Religion and superstition are often viewed as invariably related to each other. There are   people, particularly atheists, agnostics and hedonists, who may go to the extent of calling all religions as ‘a set of organized superstitions’. As we are living today in a scientific age which calls for a scientific inquisitiveness and inquiry into every field of knowledge, it will be apt to approach this issue in a scientific spirit. So let us first find out what the term ‘superstition’ means.

According to wikipedia, superstition is a credulous belief or notion, not based on reason, knowledge, or experience. The etymology is from the classical Latin superstitio, literally a standing over, hence amazement, wonder, dread, especially of the divine or supernatural. In keeping with the Latin etymology of the word, Greek and Roman pagans, who modeled their relations with the gods on political and social terms, scorned the man who constantly trembled with fear at the thought of the gods. Such fear of the gods (deisidaimonia) was what the Romans meant by superstition.

Superstitions are deep-rooted, unreasonable and irrational beliefs, yet they are the legacy of every civilization and are inherited by the succeeding generations. It is not a small surprise that they are prevalent even amongst the educated sections of the society. The western civilizations, although very progressive, have their own superstitions. The number 13 is considered to be unlucky in the West because at the Last Supper, Lord Jesus dined with his twelve disciples and was later crucified. In India too, we are confronted by a number of superstitions. A cat crossing ones path or a sneeze means the purpose of the journey being undertaken will be defeated. Similarly, hooting of an owl or howling of a dog augurs an impending death or doom.

Since in religion, too, there are certain practices which defy scientific reason and investigation, people are inclined to club religion with superstition. On a deeper analysis, however, we will find that religion and superstition are altogether two different things. While religion, in whatsoever form it is being professed in different parts of the globe, aims at elevating humankind and works as a prop for ethical behviour and moral well-being of the society, superstition has its origin in beliefs and practices whose reasons we do not know. It has a belittling effect on human reason and self-effort. Instead of helping mankind on the path of enlightenment and excellence, it pulls it down in the swampy cesspool of darkness and ignorance. No religion even with least regard for individual growth through knowledge and self-application would like to have any association with such corrosive concepts as superstition.

Then, how did these superstitions came to be practised at all? Every human action is bound to have a conscious purpose or motive behind it, which in the process of time becomes its potent reason driving him to follow the action again and again. All superstitious practices seem to have a potent reason behind them, whose meaning and relevance have been lost in the eternal flow of time. A genuine scientific inquiry is called for to investigate the reasons behind these practices.