Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Good story, just one addendum to it that you might find interesting: The real historical source for the "Friday the 13th" as bad luck is that it was on Friday, October 13th 1307 that the Templar Knights were wiped out by the Pope and the King of France. The Templars were a chivalric order in Europe, who had gone to the crusades as catholic holy warriors, but when they returned they had come back transformed, finding that the "heathens" they had set out to destroy actually knew more about religion than they did. The Templars apparently studied the Sufi teachings, and began spreading those in Europe. That and the fact that they had tremendous wealth and power, was too much for the Pope to ignore. So he set King Philip of France to destroy them (Philip was their largest debtor, and if there were no Templar Knights, then there would also be no debt for him to pay, so he was very eager to do the job). Since that time, the spiritual heirs of the Templars, mainly the Freemasons but others as well, have remembered Friday 13th as a sort of memorial to the Templars. But this filtered down to more superstitious sorts who, without knowing the reason for that particular date, thought it to be "bad luck", and subsequently invented many other "explanations" of the origin of Friday 13th. Love Nisarg --- Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: > A cute (and accurate) story by Jaspreet Nijher of > the Times of > India: > > FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2004 - It's fear is so bad that > a term has been > coined for it. Call it superstition or what you > will, but today is > the unluckiest day in the calendar for > "friggatriskaidekaphobes" -- > those possessed with a fear or phobia of Friday the > thirteenth! > > Today's thus the day ... As superstition has it that > Friday the 13th > is an unlucky day, especially since numerology > considers both the > numbers '1' and '3' to be unlucky. > > When in conjunction, '1' and '3' spell double > trouble. So what is it > about the devil's dozen', as the Scottish call it, > which pretends an > evil omen? > > Largely, its origins are biblical. Folklore has it > that thirteen > disciples gathered for supper on the night of the > renowned 'Last > Supper' with Jesus, even as Jesus had instructed the > seating of only > twelve. As they sat and ate, Jesus prophesied that > one of them who > ate with him would betray him. Since the infamous > betrayal of Judas > Iscariot, we are in morbid fear of the date and day! > > > Another myth goes back to the Garden of Eden. It was > on a Friday, > supposedly, that Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden > fruit. And look > what has become of the world today! > > For the 'non-believers', for all the infamy of > Friday the 13th, > there are examples of good fortune. In pagan times, > Friday was the > day of the love goddess; many actors sign contracts > only on Friday > because it brings good luck; Charles Dickens began > writing all his > books on a Friday. > > But in today's time, so deep-rooted remains the fear > of '13' that > hotels take care not to have a storey or suite > suffixed by those > dreaded digits. > > What is more compelling a fear is if the 13th day of > the month falls > on a Friday. Courting, and especially marriage, on > Friday is > regarded a folly. If moving to a new home or new job > on that fateful > day ... do be careful. > > Throughout the Western world people are still found > numbering their > houses '12 1/2', to avoid living in number 13. Even > in so logical an > institution as a hospital, at times, operation > theatres are not > numbered 13! > > A combination of this day - Friday - and number - 13 > - holds special > significance for many. But should it? > > "Whether or not one considers Friday the 13th as > unlucky, it is > important to understand that superstitions stem from > beliefs man > uses to protect himself from events beyond his > control," analyses a > psychiatrist. > > Simply put, today's beliefs might well become > tomorrow's > superstitions. Until then, however, don't step on a > crack... after > all, today is Friday the 13th! > > URL: > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow/49 > 3982.cms > > Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online. http://taxes./filing.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 , Swami Anand Nisarg <swamiji_nisarg> wrote: > > > Good story, just one addendum to it that you might > find interesting: The real historical source for the > "Friday the 13th" as bad luck is that it was on > Friday, October 13th 1307 that the Templar Knights > were wiped out by the Pope and the King of France. Interesting. I have to admit I've never heard that angle. National Geographic offers other curious explanations as well: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13. html#main The one I've traditionally heard (and believed) is the Biblical interpretation: Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th gues at the Last Supper. What's curious, however, is how many people are afraid of Friday the 13th *and yet have no idea why*. Just another example of mindlessness in American culture. The article above offers some great advice to triskaidekaphobes: "They need to realize that they have the ability to create much of their own good and bad luck....And they should concentrate on being lucky by, for example, looking on the bright side of events in their lives, remembering the good things that have happened, and, most of all, be[ing] prepared to take control of their future." Seems like sound advice for any sadhak. As Sri Aurobindo wrote, the mind makes a great servant, but a lousy master. In Her Service, KG ---- Kensho Godchaser http://www.KenshoGodchaser.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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