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Herculano Pires and the Works of
Andre Luiz
(Part 1) |
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Introduction –
Considering
that some
comrades
claim that
the
journalist
and writer
Jose
Herculano
Pires
(1914-1979)
– correctly
named "the
best meter
that
measured
Kardec" -
began to
have a
critical
view of the
works of
Andre Luiz,
we decided
to research
in his
literary
production
to know if,
in fact,
there was
any change
of opinion.
We did not
manage to
organize
Herculano
Pires’ works
based on the
time they
were
written;
this is why
we referred
to them
according to
their date
of
publication.
We chose to
copy the
content of
all texts to
avoid some
wrong
interpretation
of the text,
in any way,
leading the
reader to a
different
conclusion
from what he
really
meant.
Sources for
analysis -
We will not
use as it is
usual,
regarding
quotes, the
minor source
and the
greater
distance,
according to
the ABNT
publications
standards,
because they
are long and
easy to
identify, in
which the
emphasis
added.
1) Spirit
and Time,
Edicel,
1964.
In the work Vampirism,
which will
be mentioned
later, the
years of
1977 and
1979 also
appear as
dates of
publication;
therefore,
we presume
there was
some
addition to
the first
version.
[...] The
study and
the debates
should be
confined to
the works of
the
Codification.
Replacing
the
fundamental
works by
others,
whether
psychographed
or not, is
an
inconvenience
to be
avoided. It
would be the
same as, in
a contest of
specialization
in Pedagogy,
to read and
discuss
subjects of
Mechanics,
under the
pretext of
varying the
themes.
Doctrinal
learning
requires
unity and
sequence, so
that one can
gain an
overall view
of the
Doctrine.
All Kardec’s
publications
must be
included in
those works,
from his
first books,
to
Codification
itself, as
well as the
volumes of
the
Spiritist
Magazine. We
need to
convince
ourselves of
this reality
that not all
understand:
Spiritism is
Kardec
because he
was the
builder of
the
Doctrine,
permanently
assisted by
the Spirit
of Truth.
All other
Spiritist
books,
mediumistic
or not, are
subsidiary. Studying,
for example,
a work by
Emmanuel or
Andre Luiz
without
relating it
to the works
of Kardec,
on the
pretext that
these
spiritual
authors
surpassed
the Master
(whose works
we do not
yet know
enough) is
to
demonstrate
a lack of
understanding
of the
meaning and
nature of
the Doctrine.
These and
other
respectable
authors make
their
contribution
to our
greater
understanding
of Kardec.
They cannot
replace it.
It is good
to remember
the rule of
"universal
consensus",
according to
which no
human spirit
or creature
alone has
the
resources
and
knowledge to
make
personal
revelations.
This type of
individual
revelation
belongs to
the past, to
the time
before the
advent of
the
Doctrine. A
new
teaching,
the
revelation
of a "new
truth"
depends on
the
doctrinal
requirements
of:
a) Universal
agreement of
manifestations
regarding
it;
b) Agreement
of the issue
with the
basic
principles
of the
Doctrine;
c) Agreement
with the
cultural
principles
of the stage
of knowledge
reached by
our world;
d)
Consistency
with the
rational,
logical and
logistic
principles
of our time.
Outside of
this
framework of
necessary
concordances,
which
constitute
the "universal
consensus,"
nothing can
be accepted
as valid.
Personal
opinions,
whether of
earthly wise
men or of
the
spiritual
world, are
of no value
to the
Doctrine.
The same is
true
regarding
Science and
all branches
of Knowledge
on Earth,
because
Knowledge is
an organic
structure,
derived from
the outer
structure of
reality and
never
subject to
individual
whims.
Therefore,
it is
temerity to
accept and
propagate
principles
of this
Spirit or
that man as
if they were
doctrinal
elements.
Those who
risk this
reveal a
lack of
sense and an
absolute
lack of
logical
criteria, as
well as a
lack of
doctrinal
conviction.
Spiritism is
not a closed
or static
Doctrine,
but open to
the future.
Nevertheless,
this
openness is
necessarily
conditioned
by the rules
of balance
and order
that sustain
the validity
and
effectiveness
of its
doctrinal
structure.
(Pires,
2003, pp.
190-191,
emphasis
added).
[…] As this
process
takes place
in worlds of
different
material
dimensions,
Rhine agreed
to call them
extra
physical,
which is not
really true,
since the
spiritual
plane also
has physical
density and
physics
itself was
obliged to
presently
recognize
this
reality. [...].
(Pires,
2003, p.194,
emphasis
added).
