Superstition? We just want good luck

extracted from http://www.chinapost.com.tw/commentary/the%20china%20post/daniel%20j.%20bauer/2008/04/20/152767/Superstition%3F-We.htm

Superstition? We just want good luck
By Daniel J. Bauer, Special to The China PostLocal media recently covered the colorful final ceremonies for the Dajia Matsu Pilgrimage Tour that ended last week in Taichung. Some 600,000 Matsu followers participated at points along a route that extended for eight days and 330 kilometers through Yunlin, Changhua, and Chiayi counties. Eight blessing ceremonies were held in Chiayi alone.
On the fifth day of the pilgrimage, students at Mindao University in Changhua County performed Taiwanese opera to welcome Dajia Matsu. A reporter for an English newspaper pictured the scene: "Many of them [the students] squatted underneath the Matsu statue to pray for peace and safety." With a Steinbeck-like eye for detail, she added, "Scantily-clad pole dancers also joined the tour for a while and attracted the attention of passersby and the media."
On Saturday night, disagreements reportedly broke out between Matsu adherents from Chiayi and Changhua when representatives of the two cities wrestled over the image. Both sides wanted to take the statue from the hands of its bearers. Police intervention poured cold water on the heated emotions, and put an end to potential violence.
Traffic was later backed up for hours, said the journalist, because "devotees were so passionate that many of them, trying to touch the Matsu statue for good luck, hindered the mass of people from moving."
Several years ago, I broke free of my life in Taiwan for six weeks to take a useful refresher course in theology in Rome. One of our professors there advised us to drop the word "superstition" from our vocabulary. He reminded us of its negative connotation, and said missionaries should be particularly respectful of the beliefs and practices of other spiritual traditions. His words still seem practical and wise to me. So, I am not writing to satirize anyone for their spiritual beliefs.
I find the notion of "good luck" fascinating. Every person in the world wants good luck. The many pilgrims who walked for hours at a time or for entire days in honor of the Dajia Matsu last week probably believed good luck would be the reward for their fervor.
From whence comes this need for good luck? Probably from fear and insecurity. We all need a refuge from anxiety. I suppose pride also accounts for our interest in good luck. We like to think we are smart enough to control unseen forces.
Local friends may find special meaning in "good days" and "bad days" for a wedding or a funeral, or for signing a contract, but they are not alone in believing it is possible for ordinary mortals to control situations by observance of carefully chosen taboos and "tricks."