Trump's Christian Squad: Barr, Pence Kavanaugh and Pompeo
Donald Trump gifted us Bill Barr, Mike Pence, Brett Kavanaugh and Mike Pompeo in his trade for Christian Evangelical vote. He gave the Evangelicals, in another quid pro quo, something he considers worthless anyway. Christian humility, charity, obedience, and salvation are totally empty concepts to Trump. He does not care, because he is acting above all law. He is acting as a blatant example of corruption and criminality every day that he is in power. Meanwhile, the far right Christians are getting judges that will force religious doctrines on the American public.
But, the winds of social change are going against the fundamentalist Christians. Barr, Pence, Kavanaugh and (I assume) Pompeo are products of Catholic education. The teachings of the Church are etched deeply into their psyches. What the Church teaches is that we are all sinners. In fact, we are born that way. It is called original sin. The only way to redeem ourselves is through obedience to the rules of the Church. You can only be saved through the Church. If you are not saved you will suffer eternally in Hell. And who wants that?
To make things even more compelling, the Church tells us that Christ suffered and died for our sins. Now on top of the shame for being born sinners, we have the guilt for killing Jesus. It is a heavy burden to carry through life. You can't escape being sinful and you can't be innocent of the crucifixion that happened 2000 years ago. The Church wants you to constantly obsess about the condition of your soul. You have to demonstrate that you are "good" by total obedience to the Church. Love and social acceptance only come through obedience. And for some Christians it is not enough to ponder their individual fate, they believe that all of humankind is hopelessly doomed and will be destroyed. Only the second coming of Christ can change the world. It has been reported that Pence and Pompeo accept this belief.
According to the Church, human nature is basically rotten. We harbor inside us all sorts of evil. People need to be controlled by an outside force: the holiness of an infallible Church. We absolutely need the authority of the Church over us or society will descend into total immoral chaos. This is where William Barr is coming from. This is where he derives his mission. In his recent speech at Notre Dame (October 11, 2019) he said:
"Men are subject to powerful passions and appetites, and, if unrestrained, are capable of ruthlessly riding roughshod over their neighbor and the community at large. No society can exist without some means for restraining individual rapacity."
Barr further argues that Christian religion supplies the template for the needed controls on society. The values of Christian religion are to be promoted as the values of American society as a whole. We are to be forced to live as Christians without our consent. The power of Barr's Church is absolute. It must be forced on everyone. The executive power needs to be unitary and unchallenged because religious values must be rammed without dissenting voices. I think the founding fathers would be tossing in their graves if they knew this is going on in 2019.
Why does this grim Christian view of humanity resonate so strongly with people like Barr? Is there something in their psychological make-up that mirrors such views? Do they know from knowing themselves that this view is true? Are there frightening aspects of their own nature that they feel need to be absolutely controlled? Christianity is no friend to Astrology. Astrology portrays a more complex and nuanced view of human nature. Astrology is our legacy of pre-Christian ancient knowledge about human motivation. The astrological natal chart reveals the types of energies and conflicts that, if we are unaware, will shape our lives. The noon natal chart for William Barr is shown below.
For issues discussed in this blog the main factors are Barr's planets Mars, Uranus and Saturn. Mars square Uranus is the most problematic. Parker's Astrology describes its expression as: "Self-will, argumentativeness and perversity are likely, and the individual will always want his or her own way." Does this not sound like "individual rapacity" that Barr describes in his talk at Notre Dame? Astrologer Sue Tompkins describes the Mars-Uranus square as:"Certainly the typical Mars-Uranus person has the urge ... to generate and receive a great deal of sexual excitement." These behaviors are precisely those that Christianity wants to control. Uranus stands for being out of bounds, breaking the rules, acting out. Trump with his Sun conjunct Uranus and North Node is a vivid example of this energy. Yet, the fundamentalist Christians flocked to him???
But, Barr's Mars-Uranus energy is hidden and not public. Barr's Mars is also checked by more harmonious contacts to Sun and Mercury. But, it is Barr's Saturn in Virgo, with its rules and abhorrence of disorder, that acts as a counterweight to the Mars square Uranus. Nevertheless, he is keenly aware of his wild Mars-Uranus impulses and that they have to be actively repressed. He uses the whole weight of organized religion to do so.
On his inauguration day, January 20, 2017, Mike Pence read this passage from his bible: "If my people are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Again, we hear echos of sin and guilt. Is this really the essence of Christ's message? What is there in Mike Pence that resonates with such grim views? A noon natal chart for Pence is shown below.
The Venus, Mars, Uranus conjunction is problematic. Astrologer Roger Elliot describes this combination as: "Explosive sex nature at times. May be bisexual or homosexual." Mike Pence certainly tries to keep his sexuality under wraps. It very likely frightens him. Mother is there to keep a tight rein on him. His Saturn in Capricorn is quincunx to the conjunction, thus keeping control on the expression of those planets. But the energies of Jupiter and Neptune in the intensely sexual sign of Scorpio add to the fantasies and tensions in Pence's psyche. Like Barr, he feels the impulsive urges of Mars-Uranus, and works hard to repress them. Religion becomes a tool he desperately clings to.
