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Horoscopes, Should the Christian Faithful Utilize
Issue: Should the Christian faithful utilize horoscopes?
Response: Consulting horoscopes is a form of divination and as such, rejected by the Church. Consulting horoscopes is an offense against the First Commandment ("I am the LORD your God . . . you shall have no other gods before me."). Horoscopes should not be used in seriousness, nor should they be used as entertainment, even if a person does not believe that they have a power to predict the future.
Discussion: A horoscope is prediction of a person’s future (for the day, week, year, and so forth) based on when a person was born (their "sign" on the Zodiac) and on the current alignment of the planets and stars. Horoscopes are common fare, published in newspapers, magazines, even TV guides.
Horoscopes are a form of divination—seeking knowledge of the future and other unknown matters via the occult. The Church rejects horoscopes, along with all other forms of divination. This includes "astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums." These attempts to "unveil" the future "all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2116).
Divination is a violation of the First Commandment: "I am the LORD your God. . .you shall have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:2–5 ; cf. Deut. 5:6–9 ). It contradicts "the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone" (Catechism, no. 2116). By turning to divination, a person turns away from God. Instead of trusting God to reveal His plans and to care for His children, a person who consults horoscopes places his trust in other human beings. Someone who is involved with any form of divination also opens himself to the occult—to Satan rather than to God.
We should not play with those things that can take us away from God. Bishop Donald W. Montrose of the Diocese of Stockton, now retired, felt strongly enough about the dangers of astrology and horoscopes to warn the faithful in a pastoral letter, Spiritual Warfare: The Occult Has Demonic Influence. In it he said:
Even though millions of people follow horoscopes with greater or lesser interest, this is still a type of fortune telling. Even if you say you do not believe in horoscopes, and only read your own for fun, you should abandon this practice. The daily horoscope can easily influence us from time to time. It is a way in which we open ourselves to the occult.1
In addition to the bishop’s pastoral warning, there are two more good reasons for avoiding use of the horoscope for entertainment purposes. The first is that using horoscopes validates the existence of horoscopes. People who consult horoscopes "vote" through their demand for a daily printing. If asked whether they read horoscopes, their truthful answer must be, "yes" (even if followed by, "but. . ."). That "yes" gives the horoscope legitimacy. The second reason is that continuous exposure to the occult—however innocuous it may seem—can desensitize a person to some degree, making them more susceptible to subtly misleading ideas.
Finally, consulting horoscopes—whether in earnest or as entertainment—undermines the virtues of faith and hope. In faith, we respond to God and entrust ourselves to Him. In hope, we place our trust in Christ’s promises and rely not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit (cf. Catechism, no. 1817; see also nos. 1818–21 and nos. 2090–92). Pope John Paul II urged the faithful to trust in God’s loving plan and reject horoscopes as a means of telling the future:
I would like to remind everyone of a basic principle of faith: prior to and beyond our projects there is a mystery of love which surrounds and guides us: the mystery of God’s love. If we want to give good direction to our life, we must learn to discern its plan, by reading the mysterious "road signs" God puts in our daily history. For this purpose neither horoscopes nor fortune-telling is useful. What is needed is prayer, authentic prayer, which should always accompany a life decision made in conformity with God’s law. (Angelus address, Sept. 6, 1998)
Instead of relying on horoscopes or any other form of divination, the Church exhorts us to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind (cf. Mt. 22:37) and to place our trust in Him (cf. Ps. 62:8; Pr. 3:5–6). "A sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it" (Catechism, no. 2115).
1 Emphasis added. Full text can be found on-line at http://www.catholicparents.org/oxcart/warfare.html.
Recommended Reading
Holy Bible (Catholic edition)
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Documents of Vatican II
To order, call Benedictus Books toll-free: (888) 316-2640. CUF members receive a 10% discount.
Michael Barber, Coming Soon: Unlocking the Book of Revelation and Applying Its Lessons Today
Hahn and Suprenant, eds., Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Family of God
Leon Suprenant and Philip Gray, Faith Facts: Answers to Catholic Questions
Ted Sri, Mystery of the Kingdom: On the Gospel of Matthew
Leon Suprenant, ed., Servants of the Gospel
Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, Without a Doubt: Bringing Faith to Life
To order these and other titles, call Emmaus Road toll-free: (800) 398-5470.
Available Faith Facts
Hope: A Pilgrim’s Virtue
All You Need Is Love: The Theological Virtue of Charity
Burying a Statue of St. Joseph to Sell One’s Home
Hold Fast What Is Good: On Borrowing Forms of Meditation from Eastern Religions
Private Revelation
The New Age Movement
Call CUF’s Catholic Responses department toll-free helpline (1-800-MY-FAITH) for these and other Faith Facts, and with your questions about the Catholic faith.
© 2006 Catholics United for the Faith
Last edited: 4/06
Date created: 4/11/2006
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