Recently I learned, that McDonald’s, was celebrating the current Mercury retrograde, which began on May 10 with a promotion. They would give customers the opportunity for a tarot reading and any customer who had one would get free french fries, or something like that. A part of me was happy. Astrology was finally becoming main stream. McDonald’s after all is one of the largest corporations in America. I learned of this while listening to one of my favorite talk shows on a Christian radio station. Normally the host is sane on most issues and I find myself in general agreement with her. But in this case she was virulent and apoplectic. Not her usual self. She called astrology demonic and that every real Christian must stay away from it. Her husband joined her and gave a distorted perspective on the meaning of mercury retrograde. I wasn’t surprised about the antagonism, but I was surprised at the virulence of it. Real astrology is far from the demonic. It is a cosmic science and like any other science can be used for good or ill. If Misused it can certainly be demonic. If used correctly it is divine and angelic.

First of all, let’s set the record straight. The planets and their influence were part of the original creation of God. This is so even for the most elementary Bible believer. The sun and moon were created on the fourth day and God pronounced it good. According to Scripture the two great lights, the sun and the moon were there for signs and for seasons and four days and years. Then, after having said that the Scripture says the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule of the night. Here the scripture goes way beyond signs and seasons but actually implies rulership, dominion. And, here we have the basis of astrology.

The sun and moon were created to rule the day and the night and God said it was good. Where is the demonic in this?

Why all this virulence and hostility?

After due meditation I understand what happened. In ancient societies such as Babylon and Chaldea, astrology had become the state religion. Ancient cultures made serious mistakes. They worshiped the planets as Gods. Not as messengers of God but as Gods themseves. Thus, when the monotheistic revelation came, both the Jews and Christians needed to uproot these beliefs. Not just astrological beliefs, but all the pagan beliefs. In their zeal they threw the baby out with the bath water. So even the pagan beliefs that were true were also thrown out. It was necessary to create something new and anything that partook of the old ways had to go.

Perhaps they overdid things. It was not a nuanced approach.

I was raised in a religious family. My family had the same attitude to astrology as our beloved radio commentator had. The interesting thing is when things happened in their lives the horoscope always showed it clearly. In their denial their horoscopes were affirmed.

Yes, as the religious people say, God is the only presence and the only power. But as we see from experience the divine works through many messengers. Through the planets as well as through people, animals, and nature.