Tarot And Religion

Alamaris

MistressNatasha said:
Alamaris: I understand what you mean by torture for all eternity. I currently am going through that which might be why I'm more open than I used to be. For the record, I'm bi. Only 3 very close friends know it; one of which is also bi. And you've had quite an adventurous life with spirituality, it seems! That friend tried to exorcise you when you told her you were gay? Haha! I'm sorry but that's funny. You don't exorcise someone just because of that. *Rolls Eyes* Did she think you were possessed? :p

~Mistress Natasha
The funny thing? My shamanic teacher tried to exorcise me more than my Christian friends. How ironic is that? She was a little... off the wall when it came to tradition.

I'm glad to talk to a bi Christian, especially a Catholic. :D Its such a pleasant surprise! Every Christian I've ever said more than two words to has been an astonishingly violent homophobic...I can't begin to understand it. But tarot seems to bring us all together as open-minded, supportive people. Quite an accomplishment for a pack of cards!
 

Sphinxmoth

If part of why you ask is to get something of a grip on the people around you in this forum, it turns out the question comes up semi-regularly, and there is at least one fairly recent thread that garnered an exhaustive assortment of replies-

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=89494
 

gregory

It's a good thread, too :D

I'd say I am eclectic, and leave it at that. On the whole I rule out nothing in terms of what powers there may be, as I don't think it's possible to know !
 

Sophie

Spain, and especially where I live (Andalusia) is profoundly Catholic - the result of centuries of enforced religion and "religio-ethnic" cleansing. But it is also profoundly Pagan, in the sense that many of the rituals and practices of Catholics in Spain - including much of the cult of Saints and the Virgin - are Pagan in origin and in expression. Where I live, the patron is La Virgen del Rosario (the Virgin of the Rosary). She lives in the parish church, a beautiful old building that was once a mosque. Several times a year, for festivals, she is dressed in precious clothes and jewellery, and is carried in a golden sedan by men in full regalia, down to the sea, where the multitudes await her. She is taken to the sea, and the men carrying her walk in as far as they can while keeping her dry. The Priest on the shore swings incense and the women throw petals in the sea. There are chants and prayers, then she is returned up the hill to her home, and everyone else has a huge fiesta.

These are, basically, pagan festivals in Christian garb. They are beautiful, and to this child of Jewish-Protestant parents, very exotic (I do not practice either of the religions of my parents, having chosen a pagan shamanistic path myself, but I still find these ceremonies very attractive and profoundly spiritual. If it weren't for the Pope and the whole dogma and hierarchy, they would seriously attract me to Catholicism).

As for how all this fits in with Tarot - people here not only have no trouble consulting fortune-tellers (including tarot readers), they positively seek them out! It is a part of the culture, as is Catholicism. Most Catholics you encounter (i.e. most of the population) would be amazed at the idea that the tarot or other forms of fortune-telling are considered anti-Catholic in some places. There is a long and respected gipsy presence here, and most traditional fortune tellers are gitanas.

But the word "bruja" (witch), still instils fear - the result of the Inquisition persecution of wise women in the past. So I do not call myself that openly, apart when I know someone well and can explain what is meant by bruja. Otherwise, I say I study ancient "sabiduria" (wisdom), and that includes tarot cards. That goes down fine. There is fear of some part of the occult, but this is still a culture where the old folk traditions coexist along the more modern ways.

Unlike a number of other countries in Europe, not a breath of Protestant thought or influence touched this country - either religiously or economically- apart from the North, near France. This is making me think that a lot of the rejection of fortune-telling and magic in general in other countries came from the Protestant influence. Though of course, the Inquisition - which was strong until relatively recently! - came down like a ton of bricks on any group it considered rivalled the Church (Jews, Muslims, some witches, "heretics"); but not necessarily on practices that did not directly rival the Church. And as my description of a festival demonstrates, the Church actually borrowed practices from native paganism, as well as from forms of worship in the former Spanish colonies in the Americas. It's a strange paradox that in the European country where the Inquisition was strongest survived also a live tradition of witchcraft or ancient folk ways, especially in the countryside. Some of the ways in which the Saints are invoked are actually magical. If anything, it is the modern world that is the greatest threat to these practices, rather than religion of any kind.
 

MistressNatasha

Oh!

Alamaris: Whoa... that's different. Haha! My family is all against being gay, etc. So when they find out I'm bi, it'll be a slap in the face. Although they'll probably slap me in the face. o_o

Sphinxmoth: Thank you for that. I honestly didn't bother to search... I just looked through recent posts. I guess that's what happens when I'm dead tired at night. O__o

Gregory: You make a very good point!

Fudugazi: That is very interesting. :) I really never heard anything like it before. It must be quite a sight to see. Also, you make some very good points, as well.

~Mistress Natasha
 

Lexie

MistressNatasha said:
Catholics worship God, Saints, Angels, etc. Those who do magick worship gods and goddesses mostly. Right? Each god and goddess is the god or goddess of 'something'. When you think about it, Catholics have Saints who are very similar by being over 'something'. Very similar, aye?

yes, it's quite similar... my beliefs are a mix of Christianity and Wicca-if something like that can be! I believe in Jesus and Archangel Michael has helped me a lot of times..but I'm very drawn to Wicca and Paganism.

MistressNatasha said:
Next, I want to touch on Prayers vs. Spells. Catholics pray in worship... and in the hope of something good in return. Isn't that what a spell is too? You're asking for help/something to happen. If I say a prayer that I will come upon money soon and do a spell for money... aren't they practically the same?

No, I don't agree it's the same..when you pray you just hope God will give you what you want.. when you do a spell you try to turn things in your favor, you're active not pathetic..does it make any sense?

MistressNatasha said:
Also, different religions have different names for higher beings. This is somewhat hard to explain, if you haven't noticed. My wording is a bit strange, I know. :p I'm trying my best. :) You hear "guardian angel", "spiritual guide", "higher-self", etc. I believe they are all the same, no matter what you call it. Now, for me, I believe that my "guardian angel" is the one that watches over me and knows everything that will happen to me. I believe that my guardian angel speaks to me through the Tarot. :) Everyone has their own belief on the Tarot.[/quote}

I agree with that.


~Lexie~
 

MistressNatasha

Hmm...

Lexie: I believe anything can exist. Christianity and Wicca can very well exist, as can anything. Now we just need a name for it. :p And, yes, I do get what you're saying.

~Mistress Natasha
 

Sophie

gregory said:
I'd say I am eclectic, and leave it at that. On the whole I rule out nothing in terms of what powers there may be, as I don't think it's possible to know !
I think that's known as hedging your bets :laugh:

Of course, accepting the existence of any number of powers doesn't mean one has to worship or work with them all. It's a bit like friends - we choose those most in tune with our hearts and minds.
 

gregory

Fudugazi said:
I think that's known as hedging your bets :laugh:

Of course, accepting the existence of any number of powers doesn't mean one has to worship or work with them all. It's a bit like friends - we choose those most in tune with our hearts and minds.
Quite. And if hedging bets was good enough for Shaw.....

Seriously, that is actually what I mean. Anything is possible, I think, so why rule it out in case it shows up and you then cannot see it because you know it cannot be !
 

MistressNatasha

True

Fudugazi said:
It's a bit like friends - we choose those most in tune with our hearts and minds.

That's very true. *Nods*

~Mistress Natasha