Topic : 01/05 "Am I Cursed?"

Hi Dr. Phil, 

My Grandmother used to read the Tarot Cards in post WW2 europe to make ends meet.  So I was never "trained" to be afraid of the cards like so many in Christian America are today.  In fact I grew up a born again Christian in a Baptist church and got a "Ouija" board from Santa once year, and told my sunday school class about it.  They were horrified and told me I was surely going to be demon possessed!.  I was intrigued, so I marched home and put it in the fire place expecting to see demons come out shrieking, with alot of fire works.  Nothing happened, so my afternoon "show" was a disappointment.  As I have attended fundamentalist churches over the Years I have discovered that religious people of every denomination use FEAR to keep the faithfull in line:  obedient to whatever they say.  I recently ran across a couple of books about SPIRITUAL ABUSE as it takes place in main-stream American churches, and I could not believe that I myself have been mildly "kept under the thumb" of abusive people in church.  Fortunately, I never really believed what they told me, because I know better.  I know that God is more powerful than evil and as long as I have a connection with God, he will protect me from whatever bad things come my way.  That is the message of Jesus, the real Jesus, in the Bible, although some churches don't  reflect this - they send a double message that Jesus is there to love you, but look out, if you don't obey me, the one he gave authority to, you will be conquered by the demonic strongholds.  This frightens people very, very much, and I felt very much like several of your people are under this influence, whether they are "church" going or not.  I believe that SPIRITUAL ABUSE takes place when one person convinces another that they have spiritual powers that the other person does not, this is the way spiritual abusers command others into compliance. 

I recently decided not to be afraid of Tarot Cards, so I bought a deck.  My Born Again friends were horrified.  "I am working with the devil's tool!" That is what they say to me and they are so afraid that some turn white when they find out.  But I decided not to let their fears rule me.  So I got as many books on the topic from the library and web as I could and I found out that all these supposedly "occult" systems are really just "cheat-sheet"/memorization systems.  One system works just the same as all the rest.  IN Tarot, you memorize meanings to each card.  Each card may have more than one meaning, so if you are smart you will be able to memorize alot about the cards.  The symbols on the cards remind you of what their meanings are, so the cards work as a conversation-starter/cheat sheet.  When you select cards, you also take notice of things about the person - their age, gender, wealth, personality type, and guess at their problems.  Because the cards work in regard to past, present and future, there is NO WAY ON EARTH you can mess up - your reading will be valid for each person who visits you.  The symbols help you bring up topics that may be important to the person to discuss, and then they can share what is bugging them.  Then it is up to you the psychic, to give them good advice and help them as a friend helps another friend.  Some psychics are nto responsible and instead of offering genuine help, they manipulate, or SPIRITUALLY ABUSE those who come to see them, making their clients believe they are under a curse, or must do such and such in order to appease departed loved ones, and other unusual things.  Some psychics (just as some people) use emotional blackmail and manipulative tactics, as well as subtle verbal abuse in order to controll people into paying them more money, more often.  Whether one uses tarot cards, other fortune telling cards, the "I-Ching", Rune Stones, or crystals with attached meanings or other objects to predict the future or see into another person's life, the technique is always the same.  You memorize the meanings, and then select the cards, then you tell the meanings as it appears to apply to your subject and allow them to empty their heart, then you help them (or harm them, as the case may be).  Once a person gets so good with the Tarot that they have it memorized, they can use a crystal ball, and relax with a client in front of them, and the ideas from the Tarot Deck will just come up and you will sort of do a Tarot Reading with your mental deck, instead of the one on the table, but that works the same way.  This is what psychics call "clairvoyant", or "clairaudient" but they do not want anyone to know how they do it.  They are not really receiving messages from spirits.  They are tuning in to what the client presents to them in the way of gender, age, wealth, and other  miniscule but obvious things, that they psychic then is reminded of in her mental card deck and that brings her to discuss those images with the client.  It is that simple.  Some people are better than others at this skill, just like some people play piano better than others, or baseball, or cooking. 

I realized that I wanted to help people and the cards offered a way that I could gain an ice-breaker for people to feel comfortable talking, and I have read Tarot for many people.  Everyone always gets back to me, and tells me how much I have helped them.  I usually offer them advice based on basic moral values and tell them to stay away from troublesome situations.  I always recommend a physician, or licensed psychologist, or abuse councilor, dietician, or other professional people if the person appears to have a genuinely big problem.  I stay in the realm of helping people in the same way I would talk to a friend.  If I sense that their problem is the kind that is beyond me, I never hesitate to send them to a medical professional in my area.  I find that many people who visit psychics are afraid to visit the doctor or psychologist, and in this case my "job" towards them is to help them feel ok about going. 

There are some things that come up with the cards that truely lie beyond explanation, and some times my predictions are so accurate they actually make me feel creepy, or take my breath away.  I can not explain this, even though I know about psychological studies, such as the "Forer Effect" and so forth.  But I figure that it is prob. some sort of psychology that I do not understand, and not a spiritual force at all.  However, I can not tell how sensative to psychic things I am, or anyone else is, and do not discount that there are spiritual forces at work and that some people can truely tap into them.  

