To think Spiritualist Churches are just breeding grounds for emotional vampires?

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Yet again my mother has been to one of these places 'Oh but this one is really good' she claims, whilst sobbing to me on the phone that her dad 'spoke to her' last night.

It doesn't provide comfort it's bunch of charlatans with some perverse need to feed from others pain.

Well said Fatty, I think unless these posters have experience of a spiritualist church, they are talking rubbish about something they know nothing of.

I am would never disrespect another faith, faith is a belief and everyone is entitled to their own.

I have experience of this

"I truly believe a group of (usually recently bereaved) adults 'talking to dead people' in a chilly village hall and paying a tenner a time for the privilege is insane behaviour."

Which is what the OP was actually talking about. She clarified that.

And I think it's all a big con.

Now I do believe in god, an afterlife - the spirit living on...

But I don't believe that someone is getting a message from "someone with the initial J"

I have been to spiritualist churches. There are lots where I live. Its a well established tradition in East London. People grow up with it. It became very popular between the wars because so many local men were lost.

None of them charge for entry. They have a collection or raffle.

They have hymns and prayers and are full of very kind people. I understand the the Spiritualist movement was a break away from the mainstream Anglican church.

I would say - yes - most of them are vunerable. A lot of people who visit are very vunerable.

But thats true for a lot of churches, synagogues and temples.

Mediums are different. I wouldnt pay a lot of money to see one.

But going to a Spiritualist church can be a very comforting experience.

But each to their own and I understand that people can be exploited at the worse time in their lives.

YANBU.

I think it's in Derren Brown's book where he describes the funniest 'spirit contact' thing he ever saw:

Medium: I can see a man...he wants to speak to you, love. Have you lost your dad recently?
Woman: No.
Medium: Or your uncle, maybe?
Woman: No.
Medium: Or maybe not a relative, but someone who was like a father to you?
Woman: No.

Hah.

Most Haunted just isn't as good without Derek.

Coming to this a bit late, sorry. DWP, how long has your mum been going to these meetings? I feel for you, as many years ago my mum went through similar. In her case, this lasted 2 or 3 years.

Some of the places my mum went to were spiritualist churches of the type Norks, Fattybumbum and Chegirl describe - ok, that was one thing: a service with healing, etc. added on. That's how I remember it, anyway. (I was about 11-13, and my mum often took me with her.)

But she also went to the tenner-in-a-village-hall type things, and these were very different experiences. Like MinnyMummy said, some mediums there were (I would say), well-intentioned but misguided; others were just charlatans.

Mum also used to have private meetings with a medium who was quite well known at the time (this was the early 70s). Till he got exposed in the national press as a complete fake. This was finally what made my mum turn away from the whole thing.

I know my mum did derive some comfort and reassurance from all of this. But, looking back, I also wonder if the 'emotional feeding' involved in some way prolonged the guilt and other negativity associated with her loss.

Is there any way (I'm sure you have been trying to think along these lines!) you could gently nudge your mother away from these meetings? I don't suggest you just say 'Mum, you're mad to think these people can help you.' Can your dad and/or your siblings/your mum's siblings have input here?

Sorry this is so long. And of course yanbu.

Wish you well.

There is the most awful woman on Living now. Her name is psychic Sally and she is making me feel sick.

She is 'chanelling' a little girl who was killed 15 weeks prior to the 'reading'. She is doing a horrible squeaky voice 'mummy, mummy' 'where is my daddy?' 'they put needles in my leg'

Oh fuck off you vulture.