November 25, 2002
What Would Muhammad and Jesus Do?
In response to a widespread Islamic protest that the Miss World pageant promotes promiscuity, a Nigerian reporter rhetorically posed the question "What would Muhammad think?" and suggested that the prophet would heartily approve. Curiously, in the U.S. a new advertising program urges consumers to park their polluting SUVs. The campaign piques their environmental conscience by asking "What would Jesus drive?"
The simultaneous evocation of the world's leading avatars over questions of values has an astrological signature. Venus, the natural ruler of values, turned direct last week in the sign of Scorpio. Venus in Scorpio is often associated with sex and even promiscuity. Scorpio is also the sign of regeneration, and in the environmental sense, of recycling and managing waste products.
While Venus in Scorpio can be associated with the issues of promiscuity and pollution, Muhammad and Jesus are religious heroes, and therefore associated with Jupiter in Leo. Jupiter has been in Leo for almost four months, but is just now reaching a position of superior strength and vitality. Jupiter is forming an impressive trine to Pluto in Sagittarius, emphasizing the religious passion of these planets.
Jupiter is now becoming even more influential as it reaches its retrograde point, due on December 4. Meanwhile, the Sun is heading for a conjunction with Pluto and a trine to Jupiter on December 9 and 10, marking this as a timeframe for major events. Religious-inspired terrorist acts are likely. Also note that December 8 is Iraq's deadline for filing a list of all its weapons programs. Historic geopolitical power plays can be expected.
Pentagon Launches Domestic Surveillance System
Last week the Pentagon announced plans to create a computer surveillance project to track terrorist activity. The $200 million program is called Information Total Awareness, and will filter through everyone's personal email, medical records, and bank transactions. While the government targets subversives, civil rights advocates complain that an Orwellian Big Brother is watching.
The Pentagon's horoscope (July 26, 1947; 12:15 pm; Washington DC) will be one of the most important charts to track over the next few years. With Mercury conjunct the Midheaven, information is a top priority for the Pentagon's military affairs. Mercury is placed in Cancer where it symbolizes information (Mercury) related to domestic security (Cancer). Mercury rules the ninth house of foreign affairs, and the twelfth house of secret enemies.
As discussed recently in NewsScope (October 21, 2002), transiting Pluto is now opposing the ninth house Mars, inciting a direct confrontation with Iraq. Uranus, the planet governing new technology, is also coming under transiting Pluto's influence, leading to this new computer surveillance system. A third factor in the ninth house is the asteroid Vesta, which represents the highly trained, special forces. In Gemini, Vesta refers specifically to intelligence agencies like the CIA.
Transiting Saturn is conjunct Vesta, and has been hovering around this asteroid for several months. The war on terrorism is being fought chiefly through CIA and other intelligence operations. By secondary progression*, Vesta is now conjunct Mercury, inspiring this new domestic spying program. As progressed Vesta edges toward the Midheaven over the next few years, domestic intelligence operations will become a central focus for the world's largest bureaucracy.
Halle Berry and Eric Benet
In a recent interview Oscar winner Halle Berry described her character Jinx in the latest Bond movie "Die Another Day" as being sexy. "She is sure of her sexuality and how to use it, almost as a weapon. She is very intelligent. She is Bond's equal." Of course, she might as well have been describing herself.
Halle Berry was born with her Sun in radiant Leo (August 14, 1968; 9:03 pm; Cleveland, OH**) and her Venus in competent Virgo. Venus, the natural ruler of love and beauty, is the most prominent planet in this horoscope by virtue of the conjunction with the Descendant. Venus is blessed here by being conjunct beneficial Jupiter, with both of them trine her Taurus Moon.
Berry's Sun is involved in a Fire Grand Trine which assures her wealth, fame, and success. Her Leo Sun is found in the sixth house of work and is trine to ambitious Saturn in the second house of money. These two planets in turn form a trine with her Sagittarius Midheaven, the career point. At the moment, transiting Pluto is nearly conjunct and Jupiter trine her Midheaven, accounting for her current celebrity status.
In January 2001 Berry married R&B musician Eric Benet (October 15, 1966). His Mars in the working sign of Virgo is the natural sexual partner for her Venus, and also aligns with her Mercury (the ruler of her seventh house of partners). This combination can get stressed out about competing work schedules. Expect the first signs of serious difficulty in March 2003 when Uranus enters Pisces to oppose her Mercury and his Mars.
* Advanced astrologers will note the heavy line-up of progressions around Vesta: progressed Sun and Uranus square each other, while aligning with natal Vesta. For a PBS News Hour debate on this issue, see www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/july-dec02/surveillance_11-18.html
** Data from iVillage (www.women.com) which unfortunately does not cite a source.
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