Saturday, September 02, 2006

Why?

Why do people use astrologers, psychics, and fortune tellers? One of our local radio stations airs an astrologer/card reader every Saturday evening. I don't listen to her, but today I left it on.

People called her to ask questions about business decisions, marriage, and a whole array of issues. It was very disturbing.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
2116
All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.
2117
All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others—even if this were for the sake of restoring their health—are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity


Why do people call astrologers? Do people actually believe the advice they get? I know a few people who do card readings for internet companies and I am completely puzzled by the practice.

1 comment:

Brian Michael Page said...

Card readers, star gazers, etc. - they're just like the "big three" publishers of religious "ditties" - it's that "BBB" theorem:

Big time
Brainwashing for your
Buck!

Peace,
BMP