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New Thought: A Faith, A Philosophy, A Way of LifeRead the article this discussion is about
This archived discussion is "read only". « Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next » » RichardSpeaks - Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around the same In response to sacred insightsThanks for the enlightening info. I only have one question. In regard to No. 6: Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for all the Good or Evil Deeds done on Earth. It 's important to remember that words like God, Spirit, Essence can serve to separate us from the Source. They sound like 'other' rather than 'same.' Retribution sounds like some kind of punishment. Now, if one speaks of karma, that is, the Law of Cause and Effect, then I can get on board. That law works for everything, including deeds we do, or don't do. But the law works here, in this life, in this moment. It doesn't add up, as some believe, to be played out in some future life. Comments? -- posted by RichardSpeaks » sacred_insights - Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around the In response to Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around the same posted by RichardSpeaks:Ok now remembering that these principles were brought forward in 1871 in an era of strict Christianity then we do see that language might be limited. The idea is that God's Natural Laws work regardless of faith or other differing characteristics so then the Law of Cause and Effect is central here. It is not that someone else is dishing out compensation or retribution for one's action but rather that as we become more spiritual and more connected to God that we realize and must correct our errors. I suppose it is similar to Karma but we tend not to use that word because it implies reincarnation and this is not part of Spiritualism as a religion. philosophy and science. In Spiritualism we understand the Spirit (disincarnate loved ones, guides, guardians and teachers) do maintain personal characteristics and are still learning and progressing in the spirit world as they were here on earth. In that there is no need of reincarnation. The Afterlife according to Spiritualist understanding is multi levelled and each goes where they are most fitted to learn and progress and can move forward when ready. After all, if one was like a Karla Homolka on earth it is going to take some time to unlearn negativity and abuse or relearn spiritual ways of being. Most folks are not this extreme but are not perfect either so they land somewhere in the middle of the levels and have learning and progressing to to also. When you speak of Karma are you talking reincarnation? Could you do an article on the history of New Thought? When it found its beginnings and any other interesting details that make it distinct and interesting. What are the guiding principles or holy books that those that follow New Thought adhere to? Cat -- posted by sacred_insights » spiritalk - Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around the In response to Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around the same posted by RichardSpeaks:First of all I am with you on the time frame...our principle reads: Compensation and Retribution hereafter for all the good and evil deeds done on earth.
This is our wording for the law of cause and effect. The law works through life whether we like it or not...so our principles are steeped in laws that naturally keep the world going round as it were. Let's put the emphasis on the deeds rather than the comp and ret...now see that it means what you cause will actuate an effect. Karma if you will (although I find that word too attached to reincarnation...which is not visible in our principles) BTW in Spiritualism understanding...we judge ourselves...we do not subscribe to a judgmental God meting out punishment. We see there is a need and the law shows us the way to compensate for our actions. Our free will allows we take it or not. (#5 is Personal Responsibility). God is Spirit and the Essence of all things...they are not separate words or things in Spiritualism...they are the ONE and Only in All. God bless, J -- posted by spiritalk » spiritalk - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around In response to Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around the posted by sacred_insights:I see Richard has done an article on New Thought. I would question the year of inception and is that the first of it being incorporated or put together in a meaningful way. Or is there some earlier history of discontent until it banded? Are the 8 principles written down in all groups? Are they individual to one group or more? Are they used for the purposes of incorporation when governments want principles to attest to the faith? God bless, J -- posted by spiritalk » RichardSpeaks - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around In response to sacred insightsAs Spiritalk mentioned, I wrote an article on New Thought for Suite101 in June of 2002. Please read and enjoy. Also, in the article, I didn't mention any of the antecedents of New Thought because I thought it might come across as a bit stuffy. But here are some of those who helped trailblaze and set the tone for today's New Thought believer. The modern movement goes back about 150 years. It includes Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Science. But in reality, the seeds of New Thought can be traced all the way back to the 16th c. with one Michael Servetus Villanovanus. He claimed that the universe, God, was One. He was burned at the stake by John Calvin for that claim. We see him, if you will, as a New Thought martyr of sorts. Then came people such as Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, Henry Drummond, Emma Curtis Hopkins, Thomas Troward, Joel Goldsmith, Emmet Fox, Joseph Murphy, Ernest Holmes, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore and many more. (We even include Ralph Waldo Emerson among our numbers.)They varied somewhat in their approaches, but the main thrust was inner healing to gain outer healing and in doing so, heal the world. It was about recognizing God as Source, the universe as One, and all beings interconnected. And it emphasized personal responsibility. There was no need for hell. We created enough of it right here. Learning love eliminated hell. New Thought has taken a few interesting twists and turns over the years, but today's denominations--Religious Science, Science of Mind, Unity, Divine Science. and many independents, such as my ministry, New Possibilities Center, Inc.