Astrology Makes a Comeback!

His Majesty’s ladylove lay dead. The grief-stricken king summoned before him the astrologer who had predicted this tragedy. Filled with murderous intent, the king said: “You pretend to be so clever and learned. Tell me, what will your fate be?”

“Sir,” he replied, “I foresee that I shall die three days before Your Majesty.” Quick thinking saved this astrologer’s life!

WHETHER this story is true or not, it does illustrate the fact that in previous centuries astrologers were taken quite seriously, even by ruling monarchs. Regarding Louis XI of France, one historian wrote: “A swarm of astrologers . . . preyed upon his fears​—and his purse.” During the 15th and 16th centuries, astrology’s popularity reached its peak in Europe. Even prominent scientists believed in it.

Astrology’s rising star, though, soon began to fall. “One glance through the telescope,” admits the book Astrology​—The Celestial Mirror, “and a whole cosmology was blown away. . . . Astrology was cast out by the rising authority of scientific reason.” European universities banned it. And by the turn of the 20th century, historian Bouché-Leclercq described Western astrology as “definitively dead.”

Over 30 years ago, a Gallup poll in England revealed that only 6 percent of those polled believed in astrology. Now 80 percent reportedly do! And magazines, TV programs, and newspapers report a growing public interest in astrology in other countries. “The first thing I read when I get my newspaper,” one South African man told an Awake! correspondent, “is the stars.”

Why such a rebirth? When asked why she and others consult astrologers, an Italian woman answered: “Too many things in this world are going wrong.” Yes, we live in “critical times hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1) And some people feel that astrology gives them needed guidance. Astrology’s star has thus risen again. Books on the subject have proliferated. The expression “What’s your sign?” has become a popular conversation opener. Some individuals even refuse to date if they do not have compatible “signs.”a

For all their popularity, though, astrological predictions are still based on a rather dubious premise: that the positions of the sun, moon, and planets at the time of one’s birth reveal both one’s personality and one’s future. Nevertheless, professional astrologers do not hesitate to write out horoscopes ranging from a few lines to many pages​—depending on how much one is willing to pay. According to the magazine Psychology Today, “millions of dollars are spent on casting horoscopes.” Indeed, American scientist John Wheeler recently lamented that his country could “afford 20,000 astrologers and only 2000 astronomers.”

So strong is astrology’s comeback in Western nations that the late Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung wrote: “It knocks at the doors of the universities from which it was banished some 300 years ago.” In fact, a number of Western universities now offer courses in astrology. ‘Could there be some truth to astrology?’ a person might ask.

[Footnotes]

Your Future​—Is It Written in the Stars?

It is an October morning in the ancient city of Babylon. From atop a towering ziggurat, a priest beholds an important sign over on the eastern horizon! The constellation of Scorpio briefly rises before slowly fading beneath the advancing dawn.

TO THE superstitious Babylonians, this was most significant. Their stargazers had long noted that the stars of a certain constellation seemed to resemble a scorpion with a large curling tail. It was thus named girtab, or Scorpio. They imagined that this group of stars actually had the characteristics of a scorpion. As the scorpion is a nocturnal creature, Scorpio seemed a fitting symbol of darkness. Its brief appearance at dawn every October signaled the approach of winter.

In his book The Truth About Astrology, Dr. Michel Gauquelin explains: “They projected the earthly scorpion into the sky, and that, in its turn, was supposed to have an influence on those born under that constellation. This kind of astrological inversion still goes on today. Modern textbooks state that when the Sun moves into Scorpio at the time of birth, it confers on the newborn child some of the characteristics of the scorpion​—a dangerous, aggressive and courageous insect [arachnid], with a fearsome sting.”

Is It Scientific?

The sun no longer rises with Scorpio during October. Over the centuries, the earth’s relationship to the constellations has gradually altered. Now during October the sun instead moves into the constellation of Libra (Latin for “scales”), which is said to confer qualities such as charm and ease. Quite different from Scorpio!

