Wednesday, 16 July 2008
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Is it Bad For Christians to Read Horoscopes?
After growing up in a tight-knit, conservative Christian community where even Harry Potter was frowned upon, I reacted a little bit strongly when my college roommates started bragging about their horoscopes. Roommate: I need to wear more makeup today. According to my astrological reading, I'm supposed to meet a dark and handsome stranger in the shadows this afternoon.
Me: Do you seriously believe in that stuff?
Roommate: Well, it's kind of weird how true it can be.
Me: You're delusional.I wanted to ask how people who find it ludicrous that I believe in an all-powerful, personal deity put their faith in giant balls of gas. After hearing about horoscopes for awhile, though, I began to take them less seriously. I don't actively keep up with my horoscope because I just can't be bothered. The thing is, a lot of people say that they don't use horoscopes to predict the future, but rather, as reminders of things to reflect on. For instance, I looked at my Daily Single Love Reading today, which says:
Getting along well with others is key if you want to accomplish anything today. Mood swings and temper tantrums block your chances of success. Put your differences aside and work as a team.While I had no problem cooperating with people at work today, it's true that I need to mind my emotions when finishing projects with others. Interesting. Let's check out my Scorpio traits:
Strengths: loyal, passionate, resourceful, observant, dynamic
Weaknesses: jealous obsessive, suspicious, manipulative, unyielding
*Scorpios are fiercely independent and will accomplish anything they put their mind to. They do best when on their own. They are not very social.
*Scorpios are the most misunderstood of all astrology signs. They are all about intensity and contradictions. They like to be in touch with a situation and always know what's going on, figuring this out with their probing mind....To be honest, all of that is eerily true...but at the same time, it's unsurprisingly generic.
Yeah, so the horoscope was a good reminder, and yes, it does apply to me, but it's impersonal, blanket advice. My Scorpio characteristics are more of common human emotions that everyone goes through; I'm sure if someone put an Aquarius' description in front of me, I'd relate to it. I think today's reading could apply to just about anyone.The reason I don't read horoscopes is not because I'm convicted that they're witchcraft and sorcery, as the Bible insinuates, but because I believe in a personal God who DOES know me in and out - a God who "knit me in my mother's womb," as the Psalm goes.
Admittedly, God's answers can come far more slowly (and far more vaguely) than my horoscope reading, but in the end, they are the ones that I remember and actually apply.I'm not so much convicted about horoscope-reading being a sin as convinced that it's pointless for me...if anything, I might skim them when I'm bored, but I know that other people (Christians and non-Christians alike) feel differently about the nature of the zodiac. After all, the Bible blatantly tells us to avoid fortune-telling activities, but then again...that culture took those things way more seriously than our culture does, which, for the most part, has reduced horoscope readings to cute little desktop widgets or Firefox extensions.
Do you have a problem with horoscopes? Is it okay for Christians to read them, as long as they don't use them for serious purposes?
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Comments (95)
I don't read my horoscope. It is a waste of my time and energy. I find the very few times I have my mind has been focused on the "forcast" and not on the Lord. It is one of those self-fullfilling prophecies. We tend to find ways to make why our readings say as being true. We will twist it and manipulate it to suit our preconcieved notions.
First, eProps for having the guts to write about a topic that could get heated. You are correct in stating horoscopes offer "blanket advice" which explains why people hang on those words... the descriptions can apply to anyone. My next comments are meant to think through a couple of items together. BTW, the bold is added to pique your readers' interest and not meant to seem like yelling.
According to this post, "that culture took those things way more seriously than our culture does". Perhaps, but consider this... According to Google, the number of searches (monthly average) for horoscope is over 2.2 million and over 1.8 million for horoscopes. Total of over 4 million searches each month for just those 2 terms. If we include other U.S. search engines and horoscope search phrases, the number easily soars 2-3 times (probably more). Granted this includes searches from people who are not on American soil, but that is a small percentage. If horoscopes are "cute little desktop widgets or Firefox extensions", they are also used very religiously. Even at 1 million "followers," horoscopes make a top U.S. religion (U.S. 2007 population is ~300 million). I should mention I found these stats because your post caused me to think. As you have helped me think through what is true, I hope this will also help you think through this from a different perspective.
And perhaps I misunderstood your statement about "witchcraft and sorcery, as the Bible insinuates". This statement sounds like you believe the Bible includes horoscopes within witchcraft and sorcery yet the overall tone of this post sounds as if you do not think the Bible is correct. I bring this up because the Bible is either true or false. If the Bible contains fallacies, it's unreliable. But it is not. As we wrestle through the Bible, we will find that it is true. If I misunderstood your position, I apologize.
