[quote=“theposter”]this is obviously and attempt to slander the poor taiwaners as backward superstitious people. as a foriegner who loves taiwan enough to die for it, i object. the taiwan people are no different from others. let’s not make distinctions.[/quote]Uhh…Dude…the object is to make the enemy die…not yourself…geeesh. GTFU.
And Taiwan is as superstitious and ghost believing country as you’re likely to find.
And while we’re making fun of people for their beliefs in the abstract, how about those wacky Americans and their patriotism? Or Christians and the whole “God thing”? Or gamblers and their faith in luck?
If the OP could bottle his anti-Taiwan sentiments, he’s probably need a warehouse to store them in. A really big warehouse.
[quote=“ImaniOU”]And while we’re making fun of people for their beliefs in the abstract, how about those wacky Americans and their patriotism? Or Christians and the whole “God thing”? Or gamblers and their faith in luck?
If the OP could bottle his anti-Taiwan sentiments, he’s probably need a warehouse to store them in. A really big warehouse.[/quote]
…huh?… 
If you believe in angels, you have to believe in ghosts.
And demons, and devils, and spirits, etc. etc.
[quote=“Shin-Gua”]If you believe in angels, you have to believe in ghosts.
And demons, and devils, and spirits, etc. etc.[/quote]
And don’t forget the Easter Bunny.
Wait a minute … are you saying he doesn’t exist? What about Santa Claus then?
The Easter Bunny exists. I saw him with my own two eyes. And where else would chocolate eggs come from.
Santa? Who do you think leaves Christmas presents under the tree?
Who???
Malcolm X?! I see.
But I don’t think many Western people base important life decisions on the Easter Bunny or Santa 
I think some very small (young) Western people do base important life decisions on Santa.
I do really think this is about the same as all the westerners who still base decisions on “faith”.
(preparing to get flamed)
there really isn’t a difference between believing in ghosts and believing in gods.
nah TC i wasn’t serious. i was just trying my hand at being a taiwanese sympathizer. it felt yucky.
This monthly burning of ghost money is why Taiwan’s air is so polluted!
[quote=“SuchAFob”]I do really think this is about the same as all the westerners who still base decisions on “faith”.
(preparing to get flamed)
there really isn’t a difference between believing in ghosts and believing in gods.[/quote]
As a believer of God, I agree. Faith is faith is faith and to shit on someone’s faith because you have none (or think you are culturally superior to those who do have faith in superstitions as is the OP’s case), is wrong.
Actually, to shit on someone’s faith to express your superiority complex is pathetic.
I believe there is an important distinction between faith/belief and superstition.
Truthfully, many people professing to be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. are actually just supersitious. And people who are acting on their superstions are pretty much foolish.
If you believe in ghosts, and believe that burning incense appeases the ghosts because you are showing them respect-- or maybe even symbollically feeding them, then I have to respect that. If you are attending church and behaving according to the rules of your religion because you believe that in the end you will meet God, I have to respect that.
But if you don’t think about your ancestors, but go out and burn incense “just in case”, and then consult a geomancer over important life decisions “just in case”, I believe that is foolish. If you’re a mobster who muders, commits whoredoms, but then goes into church and won’t commit a crime on a holy day, that’s pretty foolish.
I understand the anti-ghost worship sentiment. I rarely meet people who really believe in it. Most people are acting out of superstition, not out of belief. Those who are sincere in their beliefs, though, I respect.
Interesting article which ran both in the Taipei Dog Trainer and the China Shad Wrapper this week. taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003319578
I’m glad that there are people in Taiwan who are thinking about the adverse effects of ghost money burning and are trying to find creative solutions for the faithful to show their devotion without burning tons of paper every year. I’m not sure if it’s weaning anyone off their beliefs in ghosts, but at least it’s an attempt to reduce the huge amounts of harmful co1 and particulates that are released into the air by this practice, and to curb a practice that exacerbates the already dusty, sooty, and polluted local environmental conditions. I took this picture near a park in the village of Da Ping Ding. A huge pile of money is burning as two men in lawn chairs look on. I’ll be glad for small children, the elderly, and people with respiratory problems when things like this are a thing of the past.
Living in the countryside, I also see a huge amount of agricultural burning and the burning of unwanted things, even plastics. Never a day goes by that I don’t see small untended fires burning around the village. In the weeks leading up to tomb sweeping day, there were huge fires in the hills around Zhao Ming, some involving hundreds of acres, which resulted from careless burning of grass and brush in connection with the holiday. I have not spent much time outside the Kaohsiung area, but my impression of Taiwan so far is that it’s a nation of pyromaniacs.
[quote=“R. Daneel Olivaw”]Those who are sincere in their beliefs, though, I respect.[/quote]Agree with the rest of your post, except this. If someone is filling my apartment with smoke and/or noise for the sake of their beliefs, I want to kick their ass regardless of any sincerity in that belief or lack thereof. Everyone is entitled to believe in their invisible friend(s), just as I’m entitled to be upset when they get in my face with those beliefs.
I’ve had an ongoing feud with the woman across the street over this very issue. She habitually places her money barrel across the street from her house and directly under our kitchen window. After telling her three times not to do this, last week I finally resorted to donning some work gloves, marching outside and moving barrel and burning contents to her doorstep.
Last week, she held a birthday for her god, which invloved a puppet show under our kitchen window that began at 11:30pm and ended at 1am, followed by more money burning and fireworks at 3am. The next day I did get a bit of a last laugh though, as she tried to set up a banquet tent and burn paper money in the middle of the tropical storm. I just don’t understand why some people have to be so inconsiderate with their practices. The other two temples on the street always finish their birthday celebrations before 10:30, skip midnight fireworks, and wait at least until after 7am if they light morning fireworks.
Next time she puts the barrel under our window… I told her… the barrel is going into the canal. :fume:
Fire extinguisher ftw 
Thanks, but there’s a faucet up on the roof, so I can quell any civil disturbances with buckets or a hose as need be… after which that damn barrel is still going into the canal.
[quote=“stan”] What wrong with being superstitious? I ALWAYS put on my left shoe first. What are your superstitions?
It could be a new thread. Let’s call it “Superstitions” or “Are you superstitious?” or “Interesting superstitions” or “Ghosts” or whatever… Anybody?[/quote]
Father Son & Holy Ghost… damn all religions are based on superstitions… SO why can’t the locals have theirs? 