Fringe Files Column 

This article was published exclusively online in the Christian Research Journal, Volume 48, number 04 (2025).

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If you walk through a game shop these days, be on guard. Not only will you find the classics like Monopoly, but you may also encounter strategy games that claim to help you win by using the other players’ astrological traits against them. Of course, this kind of game is nothing new. Ouija boards and Magic 8 Balls have long been found in game shops throughout the world, and I remember my parents warning me against games like that when I was growing up because they were unbiblical. In fact, I’d guess that most Christians have been told by someone that they shouldn’t engage in such entertainment.

However, troubling research data from Pew Research Center indicates that 27 percent of Christians consult their horoscopes at least once or twice per year, and 10 percent of Christians consult tarot cards¹ at least once or twice per year.² Knowing this, Christians must recognize their need to be on guard against unbiblical practices such as astrology, but they also must be prepared to have conversations with loved ones who may have fallen prey to these snares of the enemy. This article will navigate the history of psychics as well as common terms one may encounter regarding psychics. It will also address and refute claims that Christians are allowed not only to consult psychics but to practice as psychics themselves.

A Brief History of Psychics

A psychic is someone who claims to see or know things beyond the reach of normal human senses. Psychics are connected with the occult, which is a variety of beliefs that stand outside the scope of conventional science and organized religion. Often linked with mystical or esoteric traditions, the occult involves seeking hidden or forbidden sources of power and knowledge through supernatural means that operate independently of, and contrary to, God’s revealed will in Scripture.³ The occult often includes various forms of supernatural phenomena like astrology, alchemy, and spiritualism. When a psychic gives a reading, they are consulting with another person about that person’s past, present, or future using their own (alleged) supernatural perceptions or tools like tarot cards, crystals, or the person’s energetic fields, often called auras.

Psychics and those who claim to have supernatural powers to see into the future or to help someone understand the past have been around for thousands of years. The ancient Chinese used tea leaves to attempt to discover the future. Ancient Egyptians looked at shapes formed in the water when they dropped ink into it. We also see various mentions of astrologers and mediums in Scripture. For example, hundreds of years before Christ was born, King Nebuchadnezzar hired “magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers” to interpret his dreams (Daniel 2:2 NLT). When they couldn’t, Daniel completed the task as a messenger of God, “who reveals secrets” (v. 28). And the prophet Isaiah sharply condemned Babylon’s astrologers and those who sought wisdom and direction from them (Isaiah 47:13–14).

As time has moved toward modernity, various psychics and astrologers have emerged, including Nostradamus, who predicted, often vaguely and without dates, many impending events of doom like plagues and earthquakes.⁴ In the 1800s, with the growth of spiritualism, more psychics arrived on the scene. For example, Edgar Cayce, known as the “Sleeping Prophet,” claimed to diagnose diseases of people while he was asleep.⁵

Then, the New Age Movement of the 1960s and 1970s led to an increased interest in psychic phenomena. Police departments at that time often had a paranormal expert on-hand to help find perpetrators of crimes. Perhaps the most famous example was Peter Hurkos, who helped detectives with the Charles Manson case. Later, it was determined that he was often inaccurate or had insider tips that helped him reach his conclusions.⁶

The 80s and 90s offered more exposure to psychics and those involved in the paranormal. Late-night TV in the 90s was popular for infomercials and ads for psychics. For example, so-called Jamaican psychic Miss Cleo offered to give the viewer guidance about relationships, work, and more if they called the Psychic Readers Network. It was later discovered that Miss Cleo, whose real name was Youree Dell Harris, was an actress from California who was not from Jamaica and probably had never visited there. If someone called in to Psychic Readers Network, they were likely speaking to an actor who was reading lines.⁷ Daytime television in the 90s was popular for soap operas and talk shows, but psychics were ever-present, too. Soap operas sometimes featured psychic characters, like Celeste on Days of our Lives. Frequent guests on talk shows, especially Montel Williams, included psychic Sylvia Browne and John Edward.⁸ The Psychic Friends Network, a talk show hosted by singer Dionne Warwick, offered viewers the opportunity to call in and speak directly with psychics. In other words, psychics in the 90s were culturally accepted and commonplace in the media.

