Astrology Exposed!!:- A Rational Perspective

 27% of Americans, 23% of the French , 46% of Mexicans believe in astrology. I did not get the data for the Indians beililiving in it, but I’m pretty sure that it will be much higher because India is the land of the superstitions.It's disheartening to see that even the younger generation, educated in subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology, still believe in such superstitions. In india in morning every news channel shows horoscope programs,so it means they get TRP and a lot of Indians watch it. But what can you expect from Indian media which does not show the real problems of India.

Is astrology a science?

 Do you know that Former Revenue minister of Karnataka R Ashoka called astrology “a proven science” but on what basis?? And more surprisingly he is Bachelor of science. Take the boiling point of water, for example. Ask any scientist, and they'll tell you it's 100 degrees Celsius. That's science—it's proven, consistent, and can be demonstrated again and again, no matter where you are. But now, let's talk about astrology. One astrologer might predict one thing, while another might say something entirely different. There's no consistency, no proof. This isn't science.So today lets expose this astrology and of course a pseudoscience.

 Astrology Exposed

Astrology is a belief that position of stars and planets at time of his or her birth have influence on their life.But again  this is a belief and beliefs can be wrong. And in era of science where we can prove there is no need to believe. Lets look at some of their predictions. Recently Olympics were conducted so lets look at some of their predictions about Olympics.                 

“A careful assessment of all horoscopes, transit, panchang, and numerology reveals that the current edition of Olympics is going to be historical in nature, and India may attain its highest ever medal tally during this year and the tally should go in double digit for the year. Furthermore, the medal tally of gold will also see getting illuminated.”

-Article by Sidhart S Kumar on Times of India

He writes that medal tally will go highest(in double digit) this year but this year we just got 6 medals even less than Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He says that medal tally of gold will get illuminated but we did not get even one gold medal.

Similarly many other articles write same information but none of them turned true. Similar predictions are are made about Cricket world cup but just as Francesco Guicciardini says, “How much luckier than all the rest of mankind are the astrologers who, if they tell one truth among a hundred lies, obtain so much credit that even their lies are believed.”

 

It's amusing to think that when I checked the Kundli of Abram Khan, the son of one of the richest actors in the world, Shah Rukh Khan, it mentioned something truly ironic. According to the chart, predicts financial struggles. I couldn’t help but laugh—imagine predicting financial woes for the child of a billionaire!This isn't an isolated case. When I checked the horoscopes of other star kids, I found similarly outlandish predictions.

Even I have met many people whose qualities don’t match with their zodiac signs.

 

The first and basic question how can stars and planets affect you so they give example that just as moon cause tides in ocean so it can affect our lives too and they say that these planets exert a mysterious force. First of all no force can affect your job,carrear,martial life etc. its not scientific. And how many babies are born at exact same time but their lives are totally different. And I hope that moon is not thinking that in this month I will exert moreee force  on this person and on other month I will exert less force on people. And tides are caused due to gravitational force. But for that you need to attend geography classes.

The problem with astrologers is that they give you possibility  and not surety whreas science gives you surety. Just go to market and take 10 book books on laws of motion. The laws will remain same but ifyou go to 10 astroogers they all will tell you different things and different solutions. 

 Hindus and Astrology

Oh I forgot you are an orthodox hindu not open to rationality so I hope that hindus believe in Karma theory and it says that what you sow you reap so if planets can affect me so that violates law of karma. Many people say that your birth chart is representation of your past life karma then again as per theory of karma no one in three worlds is having power to change your karma you have to bear the fruits. And if you have to bear what you have done so why to go to astrologer lets wait for those things to come and fight them.I don’t know much about vedic astrology so I am not commenting on it but what today people are doing in its name is absurd and superstition. And even if rishis say that planets have effect on you then in era of science we don’t need to believe them. As per their times they did great calculations and observations but today there is no need and ultimate aim of vedas is mukti and not all this stuff. Vedas also end in Vedanta which asks us to reason rather than believe. Many saints have said that birth charts just are reminder of your god and bad karma so go in path of mukti leaving miseries of world behind.

“Astrology and all these mystical things are generally signs of a weak mind; therefore as soon as they are becoming prominent in our minds, we should see a physician, take good food, and rest.”

-Swami Vivekananda

 

 

There is tradition in India where before marriages the birth chart of both bride and groom are matched and it is said that if they don’t match you both cannot lead a happy life.But those whose birth charts match they are also subject to divorce. Its love that matters and not these things. My another question to astrologers is that why don’t they invest in stocks and become billionaires,if they can predict future they must know which stock price will rise but they ask money from us.

