My Diary … Dress Code for Our Platforms … Father and Son’s Day Out … Keeping Communications Open … Glasgow Association fills a void …

                                                        

                                                                     My Diary…
August…
28th – Falkirk Spiritualist
Church (SNU)
September
5th – The Glasgow Association
of Spiritualists.
                                                        Dress Code for Our Platforms.
There are still many in society who don’t look upon Spiritualism
as a religion.  Our clairvoyance during a
service is the main reason why they think this way.  There are others who feel a paltry Seven
Principles with only 47 words is not enough to guide us through this life and
make us closer to God.  Or Seven
Principles they feel pales in comparison with mainstream religion’s 750,000
plus words in their ancient books of guidance and laws. There will be some who
think that the lack of fancy attire of those taking our services don’t give off
a churchy, religious feel.  I feel that
we don’t need all that is mentioned above apart from the latter, I feel that
dress sense – a simple dress sense – is important on our platforms.
In recent years I have heard many older Spiritualists complain
that dress-sense on the platform is dropping below an acceptable standard as
far as male mediums are concerned.  I
have never heard off or seen any female medium drop below a sensible dress
sense for the platform, apart from some photos on Facebook showing ridiculous
dressing up for Halloween which the churches should not have allowed.  What I am on at here is the dress sense on
our platforms at a Divine Service.
I contacted a senior member of the SNU asking about this and
here is the reply;
 ‘The SNU
has a code of conduct for its exponents which states that ‘for men it
should be a suit, shirt and tie with shoes suitable for a formal occasion.  However, as an alternative, a semi-formal
dress code could be adopted such as jacket, trousers, shirt and tie with smart
shoes.’
Several emails to this site over the past year or
so have mentioned pullovers and open necked shirts are the order of the day as
far as many male mediums are concerned. 
Every year a small group of Spiritualists meet for a weekend discussion
on Spiritual matters.  This year saw our
most heated debate by far and the subject being discussed was ‘proper attire for the platform’.  I was really surprised at some of the
comments advocating that almost anything goes dress sense on our platforms
these days as far as male mediums are concerned.
Spiritualism is surely the most lax of all
religions – we have our Seven Principles, our dress code and very little
else.  We rely on our members / mediums
to respect Spirit, our religion and the pioneers of our religion.  So, surely it is not too much to ask that a
suit/jacket, shirt and tie are worn at our Divine Services and also evenings of
clairvoyance within the church?
I decided to do a small poll and contacted
Spiritualists old and new.  In favour of
the suit, shirt and tie –  54% against
46%.
here are some of their comments and comments from
the debate I attended.
Here are some of the comments; –
Tom, life has changed since you came into spiritualism and wearing ties
is a thing of the past.  Once old fogies
like you pass over a tie will be a rarity…..
Yes, trends are changing, but look at how many men
turn up at funerals wearing a tie as a mark of respect.  All I am asking is the same respect in our
churches.
“I am with you all the way.
I am an old fashioned girl who likes formality, but at the end of the day it is
the Church Committee who decides what their dress code will be”.
Being a committee member of a Spiritualist Church
is an important position and it is church committees that should enforce the
‘tie being worn’ on their platforms. 
They must decide is this a church they run or a psychic Centre.
I really think
it depends on the weather Tom. Our church is really warm so some people have to
remove their jackets. I personally think that as long as the medium is neat and
tidy it does not really matter, but that is a personal opinion”.
  I agree common sense can come into
play if weather or church is too warm. 
On saying that no matter the temperature I stay with the full dress code
during the service – but I have already been called an ‘old fogie’.
I
think as long as they are smart, it doesn’t matter. It’s more important in my
view what comes out of their mouth. I’ve seen the smartest of mediums talk a
lot of rubbish, that does our movement a disservice, and heard casual mediums
do a wonderful job. I personally don’t mind”.
“I think that as long as the chair has been asked
then no not in warm weather
”.
“Traditionally
men always wore ties and jackets. But now even in high level meetings in the
corporate world, they do not wear ties”.
“I
absolutely agree that male mediums should wear shirt, tie and jacket and when
it is warm in platform, then check in with chairperson to remove jacket
”.
I would say that
presenting themselves at church smart no jeans no jumpers personally I was told
shirt tie and then you ask the chair if you can take your jacket off if the
room is warm and the weather so in answer yes”.
I
feel they should be appropriately dressed. If it was scorching hot I would
perhaps forgo the jacket. I personally would then like a shirt and tie. If not
hot then definitely jacket too, and smart trousers if they have no suit”.
“I’ve
been told I have to so I do it think it looks better, but when it’s summer in
our church it’s really hot what do you think should be done when church is like
that I not sure”.
“Tom, as you know I
have been taking services at some of the small churches over the past two
years.  I have never worn a tie while on
the platform, never been told to do so or chastised for not doing so.  I can take you point about respect and in
future will start to dress as you recommend. 
Maybe the absence of the tie is why I have not been asked to any of the
larger churches”.
“Tom get on the
committee of a church and see how difficult it is to balance the books.  Then you will realise that it is not how a
medium dress, but how popular he is to draw in a reasonable congregation.  We need money in our collection plates to
keep the doors open”.
For the past three months I have been on
a church committee and realise the financial issues.  The financial strain on some of our churches
is why I have offered to give lectures and workshops free of charge to give
churches a boost financially.  Maybe
others should start doing the same but that is another topic for debate.
“I think
that the dress code for mediums of both sexes is very important. Therefore, in
my opinion, a man should wear either a suit or trousers and jacket with a shirt
and tie and polished shoes.”
“Personally speaking it is only respectful to the spirit and the
religion we are representing to be suitably attired. There is a tendency for
men to now wear open necks because fashion dictates that this is ok. Many
television presenters have open necks but the news readers always wear ties.
There are some shirts that you cannot wear a tie with eg the Gandhi or
oriental style. I have seen these kind worn with suits and a waistcoat and
they look extremely smart. Smartness is very important; Sunday services especially
is a formal service in my eyes. 
Demonstrations of mediumship can be more relaxed but I would still
expect a shirt to be worn.”

