Introduction:
Most of the people
who believe in astrology do not have any knowledge about how astrology
originated or on what basis the astrological predictions are made. Many
of them might have found that some sort of predictions made by
astrologers did come true in either their own case or in the case of
their acquaintances. That is usually the main reason why they believe in
it. Unquestioning belief in age-old traditions is also an important
reason. The funny part of this belief is that the predictions that went
wrong are ignored or easily forgotten by them.
The excuses put up for wrong predictions
are commonplace. Pro-astrology people argue that astrologers who have
full knowledge of astrology are very rare. The average astrologers who
do not have enough knowledge of it can make wrong predictions. And
moreover, the time of birth provided to them is often incorrect, which
makes their predictions go wrong; but that is no fault of astrology
itself! It is obvious that nobody can eliminate such vague factors, and
consequently, real assessment of astrology becomes an impossible task.
Presumptions:
It’s a sad
reflection on the frailty of the human condition that people still
believe in the power of divination and foretelling. Because, shorn of
all its arcane mumbo-jumbo, astrology is no more than flying a kite into
the future. Its tenets are disarmingly simple, though: a person’s
character and destiny can be understood from the positions and patterns
of the solar system, including the Sun, Moon, and planets, in the zodiac
at the moment of birth. Interpreting the location of these bodies using
a chart called horoscope, astrologers then claim to predict and explain
the course of life and help people, companies and nations with
decisions of great import. Ridiculous as such claims may sound to anyone
who knows how far the Sun, Moon, and planets really are, millions of
people around the world base crucial medical, professional, and personal
decisions on advice received from astrologers, astrological
publications and zodiac signs.
People
believe in astrology because of uncertainty in life. It is never been
proved on statistical and scientific level. The methodology as adopted
by a very large number of astrologers for interpreting a horoscope is
based on a large number of presumptions, against which common sense
revolts. Astrologers either flatly deny their existence, or try to
explain them away with pseudo-scientific arguments. The following
presumptions are generally made by astrologers:
-
All planets send out astrological radiations. Rahu and Ketu are
imaginary points, but they too send out similar radiations. These
radiations reach every part of the globe simultaneously. In order to do
so they travel through the mass of Earth wherever necessary.
-
The radiations coming from the planets contain twelve components.
Each component is responsible for giving the phal (effect) of each house
of the horoscope. Before reaching the Earth the planetary radiations
undergo diffraction and their components are separated from each other.
-
The planets have several eyesights. They cast their sights on
specified houses in the horoscopes and affect the destiny of man. For
performing this feat they are endowed with knowledge of rules of
astrology and have divine power to act according to them.
When astrologers invoke divine dispensation for
astrology, they shut the doors upon scientific inquiry. The ‘hits’ and
failures of astrologers cancel each other and so to a rational mind
astrology remains a mumbo-jumbo.
Harmful nature of Astrology:
Primarily, it is against the Directive Principles of the Constitution,
which insists on inculcating scientific temper among the people, since
astrology is just a bundle of superstitions, which will lead us back to
the days of cavemen. Horoscope, the outcome of astrology is supposed to
be the text detailing the destiny of a man which is mainly based on the
Hindu scriptures. Secondly, Vedic astrology includes non-existing Rahu
and Ketu as two of the nine planets brought out by the wide imagination
of the Hindu Vedic Pandits. If that is so, it is against another basic
principle of the secular Indian constitution in dividing Indians into
Hindus and Non Hindus. Not only have numerous studies failed to support
astrology, but the techniques used by astrologers are also very dubious.
In fact ANS insists that astrologers' business should be brought under
Consumers Protection Act. Consumers should be allowed to sue astrologers
if they fail in their predictions.
MANS (Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti) / CEBF (Committee for Eradication of Blind Faith) Challenges Astrology:
MANS always questions astrology on every possible level i.e. challenge level, education level and experimental level.
MANS
challenges the whole concept of astrology and invites astrologers to
participate in the scientific tests devised by ANS. ANS is even ready to
pay an award if astrologers pass the tests.Media has given wide
publicity to this challenge from time to time. But still nobody has
accepted it. However, this challenge has made people to start thinking
and questioning.
Educational
level is a process to educate people giving details of failed
predictions;to let people think regarding counter part of astrology
which is generally not available for them,to show internal
contradictions of astrology in Siddhanta level or postulate level.
Experimental
level is to let the people get the experience of predictions to check
possible claims of astrology. For instance:. A horoscope of a newly
born baby but dead within hours of birth was shown to an astrologer.
Doctor even queried whether there is a possibility of short life?
Astrologer emphatically predicted that the baby was going to live a
healthy and long life when actually the baby had died. This is the
wisdom of the astrology!
