Question

[psychoslice]

Yes it could but the day they called spiritualism, they in a way caused it to be organised, with their dogma and ideologies.

Originally Posted by Serenity Bear

In the Uk Spiritualism became a recognised religion after the passing of the Fraudulents Mediums Act of 1952. This act has be superceeded by the Trading Standards Act which was passed in the last two years or so - sorry cant remember the date.

Spiritualism is a religion follows the 7 Principles first layed down by Emma Hardinge Britain. It began on the 31 March 1848 at Hydesville New York State with the Fox Sisters interpritting the raps of a spirit (Charles Rosna) into a legible system. Before this time there had been recogniseable raps but no one had had a two way conversation.

PS Spiritualism has its own Ministers who can marry two people as do other Priests, Vicars etc (yes a registrar has to be present). We also have funerals and Christenings/naming ceremonies as other churches. We celebrate Easter,Christmas etc, but also some places celebrate Hydesville Day. Unlike other religions we can have two names, especially for those who are 'named' as an adult. We have the name we were called by our parents but also those given to us by/in the Spirit World.

Unfortunately I did not know that the spiritualist church had their own ministers for wedding,funerals etc.
When my husband died,I asked all over the area trying to find a minister of the spirit church but no one seemed to know.
Of course as is usual,I found one after the funeral.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

Yes it could but the day they called spiritualism, they in a way caused it to be organised, with their dogma and ideologies.

Hi pschoslice,

Could you please tell me where the the dogma is within Spiritualism?

Originally Posted by psychoslice

Yes it could but the day they called spiritualism, they in a way caused it to be organised, with their dogma and ideologies.

As usual you speak about things on which you have no understanding, psycho...

Why not learn about a subject before you talk about it, eh? Just for a change...

Thank you all for the responses. Sadly, I wound up losing my internet connection the same day I asked the question, so I wasn't able to join in on the conversation.

But I'm back now, and eager to read all these responses.

Originally Posted by Trieah

Thank you all for the responses. Sadly, I wound up losing my internet connection the same day I asked the question, so I wasn't able to join in on the conversation.

But I'm back now, and eager to read all these responses.

It's good you came back - many don't.....

Well I must say, I'm very pleased with all this new information. I myself, do feel there is a connection between spiritualism and religion. With all the people I've met over the years who seem more spiritually based, there just always seemed to be some kind of a religious type connection, regardless of what particular beliefs the individual follows. To be honest, it kind of reminds me of how Christianity has so many different offshoots in doctrines and beliefs.

Originally Posted by Mac

Do you mean Modern Spiritualism, the science, philosophy and religion (in the UK) or do you mean 'spiritualism' the state/practice of being spiritual? (whatever that means) Did you know they are not the same?

If you meant the former, why might you think Spiritualism is "unorganised"?

To be honest, I really wasn't aware that there was a difference between the two. They both just feel like "right" concepts to me, that I suppose I probably lump them into the same category. And while I've only heard about spiritual churches in passing, I've also had to endure too much controversy over the subject, to have to wonder what others thought about the connection between religion and spirituality.

I come from a place where a particular person loves to make a huge stink about how spiritualism has absolutely nothing to do with religion. This person is so completely anti religion of any kind, that it seems to be some kind of personal insult to even think there could be any kind of connections between the two, since this person is so pro individualized spiritualism. I suppose the reason why I chose to ask if spiritualism could be a form of "unorganized" religion, was based around this person's complete and utter disdain for organized religion in general, and that the state of being spiritual can be so highly personal, that it's too hard to pin point it down to any one (or several) doctrines, and therefore "unorganized" so to speak.

This other person and I are both moderators at a paranormal message board which is supposed to be open to all things concerning paranormal world and universe mysteries. And I just get so tired of seeing people who try to talk about all the different connections to the phenomenon of spirit contact, being accused of "preaching" religion, just because their experiences with the spirit world, or their spirituality has religious connotations to it. And yet, it's perfectly fine for this same person to "preach" their beliefs on spirituality.

So in essence, in starting up this thread, I wanted to gain some more insight into the subject, so I can have more things to consider when I try to defend the rights of our members who actually do believe there is a connection.

So I thank you all for your contributions to this highly controversial subject over at the place I mod at. Please, if any of you have more to add to what's already been said, I will gladly listen.

Originally Posted by mac

It's good you came back - many don't.....

