Superstition
From wiki’s definition of superstition which to me is a secular definition
A superstition is an irrational belief about the relation between certain actions—often behaviors—and later occurrences, such as the belief that the number 13 causes misfortune or bad luck. Whether a belief is superstitious is not defined by the "truth" of the result, however, but by the methods through which truth is sought. Superstitions are often based on invalid reasoning resulting from misunderstandings of causality or statistics, with others spring from unenlightened fears, religious beliefs, traditions, and a general belief in the supernatural.
The superstitious individual erroneously believes that the future, or the outcome of certain events, can be influenced by certain specified behaviors, despite the lack of a causal relationship in reality. Many superstitions are based on the notion of luck.
I am a Christian who also believes in karma, an earthly power and am superstitious. My father is a Uniting Church minister so he can probably tell me that its impossible to be all of the above.
I have been in IT management for the past six years in Fiji and I would put a significant amount of that to following my beliefs. I was not like this before as I come from a Christian household and have a Bachelor of Science from an Australian University.
What has formed these perceptions. I am a gambler and an example is my main project at University was creating a handicap system for Horse Racing. So I have a good understanding of probability and what factors are needed for a certain result to occur. So I am good at predicting things which is shown from my postings in this blog.
So from the wiki definition it seems that I don’t understand statistics but from my experiences in Fiji some things that seemed statisticly rare, seem to occur regularly. So these experiences has changed my perception, the karma perception is a new one for me and so has less strength.
As this post is about superstitions my superstitions are the way I drive to work, the order I do some things and some of the colors and clothes I wear.
It could also mean that to much partying has made me senile and I am hanging on to straws like the belief that I can be able to go to my beach and surf the internet all day.
A secular argument for being superstitious could be that being superstitious keeps you focused on what your major tasks are and so less distracted.
A superstition is an irrational belief about the relation between certain actions—often behaviors—and later occurrences, such as the belief that the number 13 causes misfortune or bad luck. Whether a belief is superstitious is not defined by the "truth" of the result, however, but by the methods through which truth is sought. Superstitions are often based on invalid reasoning resulting from misunderstandings of causality or statistics, with others spring from unenlightened fears, religious beliefs, traditions, and a general belief in the supernatural.The superstitious individual erroneously believes that the future, or the outcome of certain events, can be influenced by certain specified behaviors, despite the lack of a causal relationship in reality. Many superstitions are based on the notion of luck.
I am a Christian who also believes in karma, an earthly power and am superstitious. My father is a Uniting Church minister so he can probably tell me that its impossible to be all of the above.
I have been in IT management for the past six years in Fiji and I would put a significant amount of that to following my beliefs. I was not like this before as I come from a Christian household and have a Bachelor of Science from an Australian University.
What has formed these perceptions. I am a gambler and an example is my main project at University was creating a handicap system for Horse Racing. So I have a good understanding of probability and what factors are needed for a certain result to occur. So I am good at predicting things which is shown from my postings in this blog.
So from the wiki definition it seems that I don’t understand statistics but from my experiences in Fiji some things that seemed statisticly rare, seem to occur regularly. So these experiences has changed my perception, the karma perception is a new one for me and so has less strength.
As this post is about superstitions my superstitions are the way I drive to work, the order I do some things and some of the colors and clothes I wear.
It could also mean that to much partying has made me senile and I am hanging on to straws like the belief that I can be able to go to my beach and surf the internet all day.
A secular argument for being superstitious could be that being superstitious keeps you focused on what your major tasks are and so less distracted.
posted by George at 4:42 pm
1 Comments:
Superstitions, karma, and 'mana' I presume you mean as an earthly power, and a benevolent God. Wow! What a lot of ideas there to argue about! Requires a thesis or two or three! I haven't got many answers at all. We are all seeking something of the truth about life, but only get tricks and mirrors sometimes.
Maybe the peculiar instinct we have to not standing on the lines, or being uncomfortable with the number 13, etc. may be part of our unconscious, a heritage from our ancestors after some mishaps. In our DNA perhaps! Bad vibes may come from some event in our own life or too many movies.
But why do some people experience tragedy and misfortune? I think that most of the time it is cause and effect, choices we make, and illness is about bacteria, our lifestyle is mismanaged. But then accidents do happen. I am not convinced that it is Fate, in our stars, that sort of thing. I think though, when we look back, we see a pattern, of how we coped with the good and the bad times.
About the Christian view - well, some people do believe that God is kind, is caring, and does take care and that the life of Jesus is a model for all people. But it is hard to believe some aspects of the Christian religion because we see so much in the world that is uncaring, even bizarre and cruel.
So to juggle superstitions, karma, and a benevolent Christian God probably does make some kind of sense because life is a bundle of contradictions and we probably only use 1/100th of our brains anyway!
W.
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