Is Reading Horoscopes A Mortal Sin?

[MichaelFilo]

[quote name='JeffCR07' date='Aug 4 2004, 12:52 PM']
First and foremost, you are misrepresenting what I said. I merely said that it is not always a sin to read a horoscope, [i]not[/i] that it is ok to do so for fun, as can be clearly seen in the last paragraph of my post, which you have quoted.

On the aside, however, you are misconstruing the definition of "intrinsic" evil. Both horoscopes and heretical materials are intrinsically evil, that is, they by their very nature draw people away from the Truths of the Catholic Church. However, our culpability and sin is dependent upon our reaction to those things which are disordered in their nature.

I was not at all saying that one may read such things "with no intention of refuting them." I [i]am[/i] saying that one may read them without incurring mortal or venial sin. I could even go so far as to say that one could read them for fun or pleasure without incurring mortal or venial sin, [i]provided that fun and pleasure is derived exclusively from the mental refutation and defeat of such a thing in the light of Christ's Truth[/i].

I would like to point out again, as I did in my last post, that it is very important to use prudence and wise judgement before doing any such thing, and that it is always important to be bolstered by sincere prayer and meditation.

I hope that clears everything up.

- Your Brother In Christ, Jeff [/quote]
Hmmm, well said. On the aside, unlike gnostic gospels, horoscopes are a form of deviation (we don't know if it is made up or not). With that in mind, what is a good reason to even look at it? You said for dissproving it, or refuting it to yourself. That could not be justified, because there is nothing you have to refute it with. Any refuting would be on the level of thought that it's wrong, and that is all. Just the same, you cannot use a horoscope to refute deviations or horoscopes, because of the very nature of believers in horoscopes to attach things that occur during the day to their horoscope, therefore making it correct to them.

So while I must agree with all else, I cannot see how looking at a horoscope for the sake of refuting it is sensible, as we refute the idea of deviation, and so all forms of it are known to be wrong by Sacred Tradition. Looking at a horoscope can hurt the one looking, weather they realize it or not. It is best to be avoided, whatever the intent may be.

God bless,

Mikey

[MC Just]

i believe it's evil and i stay away from them..

[IcePrincessKRS]

As a general rule I don't read them except occasionally in a doctors office or something. I think there is an important distinction between casually reading a horoscope once every great great while, and [b]consulting[/b] them regularly. The former, I think, is harmless at best or venial sin at worst, while the latter is certainly grave matter and mortally sinful.

[MichaelFilo]

Better to stay away and not even possibly commit a venial sin. Venial sins aren't ok, and I think we forget that as people nowadays. Venial sin isn't yes, go ahead and do it, it is to be avoided like all sin. So, just the chance it's a sin is enough to not look at them. As I said, people who look at porn occasionaly aren't justified. Looking at the results of deviation occasionaly aren't justified. You shouldn't be too quick to accept the results of magic. The early church excommunicated those who practiced magic. Even if it won't happen now, you should keep in mind the levity.

God bless,

Mikey

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='MichaelFilo' date='Aug 5 2004, 02:16 PM'] Better to stay away and not even possibly commit a venial sin. Venial sins aren't ok, and I think we forget that as people nowadays. Venial sin isn't yes, go ahead and do it, it is to be avoided like all sin. So, just the chance it's a sin is enough to not look at them.
[/quote]
I agree. Unfortunately when I do (though as I said its extremely rare) read a horoscope it doesn't even cross my mind until [i]much[/i] later.

[MichaelFilo]

And it's not your fault at all. The fact it's there in the paper like nothing is weird about it, it's easy to look over it. I can't say I've ever looked through it, only because I was skeptical of that stuff, and then when I embraced my faith, I became vhemetly against it.

Anyways, down with the horoscopes!

God bless,

Mikey

[toledo_jesus]

Drat. I voted no, but I have now changed my mind...How DO we expect to combat evil if we let it go for being "just for fun"
Blast it all...

[qfnol31]

The whole idea of this question seems to be missing at least one major part of a mortal sin:

Full consent - what is the intention behind reading it? If a person reads it to write a tract about why it is wrong using specific examples, I couldn't see it as a mortal sin at all. I could think of a few other reasons to read them where it would not be a mortal sin.

