Dear Reverend,
My roommate has recently gotten into tarot cards, and it’s all she ever talks about. She keeps asking to do a reading for me, and I just don’t want her to. I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of tarot cards, but I’m definitely not a fan. I also don’t think she knows what she’s doing. Should I just let her read my cards and get it over with so she’ll quit bugging me about it?
Queen of Cups (woman, 25)
Dear Queen of Cups,
A lot of people think tarot cards are creepy: There’s a Death card in most traditional decks, for goodness’ sake. Getting that card in your reading doesn’t mean you’re going to die — it represents a transition or transformation — but it can certainly be disconcerting.
Tarot cards came about in the 15th century as a parlor game for rich people. In 1781, a French guy named Antoine Court de Gébelin made up a tale that tarot cards held secret Egyptian wisdom. Long story short, that fib caught on: The cards were redesigned and started being used for divination and fortune telling.
The cards have gotten their bad rap mostly through TV shows and movies that use tarot readings as a plot tool to foretell something bad. In the real world, the cards are given a lot of spiritual and energetic meaning, but they are nothing more than pieces of cardstock printed with pictures.
I say this as someone who won’t even touch a Ouija board. Do I really believe it can open a portal for bad spirits? Maybe not, but you’re not bringing a Ouija board into my home, and I’ll leave a party if somebody busts one out. I don’t care if anyone thinks I’m being silly; it’s just the way it is.
You should never feel forced to participate in something that makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t want your roommate giving you a tarot reading, don’t do it. Tell her that you’re glad she’s found a new hobby, but you aren’t going to participate. Just like with a lot of situations in life, no means no, and that’s that.
Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend
This article appears in October 28 • 2026.
