Are Christians superstitious?

bling · Sep 6, 2019

eleos1954 said:
Being Superstitious describes a belief in chance or magic

Christians have an actual personal relationship with the Lord (our creator) and that relationship isn't by chance or magic, the relationship is developed over time. It is a conscience decision made by a person ... not happen-chance.

OK this is getting more to the issue. Can we say: "Superstition is not logical, relational, a choice on our part, and thought-out?

bling · Sep 6, 2019

MournfulWatcher said:
My understanding of China is that they are an atheistic culture, so any form of belief in the supernatural would be viewed as superstitious. I would recommend that you poke some holes in their materialism; the world is much stranger and more wonderful than they know. Talk about the evidence for the resurrection of Christ, evidence for miracles, etc. Materialism is an ideology of nihilism, they just haven't realized it yet, and they haven't realized that to be human means to be spiritual and not just physical. We have spiritual needs and are capable of experiencing spiritual realities.

I used to think practices such as blessings, holy water, or crucifixes were just a form of superstition within Christianity. I later realized that these things were ways God works through the physical. We live in a world of wonders, and once they realize it, they will be much more open to Christ. When your philosophy is materialism, there is a black void behind everything you do; show them that void in their ideology. If you're successful, they'll realize the implications of their underlying beliefs, and actually want something more.

For the most part they are further along than that already. They do not trust communism and already feel the need for something greater than what this world has to offer. They do not want their religion to be their work (which the government would like them to believe).

You got me thinking, can we say: being superstitious is not logical while being a Christian is logical?

bling · Sep 6, 2019

~Zao~ said:
Keeping in mind the Oversea Chinese Missionary Movement of the early 1900’s before the Japanese invasion might offer some insight as well.

How?

~Zao~ · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
How?

hahaha let me count the ways. I’m getting behind on my day tho. I’ll post later.

Or not. It may not apply o this thread

,

bling · Sep 6, 2019

Halbhh said:
Well, I'd want to notice the attitude of the person I'm talking to, before responding. I could imagine a sincere attitude as one possible one (instead of cynical or mocking). If sincerely stated, the person may honestly believe (not just a rhetorical attack) that Christians are maybe just superstitious people.

In that case, you have a chance, with such a sincere person, to tell them a more real thing. I'd want to give them a powerful hint of how wonderful the things Christ said are, so that they might go and read more for themselves. Depending on the person, there are a variety of ways that could sound, and so this is only one of a great many possibilities:

"Aren't Christians really just superstitious?" [if asked sincerely]

One answer: "It could seem that way from a distance, and some in any city probably are. But what motivates most Christians is instead that they want to learn more from the Teacher who said such things as "Love your neighbor as yourself", and even said "Love your enemy" -- they want more of what He has to teach, and there is very much more. That's why Christianity is so popular around the world through the centuries, in any nation where people hear some of it. "

Here we've recognized the partial truth in their point of view, but also given them a strong hint of the actual reality, and even better, some of the actual Word of Christ.
Key thing: the actual Word is always better than any representation or partial paraphrase of some bit.

We are going through Luke.
They are sincere and they feel their friends are sincere, they do not know enough to be hypocritical about it.
What is the contrast between being superstitious and being a Christian?

bling · Sep 6, 2019

dqhall said:
China has roots in Marxist atheism. In 2018 they blew up a megachurch building. They have been arresting and torturing Christians. They suspended Communist party elections as Xi became a dictator.

God is truth, not superstition.

Some areas are severely persecuting Christians, but that might help the growth and not slow it up.
For some of my students to become Christian and return home will put their life in danger (especially those from Beijing). They know of the midnight bus ride where you never return.
Yes most of the crosses (over 200) have bene torn down.

~Zao~ · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
We are going through Luke.
They are sincere and they feel their friends are sincere, they do not know enough to be hypocritical about it.
What is the contrast between being superstitious and being a Christian?

Are they ESL students and your using the bible to teach them English?

eleos1954 · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
OK this is getting more to the issue. Can we say: "Superstition is not logical, relational, a choice on our part, and thought-out?

correct .... happen chance without any reason or explanation

ChicanaRose · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
The students I am teaching are looking for the truth and know little of Christianity. Most Chinese just write Christianity off as being a superstition, so followers are just superstitious people, not logical, fearful and ignorant.

And this is coming from those who practice Feng-shui, or consider receiving clocks as gift to be a curse?

What Not to Buy When Giving Gifts in China

Or is it coming from people who label all religions as superstitious?

AlexDTX · Sep 6, 2019

Albion said:
No, "they" don't.

Let's keep this point you are making in the realm of what's credible.

Albion, I said "some", not all, not most. And I have seen it, as well as been foolish in that way myself when I was a new believer. My comment is credible.

ChicanaRose · Sep 6, 2019

Maybe start your discussion with the students from this angle:

What does the Bible say about superstitions? | GotQuestions.org

Halbhh · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
We are going through Luke.
They are sincere and they feel their friends are sincere, they do not know enough to be hypocritical about it.
What is the contrast between being superstitious and being a Christian?

Why going through Luke? Is it a class about Christianity?

