Spiritualism - A Simple Religion.... Farm or Factory... .The Purple Poppy... I Want - I Want... Quote from Anne Frank... A Life to Live by Barbara Willson...

 

31^st October I took the service at the Paisley Spiritualist Church, Glenburn, Paisley...

November 1^st my allergy played up again and I had to cancel the Johnstone Spiritualist Church.

3^{rd -} Yes - a Spiritual service on a Saturday evening - at the Falkirk Spiritualist Church (SNU).  Only two churches I know hold services on a Saturday evening, Falkirk and Dumfries and both are always busy.

4^th - It was the busy afternoon service at the Largs Spiritualist Church.

7^th – The White Rose Spiritualist Church, Gourock...

8^th -  Balloch Spiritualist Church...

11^th – Saw my furthest trip of the month so far to the Kirkcaldy Spiritualist Centre (SNU)

12^th – It was an evening of clairvoyance at the Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church. (SNU)

17^th – I took a workshop at the Perth Spiritualist Church (SNU).  I was impressed by the ability and knowledge of those attending.

 

 

Spiritualism is a simple religion, a religion that is different from so many other mainstream religions.  The difference stretches much further than the clairvoyance side of things.  Most mainstream religions have ancient holy books which contains countless thousands of words.  One holy book has over 700,000 words.  They include historical narrative: stories about historical people and events.  Poems or songs: lyrics, songs, and prayers that express emotions and ideas using distinctive language, literary styles, and rhythm.  Prophecy: poetic messages conveying divine blessing or judgment on people and calling for a response Letters: written by one or more individuals to others, often addressing specific issues.  Proverbs and wisdom literature: pithy sayings or discourses about living life well and making wise choices.  Legal codes: laws, both general and specific, for ordering a just society.  Parables: imaginative stories that are true to life and illustrate a point.  Apocalyptic literature: vivid portrayal of the cosmic battle between good and evil.

But spiritualism has only Seven Principles; -

 1.   The Fatherhood of God.

2.   The Brotherhood of Man.

3.   The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels.

4.   The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul.

5.   Personal Responsibility.

6.   Compensation and Retribution hereafter for all the Good and Evil deeds done on earth.

7.   Eternal Progress open to every Human Soul.

 As a retired clergyman said to me recently, “The more words in a holy book the more ammunition there is to be turned against that religion.  Those inside the religion may manipulate the holy words to suit their own agenda, and outsiders use these words as ammunition to ridicule that particular religion. 

It is no use having Seven Principles of forty-seven words if they do not make sense.  In my opinion the Seven Principles make a lot of sense and we can use them in our everyday life to make Spiritualism more than a religion but a way of life. 

The Fifth Principle –“Personal Responsibility” was not only the first one that was of interest to me, the elderly clergyman remarked on this as well.  If we all took a bit more ‘personal responsibility’ then the world would be a better place.  I have always thought there should be an Eighth Principle and that should be ‘common sense’.  ‘Common Sense’ added to ‘Personal Responsibility’ would make us all better human beings.

 One of my earliest memories was getting for Christmas was a few toy farm animals, made from metal not like the plastic ones today. As I played with these small toys regularly the following Christmas, too big for my stocking but Christmas present from Santa just the same, was a large wooden farmyard.  This was my pride and joy for many years.  So it may come as no surprise that one of my favourite programmes of all time was the BBC’s“All Creatures Great and Small”.   Later in life my work took me around farms which I always found enjoyable.

But word ‘farm’ is being abused these days.  We see the word ‘farm’ being used for areas which can keep up to 500 dairy cattle which never get out into a field.  Massive numbers of farm animals never see the light of day or breathe in fresh air.  I will not go into the horrors of factory farming but surely as spiritualists we can do something about it?

The first thing we can do is include animals treated in such a way in our prayers.  Then if one wishes to write to their local supermarket asking about their animal welfare policy.   The more letters a big business receives from compassionate and caring customers to how  animals are treated before its flesh appears on supermarket shelves, the more notice will be taken in supermarket board rooms.

 

 

Next year...

Wear a red and purole poppy...

 

 

One of my earliest memories was getting for Christmas was a few toy farm animals, made from metal not like the plastic ones today. As I played with these small toys regularly the following Christmas, too big for my stocking but Christmas present from Santa just the same, was a large wooden farmyard.  This was my pride and joy for many years.  So it may come as no surprise that one of my favourite programmes of all time was the BBC’s“All Creatures Great and Small”.   Later in life my work took me around farms which I always found enjoyable.

But word ‘farm’ is being abused these days.  We see the word ‘farm’ being used for areas which can keep up to 500 dairy cattle which never get out into a field.  Massive numbers of farm animals never see the light of day or breathe in fresh air.  I will not go into the horrors of factory farming but surely as spiritualists we can do something about it?

The first thing we can do is include animals treated in such a way in our prayers.  Then if one wishes to write to their local supermarket asking about their animal welfare policy.   The more letters a big business receives from compassionate and caring customers to how  animals are treated before its flesh appears on supermarket shelves, the more notice will be taken in supermarket board rooms.


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      I saw this on facebook...

 I WANT ... I WANT ... I WANT...

Every day you hear people saying what they want.  Well, this is what I want.

I want people who are sick to be healed...

I want children with no families to be adopted...

I want people never to worry about food and shelter and heat...

Most of all I would like to see people start to care for each other...