In answering this question, let us first of all define what superstition is. Wordnik defines this as follows:
“1. An irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.
“2. A belief, practice, or rite irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance.
“3. A fearful or abject state of mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality.”
“Therefore, a superstitious person is one who relates to, or is swayed by superstition.
“Superstition is irrational as can be worked out when reviewing some of these actions that are taken by superstitious people:
“… crossing fingers for luck; touching [or knocking on] wood; not walking under a ladder (although it would be sensible if doing that to check that it was safe to do so); throwing salt over your shoulder; a black cat crossing your path; a broken mirror bringing seven years of bad luck; Friday the 13th being an unlucky day. Some countries won’t have a 13th level on an apartment block. Don’t open an umbrella inside a house. Finding a horseshoe is good luck.”
And there are more of course. Lucky charms are another source of superstition thinking that a ‘rabbit’s foot,’ a lucky horseshoe or a four-leafed clover can change one’s luck. Because of its association with the Norse god Odin, the lowly acorn is also considered a symbol of luck. Odin hung himself from an oak tree to gain knowledge, so the acorn has come to symbolize wisdom.
Tempting fate is to invite bad luck or unpleasant situations by showing one’s confidence in something.
It is interesting that many football (soccer) players in the UK step on to the pitch with a variety of different things they do: crossing themselves, kissing their wrist, kissing the ground, looking up into the sky etc. It could be that they think that it is part of their faith but the Bible nowhere states that such gestures have to be carried out. It is more likely a ritual for superstitious players.
One famous football goalkeeper for many years used to wear his socks inside-out during matches!
When a game is on a knife edge, many cricketers who are on the batting side and not on the field of play, will sit in the same position in the pavilion and not move until the outcome of the match is known. One famous cricket umpire would dance on one foot when the score was on 87 or 111 as these are considered unlucky numbers.
One world famous tennis player goes through the same routine during every game. Before he serves, he places some of his hair behind each one of his ears and also tugs on his shorts and then touches several parts of his head just before serving. Another champion tennis player always got up second from the chair and would also never step on the lines of the court. And a top female tennis player always brought her shower sandals to the court, tied her shoelaces a specific way and bounced the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second.
Why? Reuters reported some years ago that “psychologists say people often become superstitious when faced with unknown and stressful situations, which explains why so many athletes are superstitious and frequently bound to rigid preparation routines. ‘When the stakes are high and there is a great deal of uncertainty – as in top-level sport – then people will try anything to get the outcome they want,’ Richard Stephens, a senior lecturer in psychology at Keele University, told Reuters.”
There can be references to the “sporting gods” as if they were real rather than just a figment of man’s imagination.
Astrology – looking at what the stars have in store for us – is a pastime, deemed to be harmless, that many regularly get involved with. [This would also include consulting horoscopes to learn about our future.] Deuteronomy 4:19 gives us God’s answer to such practices: “And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.”
The Bible is instructive when it teaches that “whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (see Galatians 6:7). Such instruction reveals that actions produce good and bad results, depending on what they are and these are based on Godly wisdom, not just random or accidental events.
It has been said that because superstition is dependent upon unseen forces, atheists and agnostics often say that anyone who believes in God may well be superstitious. Of course, this is erroneous thinking as those who truly believe in the great God are confident of, and can prove that, the Creation requires a Creator and there are spiritual unseen forces that must exist for this to have occurred.
We read in Colossians 2:8-10: “ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”
The Benson Commentary observes: “It seems some teachers had crept in among the Christians at Colosse, either of Gentile or Jewish extraction, who endeavoured to blend deceits of this kind with the gospel of Christ, and that this is what the apostle here condemns; 1st, Because it was empty and deceitful, promising wisdom, but giving none. 2d, Because it was grounded, not on truth, or solid reason, but on the vain and false traditions of men. 3d, Because, as the apostle here says, it was after the rudiments, στοιχεια, the elements, of the world — Such as the [unbiblical] Jewish ceremonies [being a product of human inventions], or the pagan superstitions.”
In 1 Samuel 5, we read about the Philistines taking the ark and putting it next to Dagon in the house of Dagon (verses 1-2). In verses 4-5 we read: “And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.”
The Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary states the following: “Therefore neither the priests … nor any … tread on the threshold of Dagon—A superstitious ceremony crept in, and in the providence of God was continued, by which the Philistines contributed to publish this proof of the helplessness of their god….unto this day—The usage continued in practice at the time when this history was written—probably in the later years of Samuel’s life.”
There is another excellent example in the Old Testament of superstitious beliefs. In 1 Kings 18, we read about Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory: “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word” (verse 21). Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal in verses 22-25 and they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon (verse 26). As nothing happened, we read in verses 27-29, “And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, ‘Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.”
Again, reading from the Benson Commentary, it observes that: “The worship of idols being a most ridiculous thing, it is perfectly just to represent it so, and expose it to scorn. And nothing can be imagined more cutting and sarcastic than these words of the prophet, in which he ridicules, in the finest manner possible, their wretched, false, and derogatory ideas of the Deity. The two last notions of being asleep and not at home, how absurd soever they may be, when applied to the Deity, were certainly such as several idolaters conceived of their gods, as appears from various passages in Homer…” These were superstitious, unproven practices that led to the downfall of these pagan priests as we read in verses 30-40.
We read in 1 Samuel 28, starting in verse 7, that King Saul consulted a witch at En Dor. He should never have done this as God had said, “You shall not permit a sorceress to live” (Exodus 22:18), but he did this out of desperation and the end result was catastrophic as he died in battle the following day. In Leviticus 19:31 we read: “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.” Today, witchcraft and superstition go hand in hand and they are not harmless.
Jeremiah 10:2 states: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.’” Matthew Poole’s Commentary observes: “Learn not the way of the heathen: the Jews being to live among the Chaldeans in their captivity, where many of them were already, the prophet in this sermon admonisheth them against the superstitions of the Chaldean idolatries…..”
In Ezekiel 13:17-19, we read: “ Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them, and say, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”’”
Barnes Notes on the Bible has this to say about this passage of Scripture: “Most ancient interpreters and many modern interpreters have understood the ‘pillows’ (or charms) and ‘kerchiefs’ (or veils), as appliances to which the sorcerers had resort in order to attract notice. The veil was a conspicuous ornament in the east – women whatever their ‘stature’ (or height) putting them on – and it was worn by magicians in order to seem more mysterious and awful.” Sorcerers and magic were condemned by God and were part of the superstitious nature that seemed to attract so many.
In Acts 17 we read of Paul and the philosophers at Athens. The fact that they were superstitious is indicated in verses 22-23: “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ Hill and said, ‘Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription: “To the Unknown God”. Whom therefore ye worship in ignorance, Him I declare unto you’” (21st Century King James Version). It seemed that they were “hedging their bets’ or “to avoid committing oneself; to leave a means of retreat open” (phrases.org.uk). Even those who were supposedly religious, were superstitious in this case.
(To be continued)
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)