--are really of one accord, one Mind. The practices within each church may vary, but the message is the same: You are God manifest in physical form. You are here to learn love. The rest is detail. As far as reincarnation is concerned, there are those in New Thought who believe in it, those who don't. We take no official stand on it because we don't know. Karma, to us, is simply the Law of Cause and Effect, the great Equalizer, don't you agree?? (By the way, info on almost all of the people I mention above are available, either as bio's or by their own books, from most libraries and many bookstores.) -- posted by RichardSpeaks » sacred_insights - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded aro In response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around posted by spiritalk:Thanks for pointing out the article. I will be checking it out. Cat -- posted by sacred_insights » sacred_insights - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded aro In response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded around posted by RichardSpeaks:Yep I will be reading that article. I was trying to find out the history and who I might read as respected experts as per New Thought and its development. Thanks for the list of names to check out. I am a history buff so I don't find the name dropping and a quick chronology to be stuffy at all. If anything it helps us each to understand where we are coming from IMO. Like New Thought Spiritualism does not believe in hell. Healing is something that is available to all and we can change the world if we are willing to change ourselves first through changing how we think. And like New Thought we understand that we are each spirit and of God in physical form. Re Karma as the out play of the law of Cause and Effect I think we are talking about the same thing as in our sixth principle. Seems we agree upon more than we disagree. -- posted by sacred_insights » RichardSpeaks - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded In response to sacred insightsOne thing: when I or for that matter, almost any New Thought minister delivers a Sunday message, it's almost always a lesson in ethics, or abundance, or love. Rarely are such things as departed spirits or "the other side" or reincarnation spoken of. We speak pretty much about how to live, enjoy and be of service here in the present moment. Whatever the afterlife holds, if there is such a thing, it's considered irrelevant for the now. When I do funerals, I usually ask the departed's family what theme they want me to follow. If they want me to speak of heaven or reincarnation, I will do so. The only thing I won't do is a traditional Christian funeral where I have to talk about the dead person being saved and avoiding hell. There are plenty of ministers who are willing to do that. How about Spiritualism? Do you have services and messages and music and such? If so, what does the speaker address as a rule? -- posted by RichardSpeaks » spiritalk - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism fou In response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Thought and Spiritualism founded posted by RichardSpeaks:With regard to the lecture given...each speaker is expressing their own opinions and is responsible for the topic. We have some who like to talk about people from the past and make history come alive and others who lean more to love and ethics in the modern now. We are into science as a big part of our understanding and we do try to weave it, along with philosophy and religion into the thoughts for the day. We expect some spirit connection to occur with the speaker...just as the message bearer is in altered state of consciousness. To understand this, sometimes we speak of it...sometimes we demonstrate it. Reincarnation is not a subject of interest for speaking about...neither proven nor disproven. It does not come up. The afterlife has proven aspects through our channeled literature and messages of confirmation and thereby finds its way into our talks, sometimes. Again, it is up to the speakers' choice. At funerals...I approach the matter with a celebration of the life that was...not the death that is. I usually ask the family if they would like to write a letter or comments to the departed and I read them or a member of family does and it helps release the departed. I have been told by funeral directors that our funerals are so uplifting they don't mind hearing them...which can not be said for too many others'. We have an order of service in our churches that includes a time for prayer, including remembering the sick or those on our healing book, a spiritual healing (hands on) time, songs of praise (uplifting modern music) along with the speakers and demonstrators (can be one and the same or 2 workers) who bring their message. With a variety of speakers we get a broader presentation of thought than a single minister week after week. I would like to mention that we have a list of Spiritualism literature and books not found in the general public....this can be both limiting as well as focused to the user.
-- posted by spiritalk » Pinky102 - Good Discussion This discussion thread offers more specific information than I've read on either New Thought or Spritiualism. Both are more conventional than I had thought.Interesting. New Thought makes a lot of sense as does Spiritualism. And, your article was able to get quite of bit of information off in just a little over 500 words. Great!!
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