# Why do we cross our fingers for good luck

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 10, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983 "2000-01-10T15:36:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983/1 "2000-01-10T15:36:00Z")

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Why do we cross our fingers for good luck?  
If this a christian thing involving the cross then why is the pagan god luck involved. Luck was a pagan god right?

K French  
Beavercreek, Ohio

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983/2 "2000-01-10T15:38:00Z")

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No, Luck Skywalker was from Tatooine, not from Pagan.

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**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983/3 "2000-01-10T15:45:00Z")

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I’m not remotely familiar with the pagan figure Luck, but I assure you that luck (small ‘l’, random events operating in one’s favor) is a commodity known and desired by Christians, Jews, and Muslims, as well as pagans.

I express no opinion upon the actual efficacy of crossing your fingers to create more luck in a given situation.

- Rick

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983/4 "2000-01-10T15:54:00Z")

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Since no guesses were forthcoming, let my weight in with an actual guess.

You’re making a little cross(Christian) with you fingers. Sorta like holding a cross up in front of a werewolf. Another question is why doing behind you back reverses an promise you might give.

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**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983/5 "2000-01-10T16:24:00Z")

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Mr. TS: Don’t be holdin’ no crosses up in front of werewolves. It just makes 'em testy, and they eat you slower.

Vampires, now, those guys you can hold a cross up to.

* * *

Uke

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-for-good-luck/5983/6 "2000-01-10T17:59:00Z")

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How com eit means something else if you do it behind your back when you say something?