Astrology?

[PearlSeeker]

A lot of people do see it the same. I do not. Astrology is meant to show correlations to a person's personality and life events from some third party person (a writer or whoever puts those things in the papers/grocery stores), in relation to star positions. Whereas Tarot is used as a divinatory tool (finding new ways of looking at a problem, via randomness, is how I define divination), and the cards represent archetypes of the psyche (kind of jungian). And just like there are 52 cards in a classic playing card deck, that when shuffled you will never have the same order twice; Tarot is similar with 57 cards, and a similar infinite number of combos. It may seem square peg round hole, but I don't see it as such.

Studying the patterns is studying the human mind (archetypes, culture, collective experience). There are different tools for doing this... Fractals appear also in nature...

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Or are you just going to continue looking down your nose at us plebs?

Probably.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Most of the research I am familiar with was what I learned at the university, not online. However, I did find this for you with a simple google:

Thank you! I see an investigation into Indian astrology (that's bunk), a refutation of sun-sign astrology (also bunk), refutations of claims that astrologers would not make (that occupation can be predicted), claims by a man whose published work included basic errors of mathematics and astronomy (Geoffrey Dean), etc. As I've said, if you want to cite evidence against something, you can always find it — or invent it, as CSICOP has done. Of course, you may say say the same of me! In the last analysis, we all have to make up our mind about what constitutes evidence and how we evaluate it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Thank you! I see an investigation into Indian astrology (that's bunk), a refutation of sun-sign astrology (also bunk), refutations of claims that astrologers would not make (that occupation can be predicted), claims by a man whose published work included basic errors of mathematics and astronomy (Geoffrey Dean), etc. As I've said, if you want to cite evidence against something, you can always find it — or invent it, as CSICOP has done. Of course, you may say say the same of me! In the last analysis, we all have to make up our mind about what constitutes evidence and how we evaluate it.

You still haven't posted any evidence yourself.

 

[PearlSeeker]

Let me continue about mind and nature connection.

I don't know if this is also astrology but it was revealed to me there is a symbolical connection of everything. Universal patterns, meaning, signs, symbols, principles, concepts, qualities, archetypes, ana-logies... We have a logos that participates in the universal Logos. Macrocosmos and microcosm follow the same patterns and we can read them. In mathematics there are fractals and one property is self-similarity.
An example from nature:

People have (consciously or unconsciously) built some systems to organize universal patterns e. G. Yin-Yang, the classic 4 elements, the Tree of Life, Enneagram... also Tarot, the12 signs of zodiac, Trinity...

 

[HonestJoe]

Those people who expect me to provide them with my evidence (decades of research on computer or paper) might care to explain why I should care enough about their opinions to prepare a summary.

To be fair, you chose to post on the thread and specifically asked those who disagreed with your position to provide evidence against it (which is impossible if you don't actually explain what it is).

If you are interested, investigate for yourself. I note that the objectors are either Christians or atheists. Since I have little respect for the former and none for the latter, I'm not motivated to be co-operative!

The problem with that approach is that if someone takes some independent explanation for astrology and presents arguments against it, you can just say your understanding is different.

The nature of the people commenting here is entirely irrelevant if we're discussing facts and evidence.

Many of the quibbles are careless (or dishonest?) I say astrology predicted the date of the collapse of the USSR. Some-one cites a Wikipedia article about predictions of Soviet collapse, all of wich either do not give a date or give the wrong date. Did "Honest" Joe actually read the article, or did he think I wouldn't check?

No, but you specifically asked "How many political commentators were expecting that event?" so I was pointing out that countless were. None of them got all the specifics right (including the astrology conference you referenced). You seemed to be trying to suggest that astrology gave the people at the conference some kind of special insight but I see no evidence that is the case.

Can I explain why astrology works? Well, I can make a couple of guesses, but I don't know.

We've still not addressed the question of what it is and what is defined as it "working". If a consistent correlation can be established between the (perceived) positions of defined planetary bodies and some kind of measurable effects, it should be possible to study them for a connection. That has happened with lots of different things, including some previously considered supernatural or mythical. It hasn't happened with astrology, IMO, because of a failure to establish the first step. The definition of "works" in practice is fuzzy, subjective and inconsistent, especially in controlled conditions and double-blind studies.

 

[Muffled]

I don't see many believers in astrology (of any variety) around RF. Are there any?

Do you believe astrology provides us with consistent, accurate descriptions of people's personalities? Or of future events? Or anything else other than the position of stars and planets in the sky?

I believe so and can even approximate what a persons life will be like but I found it frustrating for predicting the future.

I believe my wife and mother-in-law prayed for me to leave astrology. That prayer was answered when God told me He had a better way. I have found that to be true.

 

[Muffled]

I don't see any benefit to it.
But it is interesting that there isn't a forum for it.

I believe at times it opens a door for me to witness to a person who otherwise would not listen to an evangelist but will listen to someone who knows astrology. Usually I work that through the ninth house which rules religion.

 

[Muffled]

That's how it started, is a deck of game cards. Sort of as if Magic The Gathering cards eventually become a means of divination.

I believe in using Tarot cards for divination but even though I have an advantage in having God work through the cards I can still miss things because I see them too subjectively. For instance the cards said the biggest event of the year (2019) was a celebration. I interpreted that to mean our 50th wedding anniversary but instead it meant the celebration of her life because she died Nov 2018. The celebration was held in Aug of 2019.

 

[Milton Platt]

I believe at times it opens a door for me to witness to a person who otherwise would not listen to an evangelist but will listen to someone who knows astrology. Usually I work that through the ninth house which rules religion.

Like I said,,,,I don't see any real benefit.