Daniel Gontijo, materialist and atheist, on his YouTube channel, entitled “Prof. Daniel Gontijo”, chose to highlight very superficial analyzes of Spiritism, a philosophical science that, unfortunately, he doesn't know. To do this, it forms a quorum with “ex-spiritists”, people who also do not know Spiritism, and ends up issuing or echoing opinions that end up reflecting a false idea of the Spiritist Doctrine, based on opinions gathered from the surface of reflections that, unfortunately, the Spiritist Movement produces.

Daniel Gontijo has a degree in Psychology from FUMEC University (2009), as well as a master's degree (2013) and doctorate (2019) in Neurosciences from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Despite so many titles, he acts in a manner that is absolutely contrary to that of a good researcher, who only issues an opinion after trying to get to know the subject very well, something he has never done (he himself says, in his videos: “I remember something like that, because A certain person once said that there is something more or less like this in one of the Spiritist Magazines”).

Because, in good logic, criticism only has value when the critic is knowledgeable about what he is talking about. Mocking something you don't know, that you haven't probed with the scalpel of a conscientious observer, isn't criticizing, it's showing levity and a sad display of lack of criteria.

KARDEC, Allan. The Spirits' Book

However, it is far from my intentions to create an image of a malicious executioner. No, on the contrary: Daniel appears to be a happy and affable person. This, however, is what seems most incongruous to me, because, from this lightness, the necessary task of a good researcher, who investigates everything, analyzes everything, does not come from this lightness, in order to then be able to express an opinion. Unfortunately, with the support of the opinion of people who never got to know true Spiritism, it is based on the errors of the Spiritist Movement to judge Spiritism, just as many, lightly, judge Jesus for the absurdities done in his name.

It's interesting to note that Daniel graduated in Psychology, first of all. Has he never heard or read that the Revista Espírita carries the subtitle “Journal of psychological studies” on its cover? And, if you saw it, were you not interested for a moment in knowing why it was called?

Certainly, Daniel Gontijo does not know that Psychology, in Kardec's time, was included under the studies of Rational Spiritualism, in the grid of moral sciences of French teaching (which spread throughout the world): for this, it would be necessary to read Autonomy: the never told story of Spiritism, by Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo. He probably does not know the history of the development of these sciences through rational observation, culminating in the rational conclusion that Will is the essential attribute of the soul. Much less should you know that, long before Kardec began investigating spiritist science, researchers linked to animal magnetism and Rational Spiritualism have already collected, in certain studies with people in an induced hypnotic trance, hundreds of “letters” attributed to other deceased personalities, giving details confirmed by family members who are still alive:

“The magnetizers proved very early on the relationships of somnambulists with invisible beings. Deleuze, a disciple of Mesmer, in his correspondence maintained with doctor GP Billot for more than four years, from March 1829 to August 1833, was initially reluctant, but finally affirmed: “Magnetism demonstrates the spirituality of the soul and its immortality; it proves the possibility of communication between intelligences separated from matter and those still connected to them.” (BILLOT, 1839)”

In turn, Deleuze stated: “I see no reason to deny the possibility of the appearance of people who, having left this life, take care of those they loved here and come to manifest themselves to them, to give them salutary advice. I just had an example of this.” (Ibid.)

It was with these words that Deleuze introduced the narration of the case of a sleepwalker whose deceased father spoke twice in order to advise her on choosing the young woman's future husband. In his Critical History, he had already written: “All somnambulists, left free in a trance, say they are enlightened and assisted by a being that is unknown to them.” (DELEUZE, 1813) In turn, Billot declared that he received instructions from superior spirits, through those magnetized in a somnambulistic trance, in his research.

The topic of communication with spirits became part of the discussions of magnetizers and the pages of their periodicals. A study of the works of Chardel, Charpignon, Ricard, Teste and Aubin Gauthier reveals several descriptions of experimental phenomena that reveal communication between the living and the disembodied.

Years later, the magnetizer Louis Alphonse Cahagnet (1809-1885), with courage and determination, spoke to the spirits through his ecstatic somnambulists, mainly Adèle Maginot, recording in his work more than one hundred and fifty minutes signed by witnesses who recognized the identity of the communicating spirits. Cahagnet anticipated this spiritist science research instrument by more than ten years. For Gabriel Delanne, “This worker was a superb fighter, who had the glory of doing what he was: one of the pioneers of truth.” (DELLANE, 1899)

FIGUEIREDO, Paulo Henrique de. Autonomy: the untold story of Spiritism

Certainly, Daniel also does not know the facts that led Psychology to leave Rational Spiritualism and organize itself under dogmatic materialism, full of categorical and unscientific statements! He certainly still does not know the facts that led Comte to become Victor Cousin's enemy, having then achieved what he wanted so much: affirming his dogmas, after the forced fall of Rational Spiritualism. For him, Daniel, today it may be unreasonable to even imagine the existence of Rational Spiritualism, but it existed. I say more: it paved the way for Spiritism, which is its development, formed through the most basic characteristics of science — rational observation — and the scientific axiom — every effect has a cause and every intelligent effect has an intelligent cause (remaining to know which cause it is this, with fraud even being possible and investigated).

If you had studied the Spiritist Magazines, even if you were to conclude otherwise (since, in science, people can reach different conclusions or theories), you would see that, of all the possible disagreements, one cannot affirm the work of the Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies , led by Allan Kardec, as something shallow, without seriousness or without scientific methodology. Much less could it be said that Kardec was naive or foolish, but quite the opposite: he would see all of Kardec's careful considerations in this regard, something, in fact, that no one else after him knew how to do:

Undoubtedly, say some contradictors, you were imbued with such ideas and that's why the spirits agreed with your way of seeing. It is an error which proves, once again, the danger of hasty and unexamined judgments. If, before judging, such people had taken the trouble to read what we wrote about Spiritism, they would have spared themselves the trouble of such a frivolous objection. Therefore, we will repeat what we have already said about it, that is, that when the doctrine of reincarnation was taught to us by the Spirits, it was so far from our thinking that we had built a completely different system on the antecedents of the soul, a system shared by the by many people. On this point, the doctrine of the Spirits surprised us. We'll say more: it antagonized us, because it overthrew our own ideas. As you can see, it was far from a reflection of them.

This is not all. We don't give in to the first shock. We fight; we defend our opinion; we raise objections and only surrender in the face of evidence and when we realize the inadequacy of our system to resolve all issues relating to this problem.

KARDEC, Allan. Spiritist Magazine of November 1858.

I close with the big question: does Daniel Gontijo have this desire to know what he doesn't know, even if he ends up concluding in a divergent way? Or will it continue to show “proof of levity and a sad display of lack of judgment”? We'll see.

I did a video analysis of the channel's last case and its response to my video. You can check:

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/pt-br/foto/adulto-conselhos-orientacoes-assistencia-4100672/

We have talked a lot about the great distance between Spiritism, or spiritist science, and what the Spiritist Movement learns and disseminates in Brazil, each day more contaminated by distortions and mysticism. I do not believe it necessary to repeat the facts in this regard. We limit ourselves to recommending the reader to articles The distance between Spiritism and the Spiritist Movement, Prophecy of the Spirit of Truth, The Spiritist Channel and Spiritism, The boy and the oasis: a fable of hope, an interesting dialogue, An invitation to self-criticism of the Spiritist Movement, among others.

We can, however, add Kardec's thoughts, in The Book of Mediums:

Finally, there are exalted spiritists. The human species would be perfect if it always preferred the bright side of things. Exaggeration is harmful in everything. In Spiritism it produces a blind and often childish trust in the manifestations of the invisible world, making people accept very easily and without control what reflection and examination would demonstrate to be absurd or impossible, as enthusiasm does not clarify, it obfuscates. This type of followers is more harmful than useful to the cause of Spiritism. They are the least capable of convincing, because their judgment is rightly suspicious. They are easily deceived by mystifying spirits or by people who seek to exploit their gullibility. If only they had to suffer the consequences, the harm would be less, but the worst thing is that they offer, although unintentionally, reasons to unbelievers who seek to mock rather than convince themselves and never fail to impute to everyone the ridiculousness of some. This is not fair or rational, without a doubt, but the opponents of Spiritism, as we know, only recognize their reason as good and do not care to know in depth what they are talking about.

KARDEC, Allan. The Book of Mediums, Lake, 23^The Edition. Emphasis added.

