Billy Graham (1918 – 2018)

“My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”

~ Billy Graham

The Archetypal Evangelist Billy Graham died this week, on Wednesday 21st February.  He was revered by many, but my first impressions of him in the early 1970s were that his rallies were a scary display of hypnotic power.

Birth Chart

If ever a birth chart suited its subject to the letter, Billy Graham’s does to an amazing degree.  I am fascinated by the interplay of religion and spirituality in a chart, and this chart does not disappoint.  All roads lead to religion in his chart, and his personality is a force to be reckoned with.

Firstly, he has half his planets (5) in the element of Water, so his power is on an emotional level.  Curiously, one of his health ailments may be linked with this, as he suffered from hydrocephalus from 1992.

He had 0 planets in the element Earth, and may have been ungrounded, as evinced by the quote “My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”

6 of his planets were in the Fixed signs, depicting a very strong willed individual, and this quality he undoubtedly used in his persuasive preaching, and in his adherence to his ideals.

The Sun conjunct Venus in Scorpio gave him charisma and magnetism.  You can see the Sun in Scorpio in those mesmeric eyes.

His Sun trined closely Jupiter, imbuing a love of religion, and his chosen religion or the religion given to him at birth, was Christianity.  Neptune squared his Sun, and when it came to spirituality, though he had the force and the connection with divinity, it may have been slightly skewed (e.g. restricted towards one religion), and of the two modes (religion and spirituality) religion was his stronger suit (though he was spiritual advisor to many U.S. Presidents).  Neptune square the Sun can produce an illusionist.  On the more constructive side, Neptune (Christianity) was trine his North Node (karmic mission) depicting his role as spiritual advisor.

The Moon was closely conjunct Mars and his Midheaven in Sagittarius (the sign of religion) in his 9th House of Religion, what greater sign of his path of  religious persuasive power could there be?  He was truly destined to be the Archetypal Evangelist.  He may have possessed additional power by virtue of his Mars/Moon being close to the Galactic Centre.  Mars in the House of Religion makes for the Crusader, and is the fuel for the Evangelist Archetype.  Mars conjunct the Moon sextile Uranus in Aquarius showed the expanse of his working in large groups.

There was a genuine love for humanity, in his Venus trine Jupiter.  In addition, Venus trine Pluto added to his personal power and magnetism to make him a veritable pied piper.  He was  told early in life by Bob Jones at the College he attended in his late teens: “You have a voice that pulls.  God can use that voice of yours. He can use it mightily.”

His Moon/Mars square Chiron provides a coercive aspect to his healing, his Inner Healer Chiron operating from his House of the Unconscious (12th House).  The healing on display at his evangelical services was not of a quiet and gentle nature.  It was more a Plutonian force of transformation, a bolt from the blue.  Pluto was closely square his Ascendant, near the 4th House cusp and conjunct his I.C.  This accentuated the fact that his physical presence was in itself transformative, and Pluto as his Sun sign ruler also portrayed his emphasis on the Afterlife, and his central message which was that you had to accept Jesus Christ as your saviour or you would not be allowed into heaven.

Beliefs and Integrity

Billy Graham was hard line about several issues, some of which he changed in the course of his life, but notably one which he never changed, and that was his attitude to homosexuality.  He always denounced homosexuality, and quoted the bible on that, and opposed gay marriage.  He also made statements suggesting that he supported gay conversion therapy.

He supported many U.S. Presidents in his time, and in the case of Richard Nixon, was forced to backtrack during the Watergate scandal.

To his credit, he was always anti-segregation of the races, and for a long time befriended Martin Luther King.  He was quoted as saying: “There is no scriptural basis for segregation.  The ground at the foot of the cross is level, and it touches my heart when I see whites standing shoulder to shoulder with blacks at the cross.”  But they then did have a falling-out at some point, partly in connection with their opposing views about the Vietnam war (King being anti-war).  Billy Graham has been lauded as saintly by many, but somehow I always felt Martin Luther King to be much more wholesome in his spirituality and his integrity, and his speeches much more uplifting, and never tainted by the menace or fire and brimstone threats of Billy Graham.

Marriage

Billy Graham married his wife Ruth in 1943, and famously avoided temptation by never being alone with another woman (he gave this advice to Mike Pence).  They were married for 64 years, before her death.  On his marriage, transiting Jupiter was exactly conjunct his natal Neptune in 5th House, a blissful transit.  In their synastry, her Jupiter was trine his natal North Node in Sagittarius in 9th House, which was a great support for his mission.  He did however, believe that a woman’s place was in the home.  They had five children, nineteen grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren.

Fame

His transits on receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 are very interesting.  Transiting Jupiter was exactly trine his natal Venus, often the sign of an award or success.  Uranus was exactly conjunct his Midheaven in Sagittarius in 9th House, an exciting recognition of his life’s work.  Neptune was sextile his Venus (adding a touch of glamour) and Pluto was exactly conjunct his natal Sun in Scorpio in 8th House, an affirmation of the depth of his reach.

Death

One of the transits on his death, the Sun sextile his natal Midheaven in Capricorn in the 9th House of Religion, was very much symbolic of meeting his Maker, an event which he had stated he did not fear.  Although he himself instilled fear in other people for this event, he himself was content that he had done enough to earn his place in heaven.

