Horoscopes bugging me

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littletherese3

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Firstly, I NEVER read horoscopes - I know all the ins and outs of why they’re not acceptable. However a while ago I read one purely out of curiosity, and it predicted something specific happening in about 2 months from now. I’ve tried to forget about it and not think about it, but I keep thinking about this thing that is going to happen, and wondering about it. I almost feel like I’m going to arrange my life around the possibility of it happening, which I know is TERRIBLE, but I honestly don’t know what to do to get this thing out of my head!!

I’m going to ask my priest about it in confession, but thought I’d see if anyone has any advice… it would be much appreciated 🙂
 
Definitely take it to confession. I had a similar experience not long ago. I was visiting a religious website where this person was claiming to be an “end-times prophet” and I had started to wonder if maybe what this “prophet” was claiming might be true. I knew that I shouldn’t have been reading that stuff (I had originally gone to the website b/c a family member believes in it and I was trying to learn more about it so I could refute it but it back-fired on me.) During confession I literally felt as though a weight were being lifted off me, and I resolved to stay away from that kind of thing. So it’s possible that something “dark” is plaguing you with these thoughts and to get rid of them you will need to go to confession. I don’t read horoscopes anymore either. They seem harmless enough, but your story proves that there is a dark side to them.
 
If this is some sort of event that might or might not happen, so it’s like “black or white,” then whether it does or not depends on the horoscope.

The only power the horoscope actually has, once read, is whatever power it has as a result of being on your mind.

So it is possible that if you have any thing to do with it, you might let the fortune’s suggestions come to fruition just because you’re thinking about it. It sounds far fetched but it’s not only possible but in many cases likely.

Fortunes are interesting because they are written vaguely, and they rely on your own mind to give them power, like I mentioned before. They don’t have power until they, with your permission, write themselves into their story.

The hard part is that is you are still in your first “half” of life, before being renewed by the spirit, it’s awfully hard to identify this “you” that’s allowing the fortune cookie’s vague references to line up with ourselves. If you make the second half of spiritual life, though, being renewed in heart and mind by the HS, then it will become a non-issue because the Spirit will lead you to what’s right to do with it.

Alan
 
AlanFromWichita said:
If this is some sort of event that might or might not happen, so it’s like “black or white,” then whether it does or not depends on the horoscope.

The only power the horoscope actually has, once read, is whatever power it has as a result of being on your mind.

So it is possible that if you have any thing to do with it, you might let the fortune’s suggestions come to fruition just because you’re thinking about it. It sounds far fetched but it’s not only possible but in many cases likely.

Fortunes are interesting because they are written vaguely, and they rely on your own mind to give them power, like I mentioned before. They don’t have power until they, with your permission, write themselves into their story.

The hard part is that is you are still in your first “half” of life, before being renewed by the spirit, it’s awfully hard to identify this “you” that’s allowing the fortune cookie’s vague references to line up with ourselves. If you make the second half of spiritual life, though, being renewed in heart and mind by the HS, then it will become a non-issue because the Spirit will lead you to what’s right to do with it.

Alan
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99.9% of the time you are correct. But I think they can have some real power, not just imagined power. I think fortunes and some horoscopes can have demonic influences and perhaps mix just enough truth with lies to do real damage. Otherwise why would the chatacism and the Church and the Bible be so specific about them but not about other harmless “tricks” such as a childrens party magician.
 
Moore11 said:
99.9% of the time you are correct. But I think they can have some real power, not just imagined power. I think fortunes and some horoscopes can have demonic influences and perhaps mix just enough truth with lies to do real damage. Otherwise why would the chatacism and the Church and the Bible be so specific about them but not about other harmless “tricks” such as a childrens party magician.
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👍

The Catechism is always a good reference for us to start with.

The whole page at this link is worth reading for more background, but here is what is specifically written on that page of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, concerning “horoscopes” (highlights mine):
Catechism of the Catholic Church
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**Divination and magic **
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2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility.
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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.
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2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.
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Here’s a helpful definition from the online MODERN CATHOLIC DICTIONARY ; by Father John Hardon, S.J.
ASTROLOGY.
A form of divination based on the theory that the planets and stars influence human affairs. Until Copernicus (1473 – 1543), much of the lore of astrology was a partial basis for astronomy. Since Copernicus, astrology and astronomy separated. In astrology a horoscope is a map of the heavens at the time of birth, using the chart of the zodiac. The “house,” or sign in the ascendancy at the time of one’s birth, is said to determine one’s temperament, tendencies to disease, and liability to certain fortunes or calamities.
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It is normally wrong to believe in astrology or to direct one’s life and conduct according to its supposed predictions. The reasons are that astrology involves contradictions, since it claims uniform influence on persons born on the same day and in the same place, and who later on prove to be unmistakably different; it claims to predict accurately the free future, i.e., happenings that depend on the exercise of man’s free will, whereas such knowledge is unknown to anyone except God; it is against the doctrine of free will, for it leads to fatalistic views of man’s destiny; and it is against belief in divine providence, which includes the influence of divine grace and the value of intercessory prayer.
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Astrology has been more than once formally condemned by the Church, as at the Council of Trent, which expressly forbade the faithful to read books on astrology dealing with “future contingent achievements, with fortuitous events and such actions as depend on human freedom, but daring to claim certitude about their occurrence” (Regulae Tridentinae, 9). Those who believe in astrology expose themselves to a weakening of their Christian faith. (Etym. Greek astron, star + logia, science, knowledge.)
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littletherese3 said:
Firstly, I NEVER read horoscopes - I know all the ins and outs of why they’re not acceptable. However a while ago I read one purely out of curiosity, and it predicted something specific happening in about 2 months from now. I’ve tried to forget about it and not think about it, but I keep thinking about this thing that is going to happen, and wondering about it. I almost feel like I’m going to arrange my life around the possibility of it happening, which I know is TERRIBLE, but I honestly don’t know what to do to get this thing out of my head!!

