{"id":202,"date":"2014-07-20T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-07-20T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/2014\/07\/20\/my-diary-putting-others-on-pedestal-big\/"},"modified":"2018-12-22T15:01:01","modified_gmt":"2018-12-22T15:01:01","slug":"my-diary-putting-others-on-pedestal-big","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/2014\/07\/20\/my-diary-putting-others-on-pedestal-big\/","title":{"rendered":"My Diary…. Putting others on a pedestal…. The Big Question – still waiting on answers… Jim Brown and Willie Stenhouse…"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/a><\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n                                                               My Diary…<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nJune…<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n12th \u2013 Once again it was a pleasure to be
\npart of the Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church\u2019s Development Group.<\/div>\n
\n15th \u2013 20th \u2013 a wee break in
\nNorth Devon.  The weather was perfect.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n26th \u2013Another enjoyable visit to the Kilmarnock
\nSpiritualist Church (SNU) for their Development Group.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n29th \u2013 President Maureen Land could not
\nhave selected a better name for her church. The Love and Friendship
\nSpiritualist Church.  There is always a
\ngreat welcome for everyone who enters  this
\nchurch at The Couper Institute, 86 Clarkston Road, Cathcart, Glasgow, G44 3DA
\non a Sunday evening at 6.30pm.  ** Due to anticipated travel delays, we are
\nclosed for 2 weeks during the GamesThere will be no Sunday services on 27th July or 3rd
\nAugust 2014.  There will be no Wednesday
\nCircle for the next two weeks. The church will open this Sunday 20th July and
\nSunday 10th August 2014.**
\nThe Circle will re-open on Wednesday 6th August
\n2014.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nMaureen Land an excellent medium in her own right of
\nmany years standing and runs an excellent development circle. (closed)  Sharing her vast knowledge of Spiritualist the
\nReligion.   Maureen\u2019s fledglings are given
\npersonal attention and time to ripen and mature in a natural way to be the
\n\u2018real thing before they set foot on the platform.  <\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n3rd \u2013 July I was on my way to the Arbroath Spiritual
\nCentre where there is a great welcome for all who walk through the doors.  Anyone in holiday in the area could pay a
\nvisit to the Church at20-22 Commerce Street, DD11 1NB on Thursday evenings
\nDivine service starts at 7.30pm.<\/div>\n
\n9th \u2013 A meditation class.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nI was not so busy in the past month and that let me
\nget some of my psychic research attended too.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n<\/a><\/div>\n
\nAnother celebrity
\nfound guilty of serious crimes that went on for decades and I find it hard to
\nbelieve, unnoticed.  I think that most of
\nus are guilty of putting others on pedestals and worshiping them.  Look at those who go completely overboard
\nabout their favourite singer, actor\/actress or sportsperson.  They take whoever it is to a different level
\nin their mind and totally believe they can do no wrong.  These \u2018stars\u2019<\/i>
\nare made out to be the greatest singer when they actually are only a good
\nsinger like so many others. But because of their looks, voice or songs that
\nappeal to you.  They are the greatest and
\ncan do no wrong.<\/b><\/div>\n

Just imagine you heard
\nthat some young person from a children\u2019s home had complained about abuse by
\nyour \u2018superstar<\/i>\u2019.  What would your immediate reactions be?<\/b>
\n<\/b>
\nThen if the same young
\nperson approached you and pointed out a tramp sitting on a park bench and said
\nthe same thing about them.  Again \u2013 what
\nwould your immediate reaction be?<\/b><\/p>\n

\nI doubt they would be
\nexactly the same.  Although I am not
\nsaying that in the end you would completely dismiss the complaint of your
\n\u2018super hero\u2019.<\/b><\/div>\n

When I was young the
\nsinger I liked best was Craig Douglas and still today he is probably my
\nfavourite singer.  I supported the
\nfootball team Ayr United and my favourite players were defender Bill Elliot and
\ngoalkeeper Lenny Round.  But I was never
\nfanatical about any of them, singer, team or football players. I would comment
\nnegatively if I felt the need to do so. 
\nBut from an early age I could never see why so many worshiped certain entertainers
\nor sports people.  <\/b><\/p>\n

