Spiritualism Paranormal Belief

Spiritualism paranormal belief is a belief system which is monotheistic which believes in God but also believe that the spirits of the dead can be contacted by mediums. It is believed the spirits can provide information about the afterlife through the mediums.

These medium seances were quite popular and entertaining for all involved and it is reported that the well known author Conan Doyle as well as escape artist Houdini were proponents of the practice. However Houdine although a believer was responsible for the exposing of many mediums as fakes.

Houdini who was also a master of magic could easily discern when a seance was faked. He spent his later years trying to make contact with his dear departed mother. He on his death bed promised to come back if it was at all possibe on a specific day each year using a code he had left. To date it has not happened.This belief system developed in the United States and reached its peak in membership from the 1840s to the 1920s, especially in English-language countries.

By 1897, it was said to have more than eight million followers in the United States and Europe, mostly drawn from the middle and upper classes.

The religion flourished for a half century without canonical texts or formal organization, attaining cohesion by periodicals, tours by trance lecturers, camp meetings, and the missionary activities of accomplished mediums.

There were many proven cases of fraudlent spiritualism which brought the practice into disrepute. Photographs were often displayed showing ectoplasm emanating from people's bodies as well superimposed images of supposed spirits.

Many prominent adherents were women. Most followers supported causes such as the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage.Due to many fraudulent mediums, by the late 1880s, credibility of the informal movement weakened and more formal organizations began to appear.

The belief is currently practiced primarily through various denominational churches in the United States and United Kingdom.It was and is believed by many Christians to be witchcraft.

Religious Paranormal Belief

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