Would the Spiritism  be overtaken?... Or far ahead?
Alexandre Fontes da Fonseca

In the last years, the number of spiritists grew at a rate slightly above the growth of the Brazilian population, as recent surveys indicate the IBGE [1,2]. This news certainly demonstrates the progress of the outreach activities of Spiritism, and encourages the continuation and improvement of same.

Certainly advances in technology of information contributed to this growth, which shows us the responsibility for educating ourselves as directed by the Spirit of Truth  (item V of Chapter VI of The Gospel According to Spiritism [3]).

However, the same progress that facilitates acess to spiritist books and studies has also allowed access to information and studies of intellectual and moral questionable and insecure content. In the case of the spiritist movement, the ability to disseminate ideas and doctrines spiritualists themselves, and to access them, has led some people to question Spiritism and propose to the spiritist movement the adoption of different and alternative spiritualistic practices in the name of modernity. In some cases, scientific knowledge itself has been invoked as sufficient reason to propose since innovations in mediumistic practices until changes in the core of the Spiritism itself, based on the idea that its concepts are outdated.

Some say that because of the comment Kardec (item 55 of Genesis [4]) that "Walking on a par with progressSpiritism never be exceeded, because new discoveries will be demonstrated to be in error about any point he would change at this point. If a new truth is revealed, he will accept ", such news should be accepted without question since after all they are "new truths that are revealed". But what is really happening is that many fellow spiritualists, seduced by a discourse of current doctrine and alternative practices, and especially for not having thorough knowledge of modern theories of science to evaluate these same doctrines, are yielding to the appeal questioning the validity of Spiritism in the description of spiritual reality. 

The fear stems from ignorance about what is Sciences 

As discussed for us previously [5], "the fear of science to find errors in Spiritism is reflected in the preoccupation to see it confirmed by her or related to scientific progress, for example, the emphasis on theories and practices based spiritualists in quantum physics. "This fear, which stems from ignorance about what science is and how it develops, opened a rift in the Spiritualist movement: the possibility of introducing new practices using terms and concepts unknown to the spirit. As a result, serious errors can occur as in the example of the proposed update of the response given by the spirits to question number 34 of The Spirit's Book [6], according to some, would be wrong from the standpoint of physics and chemistry. However, the error of this criticism was the lack of knowledge of physics that allows precisely to show that the answer to question 34 of the Spirits of the LE is completely correct (see article in ref. [7]).

If "Unshakable faith is only that which can face the opposite reason, in all ages of mankind" (Kardec, item 7 of Chapter XIX of The Gospel According to Spiritism [3]), how to face criticism to Spiritism and also proposals spiritualists, which use concepts of science are few are able to evaluate them? How to face the reason they say that the Spiritism is outdated? These are important questions and is worth noting that both the past and present, spirituality has shown concern about undue changes or innovations in Spiritualism:

"The Spiritist Doctrine holds its essential aspects in triple configuration. Let no one be restricted in their expectations of construction and production. Who has affection for science that grow in dignity, who would devote himself to philosophy that magnify the postulates and those who consecrate themselves to religion to divine its aspirations, but the foundation remains of Allan Kardec in everything and everyone, not to we lose the balance on the foundations on which it gives rise to the organization. "(" Unification ", message received by Bezerra de Menezes Franco on 20/04/1963 DP [8]. Emphasis in bold added). 

The Spiritism can be considered one Revelation? 

"The program has been established for this five year period is quite significant, because it poured from on high, where he was drafted, and ye clothed it with skilled and considerations applicable to this today. This is a great time, children of the soul. Not tergiverseis, leaving you seduced by the siren song of the illusion. Fidelity to the doctrine, is what is imposed on us, celebrating the one hundred and fifty years of basic work of the Spiritist Codification. Do not let outrageous additions are placed in the form of appendices that deviate the least understood of the basic objectives of the doctrine. (...) Be faithful, remain deeply bound to the spirit of Spiritism as it was received from the immortals, through the encoder. "("The Midday New Age" message from Bezerra de Menezes, received by Divaldo Pereira Franco in 04.12.2007 [9]. Emphasis in bold added). 

"These current times call us to faithfulness to the projects of the Spirit of Truth, to be attentive to not abandon the genuine spiritist work, occupying valuable time with disputes and too much words, situations and issues which, reportedly, nothing have to do with our cause, because they are not the responsibility of Spiritism. "(" Definition and work in difficult times, "Camilo message from received by Raul Teixeira on 11/11/2005 [10]. Emphasis in bold added).

It comforts us to know that Kardec did not forget to consider the important question of the validity of the Spiritist Doctrine. In section 1 of Chapter 1 of Genesis [4], Kardec list key issues for strengthening the spirit of faith: "Spiritualism can be considered a revelation?", "In this case, what is your character?", "What Deep is its authenticity? "," to whom and how was it done? ", and others. These issues demonstrate the care of affixing the Kardec spiritist solid reasons to ensure the integrity of Spiritism and guide the conduct of its progressive aspect. If we do not know where the character of Spiritism, their values, their bases, and the criteria used in the encoding, hardly know the place before presenting the news today.  

