Nostradamus was an astrologer; and, the accuracy of his predictions published in his yearly almanachs, based on astrological-astronomical computations, shows that he was a gifted astrologer. I use the term "gifted" because Nostradamus was not simply someone knowing the mechanics of astrology, he was someone who prayed for guidance through the use of astrology and let himself be led to predictive conclusions, as "gifted" him by God. This means there is a BIG difference between being an astrologer and being a gifted astrologer.



The primary source of negativity against astrology comes from the branches of Christianity (some more loudly than others), because of passages in the Bible that talk negatively of those who practice the arts of divination. It has to be understood that this negative talk is not wrong; just as the passages that talk positively of astrologers (as "Wise Men") and the belief that God set the "stars" in the heavens to guide mankind are also not wrong. There is no contradiction whatsoever, as the biblical warnings are against those who use astrology negatively. Astrology is clearly stated in the Bible to be by God's design; and, Nostradamus wrote in his Letter to Henri II that astrology was gifted by God to Abraham, when he lived in Ur, before God called him to Canaan.



This is not stated in the Bible and Nostradamus would have no way of knowing this, unless he was shown it by God (or made it up). Still, the archeological evidence supports this claim, which was made before archelogical evidence proved that the oldest evidence of astrology is from an ancient Chaldean tablet; and, knowing that Ur was in Chaldea makes Nostradamus' claim reasonably probable. This gift to the patriarch of both the Hebrews and the Arab Muslims makes it also explainable as to why astrology plays such an important role in their beliefs - in the Kabbalah and Islamic Astrology (ilm al-falak) - with the STAR (SUN) of David and the MOON of Islam being astrological symbols.



When you see that astrology was a tool given to the children of God, you also see that it was a gift for selected usage. Astrology not only requires years of learning to prefect its methods, it also requires years of life lived, to obtain wisdom from life, by which the understanding of repeating patterns can have more meaning. Still, as Nostradamus explained in his Letter of Preface, knowing the mechanics and calculations will yield nothing any more predictable than can be predicted by chance or probability. This means accuracy numbers drop considerably below prophetic levels when astrology is misused. To accurately use astrology for divine guidance, one has to be able to connect to the Divine (divination) and be led to prophesy. This was why the position of astrologer was maintained by those ordained into the temples and mosques; and, their use of astrology was only for the good of the masses (Hebrews or Arabs Muslims). The warnings in the Bible are for individuals seeking renown and reputation, fame and fortune, to be shunned, because they do not truly divine, thus they will falsely lead. This is where the present bad rap on astrology lies; but, while you mostly find that the majority of astrologers today are unchurched and using astrology wrongly, this is no reason to wrongly accuse either astrologer or astrology as sin and/or evil.



During the days of Nostradamus, the Roman Catholic Church was in the middle of a phase of popes, where the study of astrology was allowed, welcomed and practiced by the Church (including the popes). After Nostradamus died and this phase came to an end, the Church changed its views on astrology for personal and vindictive reasons. They had been unable to master the art of fortune telling through astrology, causing them to condemn it as a work of Satan. This forced the early budding forces of science (who many were adept astrologers) to conceal their knowledge, to prevent persecution. The Church had a long history of not seeing astrology in a favorable light, primarily because of the close association of astrology with Jews and Muslims. This means the secondary reason for making the practice of astrology the just cause for condemnation and punishment be motivated from a hate center, jealous of the powers of others. From this wrong view, unholy by all means, Nostradamus was swept into the forbidden basket, as a known astrologer, and his works regarding The Prophecies were banned from Catholic consumption in 1781.



Interestingly, 1781 was only 8 years from the French Revolution, which would begin a new phase in Roman Catholic history, where survival was its main focus. Stripped of all governmental power and losing much of its European holdings and properties, the Church could do nothing to halt the advance of science, which held a strong grudge against the persecution of the Church. Science was excused from investigating the piety of astrology and Nostradamus, simply because it was already made evil by the Church. Science was more concerned with disproving the cornerstones of the

Church, to forever keep it from rising again to power.



This history is important because it is why so many "new agers" have found astrology so much more than they had been warned against. Especially after the 1966 dissolving of the Roman Catholic censorship wand, when reading about Nostradamus and astrology was no longer reason for excommunication, many people have found astrology an excellent tool for self-help and a way of giving assistance to others. Still, most people reject it from outdated models of rejection, with science unable to provide any methodical disproving of Nostradamus or astrology. At this late stage, science realizes a truly scientific research study of astrology or Nostradamus would have more probability of making science look foolish than disprove either.



I am not here to promote the learning of astrology. I am here to tell you that astrology is not to be feared. There is nothing by illusions that block one from realizing this. However, The Prophecies does contain astrological clues, since Nostradamus was an gifted astrologer and God is the master inventor of astrology. Therefore, so ability to research the symbolic and functional meanings of the astrological clues becomes necessary for some of the understanding to be obtained. This mostly focuses on the astronomical science of timing, where the movements of the planets are fixed and highly predictable.



I welcome your comments about astrology.



Sincerely,



Robert Tippett