Their position is clear: careless people who, with enthusiasm (and vanity) blindly believe in everything, do more harm than good to the Doctrine.

Exaggerations, some say

It is the opinion of some that we have exaggerated. According to them, we must “respect” each person’s faith, limiting ourselves to carrying out our work. Firstly, we need to demonstrate that there is no disrespect to anyone's faith. Everyone has free will and the right to believe whatever they want, rationally or not. But, here, we are dealing with spiritist science, and this is where the biggest problem with these people's ideas arises: the lack of knowledge of this science. Just read the Revista Espírita and other works by Kardec and you will see not only him, but also the good Spirits, often highlighting the need to expose the errors and, above all, the charlatans and enemies of the Spiritist Doctrine who, dressing their ideas under the guise of Spiritism, voluntarily or not promote the error that feeds the general discredit in Spiritism, as if it were another religion born of someone's ideas. We have already sufficiently demonstrated why Spiritism is a science, and not a religion.

Spiritism arrived in Brazil distorted

O fato é que o Espiritismo já se instalou no Brasil adulterado pelo Movimento Espírita iniciante ((fatos fartamente apresentados em Endand, in the FEB (Brazilian Spiritist Federation), the self-styled “home mater” of Brazilian Spiritism, far from finding ground for its restoration, it was replaced by the doctrine of Roustaing, completely based on old religious dogmas. This institution, which ended up dictating the direction of Brazilian Spiritism for a long time, never dedicated itself to recovering Spiritist science and the method necessary for the continuity of the Doctrine, with private evocations (and even in Spiritist centers), an essential tool for the scientific study, were abandoned. Without Kardec's method, and due to the interest in printing and selling mediumistic works, any idea coming from any Spirit began to be conveyed and, thus, slowly formed the general belief of the Spiritist Movement, today completely lost in ideas that, in fact, , are fundamentally anti-doctrinal.

We need to recognize, of course, that part of these ideas were founded even before the arrival of Spiritism in Brazil, with the adulteration of the works Heaven and Hell (mainly) and A Gênesis, after Kardec's death. Unfortunately, FEB is the first to defend the idea that these works have not been tampered with, a fact that, especially in relation to Heaven and Hell, is sufficiently evidenced and irrefutable.

Is talking about adulteration creating disbelief?

Aqui, enfim, chegamos a outra crítica de certas pessoas: “dizer que houve adulteração seria jogar lama em Kardec, suscitar descrença no Espiritismo”. “Aliás”, dizem elas, “que Doutrina é essa que os Espíritos permitem tal coisa, sem aviso?”. É um pensamento completamente ilógico.

We begin by remembering that the words of Christ himself were adulterated and distorted in favor of religious dogmas, and this fact was precisely what led to countless people's disbelief in Christianity. Voltaire was one of the most evident exponents of this disbelief, which still prevails today. We ask: would it be “throwing mud” at Jesus to highlight the adulterations? Would it “raise disbelief” in Christianity, highlighting distortions, while demonstrating original ideas? Obviously not. If the problem has occurred, we need to face it head on (a scientific and truly Kardecian attitude), and not sweep it under the rug while its overwhelming effects persist.

À ideia de que “os Espíritos não teriam permitido as adulterações”, opomos a forte recomendação de estudo da Doutrina, o que evidentemente não foi realizado por essas pessoas. Os Espíritos alertaram several times about the plots of the enemies of the Doctrine, as we demonstrated in Prophecy of the Spirit of Truth. Baseado nos alertas e nas evidências, Kardec também previa o futuro do Espiritismo, conforme destacou na Revista Espírita de dezembro de 1863, no artigo “Período de Lutas”:

The struggle will determine a new phase of Spiritism and will lead to the fourth period, which will be the religious period. Then the fifth will come, the intermediate period, natural consequence of the precedent and which, later, will receive its characteristic name. The sixth and final period will be the social renewal, which will open the era of the twentieth century. At that time, all obstacles to the new order of things desired by God for the transformation of the Earth will have disappeared. The generation that emerges, imbued with new ideas, will be in all its strength and will prepare the way for what must inaugurate the definitive victory of union, peace and fraternity among men, united in the same belief, through the practice of the evangelical law.

KARDEC, Allan. Spiritist Magazine, December 1863.

Unfortunately, the forecast for the sixth period is delayed by more than a century, due to several unpredictable facts at that time, such as the abandonment of Rational Spiritualism and Spiritist Science, in addition to the adulteration of the works cited. Then, the wars, the forgetfulness of the Doctrine in France and Europe and its installation in Brazil, completely distorted.

Spirits do not impede human free will

We remember, to finish, that the core of the Spiritist Doctrine, always demonstrated by the Spirits, is free will, which the Spirits cannot interfere with. They can advise, but they cannot hinder the human will. They did so: they advised extensively on the need for care that, unfortunately, was lacking from those who should take care of the master's legacy. It seems that the French Spiritist Movement was very comfortable with Kardec's direction and, when this was supposed to change, from mid-1869 (as exposed in the Spiritist Magazine of December 1868, “Transitional Constitution of Spiritism”) Kardec died, and all they were left aimless. Leymarie assuming the direction of the Spiritist Society, distorted the purpose of the Spiritist Magazine, admitting the Roustainuist doctrine in exchange for money, and the reader can find out the rest by reading the works Allan Kardec's Legacy, by Simoni Privato, Neither Heaven nor Hell, by Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo and End, by Wilson Garcia.

Good in the midst of mistakes

Many say: “the Spiritist Movement, in the midst of many mistakes, still produces good. It’s not wrong at all.” We couldn't disagree with that. We do not say that there is error or mistake in everything and that no good is produced. A mediumistic romance, even though it is full of wrong ideas, can be the gateway to the questioning individual go after more information, ending up getting to know Kardec's works, in short. But, we ask: wouldn't it be better if Spiritism were presented as it is, simple and rational, without the absurdities that produce so many setbacks and that very often lead to disbelief? We cannot fail to highlight that, when space is created for a mistake, within a science, and this mistake is not remedied by theory and doctrinal facts, it gives rise to many others. That's what has happened.

Restoration

The time has come to restore Spiritism, which has already begun in Brazil and will spread throughout the world. The first step is to learn Spiritism as it truly is, moving away from errors. Those who, called “spiritists”, do not wish to do so, will join a new religion, if they wish, as dogmatic as the others. Let's let time take care of them, but that doesn't mean we stop doing our part, presenting the errors, in the face of the Spiritist Doctrine, without personalism. Then, the time will come to restore Kardec's method. These two steps will give rise to the possibility of the sixth period foreseen by Kardec: that of social renewal.

We cannot fail to recommend how essential reading The work Autonomy – The Untold Story of Spiritism, by Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo.

Be part of this journey, which is collective and will only happen through the collaboration of many.

Allan Kardec still has a very important role in Spiritism. Let's see:

“It requires our reflection so that we can increasingly understand more and better the role that Spiritist Philosophy plays in our days and how we will interpret its postulates and proposals in light of the reality presented to us by the times in which we live, accompanied by technological progress and advancement. intellectual and moral that characterize this century.

Since the founding of Spiritism, with the publication of “The Book of Spirits” on April 18, 1857, and as a clear expression of the logical and rational thought of its systematizer, it has been recorded that: “Spiritism is, at the same time, a science of observation and a philosophical doctrine. As a practical science, it consists of the relationships that can be established with the Spirits; as a philosophical doctrine, it encompasses all the moral consequences that arise from such relationships.”

In this way, supported by the experience developed by Allan Kardec in the classification, evaluation and characterization of the mediumistic phenomenon as the main axis and effective means to develop and specify the spiritualist principles and theoretical bases, the Spiritist Philosophy is established as a Doctrine of scientific, philosophical and moral character.

The systematic and continuous publication of his basic and complementary works allowed the dissemination of spiritist teaching to increase; in them we read: “The strength of Spiritism resides in its philosophy, in the appeal it makes to reason and common sense”; “Spiritism, under penalty of suicide, cannot close the doors to any progress”; “Spiritism, advancing with progress, will never be surpassed, because if new discoveries demonstrate that it is wrong at some point, it will change at that point and if a new truth reveals itself, it will accept it.”