What can we say about justice Brett Kavanaugh that has not already become public through his hearing? The GOP Senate, nonetheless, found him fit to serve on the Supreme Court for life. Is he truly the best candidate Republicans could have put forward?
What may we find in Kavanaugh's natal chart? An unruly Mars?
Mars is found in the vicinity of Uranus and Pluto which means that the disruptive and rebellious energy is amplified. The result: party and sexual assault. Saturn is directly opposite this complex, trying to keep a lid on it. So is the cool trio of Sun, Mercury and Venus in Aquarius. Kavanaugh's wild behavior was episodic and assisted by alcohol. Again, religion is used to try to reign in these impulses.
In 2014 Mike Pompeo, our current Secretary of State, said that to "know Jesus as our savior is truly the only solution for our world." In 2015 he said that "politics is a never-ending struggle ... until the Rapture." Wikipedia defines Rapture as "consisting of an end time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with the resurrected dead believers, will rise 'in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.'"Somehow I find this belief disturbing in someone who is likely to advise Trump about nuclear war. Might Pompeo say: "Sure, the end times are here. Hallelujah!"
Mike Pompeo graduated first at West Point and attended Harvard Law School. Intellectually he is not a slouch. He subjected himself to the discipline of a military school and he studied law which spells out what is and isn't acceptable to do. On top of that he became a strict Christian which further imposed restrictions on him. What is there in his psychological make-up that was looking for restraint? His noon chart is shown below.
The focus of the powerful T-square (red triangle) is the conjunction of Jupiter and Eris at 1 degree. Mars conjunction Mercury and Moon conjunction North Node contact this energy by squares. The conjunction of Uranus and Pluto, symbolic of rebellion and upheaval, makes contact by quincunx (green lines). Pompeo's Mars is somewhat restrained because it is trine to Uranus-Pluto. He does not act out as Kavanaugh is known to have done. But, he nevertheless seeks to control himself. I think that Pompeo fears the unpredictable and shocking energy of Jupiter-Eris. But, he may also be drawn to this energy. His Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars are in contact with this energy. Eris is associated with extremely shocking and socially destructive events. In previous blogs I associated Eris with Trump, Putin and events in 2016 that put Trump in power. The unexpected shock of Trump becoming president is an Eris event. Pompeo chooses to defend the most shocking and disruptive president in US history.
Addendum (January 10, 2020)
It appears that Mike Pompeo was the primary advocate for the assassination of Soleimani. This event is of shocking proportions, in accord with the astrological energies of Jupiter, Eris and Mars, which play such prominent part in Pompeo's character.
But, the winds of social change are going against the fundamentalist Christians. Barr, Pence, Kavanaugh and (I assume) Pompeo are products of Catholic education. The teachings of the Church are etched deeply into their psyches. What the Church teaches is that we are all sinners. In fact, we are born that way. It is called original sin. The only way to redeem ourselves is through obedience to the rules of the Church. You can only be saved through the Church. If you are not saved you will suffer eternally in Hell. And who wants that?
To make things even more compelling, the Church tells us that Christ suffered and died for our sins. Now on top of the shame for being born sinners, we have the guilt for killing Jesus. It is a heavy burden to carry through life. You can't escape being sinful and you can't be innocent of the crucifixion that happened 2000 years ago. The Church wants you to constantly obsess about the condition of your soul. You have to demonstrate that you are "good" by total obedience to the Church. Love and social acceptance only come through obedience. And for some Christians it is not enough to ponder their individual fate, they believe that all of humankind is hopelessly doomed and will be destroyed. Only the second coming of Christ can change the world. It has been reported that Pence and Pompeo accept this belief.
According to the Church, human nature is basically rotten. We harbor inside us all sorts of evil. People need to be controlled by an outside force: the holiness of an infallible Church. We absolutely need the authority of the Church over us or society will descend into total immoral chaos. This is where William Barr is coming from. This is where he derives his mission. In his recent speech at Notre Dame (October 11, 2019) he said:
"Men are subject to powerful passions and appetites, and, if unrestrained, are capable of ruthlessly riding roughshod over their neighbor and the community at large. No society can exist without some means for restraining individual rapacity."
Barr further argues that Christian religion supplies the template for the needed controls on society. The values of Christian religion are to be promoted as the values of American society as a whole. We are to be forced to live as Christians without our consent. The power of Barr's Church is absolute. It must be forced on everyone. The executive power needs to be unitary and unchallenged because religious values must be rammed without dissenting voices. I think the founding fathers would be tossing in their graves if they knew this is going on in 2019.
