Concerned about the world's difficulties, the medium, Mrs. C., accustomed to this type of natural dialogue with Spirits, submitted a request for discussion on the matter, the answer to which is presented below.

In the spiritual world, there is a movement of renewal that will soon return to the realm of the incarnate; those who desire a new era where charity will prevail. The time for societal reforms will not be long in coming.

Destruction will bring renewal. Do not fear the difficult times, have faith, for we, who are the light of God, are constantly vigilant. We are inspiring the multitudes of incarnate beings who aim for the goals to which this new period will have its growth and its apogee.

The small, the underprivileged, the stateless will have their place in the world. The despots, the selfish and the proud, will also find their exile.

Prayers will sustain suffering humanity. Proactive attitudes will have their place and, above all, will overcome the vices of those who have not yet understood the grandeur of love for their neighbor.

The harvest of these efforts will transform the Earth and its people. Nature will take care of cleansing the places where respect and benevolence have not yet arrived. Remember that physical life is only a passage. Good Spirits will find their refuge, and the wicked will have their expiations.

Abstain from the revolt and hatred that corrodes your spirits and robs you of hope and faith.

Those who do not submit to the Creator's laws will be punished, as were all those who came before them. It is so, and always will be.

Raise your thoughts to God and seek in Him solace for your despair, which is normal, since you do not understand the grandeur of His work. The consciousness of Kardec's time regarding equality, liberty, and fraternity will resurface, even if suffering afflicts your physical bodies. Spiritism remains the path to achieving your goal.

Raise this banner: "Outside of charity there is no salvation." Instruct your neighbors, without fearing obstacles, persevere, pray, seek your own improvement, and encourage your peers to follow the same path.

We are with you in this fight. We are the light of God.

Friendly Spirit

Notes:

The communication itself is quite touching, direct, and helps to renew faith in the truth, already demonstrated by Spiritism, that the world is not ungoverned and that, despite the ill will of human beings, forgetful or careless about the essence of their being, Creation continues to develop, continues to march on, counting on those of good will like little ants carrying their grains, so that the mountain that will never crumble may be built.

It remains to add that the phrase “a Destruction will bring renewal.”"It refers to the destruction of the material, cyclical world, which serves the development of the spiritual element.".

The medium Mr. D., seeking help from good Spirits, submitted the following appeal to the Spirit of Allan Kardec:

evocation(To Master Allan Kardec) I ask for your guidance, Master, for our mediumistic group.

Response (emphasis added): For all meetings, we advise you to prepare in advance, having the topic and questions ready for your studies. To the mediums, the pursuit of improving their faculties. Do you want to be good mediums? Then study, the regular practice of mediumship, and the uninterrupted pursuit of moral improvement is the right path. You don't need to practice excessively, without proper rest and without caution, so as not to attract charlatans.. But even a quarter of an hour of dedication, for example. Sincerity of intention will also help you. Ask yourselves why you are gathered here, consult your conscience, for Frivolous arguments attract only the frivolous and the mocking.. Faith is the instrument of reason, not just emotion. You will make it unshakable through study and meditation. Mediums, strive to be good mediums; collaborators who do not yet have their mediumistic faculty well developed, strive to have a good heart and faith. Q., I tell you that you are an inspired medium and a conscious psychophonist, without knowing it. Z., an inspired and intuitive medium. All mediums, strive to be good mediums..

Comments:

The communication was obtained by the medium D., a psychographer, in an environment separate from our group's meeting. Before asking this question, he concentrated on prayers and first sought the opinion of the Spirit of Saint Augustine, president of another mediumistic group with which he interacts.

Like all communications obtained within and outside our group, we subject it to the most rigorous critical examination, within our capabilities. We do this through a virtual document, shared among all of us, where we make observations and raise questions that, as needed, may be addressed in a new evocation (to the same Spirit, or to another that we deem appropriate to try to call upon), as you can see in an excerpt from another communication., to be discussed shortly:

Regarding the communication in response to the evocation of the Spirit of Allan Kardec, we had nothing to criticize. It seemed eloquent, direct, simple, and alerting, without circumlocutions or subterfuges—all characteristics of Allan Kardec, who communicated to make himself understood by all. Whether he himself communicated or whether the communication came through another Spirit, inspired by him, does not really matter, since the message arrived and fulfilled its purpose.

Yes, friends, even the spirit of Allan Kardec can be evoked and communicate, but the question will always be the intent and seriousness of the one who calls. As we know, calling out of curiosity or frivolity will end up arousing the interest of frivolous or impostor spirits, mystifiers.

We chose this brief message to open our article section entitled “Communications from Beyond the Grave,” where we will seek to follow in the footsteps of Allan Kardec, both in the analysis and presentation of communications, whether spontaneous or not., obtained in our environment or in other groups. We wish to be yet another example, another small light, still somewhat pale, shining in this dark night into which the Spiritist Movement has plunged, from which we hope that everyone may soon awaken—and this "soon" depends only on the will of each one. Gather together, friends. Study, persevere. Immerse yourselves in Kardec's pages so that you may emerge aware of the needs of this science, inspired by him to take your own steps. Into the night you will advance and, gathered together, you will do your part in illuminating this path. Private meetings, thus held, will always be of better quality than those held in heterogeneous environments and, above all, without study.

“Ask yourselves why you are gathered here, consult your conscience, for frivolous reasons attract only the frivolous and the mocking.."”

Mediumship is a faculty that allows interaction between the material world and the spiritual world. Allan Kardec, throughout his studies, observed that mediumship expresses itself in diverse ways and with distinct effects, which leads us to understand that there is no single way to establish communication with spirits. As he himself states, “mediumship is a multifaceted faculty”, which implies the variety of manifestations and experiences that it can generate.

