The Religion of Spiritualism
The Nature of Spiritualism as a religion...
Spiritualism is a religion that embodies the main ideas of all religions, that there is a life after death, immortality and the existence of a God.
"The aim of Spiritualism is to effect an at-one-ment and unison of Humanity with God until every action and thought of Humanity is in perfect harmony with the Divine Will."
(Adapted from the Spiritualists' Lyceum Manual)
One difference between Spiritualism and other religions is the acceptance of the ability, through mediumship, to offer evidence of spirit communication to a recipient and in doing so demonstrate that people survive physical death. The individual may decide if they have received sufficient evidence to give them personal proof that people survive death as individuals in Spirit. Where personally proven it provides conclusive evidence of the 4th Principle, 'The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul'.
Mediumship and the evidence is just the key to a door to encourage further study and understanding, the message is not the goal of Spiritualism. It is what an individual chooses to do with that key once they have it, once they accept that we survive death and continue on in the unbroken cycle of eternal life of spirit that forms the purpose of Spiritualism.
Spiritualism becomes the study of this earthly life's purpose as Spirit here and now and as such empowers anyone to take charge of the development of their own Spirituality, continually aiming to progress and live life with a fuller understanding and a greater learning experience for the Spirit.
Spiritualism is a universal religion, one focus of which is embodied in our 5th Principle, 'Personal Responsibility'. It is by our own free will we may chose to live a better life here and now reflected by how we live. It is by our own will and choices in how we act react and interact with everyone and everything that we must each be solely responsible and accountable. In understanding and accepting this, we accept our 6th Principle of 'Compensation and Retribution' encompassing the universal and natural law of cause and effect.
It is through personal experience and expression by the study, consideration and application of the many aspects of the religion, philosophy and science of Spiritualism that the Spiritualist gains understanding and Spiritual growth. No one person has all the answers and Spiritualism becomes a continual personal religion to be lived, to nurture and enlighten the Spirit within us, here and now.