The clear expression of Kardecist thought in these lines presents us with an Evolutionary Doctrine, placing us before an open, dynamic, rational, coherent and, above all, practical Philosophy. It encourages us, as followers, to embrace a proposal of free thought and humanism, in which, through continuous study and deep understanding, the result of long reflections and conscious and serious experiments, we are led to the clear and logical identification of our be like immortal Spirits. We are linked to the reincarnation present in this world as a result of countless evolutionary journeys that we have already experienced and that constitute our current situation. We are Spirits who are conscious and responsible for this entire spiritual collection of successes and mistakes, achievements and failures that we have experienced and which are essential for our evolution, progress and deeper understanding of our true spiritual situation.

Thus, we find in the Kardecist exhortations, which form the basis and starting point of Spiritist Philosophy, an excellent guide, an experimental and rational plan that can greatly facilitate our vision and conscious understanding of the great Universal Truths.

However, to preserve and update the understanding of the “Kardecian Legacy”, it is necessary to contextualize each of its concepts, points of view and fundamental ideas. These principles derive from the scientific, philosophical and ethical foundations that characterized the second half of the 19th century in France.

The set of spiritist teachings, as well as the precise exposition of their principles and foundations, maintains their indisputable relevance in the face of technological advances, scientific discoveries and proposals for humanist and solidary integration of philosophies and religions. However, some thoughts, procedures and conceptions found in spiritist works also reflect the personal vision and points of view expressed by its founder and by the disembodied Spirits who advised him in his work. These aspects need to be valued, analyzed, compared and contextualized, following the exhortation of Spiritism itself, for the benefit of the Spiritist Doctrine itself. This ensures that it continues to be the clear, logical and rational expression of the principles and postulates that are based on the objective and real manifestation of Natural Laws, which regulate the functioning of the Universe and the stability of our individualities.

It is the duty of every Spiritist scholar, of every adherent committed to the fidelity and preservation of Spiritist Philosophy, to adopt an open, dialectical stance, free from dogmas and prejudices, away from sectarian positions and parallel radical movements in their thoughts and conceptions. This allows the study, promotion and dissemination of spiritist doctrines as they were manifested in their foundational works, but in accordance with the necessary evolution and conceptual updating and in the expressive language of the Doctrine, which current times demand. In this way, the Doctrine is free from ambiguities and harmful interpretations that could affect its adequate interpretation and its indispensable dissemination.

The thought of the founder of Spiritism must be exposed exactly as it was expressed, reflected, studied, analyzed, valued and adapted to current times, as, given the undeniable relevance of this thought, it requires a more in-depth study and assimilation on the part of Spiritist followers. It should be considered as a guide for the introduction to the knowledge of Spiritist Science, seeking deeper insights, but never as the expression of definitive truths or unquestionable revelations.

The guarantee for the preservation of Spiritist Thought for new generations is in our hands and largely depends on the attitude that each one of us takes towards it, with individual responsibility.

Walter Pérez

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The text above was submitted by Walter Pérez, from the group CEEAK — Centro de Estudios Espiritas Allan Kardec — from Cuba. We can add nothing to it. It contains the clarity transmitted by Kardec's rational and scientific thinking and attitude, responsible for the birth of the Spiritist Doctrine and necessary for its development. We could just highlight that the title of “founder” of Spiritism belongs to the part of the Spiritist science developed “on this side”, but it would not fit to Spiritism as a science of Nature, which exists from eternity and encompasses everything we can understand.

You need to be very careful. It is not that outside of Kardec there is no truth: it is that, without a scientific method in communicating with Spirits, lies, illusions and truths are admitted, blindly and indiscriminately.

It is very clear to observe that Ramatis (or every Spirit that identifies with this name) transmits rational and scientific absurdities, many of which have already been refuted by elementary science.

These Spirits start from the wrong idea of the fall through sin, and thus teach, because they believe or because they want to mystify, false ideas linked to a punishing God, who punishes error. It is exactly the principle of errors in religions and, in this sense, there is nothing about Spiritism there – just study Heaven and Hell, Genesis and the Spiritist Magazine, from 1858 to 1869, to make sure of this.

Through a medium, any Spirit can speak. If, on our side, we believe blindly, we will be easily fascinated by mystifying Spirits.

Leia o artigo “The role of the researcher and the medium in communications with the Spirits“.

We have two aspects currently defended by the spiritist movement: that Spiritism is a science and that it is a religion. Uniting these two aspects, some claim that it has a triple aspect: science, philosophy and religion.

First of all, we need to highlight that Spiritism can only be seen as religion in the philosophical aspect, and not in the ecumenical aspect.

And the fact that it is a religion in the philosophical sense, stated by Kardec, is directly linked to the fact that the Spiritist Doctrine is a development of Rational Spiritualism, a Philosophical Movement that outlined French moral sciences and teaching, in that country, for a large part of the 19th century.

If so, you will ask, is Spiritism a religion? Why, yes, without a doubt, gentlemen; In the philosophical sense, Spiritism is a religion, and we glorify ourselves for this, because it is the doctrine that founds the bonds of fraternity and communion of thoughts, not on a simple convention, but on the most solid foundations: the laws of Nature.

KARDEC, Allan. Revista Espírita, December 1868. Annual session commemorating the dead.

Spiritism, therefore, is not a religion as we currently understand it. This is precisely why Allan Kardec argues that the term should not be used, so as not to cause misinterpretations and not place Spiritism in a field in which it does not fit and where, ceasing to be science, it is defeated by the dispute between religions and between science and religion. No, this is neither appropriate nor deserved for this doctrine born of the scientific method and present in nature itself.

Why, then, have we declared that Spiritism is not a religion? Because there is no one word to express every idea, and because, in general opinion, the word religion it is inseparable from the idea of worship; because it exclusively awakens an idea of form, which Spiritism does not have. If Spiritism called itself a religion, the public would see nothing more than a new edition, a variant, if you like, of the absolute principles in matters of faith; a priestly caste with its procession of hierarchies, ceremonies and privileges; he would not separate it from the ideas of mysticism and the abuses against which public opinion has so often risen.

Since Spiritism does not have any of the characteristics of a religion, in the usual sense of the word, it could not and should not adorn itself with a title about the value of which people would inevitably have been mistaken. This is why it is simply said: philosophical and moral doctrine.

ibid.

Spiritism-Religion

Spiritism-religion hides, as a religion, in spiritist centers, just as other religions live in their churches and temples (there are even those who are already calling the spiritist center a “temple”). He does not practice evocations and blindly accepts what mediums or isolated Spirits say, or even what institutions such as the FEB – Brazilian Spiritist Federation determine. Spiritism-religion became dogmatic and left aside the doctrinal and scientific principles born from the long and exhaustive study of Allan Kardec. He buried his legacy, in large part, to be left with the most diverse false modern ideas, originating from mysticism, which he allowed to settle within his heart.

To be a follower of Spiritualism-religion, the individual is led to believe that it depends on leaving aside their own religion, because that is how it works in this sense. You can study mathematics or botany as a Catholic or evangelical, but that's not the case with a religion, right?

But, often, this sincere adherent, thirsty for knowledge, finds in Spiritism-religion nothing more than a new religion, full of dogmas. Sometimes, Spiritism-religion even becomes prejudiced and drives away new followers, by being categorical in pointing out people with certain characteristics and saying that they are like that because they would be paying debts from past lives, among other ideas that border on the absurd.

But this does not correspond at all to Spiritualism-science.

Spiritism-Science

Spiritism-science did not hide. Climbed in the strength of Rational Spiritualism, which was developed by Experimental Psychology, it spread like gunpowder, like any other science. It was not only accepted, but studied, in person, by people from the most educated layers of society. Princes, princesses, kings, queens, philosophers, scientists, doctors, doctors. It spread, as something purely clear and rational, among religious people of all faiths, finding, among its numbers, even orthodox Catholics and Muslims.

IV. ─ Regarding instruction:The level of education is very easy to assess through correspondence. Careful instruction, 30%; simple scholars, 30%; higher education, 20%; ─ semi-literate, 10%; ─ illiterate, 6%; ─ wise officers, 4%.

V. ─ Regarding religious ideas: Roman Catholics, freethinkers, not bound by dogma, 50%; ─ Greek Catholics, 15%; ─ Jews, 10%; ─ liberal Protestants, 10%; ─ Catholics linked to dogmas, 10%; ─ Orthodox Protestants, 3%; ─ Muslims, 2%.

KARDEC, Allan. Spiritist Magazine, January 1869. Statistics of Spiritism.

