- Series:Humans, Transcript English
1 Timothy 4:7
“But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.”
Are you superstitious? A Harris poll conducted early in 2014 found that: 21 percent of Americans believe that knocking on wood prevents bad luck; 20 percent wouldn’t dream of walking under a ladder; 14 percent believe it’s unlucky to open an umbrella indoors; and 12 percent think the number 13 is unlucky. In fact, 14 percent of Americans said they believe Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.
Why are people superstitious? For the most part, superstition is caused by fear of bad luck and insecurity in the future, writes Benjamin Radford, LiveScience Bad Science columnist. But as you’re about to hear, superstitions are not just foolish, they can be quite dangerous.
In May, a man fainted while driving through a tunnel near Portland, Oregon. This caused a head-on collision that sent four people to the hospital. The driver said he had lost consciousness while holding his breath. According to CarMax, the auto sales giant, “Holding your breath while driving though a tunnel is [America’s] favorite driving superstition.”
Christians, don’t be superstitious. You have nothing to gain by being superstitious. Some people would even say that superstition is just another word for idolatry. As believers, we should not put our faith in objects like rabbits’ feet or in manmade rituals like holding our breath in a tunnel. We should put our faith only in the one true God who is sovereign over all His creation.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I place my trust in You and You alone. Though superstitions appear harmless on the surface, I know deep down that they do not bring glory and honor to You. Amen.
Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Ref: http://www.livescience.com/46132-superstition-leads-to-car-crash.html. “Breath-Holding Superstition May Have Caused Car Crash”, LiveScience, B. Radford, 6-5-14. Photo: Interstate I-93 Tunnel in Boston. Courtesy of Rene Schwietzke. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
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