HOW TO KEEP ONESELF FROM ASTROLOGICAL AND RELIGIOUS SUPERSTITION?

No matter how absurd it may seem at first, without a true divine revelation addressed to our reason, our limitation with our own experience and scientific methodology may be the source of our delusion with false religious experience.

The greatest delusion an atheist can fall for is their temptation to become religious based on the indisputable arguments of their own experience, instead of basing it on their voluntary choice of will, and reasonable and responsible knowledge of God’s character. When their experience confronts them with indisputable signs of the supernatural, many will believe in the divine nature of such an experience, and by this miracle be forced to become religious in the wrong way and out of the wrong motives. The Bible speaks about the “Lawless one” who will appear just before the end of the world and create miracles to deceive people:

“And then that wicked one shall be revealed: whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: him whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power and signs and lying wonders: therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying, that all may be judged who have not believed the truth but have consented to iniquity.“ (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11)

The Bible reveals that Satan presents himself as the ’angel of the light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14) and that he will be allowed to make great miracles right before the end of the world: “And he did great signs, so that he made also fire to come down from heaven unto the earth, in the sight of men. And he seduced them that dwell on the earth...” (Revelation 13:13-14) When asked about his second coming, Jesus Christ said to his disciples: “Then if any man shall say to you, Lo here is Christ, or there: do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.” (Matthew 24:23-24) All those who blindly rely on the principle to believe only in what they can see, will believe in false Christ – Antichrist or the Lawless One, and false prophets. Those who are not willing to believe in God based on the sensible revelation of His supreme character of love, will be tempted and forced by sensual proofs to believe in Antichrist, whose appearance and miracles will be scientifically and empirically indisputable. Life in accordance with truth is what keeps us from delusions. If we live in conflict with our reason and conscience, the truth bothers us, and delusion becomes a need of our guilty conscience, for we want to justify our motives and actions as righteous before our own conscience.

THE ASTROLOGICAL TYPES AND MANIPULATION

As long as we govern ourselves responsibly we cannot be manipulated. But when we give up the responsibility to govern ourselves sensibly and responsibly, the weaknesses of our character naturally start governing us. And as long as we are governed by character weaknesses, external influences may also govern us through these undefeated weaknesses.

As the foundation of our responsible control over our own selves is based upon our common sense, conscience and will, the foundation of manipulation over other people is based on their refusal to use their mind (mindlessness), on the manipulation over their guilty conscience (guilt) and the manipulation over their (sinful) driving motives.

We will use the following analysis to show that, as long as we can recognize the traits of any Zodiac sign in ourselves, we will be the victim of manipulation through these traits, because the traits of Zodiac signs are human weaknesses presented in positive light by astrology, in order to prevent us from fighting them.

The Scorpio type can easily be manipulated through their sensual weaknesses, but also through their suspicion. Fiery signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, along with Libra, can be manipulated through their vanity; Aries through their pride, Leo through their desire for power, Sagittarius through their arrogant independence, and Libra by bragging and flattering them. The Virgo type can be manipulated through fear and suspicion. Cancer and Pisces can be manipulated by emotions which satisfy their selfish sentimentality, and Gemini can be consciously manipulated through their exploitation.

Those who are moved by ill motives are naturally afraid to use their reason, because the reason would unveil their behavioral motives as meaningless, and lead him into conflict with their own conscience, which would ask them to repent and reform. Therefore, they are prone to deny their common sense, and rely on something or someone else who will think and decide instead of themselves; whether it be authority (the temptation typical of Virgo, Cancer, Pisces), views and opinions of the majority (Libra, Pisces), the system of rules (recipes) for conduct (Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces), the voice of their huge Ego (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), or their own emotions (Cancer, Pisces). Gemini is the only one of all types who cannot be manipulated through mind (delusion), for they are mostly governed by common sense.

