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Author Topic:   Christianty and astrology: going to hell for knowing?
Faith
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posted January 30, 2012 06:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Faith     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hello people,

This came up on another thread and I wanted to talk about it more in-depth.

I've been interested in astrology for as long as I can remember. Seriously, I think I was five when I learned I am a Capricorn, and I paid close attention to that all my life.

In my early twenties I converted to orthodox Christianity. I was told that astrology was off limits (divination) and went along with that...I said to my pastor, "Well if you had told me astrology is not true, I couldn't be a Christian, because I know it's true. But if you are saying, 'Just don't pay attention to it,' then okay. I won't."

Years went by and my inner conflict just intensified, because my fundamentalist friends were so condemning of "witchcraft" and astrology. This drove me crazy, because I can often guess birthdays (and with some signs, I am always right), and I just cannot believe that it's the devil planting this information in my head. To me, certain sun signs are as obvious as the nose on a person's face. And the way people of certain signs interact is more or less predictable.
I wondered, How can I be sinning by just using my perception??

The quote that probably changed my life is this one from Gandhi, "There is no God higher than the truth." I thought about that a lot and realized that I cannot honestly subscribe to Christianity, the way it's practiced today. Astrology was actually what drew me out of religion.

Even though, after much research, I do NOT believe that the Bible condemns astrology. What I've left behind is the modern conception of the Bible and Christianity. I tell Christians that I am not Christian, just friendly towards Christianity, and they think I'm a heathen, but at least I am not misleading anyone.

How do you navigate the Christianity versus astrology problem?

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Capriquarius
Knowflake

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posted January 30, 2012 07:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Capriquarius     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This is my opinion/understanding.

Considering astrology was taught to humans by a fallen angel, against the order of "God," (Yahweh?) Christianity and astrology don't mix. The Bible mentions astrology and while it doesn't refute its validity, following astrology is antithetical to Christian doctrine.

If Christianity is valid, it's a shortcut to enlightenment/ Nirvana/Heaven/etc by means of emulating the perfect soul (Jesus, probably = Buddha, amongst other incarnations), in other words, being freed from the karmic wheel. The karmic wheel can be defined as the process which subjects the soul through all experiences and lifetimes in order to fully develop it.

Astrology isn't about salvation or enlightenment in a single bound; it seems to be a dharmic map and humans probably aren't quite all there in navigating through it and never will fully figure it out because apparently it's a divine craft. (As iQ put it: "a 4D subject.")

So....Astrology goes hand-in-hand with karma and reincarnation. And the aim of Christianity is to overstep the process of reincarnation.

Thus they don't mix. Sorry. I know a few (highly intelligent) Christians who faced this conundrum and they chose to forgo their fascination with astrology in favor of the shorter route to reuniting with the Source. (I chose to use "reunite" rather than "unite" because of the Big Bang Theory and what was envisaged in the Bhagavad Gita, about a single unit torn into pieces.)

Personally, I find that boring so Imma stay on the journey through the karmic process.

P.S. How do you define "Hell"? According to Sartre, it's "other people." Putting this in astrological perspective then....

The 12th House is the "God" house - the house of Oneness. No boundaries. If you are in this dimension of separateness and Saturnine boundary, then "other people" exist so yeah you're in Hell right now.

You won't remain in this "Hell" for knowing astrology per se; you'll remain here if the opportunity cost of you studying it is at the expense of mastering "His" way.

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Lonake
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posted January 30, 2012 07:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lonake     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I don't see it as a problem.
The Bible is just -one- religious text. It's not definitive; very open to interpretation.
Lots of so-called Christians have got their minds all messed up anyways, so I wouldn't pay too much attn to something or someone that makes you feel bad about having the interests that you do.

"and they think I'm a heathen, but at least I am not misleading anyone."
--You have more patience than I do. They sound insufferable.
I just met a Baptist who's trying to befriend me. Every other day it's about how disgusting and rotten gay people are. I honestly have homicidal impulses toward him whenever he runs his mouth like that. I'm trying to look beyond his screwed up religious beliefs but it is not a battle I feel that I will win.

As to the topic question the answer is no.

