Thirteen - why is it such an unlucky number?
By leon077
@leon077 (159)
Indonesia
May 3, 2007 8:10pm CST
many cultures regarded Thirteen as an unlucky number, it is considered a "bad" number cause it is one more than 12 (why?), hmm, its because if there is a group of 13 persons, then its divided to equal groups, there will be always one leftover, an unlucky person.
triskaidekaphobia, this one is one unreasoned fear for the number 13. Due to this fear, some house in doesn't want to be numbered, lots of them designating the house or room as "12a or 11b" or something similar. Some tall buildings also done the same thing.
In some Christian traditions said that Judas Iscariot was the 13th to sit at the table. In pre-Christian era, the babylonian law (the Code of Hammurabi), doesn't have the thirteenth law. A woman usually has 13 menses in a year, and in the past, a woman who menstruated during a full moon might be thought a witch.In Tarot Card, the 13th card is Death. In the Persian culture the 13th day of their new year, On people consider staying at home unlucky, and go outside for a picnic in order to ward off the bad luck. Well what about Friday the Thirteen? what I know is The Harry Potter Movie: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is scheduled for release on Friday, July 13, 2007.
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4 responses
@beckish (641)
• United States
4 May 07
Good topic! Personally I have always considered the number 13 to be a lucky number, and I have never had a bad day on Friday the 13th. Maybe it is perception... but then again I also like black cats and I am not afraid to walk under ladders. :-)
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@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
4 May 07
And The Grand Hotel in Toronto has 18 floors, but the elevator goes up to 19 because 13 is skipped. If I am going to get a room on the 14th floor, it'll still be the 13th level up. I don't understand the superstition either. It really doesn't make sense to me.
Since North American law aims to be as secular as possible, I don't understand why the 13th person at Christ's table would have any bearing on the number. I don't use Christian superstitions nor do I use Jewish, Muslim or any others, because we do not all worship in the same way. Those don't apply to the entire world.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
4 May 07
For me, 13 is a lucky number. Two of my son's were born on the 13th, both Monday's. My third son was born on the 26 (13 plus 13 equals 26). Another son was born on the 7th too so I think they're all "lucky" or rather I'm "lucky" to have them.
I think all of the superstitions surrounding 13 are very interesting. My thought on it though is that people "believe" 13 is unlucky so they are ore likely to look for bad things connected with the number. It's like with 7, many people consider this a lucky number. Probably it's just that people are more likely to notice god things connected to 7.