In fact, I would say that if you're reading them for delight, it's still not a mortal sin (if you don't believe them, it's not a grave matter). Maybe venial, but not mortal.

[Guest JeffCR07]

[quote]Better to stay away and not even possibly commit a venial sin. Venial sins aren't ok, and I think we forget that as people nowadays. Venial sin isn't yes, go ahead and do it, it is to be avoided like all sin. So, just the chance it's a sin is enough to not look at them. As I said, people who look at porn occasionaly aren't justified. Looking at the results of deviation occasionaly aren't justified. You shouldn't be too quick to accept the results of magic. The early church excommunicated those who practiced magic. Even if it won't happen now, you should keep in mind the levity.

God bless,

Mikey [/quote]

Mikey, I agree with your above post, however, the question at hand is whether [i]reading[/i] a horoscope is a mortal sin, and I must argue absolutely not.

If one is deliberately consulting a horoscope, that is, is placing their faith in something other than Christ, then it is clearly a mortal sin, however, there is a large difference between reading a horoscope for kicks and consulting one to know what the future holds.

Now, this having been said, I am merely asserting that it is not a mortal sin. I agree wholeheartedly that even the casual reading of a horoscope is slightly disordered on the supernatural level and most certainly does not lead one to God. I would posit that, just like eating that one extra peice of candy or having that one extra scoop of ice cream that you know you don't need and probably shouldn't have, may be a venial sin, so too is a whimsical, unserious reading of a horoscope.

- Your Brother In Christ, Jeff

[Soldier4Him]

the only way I read them is if it's the very end of the day right as I'm getting into bed. THEN it's good for a laugh.

[nikkan_hanil]

We were told to not just to avoid sin but the near occasion of it as well. Better tell your horoscope friends.

[lifeteenchick527]

[quote name='qfnol31' date='Aug 27 2004, 11:51 AM'] In fact, I would say that if you're reading them for delight, it's still not a mortal sin (if you don't believe them, it's not a grave matter). Maybe venial, but not mortal. [/quote]
even if it is a venial sin....its still a sin that can seperate us from the Grace of God!

[track2004]

I don't think it is a sin to read anything. Reading something and believing something are differnt, as stated many a time already. The difference is how you judge it. I look at the horoscope and find mine and it basically tells me that tomorrow I will be alive and well and that I will have a romantic intrest sometime. That's it; that applies to everyone born in November. It is almost a waste of space on the Funnies page. Back to the point... the Bible says, "Test everything, keep what is true" (1 Thess. 5:21). So don't sit there and mindless accept what people say; TEST EVERYTHING. Read The Communist Manefesto; read Greek plays (polythiests); read The Tao, then decide why you don't agree with them. But you may agree with part of it because anything that is written has some truth to it.

[MichaelFilo]

The 3 things that make up a mortal sin.

- Knowledge it is grave matter
- Will
- It must be grave matter

Is it grave matter? We know how the Church feels about this stuff. I am sure it is grave matter. It depends on will, then. If you realize that deviation is evil, in it's very nature, and are willing to look at it, you are consenting to look at it, weather your intenion is for kicks or for putting your faith in it above Christ. Do good intentions (or not so bad intenitions) somehow nullify the greviousness of the sin? I would say not. If you knowledgable of the evil of the thing, and indeed do not avoid it, then you are indeed commiting mortal sin. Weather you are messing with grave matter for kicks or weather you are messing with grave matter for evil purposes, you are both willingly and knowledgably not avoiding gravely evil material, and are looking at it. However, if you will argue, the intent of the person becomes evil, even if not conciously, when they willingly look at grave matter. Weather their original intent was to look at it for kicks, they are also intentionally and willingly looking at something considered grave matter.

God bless,

Mikey

[lifeteenchick527]

yep mikey.....if u support something that is wrong and takes you away from the state of Grace...then i dont think it matters if its that grave or not...you r suppoting something that leads other people in to mortal and grave sin...therefore...u r somewhat responsible