The Liahona article “My Study of Astrology” recounts the life of Elder Talmage, who believed in astrology as a boy. In 1974, Robert J. Matthews’ Ensign article “What the Scriptures Say about Astrology, Divination, Spirit Mediums, Magic, Wizardry, and Necromancy” clarified the opposing nature between occult arts and Christianity.
Over one-in-four Christians (26%) also believe in astrology, including 24 percent of Protestants and 33 percent of Catholics. The Bible states that the stars, along with the sun and moon, were created to give light to the Earth. God is the one who gives Christians advice, but stars can be useful in certain cases.
The 13 Articles of Faith, written by Joseph Smith, are the basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are located in the volume of scripture called the Pearl of Great Price. Scientific American’s article “Is Astrology Real? Here’s What Science Says” suggests that astrology fans believe that a person’s personality and psychology type can be characterized by their zodiac. Trusting in such things is considered sheer superstition.
The LDS viewpoint on astrology is that there is neither a prophetic nor scientific basis for it. The original zodiac was Sidereal, or based on the positions of constellations. The tropical zodiac was later adapted. All who are acquainted with the spirit and faith of Jesus Christ will want nothing to do with any form of divination and spiritual wizardry.
Astrology claims that there is a force by which all things in space are held together, and that a child at the moment of its birth can become gods. The Zodiac can be thought of as a kind of Hypocephalus, and the visiting of the Lord to each kingdom is the millennial reign of Christ in each respective kingdom.
As a form of divination and fortune telling akin to sorcery, astrology is a pseudo science that pretends to divulge the influence of the stars upon individuals.
📹 The Astrology behind the Star of Bethlehem (LDS)
This video explores the various theories and astrological origins of the Star of Bethlehem also known as the Christmas Star.
Which religions forbid astrology?
Early Christians and early Jews were strongly opposed to astrology, with some even attributing it to demonic origin. The Church Fathers imposed strong sanctions against astrology to protect their flocks, with mathematician Aquila Ponticus excommunicated from the Church in Rome for astrological heresies in A. D. 120. St. Augustine believed that the determinism of astrology conflicted with Christian doctrines of man’s free will and responsibility, and that God was not the cause of evil. He also grounded his opposition philosophically, citing the failure of astrology to explain twins who behave differently despite being conceived at the same time.
The first astrological book published in Europe was the Liber Planetis et Mundi Climatibus, published between 1010 and 1027 AD. Ptolemy’s second century AD Tetrabiblos was translated into Latin by Plato of Tivoli in 1138. Dominican theologian Thomas Aquinas proposed that the stars ruled the imperfect’sublunary’ body while attempting to reconcile astrology with Christianity by stating that God ruled the soul.
The thirteenth century mathematician Campanus of Novara devised a system of astrological houses, while astronomer Guido Bonatti wrote the Liber Astronomicus, which King Henry VII of England owned at the end of the fifteenth century.
Can you believe in Jesus and astrology?
In Matthew 28:18, Jesus asserts that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. This contradicts biblical wisdom, as chasing after false gods is a sin. There is no biblical evidence that God has given authority to stars or astrologists. Pursuing predictions about our destiny or personality is biblically sinful, as it takes power from God and gives it to something other than God. A horoscope cannot change what God has already ordained before we were even created.
What do Mormons believe about planets?
Mormon cosmology posits that Earth is not unique but one of many inhabited planets created for the purpose of bringing about immortality and eternal life. These worlds were created by Jehovah, the pre-mortal Jesus, and are believed to be similar or identical to humans and subject to the atonement of Jesus. The doctrine of other worlds is found in Mormon scripture, the endowment ceremony, and the teachings of Joseph Smith. Many LDS Church leaders and theologians have elaborated on these principles through exegesis or speculation, and many of these ideas are widely accepted among Mormons.
According to a revelation dictated by Joseph Smith, Jesus is the creator of many worlds, and the inhabitants of these worlds are begotten sons and daughters unto God. Smith’s translation of the Bible also refers to “many worlds”, and the biblical character Enoch states that if there were millions of earths like this earth, it would not be a beginning to the number of God’s creations.
In conclusion, Mormon cosmology teaches that the Earth is not unique but is one of many inhabited planets created for the purpose of bringing about immortality and eternal life.
What religion believes in astrology?
Astrology and divination are integral to various cultures and traditions, including Hinduism, Chinese culture, Christianity, and Islam. These practices help people make big decisions and predict the future, reflecting their beliefs and values. Despite variations in methods, the idea of seeking guidance about the future remains consistent. Understanding these practices offers insight into diverse worldviews and their place in the world. The Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom, particularly from Shloka 41 of Chapter 2, is considered the key to liberation.