Submission of will to ill motives results in guilty conscience, that is, the feeling of guilt. Therefore, this allows manipulation by influences which awaken the feeling of guilt, or the ones which liberates from the feeling of guilt. The Virgo type can be most easily manipulated by the feeling of guilt, followed by Scorpio. Both types can develop tendency towards masochism, which can also make them suitable for adequate sort of manipulation. The Cancer and Aries types cannot confront the healthy awareness of their own responsibility, let alone guilt. The former rejects the pressure in order to maintain their pleasant emotions, while the latter does not want to ruin the imaginary notion of their own value in their eyes, so the manipulation by guilt does not work in these cases. Aries feel no guilt because they cannot comprehend of being guilty of something. Instead of themselves, others are to blame. Leo, Sagittarius and Libra are similar to Aries. The psychological types of Cancer, Pisces and Gemini can be manipulated by offering psychological satisfaction for their guilty conscience through pleasant emotions. If they are religious, it can be done by experiencing the atmosphere of a spiritual temple, or through meditation and arousal of pleasant emotions which suffocate awareness of their own responsibility, and if they are atheists, the same effects can be accomplished by alcohol, narcotics, abuse of music, etc. The Pisces type tends to suffocate guilt by arousing the feelings of self-pity. The sources of their satisfaction are the means for manipulation over them.

When people beat their own weaknesses, then there is nothing for them to be manipulated through, nor do they have guilty conscience through which they could be manipulated, nor are they afraid to use their reason, so they are not prone to the delusions of mind. When one loses all similarities with any of the Zodiac signs, that one cannot be manipulated anymore.

WHY CAN A MATURE SPIRITUAL PERSON NOT RECOGNIZE THE ATTRIBUTES OF THEIR SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE AND CHARACTER IN HOROSCOPE?

Can a person with authentic spiritual experience recognize themselves in horoscope? Can a person who responds maturely to everyday life temptations recognize themselves in various traits of the Zodiac signs?

The basic driving motive of the psychological type of Leo is a desire for influence, control, governance and power. With this kind of motivation, Leo is not a type which comes to terms with their destiny and believes in determinism. However, since their will is moved by the desire for power which is the end in itself, they strive towards megalomaniac goals in their ventures, while they neglect the true capacity of will, and that is the power of choice. Their concept of God resembles the genie living in Aladdin’s enchanted lamp, which makes their megalomaniac intentions come true. In Non-Christianity their spiritual experience takes the form of magic, while in Christianity it often takes the form of so-called evangelic (spiritualist) religious communities, whereas in science it takes the form of interest in parapsychological powers. Sometimes it takes no form whatsoever, which makes it overtly satanistic. If they want ensure healthy spiritual experience, the Leo type is tempted to take various elements of relationship with God into their own hands, which should never be held under their rule. Simple trust in God, belief that He will answer our prayers for He is love, comes into conflict with temptation of Leo, who wants to keep constant control of events over everything. They attempt to do things themselves that only God can do – salvation from sin, while neglecting what is up to them to do – choosing the Savior through encounter with His supreme character. Their tendency to save themselves from sin is in conflict with the Bible, which disproves such a power of human will: “If the Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots: you also may do well, when you have learned evil.“ (Jeremiah 13:23) Strong will which gathers its strength from the desire for power can make Leo successfully restrain the expression of their ill nature, but not change the nature itself. Radical transformation of human nature, according to the Bible, is possible only by means of God’s intervention. “And the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be changed into another man“ (1 Samuel 10:6). “And I will put my spirit in the midst of you: and I will cause you to walk in my commandments, and to keep my judgments, and do them.“ (Ezekiel 36:27)

Gemini have an exploitative character which leads them to live only for themselves and the people they consider to be their property (members of their own family, etc.). They view all other people as objects to be used. Such a character contradicts the character of Christian religion. Jesus Christ states the demands which oppose sinful human nature: “All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.“ (Matthew 7:12) Multitude of Old Testament regulations had the purpose to liberate people from exploitations, and teach them how to live for one another: “And if thy brother be waxed poor, and his hand fail with thee; then thou shalt uphold him: as a stranger and a sojourner shall he live with thee. Take thou no interest of him or increase, but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy victuals for increase.“ (Leviticus 25:35-37) “And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof. Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.“ (Exodus 23:10-12) The ancient Jewish wisdom advises: “Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor. Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the poor in his want. Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to gibe to him that is in distress. Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy. Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back. For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him... Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness; Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy sou. In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother. And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother.“ (Sirach 4:1-10)

Let us note how people who live responsibly and act maturely in their life temptations, or who have Christian spiritual experience, cannot recognize themselves in horoscope. Horoscope did not offer them their place under the sun. The behavior of such a person is not determined by the influence of genetics, external factors, nor inspiration by Satan. Astrological, magical, or any other influence has no rule over the spirit of those who have repented for their sins, and who are in peace with God:

