Superstition and Ancestors

Someone gave me a lucky rabbit’s foot when I was a kid. I lost it, but it was no great loss. After all, the bone that I could feel through the fur kind of grossed me out. I don’t have a lucky penny, or a lucky horseshoe over my doorway. I don’t even know how to make lucky things work. Do you?

I guess people usually think that lucky items simply bring good luck. But I saw someone in a movie rubbing her lucky charm when she was afraid. (It didn’t turn out good.)

Just for fun I jumped onto the Internet to solve my quandary. I read things about the lucky horseshoe that were amazing, confusing, and mysterious. Ha! The website I had found was about a video game!

Now, doesn’t that sum it all up? Superstition is made up. It comes from the minds of people, like a video game; nothing real, no substance.

Is it really bad luck if a black cat runs in front of you? If you step on a crack, will it really break your mother’s back? While some superstitions are simply ridiculous, others have grown out of religious beliefs, yet with no basis in Scripture.

Superstition has been used to frighten children (and adults) into obedience. Superstition has been used to promise good things. But how? Where does superstition get its power?? Is it unharnessed power that you can possess with the right charm or potion or words? Why is the horseshoe lucky instead of bringing a curse?

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

Instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

—1 Timothy 1:3-4

Myths. Superstitions are myths.

“The administration of God” that Paul referred to is God’s management of His divine will. So, putting faith in empty, speculative superstition, works against the will of God. Superstition is a matter of misplaced faith. Avoid it!

_____________________

Perhaps you’re heard of those eastern religions that have ancestor worship. It’s a good thing we don’t do that kind of thing! It was a problem in ancient times. God warned the Israelites to avoid the occult practices of the pagan nations. One of their practices was attempting to call up the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:11)

In the New Testament Jesus told about a man who died and ended up in Hades, the place of the unrighteous dead. In torment he cried out for relief but received none. Only then did he cry out with concern for his living relatives. He asked that someone be sent back from the dead to his living brothers to warn them.

The response he received: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.”

God wants His people to listen to Him, not dead ancestors. I can assure you that your dead ancestors have no concern about their pets or your pets, your love life, or your career. They have no desire to send you warm, fuzzy messages from beyond, or status reports on other deceased loved ones. If they have any message at all would be a single unified message:

     If they are in the Paradise of God, they would tell you, “Follow Jesus.”

     If they are in the torment of Hades, they would tell you, “Follow Jesus.”

Anything else is superstition, just another idol.


Mark Stinnett

July 2, 2023

What Would You Like To Hear?

It seems a little sarcastic to ask the question, but...

“What would you like to hear?”

Politics:
The president is doing a lousy job. The election must have been rigged. Congress needs to get rid of the president. Impeach!
   OR
What a challenge it is to be the leader of such a great country! The president needs our support. Mistakes will be made, but we should rally around our nation’s leader or at least keep quiet and promote national pride.

Economics:
The rich and powerful must be controlled. They do not understand the little guy. They often take unfair advantage of the system. Where’s Robin Hood when you need him!?
   OR
There are so many people with problems. They need help. The government needs to establish more programs.
   OR
God helps those who help themselves. If a man won’t work he ought not eat!
   OR
Trust in God and he will make your dreams come true. Just BELIEVE!

Morality:
God is holy. He will not tolerate sin. If you don’t do right, speak right, think right, and believe right, then you’re doomed! Repent!
   OR
Jesus did not come to judge, but to save. Love demands that we tolerate the shortcomings of people. We must be patient and give folks a chance. No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. (Hugs.)

Church:
There is only one church...and by the way, this is it! I can prove it to you with scripture. Everyone else has got it all wrong. And if you are not a part of THIS church...Repent!
OR
Many churches are off track, but they still love Jesus and have concern for people. God is patient and makes allowances for opinions. Tolerance. Peace. Unity. COEXIST. (More hugs.)

Truth...
Is anyone interested in truth?
Are people today in such despair, like Pilate, that they sigh, “What is truth?” Truth is really quite simple: Truth is reality, the way things really are. It can be difficult to find truth with all the distractions and lies in the world, and with our own self-deceptions and perceptions. Yet...

God has declared truth.
God wants you to know truth.

Many people have already decided how they want to think, what they want to believe. Fabricated ‘truth’ is fine for them. Myth is meaningful. They only listen to people who applaud their thinking and promote their beliefs.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

           —2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT)

We laugh at the ancients for believing in their mythologies. Are we also laughing at ourselves???