Thank My Lucky Stars is rooted in ancient mythology and astrology

Giving thanks takes many forms

In later life, I find I am curious about how things we do and say originated. I recently heard a character on the soap opera Days of Our Lives say to his wife, "Thank our lucky stars," and wondered why people began using this wording.

I have heard this phrase all of my life and never thought much about it. Today, I decided to delve into the origin and meaning behind the words. It's believed the wording began being used in the 1300s but no one knows for certain.

There are films, television shows, and songs where thanking the stars is utilized, but why are the stars being thanked? I knew that "thank goodness" is used by those who do not wish to say "Thank God", so I wondered if thanking the stars derived from the same ideology.

Expressing gratitude or relief

Both “thank God” and “thank my lucky stars” are used to express relief or gratitude when something goes well or a bad situation is avoided. There is no evidence that like "thank goodness," saying, "thank my lucky stars is rooted in the avoidance of mentioning the Creator. Still, the connotation is the same. Consider these examples.

“Thank God I wasn’t hurt in the accident.”

“I thank my lucky stars I wasn’t hurt in the accident.”

Thanking the stars is a way to thank the universe without acknowledging there is a Creator. I had a pastor who once said we should worship the Creator, not his creation. Those who don't believe in God acknowledge there is a universe with stars and other constellations, so understandably, they express appreciation in this manner.

This phrase, which reflects the ancient belief in the influence of stars over human destinies, appeared in slightly different form in Ben Jonson's play Every Man Out of His Humour (1599): “I thank my Stars for it.” The exact locution dates from the 1800s and is more a general expression of relief than of belief in the stars' protection. (Dictionary.com).

Is thanking the stars wrong?

Thanking lucky stars is rooted in astrology and mythology, and the belief that stars guide our destiny. Many who read horoscopes will say they are checking to see what the stars have in store on a given day.

In Greek and Roman mythology, people often sought oracles, the stars, or the help of the gods to learn the future. Over time, the phrase was used to express gratitude when tragedy was averted or something positive happened.

Some believers in Christ say that He alone holds our destinies and that we should not thank the stars or goodness because scripture reveals God is goodness and He spoke the stars and universe into existence. I have heard people say that it's wrong to put faith in created things without acknowledging the One who created them. If someone does nto believe God created the universe it would make sense to them.

Additional factors related to thanking the stars

There are additional factors that, over the years, may have influenced individuals in looking to the stars. The Disney animated film Pinocchio taught millions of children that wishing on a star will make dreams come true.

Some say believing in lucky stars is Satanic or the occult. Others point out that God used a star to lead the Wise Men (Magi) to find Jesus when he was a young child.

Many television series like Little House on the Prairie (Christmas at Plum Creek) and Family Matters It came Upon a Midnight Clear), have had Christmas miracles where a star led someone to safety or led others to where a missing person was.

Society is easily influenced by pop culture, which is why each of these may have played a role in people looking to the heavens and believing stars are lucky and deciding to say "Thank my Lucky Stars".