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Bombay High Court Rules: Astrology Is Science

Friday, February 4th, 2011

MUMBAI: Astrology has been debunked by most world scientists including India’s renowned physicist Prof. Yash Pal. However, it is “science” in India.

The Bombay High Court reaffirmed this on Thursday when it dismissed a PIL that had challenged astrology as science.

The PIL was filed by an NGO, Janhit Manch that had sought action against ‘fake’ astrologers, tantriks, practitioners of Vastu shastra etc.

“So far as prayer related to astrology is concerned, the Supreme Court has already considered the issue and ruled that astrology is science. The court had in 2004 also directed the universities to consider if astrology science can be added to the syllabus. The decision of the apex court is binding on this court,” observed the judges.

The judges also took on record an affidavit submitted by the Union government. The Centre had in its affidavit stated that astrology is 4000 years old ‘trusted science’ and the same does not fall under the preview of The Drugs and Megical Remedies Act (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.

“The said Act does not cover astrology and related sciences. Astrology is a trusted science and is being practiced for over 4000 years,” said an affidavit filed by Dr R Ramakrishna, deputy drug controller (India), west zone.

“The said Act is aimed at prohibiting misleading advertisements relating to drugs and magic remedies. The Act does not cover and / or relate to astrology and / or allied sciences like Palmistry, Vaastu Shastra etc. In view thereof, a purported ban on practices promoting astrology and related sciences sought by the petitioner, which is a time tested science more than 4000 years old is totally misconceived and unjustifiable,” says the affidavit.

The (PIL) filed by Janhit Manch and its convener Bhagwanji Raiyani, along with his associate Dattaram Kumkar, had questioned the validity of predictions by many well-known astrologers.

The PIL, which ran into more than 100 pages pointed to several cases, including that of Indira Gandhi and Charan Singh becoming prime ministers, despite opposite predictions.

Representing the Union government, advocate Advait Sethna told the court that even the SC had accepted that astrology was a science and many universities had included it as a subject.

Advocate for Maharashtra government, Bharat Mehta too supported the stand taken by the Union government. Mehta submitted an affidavit filed by the food and drugs administration (FDA) department which said that necessary action is being taken against the guilty under the Drugs and Megical Remedies Act.

The PIL had urged the authorities to ban articles, advertisements, episodes and practices promoting astrology and its related subjects like vastu, reiki, feng shui, tarot, palmistry, zodiac signs and rashifal.

Source: Astrology is a science: Bombay HC – The Times of India

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A Is For Astrology and Also For Asinine

Friday, January 14th, 2011

Astrology is a system of beliefs which hold that the relative positions of celestial bodies at the time of ones birth can provide information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters.

Astrologers believe that the movements and locations of stars and planets directly influence life on Earth. Today’s astrologers define astrology as more of a symbolic language, an art form, or a form of divination. Despite differences in definitions, a common assumption of astrologers is that celestial placements can aid in the interpretation of past and present events, and in the prediction of the future.

In India, soon to be the most populous country on the earth, 75% of marriages are not based of compatibility of partners but on astrological horoscopes. Most Indians plan their day based on daily astrological predictions published in newspapers. Most TV channels in India are running a minimum of one hour of astrology programing every morning.

Astrology is generally considered a pseudoscience by the scientific community which cites a lack of statistically significant astrological predictions, while psychology explains much of the continued faith in astrology as a matter of cognitive biases.

Penn and Teller on Astrology (*Warning Adult Words and Some Body Parts)

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Learn To Be An Astrologer Or Palm Reader In 10 Easy Steps

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

From: Scientific Indians

1. Set the stage for an intimate, comfortable, experience. Establish your Psychic authority with props such as important looking charts, or bookcases full of reference books.
Provide comfortable chairs with a small table between them. A lace table cloth, candles, a soft rug with soft colored lighting and incense will give your reading a “spiritual” feeling. Your client should feel they are the center of an important ritual.

2. Project a sympathetic personality. Put your client in a receptive, cooperative mood by Explaining that a reading is a team effort.
Use a soft voice, a calm demeanor, and sympathetic and non-confrontational body language: a pleasant smile, constant eye contact, with head tilted to one side while listening. Face the subject with legs together (not crossed) and arms unfolded. Call yourself a “Psychic Intuitor.” Explain that your “clients” come to see you about various things that might be weighing heavy on their hearts (the heart being the preferred organ of New Age spirituality), and that as an intuitor it is your job to use your special gift of intuition. Explain that everyone has this gift, but that you have improved yours through practice. To rationalize your soon to come misses, come right out and say that psychics cannot predict the future perfectly: “While it would be wonderful if I was a hundred percent accurate, no one is perfect. Even Michael Jordan missed lots of shots!”

3. There are seven things people most want to talk about: love, Health, Money, Career, Travel, Education, & Ambition.
Stick to these themes by asking a lot of questions and making plenty of statements from each category. This will also help you remember where you are in the reading.

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