SEEKING GUIDANCE FROM THE STARS OF HEAVEN by M. Kurt Goedelman While many people have abandoned astrology in their quest for guidance in favor of such occult practices as "channeling," looking to the stars remains popular. About 2,000 newspapers in the United States still carry daily horoscope columns, although many papers print a disclaimer with the columns, saying that they are for amusement only. Taking astrology more seriously are the supermarket tabloids, astrological books and thousands of full- and part-time astrology "professionals" who are consulted by individuals who want a more customized plotting of their life's course. A recent book by Donald Regan, former Treasury Secretary and White House Chief of Staff under President Reagan, which tells of first lady Nancy Reagan's dependence on an astrologer for advice in scheduling the president's activities would indicate that the influence of astrology reaches into the most powerful levels of society. Even in this modern age, astrology is big business. A Cable News Network (CNN) report cited astrologers as claiming that "At least 300 of the Fortune 500 use astrologers in one way or another." WHAT IS ASTROLOGY? Astrology is the study of the relative position of heavenly bodies and their purported effect on the destinies of people and society. Astrologers believe that when one examines and understands the bearing of these bodies, he is able to use this information to guide his life and to predict the course of events. Astrology books appeal to the human psyche with promises such as: "Know your own children. Understand your mate better. Understand the designs that are behind human character. Understand yourself better, too. You'll have more control over your own destiny; Learn more about this fascinating science of astrology." However, encyclopedias address astrology not as science, but as "an original term synonymous with astronomy, subsequently applied to a pseudoscience, which professes to explain the events of human life by the influence of the stars or planets." Astrology is thought to have originated in the ancient land of Mesopotamia, an area of the Middle East where the modern nation of Iraq is. Astrology's influence has been felt throughout history. Astrologers were numerous and influential in the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, astronomy, the science that describes the stars and planets and explains their motions, was studied as a subsidiary to astrology. At the turn of the 16th century, Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543), the founder of modern astronomy, began to lecture on the subject. His discovery that the other planets in our solar system revolve around the sun, not the Earth, greatly discredited the "science" of astrology, being that astrology considered the Earth as the center of our solar system. Modern astrologers respond to this scientific debunking of their system by saying that "although astrological charts are based on a concept which places the Earth at the center of the wheel, this does not render them invalid, as study of an individual chart would show. This is because an average man is the center of his own universe, which seems to revolve around him. As far as earthman is concerned in his daily physical needs, the sun and moon encircle his environment to bring him night and day, cycles and seasons." (The Stars of Heaven, Introduction, by the Holy Order Of Mans.) Also pivotal to astrology is the zodiac, a belt of twelve constellations. The zodiac has divided the constellations into twelve equal parts called signs or "houses." These twelve signs bear characteristics correlative to their names of the constellations which include: Capricorn, a goat (Dec. 22-Jan. 19); Aquarius, the waterbearer (Jan. 20-Feb. 18); Pisces, the fishes (Feb. 19-March 20); Aries, the ram (March 21-April 19); Taurus, the bull (April 20-May 20); Gemini, the twins (May 21-June 21); Cancer, the crab (June 22-July 22); Leo, the lion (July 23-Aug. 22); Virgo, the virgin (Aug. 23-Sept. 22); Libra, the scales (Sept. 23-Oct. 23); Scorpio, the scorpion (Oct. 24-Nov. 21); and Sagittarius, the archer (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Although a distinction must be applied between the constellations and the signs of the zodiac, as even though they bear the same set of names, they are not identical to each other. As noted in Stars, Signs, & Salvation in the Age of Aquarius by James Bjornstad and Shildes Johnson: "Today, whenever an astrologer states that you are born under a certain sign, he does not mean that you are born under that actual constellation with that particular name. Likewise, he does not mean that the sun appears to be in that constellation in its apparent, annual course through the celestial zodiac. At one time the latter statement would have been true, but, due to the 'precession of the equinoxes' (a very slow event, caused by the wobbling of the earth on its axis, taking 25,800 