Most Christian religions forbid the use of Tarot. Different claims come from different churches: some say it is satanic, some say it is fortune telling (which is forbidden by the Bible, according to many interpretations of the verse), some say it is simply an inaccurate waste of time which yeilds no useful information.
Tarot itself is not santanic - although it is used by many santanists. Then again, so are cars and the telephone. Tools are tools, and they can help anyone when used properly. Self-study of Tarot ensures that the student learns and applies things that are congruent with the student's life and beliefs. The only way I can see a tool like Tarot being abused is if it used to deceive and dupe people - or to frighten them. The knowledge in this stack could help prevent such abuse by educating readers at least to the level where they recognize Tarot for what it is, not some mysterious magical fortune teller nor a hotline to Satin.
I recently went to a Christian bookstore and asked for references on Tarot cards so that I could learn the reasons behind the faith's rejection of Tarot. They provided me with several books on satanic symbols and the "New Age". As I glanced through them, I became more and more shocked at their content. One reference in particular, focusing on symbolism, listed many symbols (with drawn examples) and explainations of why they were satanic. The book sited circles as being satanic. And squares. And Triangles! But wait - there's more: pentagrams, hexagons, octagons, anything with a sun or moon, anything with a human eye (our money, for example)- all are satanic, according to this book - and "a peace sign is actually an upside-down bastardized cross, and is considered [highly satanic]", to quote the book. By this time, I had lost faith in this reference, since it indicated that every shape anywhere and symbol could be construed as satanic. Symbols that mean hope and love to many were declared evil. Can this possibly encourage understanding between people, or is it likely to cause miscommunications and misunderstandings? I was disappointed. It was planned to present text from these books showing their point of view and provide a bibliography, however I have decided not to list the titles. You can find the books I found if you try - they are very popular and "big sellers" these days (1989-1990). I can't help but wonder the true intentions of the authors of such works, since it seems that such material would only cause more confusion, fear, and prejudice for fellow mankind (of different religions and cultures).
You have read this far into this stack - by now you know that Tarot is not fortune telling. There is no "future knowledge" presented by the cards. You might be able to figure the logical and likely (maybe definite) outcome of a sitaution by applying your knowledge of cycles and factors to the current situation - "putting 2 and 2 together", so to speak. The cards are used by "fortune tellers" - people who will read your palm or a crystal ball as well, but note the subtle difference here: the fortune tellers claim that they have information and knowledge about your future. Whether they express it a plam reading or cards or chicken bones, they claim they have the knowledge. If you do not have that knowledge, your subconscious can't possibly express it to you.
On this same subject, look at a Celtic Cross spread sometime. You don't even have to do one, just look at the position descriptions. Eight out of ten of the positions are referencing the present or past. There are two that are placed in the future: position ten (The Outcome) and position five (The Near Future). These positions do not show the future, they show what you (your subconscious, even) believe the future to be if you keep on the same path with the same attitude - and if everybody else acts as you think they would. An outcome can always be changed through action.
If you are of a particular faith, you could talk to a respected church member about Tarot. Ask them questions about what your faith believes and why. You may be satisfied with a Bible verse quote or a reference to satanism. You are obviously curious about Tarot, or else you wouldn't be reading this. Ask about how the cards work - what controls their order and what are they supposed to tell you. Then, you decide what you believe and what is right for you. Most seminaries and religious colleges don't explore Tarot very deeply, so you may have to ask several people before you find someone with personal experience. I have also always been curious about the context of the verses quoted. The more information you have, the better.
