Back on the interstate a few minutes later, Val unwrapped her candy bar and flipped through the magazine she’d just bought. “Hey, look! Here’s the horoscope page. What’s your sign?” Laurie frowned, sipping her soda. “My sign?”

“Yeah, you know—Virgo, Sagittarius, Leo. Your birthday is in May, right?”

“Yes, it’s May 8, but . . .”

“Here it is.” Val started reading aloud the description for Taurus.

“I’m not interested, Val,” Laurie said, her voice full of warning.

“Why? Don’t tell me you think it’s bad to read your horoscope!”

Laurie said, “Didn’t you listen to T. J.’s message at the campus Bible study a few weeks ago? He said astrology, Ouija boards, and stuff like that are offensive to God.”

“Oh, please. God is the God of the universe, the Most High! Why would He be offended by something silly like astrology? Nobody actually believes that stuff.”

“Whether you believe it or not, reading your horoscope can give the enemy a foothold in your life. Instead of going to God with concerns about the future, you’re consulting the enemy. That’s when ‘silly’ becomes dangerous.”

Astrology and horoscopes, though seemingly harmless, are part of the occult. And when we dabble in them, we are inviting evil influences into our minds and hearts. We are showing that we don’t trust God with the future, and we don’t want to go to the Bible for answers. No wonder He’s so offended by the occult!