years to complete its cycle), the sun no longer appears to be in the constellation bearing the same name as the astrological sign - it now is in another constellation (or at least appears to be)." (page 14) The first point of the sign, Aries, begins at the vernal equinox, the point at which the center of the sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. Evidence points to the theory that the zodiac was first formed in Mesopotamia around 2100 B.C. Finally, in astrology, each house of the zodiac is governed by a planet. The sun, moon -- both are considered planets in astrology -- Jupiter and Venus are thought to be favorable to man and his labors, while Saturn and Mars are adverse. Mercury is said to contain conflicting influences toward man. Thus the position of the stars and planets in a celestial house at the time of a person's birth shapes his future. EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE FOR ASTROLOGY Given astrology's claims of deep insight, it is wise to see if its claims are defensible. Astrologers tell the skeptic to consider such figures as Jeane Dixon, whose column appears in many daily newspapers, or perhaps the most famous astrologer and seer of all time, Michel Nostradamus (1503-1566), whose popularity has been revived through books and a television movie about his prophecies. The fulfilled prophecies of these two and others are cited as evidence of astrology's validity. Astrologers also point to apparent similarities between people born under the same astrological sign. Taking it a step further, some astrologers claim to know of case studies of twins or astro-twins -- those born at exactly the same time and locale -- who share an uncanny number of traits and experiences. However, this evidence does not hold up under scrutiny. Take the prophecies, for example. Only those which have been fulfilled or appear to have been fulfilled are cited. Countless unfulfilled prophecies by these seers are ignored or forgotten. One of the predictions that catapulted Dixon to international attention was the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. However, few remember her Jan. 1, 1968, prediction that "Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy is not now thinking of marriage." On Oct. 19, 1968, she stood firm and reiterated her prediction. The following day, Oct. 20, Mrs. Kennedy was married to Aristotle Onassis. She has fared no better with predictions on World War III, on when the Vietnam conflict would end, and the nominations and appointments of prominent political figures. (See further, Twentieth Century Prophecy by James Bjornstad.) Nostradamus' prophetic abilities also appear impressive on the surface. Current accounts of Nostradamus' predictions make them appear to be detailed and precise. Nostradamus wrote all his predictions in quatrains, four-line bits of verse that often read like riddles delivered in a curious mix of French, Latin and other languages. The quatrains contained references to cities, people, nations and other subjects. It is safe to say that all left great latitude for interpretation. Several writers over the years have tried to interpret his quatrains and crack open his purported prophetic secrets. The fact is, prophecies attributed to Nostradamus are nothing more than someone's best guess as to what he was saying and two different best guesses might yield entirely different prophecies, which only enhances the probability that one prophecy might be construed as having been fulfilled. One Nostradamus prophecy purportedly said that by the close of the 18th century, the Italian city of Venice would surface as a great worldly power and influence. This did not happen by the close of the 18th, nor by the 19th century. Another said that by 1700, China would subdue the whole northern section of the world. Another Nostradamus quatrain had been interpreted to forecast a great earthquake in Southern California on May 10, 1988. Many Southern Californians, either because they believed the forecast would come true or weren't sure and just wanted to play it safe, decided to take a trip out of the area around that date. The earthquake did not occur. Astrologers offered the excuse that Nostradamus' calculations were off because he did not know of the existence of several heavenly bodies, namely Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, which would have affected his calculations. It also has been shown that there are those who wish to help Nostradamus by adding years to his prophetic dates. (See further, Horoscopes and the Christian by Dr. Robert A. Morey, pp. 20-21; and PFO Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 2, April-June 1983.) Astrology fares no better when the evidence regarding twins is examined. While even the most skeptical will admit that identical physical twins share many characteristics, astro-twins are another matter. Research cited by Dr. Morey in his book, Horoscopes and the Christian, (pp. 