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Young people are flocking to astrology

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731–740 of 972 posts

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#731
post #618

I have a pet theory that things like astrology, tarot, the I Ching, Myers Briggs, etc. are valuable (and therefore stick around) not because they have a supernatural or scientific ability to make correct predictions, but because they provide a useful framework for discussing topics. So for example, even if tarot doesn't give you supernatural insight, the discussion it generates with the card reader may allow you to r…

That's not merely your pet theory, theologians come down to the same conclusion with regards to the use of religion in old and modern society versus the lack of religion in our modern society. There is a good reason religion is banned in communist countries; people are supposed to believe in communism . I've grown up with the Christian moral framework, and I'm happy with it even though I'm atheist (OK, technically ag…

> Astrology goes a step too far though.

Astrology takes that step with making it predictive rather than introspective.

In on April 3rd, 2024 there will be a conjunction of Venus and Neptune, followed by two days later Mars and the moon, then the moon will occult Venus followed by a total solar eclipse on the 8th and a conjunction of Saturn and Mars on the 10th...

Because of these events...

And with that, people will be planning for certain events to take place in April not from any introspection - but rather because of stellar arrangements.

It is one thing to say "you should start planting corn on on the first full moon after the bright orange star Arcturus is visible at dusk." It is another to say "because Venus and Mars are in conjunction while in the house of Pieces, a great admiral will be born."

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#733

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I told her her beliefs were akin to racism." Oh I like that one. Inferring personality traits based on where someone was born - "Racism". Inferring personality traits based on when someone was born - "Astrology". "but she couldn't see the issue." What a surprise...

Racism is inferring personality (and other) traits based upon genetics, not "where someone was born." I would argue that your genetics, unlike your star sign, is fairly meaningful.

This gets into the social construct of what makes a race and what qualifies as racism. For example, often discrimination based on ethnicity and not race still gets classified under racism even though it wasn't based on race. For a purely pedantic sense, it is ethnicism or some such word that doesn't seem to exist, not racism. Yet we generally recognize it as 'close enough' and group it together. Birth place discrimination can often be thrown in for the same reason, especially if there are racist beliefs concerning birth place that factor into the logic (assuming that anyone born in Asia must be Asian).

Close enough to count if this were horseshoes.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#734

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Genesis creation story states that God created the universe in 6 days, but any attempt to demonstrate that it is false will have believers declaring that a "day" is not a precise measurement of time. The Bible is rather clear that God doesn't measure time like humans do. "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 2 Peter 3:…

The bible is a clear about a lot of things that are utter nonsense, I wouldn't use it as a guide for anything related to things like measurements of anything. And a day is a day, no matter how you try to spin it after a couple of thousand years of peddling nonsense to try to make the gravytrain go a little farther. This is no different than the Jehova's witnesses changing their 'due date' whenever it doesn't work.

> This is no different than the Jehova's witnesses changing their 'due date' whenever it doesn't work.

Or much different than the excuses science's fan base will trot out whenever it gets caught speaking untruthfully, like their Theory of "Everything" Motte and Bailey.

It seems humans have to worship something, and what they worship is usually what is pushed by the mainstream, and whatever it is will be defended aggressively.

Welcome to planet Earth, please enjoy your stay.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#735
post #720

Has anyone considered that the modulation of light reflected by the planets could potentially have some kind of impact on people? I feel it's pretty arrogant to out right deny the potential of astrology. It's been practiced for thousands of years by multiple cultures and faiths for a reason. I agree you shouldn't base your whole life on metaphysics, but to think we absolutely know everything about the mysteries of th…

Astrology has nothing to do with metaphysics.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#736

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These are more like frameworks for imagining & interacting with the complexities of reality. Similar to an interactive Philosophy. Worldviews cannot be avoided & nobody holds a purely objective viewpoint...anyone who claims to hold an purely objective viewpoint is a liar or delusional.

> anyone who claims to hold an purely objective viewpoint is a liar or delusional. Is this purely objective? Can you think of no exceptions, under any scenarios?

Confusing the subjective for the objective is a widely studied phenomenon. It's called reification and people generally deny doing it. There's a strong ego defense mechanism that raises when it's pointed out that shuts down conversation.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#738

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What the h*ll do you know about my life? Nothing.

That’s true, and I don’t mean to downplay your experiences. This is more of me trying to convince you that it’s okay to feel angry and hurt without it taking away from other peoples’ experiences. It doesn’t have to be a you-or-them phenomenon. All I’m saying is that it pervades womens’ lives more. They have to deal with it constantly, every day. If you have any trans friends, I’d encourage you to ask them about it, s…

> If you have any trans friends, I'd encourage you to ask them about it, since the issues are doubly magnified.

This is like saying that blackface actors experience doubly-magnified racism, when they're actually just adding to the problem.

For women who want to be men, it is typically rooted in wanting to escape the harsh societal impositions of femininity, rather than confronting it head-on. This is also why many women these days are calling themselves "non-binary".

For men who desire to be women, it's mostly driven by a fetishization of womanhood, with their view of women as sex objects that can be male-emulated through cosmetic and surgical means.

For both women and men, the whole basis of "trans" is a perpetuation of misogyny, in one way or another.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#739
post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no qualitative difference between belief in astrology and any of the world's religions. Not saying you're not entitled in disregarding astrology believers but the cut-off point is completely arbitrary and dare I say irrational.

That is simply false. The first problem is the word "religion", which, in common usage, is as if we were talking about different flavors of ice cream, and the atheist or "unbeliever" is some version of someone who simply doesn't like ice cream. Man is a religious animal in the sense that, as a rational animal, he must worship something he takes to be the highest good. The question is never "do I worship something" bu…

> Man is a religious animal in the sense that, as a rational animal, he must worship something he takes to be the highest good.

This needs more solid arguments. As is, it’s obviously complete bollocks.

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