h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Quite a number of superstitions come from the time of the Reformation in Britain. The whole Protestants vs Catholics shebang led to the traditions of one group having the mickey taken out of them by antoher - ie. apparently the Catholics believed that by walking under a ladder you were "becoming one with the holy trinity" because a ladder leaning against a wall makes a triangle (kind of a sacred shape I guess) The protestants however maintained that by walking beneath the ladder you were shattering the triangle and therefore saw it as very bad. Friday the 13th was regarded by the Catholics as a holy day - 13 being lucky as Jesus + 12 disciples made the number 13. The Protestants argued that it was a very bad day because Jesus died on a Friday. I don't know any in reverse (ie. Catholics changing Protestant traditions) but the strangest one I've heard is that the Protestants wrote the "Hokey Kokey" song as a micky take of the gestures made by the priest during the Catholic Mass.

This isn't intended to be offensive to anybody - I just find it interesting!

I'm not offended, after all...*piano introduction*

There are Jews in the world, there are Buddists,
there are Hindus and Mormons and then,
there are those who follow Muhhammed, but--
I've never been one of them

I'm a Roman Catholic
and have since before I was born
And one thing's sure about Catholics is
they'll take you as soon as you're warm!