What is the rule of religion with respect to spiritualism? Can anyone call spirits, ask them and receive their answers and believe what they say?
The first point is: How far can a person call a spirit? This question entails two other questions:
1. Do humans have authority to move spirits as they wish from their place?
2. Do spirits have freedom to move at any call?
We know that the spirits of the righteous go to Paradise as the Lord said to the thief on His right hand, “Today, you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43). Do we then have such a power as to bring a righteous spirit from Paradise though these spirits are in a higher and better state than ours? How can we move the spirits of the saints and stop their contemplations just to satisfy our curiosity asking them questions perhaps on trivialities and occupying them with worldly matters after having departed from our World?
We inquire also: Do these spirits move by God’s permission?
It is impossible that the spirits of the righteous move from Paradise without God’s permission. God may send the spirits of some saints to render some service to the people on earth as He sends the angels for the same purpose (Heb 1:14). But for us to call these spirits to see them it is another thing we have no authority to do, especially that God hates calling up the dead and considers this abominations as well as magic and conjuring (Deut 18:9-12).
The spirits of the righteous are commanded in God’s hands.
The Lord Christ said this about His human spirit (Luke 23:46) and St. Stephan said it while being martyred, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59).
How then can any person call these spirits in his own way though he might be unbeliever? What authority can a person have in this regard?
Do this calling of the spirits conform with the rest which the righteous have in Paradise?
Our father Abraham did not permit Lazarus to return to the world not even to do good.
When the rich man asked father Abraham to send Lazarus to advise his brothers to avoid the same end, our father Abraham refused, saying, “They have Moses and the prophets.” (Luke 16:29). Can then spirits come to us at the call of humans without permission from God who hates this just to answer the questions of the people and satisfy their curiosity? Can this be something usual practised by many who claim that they called hundreds and thousands of spirits and recorded their confessions?
As regards the evil spirits, they are imprisoned – as we know – in Hades without any rest.
So, we inquire: How can these sinful spirits come out of their prison i.e. Hades.
How can they come out of Hades to meet their friends, acquaintances or relatives and speak with them as if on a picnic or enjoying their time? They do not deserve this nor
can do it, they or those calling them, because it is not within their power and they are thinking more highly than they ought to think (Rom 12:30).
A human spirit cannot move freely as it wishes.
It is stated in the Scriptures about death, “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Eccl 12:7). So, since the spirit returns to God, it may not have any power to disobey Him or not return to Him! “No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit.” (Eccl 8:8) and also, “You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.” (Ps 104:29). And since their breath is taken away from them, then they have no power over themselves. St. Peter the Apostle says about the spirits in Hades, “the spirits in the prison.” (1 Pet 3:19), who then have power to bring a spirit out of prison to talk with it?
Furthermore, there is no text in the Holy Bible showing that spirits move freely as they wish not as God wills.
The Bible says that Lazarus died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22), whereas the rich man died, was buried and talked from Hades (Luke 16:23). If he was able to have contact with his relatives, he would not pray Abraham to send Lazarus to them.
How can the spiritists be sure that they are human spirits?
Truly said that these spirits need to identify themselves. How can you make sure that they are human spirits? Is it because they tell information and secrets? The devil also knows the past and can imitate voices and forms. And if the devil can transform himself into an angel of light, can he not assume the form of man?
What about the methods used by the spiritist?
Do the methods reveal the human power or God’s power? Can we describe such methods as spiritual work though they are against God’s commandment (Deut 18:9-12).
This may be a brief answer to the question, but I may return to other points on the same topic while answering other questions.
