The New Dawn is Nigh

Welcome to the end.

No, no, not the end of the World, silly (what were you thinking?) I’m talking about the end of the current astrological age, which began waaaay back in 68 BC or thereabouts, when the World entered the Age of Pisces.

Whether you believe in them or not, astrological ages are very real and occur due to a real motion of the Earth, known as the precession of the equinoxes, which move westward along the ecliptic, the path of the Sun. It’s the measurement of the Ages and pays close attention to the Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions. Ancient peoples had a very clear understanding of this and back in the day, when astrology was held in high regard as the “measure of God’s will”, pre-Christian peoples and the early Christians followed the movement of the planets, especially those of Jupiter and Saturn (as they were the most visible) as the planets were understood by all to represent “God’s Clock”. Which God depended on the beliefs at the time, but cycles of precession were duly noted because of the importance of their influence upon the Earth.

Okay then, a cycle of precession lasts 25,800 years and there are twelve constellations of the Zodiac. Approximately, every 2,150 years, the Sun’s position at the time of the March (venal) Equinox (0 degrees Aries) moves in front of a new Zodiac constellation. The Age of Aquarius will begin when the March Equinox moves out of the constellation of Pisces and into the constellation of Aquarius. The main herald though is the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction which will take place in the constellation of Aquarius at the time of the Summer Solstice (southern hemisphere) in December 2020 when the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction takes place at 0 degrees Aquarius; a new starting point.

“So what difference does that make?” I can hear some of you asking. Okay, if you have any knowledge of astrology you will understand that each sign has its own characteristics. These will be present, to varying degrees, in the physical and psychological makeup of people born under those signs. Activity with the planets affect us all, but in what way will depend on an individual’s chart and in what house in their chart the specific celestial event happens. “As above, so below”.

But this also applies to our planet as a whole. The Age of Pisces has been predominantly about money, power and control. It has also been about religious control and for centuries, various religious groups and leaders have put their own slant on their teachings and actions to control kings, queens, whole countries and their populations. They played politics. They became very rich. They and their followers used “Fear of God” very effectively to get what they wanted, and “acting under God’s Will” to  justify the persecution of those of different creeds, of wars, genocide and the land grabs that would inevitably follow. It is still happening today and this pretty much sums up the gist of the Age of Pisces. Sure, there have been positives, like many  of the technological advances in medicine and industry that have improved the lives of many over the generations, but again, the potential to use these advances to generate money for a small handful of individuals, harness power for same and grant them a level of control which they should not have, is again, typical of the Age we have been living in.

Which is why we should be seriously looking forward to, and celebrating, the move into the Age of Aquarius. The hippies of the 1960s and early 70s had it more or less right, even if they were six decades premature. The Aquarian Age is predicted to be a golden age of peace and tranquility. One of love, brotherhood, freedom, integrity, harmony and equality. It is also predicted to be far more environmentally friendly on a world scale, but in a more balanced and progressive way, as opposed to some of the misinformation that has been foisted on us via wealthy mouthpieces fuelled by self interest. The Nanny State, political correctness and a swathe of political minority groups may also take a dive, as balance is re-established, and common sense becomes the New Black.

But the best thing about the move into the Aquarian Age? It will be the way of the World for next 2,150 years.

Meanwhile, we are still dealing with the death-throws of the Age of Pisces and it looks to be going out with a bang. Natural disasters, a global virus, financial crashes and a couple of nations deliberately stirring the pot, which could lead to a war, a biggie that will affect us all to varying degrees, depending on where it happens, and I’m predicting Asia because China is really pushing the envelope in a number of specific directions. Hence the next six months could be really tough for the entire planet.

Fingers crossed we make it to December.

 

The Churches of Cash

L Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology, is rumoured to have said “If you want to get truly rich, start a religion” or words to that effect. Well, old L Ron wasn’t wrong if the billions raked in by his “church” is anything to go by. Personally, I believe, as do a few others, that Scientology was actually a concept for his next piece of science fiction (he wrote several sci fi stories) and he launched it as a form of research, just to see what would happen.

Others have done the same, started a cult, called it a religion, and the founders accumulated incredible tax-free wealth via the donations of the followers they attracted, brainwashed and who continued to work themselves ragged on behalf of the cult leaders. The Moonies, Rajneesh and a host of others all did it and the chief gurus (and their under-gurus – one level down from the top bloke) did very well off the money and adoration of those who gave up everything in the pursuit of “spiritual salvation”. But only achievable if they paid up first in cold hard cash.

And now we have Hillsong. Hillsong began as a small Pentecostal church in suburban Sydney in the 1980s but today is worth a staggering (tax free, because it calls itself a church) $103.4 million, annually. Like all the other money-focused cult-corporations, it has focused relentlessly on attracting wealthy celebrities as well as high end corporate types with serious money, to join the “church” and fund the luxurious lifestyles of it’s founders and their immediate underlings. Sounds familiar. doesn’t it? Yes, it does.

Hillsong now has 37 locations around Australia as well as 91 internationally and the money is rolling in for founders, Bobbie and Brian Houston, and donations are big business. The organisation plays on people’s faith, and members are encouraged to pay up, on top of the tithe, in order to (hopefully) gain favour with God, and are openly encouraged to make big donations, which apparently will grant them the “honour” of being able to “resource God’s House”.  Unfortunately, people caught up in the organisation’s hype are encouraged to believe that the greater the donation they make, the closer they will get to God’s “favour”. Is this the Hillsong version of “buying one’s way into Heaven”?

Seriously, this is a highly money-focused organisation with a hard-core approach to recruitment tactics and with equally hard-core methods employed to coerce it’s congregations to hand over money. Big money. What it isn’t is a religion.

Yet it has managed to attract huge numbers of people through its doors and they have all become mesmerised by the the noise, the light shows and the hype. Oh, and the promise of special access to God on the proviso they make large donations to the “church”. No wonder it strives to attract the influential and the wealthy.

But if you look at the overall Christian texts, Jesus was a humble carpenter who spent His time with humble people. He was not impressed by money apparently, had a low tolerance for materialism and money grubbing in general, and according to the texts, implied that no one could buy their way into the Kingdom of Heaven. Money was irrelevant to Him because He was all about helping the poor and the afflicted, and encouraged people to develop spiritual growth and lead good and honest lives. Well that sounds more genuine and something a genuine religious leader would say.  There is nothing in any of those writings that implied He recruited His apostles to hit on his followers for as much money as they could get out of them so that he, and his chosen twelve, could live in wealth and luxury. You just couldn’t buy favour with this man!

Which makes me wonder where Hillsong got the idea to imply to their followers that they could buy “greater favour” with God by paying out a lot of money to the “church” (the Houston’s really) and, if their followers really knew anything about the Deity they claim to be worshipping, why haven’t they seen the contradiction? Like, it’s staring them in the face! I’m guessing it’s either because they  have never read a Bible, or more likely, they have been brainwashed into believing the hype. I’m leaning towards the latter.

Because that’s how organised cults operate.