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The Base of SuperstitionsThe Base of Superstitions

TheThe fearfear andand anxietyanxiety relatedrelated toto future,future, ee..gg.. BlackBlack catcat crossingcrossing youryour wayway isis aa badbad omenomen

NumberNumber thirteenthirteen isis unluckyunlucky

TakingTaking curdcurd beforebefore leavingleaving thethe househouse ensuresensuressuccesssuccess

ApparentlyApparently asas harmlessharmless asas useless,useless, surelysurelythesethese areare notnot so!so!

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Different types of superstitionsDifferent types of superstitions

CulturalCultural superstitionssuperstitions areare followedfollowed byby thethe membersmembers ofof aaparticularparticular cultureculture ReligiousReligious superstitionssuperstitions areare rootedrooted inin aa particularparticular religiousreligious

faithfaith

PersonalPersonal superstitionssuperstitions areare thethe resultresult ofof ourour ownownidiosyncrasiesidiosyncrasies

Religious Personal

Cultural

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The need to fight superstitionsThe need to fight superstitions TheseThese inculcateinculcate andand aggravateaggravate aa sensesense ofof weaknessweakness andand

dependencedependence inin peoplepeople TheseThese shattershatter confidenceconfidence andand selfself reliancereliance ofof thethe victimvictim TheseThese makemake manman aa puppetpuppet inin thethe handshands ofof soso calledcalled

providenceprovidence

AS A RESULT InertiaInertia setssets inin andand peoplepeople startstart believingbelieving inin miraclesmiracles andand

supernaturalsupernatural powerspowers UnderUnder thethe influenceinfluence ofof fakefake god god menmen oror saviourssaviours

ignorantignorant andand innocentinnocent peoplepeople notnot onlyonly ruinruin themselves,themselves,

butbut alsoalso getget involvedinvolved inin antianti-- socialsocial andand inhumaninhumanactivities,activities, suchsuch as,as, witchwitch hunting,hunting, animal/animal/ humanhumansacrifice,sacrifice, torturingtorturing bodybody forfor purgation,purgation, confiningconfining womenwomenandand soso onon andand soso forthforth

Credulity,Credulity, ceremony,ceremony, worshipworship andand prayersprayers taketake thethe placeplaceofof honesthonest work,work, investigation,investigation, observationobservation andand

experienceexperience

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Thus, superstitions are a big hurdleThus, superstitions are a big hurdlein the way to progress andin the way to progress and

development of a society anddevelopment of a society andNation as a wholeNation as a whole

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Ways to fight superstitionsWays to fight superstitions

Science Science isis thethe greatgreat antidoteantidote toto thethe poisonpoison ofofsuperstitionsuperstition

--Adam smithAdam smith

EradicatingEradicating illiteracyilliteracy

DevelopmentDevelopment ofof scientificscientific thinkingthinking andand rationalrationaloutlookoutlook

RaisingRaising awarenessawareness amongamong thethe massesmasses

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Fighting superstitions requires the collaborativeFighting superstitions requires the collaborativeefforts of:efforts of:

The state and policy makersThe state and policy makers Media, both print and audioMedia, both print and audio--visualvisual NGOs and other social organisationsNGOs and other social organisations

Rationalists, psychiatrists, doctors and scientists, &Rationalists, psychiatrists, doctors and scientists, & Last, but not the least, teachers and educatorsLast, but not the least, teachers and educators

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Some recommendable collectiveSome recommendable collective

and individual effortsand individual efforts Atheist Centre of VijaywadaAtheist Centre of Vijaywada Sanal Edmaruku, the President of IndianSanal Edmaruku, the President of Indian

RationalistSocietyRationalistSociety

Birobala Rabha, 70 year old human rightsBirobala Rabha, 70 year old human rightsactivistactivist

All BodoStudents UnionAll BodoStudents Union

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AfterthoughtsAfterthoughts

The thin line between religiousfaithandThe thin line between religiousfaithandsuperstitionssuperstitions

The close relationship between manyThe close relationship between manyirrational activitiesand religiouspracticesirrational activitiesand religiouspractices

Ones religion may be superstition to otherOnes religion may be superstition to other

and vise versaand vise versa

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Some Unresolved Issues & QuestionsSome Unresolved Issues & Questions

Isbeing religiousequivalent to beingIsbeing religiousequivalent to beingsuperstitious?superstitious?

IfIf yesyes,, wontwont curbingcurbing allall thethe superstitionssuperstitions fromfromthethesocietysociety leadlead toto thetheDeathDeath ofof GodGod??

AreAre wewe reallyreally preparedprepared toto livelive inin aa GodlessGodlesssociety?society?

AndAnd ifif nono,, wherewhere lieslies thethe dividingdividing linelinebetweenbetween religionreligion andand superstitions?superstitions? AndAnd whowho isis goinggoing toto setset thesethese lines,lines, aa theisttheist oror

anan atheistatheist;; aa HinduHindu oror aa MuslimMuslim forfor thatthatmatter?matter?

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ConclusionConclusion

TheThe PreamblePreamble ofofthethe ConstitutionConstitution ofof IndiaIndia statesstatesthatthat oneone ofof thethe fundamentalfundamental dutiesduties ofof IndianIndiancitizencitizen isis to to developdevelop thethe scientificscientific temper,temper,humanismhumanism andand thethe spiritspirit ofofinquiryinquiry andand reformreform(article(article 5151 AA (h)(h) ofofthethe Preamble)Preamble)

EvenEven a fterafter moremore thanthan sixtysixty yearsyears ofofIndependence,Independence, wewe areare inin thethe clutchesclutches ofof tootoomanymany sociallysocially unhygienicunhygienic superstitionssuperstitions..

ToTo conclude,conclude, itit maymay bebe saidsaid thatthat ififnotnot all,all, mostmostofof thethe superstitionssuperstitions prevailingprevailing inin ourour societysocietyneedneed toto bebe eliminatedeliminated urgently,urgently, toto ensureensure itsitsconsistentconsistent developmentdevelopment..

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THANKYOU!