Why do some people say that if tarot card readings and astrology "work", then it's because of Satan, when?

Well, we only have to look at a little history to see that 'Satan' is certainly not behind tarot cards! Tarot cards were created in mid 15th century Italy and consist of two parts: a standard pack of Latin suited playing cards (predating tarot in Europe by about 60 years) and a fifth suit of picture cards. These extra cards took as their theme, not any occult philosophy or magical symbols but a Christian triumph procession - hence their early name of trionfi, meaning triumphs and from which we get our word trump!

And this is what they were, a suit of fixed trump cards for a family of card games that continues to be played throughout continental Europe to this day. People still point to certain cards and claim that they are clearly heretical or occult but to understand what an image means, you need to consider it in the context of when and where it was created. There are a couple of very good examples: The female Pope (often renamed High Priestess by modern card makers) is often thought to have been objected to be the church.

However, in Renaissance Italy this was an established figure in religious art, being used to represent any number of things such as The New Covenant and The Virtue of Faith. The Hanged Man has also raised eyebrows - but what are you to make of a man suspended by one foot!? In Italy, this card was known as The Traitor and with good reason.

It was the custom there to execute traitors by hanging them in this way and leaving them to die slowly. No mystery, nothing occult, and nothing heretical. The fact is that for their first 350 years the only recorded use for tarot cards was for playing games, which spread throughout the continent without opposition.

There are cases where the church had made local bans on card games but specified tarot as exempt from them. Would they do this for Satan? It was not until the end of the 18th century that anyone thought to associate the cards with the occult and use them for fortune telling - and for 100 years that was limited to just France.

These occult associations are baseless. Today of course, most modern designs have been created with occult images and symbols added to them. Historically the church's attitude has been inconsistent with regards to divination but for the most part, it is often objected to and these modern cards might also offend many religious sensibilities.

However, the claim that the cards are Satan's work is based only upon ignorance.

You never heard that before because it isn't true. I read tarot cards and most others I know who do don't believe in satan. The truth is tarot cards are stories.

Yes there is a death card, a mistress, a fool etc. Their meanings come in how you throw then read them. Let me guess, you heard that from a Fundamentalist.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.