Re: Mychael Shane - guaranteed results this April!

by mac Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:11 am

Much of this I'm unable to respond to, Jim. My time of learning is largely over and the church situation in my neck of the woods in the UK is wholly unknown to me. I always hope things are going well for everyone involved, committees, mediums and visitors alike because when I 'meet' (online) seekers of understanding I don't hesitate to suggest they consider visiting one of our churches or centres to see if it suits them in their search. I just hope they'll find there what I understand a Spiritualist church/centre should provide.

Nonetheless lives today are - as you suggested - very different from the lives our forefathers and mothers led. Mainstream churches have lost their congregations and without good, experienced mediumship our own churches and centres provide what? Philosophy by itself just won't cut it - you can hear speakers in any church. Mediumship is what sets our religion apart from all others. The movement can provide infrastructure, support and guidance but our friends unseen need to provide the rest. No medium can do a thing without her/his spirit-side counterparts and communicators.

Are they still there and waiting to get involved, I wonder?

by hiorta Sun Feb 25, 2018 12:10 pm

Change is the natural order, of course.
In wartime years folk were permanently anxious about news of loved ones in the combatant forces so all religions benefitted from the great numbers of fearful folk seeking 'to know'.
Scotland has a great many local churches and centres now, though standards vary. The centrally located churches inevitably have experienced falling numbers as a result but overall numbers have increased.
There was an ingrained church-going tradition which has now all but gone - due to the former anxieties over loved ones being replaced by financial and domestic stress and diverse work patterns.
Many religions are quietly closing their doors or seeking different direction. The 'Thou shalt' days are well and truly over, massively assisted by the tsunami of clerical child abuse.
I cannot speak of things here as a whole though the desire to 'look beyond the veil' is now in the more practical domain of science. Understanding more of our 'final frontier' (aye, another one) should prove beneficial to many. Science should be able to provide a new structure of thought for tomorrow with Mediumship providing the furnishings.
Change is noticeable.
As I get older virtually every day brings visits from former colleagues, old comrades, neighbours and of course family, although I'm unable to relay descriptions, etc., as evidence of survival.
Compared with the Mediumship of earlier - might the new stuff be known as Spiritualism Lite?

There doesn't seem to be any changes in the Healing side of things.

by mac Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:02 pm

I can speak only about what folk bring to my online door, the issues they need to talk about, the help they still seek or have found. Most website members are in the USA with occasional UK registrations.

A few here visit traditional 'spiritual mediums' searching for their answers with varying levels of evidence and reassurance about communicator identity. A few find mediums in Spiritualist churches but for more it's a paid-for visit at a private location. Some find 'psychic mediums' instead. Nothing new there, then.

Others turn to DIY communication, so-called self-guided studies intended to enable an individual to communicate directly with loved ones passed. I haven't had anyone asking about, or reporting on, healing. Mainstream religion predominate in the USA, Sundays are for worship, Bible study is a regular 'attraction' for oldies, maybe for young uns too.

There seems to be a fair bit of interest in the following: how science is beginning to investigate survival and afterlife questions; quantum physics; how time applies; past lives; NDE and OBE / Astral Travel.

I wish we had more Brit. visitors on my 'regular' website, a medium or two would be great, so if you've a mind to take a look elsewhere why not pay us a visit? No need to register to look around. Smile

by hiorta Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:33 pm

Your url, please?

by mac Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:39 pm

hiorta wrote:Your url, please?

http://afterlifeforums.com/

ALF

by synaxis Sun Feb 25, 2018 3:55 pm

Hi mac et al,

Totally agree with your comments following and especially your concluding question.

mac wrote: Nonetheless lives today are - as you suggested - very different from the lives our forefathers and mothers led. Mainstream churches have lost their congregations and without good, experienced mediumship our own churches and centres provide what? Philosophy by itself just won't cut it - you can hear speakers in any church. Mediumship is what sets our religion apart from all others. The movement can provide infrastructure, support and guidance but our friends unseen need to provide the rest. No medium can do a thing without her/his spirit-side counterparts and communicators.

Are they still there and waiting to get involved, I wonder?

I am just now re-reading the excellent book, Testimony of Light by Helen Greaves (1969). It is noted that Frances Banks was not just communicating by herself, but was working collaboratively with "a group, or band, for this transmitting of her impressions of the Life Beyond to be translated into a book" (p. 24). So, I think you're very right, mac: "they" have to organize something from their side for anything substantial to occur over here. There are many examples of this.

Question (for anyone): Greaves did a followup publication, The Challenging Light: Sequel to Testimony of Light (Neville Spearman, 1984) claiming to present further communications from Frances Banks. Has anyone here read this? Would be interested to know if it's as convincing as the original volume.

As for an account of the occurrence of contemporary 'phenomena' I would recommend Ghosts of the Tsunami by Tokyo-based Times journalist, Richard Lloyd Parry (2017). It's a well-researched, well-written account, which includes reference (based on interviews) to repeated sightings of apparitions and post-mortem communications from the confused dead following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami (some reference in the following review):

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/16/ghosts-of-tsunami-japan-disaster-richard-lloyd-parry-review

by mac Sun Feb 25, 2018 4:25 pm

I did consider buying that book but then asked myself why I would want to, what new information might I learn...... Although I was much moved by the tsunami disaster I'd read a similarly-themed book about the events of 9/11.

More interestingly for me have been our discussions / debates (on ALF) about the likelihood of the pre-ordination of such events, whether and how their victims knew what was coming and had 'agreed' their deaths in those tragedies. If they had, why would they go down such paths? etc

by Sponsored content