In his interesting book "A lawyer presents the case for the  afterlife - the  irrefutable  objective  evidence",  Victor  Zammit  exposes  a collection of reports on  the  'objective  evidences'  sustaining  the afterlife thesis.

In the defense elaborated by Zammit (he is a experienced lawyer) there is  sufficient  proofs  which  show  the  necessity  of  a  better consideration of the afterlife idea  (a  point  already  discussed  by Kardec at lengths in his first works).

In the next issue of the SM, we will bring a  detailed  discussion  of the conception of 'scientific evidence' and objectivity  in  Science. This account will serve to emphasize the importance of Zammit's  works since the majority of the psychic  phenomena  are  in  a  sense  'more objective' than many physical (material) facts. However, in order  for a kind of phenomenon  to  be  scientifically  valuable,  it  must  not necessarily be observable by  the  common  senses  (the  so  called  5 senses), but should be correctly connected to a theoretical background that sustain the existence of the phenomenon.

GEAE editorial board.

A  LAWYER  PRESENTS  THE  CASE  FOR  THE  AFTERLIFE  "THE  IRREFUTABLE OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE"

http://www.ozemail.com.au/~vwzammit
Victor Zammit

Revised Version   July 1999

Victor Zammit BA (Psych) MA (Hist) LLB. PhD    vwzammit@ozemail.com.au

Retired Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South  Wales  and  the High Court of Australia - Psychic researcher and Lecturer  in  psychic phenomena.

Contents

Part 1

1. Introduction: essential information
2. What's wrong  with  being  a closed-minded skeptic?
3. Respected scientists  who  investigated
4. Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP)
5.  Instrumental  Transcommunication (ITC)
6. Recent advances in ITC- under construction
7.  Rebutting  the skeptics on EVP and ITC
8. Einstein's  E=mc2  and  materialization
9. Other psychic laboratory experiments
10. Scientific  observation  of mediums
11. Leonor Piper- a US medium who convinced all  skeptics
12. Two closed minded cheats
13.  Materialization  mediumship
14.  Helen Duncan- a magnificent British medium
15. Direct voice mediumship
16. A modern medium  who  confounds  the  skeptics
17.  Irrefutable  proof- Frederick Myers Cross Correspondences
18. Proxy  sittings  refute  the allegation of mind reading
19. Science and the Out of Body  Experience
20. Science and the Near Death Experience
21. Science and  apparitions
22. Deathbed Visions
23. Science and  the  magnificent  aura
24.  The ouija board
25. Xenoglossy
26. Poltergeists and  the  failure  of  the
(British) SPR
27. Reincarnation
28. Summing up the objective  evidence
29. Communicating with afterlife intelligences
30.  What  does  happen
when we die?
31. Bibliography for  afterlife  research
32.  Links  to
similar sites

Part 2

Theoretical physics backs survival
British Physics analyst RON PEARSON- author, lecturer on  subatomic particles

Part 3

The Seven Laws of Psychic Energy
Dr   Victor   Zammit (vwzammit@ozemail.com.au)
 

INTRODUCTION: ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Excerpt kindly authorized for publishing by V Zammit

                                                                               'The greater the ignorance, the greater the dogmatism.'
                                                                                                                            Sir William Ostler MD

There is undeniable  scientific evidence to-day for the  afterlife.  I am an open minded skeptic lawyer, a former practicing  attorney-at-law formally qualified in a number of university disciplines.

The argument that  follows  is  not  just  an  abstract,  theoretical, academic legal argument. As an open minded investigator I set  out  to investigate the existing evidence for  survival  and  with  others  to create conditions to test for ourselves claims that communication with intelligences from the afterlife is possible.

After  many  years  of  serious  investigation  I  have  come  to  the irretrievable conclusion that there is a great body of evidence  which taken as a whole absolutely and unqualifiedly proves the case for  the afterlife. I will not be arguing that the objective evidence has  just very high value. Nor am I suggesting that this  evidence  be  accepted beyond reasonable doubt. I am arguing that the  evidence  taken  as  a whole constitutes overwhelming and irrefutable proof for the existence of the afterlife.

There have been millions of pages written about psychic phenomena  and scientific  research  into  the  afterlife.  Using   my   professional background as an attorney and my university  training  in  psychology, history and scientific method, I have very carefully selected  aspects of psychic research and afterlife knowledge  which  would  technically constitute objective evidence in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United States, the House of Lords in England, the High Court of Australia and in every civilized legal jurisdiction around the world.