24-28), demonstrates that many of the examples of astro- twins presented by astrology supporters are distortions of the truth or outright lies. A case study cited by Morey comes from the publication "Astrology: The Space Age Science." Two unrelated women who met for the first time in a hospital room. They both had the same name of Edna, shared a birth date, delivered a baby at the same time, both gave their baby the same name and both babies weighed the same. Further, it was claimed that their husbands had the same name and birth date, drove identical cars, worked at identical jobs and were members of the same religious denomination. The list went on and on. However, facts obtained from one of the women showed that the similarities were not as numerous as claimed. Found to be untrue were the claims about the babies' identical birth times, the husbands' identical jobs and cars, and the women's identical birth dates. This last point even disqualifies the women from being astro- twins. Finally, a study of physical twins hurts, rather than helps, the case for astrology, since both twins would have the same horoscope. While many similarities do exist, even a simple look into the lives of twins demonstrates that their lives and even their deaths are different. Imagine how many examples could be cited of twins (triplets, etc.) who have had a sibling die at birth, while the other has lived a normal- length life. Research on a more scholarly and scientific level also is being performed with physical twins apart from the implications of astrology. (For detailed articles on this see further Newsweek magazine, Nov. 23, 1987, pp. 58-69.) Another way astrologers try to defend their beliefs is to point out celebrities who consult the stars. The most timely example of this is the recent uproar over President and Nancy Reagan's purported reliance on astrology, rumors of which date back to the 1960s. The Sept. 9, 1980, issue of the National Enquirer, which like other supermarket tabloids depends heavily on stories about astrology and predictions of the future, ran a story which said: "Enquirer In-Depth Probe Reveals... Ronald Reagan Believes in Astrology. Ronald Reagan - who may soon control the nation's destiny - is a staunch believer in astrology who regularly consults astrologers before making major decisions, an Enquirer probe reveals." The article went on to state that, according to one astrologer, the selection of George Bush for Reagan's running mate was attributed to astrological charts which showed Bush to be the most compatible prospect for Reagan. Another well-known story is that Reagan was sworn in as governor of California at 12:01 a.m. of the first day of his term in 1967 because of astrological factors. The story goes further to say that the ideal time, astrologically, was 12:10 a.m., but Reagan moved it back to 12:01 so as not to arouse too much suspicion and yet be within minutes of the most auspicious time. Reagan's official explanation for the unusual swearing- in time was that he wanted to become governor as quickly as possible to prevent his predecessor from making any last-minute job appointments. Reagan recently has denied that he relies on astrology to make any policy decisions but did admit that his wife has consulted an astrologer on scheduling matters. Personal Freedom Outreach in 1983 wrote to the White House asking whether Reagan consulted astrologers. The White House reply, dated Nov. 3, 1983, was an emphatic denial: "In answer to your inquiry, the President does not consult astrologers, he has no official astrologer, he did not commission any astrologer to advise him in the selection of a running mate, nor is he responsible for the rubbish which passes for reportage in publications of dubious credibility such as the Enquirer. PFO concurs that the National Enquirer is of dubious credibility, yet the example is a telling one. ASTROLOGY IN THE BIBLE Many of those who practice astrology also claim to practice Christianity and see not conflict but harmony between the two belief systems. Jeane Dixon is among those who make such a claim. She says that each morning she asks God to reveal to her anything that would enlighten and make for a better mankind. (See A Gift of Prophecy by Ruth Montgomery, pg. 6.) Dixon claims to be a devout Roman Catholic who attends Mass regularly. Some astrologers go so far as to say that the Bible itself endorses astrology. The most frequently cited example is the claim that the magi written of in Matthew's gospel were astrologers. But a careful reading of the account shows that that notion has to be read into the account because it is not explicitly stated. While one may assume that the following of the star made the magi astrologers, the movement of the bright light mentioned in Matthew 2:9 indicates that this may have been more than a planetary conjunction and not something an astrological chart would have forecast. Another Bible passage astrologers cite in their defense