Jewelry or superstition

[Maine52]

I’m not sure if this is the right forum for this, so please do not hesitate to move if necessary.

I like jewlery and accessories of all kinds. I recently came upon a fair trade shop that sells jewelry and accessories from a variety of countries and cultures. Each item is handmade by people in the countries and each purchase helps provide a way for the artisans to make a good living to support themselves and their families.

I’m a bit worried though because I recently learned that certain pieces of jewelry from particular countries are actually amulets that have to do with magic or superstition. I don’t know how to tell which pieces of jewelry are just jewelry and which ones are amulets. So, my question is, when shopping for jewelry, how do I know if a particular thing is just a pretty piece of jewelry or something superstitious that has to do with magic or the devil?

 

[crystal_waters]

I’m not sure if this is the right forum for this, so please do not hesitate to move if necessary.

I like jewlery and accessories of all kinds. I recently came upon a fair trade shop that sells jewelry and accessories from a variety of countries and cultures. Each item is handmade by people in the countries and each purchase helps provide a way for the artisans to make a good living to support themselves and their families.

I’m a bit worried though because I recently learned that certain pieces of jewelry from particular countries are actually amulets that have to do with magic or superstition. I don’t know how to tell which pieces of jewelry are just jewelry and which ones are amulets. So, my question is, when shopping for jewelry, how do I know if a particular thing is just a pretty piece of jewelry or something superstitious that has to do with magic or the devil?

Wouldnt it be listed as an amulet if it was one? …was it the shop who told you some were amulets?..if it was cant you just ask them? After all if they are buying direct from the people who make them if they don’t know then they can ask…

Or alternatively you could just buy from another jewellery store if you cant get an answer and it makes you feel uneasy

 

[Maine52]

Wouldnt it be listed as an amulet if it was one? …was it the shop who told you some were amulets?..if it was cant you just ask them? After all if they are buying direct from the people who make them if they don’t know then they can ask…

Or alternatively you could just buy from another jewellery store if you cant get an answer and it makes you feel uneasy

None of them are labeled as amulets. But I’m just wondering how I know if a particular one is modeled after something superstitious. It seems like an awkward question to ask the vendor…

And I do have OCD/scrupulously.

 

[mVitus]

As an overall note, this forum is a horrible place to ask when you have scrupulosity as we aren’t priests and may give you wrong or near-scrupulous answers, which is not helpful, especially for someone that’s self-admittedly scrupulous. I may feel like I have the answer, but your priest is a better source. And I’m guessing there’s no urgency to purchasing the jewelry, so you’ll have the time to ask your priest and move forward with full confidence his answer is right.

 

[Maine52]

As an overall note, this forum is a horrible place to ask when you have scrupulosity as we aren’t priests and may give you wrong or near-scrupulous answers, which is not helpful, especially for someone that’s self-admittedly scrupulous. I may feel like I have the answer, but your priest is a better source. And I’m guessing there’s no urgency to purchasing the jewelry, so you’ll have the time to ask your priest and move forward with full confidence his answer is right.

I had definitely thought of this. Thank you for pointing it out.

Maybe this more accurately asks my question. If I purchase something that, in another culture, represents evil, do I open up myself or my home to demonic possession?

 

[Maine52]

Ok, I found one item that is labeled as “hex” earrings. The rest of the items appear to be benign. If I purchase the benign items, is that okay? Or is everything in the shop potentially possessed due to that one item being labeled “hex”?

 

[Melodeonist]

If it’s an “amulet” and you aren’t using it to worship Satan why would it matter? A so called “amulet” is just a bunch minerals/metals/gems mushed together in some fancy shape. Same exact thing as jewelry if you ask me.

 

[Beryllos]

St. Paul wrote about eating meat sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 8). He said that if your faith is sound, you will not be affected. It’s just meat. He warns, however, that your example may affect others who have weaker faith. It may cause them to sin if they see you eating meat which they believe honors other gods.

So I guess the answer to your question depends on the faith of those around you. If they are superstitious and they are aware of some unholy symbolism displayed in your jewelry, they may be troubled or confused by your use of it.

 

[Beryllos]

If I purchase the benign items, is that okay? Or is everything in the shop potentially possessed due to that one item being labeled “hex”?

The above argument (my previous post) would not condemn the whole shop. Each item may be judged on its own.

 

[on_the_hill]

If it’s an “amulet” and you aren’t using it to worship Satan why would it matter? A so called “amulet” is just a bunch minerals/metals/gems mushed together in some fancy shape. Same exact thing as jewelry if you ask me.

Agreed. If you have no idea what it is, it can’t have any power over you. It’s not like these are true-life magic beads that have true-life powers–these things do not exist in the real world. It can only have “power” over you if you believe it does.