Collaboration by Ceres Marcon

"Mediumship is a multifaceted faculty; it presents an infinity of nuances in its means and effects. Whoever is able to receive or transmit communications from Spirits is, for this very reason, a medium, regardless of the means employed or the degree of development of the faculty—from simple occult influence to the production of the most unusual phenomena."

Allan Kardec, Spiritist Review, February 1859

Among the countless mediumistic manifestations, one of the best known and most used is psychographyIn this type of mediumship, the medium acts as a channel for written communication with the spiritual plane, being one of the most common forms of manifestation in the field of Spiritism. When we address psychography, we can observe that mediums can be classified according to their degree of control over the process, and these classifications directly influence the obstacles they face throughout the development of this faculty.

There are three main types of psychographic mediums:

• Intuitive mediums: These are those who receive inspiration from spirits but write consciously, with some control over what is being said. The communication is more indirect, with the medium receiving intuitions or guidance, but still maintaining control over the writing.
• Mechanical mediums: These mediums become automatic channels for spirit communication. During the process of psychography, they have no conscious control over what is being written, which characterizes a more spontaneous and intense manifestation.
• Semi-mechanical mediums: They represent a middle ground between the previous types. Although there is some influence of the spirit on the writing, the medium still maintains some degree of control and awareness over the process.

However, as Kardec warns us, even though it is a natural faculty, mediumship is not without its difficulties. He tells us:

"Although the faculty is not an exclusive privilege, it certainly encounters opponents, at least in the sense that it is understood. It is also true that it does not fail to present obstacles to those who possess it; it can be altered and even lost, and it can often be a source of serious disappointment."

Allan Kardec, Spiritist Review, February 1859

These words from Kardec remind us that mediumship, despite its accessibility to many people, is not simple. It can encounter resistance, both internal and external, and the medium may face obstacles of various kinds—from difficulty maintaining control over communications to the risk of being influenced by deceptive or malicious entities.

In his analysis, Kardec alerts us to the complexity of the causes of mediumship and how it can often manifest in individuals whose moral characteristics are not necessarily exemplary. He states:

"The gift of mediumship depends on causes still imperfectly understood, in which physical factors appear to play a large role. At first glance, it would seem that such a precious gift should only be shared by select souls. However, experience proves otherwise, for we find powerful mediumship in people whose morals leave much to be desired, while others, esteemed in every respect, lack it."

Allan Kardec, Spiritist Review, February 1859

From the above excerpt, we can see that, contrary to what one might assume, this mediumistic faculty is not an exclusive privilege of people of great moral virtue. Mediumship does not depend solely on the individual's purity or moral character, but involves a combination of factors, including physical and spiritual aspects that are not yet fully understood. This complexity can even result in powerful manifestations in individuals whose moral conditions are not ideal, while others, who could be considered more balanced, lack it.

Therefore, mediumship, by its very multifaceted and unpredictable nature, presents a series of challenges that go beyond spiritual matters, also involving physical, psychological, and moral issues. It is precisely for this reason that mediums, when seeking to develop and control their faculties, must be aware of the internal and external obstacles that may arise along the way.

Furthermore, Kardec also warns us:

“(…) the good quality of the medium is not only in the ease of communication, but solely in his ability to receive only good ones. Now, it is in this that his moral conditions are omnipotent; and it is also in this that he encounters the greatest obstacles.” 

Allan Kardec, Spiritist Review, February 1859

This statement is crucial to understanding that, for a medium, the quality of spiritual communications is related to the quantity or ease with which they receive messages, as well as their ability to discern and filter spiritual influences. The medium must be prepared to reject the influences of imperfect spirits and accept only messages from elevated and trustworthy spirits.

However, Kardec emphasizes that the medium's moral condition is of paramount importance. The medium's morality not only influences the type of communication they are able to receive, but also acts as a true "filter" to prevent them from being deceived or influenced by inferior or deceptive spirits. Therefore, the greatest obstacles for the medium are not only technical or physical difficulties, but also moral issues, which require constant vigilance and improvement.

In this sense, mediums must be in a constant process of self-knowledge and inner transformation. Mediumship is, by its very nature, an opportunity for growth, but it also demands great responsibility. The medium cannot be a mere passive channel, but must constantly seek moral elevation, ethics, and spirituality, so that their mediumistic faculties will be well-directed and bring benefits to themselves and others.

Therefore, the moral obstacles mediums face are often linked to a tendency to be carried away by ego, vanity, or the anxiety of "showing" their abilities. Humility, discipline, and detachment are essential qualities to ensure that the medium does not stray from the path of goodness and truth, thus minimizing the risk of disappointment or harmful communications.

This is a rather complex subject, whose approach varies depending on the perspective used. Some attempt to address it through ideologies; others, through interpretations that disregard the very essence of human nature. There are even those who seek to justify human homosexual behavior by using the example of animals, as if it were merely an expression of instinctive and materialistic impulses. However, animals, lacking moral consciousness, can act in ways that, to human eyes, seem contradictory—as in cases of incest or infanticide. The issue of human behavior, however, cannot be resolved this way, as it involves the moral consciousness of the Spirit. Focusing on these points results in misunderstandings and discussions that lead nowhere. Discussing homosexuality in the context of Spiritism, from a doctrinal perspective, is therefore fundamental.

We must emphasize that Spiritism goes further and, because it is entirely moral, provides a simple and clear answer to the question: in everything, what matters is the Spirit, which has no gender, and its actions. Since the Spirit has free will, and as long as this free will does not result in harm to others, as in this case, it must be left free to act and its decisions must be respected.

The explanation that Kardec gives for what was known as an "anomaly" in his time, and which he demonstrates to be only "apparent," is as follows:

“If this influence of the corporeal life has repercussions on the spiritual life, the same happens when the Spirit passes from the spiritual to the corporeal life. In a new incarnation he will bring the character and inclinations he had as a Spirit; if he is advanced, he will be an advanced man; if he is late, he will be a late man.

