ASTROLOGY
What Does Your Horoscope Really Say?
By Belinda Elliott
CBN.com Daily Life Producer
CBN.com –
Open nearly any newspaper or magazine and it is there –
usually in the back pages. For some people it’s the first
place they turn. It’s the horoscope. Will today be a good
day? Is romance headed my way? Is there a future for myself and
that special someone?
What is it that makes us want to know our future? And why would
we think the movement of the planets would somehow hold the answers?
And if they do hold the answers, then why do horoscopes for the
same day vary in what they say? For example, last summer, just
out of curiosity, I checked my horoscope one day on three different
Web sites. What I found were three completely different readings.
And try as I may I couldn’t make any of them fit with that
day’s events.
Horoscope number one sounded somewhat helpful: “A full
moon in your fourth house of home and family tomorrow could unearth
a secret you've been hiding from your family. If you have done
something you don't want anyone to know about, it might be time
to 'fess up — before you get caught!” (July 30;
YM.com)
I wish someone would tell me where my fourth house is (as well
as my second and third), but I do love a full moon, so I guess
all is well. And I have been hiding that sweater that I received
for Christmas in the hopes that it would be forgotten by the person
who gave it to me…maybe that’s what the big secret
is.
Horoscope number two seemed more mysterious. “Communicate
your feelings to friends today, especially if you're disappointed
in the way they're treating you. The void moon gives you a chance
to tie up loose ends, either in a social situation like this or
with a team you belong to. Saturn allows you to put your thoughts
together, but don't be too inhibited to let the truth come out.”
(July 30; Seventeen.com)
I have no clue what a void moon is, or why Saturn cares about
my jumbled thoughts, but in any case it is true that I am rarely
“too inhibited to let the truth come out” which is
why I feel the need to point out the ridiculous nature of horoscopes.
Horoscope number three: “You've got enough energy to
handle even the toughest challenges today, Scorpio. This isn't
a time to just get by or to avoid difficulties. Nope, you don't
need to look for trouble, but if there are problems that you want
to solve, this is the day to take them on. Or, if you want to
raise your public profile, the moment is right for taking some
creative risks.” --Jeff Jawer (July 30; cosmogirl.com)
Notice this horoscope lists an author. A little research enlightened
me to the fact that Jeff Jawer is well known in the astrological
community. He operates an astrology Web site and holds a B.A.
in “The History and Science of Astrology” from the
University of Massachusetts at Amherst and is a sought-after lecturer
for astrology conferences around the world.
I can only guess that the other horoscopes which did not list
an author, were probably written by what astrologers would consider
amateurs in their field – most likely college students who
supplement their education with freelance writing jobs. Trust
me, I've been one of those "will write for food" students.
Whether penned by a “professional” or not, the authorship
did not seem to have any effect on the accuracy of the predictions.
While Jawer’s nicely crafted pep talk did motivate me to
tackle that last-minute packing I had left to do before moving
out of my apartment that weekend, I can’t say that any of
his advice or predictions came to pass in the days that followed.
Either these three horoscopes were bogus and totally irrelevant
to my life, or I am just not looking hard enough to see the similarities.
While astrology is a serious business to some folks, others will
tell you it is merely entertainment. Even most magazines and Web
sites seem to put little stock in the idea that horoscopes offer
reliable information. Most of them post “for entertainment
purposes only” near their horoscopes.
If horoscopes are purely for entertainment, what is the big deal?
Does it really matter that my friends and I read our horoscopes
just for fun?
To God it does matter.
In the Old Testament, as Israel was being led by God to the Promised
Land, He warned them not to practice divination as many of the
nations around them were doing.
“Divination” is defined as “the art or practice
that seeks to foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden
knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid
of supernatural powers.” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
In today’s culture this includes horoscopes, palm readers,
tarot cards, crystal balls, tea leaves, numerology, sorcery, and
any other means people use to try to predict the future.
God warns the Israelistes twice in Deuteronomy 18. In verses
10-11 He says, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices
his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery,
interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who
is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”
In verse 14 He says, “The nations you will dispossess
listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for
you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.”
It is clear that this was one area in which the Lord wanted His
people set apart from the ways of the worldly non-believers around
them. The Bible also records the consequences for those who did
not listen.
I Chronicles 10:13-14 reports the death of King Saul. “Saul
died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the
word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, and
did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and
turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.”
As much as we would sometimes like to know the future, I believe
that God in His infinite wisdom often keeps us in the dark with
good reason. Many times if we knew what lay around the next bend
in life, it would be too much for us to handle. Instead, He provides
us with the wisdom and grace we need for today and asks that we
trust Him with all of our tomorrows.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encouraged His followers with
the message that God would provide for their needs. Matthew 6:25-34
tells us that we are precious to Him. He cares deeply for each
of us and He is concerned with even the smallest details of our
lives. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”
(Matt. 6:34).
If we follow this advice, and that found in 1 Peter 5:7 –
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”
-- we can rest securely in the knowledge that God is in control
and working in every situation we face in our lives. The Creator
who made us knows us better and loves us more than any astrologer
we could find.
As the line from one of my favorite Carman songs says, “If
you're born again you don't need to look to the stars for your
answers, cause you can look to the very One who made those stars.”
You can find peace with God -- learn how.
Comments? Email me
More articles by Belinda on CBN.com
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