Christianity and horoscopes - is it a sin according to the teachings of the Bible?

Bible Questions and Answers

Published 06/20/2013

I'm wondering how Christianity and horoscopes fit together? Is it a sin to believe in horoscopes and zodiac signs according to the Bible? Is it normal to subordinate your behavior to what you read in your horoscope?

Answer:

Christianity and horoscopes

The question about belief in horoscopes in Christianity is one of the simplest questions. Yes, from the point of view of the Bible and faith in Jesus Christ, trusting horoscopes and not God is definitely a sin. It is both interesting and sad to note how much influence horoscopes and various psychics have had on Christian groups in the past. For example, during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, popes consulted astrologers whether they should go to war or not.

In any case, though, the whole idea of ​​"Christian" leadership in war is problematic, to say the least. Today, turning to astrologers and psychics is not such a common practice in “Christian” groups. If you see such things in churches, rest assured that they are unacceptable from a biblical perspective!

Which star led the Magi?

Supporters of astrology like to cite the example of the Gospel Magi, who were the first to come to worship the Infant Christ. Who are the Magi? Aren't they magicians, star tellers? And wasn't it a star that led them to Bethlehem? How can the Church object to this?

First of all, you need to find out which star led the Magi. Astronomical and historical research has not found a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. Theories about a newly-minted star or comet inevitably fail. How does the Orthodox Church explain this?

The Holy Fathers are not inclined to see some kind of astronomical body in the Star of Bethlehem. The Orthodox view here is this: it was some kind of Divine phenomenon, angelic power. After all, the behavior of the star herself was atypical. Appearing in the east, she walked some way with the wise men, showing them the way, and then stopped in Bethlehem. Even people of science will agree that stars do not behave this way.

“Why did the angelic power take the form of a star?” - supporters of astrology will ask. Precisely because it was clear to the Magi. Here the action of God's providence is manifested in an amazing way. Through their erroneous knowledge and occupation, the Lord led them to Himself, the only Truth, as stated in the troparion of the holiday:

Your Nativity, Christ our God, illuminated the world with the light of knowledge, for through it those who served the stars were taught to worship You, the Sun of Truth, and to know You, from the heights of the Rising Luminary. Lord, glory to You!

It is noteworthy that in a dream the Magi were ordered to return by a different route. Some interpreters of the Gospel explain this not only by the fear of being captured by Herod’s soldiers. They see another, hidden meaning and symbolism in this. The Magi could still be engaged in their “science” before the appearance of the Son of God, but after His incarnation there should be no return to previous knowledge.

The Bible about horoscopes and astrology

Leviticus 19:31 and 20:6 are just a few passages in the Bible that show God's attitude towards such things, such sins were punishable by death. Here are a few other Bible passages worth noting: Isaiah 8:19, Jeremiah 27:9, 1 Chronicles 10:13-14, and others. A medium or anyone who claims to have special knowledge about divine access to various things outside the scope of prayer to God is not pleasing to God and goes against God. We find passages that also relate to astrology in the Bible: Deuteronomy 17:3, 2 Kings 17:16, etc.

“Do not seek advice from wizards or those who summon the souls of the dead. Do not go to them, for they will only make you unclean. I am the Lord your God!” (Lev.19:31)

“I will be against anyone who goes for advice to people who call upon the spirits of the dead and to wizards. Such a person is unfaithful to Me, and I will separate him from My people.” (Leviticus 20:6)

“Some people say, “Ask fortune tellers and magicians (they always chirp like birds and mutter to themselves so that people will believe they have power),” but I say that people should ask God for help. Fortune tellers and sorcerers ask the dead. Why should the living ask the dead?" (Isaiah 8:19)

“Do not listen to your prophets and people who talk about the future with magic. Don't listen to people who say they solve dreams, don't listen to those who talk to the dead or practice magic. They all say, “You will not be slaves to the king of Babylon.” But these people tell you lies, they will be the reason that you are driven far from home. I will force you to leave your homes and you will die in a foreign land.” (Jeremiah 27:9,10)

“Saul died because he was not devoted to the Lord. Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord, and turned to a sorcerer for advice, not to the Lord. Therefore the Lord killed Saul and gave the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:13,14)

“If you began to serve other gods and worship the sun, moon or stars, then this is against the commandments of the Lord that I gave you.” (Deuteronomy 17:3)

