Superstition Stuff - Why Do They Keep Believing In It ?

[overherebc]

What intriques me is the way that people become more religious as they get older. My Grandfather was one of them and I always remember his dying words. Christ a bus.

As the great Dave Allen said

I'm a Atheist, Thank God

He also ended his shows with the words " May your God go with you"

W.C. Fields had a nice scene in a movie where he was lying on his death bed reading a bible. When asked why, he repled, "just looking for Loop-holes"

[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.

You greatly increase the number of fundamentalist believers in America. As it stands, I believe your statement is untrue.

-

The truth is even weirder - only 15% believe God had nothing to do with creation, even most of those that "believe in evolution" think God lent a helping hand.

I find that many Americans will say they believe in God even when they don't...."just to be on the safe side." There are so many bizarre contradictions when it comes to religion, I don't even know where to begin. For example, Christians make fun of Islam and their 72 virgins after martyrdom. But what is Christian heaven supposed to be like? Short answer is whatever you want it to be.

And farangs make fun of Thai superstitions?

Christians , Muslims, and Jews are all the same religion.

ie. They all believe in the same god.

Why do they all hate and kill each other? Is it some sort of perverted competition?

A little off topic, but, how many Christian religions can you list that don't get along?

Each will tell you that they are right, the others wrong and (example) " Christians who are not Catholic are wrong and will burn in hell !"

Is it some sort of compition?

Edited May 21, 2013 by willyumiii

[overherebc]

• It's fear and misunderstanding, maybe the other lot know something our lot doesn't and basic human nature tells that if you don't know what it is or understand it then run away from it or kill it.

Some one said the veneer of civilization is very thin.

[overherebc]

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..

I have no arguement at all with anything you've said. I perhaps look at Bhuddism in a very simple way.

5 laws

1 don't lie

2 don't kill

3 don't steal

4 if you're married don't screw around

5 don't get drunk.

I manage the first 4 quite well but admit to falling by the wayside at times on number 5.

I don't see it so much as a religion, more a set of guide lines for life.

[willyumiii]

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..

I have no arguement at all with anything you've said. I perhaps look at Bhuddism in a very simple way.

5 laws

1 don't lie

2 don't kill

3 don't steal

4 if you're married don't screw around

5 don't get drunk.

I manage the first 4 quite well but admit to falling by the wayside at times on number 5.

I don't see it so much as a religion, more a set of guide lines for life.

Bet you would have trouble finding many Thais who don't break at least 3 out of 5 of these rules!

[PalMan]

I have no argument at all with anything you've said. I perhaps look at Buddhism in a very simple way.

5 laws

1 don't lie

2 don't kill

3 don't steal

4 if you're married don't screw around

5 don't get drunk.

I manage the first 4 quite well but admit to falling by the wayside at times on number 5.

I don't see it so much as a religion, more a set of guide lines for life.

-

Little more nuanced than that - #4 includes all "sexual misconduct", and #5 includes all intoxicants.

And as you point out there isn't so much the idea of "sin", up to you what you want to do, follow your own conscience, but be prepared to wear the consequences of your actions, being attached to the world or letting cravings for material things dominate your life will just prolong your suffering, both within this lifetime and with more and more cycles of death and rebirth.

[overherebc]

I have no argument at all with anything you've said. I perhaps look at Buddhism in a very simple way.

5 laws

1 don't lie

2 don't kill

3 don't steal

4 if you're married don't screw around

5 don't get drunk.

I manage the first 4 quite well but admit to falling by the wayside at times on number 5.

I don't see it so much as a religion, more a set of guide lines for life.

-

Little more nuanced than that - #4 includes all "sexual misconduct", and #5 includes all intoxicants.

And as you point out there isn't so much the idea of "sin", up to you what you want to do, follow your own conscience, but be prepared to wear the consequences of your actions, being attached to the world or letting cravings for material things dominate your life will just prolong your suffering, both within this lifetime and with more and more cycles of death and rebirth.

But I don't believe in any form of life after death. That's why I don't call my 5 rules a religion, just a guide.

And to willyumiii

Bet you would have hard a job finding the same in UK

[Thongkorn]

Why do people in the west keep believing in the biggest superstition in the world religion.

