Superstitions . . .

[RajeHind]

Well Karmic theory is more than metaphorical. Well, I kinda regard it as a metaphorical truth . . but I am sure it means a LOT more than to Hindus. And I just don't understand how a believer of the karma theory finds astrology acceptable.

A karma yogi never believe in astrology.He will simply say its a bullshit.
there are thousands of examples in the mythology to support that.

 

[Patriot]

I have seen Indians are deeply very religious even the hindus.I saw this big brother uk and there was an indian in this programe and he used to pray all the time (Used to say Jai ho all the time).

 

[storm seeker]

A karma yogi never believe in astrology.He will simply say its a bullshit.
there are thousands of examples in the mythology to support that.

i guess im a karma yogi then

 

[Pride]

You're right. I'm sure it means more to Hindus than just as a metaphor.

What I meant is that to me personally, I see Karma as a useful device to remind myself that I should always be mindful of the consequences of my actions.

I'm not exactly sure how Hindus see it in a religious context. I might do some reading on it.

Yes CD, It matters a lot for Hindus who believes in destiny. Karmic theory says (in very simplistic language) "What you will sow you will reap, if not in this birth then in next one (reincarnation). " This is much more of Spiritual type and less religious and Buddhism follows the same.

Now this can be seen in two ways, if I am Karma-Yogi then I will do my best hence in future or in next reincarnation I have not to suffer from deeds hence no Astrology will impact me. Second angle to see the same, I am today suffering because what I have done in my past and cant change ( Hence no good deeds are performed and people live in destiny).

So It matters what is one's POV for Karmic theory but this is true for younger generations this is only for spiritual understanding which you may call as "Metaphor" but for older generations this matters a lot for their "Moksha".

 

[leo1476]

Look leo as i have said its a semi science(jyotish=science + philosophy), no one completely trust it, i dont trust these things but my mother believe in it, its same like your/my mother put a tabeez/gems to thwart evil eyes.

People do it, I am okay with its science part, till it calculate and say this is the planetary position and how it impacts you(its all most a business), but rest of philosophy is beyond my apprehension so i dont trust it,but i like the mathematical part of it.

My generations got married without looking at these reports(including me), so it depends, but majority of indians(all religions) believe in jyotish in this or other form.


So might be some one who firmly believe in jyotish might answer the latter part(philosophy and how it impact).

My main objection to it is the "science" part. It is not science in any name or form. To be called "science" you need a testable hypothesis at the very least, and statistically significant observation to be even called a "theory".

 

[hembo]

@sivan_and and other similar minded members,

Astronomy is a science and astrology is loosely based on people's limited knowledge of planatary positions. It has very limited or no application in today's life.

All other fortune telling tricks ,viz. Palmistry, forehead reading etc. are bullcrap and plain superstitions. All these horoscope matching, wearing of stones, doing yagnas, they all fall in the same line, i.e. bullcrap. It's like those late night advertizements when flop heros and heroins of film industry apears on TV to urge people to buy Laxmi Kabas, Hanuman Padika . If those who claims that they can change one's fortune could actually do it, they would have done it with themselves first and not rot in the depair to sell you your fortune.

The bullcraps are only tolerated by people who do not have enough confidence on themselves, their upbringing, their education and their own capability.

I strongly believe, we Indian's if we can break out of these age old bad habits along with horrible cast systems and related dark age practices, have the potential to be world beaters. The more educated people like us advocates these dark age practices the more we drag the others along with us backward. Their are lot of other positive things to do raise one's confidence level. We as educated and somewhat priviledged citizens of India should in fact fight to take away these evils from the other sides of the society. Otherwise you will keep on hearing cases like infant sacrifices. One cannot be selective on these issues that one can believe upto a certain level but more then that it becomes bad. All type of superstitions are bad, be it wearing a simple stone or sacrificing and drinking blood of a newborn.

Case rested...