“No spell can curse the descendants of Jacob. No magic can harm the people of Israel. Now it will be said of Jacob and Israel: 'See what God has done!'“ (Numbers 23:23)

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us? He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things? Who shall accuse against the elect of God? God is he that justifieth: Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died: yea that is risen also again, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Or distress? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or danger? Or persecution? Or the sword? (As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.) But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“ (Romans 8:31-39)

According to the Bible, the sages from the East were the only people who knew the moment of Christ’s birth:

“When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him.“ (Matthew 2:1-2)

Were the wise men from the East astrologers?

In the old times, people believed that the stars were divine personalities, who had a power to influence the events on Earth. The remains of this belief could be noticed in today’s astrologers who still think that celestial bodies have the power characteristic only for the reasonable and mighty beings – for example, the power to determine whom you are going to meet on a certain day and what the result of that meeting will be.

Since in the ancient time almost all the people were heathens and as such believed in star divinities, it is not strange that the sages from the East also were pagans, but it is a real miracle that they went to make their obeisance to Messiah of a monotheistic religion whose birth was foretold a long time ago, to Messiah of a religion which law was disapproving both astrology and heathenism:

"Don't let yourselves be tempted to worship and serve what you see in the sky - the sun, the moon, the stars, or anything else. The Lord your God has given them to all people everywhere." (Deuteronomy 4:19)

"This is what the Lord has said: Do not go in the way of the nations; have no fear of the signs of heaven, for the nations go in fear of them." (Jeremiah 10:2)

“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer ... For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.“ (Deuteronomy 18:10-14)

"Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; Stand fast now in your spells And in your many sorceries With which you have labored from your youth; Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you may cause trembling. You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you. Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by Nor a fire to sit before!" (Isaiah 47:10, 12-14)

So, we are asking ourselves what could provoke the sages from the East to make their obeisance to the newly born Jesus Christ?

How did they get the idea that He should be the King of Israel?

Why did the sages from the East feel the need to bow before Jesus Christ at all?

How did they find out where He was to be born? What did the star that showed them their way represent?

Why the sages from the East, and not, for instance, the Jewish priests, were the only men who discovered the time and the place of Christ’s birth?

How come God’s chosen people could not recognize the time and the place of birth of the Messiah t so long anticipated?

Did not Jews themselves have the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament? Did they not wait for the Messiah for over a thousand years, based on the Scriptures? How could it be done by foreigners, sages from the East, and not by the chosen people of Israel?

According to the Bible, Israeli people were not willing to recognize Christ as their Savior; not in His birth, nor His life, and not even in His death. “He came unto his own: and his own received him not.“ (John 1:11) Despite the fact that they studied the Scriptures of the Bible, the Jews had the wrong vision of the promised Messiah under the influence of their ambitious motives and their self-righteous religiousness. They were too proud to admit that they needed the Messiah – the Savior from sin of their own hearts. Instead, they contemplated on how to liberate themselves from the Roman occupation, unaware that slavery befell them again due to their spiritual apostasy. This is why they interpreted the biblical prophecies in political instead of spiritual way, thinking that the Messiah would show up as their liberator from the Romans. And when the real Messiah showed up, they could not recognize him. Since the Messiah revealed their real nature and true motives of their religious zeal, they sent him to death – just to suffocate the reprimand of their own conscience.

But, somewhere in the East, there was a group of sages who were ready to recognize the Savior of their souls from sin in the promised Messiah. The three sages realized that empty philosophizing and meditative intoxication with emotions could not make them quench the thirst of their souls, and in their hearts arose the desire for something more sublime.

We can presume how they came to the Messiah and recognized him in Jesus Christ.

As sages, they studied the scriptures of different origins and, as astrologers, they naturally asked various questions about stars, human destiny and character. Perhaps these very questions: “Is it just and fair that we are governed by the stars, and that we do not have the power to govern ourselves?” “Is it possible to escape the destiny written in the stars?“ “How can we rise above our own destiny?”

Beside all the other spiritual scriptures, the Scriptures of the Old Testament naturally came into their hands. They specifically paid special attention to any line that might have been connected to astrology.

