God used astrology? Church ok w/Galileo astrology?

[GodHeals]

Hi,

Why did God choose to use of astrology (Star) to lead Magi to Jesus, if astrology is a form of divination?

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” - Matthew 2:2

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. - scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a1.htm

Galileo used horoscopes and astrology. Why was the Church seemingly okay with this practice for mathematicians and astronomers?

galileo.rice.edu/fam/birth_horoscope.html
Maria Celeste’s Birth Certificate and Horoscope

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut!
Brian

 

[QNDNNDQDCE]

Is navigating by the stars astrological divination? Not any more than navigating by a landmark is divination. That is how sailors used to navigate and how calendars were kept. It is not divination to discern that morning has come by the fact that the Sun has risen. Taking true information from the stars is not the same thing as superstitions like trying to predict your love life from the interaction of the constellations. The stars have nothing to tell you about that.

 

[frjohnmaryt]

Godheals.
God used His own creation (the star) to lead the Magi to a child who is human and divine. He is not an ordinary child though born from a human mother in a simple place. He is God. In other words, God choose a particular creation to reveal himself. That child is to be a star of life to show the way to life to all those who believe in Christ. It seems to be about astrology but it is not. It is about Faith and Revelation and Christology.

1. If you read carefully that CCC 2116, it is very clear that “all forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse satan or demons etc. (as in line 1).
2. In ‘line 3’ You find the word astrology. I think the emphasis in that word is in the phrase “…all conceal a desire for power over time, history…human beings…conciliate hidden powers.”
   This is about power over time, history and human being. It is not only that but wanting to get hidden powers.
   For me the CCC reminds people to avoid such wisdom namely astrology for that desire for power over time, history, human beings and to conciliate hidden powers. Why? Because that is “contradict the honor, respect and loving fear that we owe to God alone.”
3. So you see the Catholic Church reminds people – Catholics to avoid or reject such practices namely astrology for that purpose: power as indicated in the text.
4. Did Galileo’s wisdom desire or seek for that power as described in the text? I think his brilliant mind lead him into just a mere discovery, a discovery of the beyond human eyes and human mind in that particular time but not power.
5. For me I don’t consider reading God’s creation in navigation; stars, clouds, sun, moon, sea, sea creatures, insects, rainbow and other visible signs in the skies, sea and land as divination or astrology for power as indicated in CCC 2126. I know nothing of divination or something that related to what the text implies. I just know reading these beautiful creation of God in navigation but no desire for power, just the beautiful of God’s creation.

 

[DexUK]

It wasn’t ‘Astrology’. It was a guiding light.

Astrology makes use of fixed constellations. Something fixed would have been no use in telling anyone where to travel, certainly not if they didn’t know where they were going to start with.

Navigation by the stars lets you know where you are in relation to fixed points, not unknown points.

 

[GodHeals]

Godheals.
God used His own creation (the star) to lead the Magi to a child who is human and divine. He is not an ordinary child though born from a human mother in a simple place. He is God. In other words, God choose a particular creation to reveal himself. That child is to be a star of life to show the way to life to all those who believe in Christ. It seems to be about astrology but it is not. It is about Faith and Revelation and Christology.

1. If you read carefully that CCC 2116, it is very clear that “all forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse satan or demons etc. (as in line 1).
2. In ‘line 3’ You find the word astrology. I think the emphasis in that word is in the phrase “…all conceal a desire for power over time, history…human beings…conciliate hidden powers.”
   This is about power over time, history and human being. It is not only that but wanting to get hidden powers.
   For me the CCC reminds people to avoid such wisdom namely astrology for that desire for power over time, history, human beings and to conciliate hidden powers. Why? Because that is “contradict the honor, respect and loving fear that we owe to God alone.”
3. So you see the Catholic Church reminds people – Catholics to avoid or reject such practices namely astrology for that purpose: power as indicated in the text.
4. Did Galileo’s wisdom desire or seek for that power as described in the text? I think his brilliant mind lead him into just a mere discovery, a discovery of the beyond human eyes and human mind in that particular time but not power.
5. For me I don’t consider reading God’s creation in navigation; stars, clouds, sun, moon, sea, sea creatures, insects, rainbow and other visible signs in the skies, sea and land as divination or astrology for power as indicated in CCC 2126. I know nothing of divination or something that related to what the text implies. I just know reading these beautiful creation of God in navigation but no desire for power, just the beautiful of God’s creation.

Thank you for the posting, Father John?

I would imagine the Magi would have been trying to foretell future events prior to Jesus Christ. I am not sure what kind of magic they partook prior to finding the STAR, or even after. Maybe God just allowed it to be used for His glory? I am just trying to better differentiate the good and evil.

I can understand people using the stars or sun or moon to guide them in a car or boat, etc. I have done this myself when trying to go a particular direction without a compass or map. This most like isn’t a sin.

It seems you are saying the focus is in on the power. It seems horoscopes are for the purpose to attain power through trying to foretell the future, which is what i think was the purpose of Galileo’s horoscope. I wonder how many of the mathematicians and astronomers partook in such a practice and why the Church didn’t say anything, at least nothing that i saw in my short research.

On the same page of vol. 19 of the Opere, the editor has reproduced a birth horoscope in Galileo’s handwriting, found among his papers:

On the character of Virginia

And first, although Mercury and Venus are in separate houses and regard each other in no aspect *, a certain discord between the rational and sensitive powers of the soul is indicated. For since Mercury is very powerful and in an ruling sign whereas the Moon is weak and in a obedient sign, her reason will be ruled by emotions.

Saturn, who indicates a person’s morals, because he is the strongest, foretells that her character will be upright and serious, though tinged with some venom. This, however, is softened and tempered by the fortunate Jupiter’s beneficent and powerful square aspect with Mercury. It makes her, moreover, capable of enduring hardship and troubles, solitary, taciturn, niggardly, zealous for her own advantage, jealous, and not always truthful in her promises. galileo.rice.edu/fam/birth_horoscope.html*

God Bless You,
Brian

 

[GodHeals]

Thank you for all of the posts!

 

[frjohnmaryt]

Brian
I hope my little help in describing the text helps you to understand what CCC means by the word you worried about ‘astrology’ as stated in the text. I hope it is quite clear that God used the star to guide the magi. They saw the star and must have been informed by God Himself mysteriously the meaning of the star prior to the appearance of the star.
God does not aloud any form of magic as clearly stated in this biblical text - Deuteronomy 18:10-11. This text will help you. You might need to read also your CCC text.

 

[ALLGIRLS]

It was astronomy, the study of stars, constellations, solar systems, galaxies, etc, not astrology, which is divination, using the stars to supposedly tell the future.

In Christ,
Ellen

 

[Michael_Francis]

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