ABSTRACT
Around the world and in popular cultures, we can see ideas and beliefs
that, n terms of modern thought, they are classified in superstitious
beliefs class. Similarly, latent and manifest, positive and negative
functions that these ideas have in today's society, discussing them is
considerably important. Aim of the present study is to explore the
range and influence of some aspects related to superstition that exists
among ghachsaran citizens. Accordingly, using the questionnaire and
survey method, it was concluded that: Women’s tendency to
superstitious beliefs is much more than the men's. There is a
significant relationship between religious belief and superstition belief
Social and economic status of people plays an important role in the
tendency to superstition so that people with low social and economic
statues have more tendencies to superstition. To find out the effect of
each independent variable on superstition, we used Multivariable
regression. It revealed the factors influencing n predicting superstition
based on their priorities include: gender with 0.49 causal effect in the
first order, socio - economic status with 0.37 causal effect in second
order, religious beliefs influence with 0.25 causal effect in the third
order, ethnicity with 0.17 causal effect and in the fourth order and life
satisfaction with 0.13 causal effect is placed in the final order.
INTRODUCTION
Superstitions are social phenomena and product of social context and
conditions. Amongst the factors which provided the emerging field of
social phenomena is the fear of human being from spiritual and
material circumstances, precautions reactions, human ignorance of
reality during the history and transmission of superstitious ideas. A
large part of folklore beliefs are devoted to believes that some of them
are regional and some national or international ones. For example,
unalterable speed, fate, nature, luck, eye sore, ominous of number
thirteen etc. are so widely present in most human societies. Actually,
they are formed opinions that have been passed on from generation
to generation, changed in the passage of time and place, and added
or removed. People usually do not believe them in the same value.
These believes are changeable and vary from total dependency to lack
of believe. Some consider them superstition and some believe them
firmly (Sadeghi, 1996). Superstition believes grow in the context of
ignorance, and nearly all human societies have some superstitious
tendencies are. Common people tend to superstition, because
wisdom is usually difficult and troublesome. Therefore, humans prefer
superstition to reasoning and imagination to the truth. However,
religion has always called them to reasoning (Jahovda, 1992).
Emphasis on measuring the supersitious believe in this society refers
to this fact that they are acceptable believes and values of people and
make the overall values of society. Its positive and negative aspects
can respectivley prepare a bed for backwardness or progress of
society. One of the issues that are occasionally considered is different
kinds of superstition, subjective, objective, intellectual, behavioral,
and rate of its prevalence in the community. Those who fear from the
presence of superstitious in the community, they have at least two
growing concerns: first, negative consequence and results of
superstition in understanding the reality, wisely organization of the
life and social relations, and secondly, from their view, growth, spread
and influence of superstition in different fields of life and when the
scientific thought and religious life become infected with this virus, it
is frustrating (Tavassoli, 2001). Perhaps superstition, as a man-made
phenomenon, is the only problem that, despite the changes and
development of societies, still exists and not only its intensity is not
diminished in the twenty-first century, but also it seems that its
supporters increased. These beliefs are called superstitions
established based on BEPLS Vol 3 Spl issue II 2014 287 | P a g e ©2014
AELS, INDIA the intuitive nature and there have sometimes
agreements and disagreements. A number of these beliefs are
regional and recognized in a particular geographic area, while some of
these beliefs are international, for example, number 13, in many
cultures and nations is almost known for being unlucky and it has
unbelievably spread among people. It is important to note that due to
the relationship between superstitious beliefs and infrastructure of
ethnic feeling and a sense of existential security, they have earned
such value and reputation that almost they do not tolerate any
conflicting beliefs (Farasatkhah, 1992). Historical, social, cultural and
biological ancestors created us a society that could never engage in
rational measurements and find the necessary relation between
phenomena and objects (Sedghi Nejad, 2004). This study, with a case
study of Gachsaran city, tries to assess the tendency toward
superstition and also represents the relationship between its
components.
Superstition Definition
In Dehkhoda dictionary, literally meaning of superstition is distracted
and irrelevant speech. This word is the plural form of “Kharafe” which
means “collecting the fruits” and name of a man from the Azreh tribe.
People did not believe him and said that he always says nonsense.
According to Robert Ingersoll, superstitions are: believing to
phenomenon that there is no experimental evidence for them,
estimating a mystery by another mystery; Believing that the world is
directed by chance; offering the thoughts, desires and intentions with
reference to their original nature; Belief in the supernatural, miracle,
magic and divination (Inglehart, 2002). According to him, superstition
is based on ignorance and its infrastructure and origin are false hopes.