And then their attention was caught by the lines they could not immediately comprehend, but which they felt might represent the secret of fulfillment of their hopes:

“He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.“ (Numbers 24:16-17)

“The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen... For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.“ (Isaiah 9:2,6)

“Get thee up upon a high mountain, thou that bringest good tidings to Sion: lift up thy voice with strength, thou that bringest good tidings to Jerusalem: lift it up, fear not. Say to the cities of Juda: Behold your God; ... He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom, and he himself shall carry them that are with young.“ (Isaiah 40:9,11).

The sages were deeply moved by the finding of the promised Redeemer, the Star of Jacob, the Light that will lit up the land where death resides.

With amazement they read the sublime principles of the Old Testament Scriptures, which were not known to other religions:

“Thou shalt not avenge....“ (Leviticus 19:18).

“Say not: I will return evil!“ (Proverbs 20:22)

“Say not: I will do to him as he hath done to me.“ (Proverbs 24:29)

“When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad.“ (Proverbs 24:17)

“If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat“ (Proverbs 25:21).

While they were reading the elevated demands of God’s Law, they realized their own sinfulness, and the need to purify their own hearts of sin:

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.“ (Exodus 20:12-17)

They were moved by the purity of the words God used when he called his chosen people to live:

“And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.“ (Numbers 15:39-40)

They were astounded by the gentleness and care of God’s interest in peoples’ welfare:

“When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.“ (Deuteronomy 22:8)

“When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.“ (Deuteronomy 24:20-21)

“When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.“ (Deuteronomy 23:24-25)

“When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.“ (Deuteronomy 24:5)

Unlike Eastern religions where God is known through experiences and emotions, the sages came to opposite understanding through the Bible:

“He judged the cause of the poor and needy for his own good: was it not therefore because he knew me, saith the Lord?“ (Jeremiah 22:16)

God’s kindness, which was not revealed in any other religion in such a manner, shone in their hearts as their comfort and hope:

“The Lord is compassionate and merciful: longsuffering and plenteous in mercy. He will not always be angry: nor will he threaten for ever. He hath not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For according to the height of the heaven above the earth: he hath strengthened his mercy towards them that fear him.“ (Psalm 102:8-11)

“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.“ (Deuteronomy 18:15)

Perhaps He could give them answers to all those questions astrology could not answer. Perhaps He could liberate them from slavery of their sinful fate, and help them attain an elevated character.

They found the answer in the Bible.

God will send the Messiah who will liberate those who are slaves to sin.

“I have raised him up to justice, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and let go my captives, not for ransom, nor for presents, saith the Lord the God of hosts. Thus saith the Lord:

The labour of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia... men of stature shall come over to thee, and shall be thine: they shall walk after thee, they shall go bound with manacles: and they shallworship thee, and shall make supplication to thee: only in thee is God, and there is no God besides thee.

Assemble yourselves, and come, and draw near together, ye that are saved of the Gentiles: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven work, and pray to a god that cannot save ... Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.“ (Isaiah 45:13-14.20-22)

“What do we have to do so that God can look at us and have mercy on us?“ the sages from the East wondered. In light of God’s revealed law, they themselves felt sinful and filthy, incapable of deserving salvation or redemption. They wondered whether they should bring a sacrifice to God for their salvation, other than the sacrifice of sin itself. They came across the most incredible answer in the Bible:

“Thou hast not offered me the ram of thy holocaust, nor hast thou glorified me with thy victims: I have not caused thee to serve with oblations, nor wearied thee with incense. I am, I am he that blot out thy iniquities for my own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.“ (Isaiah 43:23-25)

The sages were impressed by the finding that God showed no desire to save them for their kindness (because then they would be lost, as they are sinful), but because He himself is kind and merciful. By proceeding with the perusal of the Old Testament, they came upon the following lines:

“What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? wherewith shall I kneel before the high God? shall I offer holocausts unto him, and calves of a year old? May the Lord be appeased with thousands of rams, or with many thousands of fat he goats? shall I give my firstborn for my wickedness, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

I will show thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: Verily to do judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy God?“ (Micah 6:6-8).

“But the just shall live in his faith.“ (Habakkuk 2:4)

Reading this revelation of God’s love, they remembered monotheism of ancient East, when people had known a similar God, who was soon forgotten under the influence of polytheism and Buddhism. They remembered the prayer of the ancient Chinese emperor Shun (2317-2208 BC) written down by Confucius:

“Long ago, in the beginning, there was great chaos, without form and dark. ... In the midst (of the chaos) there existed neither form nor sound. You, O Spiritual Sovereign, came out in Your presidency, and first did divide the grosser parts from the purer. You made the heavens; You made the earth; You made man. All things with their reproducing power exist because of You.

