Why does spritualism bother some people?

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   mischeviousmeposted 12 years ago

   Is spiritualism realy so threatening? Is it that some don't want to accept the reality of divine thought, because they don't understand it or is it because they fear they themselve's may be wrong?

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      mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry. Spiritualism...* Duh

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      hawkdad73posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I think they are scared because of religious powers that be have a history of forcing their faith on the "non-believers" (for example, early Spanish explorers [Catholic] and the South Americans) who's tactics have been anything but humane.  Also, many of the believers of today are themselves threatening, making their messages on spirituality frightening.

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      A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You've set up a false premise. Where in reality do we find divine thought?

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         Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Divine thought? I missed that one. I suppose we've got another set of people who want us to look at them as gods.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Looking at the world as it is, is not mysticism, it's being realistic. Living in the now, is more realistic than thinking the past or future has anything to do with this moment in time. We are here, right now and only the imagination can escape it. That is what I mean by illusion. Living in one's own imagination and not being, that's childish. Not using the mind to think and instead fantasizing about a future that may or may not exist, is childish. I can choose to live by religion or philosophy, but then I am only cheating myself of what is real.

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               Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Looking at the world for what it is involves accepting the past. The past, in many ways, defines the present and ignoring the past is a recipe for disaster in the future. That is the reality of the reality we live in.
               
               Your whole post is, not to steal ATM's favorite phrase,  little more than gobbledygook when coupled with your opening statement. I'm sorry to say.

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                  mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  If one does not learn from the past, they cannot live in the present. That was the gyst of the statement. If I cannot criticise myself and what I believe, I will live as a child indefinitely. Is that any way to live?

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   GoldenBirdposted 12 years ago

   Hey, Good morning from here
   
   I read your views on reincarnation. Did you really feel them?

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      mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      As far as I can say, yes. But that is my subjective nature and I'm making no claims that they are fact. That is something you'll have to figure out for yourself.

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         GoldenBirdposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         We learn more by listening to people, than by refuting them based on our ego.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Absolutely. One does not learn if they have a rebuttle waiting in the back of their mind.

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               GoldenBirdposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               

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   janesixposted 12 years ago

   I think it bothers "most" people simply because those of us who like to talk about it are different from them. "Out there". Weirdos.
   
   Some people, though, I think find it disturbing because they aren't sure if there's any truth to any of it. And that scares them.

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      GoldenBirdposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Is that of a political concern? -like the fear of losing ground?
      
      
      Or the fear is that they will not be able to fool the majority, and live the despotic lives they have been living?

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         janesixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I mean scared of the unknown

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            GoldenBirdposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Is that unknown-phobia? 

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   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   Let's be honest. Spiritualism is one step away from religion. No real problem there, but........when people begin to lay claims to spiritual knowledge.....when people attempt to imply they possess hidden wisdoms.....when they claim experiences that cannot be verified.....they are going to be perceived as charlatans.
   
   Are they? There have been many who've made claims but never in recorded history, outside of the pages of religious texts, has there ever been eye witness proof; but we have seen ample evidence that people use the topic of spiritualism to bilk people just as religion is used. It's been proven, time and again, that people are egotistical liars.
   
   Bottom line. I don't think people fear spiritualism as much as they possess a more healthy respect for the truth than those who cannot prove their words are any more than fantasy. They are too independent to follow and see fantastical claims as attempts to lead.
   
   That's how I see it anyway.

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      mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is ego, but what of Mother Teresa? Was she not an enlightened being? She gave of herself freely and did no harm to the world, for she saw the suffering and tried to be as gentle as possible. She saw the teaching for what it was, a lesson in morality and reasoning.

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         Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         My concern is all the one sided ancient spiritual groups ( which is most of the world's population) claiming to be the Be all and end all in an over ego World
         
         It's not the very old ship of fools I would choose, being even foolish enough to even talk about the 99% unknown World and Universe

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         Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Mother Teresa didn't seek to do anything other than lead by action. She didn't seek to teach by words. She didn't claim secret knowledge. She struggled with her faith in the spiritual, yet remained committed to service to her fellow man. Those are footsteps I can respect.

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            Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            At the end of Teresa's  life she claims to have only mystic feeling about Jesus, I can respect that too.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yes. Now all there is to do is apply it to one's self and act accordingly with the knowledge gained from her.

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               Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               The point is she spoke with actions. She didn't seek to lead. She didn't attempt to imply she knew anything. She simply acted. It wasn't her spiritual opinion that defined her.

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   Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago

   Being spiritual is not the same as Spiritualism. The latter is a "religion". The Spiritualist Church, which for many years was based in Freeville, N.Y. (I think it still is) is a ghost hunter church. Guided by mediums, they have been known to hold seances and utilize Ouija boards. I am Spiritual, but I AM NOT A Spiritualist.

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      Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Me too

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         mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         One does not have to be spiritual or religious to live a life. One must just live and that is all life requires. We are all the same in this manner, whether belief or faith permits or not.

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            Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I can say I'm spiritual sided, an adventurer of the great unknown , which  can afford to be, since being a professorial artist

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               mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Living is an artform, for it takes great finesse to live well.

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                  Beata Stasakposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Very beautifuly said, 'mischaviousme', I believe people generally like to be in control especially those who rely more on their right side of the brain, that processes information...artists usually use more their left side of the brain that deals with emotion....but at the end of the day, when someone's life is coming to the end, it doesn't matter if the person is right-side realist or left-side dreamer, he or she opens up like a flower and sudenly understands that not everything in life can be explained and sometimes the only thing left is 'hope and faith' (not a religious type of faith...just understanding that with the capacity of our brain we will never be able to understand completely everything and just because we can not see something, we can not measure it, we can not explain it...it doesn't mean it doesn exist...

