Church Watch: Destiny Cards
When most people think about card readings, images of a mysterious woman sitting in a dimly lit room come to mind. The current popularity of destiny cards can be traced back to Bethel Church...
When most people think about card readings, images of a mysterious woman sitting in a dimly lit room come to mind. But that is no longer always accurate… sadly, card readings are gaining in popularity among people who claim to be Christians and have even begun to take root in some so-called Christian churches.
Destiny cards grew out of an ancient calendar system that predates tarot cards. Like tarot cards, destiny cards have pictures on them, many with biblical themes that are used to predict or prophesy a person’s future. The cards have become associated with the occult practice of Christalignment, a series of New Age rituals that include dream interpretation, mind-body festivals, third heaven encounters, spiritual cleansing, physical healing, relationship recovery, gemstones, and certain types of henna tattoos.
Proponents of destiny cards tout them as a source of guidance to make one’s life happier, more peaceful, and more productive… offering lessons for a year, a month, or just for a day or two.
Destiny card readings are a spiritually dangerous occult practice that is not biblical and therefore should be avoided. The cards are another example of some churches being shaped by culture, rather than helping shape culture.
When the cards are used prophetically to predict or prophesy a person’s future, it is the work of false prophets. According to Deuteronomy 13, there are two signs of a true prophet. First, they must not direct people to follow other gods. Second, whenever the prophet says something about future events, those events must come to pass. If the prophet promotes the worship of false gods, or if his predictions fail to come to pass, then he is a false prophet. Destiny card readers fail to meet the biblical tests that separate them from true prophets and are often wrong.
False prophets deliver messages that originate in their own minds:
Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord! 3 Thus says the Lord God, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing. (Ezekiel 13:1–4 NASB)
6 They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The Lord declares,’ when the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. 7 Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘The Lord declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’ (Ezekiel 13:6-7 NASB)
Those who perform destiny card readings are often motivated by self-interest, financial gain, and a desire to be popular among the people…
Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price, and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord saying, “Is not the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.” (Micah 3:11 NASB)
The going rate for a destiny card reading in many places these days is $125 to $200. There are also entrance fees for festivals, conferences, and other events.
The current popularity of destiny cards can be traced back to Bethel Church in Redding, California. While Bethel has tried to distance itself from the issue of “Christian tarot cards”, the facts show otherwise. A member of their “pastoral” staff, Theresa Dedmon, is the Arts Director at Bethel Church. Ms. Dedmon also oversees creative arts for Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry. In her own words, she says this…
“We see many examples in Church history of creatively expressing the message of the Gospel through worldly, and even demonically inspired expressions. My destiny cards are developed from a prophetic picture that I will draw about what I think someone may need to hear from God so that they will know that God has a good plan and purpose for their lives. Sometimes, I will also use photos that depict a message that I sense God wants to speak to them through the picture.”
Demonically inspired? Are you kidding me?
It is disappointing that many Christian churches are failing to practice biblical discernment and unwittingly or foolishly dabble in occultic and New Age practices. No Christian church should have anything to do with Christalignment or destiny cards. Destiny cards are nothing more than “Christian” tarot cards connected to satanism. Both are forms of fortune-telling condemned by Scripture...
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:10–11, NASB)
Dear reader, if you ever enter a place of worship, and you see any of these New Age or occultic practices… RUN do not walk to the nearest exit!