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Superstition Quotes

Browse 331 quotes about Superstition.

Superstition Quotes

“It was a good answer that was made by one who when they showed him hanging in a temple a picture of those who had paid their vows as having escaped shipwreck, and would have him say whether he did not now acknowledge the power of the gods, — ‘Aye,’ asked he again, ‘but where are they painted that were drowned after their vows?’ And such is the way of all superstition, whether in astrology, dreams, omens, divine judgments, or the like; wherein men, having a delight in such vanities, mark the events where they are fulfilled, but where they fail, though this happens much oftener, neglect and pass them by.”

LogicRationalitySuperstitionConfirmation BiasDeductive Reasoning
Author:Francis Bacon
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“It is one of the greatest Curses visited upon Mankind, he told me, that they shall fear where no Fear is: this astrological and superstitious Humour disarms men's Hearts, it breaks their Courage, it makes them help to bring such Calamities on themselves. Then he stopped short and looked at me, but my Measure was not yet fill'd up so I begg' d him to go on, go on. And he continued: First, they fancy that such ill Accidents must come to pass, and so they render themselves fit Subjects to be wrought upon; it is a Disgrace to the Reason and Honour of Mankind that every fantasticall Humourist can presume to interpret the Skies (here he grew Hot and put down his Dish) and to expound the Time and Seasons and Fates of Empires, assigning the Causes of Plagues and Fires to the Sins of Men or the Judgements of God. This weakens the Constancy of Humane Actions, and affects Men with Fears, Doubts, Irresolutions and Terrours. I was afraid of your Moving Picture, I said without thought, and that was why I left. It was only Clock-work, Nick. But what of the vast Machine of the World, in which Men move by Rote but in which nothing is free from Danger? Nature yields to the Froward and the Bold. It does not yield, it devours: You cannot master or manage Nature. But, Nick, our Age can at least take up the Rubbidge and lay the Foundacions: that is why we must study the principles of Nature, for they are our best Draught. No, sir, you must study the Humours and Natures of Men: they are corrupt, and therefore your best Guides to understand Corrupcion. The things of the Earth must be understood by the sentient Faculties, not by the Understanding. There was a Silence between us now until Sir Chris. says, Is your Boy in the Kitchin? I am mighty Hungry.”

ScienceTimeNatureLogicRationalRationalityAstrologySuperstition
Book:Hawksmoor
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“Ever since Plato most philosophers have considered it part of their business to produce ‘proofs’ of immortality and the existence of God. They have found fault with the proofs of their predecessors — Saint Thomas rejected Saint Anselm's proofs, and Kant rejected Descartes' — but they have supplied new ones of their own. In order to make their proofs seem valid, they have had to falsify logic, to make mathematics mystical, and to pretend that deepseated prejudices were heaven-sent intuitions.”

PhilosophyLogicProofImmortalityContradictionPlatoSuperstitionProofs
Book:A History of Western Philosophy
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“The widest cause of secularization may be the steady change of thinking so that there is the expectation that reason and a consideration of cause and effect will help with explanations. Supernatural power began to be removed from explanations of the process of life or society in the seventeenth century, and although there may be a nod towards astrology or the crossed finger today, superstition is not seriously used in decision making. ... Scientific thinking, which similarly developed in the seventeenth century, has been influential in bringing this change. We now see that tornadoes and earthquakes have rational explanations in terms of climatology and seismology rather than as divine punishments. Most people when deciding whether to take a new job, embark on a divorce, or simply plan a holiday will not seek divine guidance, but rather discuss with themselves or others the issues of cause and effect.”