Are you kidding me?!?!?! I LOVE this place!!!!! I'm like a kid in a candy story on this message board. The atmosphere is ssssooooooo different and much more friendly then the place I mod at. Y'all can't get rid of me that easy LOL

Trieah Well I must say, I'm very pleased with all this new information. I myself, do feel there is a connection between spiritualism and religion. With all the people I've met over the years who seem more spiritually based, there just always seemed to be some kind of a religious type connection, regardless of what particular beliefs the individual follows. To be honest, it kind of reminds me of how Christianity has so many different offshoots in doctrines and beliefs.



To be honest, I really wasn't aware that there was a difference between the two. I get the feeling you still are not following what I wrote and asked about.. 'Spiritualism' isn't 'spiritualism' as I tried to explain..Take a look at the title of this forum and the umbrella heading it sits under.....They both just feel like "right" concepts to me, that I suppose I probably lump them into the same category. I see that - I've failed to make any impression....And while I've only heard about spiritual churches -Are you meaning 'Spiritualist' churches? in passing, I've also had to endure too much controversy over the subject, to have to wonder what others thought about the connection between religion and spirituality. See how you've switched from Spiritualism to spirituality? If you're now meaning 'spirituality' it's another topic altogether.....

I come from a place where a particular person loves to make a huge stink about how spiritualism has absolutely nothing to do with religion. This person is so completely anti religion of any kind, that it seems to be some kind of personal insult to even think there could be any kind of connections between the two, since this person is so pro individualized spiritualism. Plainly now you're speaking about 'spiritualism' as a general concept of being spiritual etc. I suppose the reason why I chose to ask if spiritualism could be a form of "unorganized" religion, was based around this person's complete and utter disdain for organized religion in general, and that the state of being spiritual can be so highly personal, that it's too hard to pin point it down to any one (or several) doctrines, and therefore "unorganized" so to speak. It has near driven me wild in the past - and it still grates - that folk don't understand what Modern Spiritualism is and that they still speak with confusion about these wholly different concepts. It's why I increasingly use the Modern Spiritualism description to try to distinguish one from the other - and I still fail.

This other person and I are both moderators at a paranormal message board which is supposed to be open to all things concerning paranormal world and universe mysteries. I sometimes follow such websites and their forums but so much 'junk' gets talked about that I contribute to them only rarely....And I just get so tired of seeing people who try to talk about all the different connections to the phenomenon of spirit contact, So many really don't understand what this means - the ones who speak about it might understand but others might not or vice versa.....being accused of "preaching" religion, just because their experiences with the spirit world, or their spirituality has religious connotations to it. And yet, it's perfectly fine for this same person to "preach" their beliefs on spirituality. It's perhaps time you found a less contentious website? But as a moderator isn't your role simply to moderate rather than become involved with the topic?

So in essence, in starting up this thread, I wanted to gain some more insight into the subject, so I can have more things to consider when I try to defend the rights of our members who actually do believe there is a connection. I hope that by now you'll see a different picture to what you knew before? Because there's such poor understanding on this subject - I've seen that consistently over several years of forum work - one needs to have a thorough understanding to be able to explain the situation. I'll apologise now if this sounds unkind but moderators in my experience rarely understand that Spiritualism and spiritualism are not the same and can't define either one effectively.

So I thank you all for your contributions to this highly controversial subject over at the place I mod at. I'm used to being in websites where such controversy is commonplace - SF being just one of them - and used to debating the issues I've expanded on here, along with other aspects of the world of the spirit generally. Please, if any of you have more to add to what's already been said, I will gladly listen. I hope I've given you a few more thoughts?

Originally Posted by Trieah

Are you kidding me?!?!?! I LOVE this place!!!!! I'm like a kid in a candy story on this message board. The atmosphere is ssssooooooo different and much more friendly then the place I mod at. Y'all can't get rid of me that easy LOL

I didn't want to be rid of you.

As a seasoned forum contributor, though, I see many threads started and the starter then disappears. I call 'em 'tyre kickers' - folks who wander around looking at cars without any intention of going any further than kicking the tyres as if they're considering buying. I've wasted so much time and effort on such individuals that I no longer answer as I used to. I sus 'em out first.....

SF can be a fruitful place but also a hurtful one - I speak from experience of that. And I've battled long and hard about Modern Spiritualism because of all the rubbish that gets dumped in this forum when folks don't know, or don't care, that it's not about 'spirituality'.

And I've had my moments with moderators.