CHAPTER V

SEX IN THE NEXT WORLD


There is in existence an enormous mass of recorded spirit communication
concerning life and death. The one outstanding feature concerning these
revelations is that they tell us extremely little. Sometimes the reason
given for this withholding of information is that it is forbidden by
higher spirits, and it is certainly remarkable that despite the great
enthusiasm shown for the principles of democracy in this world, there
have never been any revelations of a democratic principle on the higher
plane.

The rule of the next world appears to be that of a benevolent
autocracy, working through a hierarchy of directing spirits controlling
other spirits on clearly defined planes. We know nothing of the
political system of the other world except that there is no such thing
as any form of elective system, no majority rule, and little social
structure.

The great dominant factor of the hereafter as described by the
bulk of Spiritualistic literature appears to be the acceptance of
_authority_. The recently arrived spirit is taken in hand by
“guides” who instruct, and the spirit then passes from grade to grade
or plane to plane, until it achieves an eminence entirely beyond the
bounds of human thought.

There is perhaps no limit to the speculation that can be indulged in
concerning the after-life, but there are certain aspects of it that
appear contradictory. There are good spirits and bad spirits, low
grades and high grades and all intermediate stages. There are also low
spirits that are said never to have been human and high spirits of the
same non-mortal nature. But badness and goodness exist on the spiritual
planes as much as on this earth.

The spirits who visit séances retain many of their earthly
characteristics. They state that they are still male and female despite
the assumption on the part of many writers that sex does not exist
upon the spiritual plane. The least possible experience of spirit
communication in any form is quite sufficient to expose this amazing
fallacy.

If the differentiation of sex has any purpose at all, it can only have
the same purpose in the next world as it has in this. Otherwise sex
distinction would be cast off just as is the human body after death.

This brings us to the consideration of how and why the myth of the
sexlessness of spirits has passed into acceptance as a fact.

The Spiritualist is open to human error and it is only human to
build into our theories those things which tend to prove them and to
disregard matters which are not in harmony with our ideas. Both in
Britain and in America there is a certain amount of false modesty that
amounts to pruriency concerning all matters of sex.

As a result, the very limited moral doctrines of sexual relationship
as understood by certain Christian sects, have been tacitly held to by
those dominating the after-life. Sex, as understood in conventional
terms, has been seen to be such a danger to the construction of a
hypothetical but perfectly moral future state, that the whole sex
question has been squashed by a statement by Spiritualists that sex
does not exist in after-life.

This is entirely wrong, for, as I have pointed out above, according to
spirit statement sex does exist and it is only fair to suppose that it
is there for the usual reason.

There exists the further problem of the origin of spirits that have
never been mortal. These must come somehow from somewhere, and there
is no reason to suppose that the continuation of sex upon the astral
planes is not for this purpose. Its existence is indeed an absolute
answer to the theories of parthenogenesis held by believers whose minds
were clouded with a residuum of theological beliefs.

To sum up, we have evidence of the continuation of sex--indeed it is
a cardinal point, for it is impossible to believe in continuation
of personality after death unless sex continues with it. One cannot
logically believe in the one without the other.

The state of error has arisen through the confusion of sex with sin.
The would-be formulators of the new Spiritualistic dogmas, having been
unable to effect a mental compromise between the moral and monogamous
Christian and the moral and polygamous Mohammedan, attempted to solve
the whole business by a bland statement that there was no sex in the
other world.

Some writers do indeed recognize this permanence of sex, but gloss it
over.[22] They ignore the fact that if a thing exists it exists for a
purpose and the fatal conception that the gratification of a sex desire
is a sin persists throughout their pages.

On the other hand, gratification of other voluptuous sense desires
such as aural pleasures from music or self-abandonment to any of
the pleasures of the intellect, appears to be regarded not only as
permissible but as praise-worthy. In fact, any analysis of the reported
habits and customs of the next world, plunges us into a mass of
paradoxical contradictions.

In point of fact it is impossible to draw a hard-and-fast line between
the actual spirit revelation and interpolated ideas by the medium. It
is also notorious that as soon as any new concept of the next world is
published in book form, the “revelations” from any different sources
seem to take on an unmistakable tinge according to the latest theories.
In fact, a literary psychoanalysis of reported next worlds shows the
unmistakable traces of books read in the past.

Certain accounts of the spirit life obtained through Mohammedan mediums
by French investigators in Algiers show what may be called a peculiarly
active sexual life in the after-world. This may possibly be attributed
to either early religious belief in a sensuous Mohammedan paradise or
alternatively to the particular type of Arab spirits who furnished
the description. In any case, the accounts could not be published for
general or even private reading, but there is no conceivable reason why
they should be deemed more unreliable than other spirit communications.

