Astrology is a time-tested science: High Court rules

Though astrology hasn’t been considered a science for thousands of years, on Thursday, February 4th, 2011, the Bombay High Court in India reaffirmed that it is indeed a “science” when it dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that challenged astrology as science.

"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. “

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 law and astrology

The first time that astrologers and Astrology appeared in the law any place was in England in the 16th Century.

The British enforced the British Vagrancy Act which was supposedly focused on protecting people from gypsies, but that act marked the first unfortunate identification of astrologers with “fortune-telling” and the illegality of the practice took root.

“In that act, it became illegal to perform any form of fortune telling using cards, tea leaves, crystal balls and, unfortunately, the movement of the heavenly bodies.

"Now, the people that were involved were not Astrologers. They were gypsies and fortune tellers, and that’s all they were, without any real credentials. There was no understanding on their part of the true meaning of the horoscope, and the fortunes they told were pure guess. In the British Vagrancy Act, the word “Astrologer” and “horoscope reader” appeared and we had the first statement that it was illegal to tell fortunes by horoscopes. Unfortunately, the law in England was followed in the United States and the colonies adopted the English law applying to vagrants and subsequently many states did, using the same language.” Astrology and The Law, Dr. Walter Coleman

From then on, it was all downhill for astrologers.

Though there were never any federal laws which Congress has enacted (Senate and House of Representatives), or provisions in the United States Constitution that mentioned Astrology or astrologers, there are numerous state and community laws and restrictions on astrologers and the practice of Astrology.

“The laws astrologers object to include bonding requirements of up to $10,000, business license fees that range from $300 per year to as much as $100 per day, and even total prohibitions on the practice of astrology for a fee. Labeled “fortune-telling,” and lumped in with all manner of archaic “occult arts” and metaphysical practices — as well as the complete pantheon of New Age philosophies — astrological practice is restricted by many cities in most states in this “Land of the Free.” The Law and Astrology AFAN

The Case of Evangeline Adams

One of the most famous legal cases against an astrologer was the New York District Attorney’s office against Evangeline Adams in 1914, who was not only one of the most accomplished astrologers of that time but also billionaire J.P Morgan’s personal astrologer (famous for telling him “not to board the Titanic” among her many financial and business directives).

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