“The people stopped following all the commandments of the Lord their God. They made for themselves golden images of two calves and an Asherah pillar. They worshiped all the stars of heaven and served Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters on fire. They practiced fortune telling and witchcraft. They indulged in what God considered evil. They did this to anger the Lord." (2 Kings 17:16,17)

There are not many passages in the New Testament that specifically warn that turning to astrology or psychics is sinful. One of them is Revelation 21:8, which condemns any involvement in the magical arts. Psychics definitely fall into this category. The entire New Testament is so clear that it apparently wasn't a big issue in the early church. Authors such as Paul and Peter do not describe this problem in their letters. The very idea of ​​trusting someone, psychic or otherwise, to guide your life more than Christ is a sin.

What does Scripture say?

The Orthodox view of horoscopes often gives us examples from the Holy Scriptures when the laws of nature, including the action of the luminaries, were violated through the prayer of the righteous. The most striking example is the story of Joshua. In the battle of Gibeon with the Canaanite tribes, he stopped the Sun and Moon in order to extend the daily cycle, thereby preventing the enemy from escaping by taking advantage of the darkness of the night. So Joshua won the victory.

The Bible speaks of another miracle that violated natural laws, also associated with the mentioned Old Testament character. The waters of the Jordan River stopped flowing and opened the way for the Israelites as they went to Jericho with the Ark of the Covenant. Thus, Joshua exactly repeated the miracle of his mentor Moses, when he crossed the Red Sea “like dry land.” It follows that not only the Moon is able to influence the ebb and flow of the tides, but also the prayers of saints.

The attitude of the Church towards astrological superstitions is well expressed in the Gospel story about the healing of the so-called “sleepwalker”. After the Transfiguration on Tabor, a young man with signs of demonic possession was brought to Jesus Christ. It is characteristic that the attacks happened to him during the periods of the new moon.

Interpreters of the Gospel explain this devilish cunning in this way: demons specially attacked the young man during certain phases of the moon in order to hide themselves. Thus, people would begin to blame the illness not on them, but on the Moon, God’s creation, and through this they would indirectly blaspheme God Himself. However, the Lord healed the young man, forbidding the demons, and not the luminary, to torment him. By this He made it clear who was the true cause of the young man’s suffering.

Is it a sin to get involved in astrology?

Practicing astrology, like any other types of pagan occultism, is always a serious sin for the Church. This was written about in many church decrees.

More about sinful hobbies:

• About playing cards
• Jewish hamsa or hand of Fatima - can it be worn?

For example, in the rules of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, those who turned to fortune tellers were given a six-year penance. From later resolutions, we can mention the definition of the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1994, which lists modern occult movements, including mention of astrology, and then says:

“People who share the teachings of these sects and movements, and even more so contribute to their spread, have excommunicated themselves from the Orthodox Church.”

The harm to the soul caused by such teachings depends on how seriously a person has immersed himself in them. If he read a horoscope in some newspaper, smiled and forgot, it’s not scary. If he began to feel faith and interest in astrology, it means that he has already become carried away by superstitions that put a barrier between the human soul and God.

And if he is so immersed in all this that he builds his life, guided by the advice of astrologers, especially if he directly turned to a fortuneteller, then he is already completely involved in the occult, and his soul is in a very dangerous sinful state.

Orthodoxy about astrology

Question No. 1211

Christian saints about astrology

Photo: Azbyka.ru
The Holy Fathers of our Church also condemn astrology. Such founders of our theology as Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and others are confident that astrology, which predetermines a specific character, fate and death for each person, violates the two most important pillars of our faith - the free will of man and God's providence.

That is, astrologers say that everything is predetermined, but Orthodoxy says that a person is free to make any choice that the Lord gives him. And this choice will guide a person along the path that is known to the Lord, but to no one except him.

The Monk John Climacus said that Satan is not given the ability to know the future. But, since by his nature he is more powerful than a person, he has vast experience in manipulating human souls, he can predict the future with a high degree of probability, thereby bribing people. And he leads them away from God with the help of such a cunning trick as horoscopes.

