Playing Cards


Playing cards have become a common part of many Christian homes.  Most Christians or professing believers would be annoyed or even surprised that some consider them ungodly or even wicked, but the fact is that playing cards were at one time looked eschewed by many Christians.  My own parents wouldn't even allow a set in our house.  They were associated with gambling in many people's minds, but there was more to it than that.  It is something that we should consider, despite the fact that many now feel that they "aren't anything bad".  It is also a fact that our adversary the devil desires to get Christians to accept his play things and devices into our lives and homes.  Playing cards are one of many "little" things that have been let in.

The book, A Dictionary of Symbols, by J.E. Cirlot, says on page 259-260, "Playing-cards - The entire pack of playing-cards is symbolic in origin. It finds its fullest expression in the twenty-two major enigmas of the Tarot pack (each card representing an integral allegory which is, up to a certain point, complete in itself), followed by the fifty-six lesser enigmas. The latter comprise fourteen figures in each of the four suits..." [Emphasis added.]  It then goes on to specify the various symbols used on the playing cards, as well as mentioning the King, Queen, Knight, and Jack in relation to the Tarot Pack (on p. 328).

Not only are the Tarot cards used in the occult and witchcraft, they are apparently based on Jewish Satanism of the Cabala, an exceedingly vile religion. In the same book (p. 329), we find that a man named Oswald Wirth "...indicates that the Cabala must have been well known to the authors of the Tarot, because they fixed the number of major enigmas at 22, which is the same number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, every one of them pregnant with symbolism, and the same, also, as the number of the teraphim, the hieroglyphs used by the Hebrews in divination."


This is evidence enough that these cards have a very wicked.  We are commanded in 1Thessalonians 5:22, Abstain from all appearance of evil. Playing cards certainly have an appearance of evil, at the very least. The implications of owning them could be misinterpreted by devils and humans alike.

Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

Their ancestry only one generation back, so to speak, is in witchcraft and occultism - the Tarot which is used for divination. Two generations back their "ancestor" is the book of Jewish witchcraft, the Cabala. It cannot please God to have His children owning playing cards! And, this is not even to mention the well-known, filthy connection that playing cards have with gambling and casinos.

We live in a society and era that is actively redefining evil.  It behooves us, as the children of the Lord God, to not participate in this no matter how "harmless" it seems.  When a thing is clearly of evil or questionable origins, we should be willing to "get along without it" to please our Lord.



Facts About Cards

Many times the question is asked, "What is the difference between cards and other games?" It is said, A game is a game; and if it is all right to play dominoes, why not cards?

There is a vast difference. Water and whiskey are both drinks, but everyone admits that there is a difference between them. The following facts show plainly the difference between cards and...other games.

In the first place, cards were invented to amuse an idiotic king, not for the entertainment of intelligent people. Every thought suggested by them is in direct opposition to God and righteousness.

1. "Clubs" represents a weapon of murder.
2. "Spades," a tool to dig graves, suggests death.
3. "Hearts," holds up the broken heart of Christ for derision instead of devotion.
4. "Jack" represents a libertine who lives off the gains of fallen women; one who makes business of commercialized vice.
5. "King" represents the devil, the king of darkness, the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, in opposition to God, the king of all the universe.  Satan, the king of darkness, leads and entices men away from God and heaven, downward to hell.

Could any but Satan be the inventor of a deck of cards?

A person is known by the company he keeps.

(By Grant Clofax Tullar)

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Editor's note:  The "Joker" as described above points to the clown-fool character of ancient religion. This figure, a real man, was sacrificed in place of the King of the land. It is referred to as the "ritual sacrifice of the king." Since the King had to be sacrificed yearly (relating to sun worship and/or Saturnalia), but he of course was indispensible, a Fool (or Clown) was selected for the "privilege" of dying for the King. He was then called the "King" and treated "royally" before he was killed in place of the real King.


graphics by mary vannattan