[...] The
free Spirit
begins to
live on the
spiritual
plane, which
is
constituted
of matter in
rarefied
state. This
semi-material
world has
several
hypostases,
the lowest
of which
exists only
with the
material
plane,
interpenetrated
with it.
That is why
the Spirits
live with us
in the same
cosmic space
occupied by
the planet.
Thus,
Spirits
influence us
and we
influence
them. We
cannot
perceive
them by the
physical
senses, but
we can see
and hear
them by the
Spirit,
although we
have the
impression
of
perceiving
them by the
senses.
[...].
(PIRES,
2003, p.209)
2) Dialogue
of the
Living,
GEEM, 1974.
The
Spiritist
Group
Emmanuel -
GEEM
publishes
this work,
in which
Herculano
Pires and
Chico Xavier
participate.
From the
Preface, by
Herculano
Pires, we
selected:
More than
forty years
ago, Chico
Xavier has
served as a
mediumistic
instrument
for the
preparation
dialogues.
The power of
dialogue is
impressive.
(XAVIER and
PIRES, 2011,
p.17)
The
uncritical
critics, who
today want
to criticize
the dialogue
form of The
Book of
Spirits, deserve
God's
forgiveness,
because they
do not know
what they
are doing.
The same is
true
regarding
the
critiques
made to the
dialogues of
Chico
Xavier, who
in Uberaba,
like the
Oracle of
Delphi, is
placed
between men
and Spirits,
so that the
living of
the Earth
may talk to
the living
of the
Hereafter.
Each message
received by
Chico Xavier
is an answer
to human
inquiries.
It is not
Chico, nor
the Spirits
who propose
the issues
of the great
debate. [...].
(XAVIER and
PIRES, 2011,
pp. 18-19,
emphasis
added)
Do you want
a proof? It
is enough to
ask what has
been done so
far
regarding
the work of
Emmanuel and
Andre Luiz.Except
for a few
naive
attempts, where
are the deep
commentators,
the
analysts,
the scholars
of these
works in our
midst? Where
are they? (XAVIER
and PIRES,
2011, page
20, emphasis
added)
[…] The
voices of
the
Hereafter,
when
legitimate,
are not only
to console
the
afflicted,
but also and
above all to
teach,
clarify and
open new
perspectives
to the
understanding
of spiritual
problems. To
underestimate
the
importance
of
mediumistic
messages is
to deny the
value of the
selfless
work of the
Superior
Spirits to
our benefit.
(XAVIER and
PIRES, 2011,
p. 22,
emphasis
added)
Chico Xavier
today
accomplishes
this, with
complete
self-denial,
in the
service of
the human
and divine
cause of
Spiritism.
There is
nothing to
fear or to
complain
about. Only
one thing we
have to do:
work!
(XAVIER and
PIRES, 2011,
p. 27)
Herculano
Pires,
writing
under the
pseudonym
"Brother
Saulo",
writes
several
articles, of
which we
highlight
the
following
passages:
The message
of Andre
Luiz touches
on an
essential
point of the
Spiritist
Philosophy -
its
existentialist
aspect.
[...].
(XAVIER and
PIRES, 2011,
p. 78)
It is well
known from
Sartre's
phrase:
"Others are
Hell." But
Andre Luiz
proposes the
opposite:
the others
are Heaven.
(XAVIER and
PIRES, 2011,
p.91)
Chico Xavier
received a
psychographic,
in the
series Nosso
Lar (The
Astral City
or Our
Home), by
Andre Luiz,
and in other
writings,
curious
descriptions
of the
Spirits
about the
spiritual
influence in
our lives
through
dreams. And
the episode
that he
tells us is
a spontaneous
proof of the
legitimacy
of the
Spiritist
theory of
dreams, as
stated in The
Book of
spirits. One
more test,
for indeed
there are
many
spontaneous
proofs given
all over the
world. (XAVIER
and PIRES,
2011, page
143,
emphasis
added)
3) Mediumship,
Paideia, Jul
/ 1978.
One can
claim the
existence of
the
mediumship
of
clairvoyance.
But this
mediumship
is never
granted for
the
adventures
of the
living
Spirits on
the
spiritual
plane, for
that would
be to
condemn the
medium to a
situation of
dangerous
duality in
earthly
life. The
mediumship
of
clairvoyance
exists, but
for the
purpose of
aiding the
researches
or
demonstrations
of the
spiritual
truth, but
never for
the creation
of anomalous
conditions
in the
mediumistic
field. The
mediumistic
works
themselves -
psychographics,
which
describe
with
excessive
detail the
life in the
spiritual
plane - must
be regarded
with reserve
by the
Spiritist
scholars.
