Should Christians read horoscopes?
Do you know your astrological sign? It seems like everyone knows their astrological sign—including Christians. But do horoscopes provide any serious guidance? As Christians, should we read or trust horoscopes or even acknowledge astrological signs?
Are there really signs in the stars?
Astrological signs are determined by a person's birth date in conjunction with the position of the sun, planets, and stars. These signs are believed to determine or define one's core personality simply because of when they were born.
Horoscopes are daily predictions for each astrological sign, concerning the future of a person's career, love life, luck, and more. People have lived their entire lives following the advice they read in horoscopes on astrology sites, self-help books, and in news media. But they're nothing more than vague guesses that we can fit into our own interpretation.
Think Outside the Astrology Box
I've had friends who placed a high value on zodiac signs, and it really influenced me as a kid. Before I was saved, I believed that I was "condemned to be a Pisces." My loved ones would shrug off my hurt feelings by saying, "Oh, she’s crying again. Pisces are SO emotional." They were explaining away my emotions rather than acknowledging my pain.
Once I was saved, I realized that it's God who determines who I am and what happens in my life (Psalm 139:13-14). He is sovereign, omniscient, and trustworthy—whereas astrology is cold and leaves no room for growth or change. In trusting God with my future, I felt free from the bondage of my astrological sign.
We, as unique human beings, need to be shown that we are loved and valued as individuals—not lumped into categories by our birthdays. Astrological positions when we were born are no more effective at determining our personalities than what the weather was that day. To take life advice from horoscopes rather than seeking God's will through prayer and His Word will only hurt your mental health, sense of self, and your relationships.
Are horoscopes harmless fun?
Astrology, Zodiac signs, and horoscopes are nothing Christians should mess around with. Astrology is clearly a form of divination, as it teaches that the planets, stars, and sun have influence over our lives. The Bible condemns all forms of divination, which is seeking "divine" or spiritual guidance from sources other than God (Deuteronomy 18:10-14).
Reading horoscopes might seem like harmless fun, but if you begin to believe that there's actual validity in them, that's a slippery slope toward undermining God's sovereignty. Why follow some one-size-fits-all horoscope advice when we have access to the wisdom of God Himself? He is the only One who can save us, comfort us, and guide us in truth and love (Acts 4:12; John 14:26; Psalm 23). He will direct our paths individually; we only need to ask (James 1:5; Proverbs 3:5-6).
Dangers from the Spiritual Realm
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." —Ephesians 6:12
While there's no mention of horoscopes in the Bible, it does mention fortune-telling in Acts 16. Paul and Silas encountered a slave girl who had a "spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling" (v. 16). She followed Paul and Silas around for days, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation" (v. 17). She may have been right about that, but Paul still cast the spirit from her body in the name of Jesus (v. 18), freeing her from demonic possession.
Demons are real, and they serve our enemy, Satan. If a demon occasionally says something true, that doesn't make it safe to consult them. Like their master, demons are also liars (John 8:44), which is why God condemns all forms of fortune-telling, sorcery, witchcraft, astrology, horoscopes, and divination. Practicing divination puts one in direct connection to Satan and his minions.
Rather than consulting horoscopes, we need to be prepared to fight spiritual battles and go directly to our Heavenly Father for advice and guidance. He loves us completely and unconditionally, knows all things, and has the power to help us in ways that are specific to each of our lives (Romans 8).
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." —Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
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TL;DR
The Bible is clear that God condemns all forms of divination—including consulting horoscopes for daily advice (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). Reading horoscopes might seem like harmless fun, but if you begin to believe that there is actual validity in them, that is a slippery slope toward undermining God's sovereignty (Proverbs 3:5-6). We are to only seek God for divine guidance—not one-size-fits-all horoscope advice.
Writer: Vivian Bricker
Vivian loves learning, studying the Word of God, and helping others in their walk with Christ. She is dedicated to helping people learn more about Jesus and is ready to help in any way she can. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, cooking, drawing, and spending time outside. When she is not writing, you can find her soaking up the sunshine or going on an adventure.