Do Mormons believe in planet Kolob?
The LDS Church has proposed that Kolob, a heavenly body, is a symbol of Jesus Christ, as Jesus governs all stars and planets similar to Earth. A metaphorical interpretation suggests that Kolob may be a metaphor for Jesus. Some Mormon scholars have linked the Kolob doctrine to ancient astronomy, arguing that this astronomy is more consistent with ancient geocentrism than 19th-century Copernican and Newtonian astronomy. They argue that Smith, in the 19th century, would not have made this geocentric mistake about Kolob, and therefore, the Book of Abraham is of ancient origin.
John Tvedtnes suggested that the Hebrew word “KLB” (dog) could be a possible Hebrew etymology, as it is used to denote the star Regulus in Arabic and Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens. He also suggested that the Hebraic use of “KLB” as both the word dog and an astronomical term refers to the universality of Sirius as the “Dog Star”.
What planet does Mormon God live on?
Zion National Park, known as Kolob Canyons, is a region in the Book of Mormon that has been referenced in various religious texts and media. The song “I Believe” from the musical The Book of Mormon includes the line “I believe that God lives on a planet named Kolob”. The 1984 TV serial Children of the Dog Star features an alien space probe named Kolob, and “Kolob” is the title of the fifth episode. The Osmonds used the title Kolob on many of their albums for their record label and recording studio.
The Book of Abraham, written by Alvin R. Dyer, is considered one of the great grand governing fixed stars discovered by the fathers, Methusela, and Abraham. The book also mentions a hierarchy of planets, each with a longer day than the one below it, until the reader comes near Kolob, which is after the reckoning of the Lord’s time. The book also mentions Enish-go-on-dosh, another governing planet, and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun.
Archaeology and the Book of Mormon have been a subject of debate, with some scholars arguing that the planet Kolob is the nearest to the habitation of the Eternal Father and the throne of God. Others, such as Joseph Smith, have referred to Kolob as a great world, nearest to the celestial throne, and that it revolves once in a thousand years. However, the exact location of the planet Kolob remains unknown, and any personage coming from the presence of God would need to travel a tremendous distance to reach Earth.
The Book of Abraham also contains references to other celestial bodies, such as the celestial throne of God and the earth’s fall from its first organization near the planet Kolob. Some scholars argue that the Earth was originally in orbit around Kolob and was gravitationally knocked out of its orbit, then captured by the present Solar System.
In 1979, the Associated Latter-day Media Artists awarded Robert Larson an award for his work on Broadway, “A ‘Mormon’ Swipe At. Everything”. Baker argues that the line “I believe that God lives on a planet named Kolob” is an actual Mormon belief, but taken out of context or in context, it is not meant to be publicly known.
In conclusion, the Book of Abraham and other religious texts have been criticized for their use of the terms “stars” and “planets”, and for their interpretation of the concept of Godhead. While some scholars argue that the Bible and other religious texts accurately represent the existence of these celestial bodies, others argue that the belief in the existence of these celestial bodies is a misguided and misleading representation of the universe.
Do LDS believe in astrology?
Astrology, a form of divination that involves forecasting earthly and human events through the observation and interpretation of fixed stars, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets, is on the rise. The Church has not made any official statements about astrology in recent years, nor has the topic been discussed in general conferences. However, the General Handbook instructs members to avoid mystical activities that are not in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ, such as fortune-telling, curses, and healing practices that are imitations of the priesthood power of God.
Historically, Church teachings regarding astrology have been abundant during the 1970s, likely due to the rise of the “New Age” movement. Church magazine articles addressed these trends directly, with a 1972 New Era article stating that any trust in astrology is sheer superstition.
What is the LDS planet belief?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LCS) is not a doctrine or scripture, and its members are found across various societal levels, including business, charity, education, science, politics, government, entertainment, and news media. They are part of a network of mutual concern, where everyone is empowered to do good to others and have good done to them. Newsweek magazine described LDS as a 21st-century covenant of caring, not limited to Church members but extends far beyond.
The LCS is the fourth largest Christian church in America, with over half of its 14 million members living outside the country. Despite its growth and presence, survey results show that relatively few people are familiar with LDS beliefs.
Did Jesus have a zodiac?
The precise date and zodiac sign of Jesus’ birth are uncertain. Any mention of Pisces may pertain to the Age of Pisces, as he is frequently regarded as the embodiment of this era.
Do Mormons believe Jesus was on earth?