ReasonEvidenceLogicHumanismDecision MakingSuperstitionRational ThoughtSecularization
Book:Humanism: An Introduction
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“The Seer's Map by Stewart Stafford Howling dog, thou cursèd hound, Plaguest thy master with baleful sound, The cur's yelps taint the air around; A dirge for all that hear thy wound. The rooftop magpie foretells: Herald of guests to visit soon, A noisy speech announceth, Companions of the afternoon. Lucky horseshoe and iron key, Bringeth good fortune to the finder, But spilling salt provokes fate, And draws the evil eye's reminder. A shoe upon the table laid, Tempts the dead to live anon, For this ungracious gesture waketh, Flesh and blood from skeleton. Who crosses the path of hare or priest, A perilous milestone on thy road, Their very presence signifies That gathering trouble doth forebode. A toad on thy merry travels, Brings sweet smiles and kindest charms, Keep one about thy person warm, To shelter safe from danger's harms. Red sky at night delights the eye, Of shepherd that beholds thy light, Thy colour doth betoken dawn Of weather fair and clear and bright. Red sky at morn troubles the heart, Of shepherd that surveys thy shade, Thy hue doth presage day Of stormy blast and tempest made. December's thunder balm, Speaks of harvest's tranquil mind, January's thunder, fierce! Warns of war and gales unkind. An itchy palm hints at gold To come into thy hand ere long, But if thou scratch it, thou dost lose The fair wind that blows so strong. A Sunday Christmas forewarns: Three signs of what the year shall hold; A winter mild, a Lenten wind, And summer dry, to then unfold. Good luck charm on New Year's Day Maketh fortune bloom all year, But to lose it or give it away, Thou dost invite ill-omened fear. © Stewart Stafford, 2023. All rights reserved.”

FateLuckSuperstitionsGood LuckSuperstitionBad LuckFolkloreOmensShakespeareanIambic Pentameter
Author:Stewart Stafford
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“Why does the mind crave superstition! It's because superstition is a psychological apparatus for self-preservation. And it appears to us as truth because the only truth our brain is concerned with is the one that takes away our anxiety and aids in our survival, even if that truth happens to be just another lie our brain cooks up to maintain internal order. However, neurologically speaking, there is no such thing as a mind without superstition. Your belief that you have no superstition, is just another superstition. So, it's not about developing a mind without superstition, which is impossible, rather it is about being aware of the superstitions as much as possible, and reject those that are particularly harmful, for the self and society.”

Human NaturePrejudiceNeuroscienceEvolutionary PsychologySuperstitionSuperstitiousBelief SystemsPseudoscienceConsciousness Mind BrainCognitive Psychology
Book:Divane Dynamite: Only truth in the cosmos is love
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“Abandon all antiquated atrocities of superstitious stupidity, as well as newage intellectual puerility - only then you shall develop the wholesome insight into what's right and what's wrong - or better yet - what's kind, what's not.”

KindnessIgnoranceMoralityEnlightenmentHumanismInsightHumanitarianSuperstitionRight And WrongIntellectualism
Book:Tum Dunya Tek Millet: Greatest Country on Earth is Earth
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“I am sick and tired of hearing, the universe knows best. If the universe knew best, no child would cry of hunger. If the universe knew best, no young girl would fall victim to human trafficking. If the universe knew best, nobody would have to struggle till death to feed their family. If the universe knew best, not a single person would ever become a refugee. If the universe knew best, not a single human being would have to suffer on the face of earth. Any universe or god that allows for such horrors to teach humanity lessons or whatever, got to be extremely sick. Insects from the sewers deserve more respect than such sick forces. The reason these horrors take place is that, contrary to all cowardly beliefs, there is no higher force concerned with human welfare. If we want these horrors to end, we gotta take the initiative to end them ourselves, without relying on prehistoric fairytales. So, stop all that supernatural nonsense, and take some responsibility for the world you live in. Stop delegating your human duties to a fictitious force and stand civilized wielding your backbone for a change.”

