Question
Gramps,
What is the Church’ position concerning psychic readings?
Carol
Answer
Carol,
Thank you so much for your question. If I may at first direct you to a previously answered question:
What is the power that psychics have?
While I’m not aware of any direct statement regarding psychic readings coming from the Church as a whole, there are scriptures regarding the subject.
We read in Leviticus 19:31:
31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.
And also in Deuteronomy 18:9-14:
9 When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.
14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
In the Gospel Principles Manual Chapter 22: The Gifts of the Spirit is says:
Satan can imitate the gifts of tongues, prophecy, visions, healings, and other miracles. Moses had to compete with Satan’s imitations in Pharaoh’s court (see Exodus 7:8–22). Satan wants us to believe in his false prophets, false healers, and false miracle workers. They may appear to be so real to us that the only way to know is to ask God for the gift of discernment. The devil himself can appear as an angel of light (see 2 Nephi 9:9).
Satan wants to blind us to the truth and keep us from seeking the true gifts of the Spirit. Mediums, astrologers, fortune tellers, and sorcerers are inspired by Satan even if they claim to follow God. Their works are abominable to the Lord (see Isaiah 47:12–14; Deuteronomy 18:9–10). We should avoid all associations with the powers of Satan.
I think Donny Osmond (a Mormon Entertainer) had a wonderful way of explaining it:
Obviously, there are many who claim “psychic powers” to help guide people in their daily decisions. Such things go against the beliefs of not only the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but Christianity in general. We believe that we are to be guided in this life by the spirit of the Lord and the Holy Ghost who is our Comforter, and through the teachings of the Lord and his prophets which are found in scriptures, both ancient and modern. If reality was that psychics are sent to guide our lives, there would be no necessity for the Lord to have sent us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us while we are here on this earth. We believe that those who claim psychic power do so mainly for the entertainment value. We do believe though that we all have the ability and the right to receive personal inspiration from the Lord by and through the Holy Spirit.
President Joseph Field Smith had this to say regarding the problem of receiving guidance from mediums, magicians or astrologers:
“The Lord has pointed out very clearly the course that we should take in obtaining inspiration for our guidance. When a person is baptized and receives the Holy Ghost, he is promised that he will receive the necessary guidance for his spiritual and temporal good, provided he is true to his covenants. The Lord will not dwell in unclean tabernacles. Therefore, in order that we may keep ourselves in harmony with the Spirit of the Lord, we must be mentally, spiritually, and bodily clean from every contaminating influence.”
The bottom line is: We have the Holy Ghost to guide us and give us inspiration and direction in our lives. That’s His job and what His purpose is. Learn to rely on him rather than on any psychic reader or medium. One comes from God and the other from Satan himself. Which would you prefer?
Gramps