Bob Moser, writing an obituary in The Rolling Stone, stated: “Graham carefully cultivated a reputation for personal integrity and moderation, despite the fact that he was not only a virulent homophobe, but a few other not-so-Godly things as well: Jew-basher, aspiring war criminal, back-stabbing political operator and Christian Dominionist predicting imminent apocalypse, for starters.”

But, although I have made it plain where my own sympathies lie, judge not lest ye yourself be judged.  In Spiritualism, everyone goes to the same heaven, and we only judge ourselves when we pass over.  In Michael Newton’s between-life therapy, we see that we are advised by spiritual elders between lives and construct a life where we learn the lessons we want to learn and create opportunities for what we want to achieve.  Who knows what Billy Graham’s stated mission for his life was, but he probably did achieve what he wanted to achieve.  It was not harmony between religions, but it was loyalty to one religion.

If you by accident of birth are a Syrian refugee or the member of an indigenous tribe somewhere in the world outside the bible belt, would you be denied entry to heaven graced by the same God or Creator who made the whole earth? I personally don’t think so.  In the reporting of Billy Graham’s dealings with Richard Nixon, it is revealed that he was antisemitic.

So, in the interest of balance, I will end with two quotations in his favour:

Barack Obama described him as “a humble servant who prayed for so many – and who, with wisdom and grace, gave hope and guidance to generations of Americans.”

Andrew White, the “Vicar of Baghdad”, is a true peacemaker and universal in his religious outlook (a broker between religions, working towards universal peace).  His Neptune (spirituality) is exactly trine Billy Graham’s Jupiter (religion), and they worked together closely.  White wrote in his autobiography: “I had never met anyone like Dr. Graham. He was a statesman of the church and had an incredible warmth and godly presence about him. To this day I have only ever met two people like this, whose very presence has an immediate effect upon one: Dr. Graham and Pope John Paul II.”

Aspects

There are three aspects for today, and the first is Venus square Mars, one where you may need to mind your p’s and q’s, or may inadvertently be found to be politically incorrect.  Sensuality may hold sway, but may need to be observant of society’s norms.  Dieting, temptation and addictions may be difficult to control, such as sugar cravings.   You may find yourself writing a blog about someone revered in certain circles, which has a slightly critical edge, and wrestling with your own conscience.  It could be a balancing act, and you hope you will be forgiven.

Another influence today, Mercury conjunct Neptune, is fine-tuning your mind, spiritually.  You may receive ideas through your antennae from other worlds (e.g. heaven), and this can be inspirational.  If you are not consciously tuning in, the messages may get scrambled, you may feel lost, or even tinged with paranoia.  So it is useful to know that someone, somewhere, in another part of the Universe, is trying to get a message to you.

The words of the Bee Gees seem apt…:

“The preacher talked to me and he smiled
Said, “Come and walk with me, come and walk one more mile
Now for once in your life you’re alone
But you ain’t got a dime, there’s no time for the phone”

In the late afternoon, the Sun is sextile Saturn, which is more settling and grounded.  It is an aspect which is suitable for laying groundwork, making plans and foundations.

On Tuesday (27th), Venus sextiles Pluto, a prosperous alliance boosting love and money.  Relationships can go to a deeper level, and finances may be stabilized and their nature more easily understood.  This aspect warms the heart and soul in a real way.

Wednesday (28th) is more fractious, with Mercury squaring Mars.  Virgos and Geminians could feel more irritable than usual.  A spot of meditation may achieve equilibrium for them, and you in your dealing with them.  There will be an urge to get a lot done, but clumsiness and haste may result in mistakes, and one foot going forward and two steps going backwards.  Again, pause and reflect, and you may make more progress – as in the phrase “slowly is holy”.

All may be restored on Thursday (1st March), when Mercury sextiles Pluto, especially for the Mercury-ruled Geminis and Virgos.  Where they (and you) may have felt they were skimming the surface on Wednesday and getting nowhere, they (and you) have a grasp of the real issues, real solutions, the way things work and the meaning of situations on Thursday. It is also good for psychology, and the rationalization of feelings.  If Wednesday is a red light, Thursday is a green light.

We are also blessed with Venus trine Jupiter on Thursday, one of the best aspects of the year.  If you have read my obituary of Billy Graham, you may have noticed that this aspect in his natal chart conferred a love for humanity.  So this is a good day for opening the heart, and socializing.  There may be a party to attend, or a celebration (such as an engagement).

The only cloud on the horizon on Thursday may be a spot of tension building as Friday (2nd) has a Full Moon at 11 degrees Virgo.  This occurs at 00.51 a.m., so just after midnight on the Thursday.  If you are late up, at the party for instance, you may notice some group emotional tension towards the end of the day.  You will need to focus positively, say as you are on the point of retiring for bed, so that the emotional qualities of this Full Moon bring out the best for you.  If you have health issues, or ecological interests, focus on your best outcomes, and release negativity and paranoia.

We end the week’s aspects, still on Friday, at lunchtime, on a really positive note: Mercury trine Jupiter.  There is a capacity for mental upliftment with this aspect.  Sales, business, teaching, philosophy, travel of all kinds, all benefit from this combination.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – sense, sensibility, sensitivity and insensitivity
  • Tuesday – depth of feeling
  • Wednesday – fractious
  • Thursday – go ahead
  • Friday – emotions ebbing, then mental upliftment
Date: Feb 25th, 2018 · Comments RSS · Tags: Obituary · Spirituality