Should christians believe in old wives’ tales and superstitions?  I was sitting outside on the front porch with friends, and a bird flew in the front door.  Everyone started saying this was a sign of bad luck or death.  What is your view?

Sincerely,
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

Dear One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,

Superstition is wrong.  Christians know that all blessings flow from God (Jas 1:17) and that if things work out for us, it is because God took care of us (Rom 8:28).  Luck has nothing to do with it.  Superstitions try and bring control in our lives by predicting the future through random events (black cat crossing your path, carrying a lucky rabbit’s foot, etc.)… but that is nonsense and ignorance.  The Bible declares that trusting in such things is foolishness and unfit for christians.  We should all do exactly what Paul said to Timothy: refuse old wives’ tales (1 Tim. 4:7).

We are studying the book of Genesis in my small group Bible study.  The teacher explained that before the prophecy in Isaiah and other passages in the Old Testament about the Virgin Mary giving birth to the Messiah, Jesus, that the Virgin and the Messiah were predicted by Zodiac signs, including the Virgo sign.  My small group teacher said even though he did not believe in astrology, this was how the Messiah's birth was predicted in the early Bible times.  But the Baal worshippers twisted the Zodiac concept around from what true followers of God had prophesied.  As you can tell, it sounds very confusing, and he gave absolutely no Bible scriptures to back his theory.  He is a very nice and sincere man, and I believe he loves God.  But I read in numerous places in the Bible that anything to do with fortune telling (which Zodiac signs are) is strictly of Satan.  The Bible says that Satan is the author of confusion, and this teacher was very confusing.  I believe he thought he was being led by God's spirit.  As you can tell, this is a difficult question, but prayerfully you can give me some Bible scriptures to back this teacher’s theory or disclaim this teacher’s theory.

Sincerely,
Starry-Eyed Student

Dear Starry-Eyed Student,

Astrology is wrong, and so is this teacher.  Astrology, mysticism, séances, horoscopes, palm reading, etc. are all sinful.  God condemned that behavior in the Old Testament (Isa 47:13-14).  King Saul was put to death by God for seeking a woman that practiced divining (1 Chr 10:13). Any Jew that was found visiting a ‘medium’ or ‘spiritist’ would be cut off from His people (Lev 20:6).  In the New Testament, astrology is just as roundly condemned.  Paul cast out an evil spirit that was fortune-telling (Acts 16:16-18).  When someone became a christian, they confessed sorcery as evil, and many of them burned their books of the magical arts (Acts 19:18-20).  If we want wisdom, we should seek it from God (Jas 1:5).  All astrology, horoscopes, and the like are wrong.

Since God clearly condemns astrology, it wouldn’t make any sense that He would use astrology to predict the coming of Jesus.  As you said, there aren’t any verses to back up what this teacher was saying… there is a reason for that.  Regardless of what this man’s general character is, he has made a mistake.  The Bible simply doesn’t back up his theory.

Is pyramidology part of or at least have anything to do with the occult?  I heard about this from an article I read about Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Bible Students, which later became known as the Jehovah's Witnesses.  He preached about Armageddon and the second coming of Christ.  In order to prove his point, he used pyramidology, also sometimes known as pyramid power.  This predicted a certain date for these events.

Sincerely,
Watching That Tower

Dear Watching That Tower,

Pyramidology is the study of pyramids to predict future events such as the return of Christ, world wars, the formation of modern Israel, etc.  This type of philosophy is scoffed at by scientists and theologians alike.  Many Jehovah’s Witnesses are unaware of their founder’s beliefs in pyramidology because it was renounced and scrubbed from their history books in 1928 by Joseph Rutherford, Charles Taze Russell’s successor… yet this sort of mixed-up philosophy is part of the mindset that created the Watchtower Society.

God says that the Bible contains all that we need to know about life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).  The law of the Lord is perfect (Jas 1:25); we don’t need inscriptions on pyramids and hieroglyphic predictions to find the will of God.  The gospel is God’s power for our salvation (Rom 1:16).  Trust in the alignment of the pyramids is occult.

What do you do when your teen son tell you that he is the devil?

Sincerely,
Dodging Pitchforks

Dear Dodging Pitchforks,

Start praying he is wrong.  Of course, it is impossible for him to actually be the devil, but when people live sinful lives, they become children of the devil (Acts 13:10, 1 Jn 3:8).  The devil has only one tool at his disposal – lies (Jhn 8:44).  The greatest antidote to lies is truth.

Ask your son to reason with you and explain why he thinks he is the devil.  God is a big fan of calm, rational discourse (Isa 1:18).  We have no idea how likely it is for you to get your son to do this… but it never hurts to try.  Many times when people have to explain their beliefs, the nuttiness of their position becomes apparent to even them.  Darkness hates being brought to light (Jhn 3:20).  Ask your son to explain why he believes what he does; chances are, you won’t have to prove him wrong… he’ll do that himself.

My husband is a christian who added a Satanist to his facebook friends list.  I guess he knew him in basic training.  So my question is: should he have done this?  I mean, he thinks he can win this guy over, but I don't think so.  I just think he is thick-skinned and evil.  I had a nightmare about him.  My husband deleted him from facebook for me.  Should he have added this guy in the first place?  This is a man who has Satan as his profile picture.  Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,
Pitch The Pitchfork

Dear Pitch The Pitchfork,

You wrote, “He thinks he can win this guy over, but I don’t think so.”  The whole issue is one of wisdom and discretion.  You are worried that bad company corrupts good morals (1 Cor 15:33), and your husband is trying to make sure that his light shines for all to see (Matt 5:16).  Both opinions are perfectly valid and Bible-based.  The question is over which one is more applicable in this circumstance… that is a matter of opinion, not doctrine.  You and your husband must decide what is best, but remember that this isn’t an issue of right and wrong.