Eliseu Mota Júnior: 

“It is urgent to update the Spiritist Center” 

Current and important topics discussed by a
University professor and retired lawyer 

Death penalty and heinous crimes in the light of Spiritism, Abortion in the light of Spiritism and What is God? (all being published by Casa Editora O Clarim, from Matão, SP) and Copyrights in the psychographed book (Master thesis for UNESP of Franca, published by A Nova Era, from Franca, SP). 

O Consolador: Your book What is God? has obtained excellent reputation in and out the Spiritism movement. A thorough approach with researches and studying one of the main points of Spiritism, the book kept to the storyline all the time. Is talking about God still arousing interest? Why? 

This topic has been – and I think will keep - arousing interest, in and out the Spiritism movement. This year (2008), for example, I am supposed to talk about it in three major events in Brazil (Porto Seguro, Itabuna and Barreiras, all of them in Bahia) and, perhaps, in Puerto Rico. I believe that reason, as always, is the difficulty to understand God and Its attributes, what I try to do in a simple way, so that everybody can get the message. 

O Consolador: From the other books, especially when it comes down to abortion, what can be pointed out?   

The essay about abortion, I’d like to disclose now, was a kind of homage I paid for the women in general, mainly those ones with an unexpected pregnancy. I believe it is a complicated situation, because the final decision will be theirs: to have an abortion or give birth to an unexpected baby? So, if this book helps a single woman to avoid abortion, I believe all the work for its publication was worth! 

O Consolador: Are there any other books in the making for a future publication?  

I have been trying to conclude a book, for about ten years, about perispiritual phenomena in the light of Spiritism, but the research will carry on. That’s because it is a complex topic, the bibliography is extensive and time, short.  

O Consolador: The topics of frozen embryos and stem cells have been covered extensively by the national and international media. What can we say about this subject from a Spiritist prospective? 

This is a topic that is controversial for the lack of attention. Indeed, the Law of Biosecurity (Law 11.105/2005), in its article 5th, allows the usage, for the sake of research and therapy, of embryo stem-cells obtained from human embryos produced by in vitro fertilization and not used in the latter, as long as they were not suitable, or have been frozen for 3 (three) years or more, always with the consent of the genitors. Besides, the research institutes and health organs that do either research or therapy with embryo stem cells must submit their projects to the appreciation and approval from the proper authorities. The former prosecutor of our country, supposedly alleging violation of the right to life of these embryos, claimed a lawsuit to court, which voted for it. In my opinion, the law, in fact, is legitimate, if we observe all its demands, I can’t see how to forbid such researches, which, otherwise, will be cast away. 

O Consolador: Your column Point of View, in the International Magazine of Spiritism, has also aroused great interest. What is the motivation for its elaboration? 

Usually, I am motivated by the agenda of what is in the public opinion, looking to approach the subject with a Spiritist vision. 

O Consolador: What do you make of the current controversial topics in the Spiritist movement? 

They are many, but some of them, more than controversy, involve prejudice and outdated opinions. This is more evident in subjects related to habits and scientific researches, as it happens, for example, with sexuality and the aforementioned stem cells. I believe that the Spiritist has to put up with ethical and moral changes, as well as follow the progress of science, just like Allan Kardec recommended, who had as one of his mottos the trilogy work, solidarity and tolerance. 

O Consolador: What about the controversial topics in the Brazilian society? 

Besides the ones we talked already, the Brazilian society has faced many problems with the politicians, mainly in election years, when most of them take it over the edge the necessity of being elected or re-elected. I believe that even Machiavelli would get scared with Brazilian politics, and would have to revise some concepts about his book The Prince. Besides, moral education of our kids and teenagers is in shambles, with their parents working too much, with no attention to them. The result of this omission could not be worse: early sexual activity, abortions, abandoned kids, drugs, criminality more and more violent and other countless family and social problems. 

O Consolador: From the three aspects of Spiritism – scientific, philosophical and religious –, which one is more appealing to you?

Whenever I can, I try to study the Spiritist Doctrine in all aspects. However, the philosophical aspect has called my attention lately, maybe because of my humanist background.  

O Consolador: In your lectures, what topic has been more requested?  

Without the shadow of a doubt, the topic "God" is the most requested one, and it has been, including, back to the same city, for a new approach, and many times it is recorded. More recently, with the advance of audiovisual effects, I have been invited to seminars about the basic works, mainly The Spirits’ Book, Heaven and Hell and Genesis, which publication of the first issue turned 140 in the beginning of 2008. No wonder, the controversy is bitter among the theories of creationism and evolution, in a way that I found interesting to study more this last book of our Compilation. As to the Spiritist movement and their respective institutions, I think that most of them are following Kardec’s advice: to follow the scientific progress, look for self-knowledge, moral transformation and fight against our evil desires. 

O Consolador: Are there any recipes to incentivize effectively the study of Spiritism? 

There are many of them. One of them, for example, is the urgent update of the Spiritist Centers, their method of approaching subjects, and the usage of technology. Indeed, it is unacceptable that the Spiritist of nowadays, used to cutting-edge technology in his work, at school and even at home, arrive at the Spiritist Center and be forced to hear old-fashioned sermons! Because of this, I have noticed that the average Spiritist Center goers are aging, with 50 years or so, because the teenagers are going away, attracted by the consumerism.  

O Consolador: Your final words. 

I am honored and grateful to be able to express my opinion about these questions, very well elaborated by the way. I hope that Brazilian Spiritist never fails to study, in the first place and above all, the basic works of the Spiritist compilation, relegating for later the novels and self-help books. Besides we need to get back to the Spiritist idea that out of charity there is no salvation, understanding that charity, according to Jesus (The Spirits’ Book, 886), is benevolence for everyone, indulgence for the imperfections of others, forgiveness of injuries.