I’m going to ask my priest about it in confession, but thought I’d see if anyone has any advice… it would be much appreciated 🙂
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If something does happen 2 months from now, it will be a coincidence. A person hired to write horoscopes does not control your life.

Your life is in God’s hands. There is absolutely no reason, scientific or otherwise, that a horoscope should be believable.
 
Moore11 said:
99.9% of the time you are correct. But I think they can have some real power, not just imagined power. I think fortunes and some horoscopes can have demonic influences and perhaps mix just enough truth with lies to do real damage. Otherwise why would the chatacism and the Church and the Bible be so specific about them but not about other harmless “tricks” such as a childrens party magician.
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Because superstition is baseless even on a logical and scientific level?
Frankly, the ‘damage’ is more likely to come from the person believing that trash. You control your life, not even God tries to meddle in people’s affairs.
 
Moore11 said:
99.9% of the time you are correct. But I think they can have some real power, not just imagined power. I think fortunes and some horoscopes can have demonic influences and perhaps mix just enough truth with lies to do real damage. Otherwise why would the chatacism and the Church and the Bible be so specific about them but not about other harmless “tricks” such as a childrens party magician.
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Because it’s the Church’s job to be exclusionary. She is designed that way.

Alan
 
I regularly read my horoscope. Sometimes it fits, sometimes it does not. I believe its generic nature is evidence of its primarily human origin. I seek guidance wherever I can find it, and use common sense to judge whether it is guiding me in the right direction.

A horoscope is only as good as its writer. Any good horoscope writer will know about self-fulfilling prophecies, and be responsible enough to avoid such evil.

If you read your horoscope regularly, you will see that this is obvious. If you do not, you might chance upon one that will give you the willies.
 
Yes, Alan. That is the kind of fortune cookie/horoscope that can encourage people to make better decisions.
 
Please DO NOT take this matter to confession unless you are going to schedule a private time for a personal confession. The confessional is not for counselling, outside of the need for repentance and amendment. Instead, schedule an appointment with Fr. to discuss this in his office or your home. With the lack of priests, and their burdensome schedules, turning the confessional setting into a Q&A session is disrespectful of the priest’s time and discourteous for those waiting to confess their sins. I’ve experienced this firsthand, since we have a parishioner who turns confession into a gab session, and then tells everyone about the nice conversations she has with the priest. If you don’t get into the confessional before her, you stand the chance of not getting in at all!(Last time I went, 7 people didn’t get to confess, since Fr. had to say Mass)
 
I respectfully disagree with “sinner”. All she has to do is confess reading the horoscope and mention she is now plagued with fear that the prediction will come true and wants to get rid of the thoughts b/c she knows she needs to trust in God and not a horoscope. The priest will give her some advice and absolve her of her sins. Unless she is going to confess a laundry list of sins, I don’t think it should take more than a few minutes. At least where I live there isn’t too much of a line at confession these days!
 
sinner said:
Please DO NOT take this matter to confession unless you are going to schedule a private time for a personal confession. The confessional is not for counselling, outside of the need for repentance and amendment. Instead, schedule an appointment with Fr. to discuss this in his office or your home. With the lack of priests, and their burdensome schedules, turning the confessional setting into a Q&A session is disrespectful of the priest’s time and discourteous for those waiting to confess their sins. I’ve experienced this firsthand, since we have a parishioner who turns confession into a gab session, and then tells everyone about the nice conversations she has with the priest. If you don’t get into the confessional before her, you stand the chance of not getting in at all!(Last time I went, 7 people didn’t get to confess, since Fr. had to say Mass)
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I disagree as well. Most priests I know would welcome the Q and A. It is their vocation after all to help, teach and heal.
I think your issue is one of scheduling and manpower.
Pray for vocations!!!
 
The poster has a point.

Priests may accept Q & A, but any that I know would still prefer you do it in their office on appointment rather than have a lengthy discussion in the confessional. So yeah, they would welcome it rather than have one of the sheep in trouble, but why not use the resources the way they are intended? I saw a priest who takes confessions before Mass leave a couple people in line because he was late for Mass … when that wouldn’t have happened except for one person was in there for nearly five minutes.

My wife and I had some things we needed to talk about with our pastor, and he is delighted to make hour long appointment (been to three now) and that way he can focus right on us, see our body language, have the time assigned to just us with no distractions or pressure.

Alan
 
No one can deny that although less people are going to confession today , the sacrament is not as available as it once was. And how can we call it “fair” when some people are granted absolution while others who desire it must go without ?

Still, there are some penitents who would prefer the confidentiality of the confessional , and I don’t think the Church could ever approve of discouraging the faithful from exercising that freedom/option when it is made available.

The confessor would surely be the one in the best position to decide whether a penitent might benefit from further counseling and thus, be in the best position to recommend/suggest it.

In my own personal experience , it hasn’t been the type of sin I confess which seems to make my confession vary greatly in terms of time consumption ; it has usually been the confessor .

All things considered, it looks like I’m better off concentrating on my own confession rather than someone else’s.

Confession is a sacrament of healing and the faithful should always feel free to approach this sacrament unencumbered.

While we’re on the subject of counselling, I think this particular piece puts everything in perspective for all of us :
Moore11 said:
. . .

Pray for vocations!!!
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👍
 
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