Unión Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas, Inc.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Unión Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas, Inc. (UECFI-PHIL) consists of about a thousand affiliated Local Centers (Churches) with more than a million members in various parts of the country, excluding Foreign based Centers linked to the Unión where Filipino members are working and residing like in Canada, Hawaii, USA, Italy, and Hongkong, among others.

The Union whose members are called "Union Spiritists" is affiliated to the International Spiritualist Federation (ISF).[1]

(extracted from Yours Fratenally quarterly magazine of the ISF, January 2005, p.23- 24)

Contents

[edit] History

The official foundation of the Unión Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas took place on 19 February 1905 when the group of Spiritists in Pangasinan, Philippines decided to join their brethren in the City of Manila to organize a congregation that will unite all Spiritists in the Philippines, of which spirit communication was already being practiced; even before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521.

On 19 February 1909, they executed and signed the Articles of Incorporation known as Escritura social in accordance with the laws of the Philippines. They agreed and decided to name their religious association as “Unión Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas, Inc.” or UECFI. Don Agustín de la Rosa was the first President General until 1919. On 29 February 1909, the registration of the UECFI was finally approved by the Bureau of Commerce. Thus, the birth of Unión Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas, Inc. had taken place in the City of Manila and Spiritism in the Philippines was legally registered for an existence of fifty years which expired on 29 February 1957. The UECFI was re-registered on 19 March 1959 under Security Exchange Commission (SEC) Registration No. 15147 for another fifty years life

Unión Espiritista Cristiana de Filipinas, Inc. adopted “Hacia Dios por la ciencia y el amor” (Towards God through Science and Love) as its Lemma, “Sin caridad no hay salvación posible” (Without Charity there is no Salvation) as its Doctrine, and “Uno para todos, todos para uno” (One for All, All for One) as its motto.

[edit] Aims

The Aims of the Association are as follows:

  • To propagate the evangelical morality and faith in God within the confines of Spiritual Science;
  • To inculcate in the minds of the human society the knowledge and belief that all men are spiritually brothers under the Fatherhood of only one Spiritual Father, the only God, and that they should treat each other lovingly as brothers;
  • To help the destitute who may be found on the mundane and passional path, so that they may see the light which will lead them towards moral and spiritual progress;
  • To apply the remedy, “A drop of affection is better than a glass of coercion”;
  • To work for the upliftment of the ailing humanity;
  • To promote social and spiritual progress for the triumph of peace, brotherhood and justice among all men;
  • To foster the moral and spiritual culture of mankind; thus promoting the knowledge of oneself and the sentiment of love and kindness towards one’s neighbors;
  • To disseminate the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity among mankind without distinction as to race, sex, social standing, religious beliefs, or political affiliation and to accept all as brothers;
  • To inculcate in the minds of men that this is a non-stock, non-sectarian and non-political, but Spiritual (Religious) Association;
  • To establish centers, schools, healing centers, asylums, and libraries, cooperatives and funeral parlors; and,
  • To own and acquire real or personal properties by purchase, donations, lease, usufruct or in any manner authorized by law for the establishment of its centers and other facilities that shall be for the betterment of the Union.

[edit] Beliefs

According to the students/ believers at Center Tagumpay ng Katotohanan (Triumph of Truth) and Centro Liwanag ng Batong Buhay (Light of the Living Stone) both affiliated centers to the Union, the study considers the aims of an Incarnating spirit (the immortal breath of life from God)[2], in physical existences of which are as follows:

  • 1.To fulfill the promised mission on earth, either for expiation, reparation, sacred mission or to bring progress on earth;
  • 2.To learn and gain experiences on earthly- lives for progress and advancement;
  • 3.To be back safely at the original point of origin- Kingdom of God (Planets and Stars)

[edit] Sources of Studies and Understanding

  • From Direct revelation and teachings of the Holy Spirit and Ministering Spirits, a documented vow of Lord Jesus Christ as stated in the Scripture,[3] through the use of selected and gifted individuals called communicating spiritual medium[4], and these chosen few (spiritual medium) could directly talk, see(discern)[5], feel, smell and hear the Holy Spirit, the Archangels,[6] the Apostles [7] and other Ministering Spirits of God[8], the highest degree of mediumistic qift given to chosen individual, or to a member- spiritual medium, like that of Center Tagumpay ng Katotohanan (Triumph of Truth), where Vision Development (i.e. exploring/ opening of one' s spiritual faculties- an inherent attributes of a soul/ spirit and re- energizing the human physical faculties) is being undertaken under the direct guidance and supervision of the Holy spirit and Ministering Spirits, and almost all of affiliated centers were also attributed with various gifts, of which the most renowned is the gift of healing.
  • Based on the Scripture [9],( "Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson,Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved." ), this is to support and to serve as a document of evidence and reference of studies and testimonies of students/ believers of the Holy Spirit, for it is written, That which has been is what will be,That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun ,Ecclesiastes 1: 9, and there are also direct revelations and teachings that deal on the secrets of one' s soul/ spirit, its promised mission, living with true Christian ways and all other things on earth; knowledge about the spirit world and the Kingdom of God that are not written in the Holy Bible, as it is also written in the Scripture.[10]
  • The clarity and existence of the figurative word flaming sword was confirmed and explained by the Holy Spirit and was further verified and linked to science findings of the existence of continuous bombardment of cosmic rays [11]from outer space into the earth' s atmosphere.
  • Testimonies- According to students/ believers, most if not all, they have received corresponding graces, gift(s) from the Holy Spirit, in addition to revelations, teachings, advices, guidance and direct help particularly in sickness, enlightenment in life, personal/ family problems, travel, works, businesses, safety, studies and all other things concerning material matters, much more on spiritual salvation and progress.

