Session 4 - Practices in the Occult

In this session we will be looking at the most popular practice associated with the occult:

the practice of astrology.

We will look at statistics on astrology, why people do it, what the scientific case is for and against it, and what the Bible

says abut the topic.

Astrology: the study of the movements and positions of the sun, moon, planets, and

stars, and the skill of describing the expected effect that some people believe these have on the character and lives of

people.Astronomy: the scientific study of the

universe and of objects that exist naturally in space, such as the moon, sun, planets,

and stars.

Don’t Confuse Terms

In the early history of humanity, astrology and astronomy were closely related.

The latter dealt with the movements of

heavenly bodies, while the former attempted

to interpret the possible effects that

these might have upon earth's inhabitants.

Statistics on Astrology

Of all the practices associated with the

occult, astrology is by far the most popular

(among both Americans and people

around the world).

There are approximately 7,000 astrologers in America today.

33% of Americans (and a large portion of the peoples of other countries) believe in

Astrology today.

That works out to be somewhere around 100,000,000 people who

believe in astrology.

One in three people believe

in astrology.

Astrology has influenced history (even in our culture) in many different ways.

The names of the days are based on it:

Monday – Moon dayTuesday – Mar’s day (day of Tiw, the Norse “Tyr”

Martian god of war)Wednesday – Mercury’s day (Woden’s day – Norse

Odin)Thursday – Jupiter’s day (Thors day)

Friday – Venus’ day (Frigg’s day, wife of Odin) Saturday – Saturn’s day

Sunday – Sun Day

Why astrology?

People give several reasons for being involved with astrology.

People seek help from astrologers because of emotional pain or turmoil in their lives.

People seek help from astrologers because they give commonsense advice, and

encouragement that things can go better for them in the future.

People seek help from astrologers because they do not offer moral advice.

People go to astrologers because they are seeking meaning for their life and the things

that happen to them.

People use astrology because it’s becoming more socially acceptable and is interesting.

Astrology claims to give people control over their future.

Where did it all begin?

We don’t know how much happened before the flood, but what we

do know is where it started after the flood.

After the flood God tells Noah and his family to

spread around the world.

Instead, man decides to stay in one area, and they build the

tower of Babel.

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the

heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered

over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

Understand the tower of Babel had nothing to do with literally reaching heaven

(high into the sky).

This is where worshipping of the heavens and focusing on the heavens and

connecting with (reaching) the heavens first originates in history.

Astrology has been around for a very, very long time.

About 4,000 years ago, Babylonian astrologers drew up horoscopes indicating what might be expected to happen in each month. The superstitious Babylonians also

devised the Zodiac, a division of the celestial sphere into twelve equal parts known

as signs or houses.

The stars and planets were believed to be the signs of the most powerful gods, and, in

some cases, were actually gods themselves.

By the late fourth century B.C., Mesopotamian astrology had spread to Greece, and about a century later was

adopted widely by the Egyptians.

When Greek culture was absorbed by the Romans, astrology assumed the form of a

religion, and its practitioners began to design individual horoscopes.

Different types of astrology exist; you can’t narrow it down to one form.

When we talk about ancient astrology, we are talking about the belief that the stars

and planets were gods, and because they were

gods, they had influence on those

here on planet earth.

This was the belief of the Babylonians (and many others historically), and is still the

belief of some occultic groups today (although this idea is less popular today).

One of the more popular views is what’s called material astrology.

This is the belief that there are “influences” or “emanations” from actual planets in our

solar system.

Another category, called humanistic astrology, believes the entire thing is

symbolic (symbolic astrology).

The planets are believed to be symbols for different energies that exist and influence

humans here on earth.

It’s interesting that different views within the realm of astrology disagree and

contradict each other, but we usually don’t hear about these different views.

The twelve Zodiac signs work as a means to predict the future. One's birth date falls into a Zodiac sign, and this is used in determining

predictive events in relation to the astral body positions.

How does it “work”?

The twelve signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio,

Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.

The idea is to map the sky at the point you were born, and that way know where the

earth was in the solar system, and where the planets were.

Not only do you have the 12 signs, you also have houses associated with them, and the houses are where the planets move

around (and supposedly effect your life and destiny).

Does it actually work?

General arguments given in support (and as evidence) of astrology working:

1. Astrology is true because it is widely accepted and found in many cultures

2. Many great scholars have believed (in the past) and do believe (today) that astrology

works and has merit to it

3. Astrology is true because it has great antiquity and durability. If it weren’t true, it

wouldn’t have lasted this long

4. The planets are already known scientifically to influence planet Earth and

those who live on it (like with tides)

5. Astrology is true because it’s based on observation and has been proven by

scientific research (and statistics), AKA, it’s true because it works

Scientific research proves astrology?

A few studies have been presented as proof that astrology works.

The Mayo - White - Eysenck Study

This study set out to determine if astrology could predict who would be introverts and

who would be extroverts in a large group of people surveyed based on their chart.

