Expulsion from the SNU

Sorry, but this means nothing to me. Could you tell us what the SNU is please? And maybe give us some background. Have you been expelled, Healistic?

xxx

Sorry, but this means nothing to me. Could you tell us what the SNU is please? And maybe give us some background. Have you been expelled, Healistic?

xxx

The SNU is the Spiritualists' National Union. No I have not been expelled a very dear friend has.

I never realised just how 'official' the Spiritualist organisation has become - the byelaws go on for pages and pages! [DLMURL] http://www.snu.org.uk/snu/articles.htm [/DLMURL] What have all these byelaws to do with the Seven Principles?

It does appear that SNU is a limited company, and therefore bound by company law.

I also think that in this culture of 'where there is a blame there is a claim', professional associations have to cover all bases, to ensure they are not held liable for members 'wrongdoing' etc.

I never realised just how 'official' the Spiritualist organisation has become - the byelaws go on for pages and pages! [DLMURL] http://www.snu.org.uk/snu/articles.htm [/DLMURL] What have all these byelaws to do with the Seven Principles?

Following some research My opinion is: The Seven principles are said to be from Emma Hardinge Britten but there were only 4 original principles
in an address by Emma Hardinge Britten at Cleveland Hall in 1871,

Emma Hardinge Britten says:
"I shall here speak briefly of the creed which is evolved from Spiritualism. I may not pause now upon the methods of evolution. You have heard some of them in the past discourses; you may apply those to the results which I now offer:

• I believe in God.

• I believe in the immortality of the human soul.

• I believe in right and wrong.

• I believe in the communion of spirits as ministering angels."

It does appear that SNU is a limited company, and therefore bound by company law.

I also think that in this culture of 'where there is a blame there is a claim', professional associations have to cover all bases, to ensure they are not held liable for members 'wrongdoing' etc.

They are also a Religious Charity and by having restrictive bodies that believe in god and display the cross and show pictures of Jesus, then they are in breach of their own principles.

[DLMURL] http://www.snu.org.uk/snu/legal.htm [/DLMURL]

Originally most of their churches displayed pictures of Jesus and preached the word of God.

It does appear that SNU is a limited company, and therefore bound by company law.

I also think that in this culture of 'where there is a blame there is a claim', professional associations have to cover all bases, to ensure they are not held liable for members 'wrongdoing' etc.

I was Just amazed that they term a 'wrongdoing' as being Christian.

I am a spiritual healer under the SNU umbrella and our church is very welcoming and friendly to all faiths and religions. In all the years i have been connected with our church i do not ever remember one incident when anyone was asked to leave or not made to feel welcome.
All i can suggest is that perhaps your friend should go 'up higher 'and put in some form of complaint?

All the best
Starisheaw

I am a spiritual healer under the SNU umbrella and our church is very welcoming and friendly to all faiths and religions. In all the years i have been connected with our church i do not ever remember one incident when anyone was asked to leave or not made to feel welcome.
All i can suggest is that perhaps your friend should go 'up higher 'and put in some form of complaint?

All the best
Starisheaw

My Friend belonged to a Christian Spiritual Organisation and was told by the SNU executive that unless she left that organisation she would be expelled from the SNU. So the SNU is not welcoming to all all faiths and religions. In fact the SNU is a very restrictive organisation and I think you will also find that a medium that serves a restrictive body could also be expelled. If you look at the SNU restrictive body list you will see what I mean. I have been with the SNU since 1965 and have seen the many changes from it's origin where the churches were Christian in origin having the cross, pictures of Jesus and Mediums that spoke of both Jesus and re-incarnation. All this and much more has now been banned. Anything that refers to a faith or religion is now considered trappings.
So the SNU should stop calling themselves a Religion and having ministers and change their principle the Fatherhood of God and change The Brotherhood of Man to the Brotherhood of the SNU.

Excerpt from the SNU Bye-Laws Restrictive or not?

20. Interpretation
In these Bye-laws:-

(1) The term 'restricted body' means any religious organisation within the United Kingdom which:-

(a) incorporates within its title, principles or statement of beliefs any reference to the principles, beliefs, religious leader, symbols, trappings or practices of any other religion or religious denomination; or
(b) introduces, includes, utilises or otherwise promulgates any symbols, trappings or practices of any other religion or religious denomination; or
(c) permits a body which falls within (a) or (b) above to be accepted into affiliation with, or membership of, such organisation.

Also Their Memorandum of Association states

(q) To assist in procuring perfect religious equality and in promoting spiritual growth and moral reforms and in the doing of all and any such things as may assist in spreading abroad information regarding Spiritualism.

The most annoying part is that my friend had just paid their membership fee and that has not been refunded. Obviously they do not follow their own principle of Personal responsibility. I think that says it all. So I have advised my friend to report them to the Charity commission the OFT and the Government and also to see a solicitor.

Very interesting topic indeed!

SHO

Hello Healistic,

The SNU (Spiritualists National Union) was set up to promote Spiritualism in the form of mental mediumship to prove life after physical death. It disassociates itself with any other religion and creed so that it is in effect a 'dffierent' religion. To promote Christianity for example, is definitely against the rules. However, there are Christian Spiritualist Churches, but these are, by and large, quite separate from the SNU body. However, they (the SNU) have no control over any medium who is both Christian and a practitioner within a SNU church, as long as that medium doesn't evangelise about Christianity. There is no bar either, from a medium attending a CofE or Roman Catholic service at a parish church.

The other thing that the SNU frowns upon (and which can get a medium thrown out) is practising physical mediumship within a SNU church. That is a no-no.

I would be interested to know exactly why your friend was barred from the SNU. Being a member of another group, even if it is Christian, is no reason to expel anyone from the SNU.

Love,
Patsy.
xxxx

The other thing that the SNU frowns upon (and which can get a medium thrown out) is practising physical mediumship within a SNU church. That is a no-no.

Why?

Hello Crowan,

The reason for the SNU frowning upon people conducting physical mediumship circles and demonstrations within their churches/centres is because they want to move away from the Victorian era of 'fraudlulent mediums' and so on, and thus retain an air of respectability. It is believed that life after physical death can be proved without the aid of physical mediumship i.e. sitting behind curtains, ectoplasm, etc.) The only thing they'll allow is trance mediumship. since some mediums work this way and is regarded as 'mental' mediumship (i.e. that type of mediumship used and controlled by the mind.) There is also the possibility that if someone became so frightened by a demonstration of physical mediumship at an SNU church and then became ill/died, the SNU could leave themselves open to legal action or criminal charges.

Mediums and those who wish to sit in 'physical' circles may do so in the privacy of their own homes.

Glad you asked!

Love,
Patsy.
xxxx