Is astrology against christianity?

I've had christians tell me that astrology is wrong because it attempts to understand god's divine plan through something other than the bible.

I've also had christians tell me that astrology is evil "just cuz", without even really being able to give a logical reason why.

I think that astrology challenges us to open our minds to new ideas and possibilities, and christianity bullies people into closing their minds.

I don't believe so. A friend of mine who is a great researcher and once attended seminary said there are many astrological references in the Bible, actually. The three wise men, besides being astronomers, were also believed to be astrologers. As for the Star of Bethlehem, my minister--who has no astrological training--said that it is believed to have been the conjunction of three planets actually--I believe Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.

Interesting, huh?

EJ

Because he put his political enemies' ancestors and those he disagreed with in Hell and his friends and family and people he liked elsewhere

Click to expand...

That's true. He did. Poetic revenge. Maybe it ought to be called the Divine Gossip.

But surely he did still try to synthesise the ideas about the cosmos put forward by Plato and Aristotle, whom he acknowldeged as 'noble pagans' in Limbo, admittedly, but also with people who were authorities, such as Aquinas?

He had these authorities dancing in an ecstatic synthesis of ideas in the solar heaven, in Paradise (by now they are beyond competitiveness or disagreements, the 7 deadly sins).

He had good Christians enjoying Heaven is 7 planetary sojourns, though in keeping with the Gnostics in fact (surprised the Inquisition weren't around), the 8th Heaven surpassed all of the 7 planets.

The one thing I can think of in the Bible that speaks ill (really more or less remotely) of astrology is... and I cannot remember the book, chapter, and verse... where the Bible warns against "divination" etc., and some people consider astrology to be divination, aka (in their opinion) "seeing their fate in the stars", etc. The irony here is--if that's a proper phrase to use--astrology has never been about fate minus free will. If anything, it's the combination of fate and free will.

I am of the Wiccan kind and a what you call a Witch, I have a husband and many friends of my Kind who are also Witches..
Warlock is a slang term here in Florida for those who like the Dark Magick that harms..
So it is an offensive term to males in this corner of the World..
~Carrie

Now my take : no I don't think it is. I think the two can be combined. I don't see astrology as a tool of divination as such. Well, maybe horary could be getting there, but nothing other than that....just a fairly obvious influence of celestial bodies on a human psyche...that's all. Therefore, no, I don't think so.

Also, I don't believe that Christianity teaches people to close their minds. I know lots of ignorant Christians, who happen to be people, and you know, I actually know a lot of ignorant PEOPLE. They're everywhere, in every shape and form.

I think that astrology has actually made me choose to be much more spiritual. Now I could have said "astrology has made me much more spiritual" but it was I who made the choice to become spiritual on my journey learning this art.

When people need answers where can they look but to the skies? (that is how I feel as a Christian and a participator in astrology)

Re: Is astrology against Christianity?

You can read an article about this on wikipedia, but it is edited by the public. According to the article we are placed against scientific reasoning which most christian denominations prefer, and basically Astrology is considered superstitious. I personally have no problem with any type of religion, and we can choose what we want to believe in. As an individual who practices astrology I have nothing against anybody. As a group we are attacked for our beliefs, and this is nothing new, it has been this way for thousands of years. We are still developing our art to this day. If there is no truth in astrology why are 'they' so worried about what we do? In Mythology Jupiter (Zeus) punished Prometheus (Uranus) for stealing fire from the Gods and enlightening mankind. Our society is filled with teachings, information, and 'truth' that is kept hidden from us.

There was some interesting information in the article about astrology, it's rise and fall in society. At one time we were respected advisers, and then our art fell back into superstitious nonsense. Apparently the Roman Catholic opinion of astrology was not enthusiastic. Some leeway was made, but not for personal divination's or horary.

This according to the Catholic Encyclopedia:
http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/currenterrors/astrology.htm
[deleted overly-long quote of copyrighted text and replaced with link Moderator]

Subsequently, this source described the eventual disintegration of astrology in popular, educated Western Christianity due to the perceived superiority of the Copernican system, the rise of experimental investigation in the natural sciences, and disillusionment of the people abused by the "pseudo-prophetic wisdom" of this "astrological humbug."However, as the nineteenth century waned and the twentieth century began, a renewed interest was sparked in "the peasant" and astrology became quite popular again despite its unscientific mysticism.

