Psychic News Article - Where has all the wonder gone?

In the recent issue of Psychic News (#19) Andy Byng asks... "Where has all the wonder gone?"

Its an interesting article and something I've been pondering on myself for sometime. Certainly offers a different perceptive on the way way spiritualism could perhaps move forward, though I seem to recall Gordon Higginson giving a talk along very similar lines some years ago (have an audio copy of it somewhere on my PC).

Anyone else read it?

_Leslie_ wrote:In the recent issue of Psychic News (#19) Andy Byng asks... "Where has all the wonder gone?"

Its an interesting article and something I've been pondering on myself for sometime. Certainly offers a different perceptive on the way way spiritualism could perhaps move forward, though I seem to recall Gordon Higginson giving a talk along very similar lines some years ago (have an audio copy of it somewhere on my PC).

Anyone else read it?

Yes, I've read it and much as I like Andy Byng I think he's only looking at things from one side of the divide. Instead of discussing what we humans think Modern Spiritualism should be doing in our world, perhaps our counterparts in the world of the spirit should be asked what they think?

As a regular Jeremiah on Spiritualist forum boards I've oft recorded my view that Spiritualism has just about run its intended course. Bringing to the near seven billion population of the world out there what we understand individually as Spiritualists could never be an overnight affair. And by overnight I'm meaning centuries or more!

As I see matters, changes to the general level of spiritual awareness in this world, and consequent behaviours, will continue to be incremental. Changes have occurred, changes likely are occurring, changes will occur but the movement of Modern Spiritualism may have been just one small step on a long path. Who knows if it will be around in decades and centuries to come or whether another movement will long ago have replaced it, one with different emphases?

As a final question, has anyone asked her/his discarnate friends what they see as the future for Spiritualism?

I think you've made some valid points Mac, and I tend to agree - "Modern Spiritualism may have been just one small step on a long path. Who knows if it will be around in decades and centuries to come or whether another movement will long ago have replaced it, one with different emphases?" I think its been around in many guises prior to the label of 'Spiritualism' just as it will continue to be for the years to come.

I also found thought provoking, not what guise it may take on, but how 'we' perhaps should adapt and change alongside it. Suppose its the old, old story of 'change for change sake' and of course.. no one likes 'change'.
But.., whilst I don't have the definitive answer, I do feel 'change we must', especially if we are to continue to take those perhaps 'baby steps' towards 'spiritual awareness' .

As for you're question "As a final question, has anyone asked her/his discriminate friends what they see as the future for Spiritualism?" , I seem to recall this already having been asked and the answer published (was it Maurice Barbanell?) - I'll try to find it. In the meantime, I would surmise they may say something along the lines of 'spiritualism' is just a label...

I'm more interested in now rather than the past because (for example) Maurice Barbanell and Silver Birch's work is done. Yet I'm a traditional Spiritualist, I love what Spiritualism has given me and I regularly bang the drum in its support but I disagree that Spiritualism is just a label. It's fundamentals are survival and communication via mediumship but if another philosophy emerges, one which isn't based on those aspects, then that would not be Spiritualism under a different banner.

Sound evidential mediumship is key to Spiritualism's continued message of survival as Andy Byng pointed out. The philosophical aspects have already been recorded in any number of books, Silver Birch's teachings greatly appealing to me personally....But if something new is in the offing, why bust a gut trying to keep Spiritualism alive?

As I remarked earlier, it may be that Modern Spiritualism has run its intended course and something new is planned for this modern world. It's that question which might be asked of our discarnate friends....

I see lots of merit in what you say, mac but don't completely agree with everything.

I love the message of life beyond physical death, the fact that we are spirits having a human experience, the idea of spiritual progression, and the wonderfully simple and elegant teachings of Silver Birch, especially about the natural law.

I think we are simply called to love and service through our daily lives. Some do that through mediumship and ministry of various kinds. Others do it in other ways.

My own belief is that when people start to organise into Churches, as Spiritualism has, institutionalisation creeps in and things start to ossify. People jostle for power. Egos surface. It seems to happen with human beings, internet forums not excluded

I think that Spirit will find a way of enacting what it needs to in this world. We may be an active part of it simply by living decent lives. In the literature there are literally dozens of suggestions as to how we might participate. There are roles for all types of people.

Quiet wrote:I see lots of merit in what you say, mac but don't completely agree with everything.

I love the message of life beyond physical death, the fact that we are spirits having a human experience, the idea of spiritual progression, and the wonderfully simple and elegant teachings of Silver Birch, especially about the natural law.

I think we are simply called to love and service through our daily lives. Some do that through mediumship and ministry of various kinds. Others do it in other ways.

My own belief is that when people start to organise into Churches, as Spiritualism has, institutionalisation creeps in and things start to ossify. People jostle for power. Egos surface. It seems to happen with human beings, internet forums not excluded

I think that Spirit will find a way of enacting what it needs to in this world. We may be an active part of it simply by living decent lives. In the literature there are literally dozens of suggestions as to how we might participate. There are roles for all types of people.

As I said earlier, it would be interesting to learn what our unseen friends have to say....

I wouldn't hold my breath for Spirit intervention, mac. I seem to recall something along the line of the solving of the problems of this world are the means of our evolution fulfilling itself.

I'm not expecting anything, hiorta.

But as there's been apparently deliberate involvement of the spirit in the past (if Spiritualism's teachers and guides are to be believed), I thought there might be an intention that it will be involved in the future too....

SB made no secret of many attempts to bring the truth of life to this world, essentially that Life is deathless by default and is not - and never was - dependent on ecclesiastical whim or a lucky dip into the religious hotch-potch.
Natural Law rules. Cause and Effect determine the outcome of our choices.

From memory, he declared that those in religion - those who should have been the foremost ambassadors of the Great Spirit - were the very ones who obliterated the simple message with dogma and self interest, keeping the children in darkness and despair.

However, this is a long way from short circuiting the struggle of evolution.

I read this article, and Byng does make very good points. He does have a striking resemblance to the late London medium Joe Benjamin, who I had the privilege of seeing on many occasions.