Interesting new site from the NSAC's Rev Stephen Hermann

Steve visited Adelaide last June, really nice guy and very dedicated to his work. The first article is A Spiritualist Among the Spiritists: My Personal Experiences Working as a Medium in the Philippines

http://mediumshipmadeeasy.wordpress.com/

I started to read it but it's late here and I'm getting sleepy. Will start again tomorrow.

Jim

Great article about what must have been a most interesting experience for the author! But his descriptions of the services, and the use of the term "Cristiana", clearly show that Spiritism in the Phillipines is a lot more church-oriented and Christian than the initial impression the author seeks to convey.

Also, while moral teaching is paramount, Spiritualism must always realize that what makes it different from other religions (or philosophies, ways, paths, etc.) is evidential mediumship. Neglect that, and there's not much point to it all.

Morally, you're NOT going to improve on the teachings of Jesus, in my opinion.

Jim

Hi Jim,

Spiritism is not Spiritualism and teh differences tend to be masked by the apparent similarities. I have been told about the diffenec in the way mediumship is conducted by a Brazilian Spiritist who attended the Mission. In some ways it may be easier to look for philosophy within Spiritism which believes that some people reincarnate instantly after their physical death. I have similar problems with strict Theosophists. They come along to my group and comment that when I connect to a loved one all I am connecting with is an astral remnant.

It is strange that Spiritism has become so religous because that was never Allan Kardec's intention. However in strongly Catholic countries it has clearly become a replacement for attending church and thereby metamorphised into a religion.

However ther are over 40 million Spiritists in Brazil alone with more "mediums", of their style than the entire number of Spiritualists recorded in censuses for the UK, Canada and Australia. Even if I added Spiritualists in the USA we probably do not outnumber the Brazilian Mediums.

I understand that in Brazil Spiritists are a major force in local community matters, running education and basic medical centres.The economic climate enables and allows a great deal of social activity at local level. Church type work has to remain in the background due to the dire need elsewhere.

I was told that the combination of cultures has produced a tolerance of ideas that would be mutually hostile in other environments. Ideas like Christianity and Voodoo, very strong in some places, combining to address basic needs.

It does make me wonder whether adversity is beneficial Spiritually and material 'ease' can have the opposite effect.