We know from Christ a key way to know when we are seeing the real thing: John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."
So, if responding to a question: "what's the difference?" I might respond by saying, "Well, Christ said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." So, Christianity according to Christ shows up outwardly to other people as a way of life that involves actions that are visibly verifiable. Of course, loving your neighbor as yourself, or doing to others as you would have them do to you -- these are actions, see, not superstitions. So, the superstitious may not be the real thing."

Also, as a prelude, let me 2nd or 5th or 10th the suggestions about getting at what the word 'superstitious' means also.

Like asking:

"Isn't a superstition believing that an object or action has magical powers, like for instance a feather, or a horoscope?"

You may be able to get a substantive discussion going that way.

RaymondG · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
I teach Chinese Students in Dallas Universities and they say: one of the criticisms they hear in China about Christians is “Christians are superstitious”, so what would be a good come back answer to that comment?

People are superstitious.... And People are part of religions.....So therefore, there will be superstitious people in every religion. So one cant really link the idea of superstition to any one religion..... It is most likely something handed down through family and friends....like stepping on cracks breaking backs.

Either way, one who judges the religion, should be one who has spent a lot of time in it, and or studying it....Just like you had to, to be qualified to teach the subject you teach.

So my first response would be to ask them how much time have they spent in Christianity to qualify themselves to be a judge of them. Ask them would they respect you as there teacher, if you had the same experience in your subject as they had with Christianity......would you even be qualified to speak on your subject with the same knowledge.

If not, what they say about Christianity can be dismissed.....and they can be deemed unqualified to speak on it.

Ask them to come and see the Man who can tell them all about themselves.....if you know how to do this... After.....they will know the truth and be set free.

bling said:
so what should the spiritually strong say to these and/or the nonbelievers if anything?

I spiritually strong person would not concern themselves with, or be moved at all by these matters......this only affect the religious.

MournfulWatcher · Sep 6, 2019

bling said:
For the most part they are further along than that already. They do not trust communism and already feel the need for something greater than what this world has to offer. They do not want their religion to be their work (which the government would like them to believe).

You got me thinking, can we say: being superstitious is not logical while being a Christian is logical?

Sure. Like I said, present the evidence for miracles and for the resurrection of Christ; give them some good reason to believe that Christianity might be true.

I'm glad they've already realized the falsehood of the propaganda! That leaves a crack in the door for you to hopefully open wider.

Blade · Sep 6, 2019

Never heard that before. Well my wife is 1st Gen Chinese and I've DUH been round allot and some from there and they never said a word about Christianity. Unless it was after I left and "hes just superstitious"

I did come across this "Chinese state mouthpiece links ‘superstitious’ religious practices to string of Communist Party corruption scandals".

bling · Sep 6, 2019

ViaCrucis said:
I was under the impression that Chinese propaganda is that all religion is superstition. So undoing that propaganda is probably going to be difficult, since it involves putting forward the counter-point that the Chinese government is engaged in brainwashing the Chinese people.

The Chinese government has been actively targeting Uyghurs in Western China, imprisoning and effectively targeting them purely on the basis of their ethnicity. The Uyghurs of Western China are predominantly Muslim, but the Chinese propaganda machine calls them all terrorists, even though they are being targeted because of their ethnicity.

The Chinese government has been accusing the Hong Kong pro-democracy protestors and demonstrators "terrorists" as well. And that narrative has been pretty successful in convincing a majority of the mainland Chinese population of that falsehood.

As such, convincing some students that their government has been actively lying to them their entire life isn't exactly going to be an easy task.

-CryptoLutheran

Actually, most will educated Chinese know the government is misleading them. On the coast few admit to being members of the party and those that do are looked down upon. The whole cultural revolution is a black eye for the communist party.
Yes, all religions are rumored to be just superstitions, so can we make it out to be logically sound?

bling · Sep 6, 2019

Blade said:
Never heard that before. Well my wife is 1st Gen Chinese and I've DUH been round allot and some from there and they never said a word about Christianity. Unless it was after I left and "hes just superstitious"

I did come across this "Chinese state mouthpiece links ‘superstitious’ religious practices to string of Communist Party corruption scandals".

I have taught Chinese students before and this idea did not come up, but that just showed my ignorance.

bling · Sep 6, 2019

Chadrho said:
One possible response might be to agree with your students. If there are Christians who treat their bibles or crosses as good luck charms, then they are a bit superstitious. You can explain that the function of the scriptures and the symbol of the cross is not "good luck," but Christ.

Responding this way opens the door for you to share a more robust understanding of our faith, the One in whom we have faith, the scriptures, and so on.

My students understanding is not a problem since we will study together for a long time, but it is how they approach their friends and family.
They could say: "Christianity is not a superstition, but______."
or "to be superstitious is not logical, but Christianity is logical in that_________. "
Help?

bling · Sep 6, 2019

Albion said:
No, "they" don't.

Let's keep this point you are making in the realm of what's credible.

some could be two people so how can you speak for everyone?
It is what some of my students perceived in watching some people carrying the Bible around and holding it up.

bling · Sep 6, 2019

~Zao~ said:
Are they ESL students and your using the bible to teach them English?

Yes, I do friendspeak but do not like the book and only use scripture, but I have others who want more Bible and we do Bible lessons.

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