I feel it's pretty safe to say that the majority people think that astrology is bogus. Anyone disagree?
Most of us would agree that astrology is an antiquated version of astronomy combined with witchcraft. It's on the level with tea leaf-reading and alchemy.
And yet, each and every one of us knows our astrological sign! Why? If we think it's phony, why do we care? I'm a Leo, as is Dan, Chrissa and my sister Marci.
Am I proud of being a Leo? Sure. But not because I believe in it. To me, it's just a matter of identity. When I meet someone who's a Leo, I like that we have something in common. Moreover, I like that a person's sign may cross monthly boundaries (for instance: Dan and Marci were born in August while Chrissa and I were born in July). So with me, I'd say the extent of my affinity to astrology is just that: another means of cross-racial, cultural, age or gender identification.
The one thing that makes it somewhat more romantic than...say...eye color, is the fact that it's an outdated and mysterious element of the occult that has survived into modern times. Or, at least, in our daily newspaper.
7 years ago
6 comments:
you said : "Furthermore, I once had a very jaded view of all religions -- no matter how mainstream or how excentric. When you're an agnostic, you get this attitude that everyone's stupid unless they're also agnostic.
I was pretty self-righteous and egotistical...but in the end cynicism only ends up making you feel like crap. It doesn't make you feel moral or enlightened."
Is your judgment of those who believe in astrology any different? (I think it is, but I think this makes a good point...)
Don't forget, Joseph Smith had a pretty deep interest in magic and the Occult himself...;)
I know people who love the feeling of family but who don't have much contact with their parents and siblings and haven't started their own broods. Instead, they quench their longing for an intimate network by hooking up with a spiritual family--a tribe of like-minded people who share their values. The coming months will be prime time for you to either find a group like that or, if you already have one, to deepen and expand your web of connections. You don't have to sacrifice your relations with your biological kin to do so. The more family you have, the better your mental health will be.
[FYI: Shasta's quoting me from http://shastahygiene.blogspot.com/2005/12/knihovna.html#comments]
My view of astrology is not that it's stupid. Just that it's too far-fetched. I concede that this is the same view a mainstream Christian might have of a Catholic, a Catholic might have of a Mormon, a Mormon might have of a Mormon Fundamentalist, and an agnostic might have of them all.
I don't feel that my criticising astrology invalidates my own religious views. I feel that astrology was at one time synonymous with astronomy...but that at some point they became 2 distinct fields: one based on "hard evidence" and the other on mystical thought.
Religion and science were once synonymous but, slowly and over time, they've become separated. There exist valid arguments for both sides, religious and skeptic. That doesn't mean that one side isn't right and the other side wrong: just that logical arguments exist which have yet to be refuted.
But you have to take a stand at some point and have a Cartesian moment and say: "This is what I believe on faith." (Using the term in a religious or non-religious sense) This is where I take my stand and don't slip away into nihilism or (post-modern) relativism. This I believe.
The place I drew my line in the dirt allows for both faith and doubt...for logic and the illogical. Astrology, to me, is too far on the mystical side for me to buy into it. Agnosticism is far too cold and calculating.
That's where I stand and I don't apologize for it.
Someone else can have an entirely different perspective and know they are right just as I know I am right. That doesn't mean that we are both right.
I'm not here to convince anyone. I just want to shout out how I feel and hear other people shout back. I like to test their stance and have them test mine.
That's all.
Yep. We all have to have that line. Good discussions...
I can't say I really believe in astrology, but dangit, I'm super-proud of being a leo. Go figure.
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