HOW DOES THIS TOPIC OF TAROT COME INTO PLAY WITH CURSES ON YOUR SHOW TODAY: 

I eventually got very good with the Tarot Deck and took a part time job in my city where I read the cards to clients.  I was (and am) very successfull with my readings.  I also do readings on the phone for one fo the 800# phone lines and just love to talk to and help people who are alone in the middle of the night.  I often pray with them and tell them positive energy and light are with them to help them feel better, as you said on your show.   

When I got hired at one place, the owner took me aside and she asked me about "curses".  "What do you do about curses?" she asked.  "I had not thought about doing anything with curses..." I said to her.  She said, "Well, one of our readers was very nice here at the center, but when she got clients to call her at home, she CONVINCED THEM THAT THEY WERE UNDER HORRIBLE CURSES, AND THAT THEY NEEDED HER TO PERFORM RITUALS TO REMOVE THEM.  She was not cheap about it either.  One woman spent over $150,000.00 on curse removal with this psychic and was out money and no one could get it back for her!  I fired that reader, so I don't want you to do any thing like this, it is not allowed here."  Of course that had never even occurred to me, because I DID NOT KNOW THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVED IN CURSES IN THIS DAY AND AGE TO THIS DEGREE OF SERIOUSNESS!!!!!  (I certainly don't, and I work as a psychic!) 

Dr. Phil, as I began to keep my ears open in many places that I do readings, I noticed that the American population at large really is big on belief in curses.  With tv shows on like Charmed, Sabrina, Buffy, Angel, Supernatural, and the new movie "Bewitched" and so many video games with demons, curses and so forth, it is easy for people to move from fantasy about curses and strange beliefs to actually believing in them.  I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT BY AND LARGE, THE ONLY THING A CURSE DOES IS WORK AS A TOOL IN THE HANDS OF A MANIPULATIVE PERSON TO KEEP ANOTHER PERSON UNDER CONTROLL.  A SPIRITUALLY ABUSIVE person will realize that they can gain power over another by scaring them to death with the idea that curses are real, and then they can controll and manipulate others with the IDEA that a curse is real!  Of course this does not happen only in the psychic world, because as I pointed out to you, I was told I was demon posessed in church for things like not being organized enough or not paying my tithe regularly.  I know I am not demon posessed, and have responded to them in many ways.  One response I have is, "I don't have to live in your fears - if you are that afraid of me, you couldn't have a very powerful God, because my God protects me from such things, but yours obviously does not!"  These accuser's look shocked.  Other times, I just go along with them to take the wind out of their sail and say, "Yup, I'm demon posessed, so watch out!"  They can't believe they are not able to keep me in check to their system of obedience. 

Even so, I have suffered some of the things that were discussed on the show, like being afraid at night and so forth, but I fully think these feelings are just psychological, hormonal, pms, brain chemistry and etc.  I surround myself with positive symbols, like my Bible, my Cross and I "put my house under the protection of Jesus" every night as well.  I feel safe. 

I feel very, very bad for the people on your show today, because I think they have all been victims of spiritual abuse.  The Young lady whose father did an exorcism upon her at age 9 is so sweet and she suffers so much because her father trained her to believe a FALSE BELIEF SYSTEM when she was in her spiritually formative years.  Until she destroys this FALSE BELIEF SYSTEM and replaces it with a good and true one, she will continue to scare herself, guilt trip herself and worry.  To this young lady I want to tell her this:  Jesus is the CURSE REMOVER.  And he does not charge ANY money to remove curses.  He is available ANY time Day or Night, on a repeat basis.  Since prayer may be a negative trigger for you because of your church experinece, I would like to recommend that you sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes and just imagine that Jesus is pouring his healing light over your body and that this light penetrates your hurting soul and spirit.  I want to tell you that even if you believe you have demons inside you and can not fight them, Jesus Christ can fight them and if you allow his light to come into you by imagining it pouring into your spirit, soul and over your body, you will also be able to imagine that the negative, black fear and darkness is being pushed out of you, and that it dies when it leaves you.  I think, dear young lady, that you were raised in the Pentacostal Church which teaches obedience based on fear.  YOu ahve been brain washed by this terrible organization that only pretends to bring the truth of God to you.  God does not punnish, he is love, healing, peace and life.  When God's light is poured into you, nothing else can compete with it.  You must believe this and erase your dad's false information as well, by imagining that when Jesus' peacefull light comes into you, your dad's false Pentacostal teachings leave your spirit, mind, body and all things that surround you where ever you are.   

I am very angry that anyone can spiritually abuse another person, whether they are from fundamentalist christianity, judaism, islam, new age spirituality or any other faith.  Usually psychics do not share how to do the readings, and one who is interested must work hard to read and discover how it is done, and then make a personal committment NOT to abuse those who seek their help.  I think it is wrong for anyone to teach another, weaker or younger person that they are cursed and can not get away from the curse. 

