Superstition Stuff - Why Do They Keep Believing In It ?

[atyclb]

Western culture has just as many superstitions

True,

But a whole lot less % of population living their lives based upon superstitions. The west has "Ghostbusters" also but it is usually a fictional movie.

[bra]

One hundred years ago it was the same in Europe.

The government and the church had an unwritten agreement. If one could keep them stupid then the other would keep them poor.

I don't want to start a big fight/argument about religions, but I believe you are correct. Most current religions were started by a government and a handful of church leaders. Their goal was to keep people stupid and in line. Why was Christmas started on Dec. 25th? Because the Fall/Winter Equinox hit on Dec. 22nd and drew a lot of people to the city centers, spending all kinds of money. Anyone with any brains knows that Jesus wasn't born in the dead of winter. I'll stop here because I know I'm going to piss off a bunch of people.

I picked Buddhism because the Buddha said we ourselves cause our own problems.. Not some diety from out there somewhere. If we can control our own thoughts and actions, most of this goofy crap will go away.

Back to superstitions.. we cause them ourselves. our own ignorant minds. not black cats, ghosts, phi's, Us.

I'm through..

December 22nd is the day of the Northern Hemisphere winter solstice not equinox (equal day and night), which occurs on March 22 and September 22 every year as the sun passes over the equator. A solstice occurs when the sun reaches its furthest point north or south of the equator.

According to some theories December 25th was chosen for the birthday of Jesus as it was originally a festival associated with the northern winter solstice - and the early Christians had to compete with these "pagan" festivals to spread the belief in their religion.

I have no religion and I am not superstitious but I have learned to respect the beliefs of others even if I don't share these. And if my Thai GF believes in some superstitions I am happy to go along - who really knows and one day her numbers could come up!

[lemoncake]

In the West, we are taught not to believe in superstition,However in smaller cities it is rather common.

For example bringing a cat into a new house before moving in. Cats see in different dimensions to what we see. IF cat starts to go crazy-leave the house.

In this part of the world black magic is very much still alive and practiced on daily basis.

True or not, one needs to experience something "crazy" and one might start to believe.

From personal experience years ago:

I was going to buy a small house in Sydney, found a 200 year old heritage terrace which i really wanted, price was reasonable as well.

ON second inspection, brought my puppy with me, pup was fine all over the house, BUT when going into master bedroom, she cried and was very uncomfortable.

At first i did not pay any attention to it, but it seemed to repeat each time i entered the master bedroom.

It was somewhat interesting/puzzling, so i asked the agent what happened in that room and why the house was for sale?

The house was for sale, because the owner has died, scary enough, the owner was found dead in the master bedroom days after he passed.

So i guess there must be something out there, whatever it was my puppy sensed it.

And if you measured or recorded every death in every place in time your "puppy" would be doing this all day long in every step it took.

Please don't spread this nonsense.

The only nonsense here is your response. Who cares about every death ? I just gave you one example- deal with it!

[Heng]

To each their own, but try to imagine a wife, gf, or significant other who relies more on the spirits rather than their own two hands after you're gone. Really easy to 'superstition logic' a fortune away and end up... well, all kinds of bad places to end up. That said, in a country where there are many people who are like that, in hindsight it's a LOT easier to make a living and make socio economic progress for oneself and one's family.... compared to say in Singapore or HK for example where they have all kinds of superstitions as well but when they put those incense down... geez do those people also get busy working as well instead of just waiting for it to fall from the sky.

:-)

[lemoncake]

In the West, we are taught not to believe in superstition,However in smaller cities it is rather common.

For example bringing a cat into a new house before moving in. Cats see in different dimensions to what we see. IF cat starts to go crazy-leave the house.

In this part of the world black magic is very much still alive and practiced on daily basis.

True or not, one needs to experience something "crazy" and one might start to believe.

From personal experience years ago:

I was going to buy a small house in Sydney, found a 200 year old heritage terrace which i really wanted, price was reasonable as well.

ON second inspection, brought my puppy with me, pup was fine all over the house, BUT when going into master bedroom, she cried and was very uncomfortable.

At first i did not pay any attention to it, but it seemed to repeat each time i entered the master bedroom.

