The Religion of Spiritualism can be no greater than those who are in it, and represent it. This is a very profound statement because it really gets down to the core of the beliefs and practices of individual Spiritualists. For the Spiritualists who have educated themselves in the Science, Philosophy and Religion of Spiritualism is a person who knows how to live their life. Spiritualism gives them the tools to deal with everything that comes their way from problem solving in general to solving problems at work and with family and friends. Spiritualists are happy, on the most part, and they enjoy life; with a song in there heart that is uplifting to them and all who know them. They know that when they make their transition, the life continues on and that they are going to a beautiful and happy place. For a person to know that physical death is a new beginning is something that gives them peace of mind and makes everything in their life worthwhile.
For those in Spiritualism who have not taken the time to study and learn anything about its Science, Philosophy and Religion are people who have very little idea of what it truly represents, and they fall short of knowing just what Spiritualism can do for them. Far too often, these people attend church only for the message that the churches medium(s) may give them. People in general, it seems, only exist in a world that demands their attention, and robs them of the knowledge of how to live life to its fullest.
The question might be asked, why attend a Spiritualist church, or any church for that matter? Attending a Spiritualist church is a good choice for the fact that its ministers don’t preach to their members like many of the ministers of denominational churches do. Many denominational church ministers have for centuries instilled fear in the hearts of their members. Fear that they must abide by the teachings of the church or suffer the consequences of being judged by a hostile God. The fear of judgment has had divesting results on the psychic of people. They don’t want to be told that they will be judged, or how to live in this world; they want to be told that they are OK, and that they are doing well in this life. Spiritualist churches do that and a lot more. But not all Spiritualists remember their teachings.
Far too many people who claim to be Spiritualists don’t have a clue as to what Spiritualism is all about and really believe that the churches’ mediums are their, just for them. Even Spiritualist ministers are guilty of practicing their religion with little knowledge of how they affect the psychic of church members. The minister/medium is one who is supposed to have studied Spiritualism and is truly practicing its principles. But far too often this is just not so.
It is a shame that so many Spiritualist ministers have forgotten the basic principles taught by the church. It seems that they have become so involved in their mediumship, and the money they make from it, that they have forgotten what Spiritualism is really all about. They forget that Spiritualism teaches one to love thy neighbor as thyself and to do unto others as they would have them do unto them. The Golden Rule seems to have been forgotten with the years. A minister must have respect for their congregants and their support for the churches well being.
I have seen far too many Spiritualist ministers/mediums that have such a great prejudice towards developing mediums that they look down their noses at their attempts to learn and develop. Why? Didn’t it take years for a developed medium and minister to get where they are now? Didn’t it take years for them to be respected as a gifted medium? Then why are they doing what they are doing to developing mediums? These are questions that I would really like to know the answers to. There may be a right way and a wrong way to develop mediumship according to some Spiritualist, but if a developing medium needs a crutch such as special cards to help them develop, why not? After a while the cards are discarded as they learn that true mediumship is communication between the medium and spirit only. I have seen this for myself. I know it happens. So you may ask, why have I included these remarks about older mediums? Older mediums represent Spiritualism and its teachings and if they cannot abide by those teachings, they are not serving Spiritualism as it should be served. It takes internal fortitude and patience to learn all that Spiritualism has to offer people, and if the older Spiritualists do not remember what it took for them to get where they are, maybe spirit should remind them in a more profound way with gentle persuasion. I think that some of them have given Spiritualism a bad name, especially to those of us who are learning and developing.
Spiritualism is the only church that teaches that it is a science and a religion. What does that mean? It means that a Spiritualist investigates, analyzes and classifies facts and manifestations demonstrated from the spirit side of life. The science of Spiritualism contained in the demonstrated facts of Mediumship and Healing, and the study of such phenomena. People of the scientific community have long established these facts and demonstrations in past years. In the late 1800s there were many renowned scientists who studied spiritual phenomena demonstrated by some of the most gifted mediums of their time. The scientists braved the sarcasm of their peers and the potential loss of their careers and reputations to study (research) the phenomena that other scientists could not bring themselves to study. These scientists found that the mediums they worked with were able to perform repeatedly the phenomena of Spiritualism thus fulfilling the scientific requirement for repeatability that is required in order for science to accept research as fact.