is, when read in context, actually a condemnation of astrology. Isaiah 47:13 says: "You are wearied with you many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you." Sounds good, the astrologers would say. Read on: "Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by, Nor a fire to sit before! So have those become to you with whom you have labored, Who have trafficked with you from you youth; Each has wandered in his own way, There is none to say you" (Isaiah 47:14-15). FURTHER PROBLEMS Copernicus' findings were only the beginning of scientific debunking of astrology. Here are some more: Speed and refraction of light: No allowance is given, when figuring the position of the planets in casting horoscopes, that the planet is no longer where we see it in the sky when we see it. Because of the great distances light reflected off those planets must travel to get to our eyes on Earth, we see the planet where it was when that light first bounced off of it minutes or hours ago. It no longer is there. Discovery of new planets: Astrology was founded on the premise that there are seven planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and the sun. However, with the invention of telescopes came the discovery of three more planets -- Uranus, Neptune and Pluto -- and numerous moons circling around many of the planets. These are all bodies that ancient astrology did not account for. If the seven bodies of classical astrology influence our destinies, why not those discovered later? Precession of the equinoxes: Primitive astrologers supposed that Earth's rotational axis was always directed toward the star Polaris, the north star at the end of the handle of the Litter Dipper and almost at the north celestial pole. What scientists have since discovered is that the gravitational pull on the Earth from both the moon and the sun causes the Earth's axis to continually shift. In the future, the north celestial pole will move away from Polaris and toward another star. This movement causes our view of the sky to change gradually over time and its effect is called the "precession of the equinoxes." Modern astrologers ignore this phenomenon because it causes their zodiacal constellations to shift out of their familiar places. Thus when astrologers say the sun is in one house (the time of year when the sun would have "appeared" in that constellation several thousand years ago when astrology was developed) it no longer is in that house today. Dr. Morey examines the precession of the equinoxes and the problem it presents to ancient astrology. He comments: "Since the signs of the zodiac are determined by the equinoxes, the backward march of the equinoxes means that we all must move one sign backward in the zodiac. Those who thought they were born under Cancer were really born under Leo! We have all been reading the wrong horoscope columns because we all have been told the wrong signs!" (Horoscope and the Christian, pp. 38-39) SOME FINAL THOUGHTS Merrill Unger, in his book, Demons in the World Today, tells of the editor of a large daily newspaper who was forced to publish an outdated horoscope column when the new one did not arrive in time for publication. Not one of his 100,000 readers complained of the old horoscopes' irrelevance. The editor concluded he could spare himself the cost of new horoscopes and repeat the old ones. Most importantly is not the fact that science can prove or disprove astrology or that astrology works or doesn't work. What is important to Christians is what the Lord has said concerning such practices. Astrology can be regarded as nothing less than occultic. It is an attempt to gain knowledge of the future and an attempt to help better one's self apart from the God of the Bible. Some who practice astrology move on to other "guidance" methods, such as channeling and seances. The God of the Bible abhors these practices and is emphatically declares that man is to abstain from them. Leviticus 18 and 19, Deuteronomy 18 and Isaiah 47:11-15 are only a few examples of His warnings. While some astrologers claim that their talents and abilities are a gift from God, God would never give as a "gift" what He calls an abomination. Psalms 19:1 announces that "the heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." The heavens declares God's glory. Man need not look to them for direction or guidance. God has given man a written record that will do for him what astrology cannot do: Help him understand himself and those around him and, most importantly, find God. For such directions, one can only look to the Bible. Editors Note: For additional, more detailed information on astrology, PFO recommends: Horoscopes and the Christian by Dr. Robert A. Morey ($3.00) and Astrology, Revival in the Cosmic Garden by Michael Van Buskirk ($1.00). These publications are available from PFO - Missouri. Please add $.65 for postage to each order. 1988 Personal Freedom Outreach, P.O. Box 26062, Saint Louis, Missouri 63136.