Ah! how wonderful and, at the same time, simple, Spiritism-science was. It was practiced in homes. Families carried out private evocations of their loved ones, and learned and comforted themselves from them. Sometimes, they evoked suffering Spirits, and helped them to calm down, with new understandings. They often sent the notes of these evocations to Allan Kardec, who analyzed them with the other SPEE associates. How many times have these particular evocations given rise to new hypotheses and new investigations!

Spiritualism-science was seen seriously. New doctrinal principles were not admitted without being verified by the double control method: the communication of the same principle everywhere, with these communications being evaluated in the light of logic and reason. Nothing was denied or accepted without carrying out this process. How many times has Kardec gone back and abandoned a hypothesis, seeing it as invalid in the face of the evidence?

In Spiritualism-science, the centers They were serious centers of study. They practiced evocations for the purpose of learning and, in the most serious cases, according to Kardec's precepts, neither neophytes nor curious people were admitted to mediumistic meetings.

Spiritism-science is needed. In it, Kardec found very clear and rational arguments to discard the most absurd and unfounded criticisms against Spiritism. Today, Spiritism-religion often loses followers to disbelief, because ideas born from blind acceptance cannot face reason.

We would do better if we didn't even talk about “Spiritism-religion”, but just about “Religious Spiritist Movement”, perhaps. But it is important to highlight the incongruity between the two concepts, as we need to make efforts to return to “Spiritism-science”, the one that everyone can study, without abandoning their religions; he who gives reasoned faith, who can face reason at any time; the one, finally, that didn't end with Kardec, and that needs to continue.

Spiritism-science finds its formation largely recorded in the Spiritist Magazine from 1858 to 1869, the result of exhaustive work of more than 12 years on spontaneous communications, evocations and manifestations of thousands of Spirits, by thousands of mediums, in thousands of groups, by all over the world. “Spiritism-religion” is predominantly found in novels, the result of the opinion of a Spirit, who does not question himself through the necessary method.

On the date on which Allan Kardec's birth is celebrated, I think we need to do much more to defend his legacy, which, far from being a religious creation to lead believers, encompasses the the entire community of incarnating Spirits on planet Earth. This legacy is bigger than me, than you, than our group. It does not and should not depend on anyone’s opinion. It needs to be recovered at its source. Here's the job.

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O Espiritismo, como ciência de aspecto filosófico e consequências morais ((O Espiritismo somente pode ser visto como religion From a philosophical point of view, said Kardec, precisely based on the philosophy of the time, the Rational Spiritualism, de onde o Espiritismo se desenvolveu.)), formada através do método científico, vive desafios de todos os lados. Colocado em figura, parece-se com a mais bela flor, do mais suave perfume e das maiores propriedades curativas, abafadas pelos espinhos e pelas ervas-daninhas.

The most diverse difficulties arise from all sides, arising mainly from a lack of commitment, zeal and care. Under this nomenclature, they admit any type of ideas, coming from the mouth or mediumistic intermediation of individuals who have become unquestionable icons. As if that were not enough, lacking knowledge about what science and about the necessary scientific method, responsible precisely for the unassailable strength of the Doctrine born from the studies coordinated by Allan Kardec, most modern researchers promote, in the spiritist environment, new ideas, new theories, distracting themselves from the essential point: the evocations, producing teachings that agree with each other, so subjected to rational analysis, in the face of human science and in the face of what had already been constructed by the same method.

Scientific Method

Let us return for a moment to the question of the definition of scientific method, exemplified in the attached figure. For those who dedicated themselves to studying at least the first year of Revista Espírita (1858), it will be very easy to identify the same steps taken by Kardec:

• the systematic and controlled observation of certain phenomena and, later, of evocations;
• verification of identified facts;
• the investigation of hypotheses, which form a theory, cohesive in itself, from which we obtain implications, conclusions and predictions;
• carrying out experiments, through evocations, from which new observations are obtained, analyzed rationally and logically;
• hence, the observation of new facts, which will or will not corroborate the theory;
• finally, add the results of these observations to the scientific theory, if they corroborate it, or recycle hypotheses, making new observations and going through the same method again.

A very notable fact, which denotes Kardec's scientific rigor and his indissoluble commitment to true science, is that he Never clung to any idea in the study of Spiritism. Anyone who has studied the Spiritist Magazine of 1858 and 1859 already understands this very well. An example of this is the study treated mainly from the RE of July 1859, starting with the article O Zuavo de Magenta and concluded (at least for the moment) in the articles of the following month. We highlight the study in the article Materiality from Beyond the Grave.

And it is precisely at this point, that of attachment to ideas, added to the absence of the necessary method, that the vast majority of modern researchers of Spiritism make mistakes.

The error of the modern spiritualist movement

The big problem arises when, abandoning the essential scientific method for spiritist science, the Spiritist Movement began to admit theories contrary to the principles already solidified by the same method, such as the ideas of spiritual colonies, thresholds, etc., falling into the most basic error of the excited spiritist: blindly believe in the opinions of Spirits.

We do not say that Spiritism, studied by Kardec, has already observed everything there is to be observed. Of course not. What we say is that the modern spiritist movement has created a large set of theories that cannot face the scientific method, because they have not gone through it!

We very often find even those dedicated and willing researchers — we will not take this true impetus from them — who, however, cling to the most diverse ideas and who very quickly become irritated by the contradiction of what, scientifically, is part of the principles doctrinaires of Spiritism.

The basis of the indispensable methodology in Spiritism

Retomemos, aqui, o que está destacado em nossa página inicial – uma citação de Allan Kardec em A Gênese:

General concordance in teaching is the doctrine’s essential character, the condition even of its existence. It is evident that all principles which have not received the consecration of general agreement can only be considered as a fractional part of this same doctrine, merely as a simple, isolated opinion for which Spiritism cannot assume the responsibility.

It is the concordant, collective teaching of the spirits who have passed beyond which constitutes the logical criterion, giving strength to the spiritual doctrine and assuring to it perpetuity.

Allan Kardec — The Genesis

The statement highlighted above, made by Kardec, is not a mere result of a personal systematization. Quite the contrary: it represents the necessary scientific method for the study and development of Spiritism. It is not enough for the same principle to be consecrated by generality (which requires the use of evocations, because it is not enough that we just put ourselves in the role of listening and accepting what the spirits say); it is not necessary, furthermore, that this consenting collectivity of opinion of the spirits be passed through the criterion of logic, which means comparing it to human science and the scientific method, so that, only then, it can be taken as a principle of Spiritism.

Note, ademais, o termo “opinion” used by Kardec, not by chance: what the Spirits say, through mediumistic communications, are their own opinions, born from their knowledge and their own observations, when they are not the result of a deliberate intention to mystify, that is, to promote false ideas . It happens in the best groups. The opinions of spirits, like the opinions of human beings, can be loaded with beliefs, false ideas, little knowledge, illusions, etc. How, then, to analyze them scientifically? Through the psychological observation of these communications.

The nuances in a psychological science

Anyone who has studied at least the first two years of the Spiritist Magazine notes that, even at the end of the second year, Kardec continues to frequently question the communicating spirit how he got there, how he presents himself, how he sees other spirits, etc. If an answer disagrees with the scientific theory or brings new facts, it will be investigated through evocations and according to the scientific method — which is not done nowadays.

Kardec investigated, among many things, the issue of pain in the Spirit. There were those who claimed to feel cold or hot; pains; hunger; worms gnawing his body, &c. It was through dedicated study, through rational analysis of the psychological nuances of these communications, that Kardec arrived at several doctrinal scientific principles. An example of this is the communication from the Spirit of the assassin Lemaire in the RE of March 1858:

6. Immediately after your execution, were you aware of your new existence? — I was plunged into an immense disturbance, from which I still haven't emerged. I felt great pain; looks like my heart felt it. I saw something roll at the foot of the scaffold. I saw the blood flow and my pain became more acute.

Kardec could easily, were it not for his scientific rigor, admit that the Spirit materially suffered from a pain in the heart. But he investigates:

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.

We could cite a huge diversity of cases that illustrate this scientific principle, but we leave the purpose of studying the Doctrine that it embraces to the reader's healthy curiosity.

Spiritism needs defense

Leaving aside the scientific method is a big mistake on the part of most modern researchers of Spiritism, who aim to construct new doctrinal principles without going through this process, when they should not only be practicing evocations, given the dedicated study of the Spiritist Magazine, but also should be encouraging the spiritist movement to do so at all times.

