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What happens when a tarot card reader with a million followers suddenly leaves the deck behind to follow Jesus? Alexandra Ashcroft, formerly known as Alex Reads Tarot,<\/em> made an announcement recently that caused intense reactions in both the pagan and the Christian world.\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n On a widely circulated post, Alex shared, \u201cOver the past nearly a year, my faith has become the most important thing in my life. Through that journey, I\u2019ve spent a lot of time reflecting, questioning, praying and trying to understand my faith more and where God was starting to lead me. This hasn\u2019t been an overnight change. This has been a gradual journey that has slowly changed the way that I see my life and my faith.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n In her viral announcement, Alex stated that she would no longer give tarot readings, and subsequently, she would be deleting her channel. \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly what comes next for me, but what I do know is that Jesus Christ has saved my life, and I can no longer ignore that reality,\u201d<\/em> she declared.\n<\/p>\n Christian commentator Allie Beth Stuckey, host of the podcast Relatable<\/em>, explained what happened after Alex went public. \u201cNot everyone was excited to see this change. She lost over 40,000 followers when she announced that she was becoming a Christian, and that she\u2019d be changing her content.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n New Agers who\u2019d been following Alex were stunned, with some suggesting that she\u2019d been brainwashed. Others speculated that she\u2019d suffered a mental breakdown, or was experiencing \u201creligious psychosis.\u201d Reddit posts reveal a wide range of reactions, but some disappointed fans accused Alex of abandoning the inclusive spirituality she was known for.\n<\/p>\n One woman, whose podcast is focused on witchcraft, spoke to her own followers about Alex\u2019s decision by saying, \u201cJust because Alex wants to go on her own path, doesn\u2019t mean that you are doing anything wrong by believing in witchcraft or spirituality.\u201d<\/em> She went on to insist that tarot readings are \u201cnot harming anybody,\u201d because they are a \u201cvaluable service that changes lives\u201d and makes people more \u201caligned with their soul\u2019s purpose.\u201d\n<\/p>\n One tarot enthusiast complained, \u201cHonestly, I\u2019ve been noticing this happening a lot. Big tarot readers I\u2019ve been following for years just quitting tarot and going full stop religious.\u201d <\/em>\n<\/p>\n Some commenters were clearly confused, with one saying that tarot came from Christianity, and another asserting that there was no need for Alex to leave tarot behind because \u201cWe are all God.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Despite the backlash, Alex is not deterred by the negative reaction of those who don\u2019t agree with her decision to follow Jesus. When Alex walked away from tarot, she left every card on the table. While many believed she would simply take a pause from the occult readings, or perhaps mesh her newfound faith into the practice, this isn\u2019t what she did. Instead, she turned from the practice completely, leaving behind a lucrative career that she\u2019d built up over the years.\n<\/p>\n Alex\u2019s new social media handle is alexcourageinChrist, as well as \u201cAlex Belongs to Christ\u201d and \u201cAlex in the Ordinary.\u201d One account shows 54.2K followers as of early July and features the captioned verse John 15:18. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. <\/em>Thankfully, since her departure from the world of tarot, Alex has been embraced by the Christian community. She continues to receive many heartfelt messages of encouragement.\n<\/p>\n Alex\u2019s story of leaving the occult is refreshing, but it also highlights a disturbing trend happening across the nation and throughout the world. Since 2020, the interest in tarot has skyrocketed to levels never seen before. During the pandemic, searches for tarot decks on Etsy rose by over 50%, and the global market was worth roughly $830 million at that time. Since then, interest continues to grow, especially among youth. Some bookstores now have entire displays devoted to tarot, oracle cards, and other New Age products. Decks are being illustrated and designed to appeal to every lifestyle.\n<\/p>\n The advent of platforms such as WitchTok, Instagram, and YouTube has brought tarot into the mainstream. In fact, social media hashtags related to tarot have garnered billions of views. Research suggests that many users are between the ages of 18 and 34 years old, but children and teens experiment with decks as well. Stores such as Five and Below<\/em>, which cater to young tweens and teens, sell tarot sets, as well as a large array of occult items. Just a quick walk down the aisle at this store reveals books with titles such as Wizard\u2019s Magic, Chakras, The Egyptian Book of the Dead, The Complete Guide to Living by the Moon, Buddhism 101, The Book of Astrology, <\/em>and the Secrets of Cosmic Connection<\/em>. There are also palm-reading handbooks, sage-burning kits, and guides for using crystals and spells.\n<\/p>\n Communities of young people on Reddit, TikTok, Threads, and other forum-style platforms are fully engaged in not only tarot but also in utilizing chatbots that have tarot integrated into their programming. It\u2019s no wonder that a recent survey conducted by the Springtide Research Institute found that more than half of 13 to 25-year-olds who were sampled had engaged in tarot card reading, or fortune telling.\n<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that tarot content is often marketed to women in particular as a way to achieve wellness and mental health. Decks are designed with artwork that appeals to females by featuring goddesses and self-empowerment motifs.