Well now you know one Spiritualist at least and that's me..... :hug3:

Spiritualism's approach is that there isn't any evidence that it occurs but neither is there any guidance to say it doesn't. My personal stance is that the deeper aspects of survival et al tell me that the option of choosing more than one incarnation makes sense. I'm deliberately avoiding saying "reincarnation" because of the baggage that word carries with it.

Spiritualism doesn't have the equivalent of Spiritism's influencer Kardec but Silver Birch's teachings reached many Spiritualists via his deep-trance medium, Maurice Barbanell and the weekly newspaper Barbanell published, Psychic News. I can't tell you what he said verbatim but SB replied to a question about reincarnation by saying among his peers were some who declared they had never met anyone who had reincarnated yet he himself had no doubts it happened.

Perhaps the major difference between those "isms" is that of reincarnation but that's of minor consequence to me.

Thank you for your kind words - I'm usually around somewhere. I feel privileged to have helped you a little. :redface: :hug3:

Were you a Spiritualist or a Spiritist BJ I might take notice but all that history is largely irrelevant. :hug3: :wink:

You're a bookworm, BJ.

That might be one of the problems Spiritualists have...... they generally know very little about their history let alone realize how it has changed their 'beliefs'.

Originally, Spiritualists did not believe in reincarnation. During the last 1 and 1/2 centuries, beliefs have changed and in many cases, most people do not even realize that.

I find the area where modern day Spiritualism began to have been a volatile area where many other religions emerged from. Some of them have similarities with Modern day Spiritualism and vice versa.

It seems like most Spiritualists shy away from the history part of Spiritualism because of the Fox sisters but I personally believe they should be looked at. Much can be gleaned from studying the past.

BJ you're just trying to wind me up now. :D

I'll buy you a Bud in town next winter and teach you about Spiritualism then, eh? :hug2:

Like I said, when you know about this stuff I'll maybe listen.... :D In the meantime I'll stick with what I know about.

QUOTE 77 EXCERPT:


Since I don't know anything about Spiritualism (but have attended Spiritist meetings), I will take your word (unless proven otherwise) that perhaps the most significant difference between the two is that of reincarnation and that is also of minor consequence to me as well.

No need to take my word. Even those I've seen presenting the Spiritist position have shown little of importance - if anything - that I see as separating our 'isms'.

Survival and communication via mediumship are fundamental to both, reincarnation is fundamental to one but not discounted by the other. Churches and organisation of them is likely to be different but then it's different from one town to another here in the UK but the fundamentals never vary. ONLY Christian Spiritualism - as far as I'm seeing - is significantly different from plain, vanilla Spiritualism. I don't know if there's a 'Christian Spiritism'.