You have promised, O Di, to hear us, for You regard us as a Father. I, Your child, dull and unenlightened, am unable to show forth my dutiful feelings. I thank You for accepting my fervent prayer. Honorable is Your great name. With reverence we spread out these gems and silks, and, as swallows rejoicing in the spring, praise your abundant love.

The great feast has been set forth, and the sound of our joy is like thunder. The Sovereign Spirit promises to enjoy our offering, and my heart within me feels like a particle of dust. The meat has been boiled in the large caldrons, and the fragrant delicacies have been prepared. Enjoy the offering, O Di, then all the people will be joyful.

The great and lofty One promises His favor and regard; we are totally unworthy to receive it. I, His simple servant, while I worship, hold this precious cup, and praise Him, whose years have no end.

When Di, the Lord, voiced the command, He called into existence heaven, earth, and man. Between (heaven and earth) He placed man and things, and the heavens were spread out over them. I, His unworthy servant, beg His (favoring) decree, to enlighten me, His minister; so that I may forever appear before Him in the highest heaven.

All the many kinds of moving creatures are indebted to your favor for the existence. People and things all enjoy your love, O Di. All living things are indebted to your goodness, but who can understand where His blessing come from. You alone, O Lord, are the true parent of all things.

The delicious feast is laid out (before You); The precious gems are arranged; the pearly wine is presented with music and dancing. The spirit of harmony is captured; men and creatures are happy. His servant is troubled because he is unable to express his respect.

We have expressed our sincerity poorly. Your sovereign goodness is infinite. Like a potter, you have made all living things. Great and small are sheltered (by Your love). The sense of Your goodness is engraved on the heart of Your poor servant; so that my feelings cannot be fully expressed. With great kindness You bear with us, and, despite our faults, You grant us life and prosperity.“ (James Legge, The Notions of the Chinese Concerning God and Spirits, pg 28).

Now the sages from the East quite well understood that God forgives people’s sins out of ’pure mercy’, but there was another question:

How can God stay just, if he forgives their sins? In that case, will he not be inconsistent in his own righteousness? Who will pay the price of their lawlessness?

They found the answer to this question in the book of prophet Isaiah, written five centuries earlier – in the prophecy stating that the Messiah himself will take the blame for their sins:

“Who a hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground; there is no beauty in him, nor comeliness: and we have seen him, and there was no sightliness, that we should be desirous of him: Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth...

And the Lord was pleased to bruise him in infirmity: if he shall lay down his life for sin, he shall see a longlived seed, and the will of the Lord shall be prosperous in his hand. Because his soul hath laboured, he shall see and be filled: by his knowledge shall this my just servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities... Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.“ (Isaiah 53)

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and his name shall be called Emmanuel.“ (Isaiah 7:14)

If there really was such a Savior, then he stood above all the stars, the sages thought, and remembered the legend which had been preserved from ancient times, which talked about the Savior who would come down from the heavens and be born in a human body, and then end up as a sacrificial Lamb for the sins of the world. All the systems relating to sacrifice, which were earlier present in various religions, had the goal of pointing to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but in the course of time, these became either forgotten or corrupted. The ritualistic sacrifice could not absolve anyone of their sins, but pointed to the Redeemer who would one day redeem humankind with his sacrifice and bring salvation to all the repentant sinners.

In their deep gratitude before the given revelation, the sages wanted to make an obeisance to the Messiah and wondered where and when He would appear.

In the books of Moses, it was foretold that the Messiah would be born in Judas’ tribe:

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.“ (Genesis 49:10).

“He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor. And he shall continue with the sun and before the moon, throughout all generations. He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth. In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away. And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor. He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight. Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.“ (Psalms 71: 4-8, 13-14, 17)

And then the sages wondered about the time of the Messiah’s birth.

