Is Reading Horoscopes A Mortal Sin?

[FilmGuy127]

I had a thought... so you say that reading a horoscope is bad right, sinful, ya. So then by that same sort of logic would you say that all of the greek literature and plays are equally bad and sinful. They all revolve around the idea of the gods and their interaction with people. So things like the Orestia, Edipus Rex, the illiad, ect. would reading or seeing them be a sin?

[MichaelFilo]

That is literature. You are missing why deviation and magic is wrong. It is wrong because it is a fulfillment of the desire to have power. Fortune telling ( power over the future ), dark magic ( power over people ), druidism ( power over nature ). Greek myth doesn't show any sign of power.

God bless,

Mikey

[cmotherofpirl]

Horoscopes are silly things made up by people whith nothing else to do on a rainy day.

[Noel's angel]

Amen

[Anna]

Sorry Jeff, Donna really did take the words right out of my mouth.

[b]1st Commandment:
I am the Lord, thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.[/b]

That was His first and foremost commandment to His people.
Goodness, why would we wanna look at something like a horoscope?
The devil does understand the intracacies of the human mind, even better than we ourselves do.
He knows our weakness.
What we do for entertainment one day grows into something a bit more habitual, ultimately invading the time, space, and energy we could be spending giving God His due.
We cannot completely erase from our memories that to which we've lent our eyes. Therefore, we should guard our eyes.
[b]No good comes from reading horoscopes ~ none. [/b]
It's a waste of one of our most precious commodities: time.
God says He is a jealous God.
Don't you suppose He's offended when we waste our time reading this nonsense, especially when we know better?


Now, reading heretical documents for the purpose of understanding heresy ~ that should be another entire thread. It has nothing to do with reading horoscopes, and it's really not related. Reading such materials for information and understanding, with the intent of exposing error and defending Truth, is indeed a noble undertaking and a very good use of your time. :wub:

Keep defending the Faith!

Pax Christi. <><

[Anna]

[quote name='toledo_jesus' date='Aug 5 2004, 03:59 PM'] 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... [/quote]
holy toledo...maybe I'm just in a good mood, but this post just has me laughing and laughing...
Thanks, toledojesus

[Anna]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Aug 28 2004, 11:15 AM'] Horoscopes are silly things made up by people whith nothing else to do on a rainy day. [/quote]
Horoscopes [u]are silly things [/u]made up by people who know that some folks will be gullible enough to believe it, and will spend money to read it.

What a great way to earn a living ~ creating false prophecies for folks, depending upon their birthdates! As David Hannum is quoted, "There's a sucker born every minute."

Writing horoscopes is steadier employment than being a street corner evangelist...
It's more socially acceptable~you can call yourself a columnist or journalist.
You don't even have to believe what you're selling!

[Norseman82]

What Ironmonk said, since it is based on the occult. That is why it is so dangerous, and why I agree with Thicke that if you decide to read it "for a laugh", it could be an occasion of sin, as you don't know how Satan could use the opportunity to tempt you.

[XIX]

Yeah, are newspaper newspaper horoscopes even based on the planets anymore?

I had a really devout Catholic friend actually make fun of a horoscpoe once, because it said that her type are really into sex or something like that. It was so opposite from her personality it basically shot holes straight through the credibility. I really don't think there is anything to these horoscopes as far as whether they are actually accurate or not.

I'd still avoid them though. [b]Grave matter [/b]to believe in them. (I absolutely refuse to call it a mortal sin in all cases, because it is silly to ignore the full knowledge and full consent of will stipulations)

[MichaelFilo]

It maybe good to note that magic, and deviation aren't wholely false. They do call on evil and use power over whatever they are excercizing power over. (Exodus story of Moses and pharoah's magicians, shows that magic is real and can be very correct. However, it is evil, and is, with full consent and knowledge, damning).

The only reason I say this is because you keep saying it's false, but it is the result of power excercized over the natural world. Magic wouldn't be in practice if it didn't work. Mind you however, it cannot have any hold over the supernatural. That is why XIX's friend didn't fall under the constraints of the horoscope, she is no longer merely natural, but has supernatural life within her.

It is grave matter, but reading it to laugh at it is still, knowledgable consent to read something considered grave matter.

God bless,

Mikey

[XIX]

Oh yes, I won't dispute that horoscopes are dangerous. I'd avoid them if possible.