It was somewhat interesting/puzzling, so i asked the agent what happened in that room and why the house was for sale?

The house was for sale, because the owner has died, scary enough, the owner was found dead in the master bedroom days after he passed.

So i guess there must be something out there, whatever it was my puppy sensed it.

I'd love to hear the story of how cats see in different dimensions?? please post your evidence on that.

Education is the key , just as ignorance is a bliss.

Do some light reading , google is your friend

[bifftastic]

dont look between your legs as you will see a ghost.

dont stand in doorways as ghosts will come in.

dont talk at the table ghosts will take your rice.

dont talk to people whilst holding a knife, ghosts will push you.

dont put the baby in front of the mirror her teeth will not grow.

dont tickle her feet she will be scared to walk later.

howling dogs means a ghost is around.

if your leaving the house and a lizard, jing jot makes a noise it means your going to have an accident.

a few of hundreds i have heard.

To prevent your new shoes hurting your feet, bite them.

I haven't been able to bite my own feet for quite some time now

[notmyself]

In the West, we are taught not to believe in superstition,However in smaller cities it is rather common.

For example bringing a cat into a new house before moving in. Cats see in different dimensions to what we see. IF cat starts to go crazy-leave the house.

In this part of the world black magic is very much still alive and practiced on daily basis.

True or not, one needs to experience something "crazy" and one might start to believe.

From personal experience years ago:

I was going to buy a small house in Sydney, found a 200 year old heritage terrace which i really wanted, price was reasonable as well.

ON second inspection, brought my puppy with me, pup was fine all over the house, BUT when going into master bedroom, she cried and was very uncomfortable.

At first i did not pay any attention to it, but it seemed to repeat each time i entered the master bedroom.

It was somewhat interesting/puzzling, so i asked the agent what happened in that room and why the house was for sale?

The house was for sale, because the owner has died, scary enough, the owner was found dead in the master bedroom days after he passed.

So i guess there must be something out there, whatever it was my puppy sensed it.

I'd love to hear the story of how cats see in different dimensions?? please post your evidence on that.

Education is the key , just as ignorance is a bliss.

Do some light reading , google is your friend

Very true.

I just found out that the moon landings were faked and 9/11 was a CIA job.

[Star Dust]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhw_zbvxvb4

[klubex99]

Western culture has just as many superstitions

Yes, but that is spread across a hemisphere. Thais hold hundreds of superstitions each, Westerners may stick to 2 or 3, but Thais believe every single one.

[Dr Wanchai]

Have you ever given thought to the superstitions of Catholics in the Western world ?

Or are they not relevant and are acceptable because they are farangs ??

Eh ???

Superstition has nothing to do with being educated or not.

[Songhua]

dont look between your legs as you will see a ghost.

dont stand in doorways as ghosts will come in.

dont talk at the table ghosts will take your rice.

dont talk to people whilst holding a knife, ghosts will push you.

dont put the baby in front of the mirror her teeth will not grow.

dont tickle her feet she will be scared to walk later.

howling dogs means a ghost is around.

if your leaving the house and a lizard, jing jot makes a noise it means your going to have an accident.

a few of hundreds i have heard.

To prevent your new shoes hurting your feet, bite them.

I haven't been able to bite my own feet for quite some time now

Lol. OK you lot ... bite the SHOES. I did used to know a girl who could bite her feet (but that was just for pleasure)

[Andre0720]

No people from any 'group' are stupid though they can suffer from very poor education which may or may not be due to divisiveness.

-

No matter how good the education system is, cultural programming held as true by that society will still be uncritically passed along to the next generation.

Personally I think most mainstream education systems no matter how "excellent" (by what standard?) are designed to crank out obedient citizens and employees, not free thinkers that question authority.

What you consider an excellent education would be considered a tool of the devil by a creationist. I'm sure Prince Charles and the Dalai Lama got sent to top schools - would you say they are both free of "superstitions"?

I bet many students at our societies' top schools believe in superstitions like "Muslims are scary" or "My country is a democracy and is on the side of fairness, equality and freedom", and in fact may be explicitly taught those beliefs within the school system.