Emmanuel
explains,
prefacing a
book by
Andre Luiz
that the
spiritual
author uses
analogical
figures to
explain
facts and
things that
could not be
reliably
explained in
our human
language. The
two extreme
positions
are
dangerous:
those who do
not accept
these works
as valid and
those who
intend to
substitute
them by the
works of
Kardec. The
principles
of
Codification
cannot be
altered by
the work of
an isolated
Spirit. The
Codification
is not a
work of
clairvoyance,
but of
scientific
research
carried out
by Kardec
under the
guidance and
vigilance of
the Superior
Spirits. (PIRES,
1987, p.27,
emphasis
added).
[...] Books
such as Dans
l’invisible,
by Leon
Denis, and
the books of
psychic
guidance of
Emmanuel and
Andre Luiz
can also be
used as
subsidiary,
but never
placed as
basic works
of the
Doctrine. Without
this
criterion,
many Centers
and Groups,
and even
great
institutions,
have fallen
on a plan of
church
mysticism
and priestly
authoritarianism
that
disfigure
and ridicule
Spiritism.
[...].
(PIRES,
1987, p.55,
emphasis
added).
4) At
the time of
testimony,
Paideia, Sep
/ 1978.
The remedy
against this
morbid state
depends on
measures
that were
not taken:
the removal
of those
responsible
for the
adulteration
of the
managerial
positions of
the
institution;
the
immediate
reformulation
of the
courses
regarding
the Doctrine
and mediums,
excluding
books,
pamphlets
and
adulterating
apostilles;
the
immediate
return to
Kardec's
basic books
as the only
legitimate
sources of
Spiritist
teaching; the
acknowledgment
of the
subsidiary
position of
the works of
Andre Luiz,
now
superimposed
on those of
Kardec;
the total
condemnation
and
exclusion of
the works of
mystification
or of an
undue
mixture of
strange
doctrines.
While this
is not done,
the bitter
roots of
adulteration
will
continue to
ferment in
the
Spiritist
milieu and
nourish the
vanity of
the would-be
instructors
and
teachers. We
have to
choose
between
being
Spiritists
or
mystifiers
of the
Doctrine.
(PIRES and
XAVIER,
1978, p.7,
emphasis
added).
In the
fulfillment
of his
luminous
mediumship,
without
ceasing to
be faithful
to Kardec,
to the basic
principles
of the
Spiritist
Doctrine, Chico
Xavier
imposed
himself in
the
Spiritist
environment
of Brazil
and the
world as an
example
worthy of
admiration
and respect.
When certain
confreres
began to
proclaim
that the
books of
Emmanuel and
Andre Luiz
constituted
a doctrinal
reform,
these two
Spirits,
followed by
Bezerra de
Menezes and
other
luminaries
of
Spirituality,
began to
transmit
messages of
appreciation
of the work
of Kardec.
Emmanuel,
before the
appearance
of currents
called
emmanuelists
and
andreluizists
came forward
to transmit
a series of
books
corresponding
to each one
of the works
of the
Codification
commenting
the
fundamental
passages of
these works.
Chico Xavier
never
intended to
overlap
Kardec, and
he never
enlisted
among the
reformers
and over
runners of
the Encoder. He
did not even
accept, at
any time,
that they
considered
him as a
Spiritist
leader. He
was always
in his
position as
a medium, an
intermediary
of the
Spirits,
considering
himself a
humble
servant of
Spiritism.
The letter
from which
we
highlighted
this
conclusive
passage he
addressed to
us on June 8
of last
year. We do
not find it
necessary to
disclose
this new
profession
of Kardecian
faith. But
now, when
Kardec's
work is
suffering
the first
aggression
within the
Spiritist
milieu
itself, and
when the
work of
adulteration
is
announced,
we could not
leave that
statement
hidden in
our archive,
on the
pretext of
preserving
the medium.
On the
contrary,
the
preservation
of the
medium
demands this
disclosure
in the
section
where he
himself
always asks
for our
help, our
collaboration
in
clarifying
doctrinal
problems.
Pressed for
the
obligations
of receiving
citizenship
titles and
commitments
to launch
new books,
Chico Xavier
cannot send
us the usual
message for
these
columns. His
presence in
Sao Paulo at
the moment -
participating
in the
launching
promoted by
a group that
stood beside
the
adulteration
- could
increase the
rumors that
Chico would
approve this
absurd
attack on
the work of
Kardec. It
was
necessary
for us to
reveal the
firmness of
his
doctrinal
position,
reaffirmed
as
eloquently
as
necessary,
in the
letter he
had sent us.
There are
many readers
who question
us about the
position of
the medium
in this
case. We
pass to
everyone the
answer of
the medium
himself, a
categorical,
inescapable
response.
Chico
reaffirms
that we must
preserve the
work of
Kardec,
above all.
Others ask
us why we
have
modified the
program on
the
Threshold of
Tomorrow,
avoiding the
duty of
defending in
it the work
of the
master. We
inform
everyone
that we have
left the
program
because we
were
prevented
from dealing
with it. Our
last but one
program on
the case was
mysteriously
discharged
and our last
program was
filed and
replaced
with
another, of
which we did
not
participate
and could
not
participate.
Not even the
legal right
to announce
our
withdrawal
has been
granted.
What
happened to
us will not
happen to
Chico
Xavier. The
disclosure
of his
excerpt-message
will suffice
to show the
readers of
these
columns that
the great
medium
maintains
his loyalty
to Kardec,
eloquently
maintaining
that the
Doctrine
must be
above all
else. (PIRES
and XAVIER,
1978, pp.
34-35,
emphasis
added).
5) Vampirism,
Paideia,
1980.
[...]
Spiritism
puts its
emphasis on
the study
and
investigation
of human
spirits,
which are
those of our
evolutionary
plan,
endowed with
more
developed
rational
intelligence
and
awareness.
The
parasites
already
belong to
the human
plane. They
are
considered
in Theosophy
and other
spiritualistic
currents as astral
larvae.
In fact they
are not larvae nor elementary;
they are
entities
that need
help
regarding
indoctrination.
The
Theosophists
also
attribute
the
Spiritist
communications
to the
so-called astral
casks,
which are
for them
spiritual
envelopes,
perispirites
abandoned by
the dead,
and which
are used by elementary or
playful
Spirits to
manifest in
the
mediumistic
sessions as
the Spirits
of these
dead. The casks theory
was created
by Mme.
Blavatski,
after a
psychic
session she
attended in
New York.
Mr. Sinet
states in
his book Life
Incidents of
Mrs.
Blavatski that
she then
made a
mistake of
observation,
to which she
never
referred
again.
Sinet, a
known
Theosophist
and
companion of
Blavatsky,
disagrees
with the
Theosophists
who continue
to accept
this false
theory. Andre
Luiz refers
to the
ovoids,
Spirits that
have lost
their
spiritual
body and are
closed in
themselves,
wrapped in a
kind of
membrane. This
is
reminiscent
of Sartre's
theory of
the
in-itself,
the earlier
form of the
spiritual
being, which
breaks it by
projecting
itself into
existence by
the
necessity of
communication. The
vampires'
action of
these ovoids
is accepted
by many
Spiritists
who love
novelties.
But this
novelty has
no
scientific
conditions
or
methodological
support to
be
integrated
into the
Doctrine. It
is only a
Spirit’s
isolated
information.
No serious
research, by
competent
researchers,
has proved
the reality
of this
theory. It
is not
enough for
the medium
to validate
it. The
doctrinal
requirements
are much
stricter in
accepting
novelties.
Spiritism
would be
subject to
the most
complete
deformation
if the
Spiritists
indulged in
the delirium
of the
novelty
hunters. Andre
Luiz
manifests
himself as a
neophyte who
is
enthusiastic
about the
Doctrine,
sometimes
using terms
that deviate
from the
doctrinal
terminology
and concepts
that do not
always
conform to
Spiritist
principles. The
wide freedom
that
Spiritism
gives to its
followers
has its
limits
strictly
fixed in the
Kardecian
methodology.
In the case
of
parasitism
and
vampirism,
all rigors
are minimal,
for errors
and
misunderstandings
can lead
healing
spiritual
treatments
to dangerous
misbehavior.
(PIRES,
1980, pp.
14-16,
emphasis
added).
6) The
mystery of
good and
evil,
Correio
Fraterno,
1989.
Descriptions
of spiritual
life in
lower areas
of space
Regions in
which
Spirits are
still
attached to
the forms of
material
life.
"Action and
Reaction",
by Andre
Luiz, a
contribution
of the
Spirits to
the
celebrations
of the
centenary.
The first
centenary of
Spiritism
also had its
celebrations
on the other
side of
life. It was
not only on
our material
plane, on
this reverse
side of life
in which we
drag
ourselves,
attached to
the density
of gross
matter, that
the great
event
aroused
enthusiasm.
Although the
advent of
Spiritism
seems to us
a specific
fact of our
world, since
the Doctrine
came to
guide
incarnate
men, the
fact is that
this fact
also refers
to the
spiritual
planes. And
what is more
important:
this fact
has as much
meaning for
us as for
the Spirits.
