Reaching for The Stars

 

Humans have always tried to get an advantage in the game of life. In an effort to get an edge on the game of life, many people turn to astrology, horoscopes to help guide them to success, love, and luck. This is not necessarily a hail Mary. The creation story in the Christian religion says God created the lights in the sky for a reason. And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, Genesis 1:14. Astronomy incorporates the use of planets and if you connect the stars in a certain way, the symbol representing each zodiac sign can be seen for that month. Come on, even our favorite son, President Ronald Reagan, consulted the stars (his wife did and we all know husbands do what their wife tells them to).

Aastrology, the position of Venus in a person's birth chart can indicate their potential for fame and recognition. Venus is the planet that signifies beauty, creativity, and charisma.

Ancient peoples from across the Earth only knew about five of the planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. To the people of some ancient civilizations, the planets were thought to be representation of deities, for others they were a means through which gods communicated to humans.

The belief in horoscopes originated in Mesopotamia (c. 3rd millennium bc) and spread to India, but it developed its Western form in Greek civilization during the Hellenistic period. On the basis of their observations and calculations, the Babylonians divided the sky into twelve areas, each of which was assigned a figure, a name, and a specific meaning. This became the zodiac with its twelve zodiac signs such as Aries, Gemini, Virgo, or Leo.Finally, the Babylonian astral scientists created a body of knowledge that enabled them to assign meanings and contexts of meanings based on their calculations of which planets were where in the zodiac at which point in time. 

Astrologers (people who study astrology) believe that celestial objects are linked to human behavior. For example, it is a common belief in astrology that a person's personality traits align with the zodiacal constellation that was in the sky when they were born. Some people might find it appealing because it enhances their sense of egotism and specialness, while others might be drawn to it because they see it as an avenue to spiritual knowledge. Although it is well proven that astrology does not get things right, 27% of Americans and 23% of the French believe in it, while 46% of Mexicans feel that their horoscope is something important in their lives. For Native Americans, astrology has been, and still is to some degree, an integral part of their culture and tradition. 

Modern astrologers see each planet as a reflection of a basic human impulse. Here is a list of the heavenly bodies and how a person's ruling planet in their horoscope affects them.

Sun: I Am

The Sun is the "star" of the astrological planets. It's your "will to be," your personal center, your confidence, and your vitality. The energy of your Sun sign colors every aspect of your life. The Sun rules Leo as well as the fifth astrological house (the house of pleasure and creativity).

Moon: I Feel

The Moon is your need for comfort and security. It governs your emotions and is responsible for their ebb and flow. The Moon is the mother archetype. It's feminine in nature and has a strong influence on your moods The Moon rules Cancer and governs the fourth astrological house (the house of "home, family, heritage, and roots.)

Mercury: I Think

Astrologically, Mercury is a small, but a very busy planet. It represents your need to learn, think and communicate. Mercury sparks curiosity. Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo and holds sway over the third house (the house of talking and communicating) and sixth house (the house of your mundane life).

Venus: I Love

Venus is your need for harmonious relationships. It's feminine in nature and brings diplomacy to all your interactions with others. Venus encourages you to reflect on what is important in life and strive to find balance. Venus rules the signs of Taurus and Libra and governs the second house (the house of personal possessions) and seventh houses (the house of committed relationships).

Mars: I Act

Mars, named for the Roman god of war, is the planet of survival. Mars is personal and physical. It's about sexuality and your courage. It speaks of how and for what you'd fight. Mars is the ruler of Aries, co-ruler of Scorpio and governs the first house (the house of self) as well as the eighth house ( the house of sexuality, death, and rebirth).

Jupiter: I Grow

Jupiter is the planet that encourages us to expand our horizons! It brings a sense of optimism and increases our chance of good fortune. Jupiter rules the sign of Sagittarius, is co-ruler of Pisces. and governs the ninth house (the house of philosophy and travel) and twelfth house (the house of the house of mysticism and mastery).

Saturn: I Achieve

Saturn provides you with a sense of structure and limitations. It's your sense of restriction, commitment, prestige, maturity, discipline, and order. Where jolly Jupiter urges you to "go for it", Saturn cautions you to act more conservatively. Saturn is your reality check. Saturn rules the sign of Capricorn, is the co-ruler of Aquarius, and governs the tenth house (the house of how you are seen by the greater world) and eleventh house (the house of friends, hopes, and wishes).

Uranus: I Evolve

Uranus is the planet of social reform. It is associated with genius, individuality, unconventional ideas. Uranus encourages you to look at and do thing things in a unique and radical manner. Uranus shares rulership of Aquarius and, along with Saturn, governs the eleventh house.

Neptune: I Dream

Planet Neptune represents everything that that is subtle, intangible, and ethereal. It encourages you to connect with the "oneness of all" and inspires kindness and compassion. Neptune shares rulership of Pisces and the twelfth house (the house of the house of mysticism and mastery).

Pluto: I Empower

Pluto represents your power to endure crises. It's the human ability to transform and rise, like a phoenix, out of the ashes. Pluto shares Scorpio and the eight house (the house of sexuality, death, and rebirth) with Mars.

It is a personal choice and chance to believe in ANY sign when looking for signals to guide life decisions. Soon we will be celebrating St. Patric's Day, March 17th, which nods to Leprchauns and four leaf clovers. We are now in the season of Pisces, where Neptune is said to have influence. Whatever people turn to and use as a too to make life more manageable for them, the bottom line is they still have HOPE.

