Do you believe in astrology ?

[Mycernius]

People who read and belive in Astrology should consider why they have the need something to tell them what's going to happen.
The answer may sound rude so i will not write it

My irony meter has just exploded.

[centrajapan]

People who read and belive in Astrology should consider why they have the need something to tell them what's going to happen.

This is the same reason why people go and see a shrink or go to a church. To get answers. Some kind of guidance. I believe in Astrology but I don't go around studying what kinds of effect i has on me. Concider this. We humans like to think that we have a free will which is completely independent from everything around us. Yet the things around us such as trees, animals, air is affected by external powers.

[yamahaR1]

I don't believe in astrology, but I believe in astronomy

[Derfel]

Astronomy isn't something you believe in or not, its a science, and quite hard to deny.

[Mycernius]

This is the same reason why people go and see a shrink or go to a church. To get answers. Some kind of guidance. I believe in Astrology but I don't go around studying what kinds of effect i has on me. Concider this. We humans like to think that we have a free will which is completely independent from everything around us. Yet the things around us such as trees, animals, air is affected by external powers.

Then why do you believe in it? Why look at your horoscope when you seem to say you don't need it? People who believe in astrology are like people who follow religion. Both are looking for answers and guidence. Plus, as of yet, you have provided no evidence that astrology works in an objective manner along with your mysterious external powers (please list).
Let us take this to a different stage:
1. If you believe in astrology which one?
Currently most of the western world follow astrolgy that follows the greek tradition. 12 zodical signs. Yet there are several more. Chinese astrology, that uses 28 signs within its zodiac. Indian that prefers to use the moons path through the sky rather than the suns, giving it 27 signs.
2. Which constellations do you use?
The zodiac consists of the twelve constellations that the sun moves through on its path across the sky. But these twelve constellations are of Greek/Roman origin. The Chinese (as mentioned above) use 28 (mansions). There are also the dark cloud constellations that where used in Incan astrology.

Dark cloud constellations:
Members of the Inca civilization identified various dark areas in the Milky Way as animals, and associated their appearance with the seasonal rains. These areas are commonly referred to by modern researchers as dark cloud constellations.

3. Why these particular constellations?
There are currently 88 constellations in the night sky, as recognised by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). the only difference between the zodiac and the others is the sun passes infront of these 12, not the rest. But, as Centrajapan mentions, all objects influence you, then there should be no difference between Taurus or Ursa Major. They are all in the sky. So why do these 12 influence people more than the others? Why would being born under Gemini affect your personality more than Orion or Sextus?
4. Which stars in the zodical constellations do you use?
When you look at a constellation the shape is made out by connecting certain stars together, yet within the constellation there are others that are part of the constellation, but are not joined by the line. For example Aries consists of 4 star; Mesarthim, Sheraton, Hamal and 41 Ari. Yet the actual constellation has over 100 stars within its boundries, along with 9 galaxies and a cluster. Also Mesarthim is a triple star system, some 204 ly (light year) away, and
41 Ari is a binary system. There are also several other binary and multiple stars systems within this constellation.
The stars in this constellation vary from over 1300 ly away to only 7.2. If seen from another angle the stars wouldn't even appear to be aries.
So how do you decide which distance to draw the line? At 10 ly or as far as 100 million ly (the distance that galaxy NGC772 is from us)?
remember that the universe and distances involved mean that some of the stars we look at might not even exist any more.
5. Which planets affect us?
In ancient times the planets where seen as wandering stars, as that is what the name originally meant, They identlified 5 planets along with the sun and moon as having influence over us and charts where made using them. Then in 1781 a new planet was discovered. Not a small one either. It was Uranus. Suddenly all astrological charts had to take in this rather large new astronomical object. Does that mean that all charts and predictions before Uranus where wrong? That people personalities where wrong? Then in 1846 Neptune was discovered, another large planet. Once again were all charts before 1846 wrong? Then, once again, horrors of horrors, yet another planet rears it head in 1930, Pluto, and remained a planet for 70 years until it was re-classified as a dwarf planet, mainly due to the discovery of Eris in 2003, a larger body than Pluto. Also came the rapid discoveries of other bodies around Pluto (now known as plutinos), plus the extra two moon of Pluto, Nix and Hydra. So how do we now decide on which panets, moons and near earth objects affect us? After all astrologists also take into account comets. With the destruction of Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994 and the discovery of new comets mean that astrological predictions are constantly wrong, or do astrologists do the same as theists, ignore all the facts, evidence and inconsitances and pass them off as rubbish or make lame excuses for them?

[XCrisX]

I don't believe in stars telling your future so I hardly ever read my horoscope. I don't understand how is that possible and I don't find it appealing anyway. But I like to read astrology books and pamphlets. I like the way they describe each person's cualities and personality based on planet positioning and each person's zodical sign. I know the similarities are mostly subjetive and depend of each person's point of view but I enjoy the way astrology gives explanation to people's attitude toward things and their life in general.

[Derfel]

I can't tell about astrology as a whole, I have no astrological knowledge, but one thing is for certain, whenever horoscope tells you: "Either...or..." what truly happens is "Neither...nor..."
They're just writing random things.

[centrajapan]

whoa Mycernius. You don't mess around do you.

I believe in the sun and the moon. But I will do some more thinking and come with a better answer but for now this is my answer.

[centrajapan]

To support my claim. I copy and paste from Wikipedia.

The argument for sun sign astrology holds that everyone and everything is subject to general forces. For example, a person may plan to walk to the shop the following day, but when they see the weather (which affects everyone) they may change their mind and drive there instead. In this example, a general influence has overcome a personal one. Sun sign astrology says that such generally-applicable factors are also found astrologically.

