a history lesson

I'm sure almost everyone has heard the phrase, "damned if you do and damned if you don't." I was in psychology today and our teacher told us where the saying originated from. It was really interesting even though I've heard the story before.

In the Middle Ages there was a guidebook written called Malleus Maleficarum (meaning Witches Hammer). In it was written the guide used to identify witches. Anyone exhibiting odd behaviours that had no identified origins was said to be a witch and was then put through a test. Any people thought to be guilty were tied up with weights attached to their bodies and were then thrown into a body of water. If they managed to untie themselves and float up to the top they were said to have demonic powers. These "witches" were then burned at the stake. If they sunk to the bottom and drowned they were said to be innocent. Interesting...the innocent were killed right along with the guilty. So this is where the phrase "damned if you do and damned if you don't" came from.

This is why I love school. So many interesting things to learn :)