I'm not actually trying to push for superstitions to be eliminated here, I think that's not possible, just for people to be more accepting and tolerant of them realizing they're inevitable and just because "they" have a different set than "we" do doesn't make us superior.

So every culture would then be equal....

Excision in Africa so very equal.

Throwing acid at a girl's face because she refused a man

Killing your own daughter because she adopted another equal culture

Raping a 13 year old girl because she was not wearing her hijab

Hiding women behing a burka

Not taking responsibility of a child because it would cost money

Bombing because...

Oh well, I will stop now...

[Joe Mamma]

I think it is a comfort zone for most Thai's. They were brought up with these beliefs and it is a connection to their ancestors.

I had my magician friend visit here and he and I had some great pranks that you couldn't pull off anywhere else.

The culpability of the recipients was classic and predictable. I am honing in my new magical skills and will continue the fun and innocent supernatural trickery.

[pizzachang]

I've never understood why educated people in the West believe in astrology, crystals, aliens, bigfoots and plenty of other bizarre therapy.. Then some of the same folks turn right around and call other people fools for believing in a creator. Actually, I have seen no proof that a creator does not exist and I try and keep up with science and technology. What I've observed is that humans only copy "nature". We have found out, "proved' if you will, that nature (systems that we observe) is a perfect, self-sustaining system. At this point in our observations, we do not have enough information to make such broad proclamations about the existence of creators or a creator. Here in Thailand, as in every other country I've visited, there people believing in strange things, mostly because of tradition - education doe not seem to help much to prevent this. I like the physical form analogy of the famous enclosed ecosystem that exists. A photo of a guy standing beside this sealed "terrarium" (for many years now) A beautiful picture of a "creator". The good thing is, that it doesn't take much 'imagination' to imagine the same picture on a universal scale.

[lucjoker]

I bet some of the members here have seen some crackers.

I was told you should never smell a flower if you intend giving it to someone as it will bring them bad luck.

i bought a flower neckless on the trafic lights ,my wife hangs it on the car mirror ,i take it in my hand and smell it ,she gets angry and says it not nice to smell

the flowers..........i opened my window .....and trew them out ......

Since then i never buy those flowers any more i use deodorant !lol

[Billmont]

A lot of people in the West, including some members of my family actually believe that around 2000 years ago a woman became pregnant after having some bizarre liaison with a ghost, the little tyke turned out to be none other than the son of the guy apparently responsible for constructing the universe and reality itself....He was able to turn water into wine and all kinds of cool stuff and then, when the guy was about 35 he died and came back to life again......

That's one hell of a superstition in my opinion.

But that is not superstition.... that is true!

[willyumiii]

In America more than half of the people believe that the earth was created a few thousand years ago by an entity they call god.

Christianity is the strongest, most dangerous superstition in the world!

Walking on water?Raising the dead? Living in the belly of a whale? Heaven and /or hell?

Could go on listing bullshit for days!

Give the Thais credit!

Most do not buy into this superstition that may some day destroy the entire world population!

I don't think anyone has ever started a war over a ghost in a doorway or a lottery ticketใ

[heatherm]

A British man climbed Everest 18 months after partially crushing 3 vertebrae following a parachuting accident. He's a Christian. Is he too weak?

It depends. When he got to the top did he say, "Jesus gave me the strength to climb the mountain."? If so, he is saying he's too weak and needed Jesus to help him. Personally, I don't think God or Jesus care if people climb mountains, win on game shows, or make a touch down. If the mountain climber said, "Thinking about the life of Jesus gave me the strength to climb the mountain.", I would think he was strong.

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

[notmyself]

We have found out, "proved' if you will, that nature (systems that we observe) is a perfect, self-sustaining system.

I'm not sure the millions of species of animals that have become extinct would agree.

[Morden]

In America more than half of the people believe that the earth was created a few thousand years ago by an entity they call god.

Christianity is the strongest, most dangerous superstition in the world!

Walking on water?Raising the dead? Living in the belly of a whale? Heaven and /or hell?

Could go on listing bullshit for days!

Give the Thais credit!

Most do not buy into this superstition that may some day destroy the entire world population!

I don't think anyone has ever started a war over a ghost in a doorway or a lottery ticketใ

It's not the stories that are dangerous. It's the way that people use them that's dangerous.