Some idea of the theme of these revelations can be gathered if I may
say that one of the communicators, called Sidi Aissa Ben S’dub,
prefaces his words by the cryptic statement: “Know then, O mortals,
that here are neither camels nor horses--nor virtuous women,--for
us virtue, as ye know it, exists not. And, as I have related, there
being neither camels nor horses nor virtuous women, what think ye then
occupies the time of us who were strong men?”

Oriental imagery is rich in terms concerning sex, and the revelation
as taken down in Arabic is a document of some literary value. Its
translation into precise French leaves us under no misapprehension
as to the actual technique of sex gratification on the next plane.
Their methods appear to be our methods, but it is of course impossible
to arrive at any conception of relative degrees of pleasure. It is
also curious to note that in the Arab revelations given there was no
reference at all to any ensuing spirit birth, but one interpretation of
and obscure text might lead one to suppose that the offspring of these
unions were “djinni,” i.e. non-mortal and soulless spirits.

Cases of intercourse between djinns and mortals are the basis of many
Moslem tales and legends in which the sex interest is paramount. But
it must be borne in mind that the Mohammedan idea of the invisible
world is so different from that prescribed either by Eastern or Western
thought that it is almost impossible to co-ordinate it with any of our
accepted theories.

On the other hand, no Spiritualist revelation or theory is of value
unless it fits all lands and all creeds. Thus, when the number of
spirit visitants of African, Red Indian, or other origin, is taken into
account, it is manifest that no _abstract theory of morality which is
not in accordance with the known physical facts concerning the spirit
world, is likely to be practised there_.

As time goes on, it will become increasingly impossible for the
practising Spiritualist to ignore the enormous fact of sex. At present
various beliefs are held. These range from the pure sexlessness theory,
which is manifestly untenable to variations like a “perfectly pure and
spiritual sex relationship in no way physical,” or some such platitude.

This kind of expression is pure mental flatulence, for it is clear that
in the spirit world there is nothing _physical_ as we know it,
and that everything there is _psychical_--again as we know it.

The conception of the spirit world that is most widely held does
away with all idea of penal restrictions. Hell, purgatory, and
the theological varieties of damnation are contrary to the whole
conception. Once again we are dependent on spirit teaching for our
visualization of life in the hereafter, and having established
the existence of sex, which would not exist unless it implied the
permanence of sexual attraction and sex gratification, we not
unreasonably desire to know what, if any, are the sex limits in the
next life.

The realm of speculation thus opened up is enormous. It is possibly the
vision of a voluptuous sensualist heaven. It is possibly the vision
of a new theory of hell in which spirits are unable to obtain the
gratification of those desires which they are equipped to experience.

There is no particular reason to suppose that the married state
continues--indeed, there is evidence to the reverse. Altogether the
problems raised are far too great for the little evidence we have yet
obtained from the spirit world to lead us to a true solution.

As ever we come back to the point of: How much is real spirit
communication? How much is simply well-meaning but inaccurate
Spiritualist interpretation or interpolation?

The answer of the Spiritualist to such a question is usually the
affirmation that “desire does not exist in the spirit world.”

This may be good enough to hoodwink the amateur or the shallow thinker,
but it must be remembered that the whole of what we must admit is
the dark side of Spiritualism, the bad or lying spirits, the demons
of possession and the demons of obsession, all these are active
affirmations of the reality of desire persisting.

It is not enough for us to affirm that the dark elements are either
non-existent or simply the effects of our subconscious minds. If these
rules apply to the dark side they must apply to the light side, too.
If this were the case the whole fabric of Spiritualism crumbles to the
ground. If we accept any spirit evidence we must accept _all_
spirit evidence, and we have no right to reject as unsound statements
that do not fall in with the theories which we have accepted on the
strength of similar statements.

The continuation of sexual activity on the psychic planes may be
a staggering conception to some people, but a little thought will
show that it is not half such a shattering idea as the perfectly
unjustifiable hypothesis that there is none.

The existence of sex in the spirit world leads us to the supposition
that there are there some organized forces of law and order, otherwise
this conception of the next world would seem to be a field where a
highly intellectual, intelligent, and powerful individual soul might
enjoy a limitless orgy of psychic rape.

There is no reason to think that such a thing is impossible, for cases
of demoniac or spirit possession are in effect cases of psychic rape
of a mortal and often present instances of the most amazing sexual
aberration owing to the terrible desires of the uninvited tenant of the
mind.

The believing Spiritualist has built on slender grounds a wonderful
conception of the spirit world, but it is a one-sided structure, and
it is important to note that the “Everything in the garden is lovely!”
idea of the next world is not by any means borne out by the revelations
of its inhabitants. One can indeed ask oneself what ground is there for
optimism?