But the essence behind them is the planets, and I wonder how many people actually consent the planets when writing these horoscopes. How many of them just write the first thing that whimsically comes to mind? I don't know, but that lack of knoledge is a reason to avoid horoscopes, not consult them.
Avoid them for the same reason you might avoid a movie like "American Pie," to avoid the near occasion of sin.

(BTW, the horoscope was posted on a wall. So she may have just run into is by accident even. I know even know. )

Edited August 28, 2004 by XIX

[qfnol31]

[quote name='lifeteenchick527' date='Aug 27 2004, 09:52 PM'] even if it is a venial sin....its still a sin that can seperate us from the Grace of God! [/quote]
Just answering the question.

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Anna' date='Aug 28 2004, 10:18 AM'] holy toledo...maybe I'm just in a good mood, but this post just has me laughing and laughing...
Thanks, toledojesus [/quote]
glad to be of service. :thumb:

[Guest JeffCR07]

[quote]Sorry Jeff, Donna really did take the words right out of my mouth.

1st Commandment:
I am the Lord, thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.

That was His first and foremost commandment to His people.
Goodness, why would we wanna look at something like a horoscope?
The devil does understand the intracacies of the human mind, even better than we ourselves do.
He knows our weakness.
What we do for entertainment one day grows into something a bit more habitual, ultimately invading the time, space, and energy we could be spending giving God His due.
We cannot completely erase from our memories that to which we've lent our eyes. Therefore, we should guard our eyes.
No good comes from reading horoscopes ~ none.
It's a waste of one of our most precious commodities: time.
God says He is a jealous God.
Don't you suppose He's offended when we waste our time reading this nonsense, especially when we know better?


Now, reading heretical documents for the purpose of understanding heresy ~ that should be another entire thread. It has nothing to do with reading horoscopes, and it's really not related. Reading such materials for information and understanding, with the intent of exposing error and defending Truth, is indeed a noble undertaking and a very good use of your time.

Keep defending the Faith!

Pax Christi. <><
[/quote]

Please forgive my misunderstanding, but I don't see how the above attacks anything that I have said, and so I'm not quite sure why the apology is necessary. If I have caused confusion with regards to my previous posts, please let me clarify (or at least attempt to clarify) my position on the matter of horoscopes.

1.) Is reading a horoscope a sin?

Yes, I believe reading a horoscope, in all matters and instances, is a sin, due to the fact that the action of reading a horoscope is on both the supernatural and natural levels a disordered one.

2.) What kind of sin is reading a horoscope?

This depends on the definition of the term "reading." I maintain that "reading" a horoscope can be done in two ways, each with a different end result. The first way is if by "reading" we mean "consulting." The second way is if one is not seriously consulting it, but rather, is merely reading the words on the page. Now, lets discuss my stance on these two definitions.

3.) What kind of sin is "reading" a horoscope?

This, as defined above, is a venial sin, because no "grave matter" is present, due to the fact that the person's faith remains solely in Christ and the action of reading does not gravely impact this fact. However, we must note that it is clearly a venial sin, as can be witnessed by the fact that, as many have pointed out, people who casually read them may find their thoughts flirting back to it throughout the day, thus displaying its intrinsically disordered nature (as all venial sins are).

4.) What kind of sin is "consulting" a horoscope?

In this case, the reading of a horoscope is of a grave nature, because it directly places one's faith in something other than the Godhead. This is a clear violation of the First Commandment, and, as such, kills the life of grace within an individual.

5.) Can the blanket statement be made that "reading a horoscope is a mortal sin?

No, such a statement would, as I see it, be incorrect, as it does not account for the venial nature of the sin set forth in point 3, unless, of course, it is stipulated that "reading" is defined strictly as illustrated in point 4.

***

On a side note, I must point out that I [i]greatly[/i] disagree with MichaelFilo's assertion that all horoscopes are acts of magic, witchcraft, sorcery, or any of the demonic arts. As he does, I very much believe in the existence of "magic" (ie, the expression of demonic power in the physical world). However, I maintain that such magic must not be trivialized. In my opinion, the blanket statement that all horoscopes are expressions of magic does just this, for far more horoscopes are written by common journalists than are written by practicioners of the black arts.

***

- Your Brother In Christ, Jeff

[MichaelFilo]

On that last note, it maybe good to realize that it is impossible to tell.



Now, you mentioned that reading a horoscopre is NOT a mortal sin, if you aren't going to go consulting it. I think this can be agreed on. You made a clear and concise point.

God bless,

Mikey