\nMaybe that was part of
\nthe way I was brought up, never to think anyone is better than another.  If the road sweeper does not sweep the streets
\nor the dustman does not empty our rubbish bins our local area will be in a
\nterrible state.<\/b><\/div>\n

We have also heard in
\nthe past few weeks  of allegations of
\nsexual abuse by those in high places. 
\nThose who have so much power, that they can halt such allegations from going
\nany further.  Many put the reputation of
\ntheir political party before anything else, even before getting justice for the
\nvictim who has suffered from the most heinous of crimes.  And those individuals and organizations that
\nknow what is going on and keep quiet in my mind are equally to blame as those
\nwho have committed the heinous crimes.<\/b><\/p>\n

\nI have had several
\nemails connected with all this and most ask \u201cWhy do God \/ Spirit allow all this
\nto go on?\u201d<\/b><\/div>\n

The answer is
\nsimple… We have been given free-will and so many abuse this precious gift.  Take this away from us and we are no more
\nthan puppets that act and think when someone pulls a string telling us to do
\nthis or that<\/b><\/p>\n

\nWhat we sowed in the past \u2013 we are
\nreaping today<\/b><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n<\/b> <\/div>\n
\n<\/b> <\/div>\n
\n<\/a><\/div>\n
\n<\/b> <\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

I mentioned in my
\nprevious blog the omission of a representative of Spiritualism in BBC\u2019s Sunday
\nmorning programme \u201cThe Big Question\u201d. The programme as many of you will know is
\nabout religious and ethical debate. So why a discussion on \u201cIs there life after
\ndeath \u201cand have no representative from Spiritualism?  After all the BBC in its website on religion
\nlists Spiritualism as a religion with the comment, \u201cSpiritualists believe in communication with the spirits of people who
\nhave died.\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\nI ranted and raved
\nabout this on Facebook, not always the best thing to do. Someone suggested that
\nmaybe a Spiritualist organisation was asked to take part but declined for some
\nreason or other.  I could not see this
\nbut I suppose it was possible.  So I contacted
\nMinister David R Brunton president Spiritualist National Union (SNU) who sent
\nan immediate reply. <\/b><\/div>\n
\n

\u201cI<\/b> was aware of the programme and we did try to get a representative on
\nthe panel for the recording of the programme but sadly on this occasion without
\nsuccess\u201d.<\/i><\/b><\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\nI sent a letter to the
\nDirector-General of the BBC asking why a representative from Spiritualism was
\nnot invited on to the programme, especially when the debate was \u201cIs there life
\nafter death?\u201d   I posted the letter
\nfirst-class on 15\/6\/14 and only today 17\/7\/14 have I had a reply, well some
\nsort of a reply.  A standard letter tells
\nme that the BBC aim to reply to complaints within 10 working days and do so for
\nmost but not for all.  Well it took
\n24-working days to contact me about my complaint.  Maybe I just hit a busy time, maybe many
\nSpiritualist writing and emailing with the same complaint.<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

My complaint has been
\npassed on to the relevant department and it may take longer than ten days to
\nget back to me.  I am not holding my
\nbreath.<\/b><\/div>\n

\n

<\/b><\/div>\n

\nThen I am told that to
\nuse the licence fee efficiently the BBC may not investigate every issue if it
\ndoes not suggest a substantative breach of guidelines. <\/b><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n <\/b>A month further on and
\nI am still waiting on a reply. I am sure I will get a reply but as we all know
\nthe wheels of big corporations turn slowly. 
\n. Hopefully there will be an explanation from the BBC by the time my
\nnext blog goes online.<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

So we will wait and
\nsee…<\/b><\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\n <\/b>My comments on the BBC
\nopened up another interesting debate and I was surprised at the number of
\npeople who commented along such lines as <\/b><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n\u201cDo we be need to be on such programmes? We would only be ridiculed.   We are
\nmanaging not too bad as it is at the moment \u2013 so why not just do our own thing
\nand let others do theirs?\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/div>\n
\n