By changing his sex, he will therefore be able, under this impression and in his new incarnation, to retain the tastes, tendencies and character inherent in the sex he has just left. This explains certain apparent anomalies in the character of certain men and women.”.

Therefore, there is only difference between man and woman in relation to the material organism, which is annihilated with the death of the body. But as for the Spirit, the soul, the essential, imperishable being, it does not exist, because there are not two kinds of souls.

Allan Kardec, RE, Jan/1866

It's worth repeating that science, in Kardec's time, defined such behaviors as anomalous. Kardec, using Spiritist theory, emphasizes that it is only an apparent anomaly, that is, it is not, in fact, an anomaly.

I dare go a little further than this explanation: what if the Spirit, having been female in several lives, deliberately chooses to incarnate as a man, maintaining her tendencies, in order to learn from them? What if she chooses this kind of test to help, setting an example? Furthermore, homosexuality can simply be an expression of the Spirit's nature, without necessarily requiring the "overcoming" of moral issues. Thus, orientation is not a test in itself, but a legitimate expression of the plurality of Spirits in their evolutionary journey.

The point is that we cannot judge an individual's past, much less see them as someone serving a punishment. Each Spirit is unique and expresses a plurality of equally valuable characteristics throughout their journey. Therefore, we must respect the choices of others, within the limits of ethics and charity, and always be ready to help and be helped, to teach and learn, to share and collaborate, without judging appearances.

Under a striking title, we have another series of booklets from the Brazilian Spiritist Federation, divided into two volumes. We ask ourselves, without knowing it: why create a booklet if Kardec's works are already quite clear and concise in themselves?

Upon finding the PDFs of these booklets, the first thing that occurred to me was to research "evocations." I opened the PDF and searched for "evoca" (to address "evocar," "evocação," "evocações," "evocado," etc.). After all, a booklet that addresses the topic of mediumship in the Spiritist context... necessarily needs to address evocation, an indispensable tool in the mediumistic process. “Surprise”: nothing! Nothing, absolutely anything about evocations, in volume I, if not a reference to the question of prayer being an evocation. Let's move on to volume II. Perhaps they left it for this one, avoiding anticipating such an important topic. Another "surprise." In this volume, the following does appear:

Direct evocations of Spirits should be avoided, opting for their spontaneous manifestation: “Often, evocations offer more difficulties to mediums than spontaneous dictations […]”.45 It is up to spiritual direction to select the discarnates who should manifest themselves in the meeting.

The footnote refers to The Mediums' Book, but the passage was inserted out of context to give the false impression that it recommends not directly evoking spirits. In fact, Kardec is referring to the passage as indicating that evocations present more difficulties than spontaneous communications, since, in the latter, the spirit freely chooses the medium most suited to its communication, something that becomes more difficult in the case of evocations:

Because, as we have already said, fluidic relationships are not always established instantly with the first Spirit who presents themselves. It is therefore advisable that mediums not engage in evocations for detailed questions without being certain of the development of their faculties and the nature of the Spirits assisting them, for with those who are poorly assisted, evocations cannot have any authenticity.

Allan Kardec — The Mediums' Book

However, Kardec demonstrates that evocations are preferable to mediumistic communications, recommending that only groups that are certain of controlling the Spirits should engage in the latter:

“[…] not calling anyone in particular is opening the door to everyone who wants to come in.”

“Spontaneous communications have no drawbacks when we control the Spirits and are sure not to let the bad ones dominate”

Allan Kardec — The Mediums' Book

Further on, another occurrence of the term:

Ostensive mediums must also be instructed to:

[…]

• Be aware of the inappropriateness of evoking a particular entity, relative or friend, during meetings, knowing that, at the right time, they will manifest themselves, with the support of spiritual guides.

Where they again insert a decontextualized reference to Kardec:

The natural desire of every aspiring medium is to be able to converse with the Spirits of people who are dear to him; however, he must moderate his impatience, because communication with a given Spirit often presents material difficulties that make it impossible for the beginner.

Allan Kardec — The Mediums' Book

Note that Kardec says: to the beginnerThis is not emphasized, and in the text, it ends up being presented as general guidance to mediums, adding to the previous statement—"Be aware of the inappropriateness of evoking a particular entity, relative, or friend, during meetings, knowing that, at the right time, they will manifest themselves, with the support of spiritual guides," which is completely false, since evocation was a tool used by Kardec and countless others, necessary for the necessary dialogue and questioning of the Spirits. Furthermore, in the rest of the booklet, there is no mention of the correct way to perform evocations or their usefulness, something that, logically, is addressed by Kardec in The Mediums' Book and other works.

Actually, none of this surprises me. The Brazilian Spiritist Federation being a Roustainguist institution, having acted to gradually divert the Spiritist Movement, it certainly would not be in its interest to focus precisely on the tool that, when resumed, will provoke their misfortune, since it will give the Spirits the opportunity to question, following in Kardec's footsteps, the various absurdities uttered and printed, without any care, by the FEB, for more than a century.

Just as ESDE – Systematic Teaching of the Spiritist Doctrine – is full of absurdities and deviations, worshipping the appreciation of Brazil, Heart of the World, work of a mystifying Spirit, these handouts also fulfill their purpose: to continue the diversion.

I repeat: Spiritism is studied in original, unadulterated works of Kardec (click to download) Run, run from FEB!

The Brazilian Spiritist Movement has a unique characteristic: it was profoundly influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste Roustaing, especially after Bezerra de Menezes assumed the presidency of the Brazilian Spiritist Federation (FEB) in 1895. This influence brought to Brazilian Spiritism an interpretation that diverges from the teachings organized by Allan Kardec, imprinting a mystical and traditional Christian vision that contrasts with the original proposal of a scientific and philosophical doctrine.

