You may have noticed that today is Friday the 13th. At the time of writing, #Fridaythe13th is the most popular trending topic on Twitter, with more than 50,000 tweets having been sent using the hashtag. It's believed that the superstition surrounding the date stems from at least the Medieval Ages, and yet, centuries later it's still a date which gets people talking (and avoiding black cats, ladders and opening umbrellas indoors).
Because of the Bible's clear instructions that as Christians we shouldn't succumb to a superstitious mindset, it may come as a surprise that some attach the significance of Friday the 13<sup>th as an unlucky day to a dark chapter in Christianity's history. It's a widely held belief that the date is associated with bad luck because of the thirteenth guest at the last supper, Judas, and his betrayal of Jesus.
Scared of slipping into a superstitious mindset? Here's what the Bible has to say about it all:
1 Timothy 4:7 - Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11 - Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
Leviticus 19:31 - Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.
Colossians 2:18 - Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.
Matthew 14:26-27 - When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
Deuteronomy 4:19 - And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshipping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
Colossians 2:8 - See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
2 Kings 2:5-6 - In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practised divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
