Yesterday I was sitting in my office working on a chart. It was a beautiful day. Sunny and hot.
But I was in the shade and there was a nice cool breeze coming off the water. I was totally enwrapped in the
chart I was doing. After about an hour a man shows up with two cameramen beside him. He was clean cut
with an air of decency about him. (When you work outdoors as I do – weather permitting – there are all
kinds of different people who approach you. Some are beggars asking for money or cigarettes. Some are
merely curious. And, sad to say, some are predators looking for prey. But this man had an air of decency.)

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?” he asked. “Do you mind if we film you?”

My mind was a million miles away. In the stars and planetary configurations. Well at least he wasn’t asking
for money, I thought.

“Sure, go right ahead”.

Two young men with cameras started filming. They stood apart from us.

The man asked “I have a very simple question. How do you get to heaven?”

I was completely taken aback. Didn’t expect this kind of philosophical-theological question – and I was being
filmed as well!

“Wow, you don’t kid around. That’s a tough one. But let me say this. One gets to heaven by being in
connection with the Divine and by living, day to day, in harmony with that.”

His eyes lit up in agreement. He wasn’t expecting this kind of answer. I also saw – and this was telling – the
cameramen nod their heads.

There was more I wanted to say, but the venue didn’t allow it. I wanted to say that if a person did this, he
or she wouldn’t need to wait for death to go to heaven. He or she would be in heaven right on the earth. In
the body. It was probably right that I didn’t say it as it would have offended their religious sensibilities. I
learned this later on.

He was looking at the chart I was working on. He asked “what are you working on here?”

“Astrology” I said.

I saw the slight grimace on his face. He was trying valiantly to be non-judgmental. I could see the struggle
going on in him.

“But this is not the Astrology that you hear about” I said “this is spiritual astrology. This comes from the
recognition that the laws of astrology are part and parcel of the Divine Creation. This is the way the Lord
created the world.”

He nodded. And I saw the cameramen nod too. Were they really agreeing or just acknowledging me? Had
I scored some points or were they humoring me?

He asked me to sign some papers. “Release forms, so that we don’t get into trouble for filming you” he
said. I signed them. I noticed on the stationary the heading MURDOCH BAPTIST CHURCH. The man was
the pastor. A minister. This was why he was asking such questions.

I signed the papers. The cameramen were still filming.

“One more thing I’d like to say for the benefit of the cameras. Is it OK?”
He nodded.

“I know how you think about Astrology. Many religions are against us. But I want you to know that we are
not against them.”

He nodded.

Now we’ll see what they do with the film. Will they selectively edit to make me look bad? Will they give a
faithful portrayal of the encounter? I don’t know. I don’t care.