Comments on: Friggatriskaidekaphobia: Happy Friday the 13th http://atheists.org/blog/2009/02/13/friggatriskaidekaphobia-happy-friday-the A Blog of Atheist Thought Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:05:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: dlgilbert http://atheists.org/blog/2009/02/13/friggatriskaidekaphobia-happy-friday-the/comment-page-1#comment-95476 dlgilbert Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-95476 You had me LOL'ing with your made-up superstition stories! I'll have to start doing that with my daughter. I have fun with her with existing ones (ladders, cats, salt, etc) and she laughs when I do things like act all scared when I tell her not to walk under a ladder. I'm lucky to have a great relationship with her so much that she knows when I'm joking and when I'm not.<br /> <br /> Making your own superstitions is a great way to teach the lesson, though! Kudos! :-) You had me LOL’ing with your made-up superstition stories! I’ll have to start doing that with my daughter. I have fun with her with existing ones (ladders, cats, salt, etc) and she laughs when I do things like act all scared when I tell her not to walk under a ladder. I’m lucky to have a great relationship with her so much that she knows when I’m joking and when I’m not.

Making your own superstitions is a great way to teach the lesson, though! Kudos! :-)

]]> By: GodlessInNV http://atheists.org/blog/2009/02/13/friggatriskaidekaphobia-happy-friday-the/comment-page-1#comment-95477 GodlessInNV Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-95477 Both religion and superstition provide the illusion of control where none exists. Doing little things, like crossing one's fingers or throwing a bit of salt over one's shoulder let's us feel that we are taking action in favor of one's own fate. Same with prayer and religious rituals. The difference is that religious rituals are believed to appeal to a specific entity that will in turn (if pleased by the rituals) perform some sort of positive action. The purpose of superstitious acts, on the other hand, seems to be some sort of protection against the randomness of the universe, a sort of spell ensure that something bad doesn't happen or a way to tip the odds in your favor. Both religion and superstition provide the illusion of control where none exists. Doing little things, like crossing one’s fingers or throwing a bit of salt over one’s shoulder let’s us feel that we are taking action in favor of one’s own fate. Same with prayer and religious rituals. The difference is that religious rituals are believed to appeal to a specific entity that will in turn (if pleased by the rituals) perform some sort of positive action. The purpose of superstitious acts, on the other hand, seems to be some sort of protection against the randomness of the universe, a sort of spell ensure that something bad doesn’t happen or a way to tip the odds in your favor.

]]> By: godless sodomite http://atheists.org/blog/2009/02/13/friggatriskaidekaphobia-happy-friday-the/comment-page-1#comment-95478 godless sodomite Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-95478 I went out and found a ladder to walk under and a crack to step on and then I spilled some salt and neglected to throw a pinch over my right shoulder. Ill report back later today and let you know how my day went. :-)<br /> I went out and found a ladder to walk under and a crack to step on and then I spilled some salt and neglected to throw a pinch over my right shoulder. Ill report back later today and let you know how my day went. :-)

]]> By: djpoobah1 http://atheists.org/blog/2009/02/13/friggatriskaidekaphobia-happy-friday-the/comment-page-1#comment-95479 djpoobah1 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-95479 I never really understood superstition. I mean, what do people who have black cats as pets do? Gotta figure their paths are CONSTANTLY being crossed by said kitty I never really understood superstition. I mean, what do people who have black cats as pets do? Gotta figure their paths are CONSTANTLY being crossed by said kitty

]]> By: mdetrano http://atheists.org/blog/2009/02/13/friggatriskaidekaphobia-happy-friday-the/comment-page-1#comment-95481 mdetrano Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-95481 I do own a a black cat (and a black and white one). Sometimes, I have bad luck. Must be the black cat.<br /> <br /> One of the "Penn Says" videos brought up an interesting point..."Atheist" just means "no belief in god", taken very literally. An atheist could be very superstitious, or believe in the soul, or believe in ghosts, etc.<br /> <br /> Yet, generally, that does not seem to be the case. I am fine with Atheist, and don't really want to bother with more terms like "Objectivist", or any of the others that in common use all come down to the same thing. <br /> <br /> While I don't believe in god, ghosts, or superstitions, all these things are fun in a "make-believe" kind of way, so Happy Friday the 13th, and be careful out there. I do own a a black cat (and a black and white one). Sometimes, I have bad luck. Must be the black cat.

One of the “Penn Says” videos brought up an interesting point…”Atheist” just means “no belief in god”, taken very literally. An atheist could be very superstitious, or believe in the soul, or believe in ghosts, etc.

Yet, generally, that does not seem to be the case. I am fine with Atheist, and don’t really want to bother with more terms like “Objectivist”, or any of the others that in common use all come down to the same thing.

While I don’t believe in god, ghosts, or superstitions, all these things are fun in a “make-believe” kind of way, so Happy Friday the 13th, and be careful out there.

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