Some Qs. people asked me on science and my replies to them - Part 57

                                                                  Interactive science series

Superstitions:

Q: How can we get rid of our superstitions?

Krishna: By changing peoples’ faulty thought process. I will give an example.

When you lack critical thinking abilities and make wrong connections superstitions take root in your mind.

One of my friend's parents constructed a new house. As soon as the house warming ceremony was over, they shifted to their new house. But according to my friend's father, the house is giving them trouble! Why?

It seems the pundits they consulted told them that they 're facing difficulties because of the "Vaastu Dosha" of the house and asked them to perform some rituals.

I asked my friend what difficulties they are facing. 'My mother's health got spoiled after shifting to our new home. She developed diabetes and arthritis. Earlier she was okay', she replied.

'What is the age of your mother?', I asked.

'' 65" , she replied.

"Then, it is the old age that is causing her problems. Not the house. It just is a coincidence that the symptoms came out and are showing at the same time you shifted to your new house. You are making the wrong connections. Your house has nothing to do with the health of your mother ", I told my friend.

Two things can be considered here for the difficulties faced by them: The age factor and the new house. Instead of taking the real factor, i.e., the age which is the real culprit, they have chosen the unscientific route to mark 'house' as the factor!

That is how superstitions originate. With a faulty thought process. Can we change it and develop rationality and scientific analysis of the situations we are in or listen to people whose minds are still lodged in ancient times?

The choice is definitely ours!

Q: When did scientific method replace the common everyday superstitions that people had?  

Krishna: It did?! Not according to statistics. Majority of the people still have and follow irrational beliefs! You can include a part of the scientific community too to that majority segment!

Only if you are good at critical thinking, have the courage to go against the tide and fears, adopt scientific reasoning that stays with you 24X365X80, you can get rid of superstitions. How many people can do this?

Very few! This world is still irrational, man!

Q: Superstitions: what are the mis-beliefs or superstitious thoughts that are common in practice, but have proper scientific reason behind that?  

Krishna: None! Yes, superstitions are irrational beliefs and science doesn’t support them. If anybody says it does and gives strange explanations, they are going the path of pseudo-science. Period!

Q: How do superstitions take root and get lodged in our minds?

Krishna: When you lack critical thinking abilities and make wrong connections. I will give an example.

One of my friend's parents constructed a new house. As soon as the house warming ceremony was over, they shifted  to their new house. But according to my friend's father, the house is giving them trouble! Why?

It seems the pundits they consulted told them that they 're facing difficulties because of the "Vaastu Dosha" of the house and asked them to perform some rituals.

I asked my friend what difficulties they are facing. 'My mother's health got spoiled after shifting to our new home. She developed diabetes and arthritis. Earlier she was okay', she replied.

'What is the age of your mother?', I asked.

'' 65" , she replied.

"Then, it is the old age that is causing her problems. Not the house. It just is a coincidence that the symptoms came out and are showing at the same time you shifted to your new house. You are making the wrong connections. Vaastu of your house has nothing to do with the health of your mother ", I told my friend.

Two things can be considered here for the difficulties faced by them: The age factor and the new house. Instead of taking the real factor, i.e., the age which is the real culprit, they have chosen the unscientific route to mark 'house' as the factor! 

That is how superstitions originate. With a faulty thought process. 

Q: What type of superstitions does India have? How does one stop following such misbeliefs?  

Krishna: Lots of them. How does one stop following such irrational things?

We are helping people in doing so. Like this…

Science's rules are unyielding, they will not be bent in any way fo...

Science and superstitions : How rational thinking can make you work...

Q: Why would you see dragonflies after a loved one dies?  

Krishna: It just is a co-incidence!

If you happen to be in a place where they have a home! Like water bodies. If you happen to be at the right time - usually spring, summer and rainy seasons. If you happen to tread in the arena of the right species for the place. If you happen to visit their home at the feeding time of a large swarm.

Usually in India cremation grounds are located near water bodies. So you naturally encounter lots of dragon flies in the place. There is no connection between death and dragon fly visit!

If you think there is a connection, it just is a superstition!

Q: What is the difference between a coincidence and luck?

Krishna: The difference lies in your thought process, perception and interpretation of a situation. If your perception says the co-incidence favours you, you feel it is good luck, if it doesn’t, you interpret it as bad luck. 

Q: Why shouldn't sweeping & mopping be done at night? Is there any scientific reason behind the superstition?  

Krishna: You can do these things whenever you want and find time to do them in today’s world like I do. I never follow these superstitions and do whatever I feel like doing whenever I want. That doesn’t effect me in any way! 

Q: Do early morning dreams come true? What is the science behind it?

Krishna: 

Very rarely and it just is a co-incidence if they do and your strange interpretation of things happening around.

Oh, yes, you can dream several things and work hard to make them true!  That is the science behind it :)

Q: Are superstitions doing any good to this world?

Q: What are the real dangers of superstitions?

Krishna: 

Several. People harm themselves, people around and the societies they live in with their irrational beliefs. Like this…

Bathinda shocker: Woman kills grandchildren in bid to ward off evil spirits

Parents allow exorcist to kill daughter, rape body. Wanted to appease god for gold

https://in.yahoo.com/news/parent...