Superstition and its Consequences in Religion
Water is clear when it comes out from spring, but flowing in the path
may make, tangible or intangible, contamination in it. In the spiritual
events also it may happen. The origin of the spirituality is first smooth
and clean with no pollution; gradually the thoughts of others transfer
it from generation to generation. Contamination which may be
perceptible or intangible or it could just be seen by Microscopy and
the thinkers (Motahari, 2004). In general, the superstitious tendency
toward religion can make two currents: - Superstition becomes the
origin of the formation of religion; Superstition leads religion to
decline. There is no doubt that, in the ancient civilization, human
knowledge and reason was still in the early and mythical stages and
the true nature was less known and understood. Gradually the
scientists and thinkers of the ancient times could form superstitious
beliefs through well-organizing and integrating their beliefs using
different theories, such as the four elements and the constellations,
so that they could substantially and slowly close to mythological gods
and types of stars. Among them, there were variety of mythical
cultures, such as Hellenistic, Roman, Egyptian, Chinese, Indian,
Babylonian, Syriac, Persian, and god stars such as Zeus, Rihanna,
Apollon and Aphrodit in Hellenistic mythology, Jupiter, Zeus, Mercury
and Mars in Roman mythology and Anahita, Mitra, Zavsh, Mars ,
Keyvan and Esther (Vakili , 2006). Thus, traces of superstition can be
followed and realized in the philosophy of some ideas that lead to
dissolution and intrusion of religion and also transformation of
religion into superstition. This trend is seen in all religions which have
their roots in superstition or divine religions. Although the
supernatural factors are part of divine religions, when the most subtle
phenomena are attributed to supernatural causes and ways of
scientific thinking and reasoning is closed, superstition will be the
logical conclusion of this process. Some of religious beliefs prepare
bed for superstition. But we can say that they are placed next to each
other and accepted together. Set of religious beliefs give us a
worldview that destroys this notion and never lead to such a result.
Religious beliefs are known in three factors (Vakili, 2006). Among
these three factors, superstitious beliefs are much stronger than
ethics and provisions, because in the dos and don'ts part of values,
superstition does not have main role, but in the provisions,
superstitions have opportunity to develop, extend and theorized or be
present in human life. In the range of opinions, belief in supernatural
ones make main and striking forms of religious believes, there is a
place for final influential factors and invisible variables in human life
which facilitates the supernatural factors to be conceptualized directly
or indirectly. Therefore, superstitious beliefs, related to the
theoretical doctrine, are formed in various forms. In the provisions’
realm, the superstitious beliefs can form advices, so superstitious
practices are evident in this area. For example, abominate cleaning
the bones, because the ghosts eat them. In superstition atmosphere,
there is no attempt to achieve goals and rationality is replaced by
superstition, the value of action is reduced, hoping to supernatural
agents, false comfort is made in the hearts and there is a new
preoccupation. It causes the consciousness of the present and future
to be vanished and prepares a bed for domination and oppression. In
this process, economic cycle moves slowly and causes retardations.
On the other hand, corruption in perceptions prepares a bed for
idolatry and the deviation. It also changes the function of religion as
something beneficial and makes it a factor moving forward the chaos
and misery (Aaron, 2000).
Literature
History shows that the baseless beliefs (what they are now called
Superstition) were born out from the beginning of history, with the
rising sun on blue sky and appearance of the moon on a dark night.
Will Durant believes that no civilization in terms of illusions and
superstitions is like the Babylonian civilization. Each incident from
abnormal birth to various forms of death was wonderfully interpreted
by magic priests. Movement of water and different types of stars,
dreams and extraordinary works of animals and humans were all
things that helped the experts to anticipate and predict the future.
Will Durant believes that on the basis and foundation of all new and
old civilization, we can find a sea of magic and superstition which is
still continuing. Superstition in all stages of civilization, without some
modification, has aged. Only a few religions have generally separated
from the ancient magic (Freeze, 2005). Sepehr and colleagues (1996)
in a study entitled “studying the best evidences, risk factors, causes
and ways to combat superstition, imagination) they come to this
conclusion that women believe to these issues significantly more than
men and less educated people. It also showed that when the age
increases, the prevalence of superstition increases, too. Foroughi and
Asgari Moghadam (2009) in a research “tendency towards
superstition among Tehran citizens” concluded that people who have
closer communication with modernism, wisdom and empiricism, they
are less likely to have superstitious beliefs. Also, fewer men are
involved in these ideas Safai et al (2009) in a research project studied
the factors associated with a superstition through giving technical
questions to Hamadan citizens and concluded that women are more
superstitious than men. With increasing the age and feeling of
inequality, there will be more tendency towards superstitious
believes. They also found out that with increasing the education level,
awareness, feeling of security and life satisfaction, there would be less
tendency towards superstitious believes. Purcell (1988) in a study “
astrology and fatalism among the female workers of factory”, through
participatory observation among semi-skilled workers in a factory in
southern England, concluded that according to their interests in
spiritualism, astrology, fatalism and the supernatural forces, women
concern with the future a lot. They accept many of the practices and
ideas called and described as fate.
Superstition 0r Beliefs ?
People all over the world are superstitious, but India takes the cake in
being the most superstitious nation on the planet. India being the hub
of diverse culture and traditions is also home to myriad superstitions.
From birth to death, superstitions follow us like shadows. So deep
rooted is the belief that they dare not be ignored. There are several
superstitions considered as bad omen in Indian society. Many people
even these days avoid these as much as possible, whether they believe
in it or not, for they are not prepared to take the risk.
