Why was being left-handed a sin?

Question

And why doesn't the Church follow this policy today?

I ask this question for a reason;
I am left-handed. Also gay, besides the point. Interesting how the Church, at one point or another, hated both.

Nuns used to hit my grandfather's wrist with a ruler for using his left hand to write. Emotionally, it hurt him as a kid... now he does use his right hand for writing, but does everything else with his left.

If you want me really cite a legitimate source I'll find something...

Answer 1

never heard of that....where did you get this info?

its not like the bible is right anyways, but ive never heard this accusation before.

Answer 2

It was not a sin. That's a misperception based upon old testament scriptures and customs in the ancient world of the right hand being the usual "strong hand" for most people, as well as the left hand being used to wipe yourself before the days of toilet paper. Cutting to the chase - it's a false analogy to compare this and homosexuality as the same classification biblically. Or for that matter, lefties and promiscuity, or drunkenness, etc. The point of those old testament requirements (forbidding shellfish, combinations of linens/fabrics, working on Sunday, etc.) was to show it is impossible to live up to God's standards perfectly for our entire lives. That was the point of the substitution of having to sacrifice your best lamb for the inevitable sins the ancient Hebrews committed, which led to the ultimate sacrificial "lamb" - Jesus Christ, the final atonement for all sin.

Answer 3

It wasn't. There have always been cultural prejudice against left-handedness. People thought it represented some feebleness of the brain and the sooner it was corrected the better the prospects for the child.
By the way I still can't find a left-handed cup.

Answer 4

The soul committed sins because the devils/evil spirits before Jesus came manipulated its mortal body. Sins after Jesus were already forgotten by God and free will was rewarded that the soul need only to be cleansed by being born again. The laws that caused mankind to sin were already kept covered in the Kingdom of God.

Answer 5

The priest would reach into your right pocket to take his money but left-handed people kept their money in their left pocket so God made it a sin. We know it was God who said this because the priest wrote in down in a book and said it was God's word. Amen.

Answer 6

i am not sure why it was a sin. something about the devil.. but the church has learned, after many many years, that such things don't make a person bad, or evil. just a person. a lot of teachers even as late as the late 1800's, early 1900's about kids who were left handed. and tried to "fix" them to be right handed.

Answer 7

English Translation: The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me: the right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength.

Latin Translation: dextera Domini fecit fortitudinem dextera Domini excelsa dextera Domini fecit fortitudinem

This comes from the Book of Psalms 117, in which many have translated that the right (Dextera) hand is that of the lord and somehow the left (Sinister) became associated with the devil.

(i.e., Sin"is*ter (?), a. 1. On the left-hand, or the side of the left hand; left; -- opposed to dexter, or right. (from Webster's 1913 Unabridged Dictionary))

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AD

Answer 8

It was unclean. You used your right hand to eat and greet, your left was used to clean yourself. So other folks didn't want you touching them with your unclean left hand - so it became a sin.
Kind of like eating pork, or shellfish. It can be dangerous to your health, but instead of explaining it, the Church makes it a sin.

Answer 9

i'm a leftie too and i hate it, i love to skate and always when ppl watch me skating in the park with my left foot they start asking questions and all, why do ppl find it so strange that some ppl just prefer there left-hand to write? 1st we were marked as sinners and servants of the devil and now they are throwing health problems and disorientations at lefties. we are not different or more unique than most ppl just because we write with our left hand ; ppl are just scared of things they can't explain so they just call lefties evil and servants of the devil; thats BS.

Answer 10

It's a rather disgusting story that goes back to the time before there was toilet paper. The left hand was commonly used to clean yourself and became considered unclean for that reason.

Answer 11

being left handed is not a sin we used to think that if a person is left handed they were the devil. But now we know that people who are left handed are not the devil so churches dont belive it any more