Horoscopes

[14er]

Hello,

I have a relative who used to not believe in horoscopes, but now is starting to. The reason she gives is that they seem to be true and accurate every day. I read the one she shared as an example of how true they are. Everything written in that day’s horoscope was so general that it could be applied to everyone’s life every day, and it was so complimentary of the person, who wouldn’t want the platitudes to be applied to oneself?

I don’t read these things, so I need to know if they are all written this way. BUT, my real question is: Would it be a good idea to have her pick a zodiac sign that is NOT hers and read those horoscopes for, say, a month, in order for her to see that they can apply to anyone and therefore fraudulent?

Please only reply if you are informed on this topic as a soul may be in jeopardy.

 

[Lokadottir]

Hello,

I have a relative who used to not believe in horoscopes, but now is starting to. The reason she gives is that they seem to be true and accurate every day. I read the one she shared as an example of how true they are. Everything written in that day’s horoscope was so general that it could be applied to everyone’s life every day, and it was so complimentary of the person, who wouldn’t want the platitudes to be applied to oneself?

I don’t read these things, so I need to know if they are all written this way. BUT, my real question is: Would it be a good idea to have her pick a zodiac sign that is NOT hers and read those horoscopes for, say, a month, in order for her to see that they can apply to anyone and therefore fraudulent?

Please only reply if you are informed on this topic as a soul may be in jeopardy.

Horoscopes make broad statements that can apply to anyone the term for this escapes me though.

 

[lutheran_farmer]

Make a deal with her. Tell her to read the wrong horoscope only for a week and then come back and tell you what happened. They are all general enough to be interchangable. A month is too long, IMO.

 

[Lokadottir]

Make a deal with her. Tell her to read the wrong horoscope only for a week and then come back and tell you what happened. They are all general enough to be interchangable. A month is too long, IMO.

That is an awesome idea!

 

[Joe_5859]

Make a deal with her. Tell her to read the wrong horoscope only for a week and then come back and tell you what happened. They are all general enough to be interchangable. A month is too long, IMO.

I’d just caution, though, that I could see that potentially blowing up in the OP’s face. While we are often inclined to read into things when we want to believe something is there, we are also inclined to dismiss things when we don’t want to believe anything is there.

She may come back after a week even more convinced that horoscopes are true because she thinks that the other “sign” didn’t apply to her nearly as well. Plus, if she’s already got the page open to the horoscopes, it would be tough for her to resist glancing at her own horoscope in addition to the “wrong” one and then making comparisons (and of course being inclined to accept the similarities in the former while dismissing any in the latter).

I would just reiterate that all these types of things – horoscopes, fortune cookies, messages on candy wrappers, etc. – are all intentionally written to be generic. People easily gloss over that which contradicts their experience and then steadfastly cling to any shred that bolsters it.

 

[Mike_from_NJ]

Horoscopes make broad statements that can apply to anyone the term for this escapes me though.

James Randi did a fun thing with this. He went to a high school classroom of about 30 kids. He had them submit their birthdays and he gave them printed horoscopes. He asked the class to rate the accuracy of the horoscope they were given on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being best. There were a few 3s, several 4s, and many 5s. He then had the kids pass their horoscopes back one row and had the kids in the back row pass their horoscopes up to the front.

There they saw that they all had been given the exact same horoscopes.

 

[pianistclare]

James Randi did a fun thing with this. He went to a high school classroom of about 30 kids. He had them submit their birthdays and he gave them printed horoscopes. He asked the class to rate the accuracy of the horoscope they were given on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being best. There were a few 3s, several 4s, and many 5s. He then had the kids pass their horoscopes back one row and had the kids in the back row pass their horoscopes up to the front.

There they saw that they all had been given the exact same horoscopes.

A priest friend told us that he had the same “test” in Seminary. Was very funny. He abhorred the horoscope craze. It was a anecdote to tell us, and convinced all present.
(Although I doubt many of the adults were taken in by horoscopes.)

Tell her that story the above poster tells. Although it many simply push her further into it.
If she’s Catholic, show her what the Catechism says about such things,

 

[Skye_Ariel]

James Randi did a fun thing with this. He went to a high school classroom of about 30 kids. He had them submit their birthdays and he gave them printed horoscopes. He asked the class to rate the accuracy of the horoscope they were given on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being best. There were a few 3s, several 4s, and many 5s. He then had the kids pass their horoscopes back one row and had the kids in the back row pass their horoscopes up to the front.

There they saw that they all had been given the exact same horoscopes.

LOL That’s a good one!