rationalskepticism.org

GrahamH wrote:

aliihsanasl wrote:In my opinion the mechanism working during prayer, meditation or listening religious speech is the usage of a switch in our brain to alienate ourselves from daily problems and responsibilities and switching ourselves into a deep relaxing state of mind. In short its self hypnose with the internet we're learning more and more about our bodies and psychology. What Im wondering is, are these new relaxation methods will replace traditional prayer methods probably not in short term because religions have heaven promise and hell punishment.

What surprises me is an atheist person's practicing worships which have more long term promises. For example a student can pray before an exam and this can calm him right before the exam or right after a close relative's death you can feel very depressed and pray for his/her soul. But my uncle who I know an extreme atheist sacrificing 1 year old lamb when he bough a new car and rubbing its blood to numberplate thinking that this blood will be last this car interfere and wont have accident. He did the same when he bought a new house. This is so ridiculous imo from one side you say there isnt any superior power controlling things around us and then sacrificing an animal to it.

You don't have to believe in god or follow a religion to be superstitious and none of these beliefs are really rational. It doesn't seem that surprising that some people who don't believe in a traditional religion/god might still have superstitions about non-sentient supernatural forces. In that case the sacrifice wouldn't be 'to' a god or a plea heard by a sentient, it could be thought as a magic potion that affects a blind unfeeling universe. Humans are strange and make up all sorts weird nonsense.