious, but i've know PLENTY of atheists who are superstitious and PLENTY of believers who aren't.

Answer 1

I would say the Religious (especially the Extremely Religious) are more prone to give in to superstitions than atheists, but I don't believe Atheists are without superstitions all together. Judging by some of the answers you've gotten so far, I wonder if they realize what superstitions really are? Seems they think that all superstitions are within the realm of the "supernatural" when they don't rely on a belief in God(s) in general... or even ghosts, ufos, etc.... Breaking a mirror and having bad luck is a superstition (though I'd say you already had the bad luck if you broke the mirror to begin with). Thinking that walking under a ladder is bad luck is a superstition... and not really without rational thought behind it.... it's pretty much common sense played out in a superstition. Don't want to walk under a ladder and something from the top of the ladder fall off and hit you, or the ladder itself fall - that would be "bad luck".

Seems many people are given to changing the meanings of words and the concepts behind them to fit their own perspective... It is all relative, right? So why is it only relative to one set of people and not the other?

Answer 2

By far, religious people. Atheists tend to deal with things that are verifiably true, and disregard the mystical entirely. I know several religious people (mainly christian) that are afraid of voodoo, won't open an umbrella indoors, won't walk under ladders or stairways, and believe that watching certain television programs invites evil spirits into your house. All of the atheists I know laugh at such things.

Edit: Rachel, I believe you. Every now and then some of us have superstitious hangovers. Learned behaviors are sometimes hard to fully erradicate (hence, all of the people that hear about Jesus, but stick with the gods that they know, despite the christian claim to be the only truth).

Answer 3

Religious people are predisposed to believing in stuff that is made up, so I would think they are more willing to accept things without fact, thus making them more superstitious in general. Isn't believing in god alone superstitious?

Answer 4

In general, you are overgeneralizing. Superstition is usually attributed to religious spirituality. Since atheists have no spirituallity they must suffer less from superstition.

I am a Christian. I am not religious. (religion being a set of observances and rituals making up a spiritual belief. Christianity is primarily a relationship with God) I am a person of faith (trusting God). There is no room in my faith for superstition, which is counter to the very idea of faith.

Answer 5

Silly question really. Atheists are unlikely to ever be superstitious. Why? Because most of them are rational intelligent people and such people don't believe in such foolishness as ghosts, luck, astrology, UFO visitations and so on.

I'm an atheist, I have no superstitions.

Answer 6

It should be obvious by the definitions of the terms. However we atheists aren't free of superstition. I still tap my windshield 3 times when I go through a yellow light. lol

Answer 7

If I have to make a generalization, probably religious people because they generally believe in possibilities outside the realm of physical existence.

But I've known my fair share of superstitious atheists. I doesn't mean they believe in anything like that, most of the time they know it's irrational, like a phobia.

Answer 8

Probably theists. Of course plenty of atheists have superstitions, but I'd say theists tend to have more.
And I'm an atheist.

Answer 9

I tend to think atheists are the least superstitious of any of us.

Answer 10

Persons who believe in traditional religions are more likely to be superstitious.

I am neither an atheist nor a conventional "believer".