"What is the Church's
stand on going to mediums and fortune tellers? I know that it has always been
wrong. But now I am being told the Church changed its stance on this as they did
on cremation."
Answer / Resources:
[click link(s) below, as applicable]
Going to mediums and
fortunetellers would absolutely be forbidden. It is dangerous and sinful. It is
repeatedly condemned in Scripture (e.g. go
here, then scroll to "fortune telling"). Teaching on this matter can NEVER
be subject to change – the Church certainly cannot permit her members to
involve themselves in the occult. You might be surprised how many have invited
the devil in their lives through this method only to suffer terrible
consequences. Mediums, fortunetellers, tarot cards, Ouija boards, palm readers,
etc. are NOT harmless – as books written by exorcists demonstrate over and over
again. Regarding changes in the Church, please see 'Can Dogmas Change?'
here for some clarification of what items can and cannot change.
Also, it should be
noted regarding cremation that the Church still "earnestly recommends that the
pious custom of burial be retained" (1983 Code of Canon Law, Can. 1176 §3). Even
if cremation is permitted (as unfortunate as this is), however, this is not tied
to the occult nor is it a "dogma" of itself. Therefore cremation and consulting
mediums are totally incomparable matters.
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