By not doing so, they throw another shovel of lime on Spiritism, producing a bad impression and a false idea in the scientific world, which does not recognize it as something born of science, but as a mere superstitious belief or a religion. It is not uncommon for me to come across allegations from people who, having not had the chance to know what really be it Spiritism, they distanced themselves from it because they could not admit, for reason, that, for example, a Spirit has to take a flying bus to get around.

We have a lot to do and you must have realized that the first step is studying.

For a strange idea, we adopted the principle that we cannot evoke the Spirits, and that the only one who could do that was Kardec, because he had the permission or a very peculiar purpose.

In the light of knowledge, we need to correct this idea a little, because, in fact, the only ones who could make the evocations were the thousands of individuals and small groups, spread around the world, not only at the time of Kardec, but even before him, because , when Kardec became interested in the new science and even before giving himself the pseudonym of Allan Kardec, Spiritism was already practiced in many parts of the world.

Interesting, isn't it? Why is it that today, then, we cannot or should not evoke the Spirits? I do not know this law, nor have I ever seen it written anywhere, except in a sentence taken out of context, metaphorical by Chico Xavier: “the phone only rings from there to here”. Quite the contrary, when studying the works of Kardec, we will find the recommendation of the practice of Spiritism by small groups, a practice that consisted, in his view, a science: the constant investigation, together with the Spirits, of the laws that govern Creation.

For this very strange idea, we started to put mediums in the position of the old automatic telephone secretaries, whose only mission was to answer a call and record the message, and nothing else. Mediums have turned into this:

Not only that: Spiritist groups, which today practically do not exist outside of Spiritist centers, began to adopt an even stranger idea: they began to listen to “telephone recordings” without questioning them! That's right: the message given is not questioned, they are simply taken for the principle that they are always endowed with truth and wisdom, and with good intentions. This idea is very, very strange, because yesterday my mother received a message from someone who claimed to be me, and who wanted three thousand reais to pay an urgent bill. Imagine if my mother adopted the practice of many spiritualist groups and simply trusted the interlocutor!

The systems

By an even stranger principle, certain individuals began to create and defend systems built precisely on these passively received and unverified communications, wasting precious time and causing enormous difficulties to the spiritist movement, which stopped studying Kardec to trust these systems. Incongruously, the individuals who act in this way are often those who would be fully capable, due to their scientific knowledge, to investigate these issues.

But not only from unchecked spiritist communications does this sad scenario form. Many others erect true systems of ideas about metaphors used by Kardec in his studies, failing to understand that scientists, especially at that time, envisioning new scientific aspects that they had no way of understanding, created metaphors to try to give light to the idea they sought to express, entrusting the continuity of science with better explanations. All great scientists have done this, above all in the philosophical aspect and especially in the metaphysical scope of these ideas. Kardec did this, for example, when trying to explain the divine presence as an ocean, where everything would be immersed. One metaphor((Even today metaphors are used to give scientific explanations, with certain cosmologists going so far as to say that Space is like shampoo or cheese! Poor guy who builds a system on these metaphors!))!

But not only human science used metaphors. The Spirits also used them, often. Wise spirits used wise metaphors to explain ideas that, scientifically, we could not yet understand. Jesus used metaphors to explain principles of the spiritist science that the men of that time could not understand. Ignorant spirits used metaphors to explain causes and effects that even they could not understand in a scientific way, but that they knew existed and worked.

The whole question here is one:

METAPHORS

Just to be very clear and there is no doubt, let's define the meaning of the term: metaphor is the “figure of speech in which a word denoting one type of object or action is used in place of another, so as to suggest a similarity or analogy between them; translation (by metaphor it is said that a beautiful and delicate person is a flower, that a color capable of generating strong impressions is warm, or that something capable of opening paths is the key to the problem); symbol.”((MICHAELIS. Modern Portuguese – Search – Brazilian Portuguese – Metaphor. Available at: https://michaelis.uol.com.br/moderno-portugues/busca/portugues-brasileiro/metafora. Accessed on: May 29th. 2023.)). From Greek, metaphora.

They are true systems of ideas erected, many times, on nothing more than metaphors, taking them as if they were literal. In the scope of spiritist communications, the study of the Zuavo soldier's communication ("Magenta's Zouavo“), in the Spiritist Magazine of July 1858, gives us an interesting perspective, because, when asked about his spiritual appearance in that evocation (or perispiritual), he replies:

42. ─ If we could see you, how would we see you?
- In a turban and breeches.

43. ─ Well done! Suppose you appeared to us in a turban and breeches. Where would you have gotten those clothes, since you left yours on the battlefield?
─ Well, well! I don't know how this is but I have a tailor who can get them for me.

44. ─ What are the turban and breeches you wear made of? Have you no idea?
─ No. That's right there with the ragpicker.

OBSERVATION: This issue of the clothing of the Spirits, as well as several other no less interesting ones, linked to the same principle, were completely elucidated by new observations made within the Society. We will report on this in the next issue. Our good Zouavo is not advanced enough to solve it alone. For that, we needed the concurrence of circumstances that fortuitously presented themselves and that put us on the right path.

Later, when asked about his general, who was also dead, he replied:

46. ─ Is it not for this same reason that you do not see the general in his uniform?
─ Yes, but he doesn't wear it every day.

47. ─ What days do you wear it?
─ Come on! When they call him to the palace ((The Spirits, ignorant of certain things, express themselves as best they can, and see the world of Spirits according to their ideas, just as a child, using mental images to describe something that he does not understand, talks about things which we impute only to the imagination, but which, deep down, has its meaning. The error here would be to take the “palace” as an expression of spiritual truth permanent.)).

We could take this communication as another support base for the system of spiritual cities. Kardec, however, acting in a scientific way, systematized about this idea, but just saw in it something very interesting to be researched. Hence, the hypothesis arose that, in the world of Spirits, terrestrial matter could have an “etheric double”. In the article “Furniture from beyond the grave”, in the Magazine of August 1859, he asks São Luis:

5. ─ Would there be an unfolding of inert matter? Would there be in the invisible world an essential matter, covering the form of the objects that we see? In a word, would these objects have their ethereal double in the invisible world, as men are represented there in Spirit?

─ It doesn't happen that way. The Spirit has a power over the material elements disseminated throughout space, in our atmosphere, that you are far from suspecting. He can, at will, concentrate these elements and give them an apparent form, suitable for his designs.

Not satisfied with the answer, he asks:

6. ─ I ask the question again categorically, in order to avoid any misunderstanding. Are the clothes with which spirits are covered something?
─ It seems that my previous answer settles the question. Don't you know that the perispirit itself is something?

In the same article, just before, Kardec refers especially to the case of the Spirit of an incarnate person, who presented himself elsewhere, to a person, with the same characteristics of the physical body and carrying his tobacco box. We reproduce it, as it is self-explanatory:

3. ─ This snuffbox had the shape of the one he habitually uses, and which was in his house. What was this snuffbox in the hands of the Spirit?
─ Always looks. It was so that the circumstances would be noticed, as they were, and so that the apparition would not be taken for a hallucination produced by the state of health of the seer. Spirit wanted this lady to believe in the reality of her presence and took on all appearances of reality.

4. ─ You say that it is an appearance, but an appearance has nothing to do with reality; it's like an optical illusion. I would like to know if this snuffbox was nothing more than an unreal image, like, for example, that of an object reflected in a mirror.

(One of the members of the Society, Mr. Sanson, observes that there is something real in the image reproduced by the mirror. If the image does not remain in the mirror, it is because nothing fixes it, but if it is projected onto a daguerreotype plate, leaves an impression, clear proof that it is produced by some substance and that it is not just an optical illusion).

─ The observation of Mr. Sanson is perfectly fair. Would you be kind enough to tell us if there is any analogy with the tobacco box, that is, if there is anything material in that tobacco box?

─ Certainly. It is with the help of this material principle that the perispirit takes on the appearance of clothing similar to those that the Spirit wore when alive. OBSERVATION: Evidently the word appearance must be taken here in the sense of image, of imitation. The real tobacconist was not there. What Spirit had was just a reproduction. Compared to the original, it was but an appearance, though formed by a material principle.

Experience teaches us that we should not take certain expressions used by spirits literally. Interpreting them according to our ideas, we expose ourselves to great mistakes, so we must deepen the meaning of their words, whenever there is a minimum ambiguity. Here is a recommendation constantly made by the Spirits. Without the explanation that we provoke, the word appearance, repeated continuously in similar cases, could give rise to a false interpretation.

