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Superstition

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prasad1

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According to Wikipedia:

Superstition
is any belief or practice that is irrational - i.e., it arises from ignorance, a misunderstanding of science or causality, a positive belief in fate or magic, or fear of that which is unknown. "Superstition" also refers to religious beliefs or actions arising from irrationality.
The word superstition is often used to refer to a religion not practiced by the majority of a given society regardless of whether the prevailing religion contains superstitions. It is also commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings, particularly the belief that future events can be foretold by specific (apparently) unrelated prior events.


Superstitions are there in every corner of the world.

My friend a fan of American football team Buffalo Bills used to do Arati to the Television, before the game. Alas, they lost both the game during Superbowl.
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I believe my Indian culture is, in the time when education was considered the forte of only a particular group of people. The educated and scholars needed some way to make people do certain things, they associated it with god or religion as that was the only pan-cast medium as people of all casts and creeds and subcasts believed in god and the knowledge or tapasvis and gurus and blindly followed it.

This could have been done for many reasons, either the scholars were reluctant to share their methods of knowledge acquisition and not try to educate anyone beyond the higher cast and thus maintain their casts supiriority (which was majorly the case) or the people themselves didnt realise the importance of education and themselves didnt want to engage in understanding the reasons behind these rituals or for that matter anything around them and took it as the will of god.

Also, people are in different development state. One rule does not fit every need. So people grow up as the knowledge increases. Unfortunately, some newer grow, for Example, Trump is 71 years old baby.


I write in the forum for people who are "educated" with a healthy appetite for knowledge and are willing to engage in scientific explanation.

My friend a-TB chastised me for criticising someone's post for being superstitious. He said it is a belief, so it may be. But if your superstitions make you fearful of seeing the moon, the sun, or a black cat, your life is ruined. Grow out of these irrational fears.

I do not have any Homa or prayschittam for you. I think people who suggest them are sorry for you, or ignorant.
There is another set of people you may call them Guru, religious leader, or pure charlatans who can take advantage of gullible people to enrich themselves.


I do not believe in misleading people, but I might also say what is facts, which might be harsh.
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Wow. I was just expecting something like this from you. I do agree with you there are several mis believes in the name of religious practices which needs to be corrected. I myself have seen moon in many occasions during chaturthi. Of course never did it intentionally. Did not do any prayachitam either. Nothing special happened.
 
Most of the threads are about the superstitions.
Ganeshji or Gopalanji have to soothe the feelings of the misguided.
I do not stroke their egos.
I know I will drive out most of the scared newbies, who visit one time and never really contribute.
 
My friend and respected member of this Forum Sangomji (I Miss him), who was a scholar of Hindu religions and Sanskrit, became a skeptic. He even became an atheist, would school others in this forum against all these superstitions, but in a much more gentler ways. But he believed in astrology, I could never figure it.
 
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I have a theory:
All these superstitions are about one's own ego and are self-centered.
If one realizes one's role in this universe you will not be afraid anymore.
Lord Krishna solved the problem of Arjuna by asking him to fight the battle.
If this "homas", "prayschittams" or "prayers" worked to alleviate all our problem then Krishna would have prescribed them.


If the Lord himself did not believe in them why should we?

In Geeta Chapter 2 Verse 47 Krishna tells Arjuna.

The verse is—
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥ २-४७


Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,
Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani

The meaning of the verse is—
You have the right to work only but never to its fruits.
Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.



By the by, I have made a discovery as to the mental method of really practising what the Gita teaches, of working without an eye to results. I have seen much light on concentration and attention and control of concentration, which if practised will take us out of all anxiety and worry. It is really the science of bottling up our minds whenever we like.


Bring light to the ignorant, and more light to the educated, for the vanities of the education of our time are tremendous! Thus bring light to all and leave the rest unto the Lord, for in the words of the same Lord "To work you have the right and not to the fruits thereof." "Let not your work produce results for you, and at the same time may you never be without work."

How hard it is to arrive at this sort of non-attachment! Therefore Krishna shows us the lower ways and methods. The easiest way for everyone is to do [his or her] work and not take the results. It is our desire that binds us. If we take the results of actions, whether good or evil, we will have to bear them. But if we work not for ourselves, but all for the glory of the Lord, the results will take care of themselves. "To work you have the right, but not to the fruits thereof." The soldier works for no results. He does his duty. If defeat comes, it belongs to the general, not to the soldier. We do our duty for love's sake — love for the general, love for the Lord.

http://www.swamivivekanandaquotes.org/2014/05/bhagavad-gita-chapter-2-verse-47.html



So if you saw the moon on Chaturthi so what, do what Krishna says "do not worry about the results".
No amount of Prayer is needed nor it is going to save you.
 
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Superstition in India is considered a widespread social problem. Superstition refers to any belief or practice which is explained by supernatural causality, and is in contradiction to modern science. Some beliefs and practices, which are considered superstitious by some, may not be considered so by others. The gap, between what is superstitious and what is not, widens even more when considering the opinions of the general public and scientists. This article notes beliefs or practices in India, which have been deemed of being superstitions or pseudosciences, though opinions may vary on some issues.

