Reconciling Tarot with my faith

Sophie

Gayla said:
I don't try to guess winning lottery numbers...(but it's tempting. ;)
hehe - I tried to predict winning horses using tarot - let's say that a good punter was only half-impressed by my success rate - so you are not missing much! :D
 

Baroli

Hello Blackbird,

What I would like you to do is to read First Corinthians chapter 12 an 13. Chapter 12 is usually ignored because as Lark mentioned in an earlier post it deals with spiritual gifts. Chapter 13 is known as the love chapter as some of the verses are used for weddings ceremonies. But I would like you to consider this as you read these chapters this quesiton; Who wrote these books and who was the inspiration behind these books? The answer of course is the apostle Paul being the author as these are parts of letters to the Corinthians and the inspiration of writing these is God. In 13, Paul taks about his own spiritual gift of prophesy, as well as in chapter 12, he lists just some of the spiritual gifts amongst those is prophesy, spiritual discernment, etc.

The minister was wrong to try to push his agenda, but ministers, pastors, even well meaning friends in church congregations will do the same thing. What your relationship is to God is your business. Do business with Him and do not worry about those who would seek to sway you in a different direction.*

*It has taken me a long while to realize this.


Baroli
Christian; card (Tarot that is,:p) carrying Bible bumpin' Baptist.
 

Dave.vdv

hey blackbird,

I'm not really a christian but i do got my take on tarot and if it's "right are wrong".
To me the cards are like the letters we use to verbalize are thoughts but then as in the unconscious mind, spirit and energy translated into the cards.

In other words it is something all of us have, and like with everything we can make the choice to do good are bad with it i think.


love dave
 

clayscottbrown

There are many in Christianity who believe that The Tarot is Evil... etc. Yet I'm not in the least "concerned" about this. The fact is that I'm rather sure that he wouldn't have much of a problem with someone of his faith looking further. I'm almost certain that he was probably a "bit" bigger than that. Surely he wouldn't have the same "fear" of the Tarot that his churches appear to have.

It strikes me as rather unusual that many of his ministers "crack the whip" in this manner.

Maybe they are afraid for good reason.
 

Abrac

I guess i have a little different take on this. Personally I believe the Tarot and divination are from the Devil. But hey, what's wrong with the Devil? })
 

Deacon76

Hi Blackbird!

Like so many others, I come froma Christian background (Deacon is more than just a screen name). One of the difficulties I've had with the faith I grew up in is thatit seems to be okay to bring petitions and prayers to God, but woe to the person who actually gets an answer! And that - along with a host of other inconsistencies - just never sat right with me. I'm not really sure what to call myself now. I still have a lot of ties to Christianity, and a lot of respect for those who display the true Spirit of it, often in defiance of what is dictated by bishops, moderators or other "leaders." But I jsut don't know where I fit anymore.

I use Tarot for a lot of things; sometimes something as simple as looking at a beautiful and meaningful picture. But on a spiritual level, it is something that allows my conversations with whatever Higher Power is out there to be more of a two-way street. But - unlike a lot of Bible sutdy-guides that seem more geared towards telling you what to think - Tarot allows me and makes me think for myself. There's plenty of advice if I am willing to see it, but that nod towards my own free will means a lot to me.

I don't know if this is helpful at all to you. And there are others who can probably express what I'm getting at much more eloquently. But hopefully it helps ease your mind a bit. You may not be able to convince your minister friend of the good that can come from working with the cards, but ultiamtely your path to God is yours and yours alone to follow. It is you who must decide how and if you wish to communicate - both giving and receiving - with the Divine.

I truly hope you are feeling stronger and more whole. Blessings,

---Deacon
 

Dragon Rider

I am Roman Catholic, though fairly liberal compared to the more traditional practices here in our country. I go to mass every Sunday and read the Bible. I studied Theology as extra classes when I was in college. I used to discuss my interest in Tarot with a former professor, a Jesuit priest. While he doesn't read Tarot himself, he was very open-minded and even helped me with my short paper on Christian Kabbalah. I admire him a lot and he always gave me good advice about our faith. He was the first to tell me that what I have is a GIFT (counseling others to better their lives/condition through the Tarot).

There are others who criticize me from both sides; Some say I can't be a "good" Catholic if I read Tarot, and there are some who told me that you have to be Wiccan or some other Pagan if you do divination because Tarot and Catholicism are irreconcilable.

But I don't let them bother me. To each his/her own. :)
 

Indigo Rose

blackbird78 said:
My own minister has said that I would need to stop Tarot to accept Jesus fully into my life.

