Thoughts on spiritualism

[Sinister Intents]

What are your thoughts on spiritualism as a faith? Is it compatible with left politics? I'm talking about the kind of spiritualism that can be found in lilydale, and where I live there is a large amount of spiritualists.

[Deicide]

It's a false doctrine, as erroneous as any other religion or superstition.

Whether it's compatible with leftist politics, I can't see why it would not be, but I also can't see why anyone would want to adhere to it.

[Sinister Intents]

It's a false doctrine, as erroneous as any other religion or superstition.

Whether it's compatible with leftist politics, I can't see why it would not be, but I also can't see why anyone would want to adhere to it.

I can accept that, what attracts people to these beliefs, spiritualism is treated like satanism to christian, so what exactly attracts people to the paranormal, the supernatural, belief in an afterlife, et cetera.

[Revolution starts with U]

People have a knack for mystery. It drives our cultural evolution. Sometimes it goes too far.

[dodger]

I can accept that, what attracts people to these beliefs, spiritualism is treated like satanism to christian, so what exactly attracts people to the paranormal, the supernatural, belief in an afterlife, et cetera.

Many centuries ago, the concept of "when yer dead, yer dead," took hold. It brought numerous benefits. For a start yer only got one life. It helped to bring closure to the loss of loved ones. It also made many impervious to religion with its promises of a hereafter. Basically we regard it all as mumbo-jumbo, we barely hide our contempt for such backward nonsense. Religion with power is both feared and hated for the negative impact on our lives. Tamed, it can never be totally ignored, but we do our best, ever watchful that the genie might escape from the flask.

Wonderment, stress certainly, bereavement all require of us a materialist response. To those of us educated in that way or moulded by work environment it becomes almost second nature. We watch(observe), we measure, calculate, weigh counter arguments until we are satisfied. We do it at our own pace. To survive, or indeed prosper requires some thought, when a wage packet from extreme destitution. Yer need yer wits about yer. Off the shelf answers rarely satisfy, exposure upon exposure proves the saying "there is ONE born every minute!" How gullible. Did they not see the slight of hand?

At a distance it seems a joke, we all enjoy laughing at fools, my parents taught me to laugh at myself, a useful legacy. Close up, the sight of a poor man or struggling work mate handing over 10% of his earnings to some Pentecostal outfit. Whether in Britain or tropics it leaves a bad taste. But hey, life is too short to worry about victims. Still we can be moved, a friend diagnosed with cancer of the ovaries, "silent killer", so called because inevitable conclusion due to usual late diagnosis. A very intelligent girl, 23yrs, talented singer musician and performer spent her last 14 months on te planet highlighting the disease, putting on gigs to collect money for research. Whilst fighting the disease, of course. I was surprised then, to be told by her ex that she was going to Brazil, to the wilds, to visit some shamen or healer. Off she went with him and sister and bother in law. I was more shocked, thinking her the last person to fall for that 'tosh'. As cynical as any 23yr old on the music circuit. When he got back I asked him what transpired, he looked grim that day. It looked bad. A hall several hundred people, the fellow walked down the centre, touching the girl moving on towards the stage. The healer retraced his steps and returned stared intently at my friend then bent over and said "your liver...it is in great danger!" With that I began laughing, and laughing and laughing. A famed 'piss-head' sociable drinking companion, his serious expression only made me laugh more. I managed to say, the guy had you taped, but still no response. Hell what ails? Perhaps he smelled beer on your breath. Finally his glum look made me compose, Doc told him Hepatitis, the serious one. Jeeze. Home made tattoos or sharing needles. Not the dreaded brew. Living in Oxford catchment area, great strides in curing Hepatitis and early 'diagnosis' my pal changed lifestyle(alcohol) and no doubt will live to a ripe age. The strides made with ovarian cancer came too late, sad to say. Still ,not at all the outcome any of us was expecting, some good came of it. I had my liver checked, right as ninepence, cut down my own drinking, random drug tests at work. I resolved never, never, never to use anyone else's toothbrush, ever, ever, ever again. Ma was right , very dirty habit. "We don't do that, do we?"...."No mummy, we don't, not now!"

Resigned to her fate a few days before entering the hospice 3 of us climbed to the memorial atop the Wendover hills to pick out all the places in the Vale that she had known since early childhood. I asked her what her plans were after the hospice, "town cemetery!"...."No trips around the cosmos?"..."a gig at the Pearly Gate?" "not much use....why?...doc told me this morning I got cataracts!!"...Sweet Jeeze! She must have done something very bad to displease Him up there, or maybe in a previous existence. Bless her she was gone in 2 days, before she went, she told us God did have a sense of humour after all.....CATARACTS !!! She looked near to collapse laughing, the Brompton Cocktail, morphine and cocaine, and our twitterings. I jumped up walked down to get us some bacon sandwiches and tea. We said tuck in we want to hear confession if yer strong enough. Not too salacious, remember my Dodgy Ticker., "You ain't got a heart Dodger"

A rock chick who knew her way around an electric piano, organ,violin, bass and perfect pitch. Life too. Not many of those to the pound.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xpq1pLk-sA&feature=related