Like I said before, the idea that pain and suffering make us grow and are even purifying is an ancient one, and deeply consolatory, but I don't believe it's true. I believe more often than not, people become bitter, defensive, even selfish when they go through a painful experience, in their personal life or otherwise.
And I have seen many people who do not become so. In fact some people have spent their lives trying to understand the difference between those who do become bitter or even violent themselves and those who go on to lead very happy, productive lives. Viktor Frankl and Gavin de Becker (
The Gift of Fear) are just two who've devoted themselves to this issue. (Read up on the personal histories of both these people who lived through horrifying circumstances.)
http://www.amazon.com/Gavin-de-Becker/e/B001HCVD06/
How many of us are inspired by those who succumb to bitterness, pain and selfishness? Is there a way out of it?
The point about the original question, like I said before and someone else did as well, the key here is reliability. If sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't, then it's as good as saying that it can't, in my view...it can't be trusted, and we don't need tarot or magic to make different hypothesis that may or may not come true.
Do you know of ANY absolutely reliable method of predicting, advising, healing, helping, inspiring, and living life? Please let us know.
Is machine-like (binary) precision the only thing worth trusting? (That is, IF the machine has enough batteries, electricity, wifi, etc.!) One of the things I learned from basic computer programming was that you can trust that an established program will run if all the correct instructions are in place. If it doesn't then obviously there is a human error or the machine itself is broken. Life isn't like that.
Most of us seem to agree that, just like weather and stock market predictions, "The answer is no: not all predictions can be trusted."
The next questions include:
* How can we best use possibly faulty predictions?
* How do we evaluate/discover the accuracy of our predictions?
* If desired, how do we improve our predictive abilities (and is it possible or desireable to do so)?
* Should I refuse to make any predictions in my own readings?
* What is the purpose of Tarot readings if fortune/future-telling is not part of it?