Can a catholic visit an astrologer?

  • Thread starter Thread starter darkangel123
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

darkangel123

Guest
I live in India and my parents visit this vedic astrologer often to ask about the future. Vedic astrology works on the premise that each person is ruled by a planet, and the planet is assigned based on the date and place of birth. I have never been comfortable with this and I always refuse to accompany my parents. Recently, I visited a catholic priest who told me that astrology is a science and it is ok for me to visit the astrologer. He even encouraged me to go meet one and get to know about my future because according to him, 70% of their predictions come true and this could help me with some doubts I have in my personal life.

But something tells me that I should place my trust in God and not in man and seeing the astrologer would mean that I place my trust in him. Is this correct?
 
Your gut is correct.

And no. Astrology is not a “science”. Even if Catholocism actually had NO objections to things like this, I don’t think “knowing” your future does anyone any good.

One of my co-workers was heavily into astrology and would regularly meet with a person who would tell her what was in her future. She was told some prediction about her second love being the one that would last and that she’d be married within 3 years. So she was absolutely sure that her current boyfriend, #2, would marry her soon as her time was drawing near.

I remember the look of absolute confusion on her face when her boyfriend broke up with her instead. It was like nothing in the universe made sense anymore. I’m sure the breakup was upsetting but the fact that her astrologer’s prediction didn’t happen was an additional emotional weight. It left her completely baffled and she was constantly trying to rationalize it. Maybe the first boyfriend wasn’t “boyfriendy enough” to count and “how am I going to meet someone to marry before the end of summer?”.

This was someone who lived life by a plan written out for her instead of just living life.
 
This shows that even a Catholic priest can make errors. The Catechism condemns astology:
2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future.48 Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.
Click to expand...
 
Outside of the fact that the Church condemns any form of fortune telling, astrology is not a science. It is simply generic predictions cloaked in pseudo scientific methods. If our fates is ruled by the planets, then why do identical twins not have the same life out comes?

One of the reasons astrology is “accurate” is that the predictions are often vague and those who beleive will fit reality to the vague predictions while ignoring the times that the predictions are grossly off.
 
Absolutely not. I’m kinda horrified your priest suggested it. Astrology completely runs counter to loving trust and surrender to God’s will.
 
When my mother was young she went to an astrologer with friends. The astrologer told her she would have one child. She had 11 of us:D. Good thing she didn’t take it too seriously. I wonder if you can sue an astrologer for false predictions. Listen to what everyone has told you. The priest was wrong. Peace.
 
Short answer: NO. Astronomy is a science. Astrology is superstition cloaked in scienc-y babble. 😉
 
Catechism:

2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to “unveil” the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a1.htm#2116
 
No! You would be putting the astrologers in front of god!
 
Could this priest have possibly confused astrology with astronomy?? I can’t think of any reason why a Catholic priest would tell you this is ok. :eek:
 
DeniseNY said:
Could this priest have possibly confused astrology with astronomy?? I can’t think of any reason why a Catholic priest would tell you this is ok. :eek:
Click to expand...
Likely because of about 30,000 years of strong cultural influence. In the history of India, Christianity is the new kid on the block and it’s hard to overcome that much cultural history that often lies directly opposed to Christianity.

This isn’t like going to your local parish in Cleveland and asking a question like this.

See the OPs other posts for frame of reference.
 
I can’t imagine that the priest did not think you meant an astronomer, someone who studies the bodies in outer space as a scientist.

Astrology is not a science, it is a bucket of hog wash. There was a time when people honestly hoped it was a science, but even in those times it was wrong to depend on the counsel of magic instead of God. In other words, it is OK to look at the sky in order to figure out what the weather is going to do. You do not look at the stars to get information on what God’s will is for you. For that, you ask God.
 
DeniseNY said:
Could this priest have possibly confused astrology with astronomy?? I can’t think of any reason why a Catholic priest would tell you this is ok. :eek:
Click to expand...
I thought the same at first; however, note that the priest also knew about astrologers and the fact that they make predictions. So it’d make sense that the priest was confusing the two if he wasn’t seemingly aware of the purported goals of astrology, to predict the future, and not just confusing two words. 🤷

Regardless of culture, nationality or ethnicity, it is indeed bizarre that a Catholic priest would recommend such a thing, even encourage it. :eek:
 
DeniseNY said:
Could this priest have possibly confused astrology with astronomy?? I can’t think of any reason why a Catholic priest would tell you this is ok. :eek:
Click to expand...
Don’t forget that astronomy and astrology sound similar in English, but not necessarily in other languages. Depending on where in India the original poster is from they may have been conversing with the priest in any of dozens of Indian languages and dialects. The only times my Indian coworkers converse privately with other Indians in English is if they are from different states (i.e. Punjab and Kerala).
 
I’m sure that he didn’t confuse astrology with astronomy. He asked me to find a good astrologer and get his opinion about my future. He even told me that horoscope compatibility for couples is important because the planets will influence how we behave. Predicting how we would behave in the future by analysing the movement of the planets will give us an idea about how compatible we would be . Those were his words.
 
darkangel123 said:
I’m sure that he didn’t confuse astrology with astronomy. He asked me to find a good astrologer and get his opinion about my future. He even told me that horoscope compatibility for couples is important because the planets will influence how we behave. Predicting how we would behave in the future by analysing the movement of the planets will give us an idea about how compatible we would be . Those were his words.
Click to expand...
:confused: :eek:

Fairly disturbing that a priest of all people told you this. You had good acumen to ask on the forum though, since you rightfully noticed that something was seriously wrong with his recommendations.
 
PhiloMed said:
Likely because of about 30,000 years of strong cultural influence. In the history of India, Christianity is the new kid on the block and it’s hard to overcome that much cultural history that often lies directly opposed to Christianity.

This isn’t like going to your local parish in Cleveland and asking a question like this.

See the OPs other posts for frame of reference.
Click to expand...
30,000 years? :eek:
 
Astrologers are con-artists…and it’s a sin to seek their help. anyway. 🤷
 
Atheling2 said:
30,000 years? :eek:
Click to expand...
That is a bit of over exageration. Vedic religion in India has been around for about 3,500 - 4,000 years (I’m assuming this is Vedic Astrology). Even assuming it was earlier it would likely be perhaps 5,000 years at the earliest.

As for Christianity it has been in India since the Apostolic Age. Saint Thomas is reported to have landed in India around 52 AD. Now Roman Catholicism is much more recent (16th century). The growth of Christianity is much more recent so some of the Vedic cultural traditions have likely “leaked in”.

(My apologies to darkangle123 or others from India if any of this is grossly inaccurate. It is mainly from conversations with a coworker from Kerala after I stuck my foot in my mouth asking why he went by Joseph [it never crossed my mind that might be his actual name :o])
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top