Is astrology denounced in the Bible?

[Moog]

I'm not sure if this is actually hot topic or not.

Has anyone looked into this in depth? I'd like to know.

[byjove]

I thought the Catholic Church once was fine with astrology, but was late in the day that they went to battle and particularly when there was there wasn't a clear God design involved e.g. the Sun going around the Earth instead of vice versa.

The Bible is full of very clear references to the stars, isn't it? We have some members here who are devoutly Catholic and astrologers so perhaps if they find this and are interested in pitching in.

I have more information on astrology in Italy than elsewhere. During the Renaissance the Church was even an alleged participant in many things which the modern rulers have been against, astrology one of them.

[MaeMae]

"fortune telling" is considered a sin ~
something about idol worship (any form of worshipto false gods/symbols/icons)
there are several places in bible that attest to it.
as far as catholics ~ few i've ever met are bible knowlegeable. they are not instructed to read scriptures, best i've learned. otherwise, why would they worship idols like mother mary and crucifix?

[Culpeper]

No, astrology is not denounced in the Bible. According to Matthew chapter 2 and verses 1 through 12, the first people to visit Jesus were Persian astrologers, magoi, magi often left untranslated or deliberately mistranslated as wise men. In the Old Testament, which was plagiarized from the Jewish bible in the fourth century, the lines supporting astrology are Psalms 19 verses 1 through 6. I find these verses are deliberately obscured in some translations.

The church denounces astrology and takes Augustine as its authority for this. Augustine claimed that astrology worked; nevertheless, he called it satanic and gives no reasons for this conclusion. In addition, it appears to contradict Psalms 19. This is an example of dead end logic.

[MaeMae]

No, astrology is not denounced in the Bible. According to Matthew chapter 2 and verses 1 through 12, the first people to visit Jesus were Persian astrologers, magoi, magi often left untranslated or deliberately mistranslated as wise men. In the Old Testament, which was plagiarized from the Jewish bible in the fourth century, the lines supporting astrology are Psalms 19 verses 1 through 6. I find these verses are deliberately obscured in some translations.

The church denounces astrology and takes Augustine as its authority for this. Augustine claimed that astrology worked; nevertheless, he called it satanic and gives no reasons for this conclusion. In addition, it appears to contradict Psalms 19. This is an example of dead end logic.

not sure of that.
greek scriptures talk about mystcism and false prophets as sin.
i believe the principle is not to let wordly desires get in the way of god. do not fool with the dead.
stuff like that.

[Moog]

So perhaps the prohibition is against the kinds of spiritual materialism that can arise from interest and pursuit in 'occult' arts, rather than using them as a tool to aid a direct path to 'God'?

[MaeMae]

So perhaps the prohibition is against the kinds of spiritual materialism that can arise from interest and pursuit in 'occult' arts, rather than using them as a tool to aid a direct path to 'God'?

greek scriptures state specifically, the only way to God is through Jesus Christ.

[MaeMae]

hebrew scriptures set forth the prognosis of human's rejection/disobey-ance of God. Plus the laws of physical survival.

[Kaiousei no Senshi]

I think the fact that Persian astrologers came to see the infant Jesus is an irrelevent detail to either side of the argument.

Fortune telling is considered sinful, and I'm sure any form of prognostication wasn't something that was exactly Kosher. Observational astrology probably isn't denounced (referencing the infamous "the stars are to be signs" verse which implies using the stars as calendrical devices), but the idea that judicial astrology would be okay just seems awkward. Divination is not a good thing in Christianity. Does anyone remember the big fight they had over if non-clergyman could even communicate with God? We sort of take it for granted now, but these are things that people were charged with heresey about.

[Anachiel]

Well, it's been made to denounce everything else when convenient or needed so, I'd say it's all in the timing. ;)

Besides, whatever book has been made "holy" is usually only after they have been translated, re-written, translated some more, edited to be more palpable or modern and then re-written again...all over 1000 years or more of heresay....Gee, I would definitely have to take that with a grain of salt.

http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=729&pictureid=4473

[dr. farr]

Augustine denounced astrology as demonic; this broke with an earlier tradition of seeing astrology as interpeting the "hand of God" writing in the sky (Origen, and other earlier Christian Fathers, and mystical Christianity, largely held this latter outlook)
There was a back and forth about the Christian legitimacy of astrology for centuries in the West (note that Lilly entitled his 3 volume work "CHRISTIAN Astrology", in an effort to have it accepted as part of the Christian tradition);
a final Papal Bull (around the 15-17th centuries) disallowed astrological predictions, but allowed application of astrological procedures in agriculture (planting, etc based on astrological considerations), weather forecasting, and medical astrology. Horary astrology was always considered suspect (as outright fortune-telling) Natal was a mixed bag, with periods of ecclesiastical tolerance alternating with periods of rejection.

