Editor’s Note : Update on last month’s forum - We didn’t get much of a response from our astrologers out there on the misinformation that Ms Sarah Freder was spreading around the internet. As an interesting follow-up, Isabella wrote the following letter to Sara Freder, to test her response:

From: Isabella Beyers
To: Sarah Freder
Subject: Re: Important News for you...
Date: Monday, April 24, 2006 8:41 PM

Important News for you ... Dear Miss Freder

I would like to inform you that I came across your website by accident and decided out of curiosity to see what website astrologers offer. I am very disappointed.

I am a professional astrologer in South Africa and very involved with our national astrological association. I can guarantee you that I certainly would not need your services even if I was desperate.

It is of utmost concern to me that you use common marketing techniques and the process of fear to gather clients. I am further concerned that you degrade the sacred art of astrology by sending template emails out to people that reply to your website. My biggest sorrow is that most of the public believe your useless reading and will be fooled into paying money for mass produced garbage.

If I can think of any legal way in which to make the public aware of charlatan practitioners, I would. However, the best professional astrologers can do with websites like these is to try to repair the damage to both our clients and our reputations.

I challenge you to use my letter as a testimonial on your website but I suspect that I will get no answer unless I start sending money for mass-produced predictions of lucky days!

Thanking You
Isabella

Editor’s Note : The next day she received two emails

Email 1:

Happy Birthday Isabella! (Granted to Ms. Freder - at least it really was Isabella’s Birthday!!)

Email 2:

Truly yours, my dear Isabella,

I am very pleased to be answering your e-mail, to tell you about the clear progress that we have made together, rapidly improving your situation. It is possible that you have not felt this progress up until now, and this is quite normal.

Indeed, your Vital Psy Strength is still trapped in the negative cycle, from which you were trying to escape, not so long ago.

But it is essential that you don't give up now, as we have never been so close to our goal. I can certainly understand your desire to once and for all get rid of this mountain of contrariety, and to do this we need time.

Indeed, I want to provide you with comprehensive and efficient help. I am doing a lot of work for you telepathically, and I know that our joint effort will soon bear fruit in a very obvious way.

So please, don't be discouraged, to the contrary. It would reinforce the effects of my work, for you to show a positive spirit and if you would believe in what we are undertaking, as strongly as I do. I truly want you to succeed, and I am sure that you have understood that. You also know that you can consider me as a true friend.

So keep your head high, because we will succeed TOGETHER.

Also, don't forget that any problem, no matter how difficult it is, has a solution, and that each day we come a little closer to such solutions.

We are so close to our goal!

I encourage you once more not to give up, and to continue to believe in the positive future that shines brightly before your eyes.

You already have my friendship,
Sincerely, Sara Freder

Straight after last month’s website debate the next ethical issue hit Isabella in the face:

She received a phone call at about 8:25pm one evening (must have been a Tuesday or Wednesday because she was very annoyed at being interrupted whilst watching American Pop Idols - her only TV indulgence). The call was from a desperate male client who needed a reading immediately and couldn’t find an astrologer to help him.

(He was in the country from Malawi and was leaving within two days). When she refused to do an immediate reading he even offered to pay for a taxi so that she could come to his hotel room (apparently he didn’t care that she’s 5 months pregnant!). Her increasing annoyance only led to more desperate begging that he ‘NEEDS’ this reading and will pay ‘ANY’ amount. Eventually she agreed to do an email reading when he got back to Malawi for her usual fee. She proceeded to ask him his birth details. He then asked whether she could look at the chart of the woman he is planning to marry. She replied that she would have a quick squizz but that actually the woman needed to come for a separate reading or that they should both have a synastry reading simultaneously.

He supplied the birth details … Isabella was absolutely shocked … the ‘woman’ he is interested in has just turned 16!! (He is almost 40). She immediately realised that this was the same client that had harassed Cindy Lubner during a reading by insisting that she had to look at a young girl’s chart because he was in love with her. Cindy had spent 3 hours explaining to him that she is not allowed to look into something like this due to her code of ethics and that the girl was not yet an adult, and that he was not allowed to pursue this relationship until she was at least 21 and could make a grown-up decision.

Isabella proceeded to tell him that astrologers have a code of ethics that she couldn’t do the reading unless the girl herself contacted her and that she would need her parents’ permission too. He got very irritable saying that he would get the girl to phone and grant permission…

Isabella is still awaiting the call whilst she ponders her own chart - with a full second house natally, is she being oversensitive to a value issue?

THE LAST 2 MONTHS’ FORUMS HAVE BROUGHT SOME ETHICAL ISSUES TO THE FORE. THE ASSA COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT. WE THOUGHT WE WOULD START WITH SOME BASIC QUESTIONS:

1. What can be regarded as ethical practice in astrology?
2. Should astrologers have to belong to a regulating body similar to doctors, lawyers and psychologists?
3. Should astrologers be allowed to warn other practitioners against clients who want ‘unethical’ readings?
4. Whose permission do you need to do a natal/synastry reading?
5. May we look at the charts of people under the age of legal consent?
6. What type of information, if any, are astrologers allowed to divulge to the parents of an underage client?
7. What type of information, if any, are astrologers allowed to divulge to either partner in a relationship?
8. What would you see as an unethical use of astrology?
9. Should we develop a formal Code of Ethics and how would you go about the process?
10. Would you voluntarily sign such a Code or would it have to be made mandatory?
11. What is your opinion on formal certification to become a practicing astrologer? Who would be the certifying body and what constitutes a valid certification?
12. Should astrologers do a year’s apprenticeship before being certified as a qualified practitioner, similar to the medical internship?

We value your opinion. Please send your queries, thoughts, and comments to:
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We’d really like to hear from you!