When  the  objective  evidence  -  the  Electronic  Voice   Phenomena, Instrumental Transcommunication, Psychic Laboratory  Experiments,  Out of Body Experiences, Near  Death  Experiences,  Xenoglossy,  the  Best Mediums,  Direct  Voice  Mediumship,  Cross   Correspondences,   Proxy Sittings, Poltergeists, Apparitions, and all  of  the  other  evidence contained in this work is seen collectively, the case for survival  is absolutely stunning and irrefutable.

The evidence presented in this  work  also  proves  the  existence  of so-called 'psychic  phenomena',  which  are  interconnected  with  the afterlife and can only be explained  satisfactorily  by  survival.  In absolute terms the evidence presented in this work will  convince  the rational and intelligent open, unprejudiced  skeptic  or  the  genuine searcher about the existence of the afterlife.
 

For many years there has been a hostility to psychic  science  in  the mainstream media and in universities and in some of the churches.  The discoveries of serious scientists working to prove the afterlife  have been misreported, distorted and ignored. High  profile  skeptics  have been given unfair license by the media to ridicule cheat and lie  with the result that the general public know very little  about  the  great body of scientific research which has been accumulated.

Many people who are genuinely seeking and are anxious to explore  this fascinating area  have  not  been  able  to access  unbiased  factual information because they may not have the skills or the time  to  read and analyze fairly esoteric literature  which  in  some  societies  is simply not available because of formal and informal censorship.
 

Initially,  'subjective'  knowledge  includes  all  information  which cannot  be  independently  substantiated.   This   includes   personal religious beliefs - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism,  Judaism. Subjective knowledge also includes skepticism because  in  context  of the afterlife, no skeptic (or atheist or agnostic) can use science  to objectively prove that skepticism is scientific or that nothing exists in the afterlife.

Like religion, skepticism is a personal, subjective  belief  which  is subject to fundamental error and to complete invalidation.  Because  a personal subjective religious or skeptical belief does  not  have  the substance of science, any subjective religious or skeptical belief can be absolutely invalid.

Objective knowledge - science - is where the same results and the same cause-effect connection can  be  demonstrated  over  time  and  space. Science is regarded as 'objective' in that any person who follows  the scientific formulas, keeping variables constant,  will  get  the  same results. So a scientist who mixes acid and alkali in Sydney  Australia in 1998 will get the same result as a scientist working in  Moscow  in 2,000 or in any other year. The studies in Electronic Voice  Phenomena (EVP) and Instrumental Transcommunication (ITC)  have  clearly  showed this element of repeatability. Investigators working independently  in many different countries have been  able  to  duplicate  each  others' work. Inevitably the objective always prevails over the subjective.

But not all science is conducted in the scientific laboratory.

Within the definition  of  science  there  is  also  the  'scientific, systematic observation of a phenomenon'. For example, whilst we accept and believe that thunder and lightening and storms do occur, we cannot duplicate them under laboratory conditions.

Case studies too, are important in scientific method. As long as there is strict adherence to scientific method when measuring anything,  the results of the experiment necessarily become scientifically based.
 

What I found in many of my meetings is that some people accept much of the information presented  but  some  want  to  put  emphasis  on,  or disagree about reincarnation or astrology, or meditation or prayer  or crystals or even atheism or agnosticism.

For the purpose of the record, it is not the intention of  the  author to try to change anybody's beliefs or religion or atheism. This is not religious crusading. This is not a matter of faith or belief. This  is a matter of either  acceptance  or  non-acceptance  of  the  objective evidence.

The author is giving you  access  to  some  very  important  objective information  about  the  afterlife,  undoubtedly  the  most  important information  you  will  ever  come  across  in  your   lifetime.   But ultimately, given all the information, you the  reader  will  have  to decide what you accept or reject.

In the past the clergy refused to accept science because it conflicted with the clergy's personal religious beliefs, as  history  records  in the Galileo affair. After 200 years or so the clergy had to eventually accept that science  prevailed  over  personal,  subjective  religious beliefs. It can never be any other way.
 

You the reader have to take extreme care not to fall into the  comfort zone trap, rejecting objective information just because the objective, scientific  information  conflicts  with  your  personal,   subjective beliefs - be they religious or skeptical. As I mentioned above, where there is an inconsistency between objective information and subjective
belief there is a need for either more investigation or  a  change  in the subjective belief._

It is submitted that once  people  feel  comfortable  with  a  set  of beliefs, they do not  want  to  change  their  beliefs  even  if  new, objective and scientific information shows that part  or  all  of  the beliefs are completely wrong and even fundamentally invalid.  Many  of the beliefs become part of the psychological and emotional  makeup  of the believer's personality. These beliefs become very hard to shift.