[PalMan]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/willlaren/8758560189/ Edited May 21, 2013 by PalMan

[jbrain]

I have no argument at all with anything you've said. I perhaps look at Buddhism in a very simple way.

5 laws

1 don't lie

2 don't kill

3 don't steal

4 if you're married don't screw around

5 don't get drunk.

I manage the first 4 quite well but admit to falling by the wayside at times on number 5.

I don't see it so much as a religion, more a set of guide lines for life.

-

Little more nuanced than that - #4 includes all "sexual misconduct", and #5 includes all intoxicants.

And as you point out there isn't so much the idea of "sin", up to you what you want to do, follow your own conscience, but be prepared to wear the consequences of your actions, being attached to the world or letting cravings for material things dominate your life will just prolong your suffering, both within this lifetime and with more and more cycles of death and rebirth.

But I don't believe in any form of life after death. That's why I don't call my 5 rules a religion, just a guide.

And to willyumiii

Bet you would have hard a job finding the same in UK

Is the UK a Budhist country these days?

[PalMan]

Is the UK a Budhist country these days?

-

Take the Buddhism part out of it and just look at the list on its own.

I think it's safe to say most people in the world - not least the UK - would agree these are pretty lowest-common-denominator basic rules of morality.

Don't you? If not, which ones would you teach your kids to break?

Nothing to do with Buddhism as such.

[pizzachang]

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.

...and the other half believe it was created billions of years ago by a strange entity called 'Nature'...

...which would obviously raise the question of who created 'Nature' itself...

...and who created the creator of Nature.....and so on..

Suddenly, the 'God' theory doesn't look so ludicrous..

No it still looks just as ludicrous. One just needs to get the head round the idea that the universe can exist without being intelligently created.

As I stated, the (from what I've read) the mathematical probability of the universe not being designed is very low. This is just science and mathematics - not "religion". The use of statistical evidence, i.e., observations of physics in the expansion of our universe, point to those probabilities. I find it more interesting to observe that somehow this one area of science has relegated to a much lower scale of 'belief' by the folks that take the 'high ground' of - I can't see it, so it does not exist". Regardless of what Thai people believe or do not believe - humans in general believe in a basic moral code - one that favors our species but not necessarily other species. Evolution must have seen a 'need' for these kinds of beliefs. The ability to "see things or hear things" that are not there (not observable to current physics science) has actually contributed to our survival as a species. Most physicists believe that (at present) there is no way for humans to travel to other star systems. There are some that believe (read: keep an open mind) there may be other ways to travel - once again pointing to the fact that our universe is governed by physics, logic and mathematics - all used at present by intelligent enities

[PalMan]

Most of these "saiyasart" practices are shared in common with Cambodia:

http://www.vice.com/read/cambodian-ghosts-dont-believe-in-jesus

[IsaanUSA]

How did a topic on superstition turn into a religion topic? The groom isn't supposed to look at the bride before the wedding, and suddenly we're talking Jesus.

[PalMan]

One culture's religion is another's superstition, and to skeptic atheists anything smacking of religion is superstitious.

The only religious stuff that you don't consider superstitious is what you actually believe in, or is so mainstream-dominant in your culture that it just seems like normal background noise.

The only real meaning of the word is "stuff I denigrate because I don't believe in it".

Edited May 22, 2013 by PalMan

[notmyself]

The only religious stuff that you don't consider superstitious is what you actually believe in, or is so mainstream-dominant in your culture that it just seems like normal background noise.

The only real meaning of the word is "stuff I denigrate because I don't believe in it".

Interesting

Not all information is created equal. Some of it is correct. Some of it is incorrect. Some of it is carefully balanced. Some of it is heavily biased. Some of it is just plain crazy.

It is vital in the midst of this deluge that each of us be able to sort through all of this, keeping the useful information and discarding the rest. This requires the skill of critical thinking. Unfortunately, this is a skill that is often neglected in schools.

This site is designed to make a point about the danger of not thinking critically. Namely that you can easily be injured or killed by neglecting this important skill. We have collected the stories of over 670,000 people who have been injured or killed as a result of someone not thinking critically.

http://whatstheharm.net/index.html

[willyumiii]

I have no argument at all with anything you've said. I perhaps look at Buddhism in a very simple way.

5 laws

1 don't lie

2 don't kill

3 don't steal

4 if you're married don't screw around

5 don't get drunk.

