Superstition in the name of Faith

[Tolworth John]

I think the clearest examples are the medieval witch trials. In another thread here we are discussing yoga and Ouija boards. To me the concerns expressed are grounded in superstition. I do believe in spirits, and even demons so perhaps I am superstitious as well. But I try to keep my faith pure and as rational as possible.

I may be wrong and superstition is not as widespread among believers as it seems. Has anyone found a prayer card in the pew about a novena "Never known to fail".

Superstition is the practice of using 'magic, charms and rite/rituals' to avoid bad luck and obtain 'good luck'.

It is not superstitous to believe in God or in the devil.

There is a devil and he does seek to influence the gulliable via horescopes, as found in papers and magerzines, via ouija, tarrot mediums etc

What is an interesting peice of research the NewZealand skeptics society looked into superstitions. They found where there was No strong Christian church there was lots of superstitous practises.
Chesterton got it right, ' Remove the belief in God, you replace it with a belief in anything.'

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Superstition is the practice of using 'magic, charms and rite/rituals' to avoid bad luck and obtain 'good luck'.

It is not superstitious to believe in God or in the devil.

There is a devil and he does seek to influence the gullible via horoscopes, as found in papers and magazines, via ouija, tarrot mediums etc

What is an interesting piece of research the New Zealand skeptics society looked into superstitions. They found where there was No strong Christian church there was lots of superstitious practices.
True. The Scripture says that there is just one faith - and that is faith in Christ alone for salvation and sanctification. Putting faith in something else, even at the most minor level, is a corruption and can block someone from being truly converted to Christ. True converts to Christ exercise just one faith - in Christ alone and in nothing else.
Chesterton got it right, ' Remove the belief in God, you replace it with a belief in anything.'

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Regardless of that, it is still an attempt to gain some kind of guidance, bypassing God and His Word. It is a rejection of the Holy Spirit and His faithfulness to guide us and give us the answers we need.

Just to add: Rejection of the Holy Spirit in any way concerning His work in us and guidance, is a rejection of Christ and His gospel. This puts a professing believer back on the road to hell until he or she repents of it.

I am not promoting it. I am saying it is superstition to believe there is anything mystical about it.

 

[Brightmoon]

My maternal family used to hate it when the USA would fire off space rockets because it would rain in NYC. After listening to them saying that God doesn’t like it for decades I finally figured out that the weather patterns on the east cost were ideal for rocketry in Florida when it was raining or drizzling in the northeast. Then I went to though the “umm folks , no! It’s just weather science!” conversations .

When I was little thst superstition kinda scared me and because talking to Southerners in another state usually involves the weather ,I eventually figured it out . North Carolina gets the same weather as New York about 3 days earlier. I just reasoned it out for Florida

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

There is a devil and he does seek to influence the gulliable via horescopes, as found in papers and magerzines, via ouija, tarrot mediums etc

How do you differentiate between devil leading people to something or just people doing dumb things ?

 

[Brightmoon]

I was watching in disbelief while some tv preacher was emphasizing gematria . Who believes that stuff? it’s about as valid as astrology . It’s silly and most of the time it’s superstitious.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I am not promoting it. I am saying it is superstition to believe there is anything mystical about it.

True. There is nothing mystical about the Bible, nor is the gospel of
Christ mystical. Some want to make it mystical because they cannot accept the clear truth of what Jesus and Paul taught.

 

[Dave-W]

Yes, and also seeing the devil where he isn't.

Which boils down to a lack of proper spiritual discernment.

Both camps suffer from that same malady - either seeing the devil NOWHERE or seeing the devil EVERYWHERE.

No proper discernment to actually see where he/it is and where he/it is NOT. There is no formula that we can calculate.

 

[Dave-W]

I was watching in disbelief while some tv preacher was emphasizing gematria . Who believes that stuff? it’s about as valid as astrology . It’s silly and most of the time it’s superstitious.

It is used in the NT.

 

[Dave-W]

How do you differentiate between devil leading people to something or just people doing dumb things ?

Proper spiritual discernment.

 

[Dave-W]

True. There is nothing mystical about the Bible, nor is the gospel of Christ mystical. Some want to make it mystical because they cannot accept the clear truth of what Jesus and Paul taught.

That depends on what you call "mystical." In some definitions, EVERYTHING Jesus and Paul taught was mystical.

Salvation itself is mystical.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Proper spiritual discernment.

How do I feel that what someone feels is "proper spiritual discernment" others will just say is superstition and there is really nothing to validate it one way or another......

 

[Dave-W]

How do I feel that what someone feels is "proper spiritual discernment" others will just say is superstition and there is really nothing to validate it one way or another......

Discernment is like any of the other revelation gifts in 1 Cor 12: Discerning of Spirits, Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom.

They are related to Prophecy and are not able to be independently validated by a non-spiritual means. IOW it is good to have confirmation but that has to come from someone who also is spiritually sensitive in the gifting of discernment.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Discernment is like any of the other revelation gifts in 1 Cor 12: Discerning of Spirits, Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom.

They are related to Prophecy and are not able to be independently validated by a non-spiritual means. IOW it is good to have confirmation but that has to come from someone who also is spiritually sensitive in the gifting of discernment.

And I think humility is the first step.