In the ninth chapter of the book of Prophet Daniel, we find the biblical prophecy about the time of the Messiah’s anointment (baptism), execution (on the cross of Golgotha) and rejection by the Jews:

“Seventy weeks are shortened upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, that transgression may be finished, and sin may have an end, and iniquity may be abolished; and everlasting justice may be brought; and vision and prophecy may be fulfilled; and the Saint of saints may be anointed.. Know thou, therefore, and take notice:

That from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls, in straitness of times. And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary:... And he shall confirm the covenant with many, in one week: and in the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fail: and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end.“ (Daniel 9:24-27)

In the analysis of this prophecy, we will take a day for a year as per the text in Ezekiel 4:6. The prophesied time of 70 weeks (or 490 years) started with the decree to restore and rebuild devastated Jerusalem. It took 7 weeks (or 49 years) to rebuild the city. There were sixty two weeks (or 434 years) left before the beginning of the Savior’s service. There was one week (or seven years) left till the end of the time in the prophecy. In the middle of the week (or after three and a half years) “he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease “. At that point the ceremonial sacrifice pointing to the Savior’s sacrifice would be canceled because it would have come true. At the end of the week, that is, three and a half years later, the Jews finally sealed their fate by stoning Stephen, and stopped being the chosen people. Since then, the Gospel is preached to the heathen.

The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was issued by emperor Artaxerxes in 457 BC. If we add 69 weeks or 483 years, we will get the time when the Savior’s service started, that is, the time of His baptism, which is 27 AD.

However, the sages from the East were looking for the year of the Savior’s birth. How could they find out about it?

At the age of twelve, a Jew would become responsible before God, that is, he would become ’the son of the law’, whereas at the age of thirty he would become mature for great life responsibilities, and only then would he be allowed to take over the responsibilities of a priest in a temple, which means that, according to the Law, the Messiah could have been anointed for service only at the age of thirty.

If we subtract 30 years of His life from 27 AD, when the prophecy claimed he had been anointed for service, we will get 4 BC, which is the exact year of Jesus’ birth.

“When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, Saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him. And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born? But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet:

And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, privately calling the wise men learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them. And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore him.

Who having heard the king, went their way; and behold the star which they had seen in the East, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him: and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.“ (Matthew 2:1-11)

What kind of phenomenon is the star which followed the group of astrologers? Does it often happen to astrologers? Was it a flying saucer perhaps? Based on biblical descriptions, we can conclude that it was a group of angels encouraging the sages and showing them the way. The flock of angels was visible because it was lit by the glory of God.

“And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them and the brightness of God shone round about them: and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people: For, this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.“ (Luke 2:8-14)

The group of sages – astrologers from the East, came to make an obeisance to Jesus, for, by studying the Bible, they realized that He is the promised one who came to save humanity from its destiny and lead it towards life which will serve God. Are we ourselves willing to take the path this group of astrologers took two thousand years ago?

If we decide to get to know our Savior Jesus Christ through the word of God, we will also be followed by a group of angels, which might be invisible to our eye and show us the way that we need to take.

“For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:

And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not. I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee. Thou hast held me by my right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me, and with thy glory thou hast received me. For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth? For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever.“ (Psalms 72:21-26)

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REVIEWS

Are we completely programmed or not? Is our destiny written in the stars? Or is it perhaps determined by the genetic structure we posses? Or the cultural patterns we were born in? Do we have free will, or is it just an illusion? Or can we influence our destiny ourselves?

These are the basic questions Miloš Bogdanović answers in his latest book Astrology and Anthropology. And his reply is not simple, but is rather quite complex, utterly interesting, and convincingly explained. Every individual may remain determined by external factors, but they don’t have to if they choose to elevate themselves to the level we are generally predisposed to, by being human.

As for astrology and anthropology, the author’s tendency was to demonstrate that the psychophysical types astrology operates with (Aries, Leo, Virgo…) are closely correlated to various types anthropologists refer to, and thus shed some light on the secret of astrology. The analysis of this correlation represents one of the strongest points in the book, and it is not in favor of astrology.

Also, one of the striking points of this book is the consideration of a certain degree of persuasiveness astrology provides, i.e. the question as to how come certain astrological analyses sometimes amazingly coincide with actual events (for example, how come a significant number of people who show psychophysical characteristics of a Zodiac sign are actually born under the sign). Naturally, there is also a series of other relevant and significant philosophical, theological, sociological, anthropological, and even parapsychological problems debated in the text. Finally, it should be noted that the book was written in an already recognizable style of Miloš Bogdanović, the style which possesses distinct clarity, even though void of any simplifications.

