catholic question ?

Question

its it against my religion ( catholic ) to see a psychic or medium who has tarot cards ?

i never have seen or done these things, but i have a nagging feeling that its considered bad or something =/

can you tell me why ? ( not sure if i can take THIS site seriously though, but just for funn )

Answer 1

I'm really not sure about that one. I'm Catholic, and I've never received any teachings that directly addressed that subject. As a Christian, I'd say probably not. But also as a Christian, I'd remind anyone that psychics can also be touched by God to put away his/her tarot cards and use his/her abilities for other things.

Marie Leveau was a New Orleans Voodoo queen who also embraced Catholicism. Whether or not that was for her own personal agenda (I'm sure she was smart enough to realize that the way to pull the Catholics in was to embrace that religion while spreading her own), I can't say; but the Catholics living in that time still visited her in droves in order to benefit from her services!!

I would have to say that the person seeing the psychic or medium needs to just use his/her discretion. There are a lot of dangers surrounding 'messing' with the spirit world. Even if the Catholic doesn't do it, it's so easy for that person to get swallowed up by negative spirits. (Guilt by association). Be careful. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. If I were in that situation, I'd read my Bible, meditate on the Word, and ask for guidance.

Answer 2

You are right that this site is not one of the best for such questions. But Catholicism condemns and forbids believing in psychics or using tarot cards. This is considered sorcery and is forbidden by OT scriptures.

I've heard it argued that it if it's just for fun, there's no harm in it. But why pay money to hear something you don't believe to be true anyway? I'll be honest, while I was in college I practiced reading tarot cards as a way of meeting girls. I stopped when I saw how much they believed in them.

The secret behind psychics and tarot card readers, palmists and other so-called clairvoyants is that they can read the face, the emotions, the non-verbal communications we all emit. And they use extremely vague descriptions to elicit a reaction that will tell them more.

Save your money and don't even bother going to these types of people. It'll be one less sin you must confess.

Answer 3

This is a question for which the Catechism of the Catholic Church is useful. In the section on the First Commandment:

2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c1a1.htm

Thus, the Catholic answer to psychics and mediums who tell fortunes with Tarot cards is no, don't go there.

The reason why it is important to have a Church, rather than only scriptures, is that new questions arise, necessitating an interpretation of ancient wisdom.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 4

I'm not Catholic anymore, but I'm pretty sure that it would be a big no no. The Bible says not to seek out Spiritists or Mediums, which psychics and mediums are considered to be. There's a pretty clear description of God's dislike of the practice with King Saul's story.

1 Samuel 28 tells the story of Israel's King Saul. Saul had followed the Lord early-on and banished spritists and mediums from the land. He then began acting against God and ultimately, after losing touch with God, consulted a medium to talk to (who he believed was) the spirit of the prophet, Samuel. The spirit told him that he had acted against God, he was killed the next day.

Acts 16:16-18 - This scripture indicates that divination and fortune-telling is real. And that ungodly spirits are behind them.

So yes, I'm pretty sure that the Catholic faith frowns quite firmly on psychics, mediums, and tarot card readings.

Answer 5

The main reason would be the philosophy behind psychics and mediums. If they are relying on something other than God for their power, the Catholic should avoid their advice.

As far as I know, psychics and mediums have no claims or proofs to inspiration from the Holy Spirit, therefore if they do have true powers they can only be demonic in orgin.

In the Catholic Catechism, Numbers 2116 and 2117 address the issue of occultism.

"Test everything. Retain what is good." 1 Thess 5:21

Scriptural admonitions against occult and sorcery
Galatians 5:20,21, Lev. 19:26; 2 Kings 17:17; Isa. 47:9,12; Jer. 27:9; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chron. 33:6; Isa. 3:20; Rev. 9:21

NOTE - to Tracy Terry - if you "do what you want" then you are no true Catholic. Our faith requires obedience to the commands of Christ. One of these commands is to stay away from occult practices.

Pax Vobiscum+

Answer 6

I have personal experience of counseling those who have dealt with the occult and I can only give this simple piece of advice -Please stay away. If you open yourself up to such experiences in life then you open yourself up to a world of evil, a world which will hold onto you as a precious object and haunt every minute of your day - this is in an extreme case of course. I too am a Catholic and I know that such 'Fortune Tellers' do not get their information from God so their source can only come from Satan or some demonic force. Put your trust in Christ, follow him and he will lead you to your future.

P.S. also be aware of those who tell you to live your life whatever way you want, it is people like this who have left soceity as disfunctional as it is now!!!

Answer 7

I am not sure that I beleive they are evil. I think that with most things in life, it depends on your perspective.

I had my cards read by a gypsy tarot card reader at a cafe. They were doing a ladies night thing where they had all sorts of "venors".... selling stuff, doing massages, make-up, etc.

This old lady asked if I wanted my cards read. I thought, "OK, i don't mind the entertainment." i didn't seek it out as a way to guide me or tell me the future.

i sat down and told her NOTHING... not one single thing. I kept my eyes on the cards and kept from giving any facial cues. I wanted to see what she would come up with. Kind of like... I DARE you to tell me something meaningful.

Well.... let me tell you, she blew me away! Let me give you the general jist.

She told me I had recently left a heart-wrenching relationship. (I was engaged and found out he was cheating, doing drugs and drinking again after going through rehab. The break up was extremely ugly)

She told me that there was negative energy at my work and that turmoil was ahead. (A week later, the company went out of buisness. No one saw it coming)

She told me that a younger man was entering my life and that she saw happiness and a chapel. This younger man was my tonic aka my reward for all the hard times I have gone through. (A year later I was married to a younger man and we have the most wonderful little boy and are very happy.)

She told me she saw "wealth" in my future. (Two months later I began work at a wealth management firm.)

Lots of really good guesses, don't you think?

I am not sure that they are evil in and of themselves. I think it's a combination of who is reading the cards & what their intent is AND the person who is receiving the reading and what they are looking to find in the reading.

But as for the Catholic Church... I am pretty sure they would disagree with me.

Answer 8

For a mom or dad to do this with an easily influenced child, this is a sin. Remember by doing this, you probably pay some charlatan and keep them going, misleading others with weak minds or less knowledge.

In this age of reason, with our knowledge of God and science, why bother? Take your money and bet on Notre Dame to go undefeated next fall. You will get the same utility for your money as if you blow it on tarot cards and what not.

Answer 9

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

2138 Superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God. It is manifested in idolatry, as well as in various forms of divination and magic.

2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity.

Answer 10

I feel that psychics receive alot of information from what I consider playing with spirits. Some of their readings can be dead on and some can be far fetch. But for the most part, they are going to tell you something that you already know. The problem with them is that trusting in them one will rely more on them than Christ. In truth, you do not need them. Whatever it is that you want to happen simply believe that it will happen. Whatever it is that you want to understand, pray about it and believe that one day Christ will reveal these things unto you.