No. 27 (732) / July 15 '13

Conversations with the priest

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Conversations with the priest

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Mikhail Kudryavtsev
Archpriest Andrei Surikov, custodian of the Church in the name of the Holy Martyr Uar (Lipetsk):

– People often ask: “Why is it considered a sin in the Orthodox Church to believe in horoscopes? What's bad about it?" Let's get a look? Man is the crown of creation, created in the image and likeness of God, created free in his choice. Even the grace of God does not force a person: the Lord said to man: “Ask, and it will be given to you” - even the help of God, and that is given to a person at his own request.

But it turns out that “in our lives there is a certain force that controls our lives,” and horoscopes tell us that “our life is influenced by the position of the stars” - today they stand this way, tomorrow differently, and the behavior of each person depends on this. Moreover, the signs of the zodiac are distinguished, it is argued that the fate of each depends on which of them the person was born under.

What happens? A person has the right to pray to God, he has the right to ask God for help in this or that matter, but the horoscope says that today is an unfavorable day for a certain zodiac sign. It turns out that no matter how much he prays, no matter how much he asks God on this day, if the location of the stars is unfavorable, then nothing will work out for him?

The question arises: where is God’s Providence? Where is a person’s freedom, where is his right to choose what to do? Where is the opportunity to change your life through repentance, where is God’s gracious help? Is it really not in the world, but there is only a certain position of the luminaries that inevitably influences a person? Strange, isn't it?

The Orthodox Church, the entire Gospel, Christ teach us that we should try to change our lives through repentance, correcting sins, changing everything around us. To go to salvation, we need the sacraments and faith in God. But if we look at the predictions of horoscopes, it turns out that all this is not necessary - you just need to carefully observe the position of the luminaries in order to correctly distribute the time of your life and, at those moments when the stars allow, to do certain things. God is completely absent from this system.

This subtle, competent system, not crazy compiled by the evil one, is designed to lead a person away from God. It seems that horoscopes do not directly forbid us from praying or going to churches, which is why many Orthodox Christians fall into error, going so far as to wear zodiac signs next to their crosses. When I ask the question: “What is that on you next to the cross?”, people indignantly answer: “I’m a Capricorn!” (or Aries or Cancer). I always answer: “You are not Cancer, not Aries or Capricorn, you are a person, the image and likeness of God. But this is a sin, an error that is unworthy of an Orthodox Christian.”

It’s amazing how dependent a person becomes on horoscopes, associating himself with one or another zodiac sign. I would like to tell you an incident from my life. One day a woman who studied astrology came to me. She made astrological forecasts for various people, and people turned to her as a specialist knowledgeable in this matter. But here’s what’s surprising: her life didn’t work out at all. Everything she did turned to dust, and she was haunted by failure. But she is an astrologer, she knew her horoscope perfectly... Finally, she came to the temple, turned to God, and, naturally, the priest advised her to renounce this error, repent of her sins, take communion and trust in God in everything. After Repentance, after the first Communion, what should have been fulfilled today according to her horoscope suddenly did not happen. She began to observe discrepancies in her own horoscope during the day, and began to see the delusions of her own hobby.

Look when she started seeing this? Only when I repented of it. For a long time she went to the temple, asked a lot of questions, it was very difficult for her to refuse this, one way or another the evil one slipped her cases in life that supposedly coincided with her horoscope. But she overcame everything with the help of God. Now she is an Orthodox Christian and lives freely, regardless of horoscopes and zodiac signs.

This is how many of us are: those who want to see something in an astrological forecast that will help them will definitely see it there.

I became confident in the fallacy of astrological forecasts back in seminary, when in one of my philosophy lessons, Professor Archpriest Vladimir Mustafin briefly and clearly proved the fallacy of this entire theory. And it was like this: during the lecture there was a conversation about horoscopes and zodiac signs, and one of the students objected indignantly: “Well, of course, Father Vladimir, because astrological forecasts have so much in common with our lives!” Father Vladimir did not object to him, but only asked: “What is your zodiac sign?” I don’t remember now what his zodiac sign was, let’s say Aries. Father Vladimir took out a newspaper and said: “Here I have a newspaper for last week, let’s read about your zodiac sign” and began to read. Everyone listened carefully. And when he read, the student, proudly straightening his shoulders, said: “Well, you see, Father Vladimir, almost everything matches!” And he looked at him and said: “But I read you Sagittarius...”.

So be careful what you wear next to the cross. Think about it: is it really not enough for a Christian to carry on himself the One Who Created Heaven and Earth? Is anything else really needed?

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