\n<\/p>\n This burgeoning trend is far from harmless and, in fact, it\u2019s becoming a major concern in today\u2019s politically charged world. Tarot readings are popular among people who identify as LGBTQ\u00a0or sympathize with the movement. Those who are seeking spirituality but want to forgo the \u201crules and boundaries\u201d of Christianity are exploring esoteric methods to affirm their lifestyle and connect with the divine. There are even tarot decks that feature LGBTQ themes with \u201cinclusive modern archetypes.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Tarot is also well-liked by liberal activists interested in social justice, feminism, climate alarmism, and immigration reform. Readings center on racial justice, collective healing, bodily autonomy, and eliminating inequalities.\n<\/p>\n In the past, Hollywood movies and TV series integrated tarot into the horror genre, but now it\u2019s being infused into storylines of all kinds. The goal is to make the practice not just appealing, but also an easy way to understand one\u2019s destiny. This is being done alongside liberal themes that portray fornication, homosexuality, gender fluidity, and feminine power as brave, noble, and good.\n<\/p>\n Many celebrities have promoted tarot, or incorporated the practice into their public persona, such as Madonna, Jeff Bridges, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Megan Fox, Adele, Lucy Hale, Winona Ryder, Drew Barrymore, Vanessa Hudgens, and Emma Watson.\n<\/p>\n Young people who are confused about their lives, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are turning to tarot readings as a way to cope or obtain spiritual growth. Disturbingly enough, there are therapists who combine occult practices with psychology and claim that it can provide healing. One licensed clinician had this to say about why the younger generation is drawn to the mystery of tarot.\n<\/p>\n \u201cSome Millennials <\/em>say<\/em> these rituals give them space to pause. For example, they read their horoscope when they\u2019re feeling uncertain or pull a tarot card during a tough week\u2026they just want to feel connected to what they\u2019re going through. And that makes sense, especially in a world where many things feel out of control.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n An article in Prophecy News Watch <\/em>emphasizes an important point when it comes to the rise of the occult in society.\n<\/p>\n \u201cIt reveals something about the spiritual condition of our culture. Western society has not abandoned belief in the supernatural. It has simply replaced biblical faith with countless alternatives that promise enlightenment without surrender. Yet every so often, someone who has explored those alternatives discovers they never satisfied the deepest questions of the soul. When that happens, the reaction often exposes something surprising. People are not merely rejecting Christianity. Many are actively resisting Jesus Himself.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n Former psychic medium Jenn Nizza supports Alex\u2019s decision to break free from the deceptive chains of tarot. After years of living under the darkness and oppression of the occult, Nizza was set free by Jesus Christ. Now she dedicates her life to serving the Lord and uses her social media platforms to warn others about the dangers of the New Age movement. Tarot card readers are quick to defend their practices by insisting that they are helping people. Nizza points out the irrationality of this claim by noting, \u201cThe new age: when you keep going to the problem for the solution.\u201d <\/em>Nizza explains that the lure of tarot cards pulled her in when she was just 13 years old, becoming a \u201cgateway to the demonic.\u201d\n<\/p>\n The Bible is very clear that divination is an abomination to God, and tarot card readers are, in fact, practicing the sin of pursuing hidden knowledge through occult means. Deuteronomy 18:10 implicitly states, \u201cThere shall not be found among you\u2026anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer.\u201d <\/em>James 1:5 tells us, \u201cIf\u00a0any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.\u201d<\/em>\n<\/p>\n Alex has chosen to receive wisdom from God, but she is also receiving so much more! She has gained an eternal relationship with Jesus Christ and a vast community of believers who will support her along her journey.\n<\/p>\n As intercessors, we are called to pray for the lost to be found. This world is full of people who are searching for God in all the wrong places, and the volatile nature of society is driving them towards tarot and the occult. Instead of divination, they need the One who can give them all the knowledge and healing they desire\u2013Jesus Christ.\n<\/p>\n Lord Jesus, we are so thankful that Alexandra Ashcroft has found you! We pray for her protection as You guide her next steps. We pray that the stronghold of tarot around our youth would be broken. We also pray for those who are caught up in alternative lifestyles or sinful choices that are leading them to the occult, rather than the truth. Lord, deliver them from deception.\n<\/p>\n Angela Rodriguez is an author, blogger, and former teacher who studies the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the United States. You can visit her blogs at <\/em>67owls.com<\/em> and <\/em>100trumpets.com<\/em>.<\/em> She is also the author of Psalm 91: Under the Wings of Jesus and Hallelujah\u2019s Great Ride. Photo Credit: petr sidorov\/Pexels.<\/em>\n<\/p>\nPost a prayer for your state!<\/h4>\n
Leaving All the Cards on the Table<\/h2>\n
The Backlash Begins<\/h2>\n
Courage in Christ<\/h2>\n
The Tarot Trend<\/h2>\n
Tarot Influencing Politics and Gender Identity<\/h2>\n
Millennials and Gen Z Gravitate to Tarot<\/h2>\n
Ex Psychic Speaks Out<\/h2>\n
Pray for Alex<\/h2>\n
As Alex pursues a life with Jesus, she will need lots of prayers. Share your thoughts and prayers for Alex below.<\/h4>\n