The Spiritist Doctrine and Its Method of Control

Allan Kardec, in his mission to organize the teachings of spirits, developed a rigorous method of analysis and control, known as "universal spirit control." This method aimed to guarantee the coherence and authenticity of spiritual messages: only teachings validated by multiple communications, in different locations, and with consistent logic and morality were accepted. The goal was to protect Spiritism against illusions, falsehoods, and incoherent interpretations, ensuring that the doctrine remained grounded in rational and universal principles.

In the Spiritist Doctrine organized by Kardec, spirits evolve continuously and naturally, without the idea of an "initial fall" or atonement for "original sin." Incarnation is seen as a process of learning and progress, without the need for traditional religious justifications.

Roustaing and the Introduction of a Mystical Vision

Jean-Baptiste Roustaing, on the other hand, introduced a divergent interpretation of Spiritism. In his work The Four Gospels, he proposes concepts that include the theory of a "fluidic body" of Jesus and the idea of an "original fall of the spirits," approaching a spiritualized view of the Gospels that resembles traditional mystical and Christian doctrines. Unlike Kardec, Roustaing did not apply the method of universal control, accepting mediumistic communications he received through a single medium, Émilie Collignon, which brought a set of ideas that contrast with the doctrinal principles of Spiritism.

When Bezerra de Menezes took over the FEB, he introduced Roustaing's work into the movement, promoting The Four Gospels as a sort of official interpretation of the Spiritist Doctrine in Brazil. With this, the FEB began to emphasize a religious and Christian vision, introducing the idea of a "messianic role" for Brazil as the "Heart of the World, Homeland of the Gospel." This interpretation is evident in the eponymous work, attributed to the spirit Humberto de Campos and psychographed by Chico Xavier, which describes Brazil as the country chosen to lead the spiritual regeneration of humanity.

The Deviation of Spiritism in Brazil

The promotion of Roustainguism within the FEB had lasting consequences for the Brazilian Spiritist Movement. Over time, the emphasis on mysticism and messianic interpretations led to a less critical acceptance of spirit communications, lacking the analytical rigor advocated by Kardec. Works with mystical and nationalist interpretations, such as Brazil, Heart of the World, Homeland of the Gospel, were widely accepted, despite contradicting the impartial universalism and objectivity of the original Spiritist Doctrine.

This influence gave Brazilian Spiritism a religious and mystical character, distancing itself from the principles of scientific investigation and analysis. Instead of a rational doctrine centered on the progress and continuous learning of spirits, the Brazilian Spiritist Movement adopted elements that conveyed a spiritualized vision of the Gospel, transforming the doctrine into something hybrid, blending Spiritist concepts and religious dogma.

Conclusion

The impact of Roustainguism on the Brazilian Spiritist Movement resulted in a deviation that brought mystical and religious ideas into the doctrine, distancing it from Allan Kardec's original proposal. The FEB, under the influence of Bezerra de Menezes and Roustaing's followers, adopted practices that contradict the scientific and philosophical method of the Spiritist Doctrine, leading the movement to accept communications without the necessary analytical rigor and to promote interpretations that distort the rational essence of Spiritism.

This deviation continues to be a topic of debate and reflection among scholars and practitioners of Spiritism in Brazil, as it raises questions about the fidelity and preservation of the principles that Kardec established as the foundations of the doctrine.

The concept of punishment, little understood in the Spiritist context today, was widely understood and disseminated among Rational Spiritualists and Spiritists in Allan Kardec's time, representing nothing more than the consequence of our actions. We discuss this in the article "Punishment and reward: you need to study Paul Janet to understand Allan Kardec“Until recently, however, the understanding of the topic was not perfectly clear to me — not until we approached the study of the article Remorse and regret, in the Spiritist Magazine of May 1860:

“[…] Remember that sincere repentance obtains forgiveness for all sins, so great is God's goodness. Remorse has nothing in common with repentance. Remorse, my brothers, is already the prelude to punishment. Repentance, charity, and faith will lead you to the happiness reserved for good spirits.“

This small, profound passage sparked in us the idea of researching the term “remorse” throughout Kardec’s work, and oh, how much we learned from it.

Remorse, dear reader, is the divine tool that leads the Spirit back to goodness. It is the result of consciousness of having disrespected divine law, and the worse it will be the more this disrespect is conscious. That is why remorse depends on the development of moral sense:

Remorse is a consequence of the development of the moral sense; it does not exist where the moral sense is still latent. This is why savage and barbaric peoples commit the worst actions without remorse. Anyone who claims to be inaccessible to remorse would be like a brute. As man progresses, the moral sense becomes more refined; it becomes clouded at the slightest deviation from the straight path. Hence remorse, which is the first step toward returning to goodness.

Spiritist Magazine, August 1867

That is why, revisiting the evocation of the Assassin Lemaire, in the Spiritist Magazine of March 1858, we will find the following:

6. Immediately after your execution, were you aware of your new existence?

—I was plunged into an immense disturbance, from which I have not yet emerged. I felt great pain; it seems like my heart felt itfelt it. I saw something roll at the foot of the scaffold. I saw the blood flow and my pain became more acute.

7. Was it a purely physical pain, similar to that caused by a serious injury, such as the amputation of a limb?

- No. Imagine remorse, great moral pain.

8. When did you start feeling this pain?

— Since I got free.

9. Was the physical pain caused by the torture felt by the body or by the Spirit?

—The moral pain was in my Spirit. The body felt the physical pain, but, separated, the Spirit still felt it.

[…]

41. Could we give some relief to your sufferings?

— Make wishes that it may come to atonement.