Although we are well past the 90s, the psychic era continues into the digital age, and estimates are that the psychic industry is more lucrative than ever, valued at $2.3 billion.⁹ Psychic hotlines still exist, but now you can virtually visit with psychics online. There are websites and apps that allow you 24/7 access on your phone. AI also has a role in the psychic world — psychics use AI to help them interpret spiritual messages, and AI also serves as a psychic by providing people with automated astrology charts, numerology reports, and even tarot card readings. In other words, the industry continues to grow and make its mark in each new era.

An Overview of Different Types of Psychics

The word “psychic” is a general term that is derived from the Greek word psychikos, which means “of the mind.” It encompasses a wide range of supernatural powers from clairvoyance, which is the ability to have visions of the future, to telepathy, which is the ability to read someone’s mind. Astrologers, like Chani Nichols¹⁰ who is famous among celebrities, claim to read the stars and tell you information about yourself. Numerologists assign numerical values and symbolic meanings to a person’s name and circumstances to help them understand their life. Finally, mediums act as an intermediary between the spirit world and the physical world. They claim to have a direct line to the dead. Some popular mediums are John Edward, Theresa Caputo, and rising star Tyler Henry Koelewyn, who has given readings to celebrities like La Toya Jackson, the Kardashians, and Tom Arnold.

Can Christians Be Psychics?

Although I was aware that a number of Christians visit psychics each year, before researching for this piece, I was not aware that some Christians claimed to be psychics. Yet, much to my surprise, I stumbled upon a book called, How to Be a Christian Psychic. In it, author Adrian Lee claims to be both a devout Christian and a psychic. He is the founder of the International Paranormal Society who says his psychic ability is a gift from God that he uses to help others. He claims that Scripture has been misused against psychics and offers his readers (faulty) resolutions to these problems. However, for someone who claims to be a historian, he gets a lot of history wrong, which calls into question his entire manuscript supporting psychics.

For example, in the Introduction and Preface, he shares his concerns about the reliability of Scripture, concerns that could be easily assuaged with a little research. One instance is his claim that Scripture contradicts itself. He uses the description of the robe Jesus wore at His crucifixion. He notes that in Matthew, the robe is described as scarlet, while in John it is described as purple.¹¹ This is simple to respond to: Romans and others used the word purple broadly, and it wasn’t uncommon for the words purple, scarlet, crimson, and reddish-purple to be used interchangeably.

Another instance that concerns Lee is that there are what he calls “many worrying inaccuracies in the narrative” he had been taught.¹² To be clear, the example he uses is less of an inaccuracy in the text and more of an inaccuracy of the teaching about the text. He says he learned that the animals of the ark entered in pairs, two-by-two. He was shocked to learn as an adult that it wasn’t accurate; indeed, the Bible says “two of every sort into the ark” (Genesis 6:19) but also a more detailed instruction regarding clean animals, including that they were added to the ark in seven pairs, not two (Genesis 7:2–3). The Bible clearly states the numbers of animals and that some were brought aboard the ship in single pairs while others in seven pairs. Again, this is not an inaccuracy in the Bible — it’s a problem with the way Lee was taught. He tries to use this as a reason to mistrust Bible teachers, but in reality we should be more diligent in confirming what the text says rather than accepting anything we hear from teachers as fact. This is one reason why I frequently tell people to take a Bible with them to church.

For Lee, the nail in the coffin for using Scripture against psychics is so-called cherry-picking. For example, he says Christians use Leviticus 19:31 and 20:6 out of context, noting that if taken as a whole, prohibitions would exist against tattoos, cotton-blends, and rare steak.¹³ He admits that he is also guilty of cherry-picking in that he has “used some passages of the Bible as evidence to make a point or cause some understanding to occur just as any historian would do. The fact remains that these passages are in the Bible for all to see.”¹⁴ Yet he fails to mention those passages. He uses only what works in favor of his arguments, and leaves out the rest. Don’t fall for this sleight of hand.

