Friday the 13th: belief in bad luck vs. belief in God (contradiction, beliefs)

[Faint]

Do you see any difference between the superstition of a religion and the superstition of Friday the 13th? Is it only a matter of degrees? Is it a contradiction to believe in one and not the other?

[Booko]

Originally Posted by Faint

Do you see any difference between the superstition of a religion and the superstition of Friday the 13th? Is it only a matter of degrees? Is it a contradiction to believe in one and not the other?

Superstition is superstition.

The only problem I've seen vis a vis religion is when people sometimes label things as superstition that are not, simply because they happen not to believe those things themselves.

[Buttons*]

well, i'm not superstitious about today... hell i dont even remember what i voted... i just wanted to up my post count

[gnomon]

I personally make a distinction between superstition and a cosmology. There are certain aspects of religious belief which can definitely be called superstitious (wine and bread, anyone) at one point but by now is merely formality for most. However, while the existence of a higher power is not falsifiable superstitions in general are so I have no problem with pointint out the flaws in superstitious thinking involving Fridary the 13th, the full moon, etc. I tend not to bother people about their favorite socks or security blanket.

[Faint]

Originally Posted by gnomon

I personally make a distinction between superstition and a cosmology. There are certain aspects of religious belief which can definitely be called superstitious (wine and bread, anyone) at one point but by now is merely formality for most. However, while the existence of a higher power is not falsifiable superstitions in general are so I have no problem with pointint out the flaws in superstitious thinking involving Fridary the 13th, the full moon, etc. I tend not to bother people about their favorite socks or security blanket.

I'm not sure if the superstitions are as falsifiable as you claim. In fact I'm inclined to believe that there might actually be more evidence for misfortune on Friday the 13th compared to evidence for God. Consider the following:

Originally Posted by wikipedia

Strangely, there is evidence to suggest that Friday the 13th is actually unlucky. Psychologists have found that some people are especially likely to have accidents or fall ill on Friday the 13th. This has been attributed to such people feeling a heightened state of anxiety on that day (see nocebo effect). The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina estimates that in the United States alone, $800 or $900 million is lost in business each Friday the 13th because people will not fly or do business they would normally do. [1]

[gnomon]

Originally Posted by Faint

I'm not sure if the superstitions are as falsifiable as you claim. In fact I'm inclined to believe that there might actually be more evidence for misfortune on Friday the 13th compared to evidence for God. Consider the following:

I don't doubt that any superstitious belief holds true for many people. There is such a thing as a self-fulfilling prophecy. This does not mean, however, that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day in and of itself. There are estimates that about 9 percent of the American population find the number 13 to be unlucky and I'm sure that those people may experience a heightened state of anxiety. The estimates of lost business, if true, cannot really be attributed to the 13th but to the people who exercise their own superstition. I'm more interested in what the people of SE Asia feel about this day in order to apply the superstition as a universal reality.

[Booko]

Originally Posted by Faint

I'm not sure if the superstitions are as falsifiable as you claim. In fact I'm inclined to believe that there might actually be more evidence for misfortune on Friday the 13th compared to evidence for God. Consider the following:

It would be useful it they looked into the question in a culture that did not have any superstitious beliefs about Friday 13th. Think of it as a "control group" sort of thing.

Originally Posted by gnomon

I'm more interested in what the people of SE Asia feel about this day in order to apply the superstition as a universal reality.

Exactly.

[Faint]

Originally Posted by gnomon

I don't doubt that any superstitious belief holds true for many people. There is such a thing as a self-fulfilling prophecy. This does not mean, however, that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day in and of itself. There are estimates that about 9 percent of the American population find the number 13 to be unlucky and I'm sure that those people may experience a heightened state of anxiety. The estimates of lost business, if true, cannot really be attributed to the 13th but to the people who exercise their own superstition. I'm more interested in what the people of SE Asia feel about this day in order to apply the superstition as a universal reality.

Ah. Yes that's true then. The day itself is not unlucky as it does not generate bad luck itself...though one may be more likely to experience misfortune of some kind today, as it has to do with people's reactions/beliefs.

[Ðanisty]

You don't have an option in the poll that suits me. I believe in a higher power and I believe in good luck on Friday 13th.