Since atonement is the result of the sincere repentance of the Spirit, which then choose new tests, and a new life, aiming to overcome the imperfection acquired by his departure conscious of good. It has nothing to do with the false idea of “law of return” or punishment, although the Spirit, when evoked, may refer to his atonement as a punishment, imposed, however, by himself:

[…]; if I returned to endure this trial of poverty, it was to punish me of a vain pride that had made me reject what was poor and miserable. Then I suffered this just law of retaliation, which made me the most horrible poor person in this region; and, as if to prove to me the goodness of God, I was not rejected by everyone: this was all my fear; thus I endured my trial without murmuring, foreseeing a better life from which I would never again return to this land of exile and calamity.

Thus, through prayer or evocation, help a guilty Spirit to awaken remorse, without judging him, it is a great charity that we can do and that the Spiritist Movement practically no longer does:

And if, on the one hand, I suffer less, on the other, the tortures increase due to remorse. But, at least, I have hope.

The Story of a Damned Man — Spiritist Magazine, February 1860

For our part, this entire study brings enormous learning about our attitude toward suffering Spirits, toward hardened Spirits, but also, and most importantly, toward ourselves. When our conscience shout While we choose to do wrong, we must not stifle these cries. On the contrary, we must listen to them and heed them, taking care to correct our attitudes and make better choices. Otherwise, we will be consciously cultivating imperfections, and the day will come when the conscience, once stifled, will throw us into a true personal hell, that will seem to have no end — until we surrender to ourselves and repentance.

It remains to be remembered that sincere repentance leads the Spirit back to goodness and happiness, as we find in the original, unadulterated edition of Heaven and Hell, by Allan Kardec (which you can download by clicking on here):

“8º) The duration of the punishment is subordinated to the improvement of the guilty spirit. No condemnation for a fixed time is pronounced against him. What God requires to put an end to suffering is repentance, atonement, and reparation—in short: a serious, effective improvement, as well as a sincere return to the good.”

The spirit is thus always the arbiter of its own destiny; he can prolong his sufferings by his hardening in evil, alleviate them or abbreviate them by his efforts to do good.

Brief article: In the July 1860 issue of the Spiritist Review, Kardec presents the article "Of Animals," in which a spirit, presenting himself as the spirit of Charlet, the painter, begins to discuss the subject at hand. Up to a point, everything seems to make sense; however, near the end, and especially in the ninth paragraph, the spirit apparently "loses a screw" and begins to spout nonsense. Charlet claims that the development of ferocity in animals is the fault of humans, when they fall into sin, at the moment Cain kills Abel (sic!), which would have set a bad example that, through human magnetism, which dominates the animal, causes ferocity to emerge within it (sic!).

It seemed absurd for Kardec to publish this article… But then the impatient reader is surprised by the subsequent article, “Critical Examination (of Charlet’s Dissertations on Animals)”, where, paragraph by paragraph, Kardec goes on to question the Spirit about his understanding of certain points. After all, Kardec addresses the infamous ninth paragraph, saying:

In this passage Charlet seems to have been carried away by his imagination, for the picture he paints of the animal's moral degradation is more fantastic than scientific.

[…]

What does Charlet think of these reflections?

─ I can only approve them. I was a painter, not a man of letters or a scientist.. So, from time to time I let myself be carried away by the pleasure, new to me, of writing beautiful sentences, even to the detriment of the truth. But what you say is very fair and inspired […]. However, I agree that I was wrong. I acted recklessly, and This proves to you the extent to which you must control the communications you receive.

The depth of this lesson is easily understood on its own. However, it can be supplemented by item 247 of The Mediums' Book:

247. Spirits given to systems are generally scribblers, so they seek out mediums who write easily and whom they try to make docile and, above all, enthusiastic instruments, fascinating them. They are almost always verbose, very wordy, seeking to compensate for quality with quantity. They delight in dictating to their interpreters voluminous, indigestible writings [...]. Truly superior spirits are sparing with words; they say a lot in a few sentences. It follows that such prodigious fecundity should always be suspect.

One can never be too circumspect when publishing such writings. The utopias and eccentricities that sometimes abound in them and shock common sense produce a regrettable impression on people still new to the doctrine, giving them a false idea of Spiritism, without even considering that they are weapons used by its enemies to ridicule it. Among such publications, there are some that, without being bad or stemming from an obsession, can be considered imprudent. untimely, or unlucky.

Therefore, we highlight the importance of passing on ALL spiritual communications, no matter why mediums came, through the sieve of reason, never failing to question points that seem to contradict reason or common sense. The superior Spirits don't mind it. On the contrary: they recommend that this be done, because, having nothing to fear, they know that those who fear such control are systematic and, above all, mystifying Spirits, who will end up moving away from the group where their mystifications fool no one. This is an excellent way to keep the group, including the mediums, free from fascinating and deceiving Spirits.

By not having accomplished this task, the Spiritist Movement blindly accepted serious mystifications, such as those in Brazil, Heart of the World, Homeland of the Gospel, or the imaginations of André Luiz, in Nosso Lar — a case that would most likely be similar to the one presented above.

The search for communication with the Spirits of loved ones and acquaintances, by all who are aware of this possibility, has always occurred. This search is neither wrong nor improper, as long as it is done with utility and seriousness, as Allan Kardec always demonstrated to us. The way she is being “attended to”, however, through the famous “consoling letters” is incorrect and, sometimes, misleading, as we will demonstrate below.

We begin by saying that correct mediumistic work must adhere to some essential rules, as we have learned from studying Spiritist science:

• Mediumistic work must be carried out anonymously, so that the shadow of vanity does not obscure the medium's work.
• Mediumistic work must be carried out in private, that is, it must not be exposed to the public, since open access to anyone can expose the group and the medium to malevolent or frivolous Spirits, attracted by individuals with less or no constructive purposes, who find free access to the mediumistic group.
• Any supposed medium who claims to have the Spirits at his disposal is already betraying his charlatanism.