When Christians use verses like Leviticus 19:31 and 20:6, they aren’t cherry-picking because there are multiple passages throughout the Bible that consistently and explicitly condemn consulting psychics and mediums. These are found in both the Old and New Testaments. In Deuteronomy 18, the Lord warns against anyone who “practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:10–12 NIV). King Saul’s death was a consequence of his unfaithfulness, which included seeking guidance from a medium rather than the Lord (1 Chronicles 1:13–14). Further, in contrast to dietary or ritual laws that the New Testament explicitly declares are fulfilled in Christ and no longer binding (Mark 7:19; Acts 10:15; Heb. 9–10), the apostles relentlessly condemn occult involvement. This is because the reasons behind the prohibition — timeless moral principles rooted in God’s holiness that His people must be faithful to Him and avoid demonic deception — remain unchanged under the New Covenant.¹⁵ So, in Acts, Paul casts a spirit of divination out of a fortune-telling slave girl, showing everyone that the Lord has power over such spirits (Acts 16:16–18; cf. 19:19). Sorcery is listed among the “works of the flesh” that prevent someone from inheriting the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19–21; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:20–21; Revelation 21:8), and Satan is described as an “angel of Light” who deceives (2 Corinthians 11:14; cf. 1 Timothy 4:1). Taken together, Christians aren’t solely relying on passages from Leviticus to support the claim that divination and the use of psychics is unbiblical; rather, various parts of Scripture confirm it.

So, when one evaluates Lee’s book, it’s hard to take his claims about being a Christian psychic seriously when he hasn’t taken the time to verify his claims about Scripture. Other sections of the book, however, indicate he may actually be more entrenched in the New Age than he is in Christianity. He advocates the use of smudging (burning bundles of herbs to cleanse a room) and crystals,¹⁶ and he also believes in reincarnation, going so far to say that Jesus Himself also believed in reincarnation.¹⁷ This is contrary to what we find in Scripture, though, which says “people are destined to die once” (Hebrews 9:27).¹⁸ There are no biblical passages that endorse these practices or beliefs as Christian, nor are there any passages that support Christians being psychics.

What to Say to Loved Ones Who Visit Psychics

Several things can be said to those who might consult a psychic for help. First, anyone who visits psychics should be careful because deception abounds in this field. This argument can be helpful even if your friend or family member isn’t a Christian. Although psychics may claim to hold the truth, things may not be what they seem. In cold readings, a psychic may ask a large group of people a general question like if they had a family member who died in a terrible car accident. The odds are good that there is someone in the audience who has. In hot readings, the psychic has access to key information like names and other public details before they begin the consultation. For both scenarios, the so-called psychic is not divining any material — they are reading the person or other available evidence about that person. In other words, just because a psychic gets something right does not mean they are credible.

For your Christian friends and family, remind them what Scripture says regarding testing the spirits. The Bible tells us quite clearly, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God” (1 John 4:1–3 ESV). Further, we need to be obedient to the Word of God. It says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). Persons seeking to gain knowledge by occult means, as in the case of psychics, are especially vulnerable to this kind of deception — thinking they are listening to the Lord when in reality they have fallen for a trap of the enemy. We must consider the true source of information, especially in light of the fact that the Bible clearly states that divination and sorcery are wrong. Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance. Test the spirits. Be prepared to stand firm on truth, which is the Word of God.

Lindsey Medenwaldt is an assistant professor of business and economics at Northwestern College and the author of Bridge-Building Apologetics (Harvest House, 2024). She holds a master’s in apologetics and ethics from Denver Seminary, a JD from St. Mary’s School of Law, and a master’s in public administration from Midwestern State University.

