Kate Orson reflects on the remarkable story of TikTok’s biggest tarot reader, who shocked millions by deleting her content and declaring her faith in Jesus. She explores why such dramatic conversions provoke such strong reactions, and what they can reveal about the power of the gospel.
Over the last week, the internet has exploded with an exciting story: a TikTok tarot reader with nearly a million followers deleted all her videos and announced she is now following Jesus. Alex Reads Tarot changed her channel name to Alex In The Ordinary.
Her video was viewed 58 million times, and beneath it were thousands of comments from disappointed followers (and many elated Christians too). Some fans respect her journey and change of heart, while many others are appalled that she’s become “religious”. Dozens of videos have been made by other New Agers, offering their own reflections on why Alex has made the change.
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Following the intense backlash, the video has now been deleted, and Alex created a new profile on Instagram to share her thoughts on God and Scripture: “Alex belongs to Christ.”
What struck me about the comments is how so many people just don’t understand and are scrambling to find an explanation for how someone could undergo such a radical transformation. Maybe it’s a man who influenced her, some people mused. Maybe she is “rebranding”, or joining the “new age to Jesus pipeline” in order to profit from a new audience.
When I left the New Age, I wasn’t a huge influencer like Alex, but I did have a small audience of people who liked me and my online content.
When I left the New Age, I wasn’t a huge influencer like Alex, but I did have a small audience of people who liked me and my online content. I watched that audience wither away. A few stayed, and they’re the ones who are interested in hearing about Jesus, or at least aren’t offended by him. Alex Reads Tarot was reported to have been making $1 million per year from her readings and online business. The idea that she’d try to make money from Christians instead seems laughable.
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In the Bible, Jesus warns us that we won’t be popular for following him, telling us: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11–12).
The other thing that’s interesting is how many of her followers perceived that something was “off” about Alex.
The other thing that’s interesting is how many of her followers perceived that something was “off” about Alex. They think her energy is weird; they find her very strange. Some commented that they unfollowed her months ago because they sensed “negative” energy. It makes me think of oil and water: the two can’t mix, and so those embroiled in the darkness of the New Age just can’t bear to be around the light. On the one hand, the negative comments feel disheartening. It reminds me how pre-programmed many people in the New Age are to reject “religion” and perceive it negatively.
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Nevertheless, there is hope. I was one of those who thought Jesus was a joke and that the Bible was boring. I was one of those embroiled in the false light that is actually darkness. Yet eventually I became so curious about the truth that I couldn’t deny it anymore.
With an audience as large as Alex’s, many people are going to come to faith through her story. When I first started getting curious about Jesus, a friend mentioned the name Doreen Virtue to me. Doreen Virtue was the world’s No. 1 bestselling New Age author before becoming a Christian. I was so curious about why such a big name would leave the New Age behind. I found her testimony, and it was one of the seeds that led me to believe in God. It has done the same for many others.
With Alex’s story in the spotlight, there will be those who start to wonder what the truth is. Now is a crucial time to pray for Alex and her followers.
In a new video, Alex acknowledged the comments she’s received while also standing strong in her new convictions. Will Alex continue to make videos and help others cross the bridge from “New Age to Jesus”? It’s an exciting time to watch the harvest being gathered as more and more people realise that Jesus is the truth.
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