Of course, history and experience  show  that  there  are  those  more refined and enlightened  people  who  can  assimilate  new,  objective information immediately.

Victor Zammit
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~vwzammit

Editor Note - The Astral City - A story of a  doctor's odyssey in the Spirit World

In a series of archives we will bring to our readers the whole content of "The Astral  City"  by  Andre  Luiz  (Spirit  author)  through  the mediumship of Francisco C Xavier.

This book was translated in 1986 by S J Haddad in a monumental  effort together with the team of the Christian  Spiritist  Center  (NC).  The version we will  publish  in  "The  Spiritist  Messenger"  was  kindly provided by Mrs.Phyllis Haddad (Mr. Haddad's widow) whom we would like to thank. We also thank the Christian Spiritist Center  in  Elon College, NC, for the legal authorization.

Finally, without the work of Antonio Leite (NY) the new publication in the SM would not be possible. Mr. Leite was responsible  for  most  of the  text  digitalization  besides   being   one   of   the   greatest collaborators of GEAE. His kind help must be much acknowledged.

A few words on "Astral  City"  are  welcome.  The  original  book  was published in Brazil in 1943 under  the  title  "Nosso  Lar"  (or  'Our Home') and is a classical of the Brazilian Spiritist literature.

In this book, Andre Luiz (a  former  physician)  composes  a  detailed report on his situation after death.  Some  readers  will  perhaps  be shocked by seemingly terrestrial climate of the Spirit colony where  A Luiz was conducted after his rescue from "the lower  zones".  However, one must understand (according to several  Spirit  descriptions)  that the situation of the majority of man and woman (that is average  level humans) is not changed miraculously with death. Besides  the  material plane where we live is a copy of the spirit world. Many of  the  works we have  (environments  for  living,  musical  tendencies,  ideals  of beauty) are in fact brought by discarnated and incarnated spirits from the Spirit world down to Earth in a process of strong interaction. The interaction between the terrestrial plane is so intense that  many  of the technological improvements  (and  scientific  works)  are  planed, studied and developed in  close  collaboration  among  incarnated  and discarnated spirits. No wonder why so many new  ideas  appear  in  the world simultaneously by the hand of different authors who hardly  know each other. In the arts, we can surely affirm that this interaction is even stronger.

In the words of Mr. Haddad:

"'The Astral City' is undoubtedly one of  the  most  remarkable  works contributing to this new awareness. It stands as one more sign that  a new era of transcendental knowledge is in process, and that the age of veiled references to the life  beyond  is  receding.  Furthermore,  it presents to us a Spirit world of an  amazingly  realistic  nature.  At times, we tend to be surprised at the quasi-material aspects  of  'The Astral City' colony. After careful consideration, however, we begin to see the wisdom of  God's  laws  which  afford  the  spirit  a  gradual adaptation to a life without the grosser material body.  It  has  been repeatedly confirmed by reliable messages that the etherical  replicas of the physical world  are  a  common  event  in  the  next  plane  of existence. Indeed, the similarities of the two worlds are at times  so confusing to the newly departed that  the  spirit  mistakes  them  for material life, often ignoring the fact that  death  has  occurred  and that he has lost his physical body. Bearing in mind  these  and  other basic principles of transition expounded by 'The Astral City' we begin to conceive of a hereafter that is within the realm of Nature; a realm equally ruled by just laws of cause and effect."

"The Astral City" is an essential item in the modern Spiritualist's library.

Chapter 1 IN THE LOWER ZONES

I was convinced that I no longer belonged to the world of the  living, yet I continued to inhale deep breaths of air.
Since when had I become the puppet of irresistible forces? I could not say. I felt like a prisoner, trapped in the dark cage of horror.  With my hair on end, my heart thumping uncontrollably, a prey  to  terrible fear, many times I shouted like a raving lunatic. I begged  for  mercy and clamored against the bitter despondency with had take hold  of  my spirit. But my cries  fell  only  on  silence;  or  were  answered  by lamenting voices still more  moving  than  my  own.  At  other  times, sinister roars of laughter rent the  stillness,  as  if  some  unknown companion must be close-by me,  a  prisoner  of  insanity.  Diabolical forms, ghastly faces, bestial countenances crossed my way from time to time, increasing my panic. The scenery, when it was  not  pitch  dark, was bathed in a lurid light, as if shrouded in a thick fog  warmed  by the sun's rays.