What reasons other than self-deception, self-assurance, and
self-flattery are there for sweeping away the idea of terror,
punishment, and the inexorable law of Abstract Justice that has for
ages been held to be implicit in the life hereafter?

The sceptic is indeed justified when, after reading reams of well-meant
pseudo-religious twaddle, he asks the supporters of the new revelation:
“And _why_ should it all be _couleur de rose_?”

Faith may do many things, but Faith cannot make black white--even in
the realm of the spirit.

There is good reason to suppose that in the past many revelations
concerning sex-life in the spirit plane have been suppressed or
destroyed. The well-meaning Spiritualist with mediumistic gifts or the
capacity for automatic writing does not always get the precise kind of
spirit teaching expected. On the other hand, there is a wide difference
between the meaningless obscenities that are sometimes sent and various
coherent statements that can be classed as definite revelations. The
private operator, knowing little of the matters with which he or she is
dealing, is frequently ashamed to let these strange, frank manuscripts
or records be seen by others. Often they are shown to a wrong person,
classed as evil spirit writings, and the great question that animates
the spirit world: “Should mortals be told?” again goes on.

At a séance held in Paris some interesting statements concerning the
psychic world were vouchsafed by a spirit calling itself Zaza Guilbert.
There were five of us at the table and two of the party were practised
automatists.

First came some personal particulars of the spirit. She was born near
Grenoble, in Dauphine, in 1826, but was in Paris when Napoleon the
Third was proclaimed Emperor (1852) and was employed with theatrical
dressmaking. She married and left two girl children.

It was the question: “Is life in the spirit world as gay and
gallant[23] as it was in those days in this sphere?” that set the ball
rolling.

A. That depends on how you look at things. We are men and women over
here in so far as that goes.

Q. Is life on the spirit plane sexless?

A. Certainly not! (Emphasis conveyed by violent knocking of the table.)

Q. (By one of the ladies of the party.) Is there childbirth in the
spirit world?

A. Not in the same way as on earth. (No answer was returned to some
further inquiries on this subject.)

Q. Is there separation of the sexes?

A. No; it would be intolerable.

Q. Is morality of earth binding on the spirit plane?

A. No; that would be still more intolerable.

Q. Have you a husband there?

A. No; several affinities.

Q. Intellectual affinities only?

A. By no means.

Q. Can you compare the relationship to any earthly parallel?

A. Yes. Living _une vie de demi-mondaine sans reproche_.

Q. Do all spirits enjoy life in this manner?

A. It is not obligatory.

Q. (By one of the ladies.) Are there scandals in the spirit world?

A. Sometimes.

Q. Are they due to moral censure of higher spirits?

A. No; jealousy, because higher spirits mix themselves up in it.

Q. Can you describe one of these scandals?

A. Not through the table. Write.

Q. You will give it as automatic writing?

A. Yes.

One of the automatists left the circle to fetch pencil and paper. Then
we resumed. The power appeared to be instantly forthcoming, and the
writing stated that:

“Benedetta Chiesole was the mistress of Théodule Affra and several
other spirits on our plane.

“This intimacy became obnoxious to a spirit called du Paits Herbault,
who was a monk of Montpellier in the sixteenth century. He was not
on our plane but higher up, but was permitted to come down to us for
certain purposes. Being on a higher plane, there was no way of keeping
him out when he was not wanted, for he had the power of passing through
all psycho-material substances that serve us as material substances
serve you.

“His persecution of Benedetta was remarkable, for he was astonishingly
enamoured of her. At length matters got to such a pitch that the others
protested through the guides. But they got cold comfort. They were told
not to interfere with the higher spirits or it would be the worse for
them, and Benedetta was told that it was natural for her to have to
expiate her earthly shortcomings in this manner.”

The results of other sittings at which other spirits have made
communications are in some cases quite as detailed and a great deal
more startling than the above. In addition, a great mass of what may
be definitely termed abnormal sex literature has come from the pens of
people practising automatic writing--and it is an indubitable fact
that some of these writings have been written under control by people
of irreproachable life and character.

The common-sense explanation is that these writings and communications
have nothing whatever to do with spirits and that these are, so to
speak, a seething up of illegal desires and ideas which have been
repressed by the conscious mind into the censorship of the subliminal
self. This theory is only tenable if the whole basic doctrine that
these things are communicated by spirits is given up.

If, on the other hand, we hold that there is anything at all in
Spiritualism we are faced with the inevitable conclusion that, however
much we may desire to get rid of it, sex is as troublesome in the next
world as in this.[24]


FOOTNOTES:

[22] “People live in communities as one would expect if like attracts
like, and the male spirit still finds his true mate though there is no
sensuality in the grosser sense and no childbirth.” Sir A. Conan Doyle,