FRIDAY THE 13TH

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A lot of people are superstitious about Friday the 13th, but most cannot state a reason why.  They just know -- or they've been told -- that Friday the 13th is --  bad,  evil,  unlucky or worse.

So, horror movie franchises aside, where did this fear of Friday the 13th come from?

Most notable is the number 13.  Some people find it unlucky.  Mainly because, a lot of good things come in twelves.  It's thought to be a complete number.  The twelve months of the year, the twelve days of Christmas, The twelve hours on the clock, the twelve gods of Olympus, the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve descendants of Muhammed Imams, the twelve signs of the zodiac, etc.

If twelve is golden, then thirteen seems to be beyond the pale.  It screws up the apple cart.  The last supper is cited as the most disastrous example of this phenomenon.

The only exception I can think of is a Baker's dozen which nobody denies is a good thing.

This still gives us an incomplete picture.

Now, Friday, believe it or not, has been considered an unlucky day since the 14th century.  In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales a line can be found that states -- "...and on a Friday fell all this misfortune."

I suggest a Saturday departure.  Less traffic.

Even sailors believed Friday was not a day to embark on a new journey.  It was unlucky or "Dies infaustus." The stock market crash of 1929 was known as Black Friday.  Religious superstition also mars Friday as it was the day that Jesus was believed to be crucified.

I guess when you put the two together.  Friday + 13 is supposed to be a lightning rod of bad luck.  Think it has no effect on the world?  Economists estimate that between 800 and 900 million dollars in revenue is lost due to people unwilling to leave their house on Friday the 13th.

Wow.

Sounds like a lot of religious clap trap to me.  People like to torture themselves.  It makes them feel better about their shortcomings.  I have a perfect gift for those type of people...

Only $13 bucks.