Experiments debunking astrology 

One of the most intriguing experiments to test astrology's validity was the Time Twins Experiment. This study involved people who were born at the exact same time and place, often referred to as "time twins." According to astrological principles, these individuals should share remarkably similar personalities, life events, and traits, given that their horoscopes are nearly identical.

However, the results of this experiment were far from what astrologers would expect. The study, which followed hundreds of time twins, found that there were no significant similarities between their lives, personalities, or fortunes. In fact, the time twins were just as different from each other as they were from anyone else.

 

 Barnum effect was first demonstrated in a famous experiment conducted by psychologist Bertram R. Forer in 1948. Forer’s experiment is often cited as a classic example of how people can be deceived by vague and general statements.

 

The Experiment

 Forer gave a personality test to his students. The test was designed to be a standard, non-scientific test meant to gauge personality traits.

 

 After the test, each student received a personality assessment that Forer had written. The assessments were ostensibly individualized and specific, but in reality, they were all the same and contained very broad and general statements. Here’s an example of the feedback given to participants:

 

"You have a great need for other people to like and admire you."

"You have a tendency to be critical of yourself."

"At times you are extroverted, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, reserved."

Participants were asked to rate the accuracy of their personality assessment on a scale from 0 (very inaccurate) to 5 (very accurate).

 

 On average, participants rated the accuracy of their personality assessments as 4.2 out of 5. Despite the fact that all the feedback was the same and intentionally vague, participants believed the statements were highly accurate for them individually.

 

 

It shows how they just say general statements and make us fool. And what if same is said by an ex astrologer.So on The Guardian an ex astrologer exposed astrology. Clickto read it.

 Debunking Horoscope

Now lets debunk today’s horoscope. I am reffering to today’s horoscope by Hindustan times for August 14,2024 for Aries.

First of all, the statement "Opportunities are abundant" is incredibly common. It’s something you could hear in almost any context, not just in horoscopes. Even a fortune cookie might tell you that. Next, there's the advice to "be cautious with your finances." Again, this is a very general piece of advice—something everyone hears all the time.

 

In love horoscopes, they say that "someone might enter your life," or if you're already in a relationship, "your bond will be strengthened." These are vague and general statements that could apply to anyone. Similarly, in career horoscopes, they might say, "Today, your hard work will lead to success." But once again, it’s just a hopeful statement without any real specificity.

 

When it comes to the money section, instead of offering any concrete predictions, they simply caution you to manage your finances wisely. There’s no detailed forecast or mention of a specific astrological event that could affect your financial situation.

 

Overall, I find that these horoscopes are filled with generic advice and vague hopes. There’s nothing particularly unique or astrological about them. They’re just general warnings and feel-good messages that you could find in any self-help book or financial guide.

I've noticed my family visiting various astrologers, and each time, they receive the same generic warnings that could apply to anyone. For example, on one occasion, my family consulted an astrologer, and a few days later, my relatives went to the same astrologer. The advice given was almost identical: "Be cautious, don’t drive vehicles during this period," or "You should pursue a career in a certain field because you’re naturally gifted in it."

 

These are just broad statements that lack any real specificity. It seems that astrology, in these cases, offers little more than general advice that could fit anyone’s situation, rather than providing any unique or meaningful insight.

Numerology

It’s amazing how, in today's world, new forms of pseudoscience like numerology are becoming increasingly popular. I recently came across claims that even your mobile number can influence your life. This is a step beyond the usual superstitions, reaching a point where it's not just planets that are said to affect you, but even the digits in your phone number. It’s baffling that people actually buy into this nonsense.

Numerology takes it even further by suggesting that the letters in your name can dictate your destiny. This kind of belief is not only unfounded but also entirely absurd. It's disheartening to see that, despite advances in education and science, people still fall for such baseless ideas.

The idea that a phone number or a name can impact your life is not just unscientific; it's a complete departure from reason. These are simply arbitrary numbers and letters with no real connection to your fate or success. Yet, the fact that so many people believe in this shows how deeply ingrained superstitions can be.

 Conclusion

Even still if you are not convinced than please listen lectures of Mr. Shyam Manav,rationalist and founder of Akhil Bharatiya Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS).

 

In conclusion, focus on your goals and work hard to achieve them. No amount of astrology or rituals will lead you to success—only your determination and effort will. As discussed in this blog, astrology is not a proven science. If you disagree with any points made, I invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section below. I'm open to hearing your perspective.

 

Be rational and not a believer;