To the young man who believes he is cursed because he has bad days and his tires blow out all the time, I offer this advice:  When ever a "curse" event takes place, speak to it loudly and say:  Curse, you are not as strong as I am, and you are not as strong as God is.  So I am going to meet you and challenge you, and I will win!!!!!  If the tire is cursed, I will take it off and make a better tire!  If the job ends, I won't count it as a curse, I will look for the blessing of a better job.  I want this young man to stop FOCUSING on curses and look for BLESSINGS INSTEAD.  Young man, you need to say to yourself, "why did the tire blow?  perhaps because I was about to get in a terrible accident and my guardian angel prevented it!"  See?  the curse is not a curse any longer, it is now an act of love from God who was protecting you, and from what?   You won't ever know, because that bad event was prevented before you could know what it was!  But you must be PROACTIVE in taking charge of your supposed cursed state, and tell that cursed state to "be gone" in the name of God, Jesus and so forth.  I can not comment on the other guests because I tuned in late. 

I JUST THOUGHT EVERYONE IN AMERICA SHOULD KNOW THAT CURSES ARE BIG, BIG BUSINESS IN THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT, AND IF YOU BUY INTO A BELIEF THAT YOU ARE CURSED, SOMEONE OUT THERE, SOMEWHERE IS WAITING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU FINANCIALLY, OR POWER OVER YOU, AND GET YOU TO OBEY THEIR ORDERS.  THE CURSE IS NOT REAL, BUT YOUR BELIEF IN IT BECOMES A TOOL ANOTHER PERSON CAN USE AGAINST YOU FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL GAIN.  SO BEWARE OF BELIEF IN CURSES.  WITH JESUS AND GOD IN THE WORLD, CURSES ARE WIPED OUT.  No more need to fear them. 

Are evil in the world?  Sure.  We have brain chemistry that makes us feel like evil lurks, and this is called anxiety, depression, and other psychological problems that can be diagnosed.  The only genuine form of evil is YOU CHOOSING TO DO SOMETHING BAD, IMMORAL, EVIL.  And you may give in to whatever force is coaxing you to follow it, whether you believe it is Lucifer, demons, your own desires or following the crowd.  Label it what you like but you, YOU  have the power to overcome curses.  Until American People realize this, they will continue to pay New Age workers to "remove" curses at an exhorbitant amount of money.   

I warn people to look out for psychics as well.  Not all of them are bad people, but people who just want to help others in a generic spiritual mode.  But there are plenty who will read one palm for $5.00 and then predict a horrible omen on the other hand, and they will not tell you what it says unless you cought up $75.00.   There are also psychics who claim they can "channel" for alot more money than it is worth, for example above $75.00, and decent, trusting people with problems pay them.  These people do not know more than Dr. Phil, or another psychologist, and perhaps much less.  They do not deserve professional wages because they are not trained medically.   

I don't think it is wrong to consult with a psychic if the fee is reasonable (less than $30.00, i.e. the price of dinner out, as it would be gone anyway), and the reason is friendship, basic human advice of common problems, being afraid in the night time and needing another human being to "be there", or for entertainment purposes, such as having one for a party.  There are reasons to mystify your friends or feel mysterious or spiritual, but being taken advantage of or trained that you are UNDER A CURSE is not one of them, whether the person training you in this belief system is a christian minister, jewish rabbi, or new age healer/psychic.   

I am telling all of you this to inform you.  Everyone needs to go check out some books on psychic methods, Tarot cards, and so forth and read up on how it is done.  You will find one common thread in all the books you read:  MEMORIZE THE MEANINGS OF THE CARDS (or other tool).  And that, my friends is a SKILL anyone can learn, not a spiritual gift.  The spiritual gift of being a friend, a genuine friend and caring for others is the real gift.  The girl whose father trained her to believe she was in need of exorcise was not her friend, he terrorized her, but did not love her.  And more than likely HE HIMSELF WAS TRAINED TO FEAR SUCH THINGS.  What baffles me is that the Pentacostal church is supposed to teach about JESUS, and Jesus is supposed to be more powerful than all other forces...so if Jesus is real, and he lived at the homeof this father, one would imagine that demons could not get in to that home to begin with....so see?  This dad's theology is flawed.  He had the maximum number of demons living in the place where Jesus was supposed to be the most often....this does not make any sense at all - that were Jesus is the demons gather and injur those that love Jesus (unless Jesus is powerless, or a demon himself, which he is most certainly not). 

I just thought Americans should know this, and that they are being scammed by the IDEA OF CURSES, which are not real, but are tools used to frighten people into compliance.  Teaching people that there are curses is a form of very bad, spiritually abusive BRAIN WASHING, and any christian or other religious person who does this to another should be ASHAIMED OF THEMSELVES!