PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Principle which sets Spiritualism apart from many other religions as this places the onus of responsibility for every individual’s life exactly where it belongs  -  with the individual. A soul may lie, cheat, manipulate, control or otherwise delude society with his actions and smooth words, hiding his intentions and thoughts in order to achieve his dubious ends, whatever they may be. There is one person that s/he can never delude and that is her/himself and the hardest part of this Principle is grasping and accepting the nettle of truth: The Buck stops Here!

Spiritualists have no devil as a clothes-horse on which to hang their misdemeanours and misdeeds, although some have been known to blame the influence of spirit for their negative behaviour and such assertions should be treated with the contempt they deserve. People are in control of their bodies; people are in control of their emotions; people in control of their minds and if they cannot control them then they need physical help because there will be a physical cause inherent thereto.

Man must learn to accept responsibility for every thought, every word and every deed which emanates from him; man must also learn to accept responsibility for every thought, every word and every deed which does not emanate from him but which he knows should have been given expression. Too often people will deliberately bury their heads in the sand and refuse to think about situations in which they are involved in the hope that they will go away; people will also remain quiet when they know they should stand, speak and be counted; people will often refrain from taking action in situations where it is apparent there is a need for them so to do. People are responsible for inaction as well as action which makes understanding Personal Responsibility a truly daunting proposition.

Positivity and a sense of personal worth will help in this direction and a constant resolve to always allow others to be masters of their own souls and yet be ready with a helping hand, if requested.