The mediumistic faculty, even when restricted to the limits of physical manifestations, was not granted for fairground displays. Anyone who seeks to have Spirits at their command for public display may be rightly suspected of charlatanism or the practice of more or less skillful sleight of hand. Let this be remembered every time advertisements for supposed Spiritism or Spiritualism sessions with paid admission appear, and remember the right one acquires upon entry. From all that has been said, we conclude that absolute disinterest is the best guarantee against charlatanism. While it does not always ensure the veracity of intelligent communications, it deprives bad Spirits of a powerful means of action and shuts the mouths of certain detractors.

Allan Kardec – The Mediums’ Book

• One should not wait for "consoling letters." The work is one of dialogue, through evocations, which, first and foremost, must be directed to the group's guiding Spirit, who can determine whether or not the Spirit to be evoked is ready for dialogue.

When one wishes to communicate with a particular Spirit, it is absolutely necessary to evoke him (see no. 203). If he is able to respond, one generally receives the response: "yes" or "here I am," or even "what do you want from me?" Sometimes he enters directly into the matter, answering in advance the questions one intends to ask.

Allan Kardec – The Mediums’ Book

• The medium should not place himself in the role of a “fax machine of the spiritual world,” being available to whoever arrives, without any control.

“[…] not calling anyone in particular is opening the door to everyone who wants to come in.”

“Spontaneous communications have no drawbacks when we control the Spirits and are sure not to let the bad ones dominate”

Allan Kardec — The Mediums' Book

• The person interested in the evocation, that is, the person who knew the individual he seeks to evoke, must be present, participating in the dialogue. It is she who will be able to attest to the identity of the Spirit, who will provide evidence of her own free will (see Spiritist Magazine — Journal of Psychological Studies — 1858 > January > Private Evocations. > Mom, here I am).

It is also advisable to only make evocations with great prudence in the absence of the people who request them, and most of the time it is preferable not to do them. Because only these people are able to control the responses, to judge the spirit's identity, to elicit the clarifications that the answers may elicit, and to ask the occasional questions that circumstances may lead to. Furthermore, their presence is a source of attraction for the spirit, who is generally unwilling to communicate with strangers for whom they have no sympathy. In short, the medium must avoid anything that could transform them into a tool for consultation, which, for many people, is equivalent to fortune-telling.

Allan Kardec — The Mediums' Book.

• To carry out the formal evocation, no more than the individual's name and date of death are required. One should be suspicious from the excess of questions asked in advance, especially well in advance, which can give rise to charlatans looking for information exposed on the Internet.
• Excessive evidence and the lack of usefulness of alleged communications should be taken into account.: Any Spirit, other than a frivolous or malicious Spirit, will not waste time talking about pleasantries and gossip from the Spiritual world. The interest will be to help or seek help, depending on the Spirit's elevation. Alleged "letters" that never go beyond "Mommy, I'm fine, I was in the Umbral, but I was rescued, taken to a hospital, and now I'm working at Nosso Lar" are mystifications by frivolous Spirits or charlatans and would-be mediums, trying to gain a foothold in the minds of religious fanatics. Furthermore, one can perceive in many "letters" a excessive desire to prove, in each sentence, that the Spirit is himself, without going further into the deeper questions, something that Spirits do not do.
• All communications must be judged, whether spontaneous or the result of evocations. This avoids the completely absurd habit of blindly believing what the Spirits say.

[…] Mr. Allan Kardec proposes a thorough and detailed examination of certain spontaneous messages and others, which could be analyzed and commented on, as is done with literary criticism. This kind of study would have the dual advantage of exercising appreciation for the value of spiritist communications and, secondly, and as a consequence of this same appreciation, of discouraging deceptive spirits who, seeing their words summarized, controlled by reason, and ultimately rejected, as long as they have a suspicious tone, would eventually realize they are wasting their time. As for serious spirits, could be called upon to give explanations and developments on the points of their communications that required clarification” 

Allan Kardec – RE60/May

It is worth remembering that the question of the identity of spirits, especially in private communications, is of paramount importance. The fruits of charlatanism, or even mystification, can undermine the faith of certain people, especially on occasions when, seeking such consolation, they are often desolate.

It is important to highlight that the abolition of evocations, by the Spiritist Movement, diverted from its essence by strong Roustainguist influence of the Brazilian Spiritist Federation throughout the 20th century, was the greatest mistake facing Spiritism. Without evocations, we cease to dialogue with the Spirits, to question, to investigate, which is precisely the necessary tool for the development of Spiritist science, now replaced by individual opinions of Spirits, blindly accepted.

Finally, we remind you that the medium's job should not be to centralize attention. They are tools of the Spirits (when they are true mediums) and should use the communications they receive, first and foremost, for their own moral development. It is not up to them, nor anyone else, to place themselves at the center of attention. The mediumistic group—again: private, small, harmonious—should be an organism in which each cell does its part, in harmony and with trust in the others.

Dear reader, we will be brief on the subject, putting an end to the denialism surrounding the adulteration of Allan Kardec's works. The bibliography used is included at the end. The text will be presented in succinct bullet points for ease of reading.

Before you begin, please note that you can obtain Kardec's original works, already released in PDF format by the publisher FEAL, by clicking on here.

1. The figure of Roustaing

Around the 1860s, the figure of Jean-Baptiste Roustaing, an influential and wealthy French lawyer, emerged, seeking to establish himself in the Spiritist community. This gentleman began to receive psychographies, through just one medium, of one or more Spirits who claimed to be the evangelists themselves, reproducing absurd dogmas, among which ((ROUSTAING, The Four Gospels, volumes I to IV, FEB)):

• the dogma of the fall into sin, stating that the individual only needs to incarnate after making a mistake;
• the dogma of the fluidic body of Jesus, affirming that he was never incarnated among us, being only a materialization;
• the dogma of the retrogradation of the soul (“involution”), by affirming that the Spirit that errs a lot incarnates as a slug (“fleshy cryptogam”).