The mirror image is here taken as a metaphor. At that time, the physical principles of this image were not known, believing, in general, that it was something unreal, a “appearance“. The fair observation of Mr. Sanson demonstrates that the reflection in the mirror has something real, since, if instead of the mirror, it were a photosensitive plate, like that of the daguerreotype, that image would be recorded. They had no way to explain the phenomenon, so they used metaphors. The Spirit of São Luís responds with the accuracy confirmed by modern science: just as the reflection in the mirror and the recording of the photograph act as a result of the interaction with photons of light, the appearance that the perispirit takes results from the interaction of the Spirit's will on the element taken from the universal cosmic fluid. This is concluded in question nº 25:

25. - If the Spirit can take from the universal element the materials to make all these things and give them a temporary reality, with their properties, it can also take from there what is necessary to write. Consequently, this gives us the key to the phenomenon of direct writing.
─ You finally understand.

The purpose of this article

If the reader has followed us this far, he will understand that we are tracing a very clear line of reasoning: it is a mistake to build systems on metaphors. This is not scientific. Having put aside the spiritist science, modern spiritists have formed complex systems of ideas and principles that, many times, are fixed on a fragile stick stuck in the sand. The whole question is: do we we need resuming Spiritism as a science and, before demonstrating our view on it, let us make it very clear that, for this, one condition is essential: to study and know Spiritism and the principles of this science (therefore, it is logical, to study the works of Allan Kardec), as well as being focused on the subject you want to study.

The interesting point is that we have several people fully capable of taking up this science in the areas that interest them. We have great connoisseurs of Spiritism and the various human sciences, scattered around the world: physicists, biologists, philosophers, mathematicians, etc. The difference is that, at the time of Kardec, the sciences were all interconnected by metaphysics and that practically all scientists knew various areas of science ((Reading suggestion: Autonomy – The Untold Story of Spiritism, by Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo)). Furthermore, it is interesting to highlight that the principle that governs a good scientist is detachment from pride. One can have a prior idea, as Kardec had; one can question answers that differ from this idea, defending it, as Kardec did; however, faced with undeniable evidence to the contrary, when there is no doubt that the previous idea is not sustainable, the good scientist must leave this idea aside, choosing to stick with what meets reason and logic.

It is on this point that the good scientist and the good experimental science diverge from the systematic scientists, who want to impose on Nature the adaptation to their own ideas, as if that were possible. It is the latter who, based on metaphors, distorted and twisted at their convenience, elaborate intricate systems that, not infrequently, dominate humanity for an expressive time. We saw this in several areas, and the spiritist science did not escape this problem.

Finally, we come to the crux of this article.

The resumption of spiritist science

Imbued with the purpose of resuming the study; interested in reestablishing the spiritist science; adherents to the purpose of abandoning or, at least, questioning the systems; aware of the fact that Kardec relegated to the future the continuity and elucidation of the questions that he could not deal with except in a metaphorical way, we will give our vision on what the recovery of spiritist research requires from the point of view of experimental science, holders of understanding that, yes, we can and should evoke spirits for this purpose. However, we will base our ideas on the true guide to the spiritist laboratory given by Allan Kardec: the Spiritist Magazine.

It is very easy to understand, with the study of the first years of the Spiritist Magazine, the basic principles necessary for the scientific research of Spiritism. Let's divide them into two sections: moral principles and practical principles.

Moral principles

• Personal commitment to morals; detachment from one's own ideas.
• Interest in the legitimate investigation of the truth
• Humility and spirit of cooperation
• Seriousness and responsibility in research
• Formation of cohesive groups in ideas and principles

practical principles

• Elaboration of research and study groups, where only people truly knowledgeable of Spiritism participate
• Cooperation of mediums, preferably psychographers, with special interest in mechanical psychographers ((Because the control of the motor centers necessary for speech is more difficult and because “psychophonic” responses are more difficult to be analyzed in their independence in relation to the ideas of the individual medium.)), detached from their own personalities and their own interests in this work.
• Careful organization of studies, ability to analyze and separate what is metaphorical from what is literal in communications

Research through evocations

Endowed with legitimate principles and the will to seriously research a given topic, the small groups – which must operate in an environment closed to the general public – will be led by one or more higher spirits, whose moral authority can be easily established if the group is really penetrated by the spiritist science. This Spirit, which, in the case of Kardec, would be São Luís, is the one who will take care of assisting in the spiritual part, forwarding communicating Spirits, complementing ideas, etc.

Research on a particular topic or principle should follow, then, the following steps, where GS is the guiding spirit of the group:

I dared to summarize in a flowchart the complexity of evocations for scientific research purposes, but it is clear that the diagram only exemplifies the steps that Allan Kardec himself demonstrated to take, without demonstrating all the complexity behind it, in the sense of the need for knowledge, seriousness , moral commitment, etc.

The flowchart is very simple and self-explanatory, just follow the directional arrows. It demonstrates the steps of preparing questions in advance, selecting the Spirits to evoke (because evoking Spirits without a serious purpose is the same as being available to any Spirit, and it can be even worse), checking the evocability and the usefulness of evoking that Spirit in particular, carrying out the evocation and carrying out the questions and recording the answers, before which, in the face of specific questions present, new questions can be asked for clarification, to the Spirit itself or to the guiding Spirit and, finally, the documentation and subsequent analysis of the answers given, with the creation of a “database” of the group and with the availability, when pertinent, of the evocation and study for other groups, who will be able to analyze them and seek confirmations or refutations in their own studies. The medium is not part of the flowchart, but it is clear that he also has a fundamental role, treated with dedication in The Book of Mediums, by Allan Kardec.

It is evident that each answer will need to be analyzed with great care by the group, considering Psychology and knowing that Spirits, simply because they are free from the body, do not instantly gain full light - hence, always, the recommendation of the study of the Revisa Espírita, which evidences the fact that Kardec never formed systems on incomplete ideas or on a single Spirit, which would have condemned Spiritism to mysticism, right in its first year of studies.

And what can we ask? With seriousness, honesty and knowledge of Spiritism, everything. That is: it is clear that, satisfying the express conditions, we will not carry out an evocation to ask for the prediction of the lottery, nor to do evil, this is evident. But, for example, we could evoke some Spirits to seek to understand these ideas of fluids more deeply, in light of the knowledge of modern physics. Why not? Perhaps this can be deepened or, who knows, we will receive an answer like “there is still a lack of knowledge for human beings to understand these concepts”.

the false ideas

It is a mistake to think that modern times will hinder this work, imagining that the ease of communication will “contaminate” ideas between groups. Spirits do not exclusively reveal knowledge, but rather spread it everywhere, where there are people able to study. If a false idea is accepted by a group and disseminated to others, if the others are serious groups, they will easily reject it, because they will see the Spirits demonstrating their error. The ease of communication, first, will facilitate this work, as long as there is seriousness in communicating groups.

It is also false to assume that the spiritist researcher has to be a blank canvas. No! The researcher will always start with one or more hypotheses, which he will need to test in a population – in this case, that of spirits. He may have a prior idea because, based on his knowledge, that is where his reason points, and he may see this idea confirmed or refuted in the practice of evocations. If the researcher is not attached to his own ideas, that is, if there is no pride, he will abandon them when reason points in another direction, for new facts and evidence.

Here, friends, is all that is necessary for resuming spiritist research. Instead of clinging to the ideas erected about metaphors and figures, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work, which should begin with the study and understanding of Kardec's work, in its context. Very soon, we believe, we will have even more complete material for this correct understanding. No running over, so let's take the first step and let's study((Remembering that, according to what the facts show us, the works Heaven and Hell and Genesis were tampered with in their respective 4th and 5th editions, which is why we recommend reading the publisher's recent editions FEAL, which bear the term “original version” on the cover and with precious explanatory notes by Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo and others)). What will come of this will be the consequence, as we know well that we are not left to our own devices.

the adulterations

Another important factor in this set is the adulteration of the works O Céu e o Inferno, from the 4th edition onwards, and A Gênese, from the 5th edition onwards. Those who want to turn evidence into proof can say what they like: for us, at this point, there is no other way of concluding than the adulteration of these works, since they do not match, in the altered editions, not even with what Kardec developed in the Revista Spiritist, in addition to introducing points that are disconnected from each other and that mutually contradict each other. Based on these editions, some systems were elaborated, one of the most harmful being the idea of paying debts through incarnation, as a punishment. The restoration of the original works, being carried out especially by Editora FEAL, was of substantial importance in this regard.

the main condition

For the doctrinal development to be resumed, it will be necessary to detach the personality, not only of the researcher and the medium, but also of the evoked spirit. The Doctrine demonstrates the collective condition of the Spirits and demonstrates that, by evoking, for example, Saint Louis, another Spirit can respond in his place. For this to be a good Spirit, which represents the same idea, it is necessary that the group be imbued with everything that we have demonstrated above, evoking the good Spirits and, under their tutelage, carrying out studies with Spirits that, by chance, are less elevated. In addition, for the resumption of Spiritism, in addition to the need to recover the Doctrine “in Kardec”, in a very well understood way (because the Spirits can only teach from true principles), it will be necessary for this to spread to different groups around the world, so that the conditions of universal agreement of the teaching can once again exist.