Superstitions are usually attributed to a lack of education.
But, in India educated people have also been observed following beliefs that may be considered superstitious. The literacy rate of India, according to the 2011 census is at 74%. The beliefs and practices vary from region to region, with many regions having their own specific beliefs. The practices may range from harmless lemon-and-chilli totems for warding off evil eye to serious concerns like witch-burning. Some of these beliefs and practices are centuries old and are considered part of the tradition and religion, as a result introduction of new prohibitory laws often face opposition.

U. R. Rao, former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, has criticised astrology noting that astrology is more popular than astronomy, which may be affecting India's recognition in science. Meera Nanda, historian and author, has written that India cannot become a superpower in science, unless it eradicates its various superstitions including astrology. Others who have criticised astrology include, Jayant Narlikar (astrophysicist),P. M Bhargava (founder of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology), Ram Puniyani (former IIT professor) and Yash Pal (physicist and educator).

Before the general election in 2009, rationalist activist Narendra Nayak laid an open challenge to any soothsayer to answer 25 questions correctly about the forthcoming elections. The prize was set at 100,000 (about US$1,500). About 450 responses were mailed to him, but none were found to be correct.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstition_in_India



I am not against having fun reading an Astrological prediction in every magazine and newspapers.
But if you base your action based on them you need professional help.
 
There's something about Some of Indian superstitions. Even though we all know that there's no science backing them up and we can all do a lot better without them, we simply can't stop believing in them. Here are a few Indian superstitions I'm sure a lot of us still believe in.

1. If you call out someone’s name when they’re leaving the house, they'll have bad luck in their endeavours.



2. Nazar-Battus like the Kaala Teeka , the Raaksha's face and the Lemon-Chillies can save you from buri nazar .

3. It's bad luck when a black cat crosses your path.

4. You shouldn’t wash your hair on Tuesdays and Saturdays as it can cause harm to your brother.

5. Giving odd sums of money as aashirwaad brings good luck to the receiver.


6. You shouldn’t look into broken mirrors as it brings bad luck.

7. A twitchy left eye is a good omen for men. A twitchy right eye is lucky for women.

8. Whistling at night attracts snakes into the house.

9. You should not throw fallen hair strands around or you might get into a fight with your family.

10. If someone sneezes before you’re about to travel or do something important, it is a bad omen.

11. Number 13 is considered an evil number. Many Indian high-rise buildings don’t have the 13 [SUP]th [/SUP]floor.

12. Crushing lemons under the wheels of your new car prevents any future accidents.

13. Hiccuping too often means that someone is thinking about you.

14. If your left palm itches, you're going to run into some money soon.

15. Sneezing an odd number of times could be a sign that something is about to go wrong.


16. Seeing a cat giving birth brings good luck.

https://www.scoopwhoop.com/humor/indian-superstitions/#.zygvk0iii



In India, superstitions keep growing. And there is a Guruji who sanctions such practices, to fill their coffers.
 
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Prasadji, just to clarify your position.

Are you certain that astrology in all its forms and practices is a superstition?
 
Superstitions are not limited to India only its universal... here is some practices followed ove the world.


Are any superstitions universal across cultures?

The number 13 is widely regarded to bring bad luck in Western cultures. There's even a name for this fear — triskaidekaphobia.
The number 13 is widely regarded to bring bad luck in Western cultures. There's even a name for this fear — triskaidekaphobia.
TRENT CHAMBERS/GETTY IMAGES
Even if you don't believe in the power of superstition, you may sometimes find yourself knocking on wood, crossing your fingers or wearing your lucky baseball cap during the World Series. Although we know, scientifically, that these things don't actually affect the outcome of anything, we still find them comforting. A 2014 study by behavioral scientists at the University of Chicago suggested that when people perform a physical action to avoid bad luck or harm, the ritual calms the mind [source: Zhang].

Superstitions span cultures, countries and centuries. Every culture has its own unique set of superstitions. However, this raises an interesting question: Are any superstitions common across cultures? We found a few. Let's check them out.



Superstitions revolving around numbers are abundant worldwide. The specific numbers may vary, but every culture has a superstition about numbers nonetheless. For example, the number 13 is widely regarded to bring bad luck in Western cultures. There's even a name for this fear — triskaidekaphobia. Other cultures have superstitions about different numbers. In China, it's the number four, because the pronunciation is similar to the Chinese word for death. Some Italians consider Friday the 17th bad luck, because the Roman numeral for 17 (XVII) can be rearranged to VIXI, which translated from Latin means "my life is over." The number nine is Japan is feared because its pronunciation sounds like the word for torture.

In many parts of the world, the appearance of a black cat is bad luck. Although this isn't true across all cultures, black cats still hold a place in global superstitions. In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods and kept in homes to bring prosperity. In Italy, if your cat sneezes, good luck is on the way. In some parts of Europe, a black cat crossing your path is good luck. However, in the New World, Puritans believed black cats were related to witches, and therefore a bad omen.