2. Roustaing hated spiritual science

Roustaing and his followers came to hate Spiritist science and Kardec's method, as this method was their Achilles' heel, easily undermining their theory. This hatred is evident in the publication, in 1882, of the pamphlet Les quatre évangiles de JB Roustaing- réponse à ses critiques et à ses adversaires, édité par les élèves by JB Roustaing (The Four Gospels of J.B. Roustaing — a response to his critics and adversaries, edited by his disciples by JB Roustaing), a pamphlet written sixteen years earlier by Roustaing.

Roustaing's intentions are confirmed by the Spirits, when Kardec, on September 16, 1862, questions about this gentleman, who wanted Kardec to go to his house, instead of visiting the worker spiritists:

No, in general, he comes across as an enthusiast, an exalted, wanting to impose itself.

FIGUEIREDO, Paulo Henrique. Neither Heaven nor Hell: the laws of the soul according to Spiritism. Editora FEAL, 2020.

3. The new edition of Heaven and Hell

Soon after Kardec's death, a new edition of Heaven and Hell appeared, containing, among many terrible changes:

• THE removal of the preface of the work, where Kardec exposes precisely the scientific method necessary for the Spiritist Doctrine;
• THE complete amendment of Chapter VIII, becoming VII, with the creation of the subtitle “Penal Code of the Future Life”, an absurd title, inserting the item 10, where it is said that all the vicissitudes we suffer here would be the result of our imperfections, expiations of mistakes committed, in this or other lives. The effect of this idea is, by force of logic, to admit that all the difficulties we go through would be the result of acquired imperfections, as a kind of punishment, leading to the idea that only imperfect Spirits would incarnate here, needing correction — the same dogma as Roustaing, exhaustedly fought by Kardec and the Spirits.
• THE loss of correspondence between the 25 items in chapter VIII with the rest of the book.

4. The new edition of Genesis

In 1872, the new edition of Genesis appeared, which contained very important alterations:

Removed item 2 of chapter IV, where Kardec speaks precisely about the principles of blind faith and passive obedience: “The veneration of sacred books, almost always considered as having descended from heaven, or inspired by divinity, prohibited any examination.”

• Regarding the disappearance of Jesus' body, it was removed item 67, in which Kardec addresses the issue of the disappearance of Jesus' body, stating that the issue had not yet been completely resolved by Spiritist science: “Now, until now, none of the [personal opinions] that have been formulated have received the sanction of this double control.” Remember: Roustaing accepted the dogma that Jesus was among us only in the materialization of the fluidic body, and hated the method of double control (“This double control is fundamental and obligatory for the acceptance of any new fundamental concept of the Spiritist doctrine by Kardec. Until this has occurred, it will be considered a simple opinion, whether it came from a man or from a Spirit” — FIGUEIREDO, 2021)).
• In chapter XVIII, item 20, it was removed the entire passage in which Kardec says: “Far from replacing one exclusivism with another, Spiritism presents itself as the absolute champion of freedom of conscience.”
• In item 24 of the same chapter, the entire item 24 was removed, in which Kardec makes a serious observation about the enemies of moral progress (our emphasis):

To say that humanity is ripe for regeneration does not mean that all individuals are on the same level, but many have, by intuition, the germ of new ideas that circumstances will bring about. Then they will prove to be more advanced than one might suppose, and they will eagerly follow the lead of the majority.

There are, however, those who are essentially resistant to these ideas., even among the most intelligent, and who certainly will not accept them, at least in this lifetime; in some cases, in good faith, out of conviction; in others out of self-interest. These are those whose material interests are tied to the current situation and who are not advanced enough to give them up, because the general good matters less than their personal good—they become apprehensive at the slightest movement toward reform. Truth is a secondary issue for them, or, better said, for some people, truth lies entirely in that which causes them no trouble. All progressive ideas are, from their point of view, subversive ideas, and that is why they dedicate an implacable hatred to them and wage an obstinate war against them.They are intelligent enough to see Spiritism as a tool for progressive ideas and the elements of transformation they fear, and because they don't feel up to it, they strive to destroy it. If they considered it worthless and unimportant, they wouldn't bother with it. We've said this elsewhere:The more grandiose an idea is, the more it encounters adversaries, and its importance can be measured by the violence of the attacks it is subjected to.”.

5. Adulteration published in Posthumous Works

In the publication of Posthumous Works, by Pierre Gaetan Leymarrie, the author inserts a psychograph tampered with, in which Kardec is asking for advice on the new edition of Genesis, which he was, yes, elaborating:

February 22, 1868.
Medium M. Desliens.

Allow me to give you some personal advice about your book Genesis. I think that, as you do, it should undergo a rearrangement that will make it gain value in methodical terms; but I would also advise you to review certain comparisons in the first chapters, which, without being inaccurate, can be ambiguous, and which can be used against you in the finishing of words. I don't want to point them out in any particular way, but by carefully analyzing the second and third chapters, they will certainly surprise you. We'll take care of your research. It's only a matter of detail, no doubt, but details sometimes have their importance; that's why I thought it useful to draw your attention to this side.

Question. In the reprint we're going to do, I'd like to add a few things, without increasing the volume. Do you think there are parts that could be removed without inconvenience?

Response. My opinion is that there is absolutely nothing to take away as doctrine; everything is useful and satisfactory in every aspect; but I also believe that you could, without inconvenience, further condense certain ideas which need no development to be understood, having already been sketched elsewhere; in your work of reorganization you will easily achieve this.