Dr Svetozar Sinđelić, Professor of Philosophy

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In his new and extremely interesting book, Miloš Bogdanović poses crucial anthropological questions which are to unveil the very essence of astrology- this not only ancient, but a present-day phenomenon. Who governs the human spirit and behavior- celestial bodies, inheritance from ancestors, or an individual’s will; why does horoscope sometimes “guess correctly”, despite the unscientific nature of astrology; and finally- why many people possess attributes of some other Zodiac sign, and not the one they were born under? These very subtitles help us guess the line of author’s thinking in this book.

The second part is titled “The Scientific Analysis of the Astrological Phenomenon” and it reveals the unscientific nature of the explanation of the same by astrologers themselves, who to this very day interpret the influence of stars as they did in ancient times, when it was believed they were- divine beings. However, the unscientific nature of the explanation of the astrological phenomenon does not deny the astrological phenomenon itself, which, according to the author, often works astoundingly. The explanation as to why the astrological phenomenon seemingly works will actually be the subject of the rest of the book.

The third part- “The Psychological Analysis of the Astrological Phenomenon" states to us that the astrological types really exist. They represent patterns of human weaknesses, which govern a person only if the person gives up the responsibility for their actions. A responsible person behaves reasonably, corresponding with the needs of life, and not by some typology.

The fourth part of the book, i.e. “The Anthropological Analysis of the Astrological Phenomenon is particularly interesting, and this analysis deals with the origin of the deviant part of human behavior, which actually explains the differences between people embodied in different Zodiac signs. Every astrological type has a corresponding anthropological type or their combination. This comparative analysis, supported with a multitude of astrological-anthropological parallels, reveals that the source of character characteristics of different astrological types is not in the stars, but genetics. There is always a possibility that a person will be born in the very sign or ascendant which corresponds to their anthropological type. It can be said that this is the most original part of the author’s thoughts in the book.

“The Philosophical Analysis of the Astrological Phenomenon" is the fifth part of the book, and in there we find an analysis of the meaning of the fundamental theories the astrological model of thinking provides. The author concluded that the dependence of our destiny on stars more than our own will does not make sense.

The sixth part is dedicated to “The Religious Analysis of Astrology” and deals with the attitude of religion towards the supernatural element of the astrological experience which goes beyond the domain of science and anthropology.

As a whole, I believe that the book Astrology and Anthropology by Miloš Bogdanović is an interesting experiment, inspiring for new deliberations and pursuit of answers to the eternal question of man’s freedom and inexorable nature of destiny. The author does not negate the “biological" roots of weakness in human nature, but still firmly holds the viewpoint that the freedom of personality triumphs in the eternal struggle between the given, as a material-psychological dimension of existence, and the assigned, as a spiritual principle of the existence of an individual in general. Finally, I highly recommend the book Astrology and Anthropology by Miloš Bogdanović to be published, and I wish the readers to find in it further inspiration for their pursuit of answers to some difficult questions of life and, at the same time- to work on themselves, because one is impossible without the other.

Dr Goran Z. Golubović, Professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Niš

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The book Astrology and Anthropology by Miloš Bogdanović is a work significant for both anthropology and astrology. It is significant for anthropology because in the astrological experience, which is void of racial prejudice and presumptions, it finds the proof that the anthropological types exist virtually exactly as described by early anthropologists of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, whereas this work is of significance for astrology because it purges the astrological experience of the superstitious conviction that the human character and appearance are determined by the position of celestial bodies. Through the thorough psychoanalysis of different anthropological and their corresponding psychological types, it is obvious that the author of this research venture is not satisfied with a human being as a victim of both external and biological factors, but he encourages the reader, as a reasonable and conscious human being, to take responsibility for their life in their own hands. As a proof that the triumph over oneself is possible, but also that the fall is inevitable if the one does not conquer their temptations, the author presents the character analysis of various people, the temptations of their anthropological constitutions and their ups and downs throughout history. The author’s message is that our destiny is in our own hands, but that we, due to fear of confronting our own responsibility, frequently give up our freedom and willingly let someone else think and decide for ourselves. I therefore recommend this book to anyone who is free and brave to think without prejudice and taboos about a human being, its place under the sun, and paths towards its self-realization.

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