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                     mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     

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   Muldaniaposted 12 years ago

   Some Christians will be bothered by Spiritualism, because of its attempts to contact the dead.  The Bible warns against such a practice, and so it is bound to be disapproved of.  There are however different types of Spiritualists, including Christian Spiritualists, who somehow manage to combine their Christian beliefs with those surrounding contact of the dead, which might seem a contradiction.

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      mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      As it appears, some people just don't like individuals. They see one and they say "Look at that free thinker over there, We have to make them part of the crowd before they wreck everything". Then the individual is institutionalized and labeled insane, in which case there is no longer any credibillity, for said individual. It's basically about being part of the crowd and if the crowd sees an outsider, they either draw them in or totally alienate them. This is just observation and in no way reflects that of entire society, as a whole.

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   Eric pearsonposted 12 years ago

   When you say "spiritualism" do you actually mean Christianity?  If that's what you're talking about, I can tell you that for me the bothersome facets come directly from all the evil, meanness and hypocrisy perpetrated in the name of God.  I direct your attention to the current crop of republican presidential hopefuls as a prime example.

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      mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      When I say spiritualism, I mean spiritualism in any form. Not all religions are based on ego, it's arrogant religious leaders that actually twist the words to their own end. One can also point a finger at the followers, for they have to decide for themselve's, whether or not to follow the leader.

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         A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         And, what does that mean exactly? What "forms" of spirituality are there?

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            Insane Mundaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Having individuality while accepting the unity, for starters...

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               A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               What does that mean?

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                  Insane Mundaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  ...Realizing that you're an individual on a separate journey along with life lessons and experience, while being aware that the entire fabric of existence is still tied together, as a chaotic unity that never ends.   Sort of like quantum entanglement with reason, if that makes any sense to ya...

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                     A Troubled Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     No, not really.

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                        Disappearingheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        Me neither

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                           Insane Mundaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Awesome! 

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         Muldaniaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         No, Spiritualism and Christianity are different religions.  True, there a a small minority of Spiritualists who call themselves Christian Spiritualists, but the beliefs of most Spiritualists go against those of Christians.  The main aspect of Spiritualism centres around contacting the dead.  This is considered a sin by Christians.

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            Insane Mundaneposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yeah, take the crazy so-called "Christian" Pentecostals, for a wild example of charismatic "spirituality," for example...

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            Jean Bakulaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            But didn't Jesus come back from the dead?

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   SanXuaryposted 12 years ago

   I get the idea of seeing the World in spiritual terms and it has nothing to do with the occult or contacting the dead. Its the belief that a higher power does exist and plays a role in our daily life. Instead of seeing others in human terms you view them in spiritual terms. You love their souls and there out come on Earth and not what they think they may be living for today. We are messengers on a journey attempting to mature and learn every day. Our influence is determined by obeying God and fulfilling his purpose. When you do these things you suddenly realize that life is not chance and the odds everyday are beyond any calculations. Most of the time you realize that people are just being human on Earthly terms and their battles are within themselves. I have seen countless people fight themselves and the truth of what they need to do to change their self, only to repeat the same thing in denial and never change who they are. Bad luck is not always a bad thing, but only God telling you that there is something you must learn, change or do.

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      mom101posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      SanXuary,
      
      What a truthful answer this is.
      
      Most people are their own worst enemy. The sad thing is, they don't realize it. Some think the world is out to get them kinda attitude.
      
      Bad luck? I've been there and you are spot on, there is a lesson to learn from those times.  Kinda like a baby fighting sleep.
      
      Spiritualism:  I consider myself to be spiritual. I do not try to communicate with the dead.

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         Jean Bakulaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         mischeviousme,
         I attend metaphysical classes which are normally have their headquarters in Spiritualist churches. My understanding is just that this faith believes in an afterlife, and reincarnation. We have new incarnations to learn from our past mistakes. I believe some mediums can contact spirits from your past if that is your wish. But if people think it's a Sunday church service where the minister stands up front summoning spirits, they will be very disappointed. The talks are mostly about love and understanding, hopes for peace in the world, that type of thing. We are spiritual beings having a human experience, not human beings having a spiritual experience.

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            mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I don't believe totally in reincarnation, so much as I am a recycling of energy. When I die, I'll come back but what I come back as is up to the universe. So whatever form I take will be whatever is useful to my environment at the time. I am a Zen Buddhist, but I'm not really part of the group. I have mt own ideas as to the workings of the universe, so wherever I go after this life is up to this reality in which we live.

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               Jean Bakulaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Works for me. The energy has to go somewhere, since it can't be destroyed. I only seriously entertained reincarnation for the last five years or so, but it makes sense to me. I am new to Buddhism, and don't agree with all I read, but agree with more than other, well, not religions, since it's not, but the belief system and how we should treat each other and the universe.

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                  mischeviousmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  To me it's all one thing, much like the human body. People have a tendancy to break things down into parts, because it's easier to understand the workings of things in smaller parts. We are a smaller part of the universe and we are made entirely of the same energy and if energy cannot be created or destroyed, I see it as going back to the source; The universe at large. Any stage between each life is what scares people, their afraid of things they've been told to be afraid of. If one does not fear death, they live a much longer and fulfilled life. I've decided not to worry about my spiritual existence, so much as a connection to my self in everything.

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                     SanXuaryposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     You our not really living until you do. The experience is so incredibly different then walking through this dull and pathetic life. Its this life that makes you a believer in God and where the Atheist and often times believers in name only never truly know the existence of God.

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