(((blackbird)))Honey don't listen to this crap!! I LOVE JESUS CHRIST with all MY HEART!! You go on loving your GOD, and reading the Tarot. Anyone who judges you for this will have to answer to HIM!!! HE is your God, not them! :D

Consider this:
"You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "[a] So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Romans 14:10-13

**Did you know the literal definition of satan is adversary or obstacle; and the definition of devil is accuser?**

Isn't funny how Jesus taught us NOT TO JUDGE, and yet Christians all too often do exactly that; most especially brutal towards one another!
How can we be serving Christ, and be accusers of our Brethren?
Hmmmm....we can't!!!


"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Matthew 7:1-5


Here is a list of scriptures to review for your benefit. Don't worry, but cast your cares on Jesus. He loves you and knows your heart. That is what is important; not the judgments of men.

Bible Verses: Divination(casting Lots), Prophecy, and Freedom in Christ

OLD Testament:
.Genesis 30:27-divination
Genesis 44:4-divination
Exodus 28:30(U&R)
Leviticus 8:8 (U & R)
Leviticus 16:8(casting lots)
Numbers 27:21(U & R)
Deuteronomy 18: 20-22(how to know if a prophecy is from God)
Deuteronomy 33:8(U=Urim and T=Thummim used for divination)
Joshua 18:6-10(casting lots)
I Samuel 28:6(U & R)
I Chronicles 25:8(casting lots)
I Chronicles 26:13-14(casting lots)
Ezra 2:63 (U & R)
Nehemiah 7:65(U & R)
Nehemiah 10:34(casting lots)
Nehemiah 11:1
Proverbs 29:18-Vision
Ezekial 21:21-God answers divination of unbeliever to accomplish his will
Jonah 1:7(casting lots)

URIM and Thummim:
“In the Old Testament, the priests used what is called Urim and Thummim. In the Hebrew, Urim means "light", and Thummim means "perfection; completeness; innocence". Some translators believe the words mean "revelation and truth" or "lights and perfections." It was an oracle used by the priesthood, and was known among the prophets among all Semitic nations. The Urim and Thummim were located in the vicinity of the sacred breastplate (known as the "breast plate of decision" or "breast plate of judgment") of the priests. It is not known whether the 12 stones that represented the 12 tribes of Israel "lit up" when a question was asked, or whether it was sacred dice carried in a pouch near the breastplate that answered yes or no questions as a form of lot casting.”

“In II Samuel 5: 23-25, King David asks God about an upcoming battle with the Philistines. God answers: “‘And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.' And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer." David is engaging in a form of divination known as Botanomancy, which is receiving answers through plant life. Some theologians speculate that David was listening for angelic marching, a sign that the angels were going before the Israelites in battle. “

NEW Testament:
Matthew 5:17-Law not abolished, but FULFILLED!(in Jesus)
Matthew 7:1-12-Judge not
Matthew 7:15-20- A tree known by its fruit
Matthew 22:36-40-Greatest Commandments
Acts1:26-cast lots(divination)
Acts 19:10-12-gift of healing
Romans 12:3-8(verse 6 prophesying)
Romans 14:1-23-Weak Faith vs. Strong Faith (verse 22-23 a special message)
I Corinthians 10:23-33-The Believer’s Freedom
I Corinthians 12:3-The Holy Spirit
I Corinthians 14:3-4-Prophecy edifies the church
Galatians 3:10-29-Christ sacrifice, the LAW not based on faith
Galatians 5:1-15-Freedom in Christ
Galatians 5:16-25-Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 4:11-12-gifts
I Thessalonians 5:20-21-do not treat prophecy with contempt
I John 4:1-2-Test every spirit

May the Lord bless you!
:love: indigo rose
 

blackbird78

thanks so much

I would like to thank everyone so so so much for their support and their diligent tracking of bible verses for me to read. It has really meant a lot to me and opened my eyes to the bible and my faith and how the Tarot can co-exist with my religion. I love Tarot, I love my fellow man, I lead a good Christian life helping others in need, I am a good person. I should not have anything to worry about regarding my soul because I use Tarot to help people. A few times I have had to be honest and warn people about possible problems coming up (sometimes the cards just look bad - for example, when you are doing the Celtic Cross and the first two cards you get are the 3 of Swords crossed by the Tower, it is hard to put a positive spin on that - pictorially it looks very bad, and the clients aren't dummies, you can't fool them) but I have done this in a gentle way that is for their best interests. Your posts have helped me realise that my ability to read palms and read Tarot is a spiritual gift that I should honour and as long as I stay true to my reading abilities and don't hurt people, there should be no conflict with my religion. It is possible to love Jesus and love Tarot at the same time

Many many thanks for your encouragement! I will read all of your bible verses indigo rose, thank you for taking the time to post them!

blackbird x
 

MikeTheAltarboy

Just one more vote of support. :)

I'm a Christian - and a seminarian. My bishop knows I read tarot cards, and though he rolls his eyes sometimes (with a smile), he doesn't see anything wrong with it. :)