Creationists are not alone in this world...

[ElNono]

Astrology is a science: Bombay HC

MUMBAI: Astrology has been debunked by most world scientists including India's renowned physicist Prof. Yash Pal. However, it is "science" in India.

The Bombay High Court reaffirmed this on Thursday when it dismissed a PIL that had challenged astrology as science.

The PIL was filed by an NGO, Janhit Manch that had sought action against 'fake' astrologers, tantriks, prac ioners of Vastu shastra etc.

Read more: Astrology is a science: Bombay HC - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...#ixzz1CvQIrubg

"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.

The judges also took on record an affidavit submitted by the Union government. The Centre had in its affidavit stated that astrology is 4000 years old 'trusted science' and the same does not fall under the preview of The Drugs and Megical Remedies Act (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.

"The said Act does not cover astrology and related sciences. 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 said Act is aimed at prohibiting misleading advertisements relating to drugs and magic remedies. The Act does not cover and / or relate to astrology and / or allied sciences like Palmistry, Vaastu Shastra etc. In view thereof, a purported ban on practices promoting astrology and related sciences sought by the pe ioner, which is a time tested science more than 4000 years old is totally misconceived and unjustifiable," says the affidavit.

The (PIL) filed by Janhit Manch and its convener Bhagwanji Raiyani, along with his associate Dattaram Kumkar, had questioned the validity of predictions by many well-known astrologers.

The PIL, which ran into more than 100 pages pointed to several cases, including that of Indira Gandhi and Charan Singh becoming prime ministers, despite opposite predictions.

Representing the Union government, advocate Advait Sethna told the court that even the SC had accepted that astrology was a science and many universities had included it as a subject.

Advocate for Maharashtra government, Bharat Mehta too supported the stand taken by the Union government. Mehta submitted an affidavit filed by the food and drugs administration (FDA) department which said that necessary action is being taken against the guilty under the Drugs and Megical Remedies Act.

The PIL had urged the authorities to ban articles, advertisements, episodes and practices promoting astrology and its related subjects like vastu, reiki, feng shui, tarot, palmistry, zodiac signs and rashifal.

[RandomGuy]

Astrology is a science: Bombay HC

MUMBAI: Astrology has been debunked by most world scientists including India's renowned physicist Prof. Yash Pal. However, it is "science" in India.

The Bombay High Court reaffirmed this on Thursday when it dismissed a PIL that had challenged astrology as science.

The PIL was filed by an NGO, Janhit Manch that had sought action against 'fake' astrologers, tantriks, prac ioners of Vastu shastra etc.

Read more: Astrology is a science: Bombay HC - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...#ixzz1CvQIrubg

"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.

The judges also took on record an affidavit submitted by the Union government. The Centre had in its affidavit stated that astrology is 4000 years old 'trusted science' and the same does not fall under the preview of The Drugs and Megical Remedies Act (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.

"The said Act does not cover astrology and related sciences. 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 said Act is aimed at prohibiting misleading advertisements relating to drugs and magic remedies. The Act does not cover and / or relate to astrology and / or allied sciences like Palmistry, Vaastu Shastra etc. In view thereof, a purported ban on practices promoting astrology and related sciences sought by the pe ioner, which is a time tested science more than 4000 years old is totally misconceived and unjustifiable," says the affidavit.

The (PIL) filed by Janhit Manch and its convener Bhagwanji Raiyani, along with his associate Dattaram Kumkar, had questioned the validity of predictions by many well-known astrologers.

The PIL, which ran into more than 100 pages pointed to several cases, including that of Indira Gandhi and Charan Singh becoming prime ministers, despite opposite predictions.

Representing the Union government, advocate Advait Sethna told the court that even the SC had accepted that astrology was a science and many universities had included it as a subject.

Advocate for Maharashtra government, Bharat Mehta too supported the stand taken by the Union government. Mehta submitted an affidavit filed by the food and drugs administration (FDA) department which said that necessary action is being taken against the guilty under the Drugs and Megical Remedies Act.

The PIL had urged the authorities to ban articles, advertisements, episodes and practices promoting astrology and its related subjects like vastu, reiki, feng shui, tarot, palmistry, zodiac signs and rashifal.