In Islam, there was a centuries long period of general acceptance of astrological methods including prediction; this tolerance began to change around the 13-15th century times, and over the past several hundred years Islam has generally rejected astrology (in certain Islamic countries today, such as Saudi Arabia for example, public practice of astrology can carry extreme civil penalties-a couple of years ago an astrologer almost received the death penalty in Saudi Arabia for the public practice of our art-he was saved by an international outcry)

[JUPITERASC]

Here's some interesting thinking on Astrology in the Bible :smile: "There shall be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars." - Jesus Christ, Luke 21:25 http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen13.html


“The Bible is filled with references to astrology. This is because astrology was widely accepted as truth in Biblical times. Christians who believe that astrology is Satanic would be surprised to learn that the Bible is filled with astrology and even Jesus himself made numerous references to astrology.”


People believed in the study of the stars in Biblical times. Everyone knew the influence of the sun on the Earth, and the sun was a star. It certainly made a pattern, so far as life on Earth was concerned - it shaped everything, or at least nourished everything - and the shape had to be such as to allow the sun to give life to it.

The concept of the zodiac is ancient, with roots in early Mesopotamia. Astrology is possibly the oldest religion created by humans. Twelve-sign zodiacs were named after gods of these cultures. Greeks adopted astrology from Babylonians, and Romans then adopted astrology from the Greeks. These cultures renamed the signs of the Mesopotamian zodiac to symbols of their own mythologies. This is why the familiar zodiac of the contemporary West bears names out of Mediterranean mythology.

"The concept of reincarnation is a necessary tenet of astrology. The notions of reincarnation and karma together explain why some people are born into lucky circumstances and others into unfortunate conditions. For astrologers concerned with the question of why some people are born into a life of hardship written large across their horoscopes and other people seem to be born under a lucky star, reincarnation and karma prove important explanatory tools to understand divine justice. Reincarnation also provides a framework for explaining why a person has certain personality traits. They are carry-overs from past lifetimes”

[MaeMae]

of course astrology is in the bible.
denounced in christian greek scriptures.
ominous in hebrew scriptures.
do many of you seriously try to re.ational your astrology with scriptual truth? what ever works for you? easter eggs and christmas trees and jesus?
forgiveness on Sunday of regular sins committed during week?
Admit that you're willful sinners and get on with it if you call yourself Christians. Nothing wrong in that.
Except damnation.

[poyi]

Some interesting personal experiences.

I actually know God through learning Chinese Astrology and now Western astrology because I can clearly SEE the work of One God in every horoscope. It is God that created all the stars and planets. He arranged them without any mistake and always in order. There is no way, an astrologer will ever be able to deny the existence of God.

In the Bible, the beginning is God creating heaven and earth. I don't think He made stars and planets just to look pretty in the sky. He plans and He does everything with purposes. In this case, astrology is study of knowing the quests and plan that God had prepared for you. Again this is my personal's views.

Astrology is a tool it neither good or bad. It is good because the astrologer uses it in a good way assist her/himself to understand the meaning of life and help the other who is not able to understand astrology. It is bad when people use it to make money and attempt to alter FATE.

A real good astrologer, should know that predestined life is clearly written before a person's birth. Again this is my opinion, don't get upset if you don't agree. There are FORCES clearly described in your own horoscope that as human beings you have no control to alter the planets above your head. BUT! The easier way is to know your own horoscope and surrender. :innocent:

[JUPITERASC]

Some interesting personal experiences.

A real good astrologer, should know that predestined life is clearly written before a person's birth. Again this is my opinion, don't get upset if you don't agree. There are FORCES clearly described in your own horoscope that as human beings you have no control to alter the planets above your head. BUT! The easier way is to know your own horoscope and surrender. :innocent:
With reference to your comment on predestined life poyi, the following link may be of interest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTtU7akrfQ:smile: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTtU7akrfQ)

[poyi]

With reference to your comment on predestined life poyi, the following link may be of interest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTtU7akrfQ:smile: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTtU7akrfQ)

This is an interesting video.

Funny enough when I was about the age of 6 or 7 I had a dream about God asking me what I want to be in this life. I never know rather that dream was real or not. Mystery! hahaha

On the other hand, when you look at horoscopes, for example, some people were born to have some indicators of a murderer and later on they committed. Then I wonder how God's justice be hold here?? Just in theory that such person was born to have those genes I should say. How could God say that he committed sin and this man should be response to his own acts? Hmmmm I think about this a lot. But then if a native had choices to choose his path before birth then everything will make a lot more sense!!

Anyway, this is my leisure thoughts about God. He surely is existed and I wonder how things work around human and Him. :sideways: