| Year 14 | Number 79 | 2006 | October 15th, 2006 |
| "Unshakable
faith is only that which can face reason face to
face in every Humankind epoch." Allan Kardec |
| |
[The following appeared in the Hearst
papers for April 27 and 28, 1938, being a copyrighted account of an
interview with Henry Ford:]
“When I was a young man I, like so many others, was bewildered. I found myself asking the question.... 'What are we here for?' I found no answer. Without some answer to that question life is empty, useless. Then one day a friend handed me a book.¹ ... That little book gave me the awswer I was seeking. It changed my whole life. From emptiness and uselessness, it changed my outlook upon life to purpose and meaning. I believe that we are here now and we will come back again.... Of this I am sure... that we are here for a purpose. And that we go on. Mind and memory - they are the eternals." [Another interview with Ford is reported by
George Sylvester Viereck for the San
Francisco Examiner, August 28, 1928.]
"I adopted the theory of
Reincarnation when I was twenty-six.... Religion offered nothing to the
point. ... Even work could not give me complete satisfaction. Work is
futile if we cannot utilize the experience we collect in one life in
the next. When I discovered Reincarnation it was as if I had found a
universal plan. I realized that there was a chance to work out my
ideas. Time was no longer limited. I was no longer a slave to the hands
of the clock. ... Genius is experience. Some seem to think that it is a
gift or talent, but it is the fruit of long experience in many lives.
Some are older souls than others, and so they know more. ... ¹ A Short View of Great Questions, by Orlando J. Smith. It marshalls the
philosophical arguments for reincarnation. (Eds.) [Excerpt
from Reincarnation in World
Thought, compiled and edited by Joseph Head and S.L. Cranston,
Copyright 1967 by The Julian Press, Inc. - Published by Causeway Books - p.349] |
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| ° EDITORIAL
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| GEAE Turns Fifteen Years |
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| ° THE CODIFICATION
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| THE GOSPEL
ACCORDING
TO SPIRITISM - CHAPTER XVII - BE PERFECT: The
Good Person |
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| CHRISTIANITY AND SPIRITUALISM by Leon Denis | |||
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| We Are All Imperfect Humans! |
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| A Campaign to Understand Skepticism | |||
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| Conference of the
AME-SP - Spiritist Medical Association of São Paulo - Brazil |
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| GEAE's Virtual Meetings | |||
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| New Spiritist Books in English | |||
| ° EDITORIAL |
After
five years of continuing activities, in December 1997, GEAE - Advanced
Study
Group of Spiritism launched the English version of its newsletter - The
Spiritist Messenger. Guided by the simple aim of sharing with
others that
which has been very beneficial to themselves, the members of the group
decided
to combine efforts in order to reach out to a new public and humbly
convey to
them the blessed knowledge of the Spiritist Doctrine. While aware of
the
difficulties of such a task due to the barriers of culture and
language, they
were all willing to serve at their best with disinterestedness and knew
that
many would benefit from the initiative.
Allan Kardec, the Spiritism's codifier, once assured that
sharing the
teachings of the Spiritist Doctrine would be one of the best way to
practice
charity. This is indeed what we at GEAE have been striving to achieve
throughout these fifteen years. The teachings imparted from superior
spirits
and comprised in the Spiritist Doctrine is a rational set of principles
that
naturally appeals to mankind. They can be easily comprehended by anyone
who
comes across them with an open mind and willingness to reach
enlightenment and
moral improvement. Therefore, our modest role in the task of spreading
Spiritism
to the English speaking world through the internet has been one of a
moderate
medium, detached from all the flaws that so often prevail in the human
enterprises. The ambition for preaching or catechization was not what
motivated
us from the beginning, but rather the intense desire to bring forth a
knowledge
that has been so greatly motivational in our own lives.
This was clearly stated in our first issue of December 1997, as one can
read in
the following extract:
"The Spiritist Messenger intends to be a free channel for the
Spiritist
debate. Our aim is to present, in a coherent way, articles, texts and
messages
on important Spiritist topics. Since Spiritism deals with the most
important
questions of the human species, these topics deeply concern everyone,
even
those who do not accept Spiritist principles, but whose lives are
inexorably
governed by them. … Let also our humble work be specially useful for
all those
who, still in the lack of a conscious knowledge, feel there is in life
something more than their eyes can perceive, whose spirits understand
the whole
aim and glory of God's creation and whose minds are sufficiently open
to
realize that our existence will continue forever in spite of all
negative
claims of Materialism."
We are extremely grateful for what we have achieved in all these years
and we
thank the Creator and the good spirits for the strength and the
assistance that
have been rendered to us for the continuity of this work. We pray that
this
unpretentious effort continues to reach many hearts and minds for years
to
come, and shall motivate them to continue their path towards
enlightenment and
spiritual improvement.
This was also the desire of Allan Kardcec, the codifier of the
Spiritist
Doctrine, which he expressed in the following excerpt of the
Introduction of
The Spirits' Book, alluding to the latter as "a guide to those who are
desirous of enlightenment":
"Spiritist philosophy consists of
teachings imparted by spirits, and
the
knowledge thus conveyed is of a character far too serious to be
mastered
without serious and persevering attention. … We hope that it will
achieve yet
another result - viz., that of serving as a guide to those who are
desirous of
enlightenment, by showing them the grand and sublime end of individual
and
social progress to which the teachings of Spiritism directly tend, and
by
pointing out to them the road by which alone that end can be reached."
GEAE Editor
| ° THE CODIFICATION |
Truly good people
comply with the laws of justice, love, and charity in their purest
form. When such people examine their consciences regarding their
actions, they ask themselves if they have violated any of these laws -
if they've done any wrong, or done all
the good possible to do, if they've willingly neglected
opportunities to be of service, or given anyone cause to complain of
them, and finally, if they've done to others everything they would want
done to themselves.
Good people place their faith in God, in Divine Goodness, Justice, and Wisdom. They know that without God's permission nothing can happen, so in all things they submit themselves to God's Will. The good also have faith in the future, which is the primary reason why they put spiritual possessions before wordly ones. They know that all life's struggles - its pains and disappointments - are either purification trials or atonements, and they accept them without protest. Moreover, they do good for the sake of goodness, without expecting to be rewarded for their actions. They repay wrong-doing with good, defend the weak against abuses of the strong, and are always willing to sacrifice their own interests in the cause of justice. Their satisfaction arises from the many benefits they spread, the services they render, the happiness they promote, the tears they dry, and the comfort they offer the suffering. Their first impulse is to think of others before themselves and to look after other's interests before considering their own. By contrast, the selfish always calculate the advantages and losses that arise from a generous action.
Good people are always just, humane, and kindhearted towards others; and because they see all men and women as brothers and sisters, they don't make distinctions based on race or creed. They respect the convictions of other people and never disapprove of someone because that person happens to think differently. Love guides them in every case. They know that people who speak evil of others, who hurt other's feelings by giving free reign to their arrogance and disdain, who don't think twice before causing others unecessary pain, fall very short of their duty to love their neighbor and aren't deserving of God's Mercy.
Good people don't nourish feelings of bitterness or hatred, and they don't nurture thoughts of revenge. Instead they follow the example of Jesus, forgiving and forgetting wrongs and only remembering the good they've received. They know that we're forgiven ourselves only to the extent that we forgive others. The good are tolerant of others' frailties since, as they know, they often need tolerance themselves; they recall Chrit's words: "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Nor do they take pleasure in focusing on flaws in other peoples' characters or in calling attention to such flaws. Whenever the occasion demands, they will always try to find good qualities in someone as a way of lessening the bad ones. Good people study their own imperfections and constantly battle agains them, using all their strength so that tomorrow they can say that they're just a little better than they were yesterday.
Good people never emphasize the importance of their won selves or their talents at the expense of others. On the contrary, they take every opportunity to highlight whatever is good and useful in other people. They aren't snobbish if they have money or other personal advantages. Everything they've been given, they realize, can be taken away. They use, but don't abuse, their wordly goods because they recognize that they have these things only on deposit and will have to give a full account of them. Also, they know that the worst use their money can be put to is the sole satisfaction of their own lust.
When good people find themselves in position of authority over others, they treat them with kindness and respect, becaus before God everyone is equal. They use their authority to lift up the morale of their subordinates, and will never crush anyone to indulge their pride. They avoid anything that might cause a subordinate position to be more stressful than is necessary. On the other hand, when they are in a subordinate position, they fully appreciate their duties and conscientiously fulfill them.
Finally, good people always respect the rights of their fellow human beings - as guaranteed by the Laws of Nature - just as they want their own rights respected.
These aren't all the qualities that distinguish the good person, but anyone who tries diligently to possess them will find him or herself on the road that leads to all the rest.
Good people place their faith in God, in Divine Goodness, Justice, and Wisdom. They know that without God's permission nothing can happen, so in all things they submit themselves to God's Will. The good also have faith in the future, which is the primary reason why they put spiritual possessions before wordly ones. They know that all life's struggles - its pains and disappointments - are either purification trials or atonements, and they accept them without protest. Moreover, they do good for the sake of goodness, without expecting to be rewarded for their actions. They repay wrong-doing with good, defend the weak against abuses of the strong, and are always willing to sacrifice their own interests in the cause of justice. Their satisfaction arises from the many benefits they spread, the services they render, the happiness they promote, the tears they dry, and the comfort they offer the suffering. Their first impulse is to think of others before themselves and to look after other's interests before considering their own. By contrast, the selfish always calculate the advantages and losses that arise from a generous action.
Good people are always just, humane, and kindhearted towards others; and because they see all men and women as brothers and sisters, they don't make distinctions based on race or creed. They respect the convictions of other people and never disapprove of someone because that person happens to think differently. Love guides them in every case. They know that people who speak evil of others, who hurt other's feelings by giving free reign to their arrogance and disdain, who don't think twice before causing others unecessary pain, fall very short of their duty to love their neighbor and aren't deserving of God's Mercy.
Good people don't nourish feelings of bitterness or hatred, and they don't nurture thoughts of revenge. Instead they follow the example of Jesus, forgiving and forgetting wrongs and only remembering the good they've received. They know that we're forgiven ourselves only to the extent that we forgive others. The good are tolerant of others' frailties since, as they know, they often need tolerance themselves; they recall Chrit's words: "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Nor do they take pleasure in focusing on flaws in other peoples' characters or in calling attention to such flaws. Whenever the occasion demands, they will always try to find good qualities in someone as a way of lessening the bad ones. Good people study their own imperfections and constantly battle agains them, using all their strength so that tomorrow they can say that they're just a little better than they were yesterday.
Good people never emphasize the importance of their won selves or their talents at the expense of others. On the contrary, they take every opportunity to highlight whatever is good and useful in other people. They aren't snobbish if they have money or other personal advantages. Everything they've been given, they realize, can be taken away. They use, but don't abuse, their wordly goods because they recognize that they have these things only on deposit and will have to give a full account of them. Also, they know that the worst use their money can be put to is the sole satisfaction of their own lust.
When good people find themselves in position of authority over others, they treat them with kindness and respect, becaus before God everyone is equal. They use their authority to lift up the morale of their subordinates, and will never crush anyone to indulge their pride. They avoid anything that might cause a subordinate position to be more stressful than is necessary. On the other hand, when they are in a subordinate position, they fully appreciate their duties and conscientiously fulfill them.
Finally, good people always respect the rights of their fellow human beings - as guaranteed by the Laws of Nature - just as they want their own rights respected.
These aren't all the qualities that distinguish the good person, but anyone who tries diligently to possess them will find him or herself on the road that leads to all the rest.
| ° ELECTRONIC BOOKS |
CHRISTIANITY AND SPIRITUALISM
The History of the Gospels
The Secret Doctrine of Christianity
Intercourse with the Spirits of the Dead
The New Revelation
Vitam Impendere Vero
By
LÉON DENIS
Author of
"Après La Mort, "Dans L'Invisible," ETC.
Translated from the French by
HELEN DRAPER SPEAKMAN
LONDON
PHILIP WELLBY
6 Henrietta Street Covent Garden
1904
This book is out of print indefinitely
1st Electronic Edition by
the Advanced
Study Group of Spiritism (GEAE)
2006
CHAPTER IV
THE SECRET DOCTRINE
THE SECRET DOCTRINE
WHAT is the real doctrine of Christ? Its essential principles are clearly set forth in the Gospels. The universal Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, with the moral consequences following thereon; immortal life open to all, and allowing each one to realise in himself the "Kingdom of God," that is to say, perfection by detachment from the goods of this world, the forgiveness of injuries, and love of one's neighbour.
Love, according to Jesus, is the summing up of the whole of religion, the whole of philosophy.
"Love your enenies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, that ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the goo, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?" (Matt. V. 44 and following).
God himself sets us the example of this love, for His arms are always open to the sinner: "It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."
The Sermon on the Mount condenses the popular teachings of Jesus. Moral law is there expressed in a form never equalled. Man may there learn tht the surest means of elevation are the humblest and hidden virtues. "Blessed are the poor in spirit (humble and loyal souls). Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. V. 1-12; Luke VI. 20-25).
What Jesus desired was not a luxurious worship, a sacerdotal religion, rich in ceremonies and practices which smother thought, but a worship, simple and pure, of the spirit, consisting in direct intercommunion, without intermediary, between man and God his Father.
"For the hour cometh and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" (John IV. 23, 24).
Jesus prayed and meditated in solitary places, in those natural temples whose columns are the mountains, whose dome is the sky, and whence thought can freely rise to its Creator, but He never practised asceticism. To those who tried to work their salvation by fasting and abstinence, He said: "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man" (Matt. XV. 11).
And to the lovers of long orisons: "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask Him" (Matt. VI. 8).
He inculcates only charity, kindness and simplicity, "Judge not that ye be not judged. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Whosoever shal exalt himself shal be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
"When thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
All is resumed in these concise and eloquent words: "Love thy neighbour as thyself, and be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. For this is the law and the prophets."
The gentle words of Jesus lend a penetrating, irresistible charm to His doctrine, full as it is of tender solicitude for the weak and disinherited ones of the earth. It is the glorification of poverty and simplicity. Material possessions render us slaves and chain us to the earth. Riches are fetters, they check the upward flight of the soul, and keep it from the "Kingdom of God." Renunciation and humility detach these fetters, and facilitate our ascension towards the light.
It is through this that the doctrine of the Gospels has remained throughout the ages the highest expression of spiritualism, the supreme remedy for earthly ills, the consolation of afflicted souls on this road of life, strewn with so many tears and so much anguish. It is in this that still consists, in spite of all the foreign elements mixed with it, the grandeur and moral power of Christianity.
The secret doctrine went further still. Under the veil of parables and fiction were hidden profound truths. The immortality promised to all was more clearly indicated by the affirmation of succcessive earthly lives, in which the soul, reincarnated in new bodies, suffered the consequences of its previous existences and prepared the conditions of its future destiny.
The plurality of inhabited worlds was also taught, the alternations in the life of every creature between the earthly world in which he reappears at birth, and the spiritual world to which he returns at death, reaping in each the fruits, good or bad, of his past. The close union and "oneness of these two worlds was shown, and, consequently, the possibility of communion between mand and the spirits of the dead which people space."
From this teachings grows active love, not only for those who suffer in this earthly life, but for the souls of those who wander around us, pursued by painful memories.
From this also follows love for the two humanities, visible and invisible, the law of brotherhood in life and in death, the celebration of the so-called "mysteries" and communion of thought and heart with those spirits, good or mediocre, inferior or elevated, which compose that invisible world surrounding us, into which open two doors, the cradle and the tomb, through which pass alternately all created beings.
The law of incarnation is indicated in a number of passages of Scripture. It must be considered under two aspects, the return in the flesh of spirits on their way to gain perfection, and the reincarnation of spirits sent to earth on a mission.
In His interview with Nicodemus, Jesus thus expresses himself: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus objects "How can a man be born when he is old?" Jesus answers: "Verily I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I have said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John III. 3-8). Jesus adds these significant words: "Art thou a master of Israel and knowest not these things?"
Which shows that he was not speaking of baptism, which was known by the Jews and by Nicodemus, but of the reincarnation already taught by the "Zohar," a sacred book of the Hebrews. ¹
This wind or spirit which "bloweth where it listeth" is the soul which chooses a new body, a new dwelling, though men do not know "whence it cometh or whiter it goeth." It is the only satisfactory explanation.
In the Hebraic "Kabbala" water is primary matter, the fructifying element. As to the expression "Holy Spirit," which we find in the text, and which renders it incomprehensible, it is to be observed that the word "Holy" is not in the original, and was only introduced into it a long time after, as in many other cases. We must therefore read: "reborn of matter and of spirit."
Another day, in speaking of a man blind from his birth, whom they met on the road, the disciples asked Jesus: "Master, who did sin, this man of his parents, that he was born blind?" (John IX. 1,2).
This question shows that the disciples attributed the blind man's infirmity to an expiation. In their belief, the sin preceded the punishment, and was the cause of it. It is the law of the consequences of actions fixing the conditions of destiny. Here, it was the case of a man blind from his birth, the sin could therefore only have been comitted in a previous existence.
From this comes the idea of penance which we constantly meet in the Scriptures. "Do penance," they tell us repeatedly; that is to say, accomplish the reparation which is the object of your new life, rectify your past, spiritualise yourselves; for you will only escape from the earthly dominions, from the circle of trials, after having "paid to the uttermost farthing" (Matt. V. 26).
Theologians have in vain sought to explain otherwise than by reincarnation this passage of Scripture. They have fallen into the strangest lines of reasoning. It is thus that the Synod of Amsterdam found no way out of the quandary but by declaring "the man born blind sinned in his mother's womb." ¹
It is also a belief of the time that eminent spirits returned, in renewed incarnations, to continue and complete missions interrupted by death. For instance, Elias returned to earth in the person of John the Baptist. Jesus confirms it thus, addressing the multitude: "What went ye but for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For, if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt. XI. 9, 14, 15).
And later, after the decapitation of John the Baptist, He repeated it to His disciples: "And His disciples asked Him, saying: 'Why the say the scribes thta Elias must first come' And Jesus answered and said unto them: 'Elias truly shall first come and restore all things. But I say unto you that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed.' Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist (Matt. XVII. 10, 11, 12, 15).
Thus, to Jesus as well as to His disciples, Elias and John the Baptist were one and the same personality. If this personality inhabited successively two bodies, such a fact can only be explained by the law of reincarnation.
Under memorable circumstances Jesus asks His disciples: "Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" And they said: "Some say that Thou art John the Baptist; some Elias, and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets" (Matt. XVI. 13, 14; Mark VIII. 28).
Jesus does not protest against this opinion, as a doctrine, any more than He protested in the case of a man born blind. The question which He then puts to Peter, has reference only to Himself. "But whom say ye that I am?"
We come across the secret doctrine, hidden under more or less transparent veils, in the writings of the Apostles and Fathers of the Church, during the early centuries. They could not speak openly of it, hence the obscurities of their language. (See Epistle of St Barnabas XVII. 1, 5.)
It is according to this rule that a disciple of St Paul, Hermas, describes the law of reincrnation under the figure of "white stones, squared and cut, taken from the water, to be used in the construction of a spiritual edifice." (Book of the Pastor III. 3, 5).
"Why have these stones been taken from a deep place and employed for the building of this tower, since they are already animated by the spirit? It was needful, said the Lord unto me, that before being admitted into the edifice, they should be elevated by water. They cannot otherwise enter into the kingdom of God, except by purifying themselves of the infirmity of their first life."
Evidentely these stones are the souls of men; these waters (according to Jewish Kabbalists, representing matter, primary element, today called cosmic ether) are the obscure inferior regions, the material lives, the lives of trial and suffering during which the souls are cut, polished, and slowly prepared, so as one day to take their place in the edifice of the higher, the celestial life. This is certainly the symbol of reincarnation, the belief in which was yet admitted in the third century, and generally accepted among Christians.
Among the Fathers of the Church, Origen was one of those who pronounced himself the most eloquently in favour of the plurality of lives. His authority has great weight. St Jerome considers him, "after the Apostles, as the greater master in the Church, a truth which," he says, "only the ignorant will deny." St Jerome professes such an admiration for Origen that he is willing, he writes, to shoulder all the calumnies which have been directed against him, if at that price, he, Jerome, could have his profound knowledge of the Scriptures. In his celebrated arguments which, in the pre-existence and survival of souls in other bodies, in the succesion of lives, or briefly, in the necessary corrective to the apparent inrregularity of human conditions, show a compensation for the physical as well as for the moral wrong which would seem to reign in the world, if only one earthly existence were admitted for each soul. Origen nevertheless errs on one point. It is when he presumes the union of spirit and body to be always a punishment. He loses sight of the necessity of the education of the soul and the lavorious realisation of progress.
An erroneous opinion has often crept in on the subject of Origen's doctrines in general, and the plurality of lives in particular, which are considered to have been condemned by the Council of Chalcedon, and later by the fifth Council of Constantinople. If one goes to the fountain head,² one sees that these Councils respected, not the belief in the plurality of lives of the soul, but simply pre-existence in the particular form taught by Origen, which was that men were all fallen angels.
In fact the question of plurality of lives of the soul has never been settled by the Church. It remains to be handled by the Church of the future, which is an important point to observe. As the doctrine of rebirth, so also that of the plurality of lives is indicated in the Scriptures, under parabolic form. "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John XIV. 2, 3).
The Father's house is the celestial infinity, the promised mansions are the worlds travelling through space, spheres of light, compared with which our poor earth is only an obscure and feeble planet. It is to these worlds that Jesus will guide the souls who follow Him and His doctrine. He knows them well, and will be able to prepare for each of us a place according to our merits.
Origen comments on these words very clearly: "the Lord alludes to the different stations that the souls are to occupy, after they have put off their present bodies, and have taken on new ones."
¹ See note No. 5, end of book.
¹ See note No. 5, end of book.
² See Pezzani, "Plurality of Lives," pp. 187-190.
Next: CHAPTER V - INTERCOURSE WITH THE
SPIRITS OF THE DEAD
| ° SPIRIT
MESSAGES |
WE ARE ALL IMPERFECT HUMANS!
Spirit Communication received by Yvonne Limoges
Spirit Communication received by Yvonne Limoges
All upon the earth are imperfect and do the best they can to
get by in this world of sorrows. Each person is touched, in one form or
another, with his or her own troubles, trials, catastrophes,
calamities, and disasters. No one escapes from this because being
human, people make mistakes, make errors of judgement, do nothing when
they need to, or do too much when they need do nothing; and this puts
into effect the law of cause and effect; whether in this life, or in
the next. One undergoes either an immediate reaction or a delayed
reaction.
But, during all this, the most important thing is whether people have learned through their experiences, regarding what has occurred. Have they supported with courage what they were going through? Have they understood what they need to do for the next time? Have they come away from a lesson in life which improves their spirit and makes it stronger, more humble, more loving, more empathetic, more sympathetic, more caring, more persevering, more resigned?
It is the conflicts and trials and tests that you have amongst each other that help foster growth and development among yourselves. No one would advance if everyone stayed to himself or herself. It is only in daily struggles with each other, as individuals, as groups, and as nations, in various relationships that fosters intellectual, moral, and spiritual maturity and progress.
It is this interaction that helps people to separate "the wheat from the chaff;" this interaction (sometimes which are very painful experiences) is that which separates the superstitions, the prejudices, the mental barriers humans place upon themselves, and other things, from what will help mankind to find their proper way and to find the ultimate truths of life.
Do not become disheartened or discouraged when things seem to fall apart, when people or things are a disappointment, or difficulties seem beyond reparation or a resolution. Experiences teach lessons. If nothing is learned through the whole experience that is the waste!
Life is full of struggles but that is what purifies the soul!
But, during all this, the most important thing is whether people have learned through their experiences, regarding what has occurred. Have they supported with courage what they were going through? Have they understood what they need to do for the next time? Have they come away from a lesson in life which improves their spirit and makes it stronger, more humble, more loving, more empathetic, more sympathetic, more caring, more persevering, more resigned?
It is the conflicts and trials and tests that you have amongst each other that help foster growth and development among yourselves. No one would advance if everyone stayed to himself or herself. It is only in daily struggles with each other, as individuals, as groups, and as nations, in various relationships that fosters intellectual, moral, and spiritual maturity and progress.
It is this interaction that helps people to separate "the wheat from the chaff;" this interaction (sometimes which are very painful experiences) is that which separates the superstitions, the prejudices, the mental barriers humans place upon themselves, and other things, from what will help mankind to find their proper way and to find the ultimate truths of life.
Do not become disheartened or discouraged when things seem to fall apart, when people or things are a disappointment, or difficulties seem beyond reparation or a resolution. Experiences teach lessons. If nothing is learned through the whole experience that is the waste!
Life is full of struggles but that is what purifies the soul!
Back
to
Content
The following is the answer to another question presented in the study of the subject entitled "Campaign to Understand Skepticism", that represent those that skpetics normally ask spiritists about.
Question 2
2) How will you, Spiritualists and Spiritists alike, prove your statements?
1 What Psychical Research has Accomplished
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Join the members of the GEAE-Advanced Study Group of Spiritism to study the Spiritist Doctrine in a monthly virtual meeting at PalTalk, which takes place every second Sunday of each month from 5:00 to 6:00 PM (USA Standard Eastern Time).
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| ° SPIRITIST STUDIES |
The following is the answer to another question presented in the study of the subject entitled "Campaign to Understand Skepticism", that represent those that skpetics normally ask spiritists about.
Question 2
2) How will you, Spiritualists and Spiritists alike, prove your statements?
Answer:
First of all, no statement can be proved. Only mathematical propositions, within the strict boundaries of logic can be proved. However, statements may have the status of true for a certain time if they are supported by evidence and by a coherent agreement among explanation for correlated phenomena. And that is exactly the way of science since Galileo.
The spiritualist propositions are supported by facts and theory. These facts have been collected since the beginning of humankind and only after 1850 have been explained by a theory that shows their non-corporeal cause. The only difference between the theories of current science (as applied to material phenomena) and those of spiritualism is that the latter is not fully accepted. However, as we have seen in the last question, the plurality of voices does not constitute evidence or proof against Spiritualism. The refusal of the scientist to analyze and accept the evidences only partially impacts the opinion of the majority. But the opinion of the majority is not the truth.
The proof of spiritist and spiritualist claims can be found in the study of their explanations and the analysis of the evidences. These are provided by numerous facts that cannot be neglected nor denied. If Nature establish as truth the existence of certain phenomena, who can stand against Nature? To date, no scientist was able to counter the evidence, which is proof of the weakness of their positions.
The truth of the matter is that a wide majority of hardcore skeptic scientists have adopted an a priori attitude towards the facts and the claims presented by spiritists and spiritualists for a long time, not taking even the initiative to investigate them based on the absurd and ridiculous premise that they are unscientific. Therefore, it is not a surprise that their verdicts are totally unfavorable to the claims of the latter.
On the other hand, there are a great number of well ranked men of science, who approached the matter with a more rational and less arrogant attitude. One will find out easily that their conclusions take a different direction. We would like to mention here a few names for the readers' consideration in their own search for the truth: William Crookes; Gabriel Delanne; Alfred Russel Wallace; Joseph Oliver Lodge; Ernesto Bozzano; Frederic Myers; Camille Flamarion; Robert Hare; Epes Sargent; Gustave Gelley; James Hervey Hyslop; Alexander Aksakof; William James; among others. In the opinion of these men, the claims that label the huge amount of evidence as unscientific is what represents the greatest absurdity, against which they raise their voice of discordance, as we can see from the following quote by William James:¹
Let us answer the question in another way: in order to disprove Spiritualist statements, one should first prove that all spiritualist phenomena do not exist, which is surely a formidable task! All attempts done in the past failed and those who accepted the phenomena under a different explanation were obliged to accept causes much more fantastic than the survival of the human personality after death.
Readers interested in further explanations about the matter may find worthwhile to visit Victor´s Zammint homepage: “A lawyer presents the case for the Afterlife”: http://www.victorzammit.com/
First of all, no statement can be proved. Only mathematical propositions, within the strict boundaries of logic can be proved. However, statements may have the status of true for a certain time if they are supported by evidence and by a coherent agreement among explanation for correlated phenomena. And that is exactly the way of science since Galileo.
The spiritualist propositions are supported by facts and theory. These facts have been collected since the beginning of humankind and only after 1850 have been explained by a theory that shows their non-corporeal cause. The only difference between the theories of current science (as applied to material phenomena) and those of spiritualism is that the latter is not fully accepted. However, as we have seen in the last question, the plurality of voices does not constitute evidence or proof against Spiritualism. The refusal of the scientist to analyze and accept the evidences only partially impacts the opinion of the majority. But the opinion of the majority is not the truth.
The proof of spiritist and spiritualist claims can be found in the study of their explanations and the analysis of the evidences. These are provided by numerous facts that cannot be neglected nor denied. If Nature establish as truth the existence of certain phenomena, who can stand against Nature? To date, no scientist was able to counter the evidence, which is proof of the weakness of their positions.
The truth of the matter is that a wide majority of hardcore skeptic scientists have adopted an a priori attitude towards the facts and the claims presented by spiritists and spiritualists for a long time, not taking even the initiative to investigate them based on the absurd and ridiculous premise that they are unscientific. Therefore, it is not a surprise that their verdicts are totally unfavorable to the claims of the latter.
On the other hand, there are a great number of well ranked men of science, who approached the matter with a more rational and less arrogant attitude. One will find out easily that their conclusions take a different direction. We would like to mention here a few names for the readers' consideration in their own search for the truth: William Crookes; Gabriel Delanne; Alfred Russel Wallace; Joseph Oliver Lodge; Ernesto Bozzano; Frederic Myers; Camille Flamarion; Robert Hare; Epes Sargent; Gustave Gelley; James Hervey Hyslop; Alexander Aksakof; William James; among others. In the opinion of these men, the claims that label the huge amount of evidence as unscientific is what represents the greatest absurdity, against which they raise their voice of discordance, as we can see from the following quote by William James:¹
"No part of the unclassified residuum has
usually been treated with a more contemptuous scientific disregard than
the mass of phenomena generally called mystical. Physiology will have nothing to do with
them. Orthodox psychology turns its back upon them. Medicine sweeps
them out; or, at most, when in an anecdotal vein, records a few of them
as 'effects of the imagination' - a phrase of mere dismissal, whose
meaning, in this connection, it is impossible to make precise. All the
while, however, the phenomena are there, lying broadcast over the
surface of history. No matter where you open its pages, you find things
recorded under the name of divinations, inspirations, demoniacal
possessions, apparitions, trances, ecstasies, miraculous healings and
productions of disease, and occult powers possessed by peculiar
individuals over persons and things in their neighborhood. We suppose
that "mediumship" originated in Rochester, New York, and animal
magnetism with Mesmer; but once look behind the pages of official
history, in personal memoirs, legal documents, and popular narratives
and books of anecdote, and you will find that there never was a time
when these things were not reported just as abundantly as now. We
college-bred gentry, who follow the stream of cosmopolitan culture
exclusively, not infrequently stumble upon some old-established
journal, or some voluminous native author, whose names are never heard
of in our circle, but who number their readers by the quarter-million.
It always gives us a little shock to find this mass of human beings not
only living and ignoring us and all our gods, but actually reading and
writing and cogitating without ever a thought of our canons and
authorities."
Let us answer the question in another way: in order to disprove Spiritualist statements, one should first prove that all spiritualist phenomena do not exist, which is surely a formidable task! All attempts done in the past failed and those who accepted the phenomena under a different explanation were obliged to accept causes much more fantastic than the survival of the human personality after death.
Readers interested in further explanations about the matter may find worthwhile to visit Victor´s Zammint homepage: “A lawyer presents the case for the Afterlife”: http://www.victorzammit.com/
1 What Psychical Research has Accomplished
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| ° UPCOMING EVENTS |
Conference of the
AME-SP - Spiritist Medical Association of São Paulo - Brazil
The purpose of the conference is to study Life and Reincarnation. "We will deeply study life - the immortal journey of the spirit - from its preparation for rebirth, until its death", explains Dr. Rodrigo Modena Bassi, AME-SP's president.
