Ridiculous things you've only recently realised you've been wrong about your entire life

[Seasidedolly]

I genuinely thought if you pulled the reverse cord on ceiling fans, it would circulate warm air.

My friend thought the yellow average speed cameras on motorways were there to look for missing children.

I had another recent revelation but I can't remember it now

Wait/what (again)!?! The immaculate conception and the virgin birth both refer to Mary's virginity (she conceived as a virgin and gave birth as a virgin).

I know. Did you think it was hand gliding because you hold on with your hands?

I thought the tampon/condom machines in public toilets sold tights til I was about 20. I just ignored the writing on them in blissful ignorance as my mum would never lie. Would she?

Yes Mintyy I thought the hanging on by your hands gave it the name hand gliding

I have also only just found out that it's not Arctic lotties. I thought they carried food produce so was refrigerated, hence the name Arctic lotties .

**Don'tbuy - it wasn't the cold war because it was against Russia, it was the cold war because it was a long stand off with no direct actual fighting.
I think someone is having you on...

I thought the reggae singer of 'Baby Come Back' was an Irish fellow called Pat O'Banton.

I'm half way through page 3 & realise how thick I am.

Name changed as this will out me!

I thought tuna was from dolphins (I know I know, don't ask) until my early 20's. I always wondered how it could be 'dolphin friendly tuna' if the dolphins were killed to make it...

I also thought gammon was a fish and wondered why I got so many confused looks in the restaurant I worked in when I used to give the diners who ordered gammon a fish knife. Took a long time to cotton on, even though I was serving the stuff regularly.

Confused by the Virgin Birth one. Surely the Immaculate Conception was that Jesus was not conceived by mortal man but by the Holy Spirit, thus Mary was still a virgin when she gave birth?
Amazed so many people thought it was hand gliding.
My friend says " a damp squid" not " a damp squib"

The immaculate conception refers to the conception of Mary by her Mother, it has nothing to do with the conception of Jesus.

No bumper I get that, now, I meant for a lung time I thought cold referred to Russia, not as you say it being an inactive, not 'hot' war.

"The immaculate conception and the virgin birth both refer to Mary's virginity (she conceived as a virgin and gave birth as a virgin)."

The immaculate conception refers to the Catholic belief that Mary was conceived without sin. It's a common misconception (pardon the pun) that it refers to the conception of Jesus.

I didn't know Gibraltar wasn't an island until this thread

OK, this is bad.

I thought that Columbia was next to Germany

There's no emoji for my shame

The immaculate conception is that when Mary was conceived - the normal way - god acted to ensure that she was born free from sin. Allegedly.

So hers wasn't a virgin birth, but she went on to have one.

Wow, krebs, despite an Irish Catholic school education I never knew that about the immaculate conception.

I didn't know about weasels either
Arkansas I learned from MN recently

Sorry Don'tbuy I miss read your post

I assumed Oxford and Cambridge were directly next to each other, since they get talked about together so often. Nope they're actually the best part of 100 miles apart. I also assumed the Oxford-Cambridge boat race took place between the two towns. Again, no...

I thought the little black stalk at the bottom of a banana was poisonous, but in my defence that's because I swear my Mum told me it was!

Ah, a thousand apologies to kerbs! The Immaculate Conception is one of the Marian doctrines of the Catholic Church and does refer in this light to the belief that Mary was born without taint or stain, without original sin -- although her conception was brought about in the usual way. Yes, we do learn something every day!

Krebs WHAT??? Have I had that wrong all my life????

Cross post - wait. So if the Immaculate Conception refers to Mary, then Jesus was conceived normally and thus she wasn't a virgin?? I am totally confused!

My primary school teacher told us that if you swallowed an orange pip it would get caught in your appendix and you would get appendicitis. To be fair it was a long time ago, but she certainly believed it, and I had no reason to doubt her.

Not quite the same thing - but DHs parents also made up place names which he then learnt.

This means that he'll say (as a made up example) "Let's go to Trifle House", thinking of some lovely stately home - and we'll spend ages googling to find where the hell it is before finding out from the in-laws that, no no, it was Truffleaux Manor or whatever. You'd think I'd learn but it's happened at least 3 times...