Why does this grim Christian view of humanity resonate so strongly with people like Barr? Is there something in their psychological make-up that mirrors such views? Do they know from knowing themselves that this view is true? Are there frightening aspects of their own nature that they feel need to be absolutely controlled? Christianity is no friend to Astrology. Astrology portrays a more complex and nuanced view of human nature. Astrology is our legacy of pre-Christian ancient knowledge about human motivation. The astrological natal chart reveals the types of energies and conflicts that, if we are unaware, will shape our lives. The noon natal chart for William Barr is shown below.
For issues discussed in this blog the main factors are Barr's planets Mars, Uranus and Saturn. Mars square Uranus is the most problematic. Parker's Astrology describes its expression as: "Self-will, argumentativeness and perversity are likely, and the individual will always want his or her own way." Does this not sound like "individual rapacity" that Barr describes in his talk at Notre Dame? Astrologer Sue Tompkins describes the Mars-Uranus square as:"Certainly the typical Mars-Uranus person has the urge ... to generate and receive a great deal of sexual excitement." These behaviors are precisely those that Christianity wants to control. Uranus stands for being out of bounds, breaking the rules, acting out. Trump with his Sun conjunct Uranus and North Node is a vivid example of this energy. Yet, the fundamentalist Christians flocked to him???
But, Barr's Mars-Uranus energy is hidden and not public. Barr's Mars is also checked by more harmonious contacts to Sun and Mercury. But, it is Barr's Saturn in Virgo, with its rules and abhorrence of disorder, that acts as a counterweight to the Mars square Uranus. Nevertheless, he is keenly aware of his wild Mars-Uranus impulses and that they have to be actively repressed. He uses the whole weight of organized religion to do so.
On his inauguration day, January 20, 2017, Mike Pence read this passage from his bible: "If my people are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Again, we hear echos of sin and guilt. Is this really the essence of Christ's message? What is there in Mike Pence that resonates with such grim views? A noon natal chart for Pence is shown below.
The Venus, Mars, Uranus conjunction is problematic. Astrologer Roger Elliot describes this combination as: "Explosive sex nature at times. May be bisexual or homosexual." Mike Pence certainly tries to keep his sexuality under wraps. It very likely frightens him. Mother is there to keep a tight rein on him. His Saturn in Capricorn is quincunx to the conjunction, thus keeping control on the expression of those planets. But the energies of Jupiter and Neptune in the intensely sexual sign of Scorpio add to the fantasies and tensions in Pence's psyche. Like Barr, he feels the impulsive urges of Mars-Uranus, and works hard to repress them. Religion becomes a tool he desperately clings to.
What can we say about justice Brett Kavanaugh that has not already become public through his hearing? The GOP Senate, nonetheless, found him fit to serve on the Supreme Court for life. Is he truly the best candidate Republicans could have put forward?
Mars is found in the vicinity of Uranus and Pluto which means that the disruptive and rebellious energy is amplified. The result: party and sexual assault. Saturn is directly opposite this complex, trying to keep a lid on it. So is the cool trio of Sun, Mercury and Venus in Aquarius. Kavanaugh's wild behavior was episodic and assisted by alcohol. Again, religion is used to try to reign in these impulses.
In 2014 Mike Pompeo, our current Secretary of State, said that to "know Jesus as our savior is truly the only solution for our world." In 2015 he said that "politics is a never-ending struggle ... until the Rapture." Wikipedia defines Rapture as "consisting of an end time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with the resurrected dead believers, will rise 'in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.'"Somehow I find this belief disturbing in someone who is likely to advise Trump about nuclear war. Might Pompeo say: "Sure, the end times are here. Hallelujah!"
Mike Pompeo graduated first at West Point and attended Harvard Law School. Intellectually he is not a slouch. He subjected himself to the discipline of a military school and he studied law which spells out what is and isn't acceptable to do. On top of that he became a strict Christian which further imposed restrictions on him. What is there in his psychological make-up that was looking for restraint? His noon chart is shown below.
The focus of the powerful T-square (red triangle) is the conjunction of Jupiter and Eris at 1 degree. Mars conjunction Mercury and Moon conjunction North Node contact this energy by squares. The conjunction of Uranus and Pluto, symbolic of rebellion and upheaval, makes contact by quincunx (green lines). Pompeo's Mars is somewhat restrained because it is trine to Uranus-Pluto. He does not act out as Kavanaugh is known to have done. But, he nevertheless seeks to control himself. I think that Pompeo fears the unpredictable and shocking energy of Jupiter-Eris. But, he may also be drawn to this energy. His Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars are in contact with this energy. Eris is associated with extremely shocking and socially destructive events. In previous blogs I associated Eris with Trump, Putin and events in 2016 that put Trump in power. The unexpected shock of Trump becoming president is an Eris event. Pompeo chooses to defend the most shocking and disruptive president in US history.
Addendum (January 10, 2020)
It appears that Mike Pompeo was the primary advocate for the assassination of Soleimani. This event is of shocking proportions, in accord with the astrological energies of Jupiter, Eris and Mars, which play such prominent part in Pompeo's character.