Finally, to answer your question: I don't think Christians should read horoscopes, but reading a horoscope is not a sin in itself. When we approach horoscopes as entertainment, we begin to desensitize ourselves and make it increasingly acceptable. We need to think critically and wrestle with issues to find what is true. 2 Corinthians 10:5 puts it this way, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." I know I'm human and I'm wrong in many areas. But nothing beats the knowledge of God. Let's read God's Word, wrestle to find what is true, and allow Jesus Christ to live in and through us.
When i was wyounger and went to private school - we were taught that horoscopes were from the devil - black magic bullcrap...
i read them now.. .dont usually believe them but i like to read them
@lauralen@xanga -It's about moderation. It's about intent. But most importantly, it's about our relationship with God. Not the tabloid headline we happened to read while waiting in line at the grocery store.
Amen and amen again. You took the words right out of my mouth (except I wouldn't have said it so nicely, so kudos to you).
witchcraft and sorcery?! hahahahah!!!
feng shui must drive you nuts then. all that running water and weirdly positioned furniture.
did you forget that the bible is not some book that just fell from the sky, written by the hand of God? it's written by people who wanted everyone to convert to their religion. and back in those days, condemning other religions was the method used.
God works in many ways. Christianity isn't the only way. there are people out there (look hard, you might find a few) who are incredibly good and they're not at all Christian. some of them have a different religious faith. some have no religious faith at all.
besides... a little bit of witchcraft as entertainment never killed anyone. mind you, it did get the witches killed by the Christians who lynched them.
Did you ever consider that maybe God put the patterns and what not in the stars and designed humans to be effected by the way the stars are aligned... and then one day some guy a thousand years ago figured out some pattern and called it astrology?
jeez, it's just a horoscope.
if you're going to get fired up about something, why not an issue that actually harms other people?
yes
Fake horoscopes are fake.
@UFFda_oyVEY@xanga - Not sure if you ever received a satisfactory reply to your questions. If you have I'm sorry for belaboring the point, but since I didn't read this post til today I don't know if you got what you wanted. In that light I will try to explain, why Christians don't keep the whole of Levitical law.
To understand the requirements of Levitical, or more commonly known as Mosaic Law, You first have to understand what a covenant is. Covenant is a form of contract. In this case we are talking about the Mosaic Covenant, since the contract is technically made by God with Moses on behalf of the Hebrew people. Like any contract each side has responsibilities. God's responsibility is to cherish Israel as His most special people.
God promises to care for the Israelites, prosper them, protect them, and to make them something so spectacular that all the peoples of the world will be envious. God's point was to do such great things for Israel that all the rest of the world would want to get in on the great things Israel had, and so would turn to the God of Israel as their God as well.
God's plan failed miserably because Israel couldn't keep their part of the contract. Remember that each party in the contract has obligations to the other. God was to do great things for Israel, and Israel was to keep God's commandments. There are two types of commandments God has given. There is the eternal law and the laws of the covenant. The laws of the covenant were Israel's end of the contract to keep. Those laws include things like, no ham sandwiches, no shrimp, no tattoos, and many many more. The Ten Commandments are the best example of God's eternal law. Among the Ten Commandments we find the prohibition against murder. The breaking of eternal laws are always condemned, because the eternal law of God never comes to an end.
The Laws of the Covenant or contract come to an end when they are fulfilled. let's say you and I make a contract. I'm going to come to your house and build a deck in your back yard. We agree on all the terms and payments in the contract. when I'm finished building and you've made the last payment the contract is "fulfilled". Fulfilled means "to void by compliance"...the work is done, and the contract is fulfilled or complete. Once the terms of our contract are "fulfilled" I won't be coming around your house to work on the deck anymore...the contract is done; fulfilled; voided by completion.
So understanding all of that; Then, to fulfill the contract with God all of the Israelites had to keep both the Covenant Laws and the Eternal Laws of God. No Israelite ever kept all the laws of the Mosaic Covenant. No person ever could keep all the Mosaic Covenant perfectly, and that's exactly God's point....No one but God could ever be good enough to fulfill the Mosaic Covenant. This is why Jesus left His exalted place in Heaven to become a man on earth....so that He, Jesus, could keep and thereby fulfill the Mosaic Covenant. Matthew 5:17 " "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
When Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, then He made the contract or covenant "void by completion". When Jesus voided the covenant He voided the rules and regulations of the contract. Just as in the contract you and I made, for the building of the deck. When I finished the work and you finished the payment, that finished the contract. In the same way Jesus set aside the Mosaic Covenant Laws.
Now the spectacular part of what Jesus did is, that though He alone completed the Mosaic Covenant, He makes a gift of His work to us. He did the work, but He gives us all the benefits of the work. One of the benefits of the work is that I get to have a ham sandwich, followed by some shrimp cocktail, and can finish the evening off with a visit to my favorite tattoo artist to have a humming bird scratched into my bum...if that's where I'd like it.
I know that was awfully long but I hope it answers your question.
