Fraud in Spiritualism

I am attracted to Spiritualism (have been for some time), but I have reservations due to its history of fraud, especially in its beginnings of table rappings and "spirit photography" (ie double exposures and old fashioned camera tricks). How prevalent is fraud in modern Spiritualism? Are there measures in place to prevent it?

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Hi Nova and welcome to the forum :)

imo there has been a lot of 'cold readers' about ie look at a persons appearance and make assumptions, for a number of years, it's these people that give genuine readers a bad name. Too many people are taken in by the whole orbs in photography phenomena and don't actually realise a lot of the time it's dust particles. On saying that, I don't believe ALL orbs are dust. Difficult one :)

[Native spirit]

Hey Nova welcome to Spiritual Forums i would agree with jules on the orbs. but where there is a positive comment about a medium there will also be a negative comment too. mediums are people just like evryone else. none of us are perfect but i like some mediums and dislike others .but that doesnt make them a fraud. you will get cold readers as you will get excellent ones.its a difficult one to answer all you can do is to be true to yourself.

Namaste

[Teal]

I would also like to put in my two cents here:) I have seen many orbs. All sorts of colors. I have seen them dancing with each other. It is rather spell binding It is rather pretty to see with the eye. In certain places I have captured orbs on film.

I believe many have captured and see them with there own eyes. As well as other spiritual things. The thing to remember is anything that once lived and breathed life will eventually leave an imprint behind or they will visit there birth place here on earth.

[knightofalbion]

There was a good deal of fraud surrounding Spiritualism in the early Victorian days, but things have moved on from there.

Whilst there are gifted spiritualists and not so gifted spiritualists, the message of Spiritualism is not about individuals.

The vast numbers of NDEs for example have borne out the Spiritualist message of love and unity, universal law and the survival of the spirit.

There are many religions, and who is to say which, if any, is better? If it makes 'you' a better person and you are comfortable with its teachings, then its right or you, for 'today' at least.

[Belle]

It's always good (in my opinion) to approach spiritualism with your brain engaged and your heart and mind open. There's a richness of beauty, knowledge and wisdom - and wealth of healing energy waiting to be engaged with but yes, approach with caution and a lightness of spirit.

If you do feel you are manipulated or have been de-frauded or such - then just smile and move on and leave it with the universe to be the judge and jury. And those that do manipulate / distort - well some do with the best intention so be compassionate towards those that do.

[passnthru2]

I have done table tapping.. I seen one guy with just his one finger tip in a fold up card table raise it up on one leg and rotate it both directions.. he had his finger tip pointing down just tip in contact he told the spirit goodbye and the table dropped to the floor.

a lot of what we do is to help earth bound spirits [E****] complete their journey to the light.

I knew Nothing about this till I was watching TV an they showed a new photo of Travon Martin laying in the grass.. it was a flash photo so it was just a circle in the dark.. t got the feeling he had been tortured, like Z had fed off his fear before he killed him. I thought .."that is what causes spirits to become earth bound" then I heard a voice like a bell that said, "you must learn how to help them find the light.". this was the same voice I heard when I suffocated from a CO2 leak from a gas heater in the 70's... I woke up nauseous, not breathing and paralyzed, I thought, well they say you always wake up 4 minutes before you die, in 3 I wont have another worry in this life.. then was blasted into the tunnel at fantastic speed, I was really enjoying it.. then a voice said "no, not yet" and I was slammed back into my body. I could only move my neck and I tilted my head back and felt a draft from a cold single pane window.. it took every ounce of energy I had to take that first breath to start breathing again. .. so I figured I better do as told.

I started reading books on physical mediumship because I am really good dowser, and I cant see I could ever do the stuff you see them on TV. as I got into it I feel I was led to find my way into this.. during my research, I was a research biologist most of my life, I would see a very clear image in my mind on how to develop my process. I was thinking I couldn't do this for people in my house.. i'd have to find a place, then a week later 3 'City' trees fell across my fence from the water shed tree strip and one destroyed my old shed.. the insurance will pay about $7500 for the damage. i'm going to build an artsy 10 x 10 Spitiritorium behind my carport. in my mind I saw a diagram [schematic] on how to turn it into a big Faraday cage. it will be an EMP radio/microwave free environment. I researched that and found out that the NSA/CIA remote viewers use a faraday cage. this is a fascinating journey. at work last Friday I got an image how to build of a kind of table and how to use it.

I thought the freeing ED's descriptions in the book were a bit fanciful ,

Spirit Rescue: A Dowser's Ghostly Encounters Paperback – March 13, 2006
by Tick Gaudreau

but then I had a Lucid dream about a Native American man and wife who died in an accident in a bitter dark winter scene.. It was very disturbing, I have prophetic dreams about natural disasters.. I didn't think it had anything to do with anything and forgot about it.. 2 days later at work I flashed on it again and realized they became EB's and I was supposed to help them.. I closed my eyes and envisioned the place again, asked my guides if I could help them, got an OK so I created a thought form of a large Hogan with a wide door and white light streaming out to the couple, I was high above looking down and saw them running as fast as they could holding hands into the light from the Hogan where there was a large group holding their arms out to them. my heart chakra opened and my eyes flooded with tears.. I had to run to the restroom and sit in a stall till my heart chakra mellowed out. I still get big tears when I think of them.

this is a very interesting journey...

Originally Posted by Nova

I am attracted to Spiritualism (have been for some time), but I have reservations due to its history of fraud, especially in its beginnings of table rappings and "spirit photography" (ie double exposures and old fashioned camera tricks). How prevalent is fraud in modern Spiritualism? Are there measures in place to prevent it?

The skeptic Jon Donnis lent me a book called The Psychic Mafia, he showed me ectoplasm turned out to be cheesecloth. Spiritualism has been rife with fraud, it's enough to put people off. I believe the skeptics have been right and I joined them. Like Mcdonalds I'm loovin it.

Wherever there's a buck to be made then someone will try and make it.
Spiritualism has always had its Flim Flam artists and bunko bogus mediums.
Always will.
For every shyster though there is a thousand genuine Spiritualists or more.
Best way is to find a Spiritualist Church where you can feel comfortable and will be welcomed.
Keep your mind and your eyes open and take it from there.
Not so easy to find a Spiritualist Church in most of the USA where our churches are few and far between but here in the UK every town has at least one.
Europe is patchy some countries have churches some do not.
Rule of thumb being...a Spiritualist or Spiritualist Church that belongs to a registered and recognised body will abide by a published code of ethics and have safeguarding measures in place.