white_raven23 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I had some thoughts drifting about my noggin yesterday (they like to do that). And it struck me that xtians treat their “religion” that they supposedly revere…in a very superstitious way, even going so far as having downright magical thinking at times…though it is disguised. Consider prayer. Particularly prayers where requests are being made. Aside from not having something simmering and bubbling on a stovetop, I see little difference between praying and spellcasting. The goals are often the same. The person praying and the person sticking pins in a doll both seek to have reality or chance bent in their favor and they expect supernatural help in the matter. The only difference is the level of cultural acceptance regarding the behaviors used to invoke the “powers” sought. My favorite prayer lately is the one where someone wants to pray for someone else finding, or in our case, re-finding a place for their preferred deity in our lives. There is a reason this behavior in particular ticks us off, and I thought it out and decided it really wasn’t the person’s religious expression that annoyed me. It was the implication of their supernatural “request”. After all, it doesn’t take a lot of observation to notice that people are more deeply impacted by negative events in their lives than they are positive ones. So when someone prays for their god to “make themselves known” to you, that person is…in a very roundabout way….openly wishing for your life to go to shit to your face. Part of our anger about this results from our own residue of superstitious thinking. That perhaps their malicious wish will somehow come true. That is not a rational concern of course, but we are human too…and at least we are working to pierce the veil, whereas our praying companion is content with the modern incarnation of giving the Evil Eye, or rubbing a rabbit’s foot. And it doesn’t take a lot of consideration to understand the motivation for prayers that openly call upon the supernatural to specifically harm another person or group. These folks are pretty clearly “witchy” about their religion…which is usually anti-witchcraft ironically. So instead of dancing in a circle shaking a bag of bones….you are “overcome with the holy spirit” and the bones in the bag suddenly belong to a Saint or martyr. Behaviors can be redefined for wider social acceptability…but the intentions behind the behaviors remain the same. Superstitious and magical thinking. Anywhoo…that was my thought-spasm yesterday…thought I’d share it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted March 4, 2009 Super Moderator Share Posted March 4, 2009 Many people, even non-Christians, like to differentiate between religion and superstition. I don't see the distinction either. To me, a dressed up and updated superstition is still just a superstition in acceptable clothing. Cross my heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I just wish they would pray for me winning the lottery. I mean, if they are going to waste the time anyway, ask for something good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Praying to God has about the same effect as wishing upon a star which is nothing. I don't care if people believe in prayer, but it annoys me when xtians act like their beliefs are more "normal" than other religions that aren't as popular. It also drives me insane when xtians will bash other xtians for their beliefs like televangelists for believing that their riches come from God but then they'll turn around and thank God for helping them to find their keys, as if an all-powerful god would care about petty things like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 They are very superstitious. This I realized when I was in that writer's group the other year. Most of them were liberal Christians, one was a New Ager. She was writing a novel and the main character was supposed to be Mary Magdalene reincarnated or something like that. I think it got published. I ended up leaving the group because I felt like I did not fit in. I have to agree, I tried being Wiccan for about a year and it is really the same thing. Christians just don't realize it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Someone I know prayed that I would "shut up" (or something to that effect) and later I literally fell out of the bath tub while taking a shower (first time ever...but that sucker was slippery...and no it wasn't rigged ). I fell onto the toilet, shoving it aside and hurt myself pretty badly (didn't break anything on myself though). They confessed their evil voodoo to me and I was offended but I couldn't decide whether they felt the prayer was answered in that I was nearly killed thereby "shutting me up" or I was seeing the power of prayer being answered and thus turning me back to old "god" thereby "shutting me up." (I was offended because of the idea that my mind could be influenced via some invisible "prayer/god waves" or something and they could sort of "mind control" me into being obedient) Being dead, or greatly injured, I wouldn't be talking so I'm thinking they took this as a warning from "god" to be careful for what you pray for since he just might give it. So pray for "good" things only. (To think I was almost wished into the corn field because of bad thoughts. Spooky.) mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CynthiaBelle Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Yesterday I was thinking about how Christianity has remnants of ancestor worship in it. For example if something goes right, someone might look up and say, "I know my mom/other relative helped me on this one." And I've known of people almost praying to their dead relatives (that they think are in heaven) for help. It's all very ridiculous, and equally stupid to superstition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Everyday I learn something about myself and my deconversion. Prayer is one of those areas. About two weeks ago, it was my weekend with my daughter, and she was really sick. As I was lying in bed with her, I remembered how, in my old beliefs, I would have been earnestly praying for her healing. It was a great moment because I realized that I was doing all I could do for her. I was moitoring her temp, giving her medicine on schedule and just staying with her to comfort her. It was nice to focus on her care rather than waste time asking for supernatural intervention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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