We should leave intact all the theories that appear for the first time in the public eye; don't remove anything as ideas, I repeat, but just cut out, here and there, developments that add nothing to clarity

You will be more concise, no doubt, but just as understandable, and it is the ground thus gained that you may have to add new and urgent elements. It's a serious job for this revision, and I urge you not to wait too late to do it, it's better to be prepared ahead of time than if I had to wait after you.
Above all, don't rush it. Despite the apparent contradiction of my words, you undoubtedly understand me. Start working promptly, but don't stay too long. Take your time; your ideas will be clearer and your body will be less fatigued.

You can download the original content of this psychography by clicking on here.

Leymarie, seeking to reinforce the idea that the fifth edition of Genesis (already questioned since that time) would have been produced by the hands of Kardec, uses only the final part of this dialogue, discarding the beginning of it and inserting a section that didn't exist, at the beginning:

February 22, 1868.
(Private communication — Medium: Mr. D…)
the genesis

Following a communication in which Dr. Demeure gave me very wise advice on modifications to be made in the book Genesis, for its reprinting, which he urged me to take care of without delay, I said to him:

"Sales, so brisk so far, will undoubtedly cool; it was an immediate effect. I believe the fourth and fifth editions will take longer to sell. However, since it takes some time for revision and reprinting, I must not be unprepared. Could you tell me how much time, roughly, I have to handle this?"

Answer — This revision is serious work, and I advise you not to delay starting it too long. It's better to have it ready in advance than for it to be left waiting for you. However, don't rush. Despite the apparent contradiction in my words, you certainly understand me. Get to work now, but don't dedicate too much time to it. Do it slowly; your ideas will present themselves more clearly, and your body will benefit, becoming less fatigued.

However, you should expect the volumes to sell out quickly. When we told you this book would be a huge success among your other books, we were referring to both philosophical and material success. As you can see, our predictions were correct. It's important to be ready at any moment; things will happen more quickly than you imagine.

6. The insurmountable legal fact

They are undisputed legal facts at tampering of Genesis and Heaven and Hell, for the mere reason that editions were released, with alterations, after the author's death and without legal deposit — as stated by at least four specialized legal operators: Simoni Private, Julio Nogueira, Lucas Sampaio and Marcelo Henrique. That cool fact it is above of any consideration and, because of this, spiritist federations from other countries, respecting the law, returned to the third edition of the work. Unfortunately, laymen in matters of copyright have found resonance in some individuals and also in the Brazilian Spiritist Federation, working to maintain a denialist thesis and contrary to the law.

7. It barks like a dog, wags its tail like a dog, has the shape of a dog, but is it a bird?

Having arrived here, having given due attention to the facts, verifiable in the indicated bibliography, the dear reader, in addition to everything acting in a rational and logical manner (and respecting the law) will not be able to have any doubt about the facts of adulterationsTo say otherwise would be against the law and deny what is transparent. After all, if it barks like a dog, wags its tail like a dog, and is shaped like a dog, it is definitely a dog, not a bird—but "some" want it to be.

Now, dear reader, to give rise to denialist thesis of these gentlemen, trying to maintain that they were not adulterations, but rather modifications made by Kardec's hands:

• it would be necessary, first of all, to go against the law;
• it would be necessary to voluntarily ignore that Roustaing hated spiritualist science and wanted to take Kardec's place;
• it would be necessary to voluntarily ignore that Guerin, an influential and wealthy follower of Roustaing, offered his influence around the new presidents of the Public Limited Company;
• it would be necessary to admit that Kardec, without any possible explanation, removed such important passages precisely at the points of greatest conflict with the Roustainguist theses or his modus operandi;
• it would be necessary to admit that Kardec contradicted the spiritist science, that is to say, in adulteration from Heaven and Hell, which all the vicissitudes we suffer here would be the result of our imperfections, expiations of mistakes committed, in this or in other lives. The effect of this idea is, by force of logic, to admit that all the difficulties we go through would be the result of acquired imperfections, as a kind of punishment, leading to the idea that only imperfect Spirits would incarnate here, needing correction — exactly the Roustainguist thesis, “by chance”. This is false and, in fact, is even refuted in the adulterated Genesis, in the analysis of the passage about the Man Born Blind: “If this was not an atonement for the past, it is proof that it should serve their progress.”.
• it would be necessary to voluntarily ignore that Leymarie, to support the thesis that the 5th edition of Genesis had been produced by Kardec, published an adulterated psychograph, cutting out the part that touches on the importance of DO NOT REMOVE ANY DOCTRINAL IDEAS, something done in adulteration.
• it would be necessary retire rationality in the face of such obvious things, leaving aside Erastus's very important guidance: “It is better to reject ten truths than to admit a single lie, a single false theory” (item 230 of The Mediums' Book).

8. Conclusion

We're not here to try to force understanding on those who don't want to understand and, by willingly admitting sophistries, give rise to fascination—as Roustaing did when faced with such absurd ideas. For those who want to understand, it's crystal clear. Let each person investigate further to reach their own conclusions—after having investigated everything, not before.

9. Bibliography

• Allan Kardec's Legacy: https://amzn.to/3RIn2gv
• Final point — the reunion with Spiritism with Allan Kardec: https://amzn.to/48PLaE7
• Neither Heaven nor Hell — The Laws of the Soul According to Spiritism: https://amzn.to/3F2voYO
• Genesis — Miracles and Predictions According to Spiritism (unadulterated): Free PDF or https://amzn.to/3RM91hF
• Heaven and Hell: Or divine justice according to Spiritism (unadulterated): Free PDF or https://amzn.to/3ZGrcal
• Much Light, by Berthe Fropo: https://bit.ly/3zCV8LR