Some Latter-day Saints (LDS) believe that Jesus is eternal, but they mean “always will be”. They believe that Heavenly Father chose Mary to give birth to Jesus, who received a mortal body. Jesus reached maturity through his resurrection and glorification, and was ultimately exalted. Mormons believe Jesus was the spirit child of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and the Son of God was the product of divine procreation. This belief implies historic Arianism, that there was a time when the Son was not. Some LDS adherents claim that Jesus is eternal, but they mean “always will be”, not “always has been”.
Did King Solomon practice astrology?
Ecclesiastes Rabbah mentions that rulers of non-Jewish nations, including King Solomon, were experts in astrology. The Talmud believed astrology had merit as a science, but was skeptical about its interpretation and practical application. Astrologers were believed to “gaze and know not at what they gaze at, ponder and know not what they ponder”. Jacob Neusner argues that rejecting magic, astrology, and occult sciences would have led to the Jews and their leaders ignoring the most sophisticated technological advancements of contemporary civilization.
📹 Astrology in the Name of Jesus and other Magic You Must Know (feat. Brittany the Shadow) 1 of 2
Astrology #mormon #spiritual #lds So… it’s all been about astrology lately, and spirituality, etc… but what’s the final word on the …
Thank you for sharing and that makes a lot of sense! I’ve also done some research and learnt that the sheppards in the middle east are only out in the fields to look after their flocks during their winter which is between March – May. The scriptures says that the angels appeard to the sheppards in the fields so this is further evidence that Jesus Christ wasn’t born in December.
Assuming the “star” was what caused a night without darkness in ancient America and only the wise men saw the “star” from the eastern hemisphere, then it was a very brief phenomena. Supernovae take several months to reach their full brightness and several years to fade, as was the case for the first one modern astronomers observed in 1987. An incoming comet would have been noticed for several rotations of the earth before impact. That leaves the possibilities of an asteroid or a conjunction or some other phenomenon that would last less than a day.
There is much in the scriptures that seem to have a link to the stars and constellations, astronomy, as well as the cultural, or religious, understanding of the roles of these “heavenly bodies.” Astrology? Astrotheology? It does seem to help decoding the content of the scriptures. Thanks for the content. John Thompson
The wise men were led to Jesus as a “young child” not a baby. Is it possible that they were led to Egypt (where Joseph was commanded to flee to escape Herod’s decree) or to Nazareth where Christ was raised? Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem for the birth but is it likely they stayed there long. We know they left before Christ was 2. it certainly is possible the wise men/magi still met the Christ before he turned 2 in Bethlehem but do we know?
The Bethlehem star is a angel. Rev 1:20 kjv identifies these seven stars as angels. Rev 9:1 calls this star/angel a He and gives him the key to the bottomless pit. Matt 2:9 kjv the star/angel which the wise men saw in the east went before them till it came and stood over baby Jesus. This is a angel. Look at a picture of a star and you’ll probably see its not standing. Look up every instance of star/stars in the bible and it has a dual meaning.
What i think? It is a special event in the heaven that will only happen at His birth. Therefore, whatever is the thing that created that star may only be a special phenomenom that will be solely for the Son of God’s birth, not any other that is why there is no repeat to it.I really got a lot from your articles, im inclined to pick its a special supernova that had happened then instead of planets conjunction or a meteor strike.
Was the Star in the east a company of brightly shinning angels? Bible Symbology Star = Angel ….The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. —Revelation 1:20 The eastern star was a company of angels that only appeared to the wise men. If it were a fixed star or a planet it would have been known to astronomers, kings, priests, scribes, shepherds and common folk alike. Matthew 2:1, 2 —tells us that it led the wise men first to Jerusalem and then disappeared without anyone else seeing it. Then as the wise men departed for Bethlehem it reappears and leads them to the manger. (Verses 9,10). No one in Jerusalem seen the star reappear over Bethlehem when the wise men left or Herod would have followed it for himself and found Christ. Angels can appear, dissappear and then reappear, fixed stars and planets cannot, nor do they hover low directly over a city (Jerusalem) and then reappear over a manger. They can show forth their glory and lead the wise men directly to the manger and yet be invisible to everyone else. Makes one pause and muse the reasoning of a star or an angel being interchangeable on the top of a Christmas tree now, does it not?
