LATEST NEWS - 22nd Jan 2008
To follow the campaign and get involved we have set up
"The Spiritual Workers Association"
The association has been set up as part of the campaign to protect all spiritual workers from the proposed changes to the Fraudulent Mediums Act. We are campaigning to stop the current proposals because we are deeply concerned that the flexibility of the Consumer Protection Regulations will result in the practice of Mediumship, Healing and other Psychic works being forced underground. This will be counterproductive because it will enable frauds to prosper in a way that is impossible if the field is legislated by an Act that reflects the uniqueness of the work.
Please refer to this site from now on. We encourage people to join and get involve.
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Previous information
The government’s response to a petition requesting the Repeal of The Fraudulent Mediums Act is as follows:
‘The Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 will be repealed from April 2008 by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading 2007 (CPR’s) which implement the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD). The CPR’s include rules prohibiting conduct which misleads the average consumer and thereby causes, or is like to cause him, to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise’. Conduct could be deemed unfair if it deceives the average member of (i) the group to which it is directed or (ii) a clearly identifiable group of consumers who are particularly vulnerable to this type of practice.
The original Act required proof that the medium or healer was fraudulent. The changes will mean that a complainant can say they believe the medium or healer was fraudulent and it will be up to the medium or healer to prove they weren’t.
Spiritualism, and its associated practices, is a properly constituted religion recognised by an act of parliament. Spiritualism is a belief in life after death and one part of its practice is to show this through mediumship. Mediums can either be independent or affiliated to Spiritualist organisations. In other words you can be an independent medium and still a Spiritualist even though you don’t belong to a church group or consider yourself to be religious.
Whilst we agree that those who are deliberately fraudulent should be prosecuted, it should be remembered that Mediums are members of the British Public and under Part 2 of the Equality Act 2006, discrimination is prohibited on the grounds of religion or philosophical belief in the following areas:
- education
- the provision of goods, facilities or services
- the management of premises
- the exercising of public functions
Most Mediums have been trained by Spiritualist organisations who work hard to train and support Mediums to work to the highest possible standards of truth and integrity. It is not the fault of either Spiritual organisations or Mediums that the training, for which they pay and to which they commit a considerable amount of time, is not recognised. Leaving them vulnerable to the flexibility of the Consumer Protection Regulations does not reflect the unique nature of the calling and the legality of practising mediumship and healing under the umbrella of the religion.
We are also deeply concerned that the flexibility of the Consumer Protection Regulations will result in the practice of Mediumship, Healing and other Psychic works being forced underground. This will be counterproductive because it will enable frauds to prosper in a way that is impossible if the field is legislated by an Act that reflects the uniqueness of the work. We are therefore suggesting that there is a specific Act, worked out in partnership with the main Spiritualist bodies in the UK, that:
- reflects the needs and uniqueness of the field
- respects its religious and philosophical basis
- defines excellence in Mediumship
- defines and recognises training and certification
- sets up a governing body for all kinds of Mediumship and other Psychic work similar to the function of UK Healers which sets standards and regulates healing and other complementary therapies
Finally, part of Spiritualism’s philosophy is that we each have free will and thus are responsible for our own choices and the results of these choices. Unfortunately, the culture prevailing within today’s society is not to accept any responsibility for one’s actions but to look for some one else to blame. Matters of spiritual belief have always been highly personal and nothing to do with consumerism, even if a service is being provided.
Carole and David McEntee-Taylor
www.saahera-centre.org
01621 869567
Deb Hawken & Ian Jones
View Campaign Website
View Campaign Website
View Paper Petition
Download Paper Petiton
View E-Petition
Please note the narrative above reflects the new paper petition, the e-petition reflected our original stance. We have now broadened our scope.
Sign e-Petition
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YOUR SIGNATURE WILL NOT BE ADDED UNTIL YOU CLICK ON THE LINK IN THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL. YOU WILL RECEIVE THIS EMAIL STRAIGHT AWAY. PLEASE CHECK YOUR JUNK EMAIL FOLDERS
For your friends and members of your churches and centres who do not have access to the internet
please print off this letter that they can send to John Hutton MP, The Secretary for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform at the Houses of Parliament.
References
View Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951
View Proposed Changes
Copy Petition Image Code
Disclaimer
A significant amount of information contained on this public forum is supplied to the Provider by third parties. While the Provider makes efforts to present accurate and reliable information on this forum, the Provider does not endorse, recommend, approve, agree or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or efficacy of such information. Use of such information is voluntary, and reliance on it should only be undertaken after an independent review of its accuracy, completeness, and efficacy. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by the Provider. We also DO NOT endorse mediums who work in a dishonest way or use distasteful methods to promote their work, and we also categorically distance ourselves from those who feel the need to use images of murdered children to promote this campaign and promote their work.
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www.saahera-centre.org
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