Was Spiritualism ever meant to be a Religion?

Works on Kindle. How strange.
I'm in the Spiritualsm is religion camp. reckon all religious movements start out spiritualist but the sediment begins to settle from day one and a few years down the line the early light gets smothered under dogma, ritual and such. I don't think we are 'A' philosophy more like 'philosophies' plural and as for being a 'science' I'd say scientism is of the modern era and we're long past that these days. Best academic work into and from within spiritualism these days takes the athropological rather than any empiricist approach. That last said ,my night vision goggles and I are open to any and all invitations from the dark show physical merchants.

I have never seen spiritulism as a religion to me its a way of life, i was born with what i got always seeing what others couldnt see, hearing what others couldnt hear etc, so to me its second Nature.

Namaste

The basic law of physics - which is the first law of Thermodynamics) is ..."no energy is ever lost or destroyed it only changes form" that's good enough for me! I am an energy and I shall never be lost but will change form upon physical death:

Like you Blackcrow have been able to communicate with our unseen friends from the age of 2 and fortunately was born to parents who practiced Spiritualism so from an early age was encouraged: I think the religion part as far as the SNU are concerned applied because to register as a Charity to get Charity status you have to have a Diety : As we believe in an ever present Great Spirit or Universal Energy that we pray to, for the benefit of the Charity Commission we use the word God: But from an individual point of view I would like to think that I am conforming with the Laws expected of me and ask for"His" guidance in this respect through prayer : I most certainly believe it is a way of life, more so than any other order I know of because we do not believe in a vengeful God and know exactly right from wrong and try to live our lives in accordance with His Law - am I babbling a bit here ha! fab topic isn't it - xxx Margaret

Spiritualist and a priest agree to differ after a very long chat. Spiritualist says.
' Well we've all got our own path to walk Father so maybe its best that you carry on serving God in your way and I'll carry on serving him in His'.
;-)

love it xxx

quote from "William Stainton Moses" in More Teachings

“We wish to urge upon you the fact that Spiritualism is a system of religious teaching, and we
wonder much at those who argue against this. Others regard Spiritualism merely as a system of
communication with their own friends who have passed to the other life; here, often, deceptive
spirits come in to lead people astray by false communications.
One of the cardinal facts underlying your life is religion, by which we mean the intercourse of
your spirits with the Great Father of spirits, through the innumerable ranks of spiritual beings
which extend upwards and upwards to Him. When you pray, you must believe the ministering
spirits receive your prayers and answer them according to their own discretion. The very
inception of spiritual communion is a veritable act of religious worship. The pursuit of
Spiritualism is not safe or likely to be followed with advantage if this truth is not accepted. Many
have missed this central point, and thus the internal cravings of their nature have not been
satisfied; for some form of religion is necessary to every child of man. If they fail to grasp the
religious aspect of the subject, they say that this or that phenomenon is curious but
unsatisfactory. Thus, those who might have derived from us the greatest comfort have turned
aside and said that Spiritualism is illusory or deceptive, that Spiritualists are dealing with powers
that are low and diabolic. So they pass on, reject the truth of God, and pin their faith to the
inventions of man.
The voice of the Supreme is speaking to man, and there are many intermediary agencies between
Him and you. In your day the spiritual food which has sufficed for nearly two thousand years has
ceased to satisfy, and a new influx of spiritual power is coming. Spiritualism is, in very deed, the
message of the Supreme to an age that sorely needs it, and a message that is in its essence
religious in its effects and all its bearings.

I can see where he is coming from, but a 'religion' in turn, dresses itself in vestments, doctrines, dogmas, rituals and has to devote much attention to keeping the fabric of buildings, etc. at the forefront of their thinking.

Spiritualism needs none of these, but reveals one facet of Natural Law that death is an illusion.
The implications of its Truth however, can provide an ongoing education for a life-time.

However, although the quote from Stainton Moses to borrow a quote from the Leslie Price Lis debate, in issue 8 of PN, about whether Spiritualism has failed Leslie rightly put this point.

This year is an anniversary one for the medium and Anglican clergyman William Stainton Moses, 
who received Spirit Teachings. He began to investigate in 1872 and passed away in 1892. His Teachings had religious implications, but he did not feel the need either to start a new religion, or to join one. Nor did 
his guides press him. In some papers on ‘Higher Aspects of Spiritualism’ he suggested that 
Spiritualism would eventually end up very different from its Victorian form.

Admin wrote:However, although the quote from Stainton Moses to borrow a quote from the Leslie Price Lis debate, in issue 8 of PN, about whether Spiritualism has failed Leslie rightly put this point.

This year is an anniversary one for the medium and Anglican clergyman William Stainton Moses, 
who received Spirit Teachings. He began to investigate in 1872 and passed away in 1892. His Teachings had religious implications, but he did not feel the need either to start a new religion, or to join one. Nor did 
his guides press him. In some papers on ‘Higher Aspects of Spiritualism’ he suggested that 
Spiritualism would eventually end up very different from its Victorian form.

Leslie made an excellent point there.

I think that Spiritualism wouldn't have made the progress it did had it not "become" a religion. It was founded in a religious era. Religion gave it greater legal protection and financial advantages (I'm speaking here from a US context: the laws and tax codes in the UK may be different). Most importantly, it would have made little progress if it had to operate with mainstream denominations. So yes, it was best that it operated as a religion, unto itself.

In our non-church era (especially so in the UK), were it starting off today, religion would probably NOT be the best way to go. However, it wouldn't be a good idea to start dismantling the current denominational framework, either.

Jim