Thus I proceeded on that strange journey. To what end? Who could  say? I only knew that I kept fleeing. Fright drove  me  on  blindly   Where were my home, my wife and children? I had lost all sense of direction. The fear of the unknown and my dread of darkness had annulled  all  my powers of reasoning from the very moment  I  had  broken  free  of  my physical body in the grave.

My conscience tormented me. I would have preferred the  total  absence of reason, or non-existence. Copious  tears  ran  constantly  down  my cheeks, and only rarely was I blessed with a  few  minutes  of  sleep. What rest I had was often interrupted as monstrous beings awoke me and mocked me, and I was obliged to go on fleeing. I saw now that I was on a different plane of life, which rose from the emanations of the Earth. But it was too late. Anguish weighed  heavily on my mind, and when I  started  making  plans  for  action,  numerous incidents would lead me on to bewildering avenues  of  thought.  Never had the religious question loomed so large before my eyes. Principles,
purely political, philosophical and scientific, now seemed  to  me  of secondary importance  to  human  life.  Although  they  were  valuable acquisitions on Earth, I had to admit that  mankind  was  not  mad  of transitory generations, but of immortal Spirits on their ascension  to a glorious destination. I was beginning to realize  the  existence  of one thing that stands above all  that  is  material  or  intellectual: Faith a divine manifestation to man. Such an analysis,  however,  came too late. It is true that I was familiar with the  Old  Testament  and had often read through the Gospels. But I was forced to recognize that I had never searched the sacred writings with the light of my heart. I had embraced the interpretation of writers who were  not  inclined  to sentiments and conscience,  an  who  were,  at  times,  even  in  open disagreement with the fundamental truths. On other  occasions,  I  had taken an ecclesiastical point of view,  entering  voluntarily  into  a circle of contradictions.

In truth, I did not believe that I was a criminal in my  life,  though my philosophy of living for the  immediate  present  had  absorbed  me fully. My  earthly  life,  now  transformed  by  death,  had  been  no different from the life of so many others.

Born of perhaps excessively generous parents, I had graduated from the University without much effort, and shared the dissipation  and  vices of the youth of my time. Later, when I married and started a family, I was blessed with children, gained a stable and lucrative position, and was spared all financial  worries.  Yet  on  self-examination  I  feel deeply that I had wasted time and I now hear the silent  pangs  of  my conscience. I had lived on Earth, enjoyed  its  benefits,  reaped  the good things of life, and yet never contributed  anything  towards  the repayment of my heavy debt. I  had completely  ignored  my  parent's generosity and sacrifices, just as I had ignored those of my wife  and children. I had selfishly kept my family only to myself.  I  had  been given a happy home, and had closed my doors to those  seeking  help.  I had delighted in the joys of my family circle, yet never  shared  that precious gift with  my  greater  human  family.  I  had  neglected  to undertaken even the most elementary duties of fraternal solidarity.

Now that my life was over I was  like  a  hothouse  plant,  unable  to withstand the weather of eternal realities. I had not  cultivated  the divine seeds the Father of Life had sown in my soul. They were  choked by the weeds of my insatiable desire for comfort and enjoyment. I  had not trained my faculties for this new life. It was only  right,  then, that I should enter it like a cripple, thrown into the infinite  river of eternity, unable to swim, or like a wretched beggar at the  end  of his strength, wandering about in the middle of a stormy desert.

Oh, dear friends on Earth! How many of you may still avoid the  bitter road of sorrow by cultivating the inner fields of your heart. Light up your lamp before crossing the threshold of  the  shadows.  Search  for Truth, lest the truth find you unprepared. Sweat and  toil  now,  lest you weep afterwards.

Chapter 2  CLARENCE

Whom could I turn to for help? I was tortured by  hunger  and  parched with thirst. The demands of my physical existence on  Earth  continued here: my beard kept growing, my garments were beginning  to  show  the signs of my struggles. Yet the most painful part of my  trial  ws  not the pitiful abandon in which I found myself, but the incessant attacks of the evil forces which surrounded me in the darkness.I was  unnerved and utterly unable to coordinate my situation, to weigh its causes and establish  new  currents  of  thought.  But  those   accusing   voices bewildered me beyond my imagination.

