Are Superstitions Useful?

Question

Do you agree? Yes? No? Why?

"'Abdu'l-Bahá replied that superstitions were of two kinds; those that were harmful and dangerous, and those that were harmless and produced certain good effects.

For example, there were some poor people who believed that misfortunes and punishments were caused by a Great Angel with a sword in his hand, who struck down those who stole, and committed murder and crimes.

They thought the flashes of lightning were the weapons of this angel, and that if they did wrong they would be struck by lightning. This belief caused them to refrain from evil actions.

The Chinese held a superstition that if they burn certain pieces of paper this will drive the devils away; they sometimes burnt these pieces of paper on board ships when they were travelling in order to drive away devils, and by so doing they set fire to the ships and destroyed many lives. This was a type of dangerous and harmful superstition."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 72)

What about a case in the Rwandan war in 1994, where an older women know as Mama Zulu protected 100 Tutsies from being burned alive, by convincing the would be assailants that she was a witch, and any harm to them or her would create a curse on their families.

She also used many other tactics, including claiming she was of neither tribe, but a Muslim, and no good would come from killing her and destroying her home, where the protected were hiding. Putting the strongest locks she could find on the doors. Adding cough medicine to the food so one cough would not give away their location etc.

Is such a case valid, suggesting oneself as a witch to ignorant people to protect 100 lives? True story.

Maybe its wise to use superstitions to deter the ignorant in some cases from their destructiveness, but foolish for any knowing person to be superstitious themselves...?

Answer 1

right up there with urban legends...

i've got a weird superstition that if i look at a clock and the time is all the same number, i have to stop and pray to God.

like if it's 2:22 or 11:11...

don't know why i do it, it's kinda quirky, but i feel compelled to give a little shout out to God if i happen to see the time portrayed like that...

Answer 2

The reality versus insanity. Even those who believe superstitiously have the understanding of the notion or concept false belief. ANY weakness in the coherency in mind, in the moment, is a means for an others purpose to make this self a means to their end and not self as an end in its self, the gravest moral breach. And of a similar possibility, such a self, having its Will subsumed within its Judgment is likewise evil.

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 3

I read a blerb in the newspaper about an African tribal man who paid a witch doctor to create an amulet that would protect him from death. The paper thought it was funny that the man wanted to test it. The witch doctor's son shot the man to death.

Rather than think this was funny I thought about the diet of truth this man was fed. Probably from trusted sources like his parents and tribal leaders. I realized that the sum of misinformation colored his view on all things. These imperfections added up to the point where he could not see clearly.

Then I thought how arrogant we are to think we are not just like this African man. There is no safe superstition, every superstition opens wider the door to the demon haunted world.

Answer 4

Mostly all the ghostly stories were meant for little children and not for adults.
To scare the little ones and stopping them from getting into troubles.
Created by the old lady while caring for the little one.
Ever wonder how bunch of educated idiots still follow the cheap-skate ghostly stories all the way to the graveyards with them too.
Luke 9.55-56
What do you think?

Answer 5

On a superficial level, I would say yes, superstitions can be useful. They can act as deterrent to actions that would otherwise weed out the young or thoughtless. I have been giving thought to the impetus behind ritual actions and words of late, however. There is a practice I engage in that is repeated weekly for the purpose of solidarity with my mate and discipline of the body and mind; however, I have come to think perhaps my motivation behind the ritual is not a good one, that perhaps it acts as a ritual superstition to ward off bad happenings in my life.

I have fasted for 24 hours every week (except Thanksgiving, which always falls on Thursday, my fasting day, at the request of my father) for 16 years. My mate has joined me in this practice on Mondays (actually I joined him in the practice). This practice arose during my ritual magick phase long ago, and I think it has the taint of fear on it (upon long reflection). Much ritual is based on appeasement and structure, lest we be exposed and taken down by the forces out there. Thursday was my day because it was "Thor's Day," and I initially required luck with the male sex (my mate). Monday was his day (Moon Day) for luck with the female sex.

However, there were times when one of us inadvertently ate something on the fasting day. We would impose an additional water restriction and forever ban the food which was taken in error from the diet. One time, my mate expressed his fear that something terrible would happen because of a breach of this practice. I did not think about it at the time, not having much experience.

However now I look into this practice again, which I have performed sometimes mindlessly, but always faithfully, for 16 years. I see a fear of change and a fear of consequence, a ritual based on holding back the forces of chaos, which have wreaked great destruction and also have acted for the good in my life.

I have come to the conclusion that the practice is a form of fear reaction, and that it reinforces a bad mindset, that of fearfulness of what is "out there," a feeble attempt to hold back the chaotic forces of the universe. In effect, the discipline I hold to is a pattern, like prayer or any ritual act, a form of superstition that is rooted in Man's fear of the unknown. I am seriously considering giving up the practice as it stands, in order to root out the fearfulness that still holds sway in many parts of my life.

Superstition should be a tool to be used and discarded when it has fulfilled its purpose, to scare the young into doing the right thing. When mature, the superstition should be understood and then discarded. It is a shame to see an old man clinging to a superstition that staves off fear that has built up over years and made him into an automaton, operating by aversion training. It is hard to look at oneself and find this poison lurking in seemingly mundane aspects of life, but it is necessary in order to live a full life, at least in my humble opinion. Thanks for this question. It has much resonance for me right now!

Answer 6

GOOD for keeping kids safe when unsupervised, i.e:

"Don't walk under a ladder"

transl: "Something may fall on you"


"Don't let the troll under the bridge get you"

transl: "You may fall in the water"


BAD for adults, eg, religion, religious wars, 'End Of Times' mindsets, fear of the unknown, fear of knowledge, fear/loathing of menstruating women, belief in 'demons' (not neuroscience or psychology), etc, etc...

Answer 7

No. They only prove to be harmful for people who dictate their lives around them. Why not believe in Jesus instead?

Answer 8

Good for evil.Jesus is love and He is real.And there is nothing superstitious about that.

Answer 9

WE know by the Word of God not the,,,BOOBOOman, the SPOOKS, BOOGERman,, or th' Buggamaine =) :+) ;+)

Answer 10

No.