Should Christians read Horoscopes?

 Day after day people check their horoscope to determine what kind of day they will have. "Today is your lucky day. Today you will meet the love of your life. Today is a good day for business."

    As a Christian, I have had conversations with other Christians about Astrology. In every case they said Astrology was some type of witchcraft or pagan belief. I find this stance as a basic lack of theological dogma.

     Is Astrology in itself sinful or is the dependence on something other than God for direction in your life the sin? Genesis 1:14-16:"God said, "let there be lights to the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so. God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars." 

     Matthew 2:1-2, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, the Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw the star in the east and have come to worship him." There is no doubt God created the stars and that they have purpose in instructing man in his daily living and understanding of the world. But the stars are in a lesser position to God. He is the ultimate word of instruction in our lives and God knows more than any grouping of stars he has placed in heaven. Sin does not come about by the object, but by how the man uses God's created objects given to him by God for their use. 

    My astrological sign is Libra. This was the positioning of the stars at the time of my birth. Just like there is a specific positioning of the stars in Spring and in Winter. You can use the stars in determining the seasons and you come to learn that plants planted in Spring will have a better chance of living than if they were to be planted in Winter.

     There are some fixed mysteries of God, but they were put in place by God to maintain order on earth. Believe it or not, there are certain characteristics that people share who were born during the cycle of the Libra constellation. But make no mistake, there may be some shared qualities, but we were each made uniquely and distinctly as God saw fit. 

     The stars are not meaningless, or God would not have created them. A star was used to guide royalty to the baby Jesus. God uses his creation for his purpose. Creation does not use God for its purpose. So, should Christians read their horoscope? No, if they check the stars to see how they are supposed to live each day instead of trusting God or the guidance of the Bible. Yes, if they understand who is fully in charge of their life--God and their life centers around God and not stars. And regardless of what a horoscope tells them on a particular day, it is God who is in control. 

     Religion has been in a battle with science for centuries. But the 21st Century has seen a turn in the war. Religion and science are beginning to co-exist together and complement each other. Astrology is not against Christianity; it is just another tool in which people try to make sense of a chaotic world in which they have little control. The mature Christian can move from this position to understand that those wonderful fascinating stars are part of God's plan, but he is the orchestrator of it all. This can give those searching for answers more peace. Those that choose to completely rely on the stars, well, they will continue to face a life not in their control. But there is still the fact that God created the stars so that he could still communicate and guide his creation whether they come into the full understanding of his nature, purpose, and design. God said whether a person is told about Him or not; the whole world testifies of His existence; which includes the stars in heaven. 

    It was man who took a godly creation-the stars and added pagan attachments to them. It is man's hands that changes what God created as good and turns it to bad. When what God created is used as God created it to be used, it is good, as He said of all of His creation in the origins of the world in the book of Genesis in the Christian Bible. He did not create one bad thing. Satan influences man to use what is good for bad. 

     ARIES ruled by Mars, is a planet of action, rules the head. TAURUS ruled by Venus, the goddess of love, rules the throat. GEMINI ruled by Mercury, is the messenger, rules the lungs and both arms. CANCER ruled by the Moon, is the imaginative planet, rules the breast. LEO ruled by the Sun, is the planet of vitality, rules the heart. VIRGO ruled by Mercury (and Vulcan), rules the intestines. LIBRA ruled by Venus rules the kidneys. SCORPIO ruled by Mars and Pluto, is the planet of reconstruction, rules the genitals. SAGITTARIUS ruled by Jupiter, is the planet of expansion, rules the thighs. CAPRICORN ruled by Saturn, is the teacher and the task master, rules the knees. AQUARIUS ruled by Uranus, is the planet of genius and progress, rules the calves. PISCES ruled by Neptune, is the planet of illusion, rules the feet. These same signs were used in the Farmer's Almanac with great efficiency. Medical procedures were also aligned with what part of the body the stars were in. Each of these uses were used with wisdom not necessarily superstition. But trust in these tried-and-true practices should never supersede the sovereignty of God. God said "I am a jealous God. Do not have no other God before me." Remember, prioritize your life and have faith in God no matter what your horoscope does or does not say.

    Even though your everyday newspaper horoscope gives a general prediction for a specific zodiac sign, you are uniquely individual. The stars were in a particular formation at the time of your birth at that year, month, day, hour, second, never to be repeated. Trained astrologers give more accurate personality horoscope assessments when they use your birthdate and time you were born. There is no hocus pocus to it. As I said, God has some things fixed and predictable in the universe he created for our use and benefit. There are some people who have studied fixed patterns and have come to understand the.

    We all know even when the calander says Spring, an unexpected snowstorm can come and you can have a mild winter, but there are still certainties that come with Spring and Winter. The earth renews in Spring and earth rests in Winter. True science can be replicated. Spring and Winter is replicated and as the stars goes through their yearly placements, whether man has figured it out or not, humans are affected in some type of way by those stars and constellations.placements. 

    We have heard how the full moon has an effect on people. Nurses and doctors will tell you there are more medical emergencies in the hospital during the full moon. The water on earth is pulled back and forth by the moon and guess what? Humans are made mostly of water so the water within us has to be affected by the moon also. 

    God said himself he gave us the stars for us to read as a sign. Man has a tendency to get things wrong by accident and on purpose. We may have not even learned yet how to read the stars or astrology can be close in how they interpret the stars. One thing I do know, there are many mysteries of God man has not learned yet and science is always catching up to God's knoweledge. Food for thought.