Background:
For all of my life, I had matured with the understanding that the date, Friday, the 13th, was always associated with being unfortunate and unlucky. A practically universal date that was to be avoided at any cost and time. It wasn’t until I met Aaron, my spouse, in 2010, that I ever learned the specific reason for this distinction. Unsure of how widespread this knowledge is, I’d like to share that information with all of you now.
Prologue:
There are approximately three major reasons for the association of the cause of Friday the 13th being considered unlucky. One reason is from a Norse legend and the other two are from the Christian religion.
The Norse (Viking) legend relates how twelve of their gods were having a dinner while in Valhalla. The trickster god, Loki, wasn’t invited but he arrived anyway. He caused a disturbance that resulted in the god, Hoor, shooting and killing the god, Balder, with a mistletoe-tipped arrow. Upon his death, the Earth darkened and mourned.
One of the Christian origins is that when the Last Supper was held, the evening before his Crucifixion, twelve disciples shared the meal with Jesus Christ. Judas, who would betray him, would have been the thirteenth person present at that meal.
The second Christianity inspired tale concerns the Crusader initiated Order of the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon (Knights Templar). They were the order created by a papal edict and charged with the protection of the holy relics and sites in Jerusalem after the Crusades. They also established the first international banking system and financed Christian pilgrims who traveled to the Holy Lands.
On Friday, 13 October, 1307, King Philip IV of France, who was heavily in debt to the order, commanded their arrest and torture before having them burned at the stake. Philip IV then had the papal edict dissolved and revoked.
Introduction:
All of us, no matter our textile (clothing, covering) status nor our sexuality, have endured predicaments and situations in our lives when we’ve felt ourselves depressed, doomed, failure and unlucky. For some, those attitudes/emotions were perhaps, in some way, associated with the “unlucky number 13.” More than likely, the unfortunate number was in no way related to the actual circumstance. It happened and our planet continued to rotate around the sun (life continued).
For the Knights Templar, the fate of the established order and the lives of many of their members was indeed a tragedy and it began on Friday the 13th. An historical fact based on the infamous greed of the French king and his unwillingness to honour his legitimate and valid debt. Some of the Knights Templar survived the abandonment of their order. their vows and the prestige surrounding it. Even today, numerous rumour and tales of the continued existence of the Knights Templar are believed by some and investigated by others.
Once again, human nature manages to survive and to thrive. We may never know the actual truth; that’s the reason we have a word such as “legend.” It simply may or it may not be reality. While we know historical facts, we are free to contemplate alternate realities.
One of the unfortunate reasons that the tale of the Friday the 13th catastrophe remains with us now in the 21st Century is that it provides us with an explanation as to what actually happened to the Knights Templar. They were an exceptional order and organization created by a pope entrusted with the care and preservation of the holy sites of Christianity and the safety of the pilgrims who visited there.
It is convenient and easy to place the blame for their abandonment, betrayal and destruction on the incompetent and irresponsible actions of the French king. It helps to enhance their legacy and their memory throughout history. No one should blame them. The order itself was above reproach! After all, it was the fault of Philip IV and it was caused by his greed and blatant lack of any sort of obligation and/or responsibility for his massive debts.
Undoubtedly, the inefficiency of the monarch did provide an excuse for many. Philip IV’s reputation was common knowledge among the elite of his time. After all, he was a flagrant fool who chose greed as more important than his deity.
Addendum:
The above .gif image shows us one of the unfortunate and extremely unlucky predicaments suffered by humanity. The depicted man is only an exhibitionist. He’s only able to try to confuse, degrade, impose, intimidate and insult sincere and true bare practitioners! His purpose is not to exalt his nakedness. His evil intent is to shock and surprise others, not matter their clothing status and/or sexuality by exposing his anatomical features to all. In reality, he, himself, is too afraid, embarrassed and humiliated by his personal nudity!
His discomfort and his insecurity surrounding his guilt and shame over his body is the fact that he’s unsure of his appearance if he’s clothes free. Therefore, he can only exhibit his genitalia and little else. He’s also apprehensive and vulnerable about his total nakedness! He seriously lacks attention and recognition from his peers and resorts to exhibitionism to try to affirm himself! He has absolutely no courage and no self-confidence whatsoever!
It is indeed regrettable that he is has no feelings nor sense of self-esteem or self-worth!
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Perhaps it is time for us all to pause for a moment and consider an examination of this numerical “name game.” After all, none of us want to earn the designation of “Triple F!” Flagrant Fool Follower!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, September 16, 2024, and the proposed title is: “What the ?”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 