When I was about 19 years old or so, I saw my first fortune teller. Do you know what I remember from that day? Allan. His name will be Allan. That’s who you will marry as she looked at the lines on my hands and studied the cards. I was 19; what did I know? Not much, and I didn’t know anyone named Allan. But according to this tarot card reader, I was going to marry a guy named Allan.
Imagine how disappointed Allan was when I married Tim. I remember thinking as I walked down the aisle, I don’t think the fortune teller was right.
Today, I want to talk about something that is invading the church – Christian tarot cards. Some call them destiny cards.
I have researched the subject by watching various YouTube videos on the topic. I also went directly to the website of a group affiliated with Bethel Church out in California. This group promotes and uses these cards.
Needless to say, had I known at 19 what I know now, I would have steered clear of the palm reader. More on that later. In the meantime, let’s start with the first article I found regarding Christian tarot cards from the Christian Post. The following information is what I found in my research.
“Marsha West of the Christian Research Network argues that the Destiny Cards are just another name for tarot cards that Christ Alignment uses to “practice the prophetic.”
“Tarot cards are used to tell one’s future. Fortune telling is an occult practice. Occultists believe they are endued with magical or supernatural powers. These folks are into witchcraft, satanism, and other forms of psychic discernment (tarot cards, astrology, séances, Runes, palm reading, teacup reading, etc.). So it is clear that the Christ in Christ alignment is the New Age Christ, not the Christ of Holy Scripture, as God’s people are not to participate in occult practices such as Destiny Card reading. (Deut. 18:10),” CRN wrote.
Bethel staff initially denied any association with Christ Alignment and condemned the use of Destiny Cards, according to Church Watch Central.
On Tuesday, Theresa Dedmon, pastoral staff member at Bethel who oversees the Creative Arts Department for the church and the School of Supernatural Ministry, denied in a blog post that the Destiny Cards are tarot cards, and explained what they are and defended their use in ministry.
“First, ‘Destiny Cards’ are not tarot cards. They do, however, have a similar look that attracts people who are searching for a ‘reading.’ What they get from Christ Alignment staff is a prophetic word about their destiny, which is to have a personal relationship with Father God through Jesus Christ, and encountered through the Holy Spirit,” she said. “Destiny Cards are simply images that help to communicate the message of the Good News to those who are searching for a hope and a future.”
She further went on to cite why they were biblically acceptable.
The Christian Post reached out to Bethel for further comment on Friday but was told Dedmon would not be able to respond until January 18.
Next.
The next source comes from the website, “Christalignment” which uses and promotes these cards.
When I clicked on their website, this is what I found.
“Our Cards lead the way…….
” You can’t come into your destiny until you take responsibility for your own life.”
We are so fortunate on the team to have been gifted by various intuitive and prophetic artists and photographers, who have allowed us to use their beautiful paintings on our unique card sets.Without them, our team would look very different.
The Christalignment team can choose from at least 7 different types of cards which have been made by us for our Destiny Readings. These are not necessary for an intuitive reader, as we are all hearing from the third heaven realm, but greatly enhance the reading.
We believe they are more predictive and higher than other card readings, as they are our own and therefore carry a special presence. Card readings with Christalignment are always followed by the reader taking the client into a deep encounter using a much higher realm. This is the main part of any reading. Often colour is seen and it is in this realm that answers come for poignant life questions that clients have and lives are changed.
Colour Cards
Our beautiful colour cards are used in several different ways. Colour plays an important role in most spirituality and does contain significant meaning in the dream state. We use our colour cards in every encounter to discern meaning and direction in your life. Imbued with meaning and power, these encounters can really change lives and give comfort and hope.
Animal Card Readings
Many people sympathize with animals and in a reading, using these cards, 3 will be visualized in the encounter. The meaning of the animal will have great significance to the client and could give deep insight to life issues and feelings.
Seer Card Readings
Our most deeply intuitive sets – 12 in total: using only three cards, clients along with the reader are able to interpret the beautiful photographic images on the front of the card. We use these images to facilitate answers to your important life questions.
Love Destiny Readings
The Love cards are so accurate, that even if your life circumstances change dramatically, on your return to do them again years later, you will find the results identical, such is their accuracy.They are able to give profound insight into relationships, career and your spiritual life.
INTUITIVE CARD READINGS
Team card readings are so accurate that we have many videos of clients who have been thrilled and amazed. We do not use tarot – as all of our cards are made by us, they are personal and profound.”
Check out another source.
From Churchwatcher
As we all now know, Dr. Michael Brown has just invited Jen Hodge onto his show to promote occultism under the guise of ‘evangelism’. He has previously given the impression this is nothing more than a ‘fringe group’ engaging in stuff he is familiar with. Then again, #AskDrBrown only wants to #PromoteHisFriends because he has repeatedly told his audience he doesn’t look into these types of ‘fringe’ groups – like Bethel’s ‘Christalignment’.
However, here are two interesting facts that neither Dr. Michael Brown, Bethel or Christalignment want you to know:
- The Destiny Tarot Card Reading started at Bethel Church: “I am on pastoral staff at Bethel Church in Redding, California, where I oversee the Creative Arts department for the Church and School of Supernatural Ministry. I instruct on worship expressions and arts events within the church, as well as strategy and coordination for city transformation and outreach.I also speak at national and international conferences, equipping and activating people in prophetic and healing ministry as I show them how to step into their supernatural and creative destinies.I have been in pastoral ministry for over 25 years. I earned my B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Biblical studies from Vanguard University, and also have received a certification in Arts and Healing from Chapman University.”