The action "knock on wood" (or "touch wood") for good luck, according to legend, goes all the way back to the pagans and has spread across the world. Believing fairies and spirits lived inside trees, they would knock or touch the tree once to request a wish, and one more time to express thanks. Or, the knocking would distract any evil spirits living there. Similar expressions to "knock on wood" exist all around the world even today — in Arabic, Brazilian, Finnish, German, Czechoslovakian, English, Greek and Finnish.

Other superstitions that cross cultures include:

Crossing your fingers for good luck
Four-leaf clovers as lucky charms
Bad luck or good luck from a sneeze
Superstitions pass from generation to generation and culture to culture, as a way of preventing bad luck or bringing on good fortune. As human beings, we constantly try to control our destinies — no matter where we come from.

http://people.howstuffworks.com/superstitions-universal-across-cultures.htm
 
I once visited the campus of an IT major in Bangalore, as guest of my friend who works there.

It is a large sprawling campus in Electronic City of more than 100 acres.

Every building is assigned a number from #1 to #50.

However to my surprise I noticed that there was no building assigned the number #13.

I queried my friend for the reason and he was not aware of the reason although he was aware of the absence of the number 13 on any building.

The founder of the popular IT major is nevertheless a rationalist with communist mentality.
 
I can concede some idiosyncrasies of individuals, they may be superstition, but they are harmless.

For example, someone may prefer to wear a particular sari, or shirt. No harm done.

When a superstition costs you or others time and effort, then it should be abandoned.
 
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I once visited the campus of an IT major in Bangalore, as guest of my friend who works there.

It is a large sprawling campus in Electronic City of more than 100 acres.

Every building is assigned a number from #1 to #50.

However to my surprise I noticed that there was no building assigned the number #13.

I queried my friend for the reason and he was not aware of the reason although he was aware of the absence of the number 13 on any building.


The founder of the popular IT major is nevertheless a rationalist with communist mentality.




That might be a business decision and may not be superstition.
If students and faculty are superstitious they may not use that building "13".
So even if the founder was rationalist he just may be a realist.
 
That might be a business decision and may not be superstition.
If students and faculty are superstitious they may not use that building "13".
So even if the founder was rationalist he just may be a realist.

Is the concept of "Infinity" a rational one..? Who has seen or known infinity..? Does science junk the notion of infinity...?
 
Can the realist who panders to the notions of superstitious people be called a "Rationalist"..?
I assume we are discussing concepts and not the poster.


A concept by definition:

Concepts arise as abstractions or generalisations from experience; from the result of a transformation of existing ideas; or from innate properties. A concept is instantiated by all of its actual or potential instances, whether these are things in the real world or other ideas.
In metaphysics, and especially ontology, a concept is a fundamental category of existence. In contemporary philosophy, there are at least three prevailing ways to understand what a concept is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept


Can I defend every concept with proof? NO. Can others defend their concepts? MAYBE NOT.
 
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Can the realist who panders to the notions of superstitious people be called a "Rationalist"..?
It looks like we arguing about "ME" not what I am writing.

Are you implying that there are no superstitions? Or are you implying that I am not realist? Or is there some implied meaning that I fail to understand?

I am not good at reading minds.
 
My friend and respected member of this Forum Sangomji (I Miss him), who was a scholar of Hindu religions and Sanskrit, became a skeptic. He even became an atheist, would school others in this forum against all these superstitions, but in a much more gentler ways. But he believed in astrology, I could never figure it.
Why not, Prasad Sir? Sangom Sir has 'studied' astrology and knows that predictions would be correct IF given by a real expert.

Of course, the time of birth in the horoscope has to be correct!! :)

Let me give an example: When matching two horoscopes, our expert astrologer said that after 25 years, it is a very bad time

for the couple and ONE of these will happen! (Dasa Sandhi was the culprit)

1. The financial status will shatter.

2. Husband will die.

He added that the 'luck' of children born to them MAY change these events.

By bad luck, the couple did NOT beget children and the husband died soon after their Silver Jubilee Wedding Day! :sad:

What do you say?
 
It looks like we arguing about "ME" not what I am writing.

Are you implying that there are no superstitions? Or are you implying that I am not realist? Or is there some implied meaning that I fail to understand?

I am not good at reading minds.

My only contention was that the "Realist" (who left out # 13 due to superstition reasons of others) was all along a closet Realist and Rationalist was a label he wanted others to see.

Either you are touchy or overly self conscious to feel that the argument was about You. Many times you have in the past admitted subscribing to brahman concept and that would not go with the rationalist syndrome, so my post could not possibly be directed at you.
 
My only contention was that the "Realist" (who left out # 13 due to superstition reasons of others) was all along a closet Realist and Rationalist was a label he wanted others to see.

Either you are touchy or overly self conscious to feel that the argument was about You. Many times you have in the past admitted subscribing to brahman concept and that would not go with the rationalist syndrome, so my post could not possibly be directed at you.

Thanks. For the clarification.
 
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