Why is Tarot evil?

[Artemis84]

Lately I've rekindled my interest in the tarot and I've been going at it like a "hobo on a hammie." :D So yesterday I brought my deck to school with me so I could practice at lunch. The response was a little strange, and mixed:

"Whoa! Cool! Tarot cards! Can you tell my fortune?
(nervous glances from across the table)
Do you really believe that stuff?

But the response that really got an interesting religous debate going was:
"You shouldn't be using those. Tarot cards are Satanic."

I have to admit I was a little taken aback. So here is my question:
Is there a specific reason people associate the tarot with Satanism and evil? Why do some people recoil in horror when they see a tarot deck?

[Myst]

Because they're ignorant.

Because tarot cards are used by Pagans and people think that all Pagans are Satanic.

*shrugs*

That's what I would guess.

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Plain and simply? Ignorance. They don't know anything about the cards, how you get your information, etc. The x-tians are big on pushing that they are evil. Many of the pictures can be really scarey. They just don't know. Next time you get a response like that.....ask them how the "evil" got into the cards, when the cards were manufactured.....just like their car, their soda or their clothing. ;)

[mol]

The first time I EVER saw Tarot cards in use...was by an older Christian woman. She said that it was a tool to translate God's voice.

So, there are other perspectives...everywhere.

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Oh I'm sure! I know that isn't the view of EVERY x-tian out there....but that is where I'VE encountered it. Now there are decks out there that have Christian themes. Which I was more than happy to see! Hopefully, it helps dispell some of the negativity directed towards the cards and readers!

I think it's just small/closed minded people that have a negative reaction.

[Silver Venus]

I'd say the best thing to do when that happens is to try and explain as best you can about the tarot and your beliefs, then if they are still on a negative flip about it all ~ just ignore them, they probally wont change there opinions as they are so set in stone in there views..

Also, its great to take your cards out with you and read for people, but think about protecting yourself, and your own energy and only get them out and read for people when you are really sure of their trust and want to read for them.

[Arduinna]

Why do they think Tarot is evil? because they're stupid. I don't waste my time explaining my beliefs to people like that. If they ask about it in a curious way, I'll explain. If they just state "your working with the devil" I ignore them.

[Lavender]

A lot of Christians believe that any form of divination is wrong because only God knows the future. The devil uses such tools to fool us and give us false information. To lead us further down the Hell path.

Obviously, the above is NOT my opinion...just what I've heard from others. :D

[Nissala]

I agree with WildChild. That and the christian belief that God is the only one who is supposed to know the future, makes them a afraid. also, somewhere in the bible it states to beware of psychics, fortune tellers ( I don't know the exact wording but it is something to this affect.)

What some do not understand frightened them....

Just be glad you do! :)

[Theres]

yep, Wildchild beat me to it.
the bible teaches it's followers not to worship false prophets, and that divination of any type is the Devil's work.
but i think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone here who shares that view.

[Chibi-Fallon]

They tell you it's stupid, evil, or wrong because they don't get it. They don't know what you could do with it (along the lines of controlling them or something), so they tell you that so you don't do anything.

[Chibi-Fallon]

Originally posted by mol
The first time I EVER saw Tarot cards in use...was by an older Christian woman.
I’ve noticed a lot of times it’s the older folks who are much more tolerant or likely to use tarot, and other forms of divination even if they are Christian. Especially if they are from another country (we have many people from Laos, and Thailand here in MN), it may be a culture thing.

[Azure]

The are any number of fundamentalist publishing houses here in Nashville. My agent actually casts the models who appear on the cover of the Left Behind books. From what I've seen, the attact on Tarot os just another aspect of modern conservative Christian's attack on nearly everything that encourages tolerance, open thought and religious questioning.

Yes, there is a Pauline scripture that warns that fortune telling is not acceptable, but if one reads medieval philosophers and scholars, it's clear that in the history of Christianity, divination was not always the subject of condemnation by the Church. The real sin is attempting to know the "mind of God" - that is, to understand his total intent, and thus place oneself on a level with God.

Your friends saying tarot is evil probably understand very little of the very Christian symbolism that most decks use, or any of the history (but that's a pet peeve of mine - that many people don't know their symbolism or history).

The inevitable problem when religion is taught as something that must be thought and interpretted for you, rather than by you, is that those who buy into that philosophy rarely understand why they believe what they believe.

[tarotbear]

First of all, 'school' -- High School? College? Grade school? An inappropriate place to be whipping out a Tarot deck to begin with. Your deck could have been confiscated by the authorities (I'm not kidding). The same way wearing a pentacle could be against the rules --being seen as 'gang jewelry'. Think twice about whipping out a Tarot deck in any public place, and that includes public restaurants such as MacDonald's and Denny's. What most people see as a public place is in reality a privately owned one, and a restaurant can tell you to put your deck away or leave and no arguements about 'freedom of speech' or 'right of assembly' will help you.

People will freak out for anything they see they do not understand. If the Blessed Virgin Mary swung off a streetlight and threw golden roses to the crowd, people would be convinced she was the Devil.

[Theres]

not to mention the fact that school, work, or Denny's are not the kind of places that generate the type of energies that i would want MY tarot deck absorbing.

[Silver Venus]

and think of your own energies aswell, as the most important thing here is to protect yourself :)

[tarotbear]

Originally posted by Azure


The inevitable problem when religion is taught as something that must be thought and interpretted for you, rather than by you, is that those who buy into that philosophy rarely understand why they believe what they believe.

AZURE- That is one of the best statements about "why organized religion doesn't work" I have ever read. May I quote it to all my Bible-thumping friends and enemies?

[Azure]

You're welcome, of course. I don't, mind you, think all organized religion is bad. Just those that chose to use it as a form of control, rather than spiritual quest and exploration. There are good folks in most faiths, it's just the bad ones get 99% of the attention.

[Run_With_Wolvez]

I agree with Greenman, tarotbear and Silver about using tarot cards in public places and your protection.

[cherrywind]

I agree Greenman!
The only time I ever did a reading in a restaurant type area was a little coffee shop that was a well-known Pagan gathering area. Not formally, but it must have been the great coffee that attracted us all there ;).
When I was in high school I never would have thought of whipping out my tarot cards there. I can't stand ignorance so I don't try to welcome it. Now that I'm in university, I still wouldn't do it (I suppose it's no different in any school, unless your university has a Pagan type club, then that would be a safer forum).
And, I also agree with what everybody else said, it's pure ignorance. Wildchild said it, divination is the work of the devil.