[overherebc]

A lot of people in the West, including some members of my family actually believe that around 2000 years ago a woman became pregnant after having some bizarre liaison with a ghost, the little tyke turned out to be none other than the son of the guy apparently responsible for constructing the universe and reality itself....He was able to turn water into wine and all kinds of cool stuff and then, when the guy was about 35 he died and came back to life again......

That's one hell of a superstition in my opinion.

Met him yesterday in my local bar, at least he thinks he's that guy.

[Berkshire]

PS: It seems that when topics like this come up, the die-hard atheists take the opportunity to slam some or all of the religious beliefs of the faithful. This trend seems to have become very noticeable in recent years, with guys like the late drunk Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins leading the charge. Such people have turned atheism into almost a religious orthodoxy.

Live and let live.

-

I completely agree, but it's a natural response when the OP (and many others) imply that a whole nation (or Asians in general or any grouping) is "stupid" because of their belief in things that aren't proven by modern science.

Since so many of "our fellows" on this side of the "us vs them" divide also have their supersitions, but claim them to be protected as "religion", it's fair enough to point out that the Thai beliefs are no different, and in fact even if many/most aren't Buddhist they certainly are just as deserving of respect as those supernatural beliefs considered mainstream in the West like Christianity.

Just as I wouldn't denigrate someone for practicing voudou or Scientology, until such practice actually starts to result in harm to others, not any of my business to set myself up as superior just because my religion is Skepticism/Scientism.

Well said, Palman. Thai superstition is no different than western superstition. And yes, religion, can be viewed from many quarters as superstition. Heck, even among the religious. Do Christians agree with Muslims? Mormons and Jews? It's pretty asinine that farangs here will criticize the Thais for their beliefs, yet defend Christianity as some sort of divine truth. Get real people, there's no difference.

[notmyself]

It's not the stories that are dangerous. It's the way that people use them that's dangerous.

Actions are formed by belief, they may be dangerous or they may not. People who beat seven bells out of their wife or spread the entrails of a goat around their house to ward off evil spirits are all doing it because they believe it to be true.

[Morden]

PS: It seems that when topics like this come up, the die-hard atheists take the opportunity to slam some or all of the religious beliefs of the faithful. This trend seems to have become very noticeable in recent years, with guys like the late drunk Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins leading the charge. Such people have turned atheism into almost a religious orthodoxy.

Live and let live.

-

I completely agree, but it's a natural response when the OP (and many others) imply that a whole nation (or Asians in general or any grouping) is "stupid" because of their belief in things that aren't proven by modern science.

Since so many of "our fellows" on this side of the "us vs them" divide also have their supersitions, but claim them to be protected as "religion", it's fair enough to point out that the Thai beliefs are no different, and in fact even if many/most aren't Buddhist they certainly are just as deserving of respect as those supernatural beliefs considered mainstream in the West like Christianity.

Just as I wouldn't denigrate someone for practicing voudou or Scientology, until such practice actually starts to result in harm to others, not any of my business to set myself up as superior just because my religion is Skepticism/Scientism.

Well said, Palman. Thai superstition is no different than western superstition. And yes, religion, can be viewed from many quarters as superstition. Heck, even among the religious. Do Christians agree with Muslims? Mormons and Jews? It's pretty asinine that farangs here will criticize the Thais for their beliefs, yet defend Christianity as some sort of divine truth. Get real people, there's no difference.

Sure, they all share some common beliefs, many of which are ignored and others exaggerated. Each to his own provided he doesn't try to ram his views down my throat.

What is beyond my understanding is that some schools in the US are letting a guy preach Creationism to their students.

[kannot]

Well, in my opinion, and I know it is a bit off the wall BUT you have to be able to see life through their eyes to understand their superstitions and beliefs. I can't do that 'cos I ain't Thai, but my previous experience of life has taught me that many cultures hold strong beliefs and superstitions so 'tightly' that for them to ignore them, or to disrespect them actually affects their health. In other words we may scoff, we may laugh at their various 'ludicrous' fears and 'wacky' superstitions, but guys, it works for them.