Jesus was born on Sunday, March 1, 7 BC. He was born in the latter reign of Herod the Great. Herod died in 4 BC. The ‘Star of Bethlehem’ was not an astronomical or cosmological event. Joseph (Jesus’ father) formed an alliance with Theudas, head of the Therapeutes. The 2 in warrior mode gave themselves titles taken from an OT verse. Joseph was the ‘Star’ (of David) & Theudas was the ‘Scepter’. The West Manasseh Magi were a priestly caste of Samaritan philosophers founded in 44BC by Menahem and later led by Simon Zelotes. The Magians were Joseph’s political associates. When they ‘followed the star’, they were agreeing with Joseph that a new Davidic king (Jesus) had been born. Because they recognized him as king, they were accepting him as legitimate.
The Birth of Jesus All that night Mary was restless so that neither of them slept much. By the break of day the pangs of childbirth were well in evidence, and at noon, August 21, 7 B.C., with the help and kind ministrations of women fellow travelers, Mary was delivered of a male child. Jesus of Nazareth was born into the world, was wrapped in the clothes which Mary had brought along for such a possible contingency, and laid in a near-by manger. In just the same manner as all babies before that day and since have come into the world, the promised child was born; and on the eighth day, according to the Jewish practice, he was circumcised and formally named Joshua (Jesus). The next day after the birth of Jesus, Joseph made his enrollment. Meeting a man they had talked with two nights previously at Jericho, Joseph was taken by him to a well-to-do friend who had a room at the inn, and who said he would gladly exchange quarters with the Nazareth couple. That afternoon they moved up to the inn, where they lived for almost three weeks until they found lodgings in the home of a distant relative of Joseph. The second day after the birth of Jesus, Mary sent word to Elizabeth that her child had come and received word in return inviting Joseph up to Jerusalem to talk over all their affairs with Zacharias. The following week Joseph went to Jerusalem to confer with Zacharias. Both Zacharias and Elizabeth had become possessed with the sincere conviction that Jesus was indeed to become the Jewish deliverer, the Messiah, and that their son John was to be his chief of aides, his right-hand man of destiny.
Astrology has its roots in God’s plan. The traditional constellations are actually just plan of Salvation archetypes. The planetary system and the stars were placed where they are to act as God’s timeclock. It’s a big clock. Brittany is not wrong. Before paganism and Greeks used the star constellations, Abraham was receiving revelation through them.
I think it’s truth taken and twisted into counterfeit. If you are using it to know yourself or others, you’ve used something to replace connection to your Father. If you want to know yourself or someone else, God is the ultimate source and ONLY He can help you truly see someone including yourself. That being said, Christ knows every star by name and there are great signs in the heavens that should absolutely be watched and heeded to and something pointing you TO the Father and the son.
I’m so glad you guys discussed this. I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints and I’ve been wondering where we stand on all this. I watched a lot of tarot last year. I also just really wonder about mediums to. Those guys can’t be making up having some sort of communication with people in the spirit world can they?
@September Ellis… aspirin actually was first discovered from the bark of willow trees. So there is tons of nature that helps man… but also, to say science has replaced it isn’t quite true. Much of science is based on that ancient knowledge. We have simply forgotten that the science came from the earth in the first place. Edit: @Brittney Ellis… had to circle back to get your name again.
I think Brad had a several good points. All faith/beliefs somehow lead you to a path to the Gods… which God is the question. The most important point he made was to have a solid foundation in the gospel before you go wondering off into other areas of study. All too often a person finds themselves in a faith crisis because they stumble onto truth in a place they didn’t expect it and it can cause severe damage to their faith in the church. This applies to every member of the church whether they are born into it or converted to it. If you don’t truly understand your religion you will find things that will shake what you thought you understood. The idea that at one time Astrology had more truth in it than it does today can be stated better this way…IF the stars in the sky are the same that have always been in the sky than Astrology would still be a more valid path to Christ. We know things have shifted in recorded history and we also know that the things passed down through just 1000 years aren’t exactly teeming with validity. IF the Electric Universe Theory is correct, and I think it’s got some compelling things to it, in the beginning of time our sky was dominated by Saturn, Mars, and Venus and the configuration of constellations was completely different so how can modern Astrology or Astronomy for that matter, be correct enough to lead others to deeper understanding let alone Christ? Are the signs in the sky the same as they have always been? Have our night skies had the same constellations moving in the same progression since the world was created?
In many scriptures, astrology is used in reference to the second coming. I don’t think it’s a good idea to assign our characteristics or emotions to astrology. It can become a crutch in that we can pass the blame for our actions on to astrology. I can’t remember who said this during conference but in essence what was said is, just because we know the signs of the times doesn’t mean we can excuse people’s actions. Or for us to not try and make things better. For instance, we know the constitution will be hanging by a thread, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight for our rights and freedoms.