We are here, encouraging this process.

Remember of register your group contact in our directory, or if you have questions or want to talk, just get in touch!

To the spiritist beginner, a colleague said:

– Comece pelas obras do Kardec. Depois Chico Xavier com André Luiz! Os livros do Luiz Sérgio também possuem grandes informações do mundo espiritual.

To which I reply:

– If the “start with Kardec” is carried out with a serious study, for years on end, including the Spiritist Magazine, great, because that way the individual will be able to understand and identify the errors brought in isolated communications, to the point of, for example, understand that Vale dos Suicidas, Umbral and Nosso Lar are nothing more than an illusion or a creation of disturbed spirits. You will also be able to verify that, despite many successes, André Luiz's work has errors, and that the book Brasil, Coração do Mundo was dictated by one or more Spirits with the clear intention of causing damage to the Doctrine.

As it is very difficult for the spiritist neophyte to take this path full of studies, I, today, completely abstain from indicating anything outside the “codification”, preferring to recommend that they NOT be read, unless after the mentioned process.

The Doctrine has suffered a lot due to the lack of commitment and care of those who claim to profess it, so that, today, something that used to be a science, easy to be understood by those of good will, has become a jewel covered with innumerable layers of coal and rocks, represented by mysticism and errors of opinion, which need to be removed for a mere acceptance to dedicate oneself to studying it.

Sorry, but that's it. We had a dilapidated piece of jewelry, but due to lack of care and commitment, we chose to cover it up again, to the point where its shine is almost no longer visible.

The dear colleague replies:

– I understand your opinion, but I have studied these works a lot and what I see is that one work proves the veracity of others! But I know that there is a legion of inferior spirits influencing and trying to put an end to religion! When I say Kardec, I mean the Pentateuch!

To which I reply:

– Be careful, because the agreement of the Spirits is not the only factor to build the Doctrine. Many Spirits can start to share the same wrong idea, when they are still in the range of attachment to matter. In addition, we have the problem of ideas gradually fixed in the Spiritist milieu and in mediums, who begin to translate the Spirit's ideas according to their own.

We are not talking about religion either, but about spiritist science. Therefore, the need for care, which is not part of my opinion, but from the facts exhaustively demonstrated by Kardec.

Spiritist Magazine, dear friend: there is an understanding of the formation of the Doctrine, of the steps taken by Kardec, of his observations on the psychology of the Spirits... few dozens or hundreds were usable.

This science is very serious, as it holds the key to the moral advancement of humanity. Currently, this key is quite rusty, due to carelessness.

And I prove this point to you, in Kardec. Tonight we will study Humboldt's evocation of the Spirit, presented in the RE of June 1859. At one point we have the following:

39. ─ Will Geology find one day the material traces of man's existence on Earth before the Adamic period?

─ Geology, no; common sense, yes.

This Spirit, who was an explorer, a scientist, did not yet have information that human fossils dating back millions of years existed. This is because the Spirit does not gain wisdom and knowledge not previously acquired, simply by disincarnating. Thus, if his words were taken as a rule, we would be, today, denying the existence of these fossils.

And that Spirit was quite enlightened, humble and at peace with himself. Imagine if he were in a state of disarray, attached to certain imperfections and atavisms. Imagine the kind of idea and illusion he could say. Imagine, finally, by means of what words he would do it.

Spiritism cannot be built without a rational investigation methodology. This is the problem we have always warned about, remembering what Kardec demonstrated in practice.

---

Kardec did not imagine, did not assume, did not presuppose, did not seek opinions on how the Spirits acted and the care that would be necessary in communicating with them. No: he learned in practice, and left this learning recorded for all who want to learn, in the Spiritist Magazine, from 1858 to 1869.

Kardec did not even assume the existence of spirits after the death of the body. It was the investigation of the facts, which he was reluctant to undertake, that led him to this conclusion. How, then, to probe something that cannot be seen or heard directly? Through the methodology. It was through careful investigation that Kardec found that reincarnation, the idea of which he was reluctant to accept, was a fundamental principle, and it was through the same investigation that he found that the Spirit that leaves matter does not gain wisdom and knowledge that it did not possess. I repeat: found.

found, in the same way, that spirits can lie, they can talk about what they think they know, without really knowing it, they can talk about their illusions that disturb them, they can talk about what they really know, however limited it may be, and they can talk, when they are really superior, of superior wisdom, which is attested by agreement, logic and reason.

The Spiritist Movement is collapsing and, in this process, causing great obstacles to the propagation of Spiritism, precisely for not observing this more than fundamental point of spiritist psychology! It is an entire building built on pillars supported by clay, which, as it cracks and sinks, compromises the soil below.

Each one has the freedom, guaranteed by God, to believe and conclude according to the reason that suits him, or even according to the attachments he chooses to cultivate. However, by sharing wrong information about something so serious, he becomes responsible for the effect of his actions, especially when not knowing is due to a resistance to studying and finding himself wrong.

It is past time to change this stagnant, petty and selfish mindset. Do we want to do good? So, if we have, within our reach, the opportunity to know, let us know, because, if we can apologize, before our own conscience, for producing evil by impossibility of access to knowledge, we can no longer do the same when that knowledge is constantly presented in our path and, many times out of vanity and pride, we choose not knowing, to continue speaking based on our own opinions.

So, my friend, how is this resistance going? Yes, the same one, from diving on Kardec. We won't lie: it's not easy. But who said learning is easy? It takes time and effort, yes. Oh, lack of time? Is it really missing? And that time you must be spending watching videos on Facebook or Instagram? No, by no means are we saying that relaxing with an “empty” mind is not important, especially after a long day at work… But could it not be possible to fit in a reading before bed? Half an hour, whatever, helps a lot. Oh, you learn better by listening? Solved: Today, apps like Google Books and Amazon Alexa do instant voice reading for you.

Não, de forma alguma nos colocamos na condição do aluno exemplar. Longe disso. Tem gente que está muito mais à frente, muito mais envolvida, muito mais dedicada. Mas cada um faz o que pode. A questão é que o “não posso”, muitas vezes, simplesmente dá lugar à ocupação inútil do tempo… E você já conhece aquele ditado: “mente vazia é oficina do diabo”. Não do diabo, propriamente, mas vai saber o tipo de companhia que nos rodeia quando nossa mente está apenas mergulhada nessa materialidade do dia-a-dia…

Could it be that, deep down, what exists is not a resistance? Analyze yourself—you don't have to tell anyone. Could it be that what exists is not an accommodation, because it is easier to believe in the little that is known — in the lights themselves, Kardec would say — or in what they tell you? Well, here's some bad news: Creation is based on autonomy, and there's only one being in the universal space capable of making you progress — and it's not God: it's yourself. Progress, however, is made of two components: intelligence and morale. For the Spirit to progress in morals, it is necessary to have intelligence — not that intelligence of an Einstein, but the intelligence that reasons, based on knowledge. And behold, the Spiritist Doctrine, formed by the scientific study of Kardec (yes, scientific) brought us an incredibly deep and transformative knowledge.

Yes, I know: reading novels and stories about fantastic places is very enjoyable and activates the imagination. But could it be that the absence of Kardec's studies, preferring novels, is not also due to resistance on his part, linked, who knows, to a little bit of pride in imagining that he holds the truth — especially when this "truth" was studied for decades on end?

