Why was left-handedness seen as wrong/evil?

Answer 1

Because it is different from the majority.
Hmm, that reasoning gets applied often, doesn't it?
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Answer 2

Of course you are speaking of ancient times, when people lived in suspicion and ignorance.

They recognized left-handedness as something outside the norm. They didn't trust anything outside the norm, so casting a weary eye upon this apparently unnatural behavior they considered it "wrong".

But not to worry. The same people thought that black cats were evil. Ugly people deserved it. Cripples were subhuman. Demons causes epilepsy. Yes, when you think about it, left-handed people got off easy!

Answer 3

Mr. Stiggo and David M, both made good points.

I'd add that the latin words, "rectus," and "sinister," are derived from the relationship that David M spoke of. In latin, rectus means "right-sided," and sinister means "left-sided."

Many people utilize their right hand as their dominant hand. They use it to write, eat with, etc. Back in the day before we had toliet paper, the non-dominant hand was used for the cleaning of one's backside. To this day, this is still done by some peoples in arid desert regions.

As a result, a stigma developed with the use of the left hand, and consequently with those who happened to be left-handed. These people were once thought to be "abnormal." (The word, 'sinister,' has even taken on the meaning of 'devious and evil' in our dictionary.)

Thus, when we shake hands or salute a flag, we are bound by tradition to use our right hand. The only acceptable exception would be when your right arm is broken. (True, as then a person in military salutes with their left hand until said arm is healed.)

{As a footnote:}
The terms, rectus and sinister are still in use today. If you happen to take an Organic Chemistry class, you will learn about chemical structures and how some are the "mirror-image" of one another. In Chemistry, we differentiate them from one another by use of the terms, rectus and sinister.

Rectus (R) is used for clockwise rotation.
Sinister (S) is used for counter-clockwise rotation.

An example of this would be Ethyl Alcohol.

Answer 4

Anything out of the ordinary could be seen as wrong by people obsessed with such things. Thus the word "sinister," which means to the left, became a term for evil.

Answer 5

Just because it was rare. Long ago anything different was seen as a "curse" or "the devil's magic".

However sometimes some rare qualities were seen as gifts. Back in the time of cavemen blondes were idolized as with light eyes. That still rings true today.

Answer 6

Because it is different/uncommon. My mother is left handed and she used to get hit on the hand by her teacher when she was writing because it was seen as bad to be left handed. This was about fifty years ago and her mother was a high school English teacher and her father was the super intendent of her school district.

Answer 7

I'm really not sure!

True story: My wife should have been left handed but she went to a private Catholic elementary school. The nuns actually HIT her with a ruler whenever she tried to write... until finally she became right-handed. Thats messed up if you ask me.

Answer 8

Listen to Ultraviolet. That is the truth. The rest came later.

Answer 9

Historically (read: before toilet paper) the left hand was considered the "unclean hand" for reasons I'm sure you can understand. Therefore, using that hand for anything besides...wiping, was considered offensive and rude.

Answer 10

I don't see any thing wrong/evil with left handed person, as long as the person is not destructive, theft ,serial killer rapist,murderer.