Torn between using the tarot cards and Religion

Hawaiian_Gurl8o8

I really dont if this is the right place to post , but i want to know if any of you guys feel like you being pressure by your love one who are very religious and trying to force you to leave this practice . I am a good Christian women who just started learning tarot reading and i like learning them , i have been interested in the tarot cards since i was a teenager but my religious peers whom i love and adore are telling me its an abominations and they been quoting me the bible .

So have you guys been pressure by Religious people either stranger or loved one ? How are you coping or dealing with them ?

As for me i try to take it in as a grain of salt , I am so lucky to have a very support parents who are Religious , they never judge me its other people out side the house does .
 

tarotreader2007

I was more the rebellious type and didn't care what anyone said regarding my spirituality and got a bit more verbally illustrious with those who disapproved })

I have never felt the pressure since I never let the people I choose to be in my life pass that on to me. Chances are your peers that you speak of are only saying that because of accepting the doctrine without questioning it as is common in mainstream religions. Sad but true...

Anyways, I looked up this site you might find interesting: http://www.religioustolerance.org/divin_bibl.htm

Also, the bible also says that it's A-Okay (assuming Moses is a prophet and his words should be regarded) to:

"Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man." Numbers 31:17-18

So you can decide to ignore and live free of pressure, or fight religious intolerance. Or both.

I guess it also depends if you believe your religious or spiritual journey should be dictated or discovered to see what would be best suited for you.

Peace and Love,

tarotreader2007
 

jgoreham

My immediate family isn't too bothered about my tarot reading, I read for my mum and I read with/for my mother-in-law and sister-in-law too. I read for some co-workers who are pretty catholic, and in a thread over in the Tarot Decks sub-forum, I recently asked for help choosing a deck they will relate to more (they are both very adverse to the pentacle symbol in that suit) (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=144327) but other than that, I haven't experienced much opposition from acquaintances friends or family.
 

Monk Rock

people have pointed out scripture against divination, others have pointed to instances of its use in scripture; but it's always struck me that the three wise men who brought gifts to the infant jesus had found the baby by using astrology.

i take that to mean that systems such as astrology and tarot and such, if used honestly and selflessly within a context of faith, can and will point to Christ. such systems can be (and are) used as tools in one's spiritual growth toward God, however one wants to define it. the numerous scriptural references for or against divination perhaps point to the intention behind its use: it's wrong to use divination for selfish purposes; it's not wrong to use it for spiritual purposes...


my 2 cents...

MR
 

misfitknits

i agree with what has been said already, and i have also commented on many threads regarding this subject. i am in the exact same situation as you. my hubby is okay with it, but ALL my family and hubby's family are squarely against tarot. they know nothing about it, yet they judge. my dear sister, who is my best friend, has even told me that tarot cards are the work of satan himself. of course this is rubbish.

i think the problem is that these people are being judgmental without doing any research on the subject. first of all, older tarot decks are mostly based on christian symbols and ideology. look at the original rider-waite for cryin out loud!! hierophant, devil, judgement, and those are just some of the major examples, that deck is riddled with christian symbology and references.

secondly, i start with a quote from monk rock:

Monk Rock said:
people have pointed out scripture against divination, others have pointed to instances of its use in scripture; but it's always struck me that the three wise men who brought gifts to the infant jesus had found the baby by using astrology.

i agree with this absolutely. any gift and/or tool can be used for whatever purpose the handler wishes to use it for. tarot: can be used to help yourself and others, or can be used to manipulate and scare people. even religion can be used to manipulate and scare people!!! not only by imposing your beliefs on others, but think about cults!!! that's like the ultimate evil use of "religion".

obviously, it is my opinion that you are not doing ANYTHING wrong.
 

Muir Aingeal

Luckily my father is an atheist and my mother is religious only in name. The only thing she wanted from me was to get confirmed which I did and now I'm free to live my own life.

Personally, I wouldn't tell people that I read tarot unless I already know that they are open minded. That's what I've been doing anyway.
 

Moonbow

I understand the pressure and the indoctrination, I'm sure many of us have been in your position. For myself, I can say that Tarot has brought me closer to religion, and every time I look at a Marseilles deck I see relationships with spirituality, and therefore religion. Read Ezekiel's vision and then look at the World card in the Marseilles deck.
 

alesia

I've got some incredibly religious (Southern Baptist ++) relatives and we get along grand, but that's because I keep my mouth shut about the things I'm interested in (which might get me burned, or at the least disowned) and talk instead about the things they're interested in (which they love). Frankly, my interests are none of their business - and luckily I have a partner who respects my privacy in that respect.

However, since the cat is out of the bag - you might try to downplay it? If you don't mention the tarot and vague your way out of inquiries ("Are you still worshiping the devil with those horrid evil cards?" "No devil worship here, honest!") it will hopefully blow over sooner rather than later.
 

MareSaturni

Thankfully I live in a country in which people are crazy about religion - their own religion. Not other people's. I never - never - had to hear anyone pointing at my cards and calling them "work of the devil". And mind you, I live in the biggest Catholic country in the world.

Lots of people don't like tarot cards, but the worst they do is to look at me with disgust, and I don't give a rat's a** about them.

If I had to name my faith, I'd call myself a Christian Gnostic. And I still wouldn't think that tarot challenges my faith - because it a tool for knowldge and enlightenment. A tool for gnosis. And tarot what one of the things that actually brought me closer to religion.

Unless you believe that your relationship with God or Jesus will be damaged by the usage of tarot cards (which I don't believe, since tarot cards are filled with Christian/Catholic symbolism that could actually help you to become closer to Them), then I suggest you acquire the trick of ignoring those who cannot understand what you understand. You cannot change what they think, but you can still think by yourself.

That's why God gave us brains. To think. And learn. :)
The brainless part of faith can only be blamed on narrow-minded humans.