Among the speakers, there are well known medical doctors such as Dr. Marlene Nobre, who will lecture on the theme "Love your Life - from its Birth until its Death"; Dr. Roberto Lúcio V. De Souza will speak about "Depression under a spiritist-medical approach"; and Dr. Sergio Felipe de Oliveira will lecture on the subject "Mediumship and Obsession: its influence on the pratical clinic and how to approach it", among others.
The fee to participate in this event is: R$ 120.00 (if paid by October 27); R$ 150.00 (if paid by November 11) or R$ 180.00 if paid at the day of the conference. There will be a discount for members of AME-SP.
For further information call the number 11 5581-7089 or visit our website: www.amesaopaulo.org.br or email us at
jornada@amesaopaulo.org.br
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"To
be born, to die, to be reborn again and always progress, that is the
Law"
The purpose of the conference is to study Life and Reincarnation. "We will deeply study life - the immortal journey of the spirit - from its preparation for rebirth, until its death", explains Dr. Rodrigo Modena Bassi, AME-SP's president.
Among the speakers, there are well known medical doctors such as Dr. Marlene Nobre, who will lecture on the theme "Love your Life - from its Birth until its Death"; Dr. Roberto Lúcio V. De Souza will speak about "Depression under a spiritist-medical approach"; and Dr. Sergio Felipe de Oliveira will lecture on the subject "Mediumship and Obsession: its influence on the pratical clinic and how to approach it", among others.
The fee to participate in this event is: R$ 120.00 (if paid by October 27); R$ 150.00 (if paid by November 11) or R$ 180.00 if paid at the day of the conference. There will be a discount for members of AME-SP.
For further information call the number 11 5581-7089 or visit our website: www.amesaopaulo.org.br or email us at
jornada@amesaopaulo.org.br
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Join the members of the GEAE-Advanced Study Group of Spiritism to study the Spiritist Doctrine in a monthly virtual meeting at PalTalk, which takes place every second Sunday of each month from 5:00 to 6:00 PM (USA Standard Eastern Time).
Our goal in this study is a simple one, where everyone is seen as a student aiming to promote a friendly and salutary interaction of fraternal and mutual help, which will enable each and every one of the participants to boost their level of knowledge and spiritual awareness.
We will be open to answer your questions about Spiritism and the Spiritist Doctrine. All the participants are allowed to add their comments and personal experiences, actively participating in in the discussions taking place at the meetings. The meetings have already been ongoing for over two years and they have been a great and fulfilling experience to all of us.
The group - GEAE-Spiritism to the World - can be found at Paltalk, inside the category Religious. You may join with a simple double click, on the hours and dates above, and the operational process that allows you to actively participate in the studies is very easy and self-explanatory.
We also invite you to keep checking Paltalk, for we may open the group occasionally at no scheduled dates and times in order to handle informal conversation with those interested in learning about Spiritism in general. If you do so and find the group active, just come in and feel free to talk to us and tell us about your experiences and place your questions that we will be glad to answer them according to the view of the Spiritist Doctrine.
GEAE
- Advanced Study Group of Spiritism
Editorial Council
Editorial Council
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| ° NEWS |
One more book of Francisco Candido Xavier in English is now available!
The
Spiritist Group of
The Pathway, the Truth and Life
The second book of the
Living Fountain Collection (Our Daily Bread, The Pathway,
the Truth, and Life, Living Fountain and Vineyard of
Light)
Order 10 or more books and get 35%
off.
US$
12.00 (American Dollars)
£
6.00 (Sterling pounds)
€ 9.00 (Euros)
Note that posting & packaging are not included on the above prices.
Also the first spiritist book for children:
My First Teddy Bear
is available as well, published by SGBrighton.
US$
8.00 (American Dollars)
£
4.00 (Sterling pounds)
€ 6.00 (Euros)
Orders with Publio Lentulus
00 44 1323 895979
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GRUPO DE ESTUDOS
AVANÇADOS
ESPÍRITAS
ADVANCED STUDY GROUP OF SPIRITISM
ADVANCED STUDY GROUP OF SPIRITISM
Electronic weekly report in Portuguese - Boletim do GEAE
Monthly
English
report: "The Spiritist Messenger"
The
Spiritist Messenger is sent by email to GEAE subscribers
or to inscricao-en@geae.inf.br with the subject "unsubscribe"
(Free) subscriptions http://www.geae.inf.br/
Send your comments to editor-en@geae.inf.br
or to inscricao-en@geae.inf.br with the subject "unsubscribe"
Editorial
Council - mailto:editor@geae.inf.br
Collection in Portuguese (Boletim do GEAE)
Collection in English (The Spiritist Messenger)
Collection in Spanish (El Mensajero Espírita)