Friday the 13th has been terrorizing people long before Jason Voorhees emerged from the waters of Camp Crystal Lake and became cinema’s most famous serial killer. The superstitious day, which only occurs once in 2008, will have many students in the area finding ways to get around their paranoias. According to a National Geographic story, 17 up to 21 million people in the United States suffer from a Friday the 13th phobia. Many students will take spooky stories and superstitions to heart today, so here is a brief history behind the fears surrounding Friday the 13th.
Friday the 13th
To some, the best defense on Friday the 13th comes from fighting superstition with superstition. Two of the most popular forms of manifesting good luck — knocking on wood and four-leaf clovers — both have interesting origins to them as well.
Knock on wood
The ritual of knocking on wood can be linked to a few things, depending on your belief system. Historically, knocking on a wooden rosary was a way for Christians to cope with hardships. Knocking on wood out of respect or fear of tree-dwelling spirits is a Pagan belief, according to www.pantheon.org.
Four-leaf clovers
The scarce four-leaf clover is considered a lucky charm by some because of its rarity. According to Fourleafclover.com, the true legend behind it comes from each leaflet representing the symbol’s faith, hope, love and luck.
The Bad …
Everyone has an opinion regarding whether or not luck is real or merely a fallacy of the rules of probability. Those who believe in luck, however, are likely to be familiar with the catalysts perceived by most as bad luck. Here are some of the more popular unlucky charms.
Black cats
The ever-popular “black cat crossing your path” superstition has history behind it, much like the day itself. Historically black cats have been linked to evil and witchcraft, one example being Hebrew and Babylonian folklore where cats are akin to serpents, according to www.sniksnak.com
Ladders
Walking underneath a ladder has a religious pretext to it, as early Christian teachings attribute objects with three points as representations of the Holy Trinity. Because of this, Trinitarians believe walking beneath a ladder is an insult to the Trinity, according to www.wisegeek.com.
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