Next time anyone tells you Christianity is opposed to astrology, ask them this:

"Since it was impossible to be considered a "Magi" back then and NOT know Astrology, and since the Three Wise Men apparently used it to find Baby Jesus ("For we have seen his star..."), why didn't anyone tell the Three Wise Men they used The Devil's Craft to find the Messiah?"

Gets 'em every time.

They think astrology is against christianity because they depict astrologers as wizards and witches, in contact with supernatural forces. Or they think astrology is a religion too that competes with christianism and leads people astray.

There were a lot of astrologers who confirmed that reputation by creating secret and mystical branches, with dogmas, rituals and obscure gatherings. And anyhow those who weren't interested in that way didn't do much to deny, they passively let that reputation linger. And as a vast majority of astrologers had to hide that didn't help either. I think things are changing, people no longer focus on the conflict astrology vs. christianism.

Astrology is not only approached as a practice but as a philosophy too. Practicing astrology implies some ideas about the universe, human being, death, time, men and women, life, beginning and ending, soul, etc. and how all those things work together. To some people astrology is a kind of lifestyle. As astrology has a spiritual and philosophical part, a conflict with religion was expectable (all the more because religion doesn't allow any other dogma).

There is also a mention of the four fixed signs in the book of revelations. The bull, the lion, the eagle, and the man.

may be few aspects of astrology which talk of karma and past lives (ofcourse horoscope is formed based on them) are against few religions thought many people believe them

Well, it could be against at least some things about Christianity. From what I recall, Jesus Christ is prophesied to resurrect and take over the world, ruling it in peace for 1000 years, any time now. The age of Aquarius is prophesied to start soon too, though there is varied disagreement about when it starts. The age of Aquarius is supposedly 2000 years long. It's supposed to supplant the Piscean Christian era. Aquarius is the sign of the rebel and the iconoclast! Maybe it is a plot to save the world from the Christians, or maybe the Christians need to save the world from the astrologers before the age of Capricorn becomes immanent! Capricorns are notoriously Satanic on some level. Then again, Jesus was a Capricorn.

I am a Christian who believes in Astrology. I also knew about the Bible verses and had always thought the Wise men to be astrologers. What led them to Jesus? A star.

To me astrology is a science not a religion...two different things. And I worship The Creator over what he created. Yet we can use what he created as tools to see what's ahead. I think that's similar to meterology where folks watch the clouds to know the weather. We watch the planets to know what they will bring.

I cant see any evidence of astrolgy discriminating against christianity....I do notice that our belief systems and background religions rarely become the subject of discussion in general astrology subjects.

I think this is a great place because of that.....there is a respect here.


FleaXX

I agree Flea....it's great to see. I know that when I post I will state my belief's....but it doesn't mean I'm demeaning another persons belief's.

To me it would be a boring world if we were all alike. I enjoy the differences and learning about other cultures, etc.

In additiona I find it quite fascinating how astrology holds together for so many religions and cultures...it has a habit of crossing boundaries.............

I attended a Christian church for eight years of my life. This particular church happened to be a "new age worship center" type deal. In essence, it was not Catholic or Baptist or Presbyterian; anyone who believed in Jesus could worship there. We often had guest speakers who were of this "new Christian" breed, and it was actually somewhat tolerable. One of the things I learned from a speaker, who did not seem hypocritical and condemning as most do, was that one of God's most important "demands" is that you have faith in him, and only him. I think if you spoke to most rational, non-conservative Christians today, they would agree that astrology might lead someone to faith in the stars, instead of faith in God. That, I believe, is the most sound and logical Christian argument against astrology, and it is not extreme or offensive in any way. If anyone ever brings up any other reason, I simply dismiss them as ignorant, most of the time. I myself am not Christian, but I try to be respectful of all religions and paths.

Often people try to say things are against God's laws, like homosexuality. I love to ask them if they consume alcohol or shellfish, wear clothes made of two different fabrics, or plant more than one crop in the same field, as these are also laws mentioned right along with the sexuality laws that most Christians seem to conveniently miss.

I get your point EA....I wonder if the stars and God are separate entities....I suspect they are not, just all part of the whole.

FleaXXX