While Eastern astrologers have kept up-to-date with these celestial changes, most of their Western colleagues have not. They thus base their predictions on a heavenly scheme that is some 2,000 years old! Regarding this, Drs. H. J. Eysenck and D. K. B. Nias state: “If Western astrologers are right in making any particular interpretation, Eastern astrologers are wrong, and vice versa. Yet both sides claim to be extremely successful!”

This alone sheds much doubt on the reliability of astrology. In addition, one psychologist examined the marriage and divorce records of 3,456 couples. Did the compatibility of their astrological signs have any bearing upon the success or failure of their marriages? According to Science 84 magazine: “Incompatible signs got married​—and divorced—​as often as the compatible ones.”

Astrologers counter by saying that the sun sign, on its own, is of little significance and must be considered together with planetary influences. But this also creates problems because the Babylonians believed in the influence of only five planetary gods​—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The telescope, however, has revealed three more​—Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. This has caused confusion among astrologers. “Some astrologers,” writes Louis MacNeice in his book Astrology, “made these an excuse for the inaccuracies of their predecessors; but others . . . argued that these new planets could not influence human beings because they could not be seen with the naked eye.” Most Eastern astrologers therefore ignore the distant planets. Western astrologers, though, attach great significance to them.

The time selected as the basis for a horoscope also raises questions. Most astrologers use the moment of birth. But the law of genetics says that hereditary traits are passed on to offspring at conception, not at birth. According to the book Astrology: Science or Superstition?, the ancient astrologer Ptolemy “neatly side-stepped this by claiming that birth will be under the same constellation as reigned at the time of conception, although there is in fact no reason at all to suppose that it is.”

Scientists React

Many scientists have therefore become alarmed at the growing acceptance of astrology. In 1975, 19 Nobel prize winners, together with other scientists, issued a manifesto entitled: “Objections to Astrology​—A Statement by 192 Leading Scientists.” It declared:

“In ancient times people . . . looked upon celestial objects as abodes or omens of the Gods and thus intimately connected with events here on earth; they had no concept of the vast distances from the earth to the planets and stars. Now that these distances can and have been calculated, we can see how infinitesimally small are the gravitational and other effects produced by the distant planets and the far more distant stars. It is simply a mistake to imagine that the forces exerted by stars and planets at the moment of birth can in any way shape our futures.”

Astrology​—Is It Harmless Fun?

RECENTLY, British astronomer Patrick Moore said: “It is quite ridiculous to think that lives and destinies are controlled by stars . . . [Astrology] is all pretty harmless stuff, but as any kind of science it is quite baseless.”

Looking at matters from a purely practical viewpoint, however, one is forced to conclude that astrology is anything but harmless.

‘Blame It on the Stars!’

One of the most obvious dangers is the fact that astrology discourages people from taking responsibility for their actions. Take marriage, for example. Stated one South African astrologer regarding couples with incompatible horoscopes: “I have told several people their marriage has no chance, that they should get divorced.”

But consider: Is it reasonable to end a marriage because stars and planets are badly matched? Would it not be better for couples having problems to take responsibility for their actions and seek help? The Bible contains much practical advice for solving marriage problems. (See, for example, Ephesians 5:22-25.) And many who have applied it have found it to be just the right help and have saved their marriages. This is surely better than blaming one’s problems on the stars!

And what about the numerous mistakes that we make in life? Is it healthy to turn to astrology for justification? Some years ago, a man from Miami, Florida, (U.S.A.) was charged with robbery, rape, and assault. His defense? He rounded up three astrologers who claimed he could not cope because of “disharmonious alignment of the planets.” Following this sort of reasoning could only harden one in a course of wrongdoing.

