在科學昌明的今日,台灣人民的知識水準普遍提升,但特別的是:寺廟林立,民間信仰盛行。許多民眾遇到問題時,為何依舊選擇求助於不可知的超自然,到廟宇中拜拜,請求神明的庇佑或指引呢?本論文即以新豐池和宮的10位教師信徒為研究對象,探索他們的「靈驗」感知。了解這些「高知識分子」,為何選擇民間信仰?他們又是如何感知到神明的「靈驗」?在他們靈驗感知之下,又顯現出什麼樣的特性與意義?最後以本研究為例,討論當今的社會,為何科技文明發達,但民間信仰卻依舊盛行的原因。 研究結果發現:這10位教師因家庭背景、地緣關係、親身體驗而成為池和宮池府王爺的信徒,並在生活上與心靈上受到某些影響。這10位教師的靈驗感知也呈現出一些特性,他們對於宗教信仰並未過度依賴,具有相當的理性與自主性,對宗教的相關節慶活動並不熱衷,也不會頻繁地到廟裡拜拜或請示,反倒樂於做個自由的邊緣信徒。一般人所認為的一些「矛盾」情況,如:當結果和神明所指示的不同時,對他們而言也不是什麼「矛盾」,依舊是可以解釋得通的。人們面對生活中的不確定性與焦慮感,需要宗教信仰來提供心靈上的寄託,而民間信仰的簡便易行,再加上寺廟善於經營並借助媒體的力量行銷,以及學者、民眾對民間信仰的重新肯定視其為台灣重要的本土文化,使得台灣的民間信仰在世俗理性的考驗之下反倒更見興盛。
The prevalence of education has enhanced scientific knowledge among Taiwanese people. However, temples of Taiwanese folk religion are still very prominent throughout Taiwanese landscape. Faced with uncertainty or frustration, many Taiwanese choose to visit temples and pray to or consult with their patron deities instead of seeking rational consultation. In this thesis, I focus on ten school teachers who consider themselves as having experienced the efficacy of the patron deity of Chiho Temple in Hsin Fong Township, Hsinchu County and professed that they are believers/worshipers of Lord Chi. I reconstructed their respective efficacious experiences and discovered that these school teachers treat their patron deity, Lord Chi as a consultant. They go to their consultant when they are faced with difficult decision. They pray and believe that Lord Chi will help them reach the “right” decision. During their consultation process, they might use divination device to ascertain the attitude of their patron god but in real practice they were just presenting their own thinking and ask Lord Chi to confirm and bless such a decision.