HOME | POLITICS | SPORTS | LIFE | SCI/TECH | OPEDS | HELPFUL TIPS
|
May 13, 2005 Friday the 13th. What is the scary, superstitious notion behind this date and the number 13? Many have fears that relate to this date and time, but is there substantiation to this fear? To most people, the number 13 in combination with October is the most unluckiest date in the world. Well, we still have a while until the next October the 13th, it doesn’t come until 2006. So, to all those superstitious ones out there, you still have a while to wait until you get hit with the double whammy of Friday, October the 13th and October 31st, all Hallows’ Eve. So what is some of the facts behind these superstitions? Well, first of all, let’s distinguish between two fears: 1) Tridecaphobia – fear of the number 13 2) Paraskevidekatriaphobia – fear of Friday the Thirteenth The first one, Tridecaphobia, stems from people who just plain hate the number 13. Period. They will go to all extents to avoid the number. I know a few of these people, and sometimes it gets to be quite annoying. One person in particular that I know is unbelievably superstitious. He won’t write a check out if it has the number 13 on it. He purposely avoids being thirteenth in anything. 13 does not exist for him. 12 then 14 does, but not 13. It’s not part of his vocabulary. Extreme, yes, but he has a phobia, after all. Paraskevidekatriaphobia—don’t even ask me to pronounce it, but it’s quite real. People who have this fear will not go out of their house on that day (Friday the 13th), avoid sharp objects on that day—just avoid it all together. The whole day just doesn’t exist on their calendar. The fear of Friday the 13th has one particular seed; the end of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307. King Philip IV of France had them (the Knights Templar) arrested on this day. The Templar Knights were Knights who led exemplary lives under the church and were in charge of prosecuting the crusades. To make a long story short, they became rich and corrupt, and on this date, all of that corruption was ended. Bad luck therefore, became one with Friday the 13th from then on. Secondly, and very much par on par with the above, is the last supper. Christians believe bad luck follows the number 13 because at the last supper, 13 were at the last feast, the 13th being Judas who betrayed Christ. Now Friday the 13th is more infamously known as the witches Sabbath—why? Because, as you all know, 12 witches and the devil, being thirteen, gather at the moon to celebrate and whatever else they do. Glad to know they have nothing else better to do than to cause mischief on that day. No wonder people are so superstitious about this day! Maybe this day is all but cursed? Could be. But, as I’ve researched and read, and have understood, if you wish for something hard enough, or believe in something hard enough, it shall be. Hmmm…now can we say that these fears are well-founded? Some say yes, some say no. Researchers in the U.K. had analyzed the number of car accidents which occur on Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th over a period of a few years and found that even though fewer people drove to work on Friday the 13th, there were more hospital admissions on that day due to car accidents. Is there any real correlation to this incident and Friday the 13th? The article that I draw this from, “Why Friday the 13th is unlucky” by About.com’s David Emery, states that the hospital admissions had not just increased slightly, but had increased by a staggering 52%! Well, a warning to you all out there driving on Friday the 13th…make sure you take extra care shoulder checking! Or is it happening because everyone is thinking how unlucky Friday the 13th is? Whatever the truth is, if you don’t believe Friday the 13th is unlucky, it won’t be, and if you do think it’s unlucky, then bad luck will inevitably follow those that believe it. For all of you out there, enjoy your Friday the 13th, and pay heed to the witches gathering with the Devil to dance the night away—you might want to call your local authorities if that happens! Till next time. ------------ About the author: Barbara has been writing short stories for the enjoyment of friends and family for years. She has published three books, Collection, Collection II, and Pawn: A Novel. Barbara lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and enjoys writing, reading and tending to her other field: accounting. Websites: http://www.barbaraannamarjanovic.com http://www.authorsden.com/barbaraannamarjanovic Look for my books at McNally Robinson! www.mcnallyrobinson.com Email: blueswan28@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