Also, think if responsible people, such as national leaders, begin looking to the stars for guidance. In the book Human Destiny​—The Psychology of Astrology, Gwyn Turner gives this chilling reminder: “Kings and Rulers of the past always had their Astrologers by their side and even as late as the second world war a Hungarian Astrologer, Louis de Wohl, was quietly employed by the British War Office.” He provided the British with predictions of success of certain officers and victories in certain battles. He was also able to tell the British War Office what advice Hitler was getting from his astrologers according to his horoscope. Some even claim that a number of politicians today look to the stars for guidance.

Does it seem harmless to you that life-and-death decisions may hinge on the position of the planets?

Behind the Power of Prediction

At times astrological predictions do come true. But is it really because of reading the stars? A few years back, the late psychologist Vernon Clark tested the abilities of some astrologers. He gave them ten case histories and asked the astrologers to match each with one of a pair of horoscopes. The astrologers were remarkably successful! Three astrologers were even able to match all of them correctly!

American astrologer Dal Lee got seven out of ten right. But what accounted for his success? Apparently more than reading the stars was involved. “It should have taken an astrologist at least half an hour to evaluate each theme, that is to say, ten hours in all,” Lee reportedly said. Yet, because he was busy at the time, Lee “only gave a minute to each theme.” Admittedly, then, his success was not “purely astrological.” Confessed Lee: “I believe rather that it was a case of ‘extra-sensory perception.’”

Interestingly, a number of astrologers have similarly admitted to using what amounts to occult power. This is of concern to people interested in pleasing God. For at Isaiah 1:13, God pointedly says: “I cannot put up with the use of uncanny power.” Why? The Bible shows that people manifesting predictive powers are often under the control or influence of demonic spirit forces. (Compare Acts 16:16-18.) Astrological predictions may therefore at times be nothing less than the utterances of demons​—avowed enemies of God and of the people who serve him! Only harm could come to anyone who seeks demonic guidance!

Astrology​—A Religion?

Some, though, claim that their interest in astrology is only casual. Yet what often starts off as a casual interest can develop into something akin to religious devotion. One scientist who signed the aforementioned declaration against astrology said: “To some, astrology is doubtless a kind of escape . . . To others, astrology has become a divine revelation, a pure truth​—that is, a genuine religion.” Authorities say there is a tendency for some to allow horoscope predictions to become self-fulfilling prophecies. When astrology controls a person this much, it has indeed become like a religion.

Astrology actually did become an official part of the religion of ancient Babylon. But did this religion work to her benefit? On the contrary, the Bible contains this pronouncement against ancient Babylon: “You have grown weary with the multitude of your counselors. Let them stand up, now, and save you, the worshipers of the heavens, the astrologers, those giving out knowledge at the new moons concerning the things that will come upon you.” (Isaiah 47:13, Ref. Bi., footnote) The predictions of Babylon’s astrologers were unable to save the city from falling into permanent ruin.​—Isaiah 13:19, 20.

Interestingly, though, Babylon’s religious influence survived her. “From Babylonia,” states the book A History of Astrology, “the Chaldeans carried astrology into Egypt, and more importantly into Greece.”

Following the religion of astrology is thus dangerous. Why? Because according to the Bible, all religions that are based on Babylonian beliefs are scheduled for destruction. Indeed, ancient Babylon’s fall points to this future devastation. At Revelation 18:4, we are warned: “Get out of her [Babylonish organization], my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.”

Astrology can thus hardly be termed ‘harmless fun.’ (Compare Deuteronomy 18:10-12.) Following it could be the first step to falling under dangerous, demonic influences and losing one’s friendship with God! (2 Corinthians 6:17, 18) True, all of us need guidance. But how much safer and better it is to turn to the Bible for guidance! (Psalm 119:105) Those who heed God’s Word gain practical help in coping with life’s problems, something astrology fails to give.

[Picture on page 8]

Stated one South African astrologer: “I have told several people their marriage has no chance, that they should get divorced”

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Ancient Babylon’s reliance on astrology did not prevent her ruin