What do Christians think about Astrology?

Answer 1

Astronomy or study of the stars is widely accepted, However, worship of the stars is not. That is Idolatry.

Answer 2

There are those who Call themselves Christian, and then there are those who are Really Christian. The latter are the ones who actually Follow the Bible, which is what Christ taught his followers to do. My answer is in line with the idea that you are wanting to know what the Bible Itself indicates regarding Astrology, & therefore what Christians think about it, as well ...

I've read 2 very good sets of articles that I am in complete agreement with --complete with Scripture reference-links--
about Astrology (& its related subject, the Zodiak), & here are links to them:

Is Astrology the Key to Your Future?
- What Is Astrology?
- A Long History of Failure
- In Conflict With Bible Teachings
http://watchtower.org/library/g/2005/8/8/article_01.htm

The Zodiak eventually became a part of Astrology ...

Should the Zodiac Influence Your Life?
- Historical Background
- Hidden Dangers
- The Bible--A Reliable Guide
http://watchtower.org/library/g/2000/11/8a/article_01.htm

Advanced Search (can be used to find future-modified URLs) http://watchtower.org/search/search_e.htm

Answer 3

Now a days Christians also take interest in astrology, because now they know the benefits of astrology.

Answer 4

Love it, I'm Catholic.

The Jesuits (fellowship of Catholics) have one of the few privately owned telescopes outside of governments. They also possess one of the few acknowledged (by all astronomers)"Sun Meteors". Plus with the controversies over the "Big Bang" and matter "Inflating" ... well, it all kinda looks like thumb prints left by God.

Oops, I thought you said "Astronomy" ... my bad ... Personally, I think Astrology is funny. "Hey baby, what's YOUR sign?" (giggle)

Answer 5

Astronomy, excellent. Astrology is a bunch of half-baked occultist nonsense.

Answer 6

God made the stars and gave them names. We are told in the holy Bible to stay away from astrology, devining games of chance necromancy etc, etc, etc...... You probably know that anyway.

Answer 7

Astrology engenders belief in idolatrous concepts, and as such should be avoided; whilst it can be fun, it should not be taken too seriously.

Answer 8

The bible says not to use astrology, so I don't.

Answer 9

Increasing urbanization, religious reformation, the spread of universities to urban centers and away from monasteries, and importation of Arabic and Jewish learning gave rise to a transformation of intellectual life in Europe. The Arab knowledge expanded and systematized imported Greek astrology and alchemy concepts. The synthesis of astrology and Aristotle’s philosophical cosmology increased the credence of astrology as a form of science. For an interesting look at the various astrological works and thoughts see: Marriage and Divorce of Astronomy and Astrology: A History of Astral Prediction from Antiquity to Newton, Gordon Fisher, freely downloadable at < http://www.gfisher.org/index.htm>

Printed translations of books became available to many in this time period. (Kieckhefer, p. 64) And numerous Arabic works of scholarly astrology, alchemy, and astral magic were also translated from Arabic into Latin to benefit men trained in church schools and nascent universities.

These persons of influence could be found in many positions in:
-the courts of royalty advising rulers (e.g., Charles IV, V, Popes Sixtus IV, Juliu II) with newfound knowledge such as the use of divination, including astrology;
- the medical profession. Until the eighteenth century an examination in knowledge of astrology was required for those seeking to become doctors; and
- scientific fields, where we found Galileo and Kepler, both practicing astrologers.

Astrology, a form of divination, saw an interconnection between the physical world's microcosm and macrocosm to human endeavors and natural phenomena that reflect one another. Some examples of natural phenomena that were used for divination included:

weather;
animal behavior, e.g., a bird's crowing; and
cycles of moon, often used to determine favorable and unfavorable undertakings such as travel or weddings.

The early church opposed using natural phenomena as being superstitious, but not magic. Unusual natural events were often interpreted as omens having some bearing on human affairs. For example, comets were viewed as foreshadowing the death of kings since time of Julius Caesar, whose death was preceded by a comet in 44 B.C.E. When Halley's Comet appeared on the eve of the Norman invasion of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror, it was viewed as a sign of Harold's pending defeat by William. Indeed, Harold was slain in the battle of Hastings and William made King.

Astrology in the Places of Power

Astrologers and sorcerers frequently served as court advisors as aids to decision making. Astrologers were consulted by emperors and popes. Even Galileo, Johannes Kepler, considered to be the first theoretical astrophysicist, were astrologers. Emperors that relied upon astrology included Charles IV and Charles V. The papacy also used astrology: Sixtus IV, Julius II, Leo X, and Paul III. According to the Catholic encyclopedia, ambassadors were not received in papal courts until astrologers were consulted:

"When these rulers lived astrology was, so to say, the regulator of official life; it is a fact characteristic of the age, that at the papal and imperial courts ambassadors were not received in audience until the court astrologer had been consulted." (See http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02018e.htm)

Astral Magic

Beginning with the twelfth century, astral magic was widespread among European Jewish intellectuals. Astral magic was based on the concept celestial forces could be used for personal benefit. The idea was that the stars and zodiac signs release constant emanations ( also called, spirituality) that contain extraordinary forces. Influencing signs and planets' locations in heavens determined the quality of these emanations and the character of the forces. These emanations and forces could be absorbed and "drawn down" on earth using an image, effigy, or amulet that symbolized planets or constellations. The magician "draws down" this spirituality to change the course of natural forces, to predict the future, or to heal the sick.

Condemnation

Divination was the most strongly condemned form of magic by the church. In condemning divination, the Catholic church argued that divination,

circumvented or ignored the will of God;
ignored pious prayer and supplication in favor of human manipulation; and
saw a person's destiny as subjected to fate or predetermined, thereby denying God's granting of free will to mankind.

In the thirteenth century, Gerard of Feltre defined the problem of divination in his Summa on the Stars: "If the stars make a man a murderer or a thief, then all the more it is the first cause, God, who does this, which is shameful to suggest."

Here the use of the term, "first cause" is an allusion to the cosmological argument for the existence of God:
1. Everything that had a beginning had a cause.
2. The universe had a beginning.
3. Therefore the universe had a Cause.

Divination essentially removed God from the religious equation. Divination meant that mankind's actions were subject to the control of nature and the heavens by astrologers, oneiromancers, or chiromancers, and not orthodox priests. If these phenomena were the only things controlling persons' lives and destinies, why would anyone need the church or lead a pious life? Clearly the very foundations of the Church would be shaken if such beliefs were allowed to spread, hence, the Church focused a large amount of its efforts at condemning the heresy of divination.

Answer 10

I think Java Jive explained this well