1. The Practice of Sati: the origin of sati is often associated with war
and concepts of honor. It refers to a funeral ritual in which a recently
widowed woman immolates herself, typically on the husband's
funeral pyre. The practice of sati started back in the times of the
Mahabharata in which two sets of cousins fought over the kingdom.
Sati was practiced to prevent the enemies from carrying away the
widowed wife from the kingdom to their own kingdoms and making
then work as slaves under their supervision.
2. Nazar Utarna: The phrase ‘nazar utarna’ is a phrase in Hindi which
literally translates into ‘getting rid of the effects of the evil eye.’ In
India, it is believed that the ‘evil eye’ can cause damage to the person
towards whom it turns. The effects of the evil eye may range from
general bad luck to ill health and other problems. This is why, a lot of
the superstitions in our country originated in an effort to ward off the
evil eye. One such method which is said to counteract the effect of the
evil is putting a small spot of kajal on the forehead or behind the ear
of children. This is done even to people who look exceptionally
attractive. The elders of the family put a small spot of lampblack or of
kajal on the forehead to the child. The logic behind this process of
‘nazar utarna’ is that doing so makes the child in question look ugly,
and therefore unattractive to the ‘evil eye.’
3. Lemon and Chilies charm: It is so common to find a string of
lemons and chillies hanging on the doorway of shops, offices and
homes. Doing this is supposed to ward off the evil eye and bring in
good luck. People usually thread one lemon along with seven chillies.
This ‘totka’ is said o bring prosperity. It is changed every Friday. It is
also believed that if one steps on one of the discarded totkas, one
invites the evil influence that the charm has gathered. The idea behind
hanging such a charm is that it keeps away ‘Alakshmi’ or the goddess
of poverty who is considered inauspicious in Hindu mythology.
Alakshmi is said to like sour and spicy things, so the lemon and chillies
satisfy her and she does not enter the home or the establishment. In
a way then, this charm is also a sort of appeasement to a goddess.
4. Menstruation Myths: In India, menstruating women are
considered impure and unclean. This, of course, gives rise to many
superstitious beliefs. In fact, it is such a taboo for a woman to be
menstruating that people don’t even refer to the natural
phenomenon by its name. It is instead called as ‘being down’ or
‘chumming.’ Women who are menstruating are not allowed to enter
the kitchen. They are also supposed to stay away from temples,
mosques and all religious spots in the house itself. A woman on her
period is not allowed to perform regular household duties like cooking
food. Some might argue that the reason behind this superstition is
scientific, and that a woman menstruating loses a lot of blood and thus
becomes weak and must refrain from strenuous activities. Others
claim that there is nothing scientific in this belief and it is just another
superstition created to subordinate the position of women in society.
I, personally, am inclined to agree with the latter.
5. Broken Mirror: In ancient times, before mirrors could be
invented, people would see their reflections either in water or in
smooth shiny metal objects. They took their reflections as their souls.
So, if their reflection was shattered somehow, then their souls were
also broken. The belief continued even after mirrors were made.
6. Eating Curd or Butter Milk: it is believed that eating curd or butter
milk during meal is to avoid digestion problem. That is why mothers
generally urge their children to have curd sugar before exams or
during long journeys, to keep their stomach in proper health. Also
Curd has the bacteria lactobacillus, that hastens d proteolysis and
hence digestion.
7. Calling from Behind: If you are fond of offending someone then
call that person from behind, perhaps your stinking rich neighbour, try
this trick. It never fails to work. Calling any family member, friend or
acquaintances from behind is highly offensive, if the person is leaving
for work. That person will immediately take you to task and return. He
or she will leave again after sometime, when your unkind act has lost
its effect. Early Morning Dreams Come True This again is firmly rooted
in people’s psyche, more so, when such superstitions are reinforced in
movies and television. If you dream of good times and a prosperous
life at 4 in the morning and thereafter, the dream will come true. On
the other hand a bad dream is like a bad omen. Dreams don’t time
themselves like television schedules, so this and its effect have no
basis either.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was a descriptive-analytic one. The population comprised
all Ghachsaran citizens who were 67,870 people from whom we
choose 386 ones through Cochrane formula with 95% confidence
coefficient. Sampling method was quota proportional sample.
According to population of each district, the proportion of the target
population is determined. Also, data collection tool was questionnaire
with 64 questions based on the theoretical foundations, research
background, definitions of concepts and variables.
RESULTS
Demographic characteristics of Respondents - Among 195
respondents, we had 54.5% females and 45.5% males. - The average
age of respondents was 31 years: minimum age was 18 years and
maximum age was 65 years. - About their marital status, 72.2% of the
respondents were married and 52.7% were single. Also, 3% of the
respondents were divorced or widowed. - Among the respondents,
31.9% were employed, 29.2% housewife, 21.9% student, 9.9%
unemployment, 6.2 % retired, 2.1% non-labor income, and 0.8% were
disabled. Most of the respondents, 214 people, belonged to Lor tribe,
99 Turk, 47 Persian and 26 from other ethnic groups.