When I read these
\ncomments to a friend he said \u201cToo many Spiritualists are happy to sit back with
\na little bit of power whether it is committee member or a medium and not look
\nat the big picture.  After a long hard
\nfight by those who want Spiritualism to be given more respect we are now close
\nto our target.  The Interfaith network
\nhas changed its rules for membership. 
\nHopefully this year the SNU will gain provisional membership to this
\norganization\u201d.<\/b><\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\nThat I applaud but it
\nbrought the words from an old Spiritualist friend into my head.  \u201cWith all these new rules and regulations
\nbeen put into place by Spiritualist bodies it appears Spiritualism is being dumbing
\ndown so it will be accepted by other religions.   Spiritualism should not make and changes so
\nit can become a member of a club \u2013 a club of religions.  We must be true to ourselves and Spirit\u201d…<\/b><\/div>\n
\n

Both, excellent points
\nfor debate.  Spiritualism cannot sit back
\nwe have to move forward with the times and I feel that is what we have been
\ndoing.  But change for the sake of change
\nor change to be accepted is not on.  We
\nhave to think of all those who fought hard to get spiritualism where it is today
\nwe must not let them down.  Nor, let
\nSpirit down.<\/i><\/b><\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\n <\/b><\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n<\/a><\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n
\n                                                   Jim Brown<\/b><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nJim Brown passed to Spirit a few days ago.  Jim, and May his wife served many of our churches
\nover the years and both thoroughly deserve the title \u201cGreat<\/i> Ambassadors for Spirit<\/i>\u201d.  I spoke to Jim on the phone a week before he
\npassed and he showed great spirit and determination.  More about Jim in my next blog.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n                                            Willie Stenhouse<\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n13th April saw the
\npassing to spirit of 93-year-old Willie Stenhouse a stalwart of Spiritualism in
\nScotland since 1949. It was in that year after coming home from the army that
\nWillie joined Dunfermline Spiritualist Church (SNU) and immediately became an
\nactive member.  Over the years he became
\nVice President and later honorary vice-president. He represented the church at
\nmany Scottish and Irish District Council meetings.  In 2009 the church held a special celebration
\nto mark Willie’s 60-years of dedicated service. 
\nHe was also an extremely gifted healer and a great mentor to many new
\nhealers starting out.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nMr Stenhouse had great
\nknowledge of the Spiritualist movement; he was an old school
\ntraditionalist.  He loved the teachings
\nof William Stainton, Moses and Sliver Birch and often quoted them in
\nreadings.  He also frequently spoke of
\nHelen Duncan and Albert Best.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n On a personal level I always
\nfound Willie a kind, caring and compassionate gentleman, a gentleman is every
\nsense of the word.  I remember one
\nevening setting foot on the platform and immediately noticed something was
\ndifferent.  In all my previous visits to
\nthe church Willie had been sitting in his usual seat in the front row, but this
\nevening it was empty.  All through the
\nservice I was concerned that Willie may be ill or age was finally catching up
\nwith him.  I could not wait till near the
\nend of the service when the collection plates were going around and I whispered
\nthe chairperson for the evening \u201cIs
\nWillie OK?\u201d<\/i>  She replied, \u201cYes \u2013 he is away to London for a few
\ndays\u201d.  W<\/i>illie would have
\nbeen about 87 at this time but still game enough to spend a few days in London.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n In recent years Willie was
\nunable to attend the church but his friends in the church kept in close touch
\nwith him.  As I have often said the term
\n\u201cA great Ambassador for Spirit\u201d handed out too freely.  But in this case William Stenhouse certainly
\ndeserves such a title…<\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n<\/a> <\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n
\n*********************** <\/div>\n
\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/a> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                                                 My Diary… June… 12th \u2013 Once again it was a pleasure to be part of the Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church\u2019s Development Group. 15th \u2013 20th \u2013 a wee break in North Devon.  The weather was perfect. 26th \u2013Another enjoyable visit to the Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU) for their Development Group. 29th \u2013 President Maureen … Continue reading “My Diary…. Putting others on a pedestal…. The Big Question – still waiting on answers… Jim Brown and Willie Stenhouse…”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":718,"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions\/718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tomjohnstonspiritualistmedium.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}