 

[leo1476]

@sivan_and and other similar minded members,

Astronomy is a science and astrology is a semi-science loosely based on people's limited knowledge of planatary positions. It has very limited or no application in today's life.

All other fortune telling tricks ,viz. Palmistry, forehead reading etc. are bullcrap and plain superstitions. All these horoscope matching, wearing of stones, doing yagnas are all fall in the same line, i.e. bullcrap. It's like those late night advertizements when flop heros and heroins of film industry apears on TV to urge people to buy Laxmi Kabas, Hanuman Padika . If those who claims that they can change one's fortune, could actually do it, they would have done it with themselves first and not rot in the depair to sell you your fortune.

The bullcraps are only tolerated by people who do not have enough confidence on themselves, their upbringing, their education and their own capability.

I strongly believe, we Indian's if we can break out of these age old bad habits along with horrible cast systems and related dark age practices, have the potential to be world beaters. The more educated people like us advocates these dark age practices the more we drag the others along with us backward. Their are lot of other positive things to do raise one's confidence level. We as educated and somewhat priviledged citizens of India should in fact fight to take away these evils from the other sides of the society. Otherwise you will keep one hearing cases like infant sacrifices. One cannot be selective on these issues that one can believe upto a certain level but more then that it becomes bad. All type of superstitions are bad, be it wearing a simple stone or sacrificing and drinking blood of a newborn.

Case rested...

Please stop calling astrology "semi-science". That's giving it partial respectability. It deserves nothing but derision and contempt.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Yes CD, It matters a lot for Hindus who believes in destiny. Karmic theory says (in very simplistic language) "What you will sow you will reap, if not in this birth then in next one (reincarnation). " This is much more of Spiritual type and less religious and Buddhism follows the same.

Thank you very much for the information, Pride.

My family are mostly Buddhist, so I should really know more about these concepts, lol.

I am not religious myself, so I usually look at Karma in terms of causes/consequences. It's good to know the spiritual meaning of the word though.

 

[roach]

Astrology, Matching horoscopes, Palmistry..........I am heavily skeptical of all this, but still not totally convinced either way. I believe that that is way, way more than the science of today can explain.

I'm not about to make the same mistake as people who believed the Sun went around the earth, and were *explosively, violently* skeptical about what couldn't be explained by the minds of that day.

Many Indians and Chinese believe in Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui.

Vastu Shastra (vāstu śāstra, also Vastu Veda, "science of construction", "architecture") is a traditional Hindu system of design based on directional alignments. It is primarily applied in Hindu architecture, especially for Hindu temples, although it covers other applications, including poetry, dance, sculpture, etc. The foundation of Vastu is traditionally ascribed to the mythical sage Mamuni Mayan.

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to use the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive qi....

These, again, are unexplained by 'Science', but I know it works.

Go to a home that has been planned keeping Vastu in mind, and energy flows freely. You can feel it in the air.

Stuff like this makes me question my skepticism to things that other people accept.

 

[Pride]

I have seen Indians are deeply very religious even the hindus.I saw this big brother uk and there was an indian in this programe and he used to pray all the time (Used to say Jai ho all the time).

I dont know about Indians are that much "religious" or not but I found most of us are "spiritual". These two terms are normally coined as same but according to my theory they are different atleast in Hinduism. I am not that much religious (one can say atheist) but I am spiritual.

 

[leo1476]

...
......
Also, the God theory is full of contradictions. For instance, a God who judges is simply not compatible with a God who interferes.

For instance, if I said something like "My wife will get better, God willing" I am acknowledging that - God can influence my life. When God is a force that ACTIVELY influences your life, he cannot be a judge. To anyone who thinks outside the dogma, this is common-sense.

Very well said, sir! Thank you very much!

 

[Pride]

Please stop calling astrology "semi-science". That's giving it partial respectability. It deserves nothing but derision and contempt.

Ok so you are amid science follower.. Could you please care to explain why moon impacts tides? and if it may impact a sea or ocean why can't it impact human being ( for mood, energy etc).