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RegardesPlatero
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posted January 30, 2012 07:35 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for RegardesPlatero     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I posted a thread on this awhile back.

Here is an excellent link:
http://www.astrologyzine.com/astrology-bible.shtml

I'm Christian too, a liberal one.

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RegardesPlatero
Knowflake

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posted January 30, 2012 07:36 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for RegardesPlatero     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Personally, I just don't use astrology for fortune-telling. I use it for personality analysis and how to understand people (OK, OK, and I'm a lovey-dovey Libra with a Scorpy Venus and I use it for synastry).

I use it the same as I'd use the enneagram and Myers-Briggs.

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anongrl10
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posted January 30, 2012 07:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for anongrl10     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Lonake expresses my views pretty closely.
I just can't stand it when the Bible is interpreted in ONE very specific (narrow-minded) kind of way. For the majority of the so-called Christians, there is only one way that leads to God. I'm sorry but this is beyond any conceivable way of talking about the Creator of the Universe. You would think since God has made this multifarious multifaceted Universe, for sure, has let a few options for us humans to find him/her?
In my books, astrology is like psychology. We have popularized both but the truth of the matter is that they are both sciences. Few know them well, and fewer can practice them the right way. And both are options to knowing more about life, about being human, and about the Universe and its Creator (whoever/whatever that might be).

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YoursTrulyAlways
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posted January 30, 2012 08:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes. Unfortunately.

Astrology, as in all forms, are equated with pagan witchcraft and distinctly regarded as works of the devil.

There is no discussion about astrology at church, and don't even try. The mobs will descend on you, tie you to the stake and set you on fire.

I'm not going to go into a whole treatise on Christianity, but astrology is uniformly condemned across all Christian denominations. There is not supposed to be any such thing as interpretation. Astrology means "you're going to hell."

Sorry that you have to deal with this. It has been an immense struggle with me.

For me, its even worse because I am "cheating" on my wife with astrology. I hate to think of the consequences if she finds out.

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Ceridwen
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posted January 30, 2012 08:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ceridwen     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well, that is one thing that is puzzling for me about Christianity.
Didn`t the three wise men / Magi follow the star - thus using astrology- to find the birthplace of Jesus?

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amowls**
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posted January 30, 2012 08:58 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for amowls**     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Personally, I think it has to do with the early church not wanting people to find truth within themselves and therefore not needing a pastor to guide them. I think that's the paranoia with astrology, not because God thinks its inherently evil.

This is of course hypothetical because I'm an atheist lol.

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Capriquarius
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posted January 30, 2012 09:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Capriquarius     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ceridwen:
Well, that is one thing that is puzzling for me about Christianity.
Didn`t the three wise men / Magi follow the star - thus using astrology- to find the birthplace of Jesus?


They couldn't have been Christians then, since it was prior to the formation of Christianity.

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Ceridwen
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posted January 30, 2012 09:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ceridwen     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Amowls,

I tend to think like you do.
Also I want to stress that there might be a difference in what the church wants and what God wants, though of course I cannot know for sure.

And regarding reincarnation: I have read the parts about reincarnation have been eleminated in the bible on the council of Nicaea.

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Ceridwen
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posted January 30, 2012 09:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ceridwen     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Capriquarius:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ceridwen:
[b]Well, that is one thing that is puzzling for me about Christianity.
Didn`t the three wise men / Magi follow the star - thus using astrology- to find the birthplace of Jesus?


They couldn't have been Christians then, since it was prior to the formation of Christianity.[/B][/QUOTE]

Of course they weren`t Christians, but they have a permanent positive place in the story of Jesus` birth and therefore are definitely a part of Christianity, or the story about its origin, even though they weren`t Christians.
BTW Jesus did not start out as Christian either.

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Capriquarius
Knowflake

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posted January 30, 2012 09:14 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Capriquarius     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ceridwen:
Of course they weren`t Christians, but they have a permanent positive place in the story of Jesus` birth and therefore are definitely a part of Christianity, or the story about its origin, even though they weren`t Christians.
BTW Jesus did not start out as Christian either.