In her book, ‘Born to Create: Stepping Into Your Supernatural Destiny’, Dedmon writes how under her leadership, she encouraged Bethel students to engage with newcomers “through destiny cards.”
“During the school year, I have the School of Ministry students sit at Bethel’s welcome table and prophesy to newcomers through destiny cards, singing, and playing instruments over people. People, some for the first time, hear a love song from their Father in Heaven or receive a picture about God’s thoughts for them, which can radically transform their lives. There are so many creative avenues to bless those who are looking to belong at our welcome centers.”
Source: Theresa Dedmon, Born to Create: Stepping Into Your Supernatural Destiny, (Shippensburg: Pennsylvania, Destiny Image, 2012).
- The woman who leads Bethel-endorsed ‘Christalignment’ does not have the Holy Spirit behind her ministry to give ‘Words of Knowledge’ in order to lead people to Jesus.
Transcription:
Jenny Hodge “I’m with lovely Jen here at the night market. I’ve just had an amazing reading with a young man who requested me – and often when they do that, it’s really relevant. The reading is often more powerful. His (muffled) card is this one. We see a tiny, tiny surfer there in a huge, huge wave. His question was, the first question was:
Am I meant to be with my partner?
It turns out that his partner was male. But I didn’t know that in the reading. And his second question was really profound, it was:
What’s the meaning of life, why am I here on earth, why am I alive?
That was a huge profound question. His (muffled) card, he straightaway saw, that’s him, he loves to go paddleboarding, so that was really really relevant. He also can survive, like deep seas, I said to him, you’ve survived a lot of really deep things already in your life but you’re a survivor you’re able to handle really big waves. But you’re also able to carry other people out of big waves. And I said, not knowing his job at that point, is the call taker for 000 Emergency Calls. So that’s his actual job. That’s his (muffled) card.
This (second card) straight away we knew was his pass card. I said to him, what does he see in this? He said he says he’s been wearing a mask all his life. And he said he felt the guy in that picture is about to take the mask off.
Now given that he is with a guy that may or may not be good, but the point is, he’s about to get free and that’s the key thing. This one, the future card, he said he saw that as a really positive card and I said I see that as a romance, a brand-new relationship. And I still did, at that point, not know that his relationship was with a guy. So, um, the gift encounter, he actually saw Jesus and he described what he was wearing, in shorts and thongs and a singlet, and Jesus came out to him on the paddleboard and actually put a blue cyan-coloured gift box onto his paddleboard and without kind of getting wet, which is amazing!
He opened the cyan-coloured gift box and in it was a red heart. And we hadn’t turned over this card at that point, so this is the colour red, not the other normal red he saw, it was this colour – and on the bottom of it says ” forgiveness and love from Christ’s spirit”. And when we turned it over that was the picture of the heart, and he said, this one, when we turn this one over, that’s what the spirit of truth, the gift giver, looked like – in his shorts and in his singlet.
So his hands were shaking, his hands were sweating and I was able to really lead him all the way, he was open to ask the spirit of truth, “who are you?” He wanted that, we talked about death, we talked about eternity. He told me, I still didn’t know his job then, he was a 000 call-taker. And we talked about death and he agreed with me that all the rest of these people just walking around aimlessly but one day they gonna die. They’ll never know what day, that day you’re going.
And he had such a spiritual experience, so profound, his hands were shaking. The ‘holy spirit’ came down on him big time, in a huge way. He wanted of course to take a photo of the great (thing?) he did, he’s gonna come back in and see us. He said he’s going to go home and go like this (palms up) and say “who are you, who are you, show me who you are”.”
My personal thoughts
We indeed want all people to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but I don’t know that using tools that can be considered stumbling blocks is the answer. Why can’t we use Scripture; why can’t we use the Bible? Is the Bible not powerful enough?
The Apostle Paul said he became all things to all people. Still, I don’t think he took things of false religions and made them into Christ-like images: (i.e., taking a statue and painting godly images all over it, much like putting lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig.)
Doesn’t the Bible say have nothing to do with those things? Deuteronomy 18:10 says, “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord.”
These practices show no reliance on the Lord.
“That’s Old Testament. We’re not under the Old Testament law. What does the New Testament say?”
Galatians 5:19-20, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Isn’t the Bible enough?
Doesn’t the word of God have enough power to lead someone to Christ?
Is it us who draw them to Christ or God?
Does the Lord need special cards to help him?
I think no, no, he doesn’t.
Things like this have infiltrated the church, and many are unaware of the history or the damage being done to unsuspecting people. If people were more familiar with the Bible and what it says, they would recognize this for what it is – not of God.
Check it out for yourself and see if you come to the same conclusion about the Christan tarot cards. I have heard about these cards and decided it was time to look into the subject matter for myself. Based on my previous experience with a fortune teller, I would say this is the same thing. Attach the word “Christian” to it, as if that makes it better, but to me, a reading is a reading, and it goes against God’s word.
Until next time, keep seeking the Lord. Get into the word of God.
Blessings!
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