If Scientific methods are so scientific why then contradiction of these theories comes up in one or another form?

I trust no one.. neither faith nor science as many times I found Scientific theories just try to explain what is functioning rather than cause of replicating the same.

 

[RajeHind]

My main objection to it is the "science" part. It is not science in any name or form. To be called "science" you need a testable hypothesis at the very least, and statistically significant observation to be even called a "theory".

Vedic astrology is nothing but a formulation based on astronomy connected in the language of mathematics and applied to individuals in a space-time framework using the colorful landscape of mythology. And Vaastu is an extension of the same to a living space. It assesses the probability of an event or occurrence based on the mathematical relationships between planets with reference to a person or a place with respect to a certain time. Its rules are completely mathematical and the only basic assumptions are firstly, that planets and fixed stars (even if we limit ourselves to just our own solar system) have a certain relationship with each other and secondly, that those relationships have certain significations with respect to their position at the time and place you were born. There is enough scientific evidence to support that planetary configurations not only affect each other but all living and non-living things on earth. Apart from these assumptions, everything else can not only be calculated mathematically but can only be applied scientifically. Given the complexities involved and the magnitude of its scope, it is possible that sometimes things are overlooked (and in those times they were no computers to do these complex calculations) and certain factors may not have been taken into consideration. Assumptions are made in every field of scientific endeavor and a certain framework created by which to formulate and test hypotheses.

These astrologers falls into 2 category

1. Who uses various complex vedic mathematical books for mapping the individual's position within the planetary positions and predicts
2. There are lots of softwares like kundali pro, Leo, parashara light etc etc.

Look at some snapshot from parashara

http://www.parasharasoftware.com/muhurta/screenShotsEnglish.asp

Now lets talk about how the astro. softwares work, user inputs its birth time,place etc data, the software processes the logic, uses probability and gives some o/p's, now its up to you how you catch the o/p based on your situation.

Just try parashar light from torrent and give it a try, its really fun, u'll love it, i also did that

Vedic Astrology (Jyotish) Software From Parashara Software

 

[hembo]

Please stop calling astrology "semi-science". That's giving it partial respectability. It deserves nothing but derision and contempt.

Post edited to your liking now..

I was not as blunt anf forth right as your post above because of one thing. If I try to bluntly defy all the believers, the logic will not be planted in their mind and they will try to take it as a confrontation only. I was rather trying to mildly put forward my point to at least be able to plant the seed of doubt and non0believing in those minds. Other-wise I agree 100% with your sentiment above.

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

First of all I want to say I don’t have any intention to offend any religion or belief. What I am going to say is purely my observations and no need to jump up on me. And I am sorry if this is irrelevant to the topic.

I think everybody has their own beliefs (except atheists) which they won’t agree is a superstition. On the other hand he will find other one’s beliefs as superstition. Any superstition is good (better come out of it) if it gives a person the willpower, hopes, happiness, support, peace of mind, the necessary feeling of forgiveness of his sins, removal of hazards, etc. All good religions and beliefs offer reward or heaven for the good deeds in this life and for most people this is an inspiration to live a good life. And I think majority will fail to lead a good life and good work if they don’t believe in god or after life.

All this beliefs including the existence of god(sensitive issue and no intention of offencce and purely my openion ) are not proven yet and so is superstition (I know majority will have a difference of opinion and I am not questioning them). The reason for all these beliefs is humans feel of insecurity, helplessness and fear of future.

I don’t oppose any belief (which is not against humanity and law of the land). Everybody has their own right to think and select what he believes and not believes. Nobody shall impose any thing upon him.
If a person believes in god, religious rituals, astrology, black magic, whatever (as long as it doesn’t hurt or exploit others) he must allowed to do so or not to do so. However healthy discussions and debates and knowledge of science are to be promoted which will help choose a moderate or better way of thinking and beliefs.