No, he didn't but the topic is about Christianity (I.e.becoming like Jesus through good works), not what Jesus knew (he was probably omniscient, which Christianity does not require of its followers).

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Faith
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posted January 30, 2012 09:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Faith     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
For me, its even worse because I am "cheating" on my wife with astrology. I hate to think of the consequences if she finds out.

My Christian husband hates astrology so I deal with this, too. For better or worse I am an honest person, so I told him and have just put up with the consequences. He found my stockpile of astrology books and it vanished. But we didn't discuss it, so I actually count this as a victory- no fighting! And I am just buying more books
and hiding them in new places.

One I lucked out on was Linda Goodman's Relationship Signs (thrift shop, $.25, tiny book that's easy to hide!)

He and I have moon opposed Jupiter (his Libra moon, my Aries Jupiter) and Linda's reading for that made me laugh out loud.

Excerpt: "Look, so one of you goes to Synagogue and the other goes to daily mass, or one is into astrology and the other is a born-again Christian....keep your opinions and beliefs to yourself because you are NOT, in all likelihood going to change your viewpoints- either of you. Therefore it's best to observe silence on painful subjects. Otherwise you might win the battle but lose the war."

Proof that astrology is true, RIGHT THERE.

But my condolences to you and anyone else who's dealing with this...it is SO HARD!

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Faith
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posted January 30, 2012 09:23 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Faith     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Well, that is one thing that is puzzling for me about Christianity.
Didn`t the three wise men / Magi follow the star - thus using astrology- to find the birthplace of Jesus?

There's a lot of stuff like that in the Bible. http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen13.html

Edit: And that link Regardes posted is good too! Looking at it now.

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YoursTrulyAlways
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posted January 30, 2012 09:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Faith:
But my condolences to you and anyone else who's dealing with this...it is SO HARD!

I tell her that she's a Leo (as in sun sign), tell her that its her nature to be flamboyant (because she likes nice decor and fashion... its her profession), and the backlash is ferocious. She doesn't embarrass me in front of a church group, though.

The last wife/mother who was discovered became the subject matter of an entire two-hour Bible study session. Might as well have painted a scarlet letter on her chest and stoned her, because that was exactly what happenned.

For me, its easy. Surf on the phone only, and delete browser cache once finished. I think it would be less traumatic for her to find any smut on my computer than LL forum talk

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Ceridwen
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posted January 30, 2012 09:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ceridwen     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
YTA,

Jeez, that sounds really awful to me.

And I just start realizing how openminded our local church must be. Some years ago I was asked to write a playscript for a little play about the Exodus, performed in the church, and I wrote something astrological into it, but noone, not even the pastor, did really say I wasn´t allowed to or even commented on that in a bad way.

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YoursTrulyAlways
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posted January 30, 2012 10:02 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ceridwen:
YTA,

Jeez, that sounds really awful to me.



Well, that's not even how church was when we were both Southern Baptists.

Now, I deal only with church-light, as in United Methodist, where there is a centrist conservative-liberal middle of the road mentality, but its nevertheless centered in good ol' Texas (the Bushes, the Clintons, the Cheneys, etc.). Hey, if Bubba Clinton is a United Methodist, the church theology can't be that conservative, right? lol

Now, if I were still going to a Southern Baptist church like the one my wife attended.... Praise the Lord and pass the Scripture... repent! 'cos I'm headed straight to hell! lol

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Mblake81
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posted January 30, 2012 10:16 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Mblake81     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by YoursTrulyAlways:
Yes. Unfortunately.

Astrology, as in all forms, are equated with pagan witchcraft and distinctly regarded as works of the devil.

There is no discussion about astrology at church, and don't even try. The mobs will descend on you, tie you to the stake and set you on fire.

I'm not going to go into a whole treatise on Christianity, but astrology is uniformly condemned across all Christian denominations. There is not supposed to be any such thing as interpretation. Astrology means "you're going to hell."

Sorry that you have to deal with this. It has been an immense struggle with me.

For me, its even worse because I am "cheating" on my wife with astrology. I hate to think of the consequences if she finds out.




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YoursTrulyAlways
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posted January 30, 2012 10:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's ridiculous to come up with classifications of sin, as though some sins are somewhat less sinful than others...