"What are you seeking,  you  miserable  fool?  Where  are  you  going, suicidal wretch?" Such accusations,  ceaselessly  repeated,  threw  my mind into absolute confusion. I might well be miserable, but suicidal? Never! Those charges were wrong, as far as I could see. I had left  my body most unwillingly, after a desperate struggle with death. I  could still hear the last medical diagnosis at the  hospital.  I  remembered clearly the efficient care and  the  painful  dressings  during  those weary days that followed my intestinal operation. The recollection  of the closing scenes of my earthly days was so vivid that I  could  even feel the touch of the thermometer and the disagreeable  prick  of  the hypodermic needle. Finally,  my  last  recollection  before  my  great sleep: my wife, still young, and my three children  gazing  at  me  in anguish at the prospect of eternal separation.  Then,  afterwards,  my awakening to dreary and damp surroundings, to a never-ending nightmare flight.

Why was I being accused of suicide when I had been forced to  give  up my hope, my family and all that I held dear? Even the strongest man must come to the end of his emotional powers of resistance. So it was with me. Firm  and  resolute  at  the  start,  I gradually began to fall into long lapses  of  depression,  and  in  my total ignorance of the fate  in  store  for  me,  my  usual  fortitude yielded to despondency. More and more frequently tears  welled  in  my eyes, long pent-up in heavy heart.

To whom could I appeal? With all  of  the  sophisticated  intellectual culture I had brought from the world, I could do nothing to  alter  my present situation. Before the Infinite, my knowledge was like  a  tiny soap bubble, blown about by the impetuous winds of the transformation. Surely I was not out of my senses! I did not feel  different.  I  felt that my conscience was alert and that I was essentially the  same  man with the same feelings and culture as before. My  physiological  needs continued unchanged. A gnawing hunger preyed on my every fiber; yet in my ever-increasing weakness I never  reached  the  point  of  complete exhaustion. Now and then I came across some wild herbs  growing  along mere trickles of water.

I devoured the unfamiliar leaves and drank the water  avidly. I  could stop only a few seconds at a time, for those irresistible forces  were ever spurring me on. Oftentimes I tasted  the  mud  by  the  roadside, recalling with burning tears the daily bread of olden days. Frequently I was obliged to hide from enormous herds of  monstrous  beings  which trampled past  me  like  a  band  of  insatiable  beasts.  Those  were blood-curdling sights! When my despair had almost reached its  climax, it began to dawn on me that somewhere a Creator of  Life  must  exist. The thought seemed to comfort me. I, who in the world  had  hated  all religious creeds, was now feeling the need for spiritual  consolation. As a physician who prided himself on his  ultra-modern  principles  of skepticism, so much in vogue in my time,  I  had  to  admit  I  was  a perfect failure. Gone was all the self-importance which had seemed  so real to my eyes. I saw now that I had to change my mental attitude.

When at last I came to the end of my strength and lay helpless in  the mire, unable to rise, I implored that Creator of All  Things  to  take pity on me and come to my aid in my desperable plight.

How long did my pleading last? How may hours did I spend praying  like a frightened child? It was impossible to say. I only knew that copious tears ran down my cheeks and my whole being seemed to merge  into  one anguished plea. Had I been utterly abandoned? Was I not also  a  child of God, although in the whirl of earthly vanities I had never given  a thought to His divine works? I knew the Eternal Father  would   surely forgive me. Did He not extend His loving care to the birds of the  air and flowers of the field?

Ah, one must suffer a great deal in order to understand the mysterious beauty of prayer. One must know remorse, humiliation and utter  misery to fully appreciate  the sublime sweetness of Hope!  It  was  at  that moment that the dense mist all around cleared away, and a person  came forward. An envoy from Heaven! He was a fatherly  old  man,  who  bent over me and gazed intently into my face with his  large,  clear  eyes. With a benevolent smile he said to me:

"Courage, my son! The Lord has not forsaken you."

Heart-felt tears seemed to flood my very soul. I tried to  express  my grateful relief, to thank him for the consolation he had brought,  yet I only had the strength to ask: "Who are you,  generous  messenger of God.?"

My unexpected benefactor  smiled  kindly  and  replied:  "My  name  is Clarence. I am only a brother."

And, noticing my exhaustion, he added: "You must keep quiet and  calm. It is necessary for you to rest to restore your strength."

Then we called two persons who were waiting attentively, and  ordered: "Let us provide our friend with first aid."

They spread a white sheet on the ground and, using it as an  emergency stretcher, prepared to transport  me.  They  lifted  me  gently.  Then Clarence spoke to his assistants: "Let us start without delay. I  must reach the Astral City as soon as possible."

In the next issue of "The Spiritist Messenger" - Chapter 3  and 4.