You have successfully cast your vote.
Do you agree with Bombay High Court that astrology is a science?
Yes 64%
No 33%
Can't say 3%

India has its foibles, I guess.

[RandomGuy]

Also easy to add:

Albinos in Africa, killed and chopped up to make good luck charms.

Men killed in Africa, accused of shrinking other men's penises with black magic.

The thin band of rationality about the world is thinner than some think...

[RandomGuy]

On 3 March 2008, Sanal Edamaruku, who is the president of an organization called Rationalist International, challenged India’s tantrik (a black magician). The tantrik is thought to be the most powerful in India. Sanal has challenged the tantrik to kill him using black magic during a live TV program. The tantrik, Pandit Surinder Sharma, agreed. Sharma claimed during an earlier TV discussion that he could kill any person within 3 minutes using black magic. This has started because one of India’s former politicians, Uma Bharati, accused her opponents of using tantrik magic to hurt her, following a series of negative events in her life.



During the challenged, the tantrik chanted his mantras for a lot more than 3 minutes but it had no ill effect on Sanal whatsoever. In fact, Sanal Edamaruku only laughed all the time. The tantrik moved onto more “powerful” techniques and started to wave a knife and touch Sanal with it.

Only after two hours of this show, which overrun all other programs at that time on the channel, did the anchor declare the failure of the tantrik. The latter tried to explain it away with the thought that a very powerful god was guarding Sanal, to which he replied being an atheist.

The tantrik then said that his most powerful magic works only at night. Sanal has challenged him again. Under an open might sky several hours later they gathered for the ritual. The tantrik warned that once it is started there’s no way back and Sanal would get crazy and then scram in pain and die. Sanal laughed and they started.

The tantrik chanted his mantras again, threw ingredients into the fire, wrote Sanal’s name on a sheet of paper, torn it and threw into the flames. But nothing happened to Sanal horizontal only kept smiling. The tantrik then continued to his most powerful magic. He powdered a clod of dough with mysterious ingredients, had Sanal touch it, then cut it with a knife and threw into the fire. Sanal should have died at that moment. Instead he only laughed and a minute later the challenge was closed.

Millions of people watching the program were relieved and they saw the Tantra powers failing. The psychological attack did not work on the president of the Rationalist International.
---------------------------------

The link below has some links to videos, if anyone is interested:
http://www.mind-energy.net/archives/...ive-on-TV.html

[ElNono]

It's good to see the questioning of the practices though... I mean, you have to start somewhere... At least they seem to have enough freedom to actually challenge the absurd claims.

[ChumpDumper]

You've got high ideals, and you need to make sure that you're sticking to them. Today is a good time for you to step up and tell the world what you will and won't take from it.

you, world! I'm not going to take it!

[baseline bum]

On 3 March 2008, Sanal Edamaruku, who is the president of an organization called Rationalist International, challenged India’s tantrik (a black magician). The tantrik is thought to be the most powerful in India. Sanal has challenged the tantrik to kill him using black magic during a live TV program. The tantrik, Pandit Surinder Sharma, agreed. Sharma claimed during an earlier TV discussion that he could kill any person within 3 minutes using black magic. This has started because one of India’s former politicians, Uma Bharati, accused her opponents of using tantrik magic to hurt her, following a series of negative events in her life.



....

That's ing gold!

[Wild Cobra]

I personally think Astrology is bull myself, but I do keep an open mind when it comes to scientific matters.

Keep in mind, we know so little about science. We have just barely scratched the surface. We believe that atoms consist of baryons and an electron. Three quarks make up the baryon while the electron is a lepton. They came up with this magical idea that a gluon holds the quarks together. We don't really know all this, but that what our perception and rational tells us of interactions seen.

Think of all the nuances of things that we cannot control or measure. Then there is the psychic phenomena which is real, but not yet figured out.

Planetary alignments just might cause some interaction that is real to biology. Each has it's own oscillation, and so do the stars. Besides what we can measure, how many properties do they have that we cannot? Nobody really knows.

Again, I am not a believer that astrology is real. I am simply not narrow minded when it comes to such things, especially sciences I know still hold many hidden secrets.