Ny Times Article On Thai Superstition

[bannork]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Sure, but if Bush staged a coup and ousted Obama based on a messianic vision I'm sure there would be a bit of an uproar, so you come on.....next

Didn't the strong professed Christian beliefs of George Bush and Tony Blair play a large part in their illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq?

[kropotkin]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Good one. And so true. Amazing how many can actually believe that stuff.

And to make things even more amazing, the early christians believed in being reborn - they were actually very disappointed when, contrarily to their god, their dead did not rise up.......

Of course, there are other superstitions that........

[Loz]

I believe in the bogey man.

Someone has to put those little feckers up my nose!

[richieudon]

I just was away for holiday in Phuket and had some dodgy pork from a roadside stall that didn't look too clean but I was hungry.

I've never been ill in Thailand over many years but the next day i was doubled over in pain and vomiting

My wife said it was because when I had a pee in the bushes 2 nights ago, maybe I peed on a dead person and that's why I was ill.

Couldn't possibly be the unclean pork....

[IanForbes]

Forest fires are often put out by starting "back fires" that remove the flamable stuff the fires need to feed on. With nothing to burn the fires go out. Of course, we are just nit-picking here as per usual. Fight fire with fire is just an expression that could refere to many things. When in a war the enemy fires at you and you fire back at them.

[Loz]

In the absence of turkey sandwiches to pick at, I guess forum members will do!

I believe in Gravity. You should see some the shit I've seen go down!

[Tonto21]

er. the question was what consumes the oxygen? i'm not sure i understand which part of your answer addresses that. so let me try again. how is the oxygen CONSUMED? or is it now your contention that it's actually DISPLACED?

er. Nothing consumes the oxygen! Or too little by the explosion to be considered to have the snuff effect. I was incorrect in my first statement to say the oxygen is consumed by the explosion. Sorry but what experience I have had with explosives was in the form of blowing thing up, not blowing things out. The only thing I knew for sure is fire, in this case can't be put out with.....Fire.So, my final answer aa-jaan Loz is; oxygen is neither CONSUMED or DISPLACED by the explosion.

Fire triangle................. Fuel, Oxygen and Heat, remove any one and the fire go's out, it is the fuel that is removed from the fire if explosives are used, as stated in my last post.

[pjclark1]

Since we are on the subject of stupid.

Did you know that the first 3 letters of your screen name sir = เซ่อ in Thai and it means stupid, what a coincidence 555555.

I thought it meant 'silly', 'stupid' would be ngo, nee-ngow, or key-ngo (โง่, งี่เง่า or ขี้โง่)

But back on topic

American newspapers picking fault with other countries religious practices should take a moment to watch Jimmy Swaggart and his ilk, then take a moment to reflect.

Edited December 30, 2010 by pjclark1

[patongster]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Amen :-)

[geriatrickid]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Not at all. There is artificial insemination and embryo implantation that can allow a female to remain a virgin yet give birth. I don't know if you have ever seen it, but there is something called ice. People don't just walk on it, but the fall and skate on it too. Ice is water in a solid state. The Chinese have addressed the need for a never ending supply of bread by using alternatives such as paper and industrial chemicals. It is not difficult to roll back a stone if the angle is correct or if there is a lever and fulcrum.

As for rising from death, it happens regularly in Pattaya each time one of the old farts rolls out of bed. Yee of such little faith.

In any case the newspaper article was about the primitive beliefs of some Thais. Changing the topic doesn't change the fact that the article was a cringer. It would be nice just once to read about how a cure for a disease or a malaria prevention strategy or an important innovation came from Thailand.

[Shotime]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Amen :-)

Are you referring to Harry Houdini or my older brother?

I wonder if Mr. Luck has an app to his fortune-telling service?

[Eff1n2ret]

Funny that it's an American newspaper poking fun at Thai superstition. Wasn't it Nancy Regan who regularly consulted some sort of soothsayer and passed it all on to old Ronnie?

And then there was Carol Caplin who was into all sorts of nonsense while she was an habituee of 10 Downing Street whilst the Blairs were in power.

Edited December 30, 2010 by Eff1n2ret

[Kilgore Trout]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Sure, but if Bush staged a coup and ousted Obama based on a messianic vision I'm sure there would be a bit of an uproar, so you come on.....next

Didn't the strong professed Christian beliefs of George Bush and Tony Blair play a large part in their illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq?

Of course GW is a religious nut (or is he, the evalangical right is a strong lobby group with tons of political power)but he wasn't stupid enough to publicly make policy decisions based on religious superstition.

I'm not defending the invasion of Iraq but is any invasion and occupation "legal?"

Edited December 30, 2010 by Kilgore Trout

[kropotkin]

The vast majority of the world population is superstitious, but often they call it religion.

[Loz]

tonto. kudos for manning up to that one. now back on topic. i think superstitions are so personal as to be a dangerous topic for debate. no less than religion.

[Ulysses G.]

Didn't the strong professed Christian beliefs of George Bush and Tony Blair play a large part in their illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq?