Sun signs are held to represent certain sub-sections of the population. Research by insurance companies within their own massive databases is reported to have revealed differences between the relative safety on the roads of people born at different times of year[citation needed]. The Sunday Times, September 14, 1997 mentions this research and also the remarkable results of a marketing company analysing shopping habits by zodiac sign.

The Swiss mathematician and astrologer Gunter Sachs did some extensive research on massive samples (using nearly a million data sets) and demonstrated striking differences between people of different zodiac signs. These results were reported in newspapers all over the world, for example the Daily Mail, November 6, 1997

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_sign_astrology

[Tsuyoiko]

@Centrajapan: Thanks for backing up your claim

Two comments:

The first study mentioned in the wiki article says 'citation needed'. That should always ring alarm bells as to the reliability of the source.

The second study says "reported in newspapers all over the world, for example the Daily Mail". I would expect a proper scientific study to be "reported in journals all over the world, for example Nature".

[Mycernius]

To support my claim. I copy and paste from Wikipedia.
The argument for sun sign astrology holds that everyone and everything is subject to general forces. For example, a person may plan to walk to the shop the following day, but when they see the weather (which affects everyone) they may change their mind and drive there instead. In this example, a general influence has overcome a personal one. Sun sign astrology says that such generally-applicable factors are also found astrologically.

That is the weather, not astrology that affects your decission whether to go out or not. A horoscope doen't say "don't go out today, as you might get wet" The weather and your decission to go out is directly affected by your self and whether you wish to get wet or not.

[Annubis]

Have you ever seen "Parker's Astrology"? It is a guide to writing astrological charts. It is very interesting and it takes into account the history of astrology. Two or three signs, a long time ago, were ruled by a single planet. It is interesting. I've always been fascinated with astrology. Cainer's website has some really great forecasts. They may blow you away. As to believing in it... well... again... who knows... maybe it's real, maybe it's not... but who was it that said... "Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so"? Perhaps the same goes for true and false. At least there are no ethical crises in astrology.. .or are there?

[Mavrek]

I don't believe in astrology but some time I read the horoscopes.

[ShadowSpirit]

I suppose I take a unique outlook to astrology.

For one, I personally do not believe in horoscopes. But astrology also does personality profiling. I do pay attention to this aspect of astrology. When analyzing empirical evidence, it is practically no contest that there is no truth in determining a person's personality based on their birth date. Though if a person claims that they represent their sign, then you now know something about that person or at least how that person views themself based on what you read about their sign.

e.g. Cancer: sensitive, moody, comical, romantic, emotional. If a person says they believe themselves to be like a Cancer. Well they either are, or think they are of the things I just listed. If not all, perhaps most.

This aspect in itself I feel makes astrology an interesting social tool and a fun conversation piece. No matter how unbelievable the phenomenon behind it may be.

Oh, for the posters that think their signs don't match up accurately. Astrologists believe that the change in star allignment pits you more in tune with your rising sign (the sign preceeding the one you are allegedly born under.) A good source of reading material (that is assuming you find interest in pseudo-sciences) is Linda Goodman's Love Signs (she's written others, but I find this book to be the most fun to read.) On an interesting note, it has to be a coincidence, but I find that the people most likely to be interested in astrology or mysticism (tarot, pendulums, palm reading) are usually water signs (Cancer, Pisces, Scorpio.) I also noticed that Earth signs are into nature (Virgo, Capricorn, Taurus.)

[iceman]

first I don't believe in it anyway .... I feel that they use guess for that ,,,
I heard all explaination from great teacher in that specialization in astrology and she's the first person in my country ....
according to her explaination , 4 example : if this planet come behind the earth there is good luck .. that example and I don't know more in detail .

so I think they depend on guess ... like they put theories to their speaking ...
like you heard that if you see the animals ran so that mean there is earthquake , so if they see this planet move from this side so there is goog luck .. if they see other thing there is bad luck and so on ..and that what I notice and I don't believe them
but I heard from time to time to get some hopeful from this bad life

[Mycernius]

Seeing as this thread has reopened I shall add another peice of info that shoots astrology down as the piece of superstitious bunkum it really is.
The zodiac consists of the star signs that the sun and planets pass through. Tradiotion hold the twleve. What astrologers do not like is the sign Ophiuchus. The reason is that the sun and planets also pass thoriugh this signs. Some of you might have heard of the 13th zodiacal sign, this is it. What is also interesting is that there is another sign that also has a claim on being part of the zodiac, and that is Cestus. The planets will also pass through this sign.
Astrologers will ignore Cestus, as it isn't as major as the other signs and the sun and planets will occassionally pass throug it, but Ophiuchus has the sun and planets pass through it as often as the other zodiac signs. Astrologers hate Ophiuchus

[Aurura]

I do not "believe" in astrology in the light of how it can/should direct an individual's life. I am, however, fascinated with the constellation patterns found over the centuries and awed (and a bit intimidated) by the wonders of astronomy.

[Jericho Desu]

I can't say I really believe it but I do read my horoscope and I'm sometimes surprised at how close it can get. However I believe that if you word out a prediction in a certain way you can get the reader to relate their current situation to the horoscope reading, at least sometimes.

[Bellevance]

Astrology is absolute bunk. But it's entertaining for many people.

Here's what Cecil Adams has to say (he writes The Straight Dope):

"...how the hell could it possibly work? After all, the stars are unthinkably distant, and the planets, an essential part of astrology, revolve around the sun, not the earth. Besides, what's so magical about the time of your birth--wouldn't it make more sense if your personality were determined by the time of your conception? On top of everything else, astrologists don't even agree on how to do charts--check out the difference between tropical and sidereal zodiacs sometime."