What does the Orthodox Church say about superstitions?

Edmund Burke once wrote that, “Superstition is the religion of feeble minds” because, superstitions are often perpetuated through fear and ignorance. The word itself comes from the Latin word superstitio, which means “excessive fear,” and derives from super (meaning “over”) and stare (meaning “to stand” or “dwell on”). Thus, the literal translation would mean to dwell upon a situation – especially a tragic one – and devise a reason for why it occurred.

Superstitious people generally convince themselves that there must be ulterior reasons as to why bad things happen; seeking a type of “cause and effect” solution rather than accepting the sheer fact that there are accidents in nature. Giving into such silly superstitions, however, is yet another means by which the Devil is able to play upon man’s own fears to weaken his faith and discredit God’s authority in the process.

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