NOTES

1. For more about tarot cards, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Divination and Contemplation — Tarot’s Impact on Culture and Christianity,” Christian Research Journal 45, no. 2/3 (2022), updated July 7, 2025, https://www.equip.org/articles/divination-and-contemplation-tarots-impact-on-culture-and-christianity/.
2. Chip Rotolo, “30% of Americans Consult Astrology, Tarot Cards or Fortune Tellers,” Pew Research Center, May 21, 2025, https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/05/21/3-in-10-americans-consult-astrology-tarot-cards-or-fortune-tellers/.
3. “The Occult: What Is the Difference Between the Words ‘Cult’ and ‘Occult’?,” Christian Research Institute, May 17, 2009, https://www.equip.org/perspectives/the-occult-what-is-the-difference-between-the-words-cult-and-occult/.
4. For more about Nostradamus’s prophecies, see Steve Bright, “Nostradamus: A Challenge to Biblical Prophecy?,” Christian Research Journal 25, no. 2 (2002), https://www.equip.org/articles/nostradamus/.
5. For more about Edgar Cayce, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Edgar Cayce: The Would-Be Sleeping Prophet,” Christian Research Journal 46, no. 4 (2023), updated July 1, 2025, https://www.equip.org/articles/edgar-cayce-the-would-be-sleeping-prophet/.
6. With regard to his role in the Manson case, see Vincent Bugliosi, Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders (Bantam, 1975), 75–76.
7. Jake Rossen, “Good Fortune: The Story of Miss Cleo’s $1 Billion Psychic Empire,” Mental Floss, February 14, 2019, https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/570867/miss-cleo-psychic-empire. See also Nardine Saad, “What We Learned from ‘Call Me Miss Cleo’ Documentary About the Infamous ’90s TV Psychic,” Los Angeles Times, December 16, 2022, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-12-16/call-me-miss-cleo-documentary-takeaways.
8. For more about Sylvia Browne and John Edward, see Marcia Montenegro, “I See Dead People: A Look at After-Death Communication,” Christian Research Journal 25, no. 1 (2002), https://www.equip.org/articles/i-see-dead-people/.
9. David Crary, “How Many Americans Believe in Astrology and Rely on Fortunetelling? A New Survey Has Answers,” The Associated Press, May 21, 2025, https://apnews.com/article/astrology-tarot-fortune-telling-psychics-41a815371e107ddef503910eaa9d8378. See also Valerie Le, “Psychic Services in the US — Market Research Report (2015–2030),” IBIS World, updated July 2025, https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/psychic-services/4413/.
10. For more about Chani Nichols, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Controversial Guru Teal Swan and Astrologer Chani Nicholas Bring New Age Teachings to the Social Media Generation​,” Christian Research Journal, updated August 4, 2025, http://equip.org/articles/controversial-guru-teal-swan-and-astrologer-chani-nicholas-bring-new-age-teachings/.
11. Adrian Lee, How to Be a Christian Psychic: What the Bible Says About Mediums, Healers and Paranormal Investigators, 2n ed. (Wisdom Editions, 2022), 12.
12. Lee, How to Be a Christian Psychic, 37.
13. Lee, How to Be a Christian Psychic, 10.
14. Lee, How to Be a Christian Psychic, 9.
15. See Hank Hanegraaff, “President Bartlet’s Fallacious Diatribe,” Christian Research Journal 23, no. 3 (2001), https://www.equip.org/articles/president-bartlets-fallacious-diatribe/. See also Lorne Zelyck, “Under the Needle: An Ethical Evaluation of Tattoos and Body Piercings,” Christian Research Journal 28, no. 6 (2005), https://www.equip.org/articles/under-the-needle/.
16. For more about crystals, see Lindsey Medenwaldt, “Crystals: Vibrations, Energy, and Healing Power?” Christian Research Journal 48, no. 3 (2025), updated August 4, 2025, https://www.equip.org/articles/crystals-vibrations-energy-and-healing-power/.
17. Lee, How to Be a Christian Psychic, 55–56.
18. See Hank Hanegraaff, “Can Reincarnation and Resurrection be Reconciled?,” Christian Research Institute, updated May 8, 2024, https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/can-reincarnation-and-resurrection-be-reconciled/; Gregory Rogers, “Does John 3:3 Support Reincarnation,” Christian Research Journal 30, no. 4 (2007), https://www.equip.org/articles/does-john-3-3-support-reincarnation/; Douglas Groothuis, “The Reincarnation of Reincarnation,” Christian Research Journal 43, no. 1 (2020), https://www.equip.org/articles/the-reincarnation-of-reincarnation/; and Douglas Groothuis, “Logical and Biblical Defeaters of Reincarnation and Karma,” Christian Research Journal 39, no. 5 (2016), https://www.equip.org/articles/logical-biblical-defeaters-reincarnation-karma/.