We receive quite a few letters here at St. Michaels Journal; most of these are from desperate people seeking advice regarding how to deal with threatening paranormal phenomena. Occasionally we receive messages that are best answered in the form of editorial published here in the Journal versus a private direct response; today’s email yielded such a question. The question was from an individual involved in investigating the paranormal through the use of Tarot cards and the possibility that such activity might lead to demonic possession.
Of course, as a minister, I am obligated by the promises I made during ordination to answer this question by saying that Christian Doctrine specifically forbids such activity; however I remember those days so many years ago when I asked my parents “Why?” when they gave me a seemingly baseless blanket response like the church do regarding their teaching on divination and related paranormal activities. Blanket responses in the negative, which do not have an absolute authority rooted in secular science, appear to be baseless to those that are drawn to certain metaphysical or paranormal activities and lifestyles. In an effort to answer this question without appearing to take a stance similar to parental authority, a “Because I said so,” position similar to parental authority or church doctrine might not be enough for some, I have wrote this piece on the subject.
In addition to the authority of the Bible which we hold to the inspired word of God, and hundreds of years of church teaching on this subject; the most common defense used to make the argument that these activities should be avoided is Continue reading
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