They had results they claimed couldn’t be accounted for by

chance alone.

Did they prove astrology?

Five additional studies were performed in the same area, three of these studies did not

support the M-W-E findings, and two did.

So did they prove it or not?

Eysenck himself in later research (confirmed by other researchers) concluded that “the

entire astrological effect [of the original study] was due to the subjects’ expectation

and familiarity with the characteristics associated with their Zodiac signs.”

They said the minimal predictions that were made could be explained by other factors, and did not necessarily support astrology

and the zodiac having any effect.

The Guardian-Smithers study

This study used census records to test 2.3 million people, comparing their occupations

with their sun-signs.

The results were reported in The Guardian.

Although a mild correlation was noted, Smithers himself remained unconvinced. He

decided that most of the data “can be explained in other ways”.

Later on, a reevaluation of Smithers’ research claimed design flaws in the study.

Nelson Radio Research

He allegedly demonstrated that certain planetary configurations were

responsible for improved shortwave radio

transmission or the lack thereof.

His study was heralded as evidence of a physical influence exerted by the planets.

Another study examined 25 years of Nelson’s daily forecasts, and failed to find

any evidence of a correlation between planetary positions and radio broadcast

quality.Even if they were true, this does nothing to

prove that the positions of the planets at your birth influence your future.

Gauquelin’s studies

Michael Gauquelin has done more research on this topic than probably anyone else, and is cited more in support of astrology

than anyone else.

Most people don’t know that Gauquelin has also fully discredited traditional astrology

more than anyone else. It would be equivalent to citing Karl Marx in support of

capitalism.

He did his “Mars effect” research to see if the birth dates of 2,088 sport champions

were “statistically significant” to astrology.

They reported that a statistically significant number of sports champions were born when Mars was situated between the

eastern horizon and the celestial meridian (a correlation of 21.65% of those athletes).

It was expected to only have a correlation of 17.17% (so it was 4% higher than expected).

If you ask me, that doesn’t seem like a very convincing correlation.

People fail to mention, however, the other studies he did that disprove astrology.

He did a study with 15,560 subjects to test the alleged influence of the Zodiac in

relation to professional success, and he said the results were “entirely negative”.

At this point people said he should have tested personality, not personal success.

Gauquelin obliged the astrologers and tested their claims in another study.

52,188 personality traits were systematically collected from 2,000

subjects, and after examining the results, he said that astrological predictions have

received “a fatal blow”.

Gauquelin admits that he has personally tested astrologers over the years.

“Over the years, I have tested astrologers, generally at their own request. The basic

model is to present them with 20 horoscopes, 10 belonging to people who

have some striking characteristic in common, the other 10 to people with the

opposite characteristic….

“The astrologer has to match the horoscopes with the characteristics in

question as correctly as possible . . . I have to admit that astrologers regularly fail these tests and are sometimes so disillusioned that

they accuse me of rigging the cases.”

He is recorded saying that “zodiacal influences still continue to be not

vindicated”. These were just the studies that are to

support it!

What does the Bible say?

Some try to draw parallels between astrology and the Bible (saying it supports it).

Some have asserted that the twelvefold blessing pronounced by Jacob on his

sons (Genesis 49:1-18) had some astrological significance.

The problem? There is absolutely no mention of or connect to astrology.

Other areas where the number twelve is significant in the Bible are used to draw

this (non existent) parallel.

Twelve tribes of Israel and the

twelve disciples are other examples that

people will use to draw parallels

(basically anything with a twelve).

The Israelites were forbidden to worship stars ( Deuteronomy 9:14 )

Jeremiah also referred to the pagan veneration of Ishtar or Venus ( 7:18 ; 44:17-

19 ), as well as celestial bodies generally ( 8:2 ;19:13 ) in a negative way

The Bible talks about astrology quite a bit, and it’s never in friendly terms.

Amos condemned the northern kingdom's worship of Saturn ( 5:26 )

Daniel seems to have been familiar with astrologers ( 2:27 ; 4:7 ) and with their

inability to interpret the king's dreams.

Daniel repudiated their supposed abilities by

declaring that only God can be regarded as the

true source of revelations concerning the future (5:14-16 ).

“And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the

moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve

them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a

heritage.” (Deuteronomy 4:19-20)

Jeremiah 10:2 “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the

signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.”

Now, the Bible is not saying not to pay attention to weather patterns.

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day

from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and

let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and

it was so. (Genesis 1:14-15)

That was one of their purposes.

“You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the

stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall

come upon you. Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of

the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before!...

Astrologers Can’t Save You

“Thus shall they be to you With whom you have labored, Your merchants from your youth; They shall wander each one to his

quarter. No one shall save you.” (Isaiah 47:13-15)

Can you predict the future by the heavens? Well in a way, but not the future of people.

The Bible never speaks of astrology in a positive way, and condemns it over and over.

Memory Verse

Jeremiah 10:2 “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the

signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.”