But from the Christian perspective, astrology is directly promoting "the work of the devil." I'm not saying whether or not I agree, but that is the theology at face value.

Its almost as though hanging out at the bar and picking up chicks is less sinful for a married man because its human nature to be sinful.

Astrology, on the other hand, is being deliberately sinful and promoting satan's work <-- again.. that is the view. Not saying that I agree.

And anyone ever tried "reasoning" with a church group and asking them to "moderate" their views? Next to impossible. You come up with one scripture, they come up with ten.

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athenegoddess
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posted January 30, 2012 12:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for athenegoddess     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The Bible is nothing but astrology in disguise.

All religions are based on astrology... lol.

Religion was made to keep the masses ignorant from the truth and thats why only the elect know the secret teachings.

AND FYI, Hell doesn't exist outside of the human consciousness.

Anyone who calls themself a christian needs to know what Jesus was really about and what he came to do for us as so many people are living a lie taught by those who wrote the bible. It's not enough to say he was your savior. You need to understand why he was and Jesus is about personal power and being in this world but not of it. He came to help 2000 years ago because we are NOW living in the most important time in history. His teachings were meant to guide us away from the darkness, and he saw this. Jesus also said those who come after him, their works are much greater than his. And what he meant was that the people living today who are awake have much work to do to save this planet.

Jesus said most people even if they consciously believe in him, never Knew him. And he meant that only a few select people were on that true spiritual path. And I'm certain anyone who calls themself a christian is 100 percent not on that path to truly knowing him.

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Faith
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posted January 30, 2012 01:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Faith     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
YoursTrulyAlways:

quote:
I tell her that she's a Leo (as in sun sign), tell her that its her nature to be flamboyant (because she likes nice decor and fashion... its her profession), and the backlash is ferocious. She doesn't embarrass me in front of a church group, though.

My husband's a Leo, too...early degrees can be the worst for being dogmatic and that's what he is, but I love him anyway.

I'm glad your wife doesn't embarrass you...that sounds potentially horrific.

Lately my thinking about religion goes like this:

1) God says that all that matters is what is in your heart and he knows your heart.

2) Jesus said something like, don't worry about what others are doing, YOU follow me.

3) If both of these are true, what do WORDS have to do with anything? Why are words so essential to salvation? They're just words, and communication isn't even a prerequisite for salvation.

I just don't understand the point of religion.


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YoursTrulyAlways
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posted January 30, 2012 01:31 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The path to Salvation is through God's Grace. No where did it say that one's Salvation depends on good deeds or acts. The path to Righteousness is arduous, and nobody can dispute that. We all fall short. It is through the precious Grace that we seek Atonement and gain Redemption, not by being some sort of goody two-shoes You see, none of those overbearing hypocrites can dispute that, and that is my general overall defense when they try to corner me

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YoursTrulyAlways
Knowflake

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posted January 30, 2012 01:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by athenegoddess:
Religion was made to keep the masses ignorant from the truth and thats why only the elect know the secret teachings.

AND FYI, Hell doesn't exist outside of the human consciousness.



You speak with such conviction and fervor!

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YoursTrulyAlways
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posted January 30, 2012 01:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for YoursTrulyAlways     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ceridwen:
And regarding reincarnation: I have read the parts about reincarnation have been eleminated in the bible on the council of Nicaea.


Oh come on... there are so many verses in the Bible that completely contradict the existence of reincarnation in Christian belief.

Totally off the top of my head (Google is my friend). If the foul unreligious me can come up with these, imagine what the truly religious can come up with:

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. " Genesis 3:19: [note: return in dust, not a body]

When one dies, "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Psalm 146:4

"For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast…All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again" (Ecc. 3:19-20).

Upon death "the spirit returns to God who gave it" (Ecc. 12:7)

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." (Mat 25:46)

"The Christian's hope rests not on the reincarnation of the soul, but in the resurrection of the body." (1 Cor. 15:42-55). [and the resurrection ain't my body]

That "to be away from the body" is to be "at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).

"it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Heb. 9:27-28). [No second chances!].


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