Spiritualism is a philosophy because it studies the Laws of Nature both on the seen and unseen side of life and bases its conclusions upon present observed facts. It accepts statements of observed facts of past ages and conclusions drawn there from, when sustained by reason and by results of observed facts of the present day.
Through out the ages, we find philosophers who have made studies of human nature, human conduct and the laws that govern them. Ages ago, these philosophers had formed various theories for the harmonization of life, which we later find still prevalent in the teachings of the worlds great religions. A philosopher always starts with a theory and tests it, makes a study of it, and writes a record of the results, which have been obtained. It is in these records that we find many of the facts that harmonized with the teachings of Spiritualism. All spiritualist are recommended to make a study of these philosophers from the past and the present because of their existing harmony with the natural laws, and because many of their teachings are found in our own religious beliefs (Rev. Sharon L. Snowman, NST). Spiritualists have been writing about the philosophy of Spiritualism for years and have not been able to provide all the information that it represents. Even like the Spiritualists investigators of old, the modern day Spiritualists, (like the Rev. Sharon L. Snowman), a Spiritualist who has studied and written numerous books and pamphlets for the National Association of Churches on Spiritualism has not even scratched the surface in her writings of the philosophy of Spiritualism. It takes years to study a philosophy in order to be able to understand it and tell others about it. Especially for Spiritualists, who want to know.
Spiritualists are people who want to know that when they make a statement, that it is correct and backed up by observable facts and that they are scientifically proven by educated people.
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I have followed the writings of Richard Rowley regarding our Spiritual experiences. He recently posted an article to address the need to avoid conflict. People read what their biases allowed them to see. I am listing the first part of his article here.
Ken.Dennis
The Greater.Spiritualism
by Richard Rowley
The work of mediums, psychical researchers, transpersonal psychologists and spiritual healers takes place in all communities, amongst all beliefs and cultures, the same for all human beings, with local variations and practices, and different attitudes and levels of receptivity or rejection toward it. This is why Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not want to see a separate religion arise out of the Spiritualist movement, since in the first place it would become a very small minority religion, and secondly because the skill of second sight could not be taught, only developed over time. There was a danger that a bureaucratic administration would replace live mediumship, and a hierarchy of non-mediumistic priests would replace the mediums, as in other religions.
Somehow each religion and each science needs to recognize and accept and encourage activities beyond the material, beyond ritualistic and mechanistic thinking, looking beyond appearances into the true cause and nature of things. The common feature of all existence is not found in a belief in a mythical prophet or entity, nor in the microscopic or macroscopic universe, but in the realization that we are each and every one a spirit living in a material body and physical form.
Whatever religion each material person believes in and practices, or does not practice, that person has an eternal spirit as the source of being. How can we convince others of this, and of the spiritual truth about the purpose in life? It is quite evident from our investigations that this material life is not all there is, that we take all we learn here with us when we die, and our personalities survive, too.
There is so much opposition to individual development and spiritual realization, from the religions themselves, particularly from the priests who will not allow mediumship to be practiced nor permit deviation from the set creeds, rituals and doctrines. They do not seem to want people to think for themselves. Bible classes must adhere to standard interpretations, and so in each religion and their scriptures, particularly in the fundamentalist branches, which are growing so fast worldwide, there is little discussion of what lies beyond death. Funerals and burials terminate our existence, they say, and it is up to the Creator, and our former conduct, as to what kind of future will be judged best for us.
We can have our different ways of worshipping and celebrating life, but it is dangerous nowadays to separate ourselves into different faiths, hoping that our faith is the right one, which will dominate and overcome all others.
Whatever happens in politics and religion, and in some countries, mainland China and North Korea, for example, religion is kept a careful watch over – whether we are religious-minded, agnostics or atheists – whatever happens, we will die when our time is up, yet continue to exist in a time and place beyond the jurisdiction of any religious authority. Our former ties to an earthbound religion will eventually vanish. Just think that life has been evolving on our planet for billions of years, and yet our present religions have been with us only for two or three thousand years, if that, themselves evolving out of more primitive and barbarous practices of worshipping. So our religions are only local, short-lived affairs. How can they comprise and make sense of the vastness of the physical universe, let alone the infinity of the spiritual worlds and realities beyond?
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