AtheismHumanismExistentialismAgnosticSuperstitionRational ThinkingAlmighty GodHuman Rights ViolationCreationismGrand Design
Book:Her Insan Ailem: Everyone is Family, Everywhere is Home
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“Heaven’s Janitor (Sonnet 1024) Pick up a broom, not bombs, Wield a mop, not weapons of mass destruction. Sacred minds make sacred society, Peace comes when the very thought of arms causes repulsion. Heart is heaven, Heart holds the Qi. No magic, no myth, nothing supernatural, just a whole lot of humanity. Qi, Atman, Sentience, Corazon, All are but varied names of humanity. Put superstitions aside and you'll find, Just plain goodness is the supreme epitome. Mop all menacing inhumanity out of your heart. And society will be cleansed of all primeval dirt.”

Social JusticeHumanismHumanitarianExistentialismNonviolenceWorld PeaceAdvaitaSuperstitionSocial ReformerSocial Work Poetry
Book:Her Insan Ailem: Everyone is Family, Everywhere is Home
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“I only know of one divinity - kindness. Save kindness all else is fiction - from the fundamental facts of physics to the direst doctrines of scripture. Every construct of society must prove its worth in relation to kindness, in relation to uplift. If they can't, they require correction. And despite countless corrections if a construct fails to uphold the uplift of human condition before all else, it is the duty of the civilized beings to leave such construct behind as an appendage of human evolution.”

KindnessHumanismTheologyDivinityService Of HumanityScience And ReligionSuperstitionRational ThinkingProgress QuotesHumanitarian Scientist
Book:Divane Dynamite: Only truth in the cosmos is love
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“Science, Religion & Superstition (The Sonnet) Religion is all evil, is the superstition, That half-cocked rationalists suffer from. Science is devil's work, is the superstition, That bookish religionists suffer from. Take the I and cross it out, Lo, you have a living Christ! Take the self and set it on fire, Lo, you have a timeless light! Yes, I want to convert the world, I want to convert all cussing into hugging. Yes, I want to convert the people, all of them, I want to convert mindless mocking into mending. I am no preacher, I am no scholar, I am no thinker. But, without some basic humanity, we shall all wither.”

PrejudiceHumanismBigotrySuperstitionReligious FreedomFreethoughtPhilosophy Of ScienceHumanist PoetryInterfaith DialogueDifference In Opinion
Book:Divane Dynamite: Only truth in the cosmos is love
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“Vibration and Frequency (The Sonnet) Surpass the nonsense of vibration, Surpass the nonsense of frequency. Come down to the land of mortals, Embrace the heart's simple beauty. Science is science, sentiment is sentiment, In rationalizing sentiment one breeds superstition. There is no vibration to love and community, There is no frequency to uplift and unification. Cleanse your mind of all imitation science, Just like you ought to do with bigoted holiness. Trading in one blindness for another is no sanctity, Replacing one superstition with another is no science. With the rise of oneness, theories wither and fade away. But if things are opposite, know that you are going astray.”

ScienceSpiritualityIgnorancePrejudiceHumanismMysticismSuperstitionRational ThinkingPseudoscienceVibrational Energy Quotes
Book:Mücadele Muhabbet: Gospel of An Unarmed Soldier
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“Healers Don’t Exist (The Sonnet) Healers don't exist, Only humans do. Once you step outside the self, You'll see the world anew. Gods don't exist, Only goodness does. Prayers may soothe your soul, Action is what change requires. Psychics don't exist, But sanctity is everywhere. Once you stop conning your soul, The bridge ahead will vividly appear. When the heart awakens from superstition, Everybody will be hometown human.”