The Spiritism is the only doctrine that has dual nature 

The reader will find in The Genesis [4] Kardec's answers to these questions. Here, we want to just highlight one very important detail that allows us to answer the question under this article: "Is Spiritualism outdated? ... Either way ahead? "This detail will certainly contribute to our security to preserve the Doctrine as we ask Bezerra and Camilo. Show the reader that Spiritualism, in fact, as a revelation, is ahead of the advances of our time and not exceeded, as some believe.

This detail, as already highlighted in previous articles [11,12], is the observation that Spiritism is the only doctrine or theory of human knowledge that has a double nature of a revelation! The "double" means "two types" possible: the divine character and scientific character of a revelation. Codification of Spiritism and occurred through both, and the reader is referred to item 13 of Genesis [4] to verify the explanation of Kardec. 

nature of The divine revelation spiritist due to the fact the fundamental concepts Spiritism come from the revelation of the Spirits. The role of scientific due to the fact that, as a means of drawing (Kardec, item 14 [4]), "Spiritism proceeds in exactly the same way that the positive sciences, applying the experimental method."

How, in the 21st century, no doctrine or theory that has even the double nature of a revelation, we can conclude that Spiritism is a doctrine unheard and at the same time unique in human history! The scientific and philosophical theories have only the scientific character of a revelation, while all the works of psychic nature have only the character of a The divine revelation.

This also leads us to conclude with certainty that while we recognize the moral value of literary and scientific books psychographed by exemplary mediums, for example, Francisco Candido Xavier, Divaldo Pereira Franco, Jose Raul Teixeira, and many others, these works do not can form a doctrine with the same value and character of the revelation that Spiritism has. This is because they are only revelations of the divine character.  

As the progress of Spiritism should proceed? 

The fact that some works have scientific content considerarmo is no reason for them to have a scientific character of revelation, so that the character follows the methodology of research and discovery of new ideas and not the kind of new ideas.

ThusSpiritism, even though it was coded for a century and a half ago, proves to be, in fact, still in front of all these doctrines, theories and spiritualists, both embodied and disembodied. Even the doctrines that are based on modern concepts considered are not ahead Spiritism, because they lack development in one of two types of character. And, it is important to say, this unique feature Spiritism does not mean he will not progress. However, the progress of Spiritism should occur respecting the double character of a revelation, ie, must occur through serious study and research, coupled with the support of spirituality through universal consensus. Therefore, it is not merely accepting evaluate concepts that do not know, but they seem modern, we should encourage changes or insertions in Spiritism, will be neither with messages that appear to increase, even with superficial comparisons with concepts of science, that new spiritual practices should be accepted in the Spiritualist movement. When we do not have enough knowledge to evaluate a new, proposed by either disembodied or embodied, we must follow the recommendation of Erastus (item 230, The Mediums' Book [13]): "It is better to reject ten truths than admit a single false , one theory wrong. "

We realize, now, the scope and wisdom of these words in defense of Spiritualism and the Spiritualist movement. No wonder that the Spirit of Truth guided us to study more deeply Spiritism.  

Referências:

[1] http://oglobo.globo.com/infograficos/censo-religiao/ acessado em 5 de Julho de 2012.

[2] http://estadaodados.com/html/religiao/ acessado em 5 de Julho de 2012.

[3] A. Kardec, O Evangelho Segundo o Espiritismo, Editora FEB, 112ª Edição, Rio de Janeiro (1996).

[4] A. Kardec, A Gênese, FEB, 34ª Edição, Rio de Janeiro, (1991).

[5] A. F. da Fonseca, “O “Medo” da Ciência e a Atualização do Espiritismo: Parte I”, Reformador Julho, p. 18 (2011).

[6] A. Kardec, O Livro dos Espíritos, Ed. FEB, 1ª Edição, Rio de Janeiro (2006).

[7] A. F. da Fonseca, “A Física Quântica e as questões 34 e 34-a de O Livro dos Espíritos”, Reformador Dezembro, p. 14 (2008).

[8] D. P. Franco, pelo Espírito Bezerra de Menezes, “Unificação”, mensagem recebida em 20-04-1963 em Uberaba e publicada em Reformador Dezembro (1975).

[9] D. P. Franco, pelo Espírito Bezerra de Menezes, “O Meio-Dia da Nova Era”, mensagem recebida em 12-04-2007 em Brasília e publicada em Reformador Junho (2007).

[10] J. R. Teixeira, pelo Espírito Camilo, “Definição e trabalho em tempos difíceis”, mensagem recebida em 11-11-2005 em Brasília e publicada em Reformador Janeiro (2006).

[11] A. F. da Fonseca, “A Revelação Espírita”, Reformador Abril, p. 36 (2011).

[12] A. F. da Fonseca, “Espiritismo: único conhecimento humano que tem o duplo caráter de uma Revelação!” O Consolador 209 (2011). Link para o artigo:

http://www.oconsolador.com.br/ano5/209/alexandre_fonseca.html acessado em 1º de Julho de 2012.

[13] A. Kardec, O Livro dos Médiuns, Ed. FEB, 1ª Edição, Rio de Janeiro (2008).

Alexandre Fontes da Fonseca is a teacher of physics at the Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Bauru (SP).