This was a post in another group and I asked the author for his permission to post this to share. It is an interesting look at a few topics in astrology and the occult in general.
Ariana
Always interesting to see how astrology pops up in the news. First
mention is today in the Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/local/mercury-is-in-retrograde-heres-what-that-means/2016/04/29/b709f78a-0e3a-11e6-bc53-db634ca94a2a_video.html
Note that the heliocentric perspective is presented as objective truth
while the geocentric perspective is simply an illusion. In fact, if
you watch Mercury in the sky from Earth it will indeed appear to move
backwards. Of course the video itself is an illusion, being a series
of still pictures that change so quickly that they appear to move.
Clearly everything we see via video is therefore also false!
I, along with Plotinus, agree with astronomers that the planets and
stars are not actually causing effects on Earth. Instead the
underlying spiritual cycles control both the cycles of the Heavens and
cycles on Earth. Either that or the planetary archangels!
Finally it is very cute of the Washington Post to have it both ways,
they report Mercury retrograde, explain what it is, give useful
information on when Mercury is retrograde, all definitely aimed at an
audience who are receptive and interested in astrology, then in the
end denounce astrology. Same old media strategy, as Billy Bragg says,
“Where they offer you a feature On stockings and suspenders Next to a
call for stiffer penalties for sex offenders”
Next example is the New York Times continuing expose of the evils of
fortunetellers
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/26/nyregion/with-psychic-in-jail-her-mother-in-law-kept-the-family-business-open-the-police-say.html?_r=0
And yes this appears to be pretty heinous fraud. But this story links
back to an earlier one on fortunetellers who are not simply using this
as a con, but believe in what they are doing
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/06/nyregion/in-new-york-fortunes-told-and-too-often-taken.html
The NYT’s attitude is the traditional one, all fortunetelling is
fraud, no matter what the fortuneteller themselves believe. Under New
York Penal Law §165.35, entitled, “Fortune telling”
“A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation
which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or
pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by
claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give
advice on personal matters or to exorcise, influence or affect evil
spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a
person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or
exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement.
Fortune telling is a class B misdemeanor.”
So as long as you admit it is fake, you are ok. If, like me, you
believe that you can predict the future and do so, you are a criminal
in New York.
Christopher Warnock