14 Jan, 2011

What's Your 'New' Sign?

Earth’s ‘wobble’ means your zodiac sign may be wrong


A Minnesota astronomer confirms what many have suspected: Your horoscope is quite possibly wrong.

Earth's shifts on its axis over the past 3,000 years have changed the 12 zodiac signs. For example, think your sign is Aquarius? You may be a Pisces. (There's also a 13th sign, Ophiuchus, that's based on a constellation the ancient Babylonians threw out for symmetry thousands of years ago.)

So who's to blame for this scam on zodiac devotees?

The ancient Babylonians based the zodiac on which constellation the sun appeared to be in when a person was born. Since then, the moon's has exerted a gravitation pull on Earth, causing a "wobble" on its axis that has shifted the stars' alignment by about a month, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

"Because of this change in the tilt, the Earth is over here and the sun is in a different constellation than it was 3,000 years ago when this study of the stars began," astronomer Parke Kunkle told the Twin Cities' KARE-TV.

The shift isn't new, Kunkle says -- the zodiac world just hasn't taken the wobble into account.

Story and Photo courtesy of news.yahoo.com.

Deuteronomy 4:15-20 (NLT)
A Warning against Idolatry
 15 “But be very careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai. 16 So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman, 17 an animal on the ground, a bird in the sky, 18 a small animal that scurries along the ground, or a fish in the deepest sea. 19 And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. 20 Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.
What does Today's God's Story scripture teach us about worshipping the stars?
At first glance, it might not seem like trusting in our horoscopes and zodiac signs would be an act of worship.  But in reality, it is on the verge of idolatry, or worshipping idols.  Idol worship isn't just worshipping some statue, it is also trusting in something (e.g. the stars) in place of the God who created them.  God's Story teaches us that God and God alone is worthy of our worship.

How can I connect today's God's Story scripture to My Life?

  • Do you sometimes read your horoscope for fun?  Be careful that the enemy doesn't use that small act to plant seeds in your heart that the stars can be trusted more than the Father. 
  • Spend some extra time reading God's Story this weekend and trust in His plan for your life. 

How can I connect Today's Story, My Story, and God's Story to Others?

  • Do you have friends who trust in their zodiac sign more than they do their Heavenly Father?  Find some time to learn more of their story this weekend. Dig a little deeper into their ideas behind why they read their horoscope, but not God's Story. 
  • Listen for anyone who might be talking about Today's Story and find a way into that conversation.  Be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have in Jesus.
Comments

Ornament

The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

YFC works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.