How To Get a Vaccine Religious Exemption

Baby death: Parents convicted over vegetable milk diet: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-eu...

Women throws coins into engine of a plane for good luck and safe journey but in fact endangering the lives of people on board!

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/2...

Endangering others ‘ lives: Superstitions don't have any science behind them!

Q: Is it possible to explain my bad luck with a science point of view?  

Krishna: There isn’t anything called luck. It is just your perception about a situation.

When several factors decide outcomes, they follow the interplay of scientific rules and routes and exactly fit into the reaction realities. You have to register this in your mind to come out of the misery you are in. Watch it coolly and try to understand it. How a person survives a health condition or a catastrophe depends on the sum total outcomes of scientific factors occurring simultaneously. Other outside things have no effect whatsoever on it. Any connections you make between rituals/superstitions and the outcomes depend on your perceptions and experiences. A positive outcome either to you or others makes you stick with them. A negative result will make you attack them. But the net result doesn't depend on anything that is not related to it! And these unrelated factors are your beliefs, rituals, superstitions and myths.

Failures might occur in life. When they do, you should revisit your problem, analyse it thoroughly in an enlightened way and think you haven't found a proper solution to it yet and that's why you couldn't overcome it, then try to get one, increase your efficiency of the effort, plug the loopholes and go after it with all your might to defeat it.

Science's rules are unyielding, they will not be bent in any way fo...

Q: Is breaking a mangalsutra a bad omen? I broke mine today, and I am very worried.

Krishna: This is what happens when superstitions condition your mind.

But don’t worry. There isn’t anything called a bad or good omen. It just is your interpretation of a situation you are in and when your mind loses control over the thinking process because of the fear brought by cultural conditioning of your mind, it becomes irrational.

Read these articles: They will make your mind stronger

Science's rules are unyielding, they will not be bent in any way fo...

Science and superstitions : How rational thinking can make you work...

Q: Can an envious curse and bad wish from heart of evil person really cause bad luck or injury?  

Krishna: No, it doesn’t! Nobody has the power to do that. If any person can do that to you, you too can put an obstacle in its path to tackle it with your mind power!

Both look good in stories written centuries back. In reality, there is no chance of them occurring. So, don’t worry. 

Q: Does it bring bad luck if a bat enters into a house?  

Krishna: I am being asked to answer these questions over and over again.

There isn’t anything called bad (or good ) luck in the first place. It all depends on how your mind perceives and interprets a situation. If you are not confident about yourself and the situation you are in, you fear everything and try to make connections where none exists. Try to strengthen your mind, all this disappears.

Read these articles…

Science's rules are unyielding, they will not be bent in any way fo...

Science and superstitions : How rational thinking can make you work...

However, bats are responsible for certain diseases and you will have to be careful when you are near bats.

One of these diseases is Marburg hemorrhagic fever, which is found exclusively in Africa.

Viruses such as - Nipah (which causes Nipah virus encephalitis) and Hendra (which causes Hendra virus disease) - are also associated with bats.

Ebola hemorraghic fever. The virus that causes this disease is often referred to as the "cousin" of Marburg virus, since they are the only distinct viruses that belong to a group of viruses known as filoviruses. Like Marburg, Ebola is highly fatal and is found mostly in Africa. Recent studies indicate that, as with Marburg, bats are likely to be a natural source of this virus, although no Ebola virus has been isolated from bats.

Another group of viruses known as coronaviruses have been detected in multiple species of bats. Coronavirus infection can sometimes cause mild respiratory illness in humans, but these viruses were also implicated in the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Southeast Asia. While bats do not carry or transmit SARS, research has linked coronaviruses to bats in countries all over the world.

Rabies is perhaps the most well known disease associated with bats. Along with animals such as dogs, foxes, raccoons, and skunks, bats are one of the primary animals that transmit rabies.

So stop bats from entering your dwellings.

Q: Why neighbours refuse to give curd after evening? Is there any superstition involved in it? Or is it science? 

Krishna: You can come up with all sorts of irrational explanations if you fear everything around you and lose confidence and control over your life. There is no science involved in this belief.

Some people treat milk, its products and curd as Goddess Laxmi. They think money goes out with them if you part with them after sunset! Fear of losing money. Fear of not doing well in business. Unable to control your own money matters! Unable to comprehend the situation properly. Origin of superstitions.

Anyway, there is nothing to worry. I eat curd during night time, part with it when somebody asks for it and do all sorts of crazy things people tell me not to do. And I never suffered any consequence because of my rebellious nature. Infact I got rid of all my superstitions, fears and gained full control over my life.

So don’t follow others. Do what your mind says is the right thing to chase!

Q: What are some superstitions that are senseless according to science?

Krishna: All superstitions are irrational without any exceptions. Resorting to such beliefs is a psychological universal tendency connected with high chaos and low confidence . This article explains it in detail…

Science's rules are unyielding, they will not be bent in any way fo...

Q: Is seeing a dead cat bad luck? I saw three in one month!

Q: Is believing in superstition fallacious?