"GFHWalker" schrieb im Newsbeitrag ...
I would welcome any comments or input from astronomers regarding the following
article. The idea is to build an overwhelming case against astrology, then to
post the finished article in all astrology newsgroups, and send it to the
editors of newspapers and glossy magazines:
You are young, are you? Who do you think will print a boring scientific text?
But ok, let's assume you still try.
Here's how this generally works:
Someone tries to put together some convincing argument against any of that
esoteric stuff. Let's assume that, per divine inspiration or natural genius he gets it
exactly right and no one who reads it can argue otherwise. This article gets
distributed, the whole phenomenon, be it astrology, magnetic de-chalking of water,
dowsing rods or anything else will lie low for a couple of years and then, when your
paper is forgotten, everyone all of a sudden will rediscover the "ancient wisdom"
of few years ago and esoterics will be alive and well and rich again.

I can tell you how one ought to fight this: Put it in the schools. Have the curriculi
contain tests of those things, lessons about background, tests, performances of
dowsers, tests, courses in hand reading, tests, tea leaves lessons, tests and also a
few tests. That way your educational system will release generation after generation
of people who will not just "believe" in science instead of esoterics but will actually
be able to tell right from wrong *and show that something is wrong*.

Where's the problem: You will grow a lot of little atheists. ("Has the influence of god
been scientifically tested?") and since the vast majority of people in the world believe
in some god or other you will never be able to overcome the resistance of the various
religious organisations.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker