February
10, 2006
MOHAMMED CARTOON DRAMA
Violent Protests in Muslim World
A classic clash of cultures and religion has
erupted recently over cartoons of Mohammed that were originally
published in a small Danish newspaper in September, 2005.
It is fascinating that only now, almost five months later,
that the full passion and protests have been expressed throughout
the Islamic world. The most intense fury has come from the
more fundamentalist and conservative Muslims, but most Muslims
are angered if not enraged, only disagreeing on what is the
appropriate response.
Why has it taken so long for this issue to
become exacerbated and such violence to ensue? Muslim representatives
have said: that Denmark did not apologize, that the cartoons
were later reprinted in the European press, and it had taken
this long for the news of these cartoons to spread around
the Muslim world. An astrological perspective describes both
the source of the underlying tensions and the timing of this
current uproar.
Since ancient times, a total eclipse of the
SUN has portended dire events along the path of its shadow.
The path of a dramatic Total Solar Eclipse of August 11, 1999
(at 18 degrees LEO) (view
chart) carved an arc across Northern Europe and the Middle
East. This eclipse was exceptionally potent with a tightly
focused FIXED GRAND CROSS and 8 of 10 planets in FIXED signs,
describing a pattern of extreme intransigence and enduring
influence.
Recently, there has been another FIXED GRAND
CROSS in the sky during the Fall of 2005 and continuing into
2006. As this current cartoon drama has built to a crescendo
of violent demonstrations, the SUN conjoined NEPTUNE at 18
degrees of AQUARIUS. This is exactly opposite to the degree
of the SOLAR ECLIPSE of 1999.
This SUN-NEPTUNE conjunction illustrates a
moment when an idealized leader (the SUN) is depicted in imagery
(NEPTUNE). Unfortunately, the SUN-NEPTUNE pairing has been
part of this very stressful FIXED CROSS, which includes MARS
(aggression), JUPITER (religion) and SATURN (judgment), thus
creating a potent configuration.
Of course, much Muslim anger focuses on the
U.S. because of the American invasion of Iraq, the Israeli-Palestine
quagmire, and ultimately Muslim disgust with Western values
and culture.
From an astrologer’s perspective, a
clash is obvious between the U.S. (view
chart) and Muslim Civilization (view
chart). A basic incompatibility is shown between the two
charts: the U.S. value of freedom of expression (URANUS in
GEMINI) versus the Muslim value of submission to God’s
will (JUPITER in PISCES).
Of great concern is an alarming connection
between the 1999 Eclipse and the first Inaugural chart of
George W. Bush (view
chart). The Eclipse MARS, at 16 SCORPIO, is exactly conjunct
the Inaugural MARS. Since the Inaugural chart has MARS in
the house of allies and open enemies (7th), it looked to astrologers
as though the President or the country would be attacked.
And it was.
On a more hopeful note, MARS and the SUN (both
“trigger planets”) will exit the current GRAND
CROSS in the latter part of February. MARS will be in GEMINI
(sign of communication) opening a brief window for dialogue,
hopefully releasing some tension.
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