ReasonAtheismHumanismHolinessAgnosticSonnetSuperstitionHealerRational ThinkingFreethought
Book:The Shape of A Human: Our America Their America
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“The humanitarian philosophies that have been developed (sometimes under some religious banner and invariably in the face of religious opposition) are human inventions, as the name implies - and our species deserves the credit. I am a devout atheist - nothing else makes any sense to me and I must admit to being bewildered by those, who in the face of what appears so obvious, still believe in a mystical creator. However I can see that the promise of infinite immortality is a more palatable proposition than the absolute certainty of finite mortality which those of us who are subject to free thought (as opposed to free will) have to look forward to and many may not have the strength of character to accept it. Thus I am a supporter of Amnesty International, a humanist and an atheist. I believe in a secular, democratic society in which women and men have total equality, and individuals can pursue their lives as they wish, free of constraints - religious or otherwise. I feel that the difficult ethical and social problems which invariably arise must be solved, as best they can, by discussion and am opposed to the crude simplistic application of dogmatic rules invented in past millennia and ascribed to a plethora of mystical creators - or the latest invention; a single creator masquerading under a plethora of pseudonyms. Organisations which seek political influence by co-ordinated effort disturb me and thus I believe religious and related pressure groups which operate in this way are acting antidemocratically and should play no part in politics. I also have problems with those who preach racist and related ideologies which seem almost indistinguishable from nationalism, patriotism and religious conviction.”

PhilosophySciencePoliticsFreedomViewsExistenceDemocracyAtheismStrengthAcceptanceMoralityRacismEthicsScientistAtheistHumanismObviousCreatorEqualityHumanitarianIdeologyImmortalityPatriotismNationalismMysticismMortalityHumanistDogmaBeliefsAutobiographyMysticalSuperstitionBiographySeparation Of Church And StateSenseFreethoughtIndividual RightsNobel LaureateSecular HumanismAmnesty InternationalSimplisticSecular HumanistAncient DogmaReligious ConvictionReligious Opposition
Author:Harry Kroto
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“When I visited George Bernard Shaw, in 1948, at his home in Aylot, a suburb of London, he was extremely anxious for me to tell him all that I knew about Ingersoll. During the course of the conversation, he told me that Ingersoll had made a tremendous impression upon him, and had exercised an influence upon him probably greater than that of any other man. He seemed particularly anxious to impress me with the importance of Ingersoll's influence upon his intellectual endeavors and accomplishments. In view of this admission, what percentage of the greatness of Shaw belongs to Ingersoll? If Ingersoll's influence upon so great an intellect as George Bernard Shaw was that extensive, what must have been his influence upon others? What seed of wisdom did he plant into the minds of others, and what accomplishments of theirs should be attributed to him? The world will never know. What about the countless thousands from whom he lifted the clouds of darkness and fear, and who were emancipated from the demoralizing dogmas and creeds of ignorance and superstition? What will be Ingersoll's influence upon the minds of future generations, who will come under the spell of his magic words, and who will be guided into the channels of human betterment by the unparalleled example of his courageous life? The debt the world owes Robert G. Ingersoll can never be paid.”

WisdomFearDarknessCourageInfluenceGreatnessIgnoranceHonorRespectPraiseDebtSuperstitionIngersollRobert G IngersollRobert IngersollRobert Green IngersollShawGeorge Bernard ShawGeorge B ShawGeorge Shaw
Book:Ingersoll the Magnificent
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“{Colonel Carr's testimony of Colonel Robert Ingersoll at his funeral} He was the boldest, most aggressive, courageous, virile, and the kindest and gentlest and most considerate and loving man I ever knew. His was a nature that yielded to no obstacles, that could not be moved nor turned aside by the allurements of place or position, the menaces of power, the favors of the opulent, or the enticing influences of public opinion. Entering upon his career in an age of obsequiousness and time-serving, when the values of political and religious views were estimated by what they would bring from the ruling party and from the church, in offices and emoluments and benefices, he assailed the giant evils of the times with the strength and power of Hercules and ground them to dust under his trip-hammer blows. Throughout his whole active life, there has been no greater and more potential influence than the personality of this sublime character in breaking the shackles of the slave, and in freeing men and women and children from the bonds of ignorance and superstition.”

LoveKindFreedomPowerCourageInfluenceStrengthIgnorancePersonalitySlaveValueGentleLovingSublimeSuperstitionBoldShacklesConsiderateIngersollRobert G IngersollRobert IngersollRobert Green IngersollHerculesVirile
Author:Eugene Asa Carr
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