The students believe: That ONLY PURE, ADVANCED/ PROGRESSED SPIRITS and the HOLY SPIRITS occupy the True Kingdom of God; thus the principal aims of the teachings are:

  • A. Spirit/ Soul' s Salvation from the Lake of Fire and be able to cross the barrier of scorching heat [12] (flamingsword)[13] into the Kingdom;
  • B. Spirit/ Soul' s Progress and advancement which could only be attained through various earth- life experiences and learnings through the process of multiple incarnation/ reincarnation under the direct governance and teachings of the Holy Spirit.
    • Note: The above- given objects of belief of the group are also consistent with the Scriptures: 1 Timothy 2: (3] “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;”�[4] “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” [14]

[edit] A. Spirit' s Salvation from the Lake of Fire[15]

  • The Holy Spirit revealed that Hades/ Lake of Fire / spirit prison,(also considered as the second death of a spirit), is the place where spirits of wicked individuals, wrongdoers, etc. [16]are locked up and imprisoned to pay and suffer the pain [17] as a consequence of bad works for indefinite period until allowed by God to be born again ,[18] that is, without depriving the opportunity to be reincarnated on conditional terms under the Nature' s law (the law on reincarnation) in order to have the chance to grow and progress; and located at the space around us and within the earth’ s atmosphere up to its outermost layer exosphere; [19], of which is continuously bombarded by fire (scorching heat/ cosmic rays) from a dragon- like source; and to prevent impure spirits in entering the Kingdom of God, (referred to as the "tree of life")[20] in the scriptures;
  • "Science tells the existence of continuous bombardment of cosmic rays [21] from outer space into the earth' s atmosphere; Cosmic Rays are the atomic nuclei (mostly protons) and electrons that are observed to strike the Earth's atmosphere with exceedingly high energies. Cosmic rays can be over 10/21eV, which is a billion times more energetic than high energy particles created on earth in the most powerful particle accelerators. They are moving at nearly the speed of light."
    • "The big question is how and where normal protons and electrons accelerated to these tremendous energies are."
    • "The origin of the really high energy cosmic rays is a mystery. Nobody knows exactly where they are produced and a source has yet to be precisely detected."
    • "They are hard to pin down, since at such high energies there are so few of them that it is hard to tell exactly where they come from."

[edit] B. Spirit/ soul' s Advancement and Progress:

  • The Scripture states in:
    • John 14 : 2 "In My Father’s house are many mansions;[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” [22]
    • I Corinthians 15: 40 "There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory." [23]
  • The Holy Spirit revealed and explained that all souls/ spirits originally came from the stars and the planets which comprise the Kingdom of God, of which was figuratively written and described as precious stones [24], and it is an opportunity of a soul/ spirit to be destined to a higher degree/ level of destiny in the Kingdom, if one is able to cross the barrier of scorching heat (cosmic rays); based on:
    • the level/ degree and quality of accomplished mission on earth;
    • the level/ degree and quality of life lived on earth;
    • the level/ degree and quality of charity works with love done on earth;
    • the level/ degree of faith and understanding;
    • the level/ degree of wisdom and spiritual knowledge gained on earth.


[edit] The Seven Basic Principles on Direct Revelation of the Holy Spirit

(As affirmed by the students/ believers of Center Tagumpay ng Katotohanan (Triumph of Truth) and Centro Liwanag ng Batong Buhay/ Light of the Living Stone, both affiliated centers to the Union.)

The students believe:

  • 1. That God is Spirit;
  • 2. In the Trinity of ONE GOD- God, the Father; God, the Son (Jesus); God, the Holy Spirit;
  • 3. In the Direct teaching, (through the use of chosen/ selected and gifted mediums), guidance and governance of the Holy Spirit and God’ s Ministering Spirits;
  • 4. That ONLY, the Holy Spirit and God’ s Ministering Spirits knew and can reveal, can make known the secrets and hidden depths of God particularly things that no one ever saw or heard, things no one ever thought could happen and all things prepared by God;and can open the individual’ s spiritual faculties and give different spiritual gifts to each person;
  • 5. That the destiny of soul/ spirit is based on the extent and ways of good works/ deeds And on the extent and kind of learning/ knowledge (wisdom) gained in physical life;
  • 6. That the spirit world of impure/ imprisoned individual spirits is distinct and apart from the true Kingdom of God, separated by a barrier of scorching heat at the exosphere, the outer most layer of earth’ s atmosphere;
  • 7.That impure individual/ familiar spirits exists and destined within the spheres of this material world and around us have no access nor knowledge about the true Kingdom of Heavens

Note:

  • 1. The Union acknowledged and recognized previous studies adopted by its Founders, hence there are other groups in the Union that adhere to the "Spirits' Book" by Allan Kardec;
  • 2. Spiritism is a progressive learning, for this reason the Board of Directors General of the Union unanimously agreed to continuously search the deeper truths of the secrets of one' s soul/ spirit and all other things on earth including the hidden depths of God based from the Direct Revelations of the Holy Spirit with the support of the Scripture and to update the objects and basis of beliefs and understanding to deal with the myriad of challenges of the diverse and constantly intensifying human technology at the present times[25] and in consequence to its By- Laws which states that the Supreme Authority of the Association is the Holy Spirit.

[edit] Footnotes