Isn't casting lots equivalent to using oracles or tarot cards and a ques about the succession of apostles

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Isn’t casting lots pretty much the same thing as lets say tossing some dice or pulling a tarot card? If so, why was it ok for the apostles to do this like when they replaced Judas with Matthias in Acts ch 1, and not for us to do?
Also, when and why did we stop replacing the 12 apostles. Was there a specific reason. The mormon church has their own 12 apostles why shouldn’t Christ’s true church still have 12 apostles?
 
Its the same as rolling dice - random chance - God never condemn it in the old testament.
 
Casting lots was a Jewish custom to discern the will of God. Matthias was chosen before Pentecost. In the NT, there is no instance of Christians casting lots after Pentecost. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, no such method is needed anymore.
 
Cruc3S1gnatus said:
Isn’t casting lots pretty much the same thing as lets say tossing some dice
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That depends on the context. If you’re in a casino, yes.

But, in a religious context, its more like praying for a sign to know God’s will. Like:

Judges 6:37 I will put a sheepskin on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the sheepskin, while all the ground is dry, I will know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said.”
or pulling a tarot card?
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I believe tarot cards are based on black magic which is calling on evil spirits. So, they are forbidden.
If so, why was it ok for the apostles to do this like when they replaced Judas with Matthias in Acts ch 1, and not for us to do?
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It was a request for a sign of God’s will.
Also, when and why did we stop replacing the 12 apostles.
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Never.

1461 Since Christ entrusted to his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, bishops who are their successors, and priests, the bishops’ collaborators, continue to exercise this ministry. Indeed bishops and priests, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, have the power to forgive all sins “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Was there a specific reason.
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Not sure how to explain. The Apostles appointed their successors wherever they went. And those people appointed Apostles wherever they went. The goal was to evangelize the world.
The mormon church has their own 12 apostles why shouldn’t Christ’s true church still have 12 apostles?
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Why should they? Is there some rule that there must always be 12 Apostles and only 12 Apostles?
 
In acts 1:23-25 they pray to the Lord to show them which of the two was succeed Judas and each had to pick a lot, which showed which The Lord had chosen. Their prayer to Him, who am I to question, unless of course one believes their prayer went unanswered.

As regards succession for example Francis is the apostolic see of Peter, the apostolic see of St Andrew in Constantinople is Patriarch Bartholomew. The surviving apostolic sees are Rome, Antioch, Constantinople, and Alexandria if I remember correctly. There could be more but off the top of my head I forget. St Thomas And Bartholomew went to India forget what happened to them. Other apostles were martyred fairly early.

Peace and God Bless
Nicene
 
De_Maria said:
Why should they? Is there some rule that there must always be 12 Apostles and only 12 Apostles?
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No just wondering. They seemed to replace Judas but not add to (make 13 apostles) or leave it at 11. Thought maybe there was some type of significance to it. Like the number 12 elsewhere in the bible is pretty prevelant. Thinking about it I remebered how mormons claim to have their own set of 12 apostles…
 
ahs said:
Yes.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) Cruc3S1gnatus:
or pulling a tarot card?
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I would say if you randomly pull a tarot card as a sign of a yes or no. (Not summoning demons or praticing any black magic or rituals) sounded to me like casting lots… not condoning anything just honestly asking
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I quite liked Pope Benedict’s writing on this topic in his first Jesus of Nazareth book where he references Saul’s impatient wilfulness to tear aside the veil of the future and his resorting to sorcery at Endor rather than trusting God.

It seems to me that there’s a clear difference between asking God for a sign in the form of lots or a coin toss and putting your trust in supernatural entities other than God.
 
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Drawing straws, tossing a coin, rolling a die, random chance is not at all the same thing as sorcery.
 
You could try but I can pretty well guarantee God will not respond to the roll of a dice.
 
What would you do, pick six different prayers and ask God which one He wants you to pray based on the dice?
 
TheLittleLady said:
Drawing straws, tossing a coin, rolling a die, random chance is not at all the same thing as sorcery.
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I am not sure where you are getting sorcery from… I asked about pulling a tarot card. That sounds like chance to me That is pulling 1 card randomly from a deck of 78 cards. I didn’t say summon demons then pull a random card… or sacrafice a cat and then pull a card. Would it make more sense to you if I used the term regular playing cards? To me it sounds a lot like casting lots…🤷‍♀️
 
St Thomas Aquinas discusses casting lots in his Summa Theologiae, here.

He seems to have concluded that it is never lawful to cast lots for the purpose of divination (to learn what is going to happen) but that it is lawful to cast lots for the purposes of allotment (what is to be given to whom) and consultation (what ought to be done) provided certain conditions are met: “If, however, there be urgent necessity it is lawful to seek the divine judgment by casting lots, provided due reverence be observed.”
 
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