“As I have no interest
anymore in Spiritualism I don’t have an opinion about ties or any other aspect
of the movement.  The movement we knew
has died and gone and the thing that has replaced it has going to hell in a
handcart and I want nothing more to do with it?”
Unfortunately, that is the view of many
old-timers.  I know many who have just
upped up and left never wanting to talk about what they once cherished.

                                                        



                                                           Father and Son’s Day Out
One of my earlier blogs I commented on
an email from Peter.  Peter explained how
there was no grieving when his father died or on the anniversary of his
death.   His dad had suffered so much in
the past two years of his life and could do nothing for himself. “His passing was a blessing” he
said.  But, Peter had to admit that there
was a tear in his eye each year on the day of the AYR Gold Cup.  The day that was so special to his
father.  The only day he went off on his
own leaving the family behind and headed to Ayr Racecourse.
Last week I met Peter for the first time
and he added to the story…
He said that his retirement coincided
with the richest horseracing handicap in Europe changing its day of running
from a Friday to a Saturday.  Peter
decided in memory of his father to go to Ayr Racecourse each year on the running
of this race.  Like his father it would
be the only day he would leave the family behind and venture out on his
own.  On the track he would keep to his
father’s ritual of having a meal, a double malt whiskey and have an each-way
bet on only the one race, the main race of the afternoon the Ayr Gold Cup. 
The
amazing thing was “
said Peter “it was
as if my father is with me on these occasions
.  I can smell his Old Spice aftershave; I can
feel his love all around me on this day. 
I am certain my dad is with me on
this day each year
”.  The only thing is” Peter went on to say “I must not be listening to dad when picking
my selection each year.
  Dad was
successful with the winnings always being given to the children.  My plan was always to give to the
grandchildren and now the great grandchildren my winnings, but my only
successes since 1992 have been.
1992 – Lochshore  1st – 10/1.  Dad took us camping one year and we set up
our tent on the side of a loch.
1997 – Wild Wood Flowers – 1st
14/1.  My father liked walking in the
country and loved gardening.
2013 – I could not decide between two
Highland Colori  – dad’s love of the
highlands – and Heaven’s Guest which needs no explanation.  I halved my bet and backed both of them ew.  Dad must have been smiling that day as
Highland Colori won and 25/1 and Heaven’s Guest was 3rd 25/1.  So with my each-way betting I got returns on
both of them.
I asked peter what his money would be
going on this year and he said “It will
have to be once again Heaven’s Guest and if a non-runner I will decide between

Piper’s Note, Perfect Pasture or Snap
Shots
the other three horses in the race where their names have a
connection to by Dad.
Let’s hope the sun is shining on the 17th
at Ayr and Peter’s father guides him to the winner.
                                                            
                                                   Keeping Communications Open.
The other evening, I found
myself writing; –
Many joke about North
Korea’s President Kim Jong-un – but he is by
far the most dangerous individual on this planet.

Mr. Putin will only go so far – he will not risk what he already has.

China – although having a vast army and
nuclear weapons, yet it has found its more powerful mode of attack is in in the
financial sector.

ISIS – has FEAR as its main weapon. 
Although this fear has the rest of the world running around in circles
it does not have anywhere near the destructive power of NK.

North Korea is an entirely different kettle of fish as decisions made in Pyonyang
could cause so much upheaval –  life as
we know it could be turned on its head. 
Any nuclear release could contaminate the whole region for many years to
come.  Nuclear contamination respects no
borders and as well as North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan and other
countries could be affected.

Kim Jong-un being replaced is not necessary
the answer as that would see millions of North Koreans flood over the borders
to China and South Korea.  The Syrian
refugee crisis would pale in comparison.
 We Spiritualists should pray and
campaign for negotiations never to stop no matter how futile the situation may
seem.  North Korea is never going to
trust the US or the UK, so let other countries take the lead.   The Scandinavian countries, Holland,
Belgium, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand etc. should keep the lines of
communications open – keep talking to make the world a safer place.
And we Spiritualists can keep this
volatile situation in our prayers – we need more than help from this planet to
sort it out.
A few hours after I typed this out North
Korea carried out its biggest nuclear test.

The Glasgow Association  fills a great void in Spiritualist in Scotland with ten evenings of Philosophy.  

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