Hi Faith Moon,
I actually consider such beliefs harmful, at least looking historically at centuries of Buddhism and other religions. At best, they are placebos to give people hope (and, yes, even placebos have been shown to have true medical worth. I recognize the value of placebos, and as a former hospice volunteer I learned that, if a dying man wants a rabbits foot ... well, I give him a rabbits foot without debate. If somebody wants to pray to a volcano or a spirit, and it brings them some comfort, more power to them and I hope it brings them some peace) ...
But there are big and little superstitious beliefs that people cling to to explain how the world works, and sometimes are willing to fight about. At the minimum, I ask myself why I would invoke magic that seems to have no validation for its actual existence based upon how we have come to understand this universe, to request the help of spirits and energies which probably do not exist outside our dreams? (I am open minded on such things existing, just skeptical to the point of disbelief. I believe that there is "more in heaven and earth than dreamt in our philosophy", but that does not mean the Bermuda Triangle or Loch Ness monster is real). In fact, I see the true wonder in understanding how the world actually seems to work (that changes in climate are being caused by industrialization and global warming, not our failure to properly sacrifice a sheep to the rain gods. Likewise, dealing with hunger and poverty is not really helped by banging a drum and shouting NOBO BO HO RI GYA RI TA RITA, and it may even distract folks from going out and actively dealing with these issues).
The real "miracle" and "wonder" of this life is most ordinary, right before our eyes. No need for shiny "Wizard of Oz" like smoke and mirrors to make it more so. (Dogen, like a lot of old Zen masters, was once asked if he could levitate and all the rest. He responded that the real "miraculous powers" of a Zen fellow is to drink tea, scratch one's nose, chop wood and fetch water).
At worst and most extreme, such superstitious beliefs in religion have been reasons over the last few thousand years for us to blow each other up (though people have done so in the name of other "secular religions" we call nationalism, communism and such ... ) or do things like this to themselves ...
Kentucky Snake Handler Bit During Church Service Refuses Medical Treatment and Dies
In Child Deaths, a Test for Christian Science
When my own child has been sick, I have prayed, danced around a fire, thrown salt for purification of evil spirits, called on Buddha and Jesus and Thor ... but mostly prayed to the doctors. I would have grabbed any rope in a crisis but, after the clouds had past, I realized that my motivations were most likely the desperation of the moment.
I also am a big BIG fan of Bernie Glassman and his work, including the Peacemakers. I am thoroughly a supporter of engaged Buddhism and social action in general. I am just focusing on the worth of having "abracadabra" in our ceremonies.
I do, however, see the value of having community rituals and ceremonies, even if much of the (seeming) fantasy and snake oil is removed. I was reading recently that even some atheist groups are finding the value of certain ceremony and ritual ...
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday
PS - I do not mean to imply that one need over-rely on "science" either. An old thread from this forum ...
I actually consider such beliefs harmful, at least looking historically at centuries of Buddhism and other religions. At best, they are placebos to give people hope (and, yes, even placebos have been shown to have true medical worth. I recognize the value of placebos, and as a former hospice volunteer I learned that, if a dying man wants a rabbits foot ... well, I give him a rabbits foot without debate. If somebody wants to pray to a volcano or a spirit, and it brings them some comfort, more power to them and I hope it brings them some peace) ...
But there are big and little superstitious beliefs that people cling to to explain how the world works, and sometimes are willing to fight about. At the minimum, I ask myself why I would invoke magic that seems to have no validation for its actual existence based upon how we have come to understand this universe, to request the help of spirits and energies which probably do not exist outside our dreams? (I am open minded on such things existing, just skeptical to the point of disbelief. I believe that there is "more in heaven and earth than dreamt in our philosophy", but that does not mean the Bermuda Triangle or Loch Ness monster is real). In fact, I see the true wonder in understanding how the world actually seems to work (that changes in climate are being caused by industrialization and global warming, not our failure to properly sacrifice a sheep to the rain gods. Likewise, dealing with hunger and poverty is not really helped by banging a drum and shouting NOBO BO HO RI GYA RI TA RITA, and it may even distract folks from going out and actively dealing with these issues).
The real "miracle" and "wonder" of this life is most ordinary, right before our eyes. No need for shiny "Wizard of Oz" like smoke and mirrors to make it more so. (Dogen, like a lot of old Zen masters, was once asked if he could levitate and all the rest. He responded that the real "miraculous powers" of a Zen fellow is to drink tea, scratch one's nose, chop wood and fetch water).
At worst and most extreme, such superstitious beliefs in religion have been reasons over the last few thousand years for us to blow each other up (though people have done so in the name of other "secular religions" we call nationalism, communism and such ... ) or do things like this to themselves ...
Kentucky Snake Handler Bit During Church Service Refuses Medical Treatment and Dies
In Child Deaths, a Test for Christian Science
When my own child has been sick, I have prayed, danced around a fire, thrown salt for purification of evil spirits, called on Buddha and Jesus and Thor ... but mostly prayed to the doctors. I would have grabbed any rope in a crisis but, after the clouds had past, I realized that my motivations were most likely the desperation of the moment.
I also am a big BIG fan of Bernie Glassman and his work, including the Peacemakers. I am thoroughly a supporter of engaged Buddhism and social action in general. I am just focusing on the worth of having "abracadabra" in our ceremonies.
I do, however, see the value of having community rituals and ceremonies, even if much of the (seeming) fantasy and snake oil is removed. I was reading recently that even some atheist groups are finding the value of certain ceremony and ritual ...
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday
PS - I do not mean to imply that one need over-rely on "science" either. An old thread from this forum ...
Let me mention too that a faith in science to excess, whereby "only" science has the answers and all of life ... love, poetry, beauty ... can be reduced to a test tube or an equation ... can also be dangerous, also a kind of ignorance by "scientism". DNA and Darwin, protons and quarks, carbon and oxygen ... while amazing and wondrous, each holding the building blocks of reality ... can also miss the "Big Picture" if we focus too much on those alone. Furthermore, I believe that many of our most accepted beliefs today will someday be chuckled at by people of the future, much as we now chuckle at the beliefs of people of the 17th century (22nd Century husband talking to wife: "Martha, can you believe that those naive people 100 years ago still believed in gravity?" 
)
)
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