Alternate Angles

Astrology and horoscope reading is a popular mode of entertainment around the world, however many who practice in the West do not actually understand it - or realize that Western Astrology is and was only ever meant for entertainment. Despite the fact that the stars and celestial bodies have moved over the past couple millennia, that the calendar has changed several times, and that different cultures have different interpretations, the modern astrological and spiritual community can't even agree on how many Zodiac signs there are. Current followers of Astrology have been pre-programmed to believe there are only twelve: because there are twelve months of the year, and twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, the "theme of twelve" becomes instilled early on. While both modern Astrologists and even NASA have confirmed there are indeed thirteen signs, many practitioners still believe there are only twelve, while a smaller group believes there are actually fourteen. The problem f...

Most people in America have heard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons (informally). Some of you reading this may be members of the Church. Or you may have seen the missionaries helping in the community or going door to door in your neighborhood for a chance to speak to people about their church. Unfortunately the LDS are often on the receiving end of jokes, or treated poorly when they approach someone. Some of this is due to society's increasing departure from religion, but a lot more of it is due to the fact that people really don't understand who the Mormons are or what they believe. The Origin of Mormonism Early Years The roots of Mormonism began in 1820 in New York state near the town of Palmyra, about 25 miles east of Rochester. The account goes that 14 year old Joseph Smith, Jr. was contemplating his life, and more specifically his place in the church. He didn't agree with all of the competing Christian denominations, and felt that none of t...

As the New Year begins, and Christmas Trees are being hauled to the road, many people begin to shift their attention to the next upcoming holiday: Valentine's Day. For some, this is a day of joyous celebration of romance and happiness, while for others...it's not so happy. One of the biggest themes you hear the naysayers touting is referring to the day as a "Hallmark holiday," suggesting that the holiday was created by greeting card companies to boost sales. While it is no surprise that candy and card companies flourish at this time of year, Valentine's Day is no invention of theirs. In fact, the first celebration was established over 1500 years ago as a feast to commemorate a priest who was martyred. Saint Valentine Throughout history, there have been about a dozen Saint Valentines recognized by the Catholic Church. Details are quite vague, and the Saint Valentine in question may have been one man, or comprised of the stories of two or three men. Whether he was o...

The concept of an afterlife has captivated mankind throughout all of history. Beginning with ancient times, the idea of spirits and ghosts have been a very common theme. However, because there has been no hard scientific evidence or physical proof, there are a lot of theories and misconceptions that float around. Technically there is no true way to define these supernatural entities with any one set of rules, although man has tried, and mixed with the internet and ghost reality shows, the study of this pseudoscience is becoming muddled. This piece will explore the concept of ghosts and spirits and help break through some of that fluff. Spirits vs. Ghosts: Is There a Difference? Yes and no. All ghosts are spirits, but not all spirits are ghosts. Most experts and spiritualists agree that a spirit is any being that does not have a natural physical form on the human plane of existence. This would include, for example, ghosts, souls, angels, faeries, jinn (genies), and demons. They may poss...

Buddhism is one of the world's largest religions, with over 500 million followers. Buddhism is non-theistic, meaning there is no belief in a god, and can be considered a philosophy as much as a religion. Starting in ancient India, it spread through much of Asia within a few hundred years. Buddhism has since split into several different schools of thought, but the core principles remain the same throughout all denominations. Overall Buddhism is a peaceful compassionate belief system that seeks to end the pain and suffering of life through learning to let go and find tranquility within. History of Buddhism Buddhism began around the 5th century BCE in India. Its founder was a prince or nobleman from near the India-Nepal border named Siddhartha Gautama. Growing up in a rich lifestyle, he was sheltered by his father because of a prophecy that stated if Gautama went into the outside world and witnessed four specific signs, he would not grow to be a King but a great religious leader. As a...