...I don't get the idea of how playing cards/trading cards are inherently "evil". Games such as Magic: The Gathering may have references to occultism and magic, but in a fictional universe. At the end of the day, they are just images on a piece of cardboard; nothing more. The same goes with a standard deck of 52 cards; they are just numbers and faces on cardboard. So what is wrong with playing/trading cards?
A:
Playing cards have a long history that goes all the way back to the Medieval times in Europe or Asia. Many tie the origin of playing cards with the origin of tarot cards, which are used in fortunetelling. The history and mythology behind playing cards is littered with references of church shame and lewdness. Some sources will claim that the symbols (ie. jack, queen, king, joker) are demeaning representations of spiritual and historical figures, with Jesus being the joker (there is no definitive source for sure). Also, just as we understand the use of cards today, through time they have always been associated with gambling and frivolity; often that meant that they pulled people away from a life of devotion and commitment to their faith. (For more info, read Mat 6:24, 1Tim 6:9-10). In short, there is historical evidence that explains the long-standing Christian stigma against cards.
But just because playing cards have questionable pagan roots and some people abuse them, does that mean we treat them as altogether evil? More practically, should we avoid them? Here, I want to be careful about answering. The point is not to add another thing to your “Christians-are-not-allowed” list. I don’t want to answer the question of, “Is it a sin to play cards?” because ultimately it’s not that black & white. And as sinners, we often try to oversimplify things so that we can justify our actions.
What are the Biblical principles we need to be mindful of when dealing with these grey areas? 1) Consult your conscience. Ask yourself: when you play cards, do you find yourself desiring God less, or thinking of him more? Is playing cards something that numbs your mind and leads you to laziness/selfishness/pride? It is Biblical that certain actions can weigh on one person’s conscience more than another, and we need to be sensitive to the Spirit in us. 2) We need to ask if this bothers the conscience of others.
Romans 14:21 says, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.” As church history has shown, playing cards has indeed pulled some away from the faith. The same stigma is true today in some Christians today, or else you wouldn’t have asked this question in the first place. Put others’ consciences before your desire for fun, and act out of love, no matter what you do.
Lastly, I just want to end on this. It’s healthy to ask questions about why we do things as Christians; or why we don’t do things. Mindlessly following rules is no good for anyone. However, part of the heart behind this question might have been, “I’m just an innocent card player. I’m not the type that would ever become a gambling addict.” Let me warn you, that attitude of self-justification is exactly the sort of pride that causes Christians to fall. If after following Biblical principles 1) and 2), you decide to play cards, at least heed the grave warning from church history that Christians have fallen in their faith through playing cards, which has led them to a lust for fun and desire for money. To think you are “better” is the self-righteous folly that will ultimately ruin a Christian. As Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”
