Astrologers on a Mass Murderer

In the late 1980s a member of the Kansas City Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (KCCSI) went to five professional astrologers giving as his own the birth data and computer-calculated birth chart of a John Wayne Gacy.

What the poor astrologers decreed about Gacy from that birth chart:

"I think that you can be very good with kids . . ."

"Just your presence would be of a beneficial nature to other people, a real calming kind of effect . . . in this life you have a lot to contribute and . . . basically your life will be very, very positive."

"A fairly well-rounded personality . . . you can offer a good role model . . ."

"Helpful, understanding of the needs of others . . . Kind, gentle, considerate of others' needs."

"At your best, you . . . radiate the unconditional love of a happy infant ... You have an instinctive awareness and your uninhibited response to life can refresh and gladden whomever you encounter."

However, in 1978 Gacy had gone to his lawyers and confessed to 33 murders. Many were horrible. The youngest identified victims were both 14 years old; the oldest were both 21 years old. He was executed in 1994 as one of the worst convicted serial killers in American history until then.

Five astrologers could not read one person's character very well from his horoscope. Their fine-sounding characteristics of him proved tragic (for them). The proof of the pudding is in the eating, the proof or a astrologer's chart interpretation is the person and life it purports to tell of. If a map and the terrain do not fit, or do not fit very well, to adjust to the terrain may not work badly.

[Murder: Astrologers rated these killers as good guys. Skeptical Inquiry. Original title: "Astrology on Death Row!" and was reprinted in the Indian Skeptic 1989, Vol 1 (11). Gory details and more: http://www.astrology-and-science.com/a-murd2.htm

There is reason to add a few lines to the above:

Five astrologers are not many enough to be a representative sample of all the astrologers in the world. The findings are, however, a good prod [read: pilot study] for further explorations into representative horoscope samples and biographies. Much work - "It don't come easy."

Another factor to consider: In other countries or cultures astrologers use other systems of horoscopy.