I manage the first 4 quite well but admit to falling by the wayside at times on number 5.

I don't see it so much as a religion, more a set of guide lines for life.

-

Little more nuanced than that - #4 includes all "sexual misconduct", and #5 includes all intoxicants.

And as you point out there isn't so much the idea of "sin", up to you what you want to do, follow your own conscience, but be prepared to wear the consequences of your actions, being attached to the world or letting cravings for material things dominate your life will just prolong your suffering, both within this lifetime and with more and more cycles of death and rebirth.

But I don't believe in any form of life after death. That's why I don't call my 5 rules a religion, just a guide.

And to willyumiii

Bet you would have hard a job finding the same in UK

I do agree that it would be difficult.

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

[marcusd]

Same as any country. in tge west walking underva ladder... Black cats.. Think about it. good luck charms. thais are no different just show it more.

Sent from my GT-N7000B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[overherebc]

Willyumiii

Putting garlands on the spirit house maybe has the same forgiveness factor as confession has in other religions.

[Berkshire]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

[kannot]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

Spot on for rural Thailand I'd say

[Berkshire]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

Spot on for rural Thailand I'd say

So all (or "many") Thais in Isaan are lying, cheating, stealing, hopeless drunks, eh? Admitting that you are also a racist scumbag doesn't exactly earn you any points.

[kannot]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

Spot on for rural Thailand I'd say

So all (or "many") Thais in Isaan are lying, cheating, stealing, hopeless drunks, eh? Admitting that you are also a racist scumbag doesn't exactly earn you any points.

Why do you think I want to earn points?

[Thaddeus]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

Spot on for rural Thailand I'd say

So all (or "many") Thais in Isaan are lying, cheating, stealing, hopeless drunks, eh? Admitting that you are also a racist scumbag doesn't exactly earn you any points.

It is an exaggeration, but enough goes on to be easily noticeable.

[IsaanUSA]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

Thai is not a race, my good sir. Are you saying he is racist against Asian people? I didn't see anything in his post discussing Asian people as a whole.

[pizzachang]

Wow! Lying, cheating on wives or husbands, stealing and inventing legal but morally reprehensible ways of stealing, divorce, etc., etc., sounds like Christian "religion" in the USA. Then you have the waves of "alternative" quacks, practicing all sorts of fraud on unsuspecting seekers of some physical or physic relief. Then you have frivolous lawsuits ( another kind of dishonesty) - and you think Thailand has identity problems?

[kannot]

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!

Yawn, have you read what you have written and understood what I have said? your dog would be doing something odd everyday if it could "sense" dead people.

And why stop at people why wouldn't the dog bark at a dead gnat, horse cow pig, worm, bacteria you just crushed when you trod on it??

Oh I forgot I must "respect" these crass "beliefs".

[muythai2013]

My problem is that I am one who learned about Buddhism ( in the U.S.) in the west, and find those that follow the Buddha there take the 5 rules you listed pretty seriously.

Now that I live in a "Buddhist country" ( Thailand ), I am very disappointed to find that most Thais will kill anything they can kill, even if it can't be eaten and poses no danger. They enjoy killing!

Many lie.

Many cheat.

Many help themselves to anything they want. If it's not nailed down. it's o.k. to steal it. ( especially if it can be eaten! )

Prostitution is more[popular with Thai men then it is with western sex tourist, and is an acceptable profession for women..

And what about the whole concept of the Mia Noi, or second, little wife?

In the rural area where I live Lao Kao ( whiskey Thai ) is part of the daily diet for most men, from sunup to sunrise.

I still consider myself a Buddhist, but NOT a Thai Buddhist.

This is such incredibly exaggerated, unadulterated, racist drivel. You, Sir, have got some serious mental issues.

He claims to be a Buddhist yet he calls them Thai Buddhist, you could be if you were Thai if in fact they themselves were called that.

It's Theravada Buddhism and is not race based.

[rene123]

Superstition stuff you ask? Millions (billions?) of people still believe in religion. It's the same thing.

[muythai2013]

Superstition stuff you ask? Millions (billions?) of people still believe in religion. It's the same thing.

true Buddhism asks that you believe only what you see and what makes sense, that which are seen with your 5 senses.

It is not faith based, so how is it related to superstition being that it is a way of living.