The topic of the thread concerns superstitions - not conspiracy theories. :jerk:

[Finlaco]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

u beat me to it -- yeah, everyone elses' beliefs are ridiculous except for 'mine', which is 'faith' based, which has nothing to do with superstitions

[F1fanatic]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

yes but these are good, intelligent superstitions,not like their superstitions that are bad and stupid

Since we are on the subject of stupid.

Did you know that the first 3 letters of your screen name sir = เซ่อ in Thai and it means stupid, what a coincidence 555555.

(cough, cough) I think you missed sirineou's point - the 'whistling' emoticon kind of gave it away!

Anyway, I like the Thai superstitions. I used to have youngsters smoking yabaa around the back of my house. Some poor soul hanged himself there and the kids stay away.

[Tonto21]

tonto. kudos for manning up to that one. now back on topic. i think superstitions are so personal as to be a dangerous topic for debate. no less than religion.

Or politics.......Or even superstitious politicians.

[anothertorres]

this is the strangest thread of the... day. <deleted> are you guys going on about? fire and george bush and thai people are stupid, i love this place!

[nocturn]

Thailand comes off neither poorly nor well in the article, Thailand comes off as Thailand.

[bonobo]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Sorry, but this is comparing apples to oranges, in my opinion. If the article was about Buddhism, then bringing up Christianity would be valid. Whether Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc, just about all religions have the extraordinary as part of their foundation, and whether people believe in each and every tale literally or choose to take them as symbolism, they all still are part and parcel of a set of religious beliefs which try to place man's position in the world and to explain the unknown.

The superstitions, on the other hand, do have a difference. These are based on tradition and on practices where the origins have been lost in time. Most have little to do with the base religious cores, but rather exist for the self, to bring around good luck and keep out bad luck.

The article really didn't go into many examples of THai superstition. But to counter the article, you don't have to look far. Examples given here such as salt being thrown over the shoulder, walking under a ladder, and avoiding black cats would be appropriate counters. As far as fortune telling, while the west may not be as dedicated to it as Thais, we had a wife of a US president who was pretty much a believer.

Religion and superstition can veer towards each other. Drenching Kali in blood of sacrificed animals for good luck or running a rosary for forgiveness of sins come to mind. But I think on a philosophical basis, religion and superstition need to be separated.

[pjclark1]

Religion and superstition can veer towards each other. Drenching Kali in blood of sacrificed animals for good luck or running a rosary for forgiveness of sins come to mind. But I think on a philosophical basis, religion and superstition need to be separated.

I don't agree and class them both as 'belief in the irrational'

Christianity is also based on luck, if you are a good Christian and behave well, only good will happen to you. A widely held belief.

[Ulysses G.]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Sorry, but this is comparing apples to oranges, in my opinion.

I agree. One does not have to believe in religion, but none of us know enough about God and the Universe to ridicule it either.

[bannork]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Sorry, but this is comparing apples to oranges, in my opinion.

I agree. One does not have to believe in religion, but none of us know enough about God and the Universe to ridicule it either.

I liked Rama IV's reply to the missionaries when he said he appreciated and admired what they were doing in terms of medicine and education, but that what they asked him to believe in was ridiculous.

[Ulysses G.]

I liked Rama IV's reply to the missionaries when he said he appreciated and admired what they were doing in terms of medicine and education, but that what they asked him to believe in was ridiculous.

I like it too (but they probably felt the same about some of his beliefs).

If someone tries to force their religion down my throat, I object, but, as far as I am concerned, they can believe what they like as long does not hurt anybody.

Edited January 1, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[antsrule]

Surely one of the biggest superstitions of all is the belief that a man could be born to a virgin, walk on water, distribute an unending supply of bread, get out of a cave blocked by rocks in spite of being dead, etc.

I mean, come on!

Good one. And so true. Amazing how many can actually believe that stuff.

Easy people, remember this is one good salesperson who saved herself from being stoned to death after falling for some Roman centurions bull%&^t line about coming to Rome on the back of his horse. I always wondered if his name was Paul?

Edited January 2, 2011 by antsrule

[bonobo]

Religion and superstition can veer towards each other. Drenching Kali in blood of sacrificed animals for good luck or running a rosary for forgiveness of sins come to mind. But I think on a philosophical basis, religion and superstition need to be separated.

I don't agree and class them both as 'belief in the irrational'

Christianity is also based on luck, if you are a good Christian and behave well, only good will happen to you. A widely held belief.

Good luck will happen? I am not sure where that is in the Bible. The main tenant of Christianity is that if you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you will make it to heaven.

Whether you believe in that is not the issue. And if you want to lump in all religion with all superstitions and old wives' tales, so be it. But I would have to contend that throwing your baby's teeth on the roof of your home so the chickens can't eat them, that avoiding stepping on a crack in a sidewalk, that hanging garlic in your window are far different in the basis and core than that of developed religions. Religions and superstitions may be true or they may be baseless, but they are not the same.