Yeah, I know it too: it sucks to be wrong. No one likes to find themselves in error. But hey, that's the way it is: evolution is based on trial and error, or success. “To err is human”. The problem is getting attached to the mistake. And, another bad news: when studying Kardec, yes, we will see that we are, many times, attached to a series of flagrant errors. Yes, it's annoying to see that we spend long decades learning Spiritism the wrong way, but, well, who doesn't? Furthermore, it is very unlikely that we will err by will. Often, the very force of circumstances leads us to this: we grow up in the environment, which also learned the wrong way. What we had within our reach was the product of that culture. Okay, it happens.

No, the purpose of Spiritism is not mediumship, especially that mediumship that only serves as a telephone waiting for a call, nor is it to analyze other people's lives to identify whether someone is going through such difficulty because they have, as many assume, " kicked dog” in past life. No.

So, coming to this point, I again ask: what about this resistance? Why this resistance? The superior spirits themselves — yes, I am also sorry to say this, but we are right there at the end of the line, right on the first step of the conscious evolutionary scale — they themselves dedicate a very great effort, out of disinterested charity, out of moral duty, to help us. to understand. And the codification it's there for that. But—jeez, another bad news! — it is not enough to read The Spirits' Book as a sacred code, or to open The Gospel According to Spiritism at random, following the communications of the Spirits as a plank of salvation, without reasoning. No, I'm sorry to say. Spiritism is science and, as a science, it is progressive.

– Quer dizer que os Espíritos não deram algo pronto para seguirmos?

No, not at all, never. And this is very well demonstrated in that publication that you have certainly heard of, but still resist studying: the Spiritist Magazine. So it is. This monthly publication, from 1858 to 1869, was prepared by Kardec with a very wise purpose: after The Spirits' Book, he needed a way to disseminate knowledge, at the same time that he could establish correspondence with people from all over, receiving Thus, from everywhere, the confirmations or denials of communications given separately by the Spirits. The Spiritist Magazine was Kardec's laboratory, where we can understand very well the formation of the Spiritist Doctrine, culminating, finally, in his two final works — O Céu e o Inferno and A Gênese.

Then again, why the resistance to studying it? Yes, I already said it: I know it's not easy, especially if it's alone, but today we have the facility of instant communication over the Internet. Is it really that impossible to find a little time a week for group study? Reflects. But I'm already advancing: there is no teacher of Spiritism. Everyone is free to draw rational conclusions about what they know, without, however, giving final words about what is not established. This would be nothing more than opinion, and opinion is not science, nor does it build anything other than religious errors, in the sense here addressed.

But is this resistance fear? Afraid of seeing yourself in error? Afraid of realizing you've said the wrong things to other people? Afraid, perhaps, of noticing that he acted wrongly and alienated people from the Doctrine, for expressing wrong things? Perhaps? Well, fear of being caught in error is attachment, and it's a protective cover for something much deeper: pride. We've said it before: everyone makes mistakes. For our part, you have no idea how much we've made mistakes! But, for our part, we can say: how good it is to realize the error in time, recognize it and, who knows, resume contact with these people, saying: “I was wrong, and everything or almost everything I told you about Spiritism was false. See, this is reality.”

On the path of evolution, there will always be time. It will never be late. But attachment makes us live longer away from happiness. Were we taught that we are here to pay debts, as if the incarnation were a punishment? Well, if Spiritism not only says, but demonstrates the opposite, great! We were taught about a fully material life in the spirit world, but does Spiritism prove this to be an illusion of the attached Spirit? Well then, I don't want to develop that attachment! We were taught that we cannot evoke, but only wait for communication from the Spirits, which we take for the truth, but does Spiritism demonstrate that this is not how it works? Good, then let's fix it and get us on track again. We were taught that Spiritism is only practiced at the center, but does Kardec demonstrate a totally opposite reality — safeguarding the need for seriousness, knowledge and purpose for this? Well, let's pursue this reality.

We can say of ourselves: we are not afraid to prove our ignorance. In fact, what has unfolded in front of us about Spiritism, for us, who can hardly call ourselves diligent students, is wonderful, it is exciting, it removes the supernatural, it overthrows mysticism and it shows that Spiritism has a depth never before understood .

Let's study? We are here to help with whatever we can! Want tips? Want to study with us? Do you want to create a channel for questions and debates about what each group studies? Want suggestions on how and where to start? We're here. We are far from having the ideal model that can be applied to any situation, but we have already gone through some learning in these almost two years of studies. Count on us.

The study of the Spiritist Magazine, right in the first year, deconstructs many errors inserted in the Spiritist milieu, the most serious and present of which is the habit of blindly guiding us by the opinions of isolated Spirits, but it also shows us many previously unknown truths, in addition to leave with many doubts about other things, doubts that will only be answered with the continued study of this work. Therefore, the recommendation that nobody put yourself in the position of having the final word, or jumping to conclusions. Conjecturing, based on prior knowledge, is not prohibited. Reaching different conclusions is also not prohibited. What matters is to seek the joint construction of understanding, in cooperation, not in dispute. The important thing is that the only way to get to know Spiritism is this: studying Kardec, preferably in possession of knowledge of the scientific context in which the Spiritist Doctrine was developed (see Recommended Works).

Have you ever stopped to reflect on missed opportunities? In everyday life, we tend to forget that we are not forgotten, and that there is a good Spirit often inspiring us. How many times has he not taken you in contact with important studies, and how many times has he not passed up this opportunity? We say this on our own behalf.

So, enough resistance, enough blaming what is external, and shall we study?

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Ps: it doesn't hurt to say that, in the illustration on the cover, the little devil is our own attachment, which leads us to evil, and not just any external figure. In the same way that we choose, by our own will, not to listen to the good advice of the superior Spirits, we choose to listen or not to listen to the bad advice of the imperfect Spirits who love us because of our attachments.

I finished one of the last articles talking about the Spiritist Movement, attached to the errors that were slowly and continuously being admitted in its midst, slowly erasing the doctrinal knowledge now acquired through Kardec's studies.

Mistakes? Oh, several. Ideas of places in erraticity; the idea of reincarnation as payment of debts; the ban on talking to spirits outside the Spiritist Center; the blind acceptance of isolated communications, without going through the sieve of already acquired science and reason; The churchization of spiritist centers, which began to adopt rituals and formulas, in short, a series of contradictions to what had already been established by the scientific study of Spiritism.

And who am I to point out such mistakes? Well, I am a mere student of the Doctrine who, after being in contact with a series of historical facts and diving into the study of the Spiritist Magazine, found so much disparity. But, I said, it is not the Spiritist Movement, resistant to detachment from the ideas fixed by years, sometimes decades, of reading Spiritist novels, without going through the study of the Spiritist Doctrine. Neither do those who, in their simplicity, are very calm in claiming to be supporters of the Doctrine, but who do not study it, nor do they dedicate themselves to disseminating it. No.

As in Kardec's time, with safeguarded differences, we address scholars, researchers and scientists in good faith (and not blind faith) who are interested in knowing what is unknown to them. They are the ones who will seek to understand and who, when they have understood, will spread the ideas that were born with Mesmer and with Rational Spiritualism and that found full development with Spiritism. They are the ones who will have their eyes shining and, who knows, end up moved like the rest of us, when they see in Spiritism a vast depth of philosophical, metaphysical, scientific and moral knowledge. The mathematician, the physicist, the chemist, in short, all those with common sense, will see, amazed, the extension of the doctrine formed by the studies of Kardec, whose figure will rise to the highest conditions of prominence among the names that changed the world...

We are here, finally, anxious and hopeful for the development of the latest studies, the latest research. While we do not have access to the contents of the latest research that valuable colleagues are carrying out, we can only talk about what we know, what we understand so far, producing something that, we hope, will be useful tomorrow, when Science begins to leave dogma and return to metaphysics rational, rational spiritualism, but, this time, with an enormous ballast of knowledge that touches on all areas of human knowledge, with its already known philosophical and moral aspects.

We are very happy for the path that opens in front of us. And we hope that you, feeling infected, are too. Spiritism will return to its condition of science, away from mysticism and dogma. As for the resisters and dissidents, time will show where the truth lies, with the difference that when Science admits Spiritism, this time it will be definitive and will change the world.

Dear Reader: If you feel compelled, participate in the studies, but also help spread the word about what we already have in hand. It is knowledge that touches all areas and that can count on the familiarity of each one. Videos are good, but they are not enough, because they are still not searchable, that is, what a video is about, speaking, is not accessible to search engines. The text is.

We wait for you.