Jinxed or Cursed - Any Truth?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Susie_G82
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Susie_G82

Guest
I have been thinking about this issue for a long time. This is something that I have grown up hearing about and with my background being Lebanese is embedded into my culture but I’m not sure how it sits with the Catholic faith.

In Arabic when someone complements someone else – e.g “your baby has such beautiful eyes” they usually follow by saying “es mes saleb” which means something like in the name of God – this is said so that the baby is not cursed by a Jealous eye.

We also put a blue bead with a cross on the baby or it is worn by people to “ward off” the evil eye.

Growing up with this cultural practice has kind of impacted my way of thinking and in the past I have felt like I have been “cursed or jinxed” because of it.

I understand that I may only have felt this way because of the way my mind has been shaped with my upbringing. For eg if someone complements me by saying “You’re so lucky you have such nice long nails” and then the same day I break a nail – I feel like they jinxed me.

Now, I know this is very contradictory to our Catholic faith and teachings but I need to know is this whole idea complete rubbish and is it dangerous for me to think this way?

Thank you and God bless!
 
I think it is dangerous to dabble into this. You are putting your faith and fate in something besides God.
 
Thank you both for your reply! Confirms what I know deep down to be true.
 
Superstition is attributing causality to something with insufficient power to cause that result.

Also, we often only notice the times when something happens in a particular way, as with your nails. You have probably received many compliments on your nails, but have only remembered the one after which your nail broke. You may have been complimented on your hair, which remained intact.

So no, the compliment did not jinx your nail, that would probably have happened without the compliment, and other compliments have not resulted in destruction.

I find the best way to get rid of bad habits is through prayer. Also, thank God in all things–yes, they actually mean all!–so if your nail breaks again, thank God for not letting you get too proud about your nails, or even testing your superstitious tendencies.

ETA: I do try to deflect compliments to God from gratitude, not to ward off jinxes, by thanking God for what is complimented, or saying, God gave me great …
 
Thanks St Francis!

That article regarding Pope Francis seems very fitting 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top