And I throw this one in just for fun: next time you meet French people ask them if they have ghosts in France.

All those dead people I see splattered over the road in an accident with the amulets round their necks?? worked for them did it??

more likely worked for the sniggering idiot driving the car into them!

[Morden]

It's not the stories that are dangerous. It's the way that people use them that's dangerous.

Actions are formed by belief, they may be dangerous or they may not. People who beat seven bells out of their wife or spread the entrails of a goat around their house to ward off evil spirits are all doing it because they believe it to be true.

I think I said much the same thing.

[Kitsune]

So ..........Seven time lottery winner who shares his tricks is also uneducated?

He's american ...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/28/richard-lustig-7-time-lottery-winner-how-to-win-powerball-jackpot_n_2203717.html

[kannot]

I've never understood why educated people in the West believe in astrology, crystals, aliens, bigfoots and plenty of other bizarre therapy.. Then some of the same folks turn right around and call other people fools for believing in a creator. Actually, I have seen no proof that a creator does not exist and I try and keep up with science and technology. What I've observed is that humans only copy "nature". We have found out, "proved' if you will, that nature (systems that we observe) is a perfect, self-sustaining system. At this point in our observations, we do not have enough information to make such broad proclamations about the existence of creators or a creator. Here in Thailand, as in every other country I've visited, there people believing in strange things, mostly because of tradition - education doe not seem to help much to prevent this. I like the physical form analogy of the famous enclosed ecosystem that exists. A photo of a guy standing beside this sealed "terrarium" (for many years now) A beautiful picture of a "creator". The good thing is, that it doesn't take much 'imagination' to imagine the same picture on a universal scale.

I also have seen no proof god isn't a wart on my backside inhabited by 8 legged monkeys chanting yabba yabba whilst eating a Virgins entrails.

Good argument!!

[notmyself]

PS: It seems that when topics like this come up, the die-hard atheists take the opportunity to slam some or all of the religious beliefs of the faithful. This trend seems to have become very noticeable in recent years, with guys like the late drunk Christopher Hitchens, and Richard Dawkins leading the charge. Such people have turned atheism into almost a religious orthodoxy.

Live and let live.

-

I completely agree, but it's a natural response when the OP (and many others) imply that a whole nation (or Asians in general or any grouping) is "stupid" because of their belief in things that aren't proven by modern science.

Since so many of "our fellows" on this side of the "us vs them" divide also have their supersitions, but claim them to be protected as "religion", it's fair enough to point out that the Thai beliefs are no different, and in fact even if many/most aren't Buddhist they certainly are just as deserving of respect as those supernatural beliefs considered mainstream in the West like Christianity.

Just as I wouldn't denigrate someone for practicing voudou or Scientology, until such practice actually starts to result in harm to others, not any of my business to set myself up as superior just because my religion is Skepticism/Scientism.

Well said, Palman. Thai superstition is no different than western superstition. And yes, religion, can be viewed from many quarters as superstition. Heck, even among the religious. Do Christians agree with Muslims? Mormons and Jews? It's pretty asinine that farangs here will criticize the Thais for their beliefs, yet defend Christianity as some sort of divine truth. Get real people, there's no difference.

I think you are missing the point. Everyone has irrational beliefs, everyone in the world but some people have more than others while some less.

[Morden]

Well, in my opinion, and I know it is a bit off the wall BUT you have to be able to see life through their eyes to understand their superstitions and beliefs. I can't do that 'cos I ain't Thai, but my previous experience of life has taught me that many cultures hold strong beliefs and superstitions so 'tightly' that for them to ignore them, or to disrespect them actually affects their health. In other words we may scoff, we may laugh at their various 'ludicrous' fears and 'wacky' superstitions, but guys, it works for them.

And I throw this one in just for fun: next time you meet French people ask them if they have ghosts in France.

All those dead people I see splattered over the road in an accident with the amulets round their necks?? worked for them did it??

more likely worked for the sniggering idiot driving the car into them!

After the Sandy Hook massacre, some bereaved parents acknowledged that their god was helping them through the ordeal. My heart went out to them in their terrible grief and they can use whatever they have to ease the burden. However, I couldn't help wondering where their god was before the massacre.