SEPARATION of RELIGION and GOVERNMENT in RETROGRADE: the Impact of Star Signs on BC Legislative Politics
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SEPARATION OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT IN RETROGRADE: The impact of star signs on BC Legislative politics BC Humanist Association April 1 2020 ABOUT THE BC HUMANIST ASSOCIATION ADMONITION Since 1984, the British Columbia Please check date of publication before Humanist Association has provided a contemplating citing this report in any community and a voice for Humanists, serious way. atheists, agnostics and the non-religious in BC. Humanism is a worldview that RECOMMENDED CITATION: promotes human dignity without belief in a higher power. We are a registered Slapp, R.H., & Schtick, A.L. (2021, April 1). charitable organization that promotes “Separation of Religion and progressive and secular values and Government in Retrograde: The impact challenges religious privilege. of star signs on BC Legislative politics.” BC Humanist Association. SUPPORT OUR WORK Our work is made possible through the support of our members and individual supporters. Become a member at www.bchumanist.ca/join or make a donation at www.bchumanist.ca/donate TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This report was produced on the traditional territories of the W̱SÁNEĆ and Lkwungen-speaking peoples. Humanism relies on free inquiry, the power of science and creative imagination to solve the problems that confront us all (even if we didn’t quite live up to this standard for this particular report). As such, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Feel free to share and reproduce this content but please acknowledge its source. SEPARATION OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT IN RETROGRADE: THE IMPACT OF STAR SIGNS ON BC LEGISLATIVE POLITICS By: R.H. Slapp, Spiritual Consultant, BCHA A.L. Schtick, Lapsed Sceptic, BCHA “Science is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking. I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time… when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness." Carl Sagan, Demon Haunted World ABSTRACT The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia currently opens each sitting with “prayer and reflections” but this begs the question of why members have thus far refused to explore other alternative supernatural means of promoting prosperity in the province – specifically astrology. The report analyses the star signs for sitting MLAs for whom birthdates were publicly available (n=59/87). It draws a number of headline grabbing conclusions by analyzing MLA star and moon signs. Additional analysis is conducted along party lines and the report also considers the astrological balance of the cabinet. This leads to a number of obvious conclusions: that the BC Legislature hire an official astrologer and invest in other forms of divination, and that the birth dates for every MLA and political candidate be made publicly available. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract....................................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Literature Review .................................................................................................................................... 6 Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 Analysis ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 BC New Democratic Party ................................................................................................................ 17 BC Liberal Party ................................................................................................................................. 20 Cabinet .................................................................................................................................................. 23 Predictions ............................................................................................................................................... 26 Conclusion and Recommendations................................................................................................. 27 4 INTRODUCTION For thousands of years, humans have looked to the stars and the movement of planets to understand the present and foretell the future. A long-held belief has been that the position of the stars and planets at the time of one’s birth influenced their chances at fortune, their prospects in romance, their career and even their personalities. Various forms of astrology can be found in cultures around the world,1 and the practice was part of humanity’s very first attempt at trying to understand the cosmos and our place within them. Despite our species’ significant scientific progress, many continue to cling to irrational superstitions, antiquated forms of divination and bronze age mythology. And why not? Why trust a robust and verifiable epistemology like the scientific method2 when we can instead go with gut feelings, draw cards, sample ancient forms of divination or invoke supernatural powers? After much consideration, some light statistical analysis and some reckless dabbling in belomancy,3 we have concluded that the most unarguably rational course of action for the BC Legislature is to expand its practices beyond the prayers and reflections that open each daily session and centre astrology in the provincial government. This report analyzes the star and moon signs for sitting MLAs for whom birthdays were available (n=59/87). This enables us to scrutinize the astrological balance of the legislature, party caucuses and cabinet. This analysis is then used to draw a number of conclusions: that the BC Legislature supplement prayer with astrology, hire an official astrologer and invest in other forms of divination. Finally, to improve future political astrological research, the birth dates down to the minute and geographic location for every MLA and political candidate should be made publicly available. 1 Willis, R. & Curry P. (2004). Astrology, Science and Culture: Pulling down the moon. New York, USA: Routledge. See also Pankenier, D.W. (2013). Astrology and cosmology in early China: Conforming earth to heaven. UK: Cambridge University Press; Campion, N. (2012). Astrology and cosmology in the world’s religions. New York, USA: NYU Press; Campion, N. (2000). “Babylonian astrology: Its origin and legacy in Europe.” Astronomy Across Cultures, 509-553; and Kasak, E. (2000). “Ancient astrology as a common root for science and pseudo science.” Folklore, 15. 2 Walton, D., & Zhang, N. (2012). “The epistemology of science evidence.” Artificial Intelligence and Law, 21, 173- 219. 3 If you thought this footnote was going to explain what ‘belomancy’ is, or direct you to a helpful source with additional information about this pointed form of divination, you are mistaken. We just wanted to drop some F’s in the footnotes for all of the interns who received puncture wounds as we tapped into ‘The Secret’ with the ‘help’ of darts. 5 LITERATURE REVIEW In order to conduct this research, we first had to reject a significant amount of modern science. While the list of science that one must reject is extensive, we thought we would highlight a number of problematic studies. Criticism of astrology has been prevalent throughout its practice; however, starting in the mid-20th century scholars began to study the validity of whether or not the alignment of celestial bodies at the time of birth has an influence on one's life and whether someone can accurately interpret this information. Early calls from scientists, such as the 1975 study by Bok, Jerome, and Kurtz, noted the infinitesimal impact that physical processes such as “gravitational and radiative effects of stars and planets” would have on a person.4 Subsequent studies have cast further doubts on the validity of astrology and astrologers. A study completed by McGrew and McFall, in conjunction with the Indiana Federation of Astrologers, examined the ability of astrologers to match birth charts to volunteers based on personal life details, test profiles and photographs.5 Overall, McGrew and McFall concluded that astrologers did no better at matching birth charts to volunteers than chance or a non-astrologer control.6 Furthermore, there was little inter-judge reliability between the astrologers on matches, indicating an incoherent system/practice.7 Alternatively, this could all just point to the failure of astrological self-regulatory bodies.8 Perhaps the most damning evidence against astrology are twin studies – both of biological twins and of people born to different parents at exactly the same time, so called ‘time twins.’ Here the assumption is that if the basis of astrology is sound then two individuals born at