interesting observation: Celtic Cross again

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 28 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Francesca	28 Oct 2002
WE took a drive through vermont and the Berkshires this weekend and I noticed something that I had seen many times. A lot of churches (Catholic mostly I think) are built with a tower shaped steeple to the side of the building rather than a pointy one on top. The buildings have slanted roofs and the tower steeples are square shaped. They reminded me of the C/C layout, but I don't know anything about the history of this type of architecture. Francesca

Kurai Yuko	03 Nov 2002
Nobody knows who crated the Celtic Cross or when it was created....but maybe there's some connection between the Tarot and Churches. You know that the Catholicism just started to condemn the Tarot recently - in older times no one would ever be burnt because they played Tarot, for example. Anyway, whoever created the CC may have got his inspiration the structure of Catholic Churches. Who knows? *Yuko*

divinerguy	03 Nov 2002
Many catholic churches, when viewed from above, are in the shape of a crucufix. As the foyer is used for entry and processionals, by necessity, the carrillon is on the side. Newer churches deviate from this tradition in many cases. The tower is square because there are typically more than one bell used. Mission San Diego uses 5 bells and has them built into a flat wall.

jmd	03 Nov 2002
Kurai Yuko, you say that 'Catholicism just started to condemn the Tarot recently'. This is the first time I hear of this, and it seems quite out of character for the Catholic Church to do this. Are you certain that this is the case? Given that at least two very respectable authors on the Tarot are strong Catholics (the author of Meditations on the Tarot and Dummett), I would be surprised. It seems more of a born-again-fundamentalist bias than a Catholic one.

Lee	03 Nov 2002
Just from a personal perspective, I know someone who is a devout Catholic, and when someone of this person's and my acquaintance once mentioned astrology, this person unleashed a flood of quotations from the Catholic catechism and the Bible condemning all forms of divination in the strongest possible terms. So from this I would agree that the Catholic Church condemns the Tarot. But I know very little about Catholicism, and so can only surmise from this personal experience. -- Lee

paradoxx	26 Nov 2002
The phone number to the local catholic church where i live is 3666, but besides that. the following is not an opinion that is shared uniformly between carbon-based lifeforms. The Tarot (along with palmistry and astrology) work hand in hand with the true meaning of Christianity (love, acceptance, and a higher power always at work). There are Stained glass windows that would make beautiful tarot cards, the archetype of the three of swords shows a stabbed heart like Jesus and Mary have. The hanged man could easily be Crucifixion, the Devil card needs no further applause, but the Faerie Wicca Tarot depicts teh 15th major arcania as The Old One and shows the White Jesus behind the Wooden carving of a horned god. Regardless, Christianity can be blended into a tarot diviniation tool (i use the bible as an oracle and get fabulous results) but most xtians would not like this concept since it would remove the exclusivness of how the bible and religions concepts are being used, that and it might make them think a little bit (heaven forbid :) .

Eviemay	26 Nov 2002
The celtic cross spread was inspired by...well, the celtic cross! I guess from your posts these are found mainly here in Ireland! Cards 1 to 6 are the top of the cross and 7 to 10 the base. Also I know for sure the catholic church here disapproves of Tarot, but that doesnnn't stop many catholics from reading Tarot or going for readings. Bright Blessings, Evie

The interesting observation: Celtic Cross again thread was originally posted on 28 Oct 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.