Astrologer arrested for making a political prediction

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The authorities in Sri Lanka have arrested a popular astrologer who predicted that the president will be ejected from office, police say.

Chandrasiri Bandara announced last week that the government would flounder in September and October because of political and economic problems.

The opposition have condemned the arrest and warned that the country is heading towards a dictatorship. ...

He was arrested on Wednesday night to investigate the basis of his prediction, police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera said.
Story on the BBC site at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8120859.stm

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This guy is a regular William Lilly! How outrageous that one can be arrested for making predictions. I look forward to more enlightened times when astrologers who do not make predictions are arrested :D

Matt

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Perhaps when he published the prediction, he should have also "Pulled a Thrasyllus"* to make his prediction even more convincing.

I'm all for arresting astrologers who say that astrologers shouldn't predict...;-)




*Semi-obscure reference
Last edited by Frank on Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Frank Piechoski

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Frank wrote:Perhaps when he published the prediction, he should have also "Pulled a Thrasyllus"* to make his prediction even more convincing.
What, predict his own arrest? :D
Gabe

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The authorities in Sri Lanka have arrested a popular astrologer who predicted that the president will be ejected from office, police say.
Now I am not evaluating the regime in the part of the world, but does the astrologer have political interests that sympathize with the opposition? We have to imagine an equivalent in our own culture. Any suggestions? I don't think the Church has a strong enough hold to be taken seriously if the Bishop of Cantebury were to call upon God and announce the future doom of the Government. Although it would cause a stirr and the Bishop might be summoned for a talk and receive a rundown from the Prime Minister. In different times such powerclashess have been known to occur. Norwegian authorities have been known to arrest religious activists when mixing with political questions.
He was arrested on Wednesday night to investigate the basis of his prediction, police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera said.
Do we have the full details on what the prediction was based?

Not all predictions should hit the wire or be announced in the fury of the press. And secondly the choice of words is important, leading in a more constructive direction instead of than attempting to take power or control. In 1990 I predicted the illness of King Olav V prior to King Harald ascending to the Norwegian throne. Actually, it was the Crown Prince's chaart that showed the careeer change and rize to power, and King Olav was getting an old man - so there were several ways in which this could occur. I did not go to the press, but sent a discrete letter to the Crown Prince (to those whom it does concern) attempting to suggest some constructive options. It is a balance and we do at any rate have to think things through before throwing things out into the air.

Letter sent the Crown Prince: http://www.astronor.com/kongOlav.htm
http://www.astronor.com