When it was revealed publicly that then-president Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy frequently consulted an astrologer and based a number of significant decisions on astrology, including Reagan’s chances in the 1976 presidential election and his eventual selection of George Bush as his vice president, it caught a lot of people off guard and generated a lot of negative reactions. Ronald Reagan enacted a new chapter and part of the government code as governor of California, allowing astrologers to conduct their profession for a fee. Even more shocking was finding that notable international leaders like Winston Churchill and a handful of prior presidents had also engaged in this activity.
Celebrities are also known to follow astrological predictions for their professions and to be fairly public about their astrological views. Actor Robert Downey, Jr. and singer Britney Spears are two such celebrities who often contact astrologers. David Coverdale, of the well-known band Whitesnake, has stated that he and his wife adhere to astrology religiously. The Harry Potter book series’ author, J.K. Rowling, often uses astrological symbolism in her writing. Sometimes “astrologers to the stars” find themselves in the same public limelight as the stars they are consulting.
Is it any surprise that many regular Americans are putting the same significance on astrology if well-known politicians and celebrities in the entertainment business have been doing so? According to a recent Harris Poll, at least 31% of Americans believe in astrology to some extent. Nearly half of these people are between the ages of 25 and 29. Those over 65 are the least likely to believe in this discipline, with belief plummeting to 14%.
However, even Benjamin Franklin professed and wrote about his own personal belief in astrology, demonstrating that this subject is by no means limited to any particular categories of people and that its popularity is most definitely not new as it has long been embraced. The highest percentages of American adults who believe in astrology as being a valid and significant influence in one’s life are women, Democrats, and those with a high school or less education.
Astrology is defined as the study of celestial bodies in regard to their impact on human experiences and natural events. Pseudoscience, established science, superstition, anti-Christian, and a variety of other terms are used to describe it, mostly depending on the opinion of the individual. But for a sizable portion of the population of normal individuals as well as celebrities, politicians, and international leaders, it is frequently a very significant influencing force in people’s life.