Blessings,
BP
@Such_Were_You@xanga - Where in the Bible is the distinguishment made between Mosaic Laws and Eternal Laws?
Thank you!
@UFFda_oyVEY@xanga - I think the best place to find the difference explained is in the books of Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians and Galatians. I know that's a lot of reading, but Paul is the guy who pretty much fleshes it out for us. The first 8 chapters of Romans deals with our freedom in Christ most effectively. But in these books you'll find fairly specific teaching on foods and circumcision. These two particular subjects are held up as representative of all the other purity and ceremonial laws.
You can also look at these verses or chapters. Matthew 5; Acts 15:1-29, concerns circumcision; Matthew 15:1-16 concerns "ceremonial cleanliness". Mark 7:1-23, Jesus, declares all foods clean.
Hope that helps.
@Such_Were_You@xanga - So what you're saying is that you're taking Paul's word over G-d's. Doesn't G-d trump Paul?
Also, in Mark, Jesus declares all FOODS clean (whether or not one does the ritual handwashing done by Jews then and today). HOWEVER, neither G-d (nor Jesus) EVER declared that shrimp or pork were foods as they were well known in the Jewish community (of which Jesus were a part) that those were not FOODS. They have never been considered FOOD by any Jew. It's not even up for debate. Why? G-d said so. He said that this would be FOREVER. What part about forever don't Christians understand?
Christians take a lot of things wrong in the Bible, misinterpret them, take them out of context... Without a clear Hebraic (rabbinical) understanding of the Tanakh (what you call the Old Testament), how can you know the context in which Jesus says things? You cannot. That is the problem with Christianity as a religion.
Christians, as a whole, do good things to make this world better when they're not evangelizing and telling other people they're wrong. But please don't take the Jewish faith, change it, and call it your own when you don't even understand the Jewish faith.
Thanks.
@UFFda_oyVEY@xanga - Never said you had to like it, that's just Christianity.
bye
I don't think that Christians should read horoscopes. As you said the Bible does speak against it and just because that particular culture took them seriously and today's one doesn't so much, does not make it right or a wise thing to do. There are many people today who do take their horoscopes seriously and this is very unwise and dangerous. By reading them whether seriously or not does give Satan a point in your life in which he can use his insinuous wedge to get a foothold in your life. Believe me he will use the tiniest crack to infiltrate the life of a Christian. His ultimate aim is to destroy the life of a Christian. Ask yourself this question. If Jesus was sitting beside you in person, would you pull out the paper or magazine and read your horoscope?If you would not then you have your answer, if you would then you need to question yourself and ask God to give you wisdom and discernment over what you are doing.
@Such_Were_You@xanga - That's the common answer I get, but I thought I'd get a more thoughtful answer here. Oh well. That's Christianity: "Have faith or get out." And oh, yeah, forget what G-d said. We now go by whatever Paul says. Why do you even PUT the Jewish holy book in the front of your book? You ignore it totally. sheesh
@UFFda_oyVEY@xanga - I answered your questions....that's all...I wasn't evangelizing as you accuse me of...I simply answered your questions. I told you what orthodox Christianity has been teaching for over 2,000 years. And also for your information all of the first Christians were Jews. All of the writers in the New Testament except one are Jews. The New Testament flows from Old Testament teaching.
Paul, whom you disdain, has as good a Jewish pedigree as any Old Testament writer. You don't have a problem with God speaking to us through Moses, David, or Jeremiah. Paul, who you obviously know nothing about, was trained by one of the greatest rabbi's of his time Gamaliel. He was steeped in rabbinical tradition. So your accusations that Christians understand nothing of rabbinical traditions are false.
All you want to do is argue and accuse...I'm not interested in such nonsense.
goodbye
@Such_Were_You@xanga - Once again, you have misunderstood what I've said, have not even really read what I said, and no matter what Paul said, it doesn't make his word TRUMP G-d's. Talk about your false prophets. But you don't want to hear that. Your ears are closed. No open mind. No nothing. Just like other close-minded Christians. Thank you for proving my point. Goodbye.
While I do not have a strong personal opinion on this, I do have two thoughts on the matter from scripture.
1. More than once in the Bible stars and the actions of the sun are used as signs to God's people. One of the most famous examples is the Magi (plural form of mage by the way) who were led by a star to Jesus' birthplace.
2. While I don't believeas an absolute dictum that it is harmful to read them "just for fun" I do think this is an area that could easily become a "stumbling block to a brother." So, the question then becomes not "is it wrong in and of itself" but rather "am I causing harm to someone else by doing this?" I'm not saying that we should live our lives always worried about how others will view an action, but rather that a fun indulgence often proves to not be worth the effects it causes for others. We need to weigh that equation carefully.
i think it's okay for entertainment purposes and also to get a better understanding of yourself but using it to know your future is disrespectful to god