Article June 1, 1992 ISSUE

Star power or divine power?

The Christian Science Monitor

As part of a college course, a teacher asked members of his class their astrological signs and then handed them cards with the supposed characteristics of their signs. After they had read their cards, he asked them how well the description fitted. Invariably, the majority said that it fitted perfectly. Then he told them that the only difference between the descriptions was the name of the sign printed on the card. He did this to show his students just how influenced they could be by expectations.

Perhaps astrology and similar beliefs appeal by suggesting people are "special." But the downside to this appeal is that when we identify ourselves with such systems, we tend to credit "the stars" with power over our lives. Do we really want to believe that the position of the planets and stars at our birth has influenced our past and present and will affect our future?

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