Feed: 2012 Movie Doomsday - AggScore: 23.0

Astronomy or Astrology?

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Have you ever finally just gave in to the temptation and read your horoscope in the newspaper on Sunday morning? Sure, we all have. For most of us, it’s a curiosity, an amusement to see what they say our day will be like based on the sign of the zodiac that we were born under. Sometimes we forget that this little diversion is actually part of an ancient science called astrology that has had a powerful effect on many cultures dating back to centuries before Christ.That is not to say that astrology is a dead art today. It is easy to find astrology advocates in every town, advertising in the newspaper and on television trying to convince us that they can tell our fortune, our future and help cure our ills by exploring the mysteries of astrology.When you are a lover of astronomy, the confusion between astronomy and astrology by those who don’t really understand the differences can get pretty aggravating. And in early civilizations, the two disciplines were not separate. Astrology was just the religious side of the science of astronomy. So what changed?The most significant shift that set in motion the separation of the two lines of thought began in the first century when Ptolemy wrote the very first book on astronomy called the Tetrabiblos. In it, he began to suggest that astronomy should be considered a separate science from astrology. It was quite a revolutionary book because it also was the first scientific document to suggest that the earth was not the center of the universe and that astronomy should be focused strictly on the observation and recording of events in the cosmos.Over the next 2000 years, we have come a long way. Not only has science and religion completely gone their separate ways since Ptolemy but the science of astronomy makes tremendous strides every year that are so phenomenal, Ptolemy would be truly astounded.Probably the biggest point of diversion between a student of astrology and astronomy is the belief that the position of the stars has meaning over the events on our lives. Of course, we do know that the weather and tides and other important aspects of our lives are affected by the stars, planets and heavenly bodies, particularly the moon. But these things are happening because of completely explainable scientific laws in motion, not because of mystical forces at work.What can we, as devotees of astronomy conclude about the close relationship between astrology and astronomy? Well, for sure we want to be able to explain to anyone who is confused by the similarity in the words what the differences are. We do not want to see the two approaches to the stars and planets to become confused again. But we should do all we can do keep that distinction clear without becoming skeptical or demeaning towards those who may still hold to the teachings of astrology.It is important to remember that what is part of a person’s religious life has a level of sacred belief to the one holding it. And it is not respectful to scoff at such things. If for no other reason than out of respect for the ancient origins of astronomy, we should give courtesy who still are exploring whether astrology has any validity for them.If we can treat each discipline with respect but maintain the separation that must exist between astrology and astronomy, there is no reason both approaches to our admiration of the galaxies cannot coexist in peace and harmony. And for our purposes as astronomers, that harmony will allow us plenty of freedom to enjoy our quest for knowledge for many more centuries to come. And who knows, you might still like to read the horoscope on Sunday morning every so often.2012 prophecy | mayan calendarLinks2012

Astrology Readings

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I get three different astrology readings in my inbox each day, and I have to laugh at how much each of them seems to contradict the others. So which is it? Which one should I rely on to get me through my day? Which one is telling the truth? Quite honestly, how can you think any of them are true if they are all so different right? This is where some people run into problems.You should never base the course of your life on astrology readings. I’m not saying that they are worthless, but to plan your whole day around what they say is asking for trouble. What if you are thinking of asking your boss for a raise? If your astrology reading for that day says, “Now is the time to ask that big question you have been thinking about?” Does that mean today is the day you should ask for your raise? Absolutely not! You have to trust your own intuition about if the time is right. You may walk into your boss’s office only to see that he or she is having a horrible day and it is the worst time to ask for a raise. If you take the advice of your astrology reading over your common sense, you are going to get denied.My favorite astrology reading is the one that really doesn’t try to tell me what I should do or what I shouldn’t. It’s often just advice that anyone could apply to each day of his or her life, and I find it to be uplifting for the most part. This is a great way to start my day, and this is why I love to get them. Just remember if you believe too hard you might get burned, because not everyone offering astrology readings is qualified. Anyone can claim to give you a good reading, but it doesn’t mean they know what they are doing.If you are going through a tough time and are looking to astrology readings for help, remember not to get suckered in to paying a lot of money for something anyone could tell you. You have to be very careful about who you trust. Many people can write up astrology readings that may sound true to you, but they can sound true to almost anyone. It’s all clever wording. There are really readings out there I am sure, but how do you know you have found a genuine person? Just remember that if you want to believe some of the readings that you like, you have to also believe the ones that you may not like so much. You can get astrology readings, but just remember to use your common sense as well.nostradamus | 2012Links2012