In this issue, we continue the study of the book, What is Spiritism, launched in Paris in July 1859. This study will be divided into 19 parts. The pages cited in the text and suggested for reading refer to the 20th edition published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation (Federacao Espirita Brasileira). The answers to the questions suggested for discussion can be found at the end of this text.
Questions for discussion
A. Those, who do not believe, would like to witness the phenomena in order to believe. They are told that for it to happen, they need to have faith. How can someone have an anticipated faith, if they do not give them the means to convince them so that they can believe?
B. What was the starting point of modern Spiritist ideas?
C. Are the Spirits abstract beings, or do they have a wrap that identifies them?
Reading Text
53. Hasty conclusions on this matter, as in all things, are always dangerous, because they may be contradicted by facts that have not yet been observed. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 86).
54. Spirits have their way of judging things, which is not always consistent with our own. They see, think and act according to other elements, whereas our view is limited by matter. Certain details important to us, may be peddling in their eyes; instead, they sometimes give importance to things whose true scope escapes us. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 88).
55. To understand the Spirits we need to raise our thought above the material and moral horizon, accept their point of view, because it is not they, who should come down to our level. Spirits have sympathy for those who are constant and conscientious observers. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, pages 88 and 89).
56. The idea of the existence of the Spirits did not exist previously, nor was it born in someone’s brain, but it was passed to us by the Spirits themselves, and everything we learnt afterwards was taught by them. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 91).
57. Who are the inhabitants of the spiritual world? Are they beings apart, strangers to Humanity? Are they good or bad? Experience allowed us to solve such problems. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 91).
58. There are mediums of physical effects, i.e., able to produce material phenomena such as sounds, body movement, and so on. There are mediums that can hear, speak, see, draw and paint, musicians, and those who write too. This last option is the most common, the one that is best developed through practice and also the most precious one. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, pages 94 and 95).
59. The essential quality of a medium is in the nature of the Spirits who assist him in the communications. This is more important than the means of implementation. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 95).
60. Do not try psychic experiments before you have carefully studied this matter. Communication from beyond the grave is surrounded by more difficulty than you think. They are not free from inconveniences and even dangers for those without the necessary experience. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, pages 95 and 96).
61. Serious Spirits only attend to serious meetings, where they are called in spiritual recollection and for serious matters. They do not answer questions of curiosity, of proof, or with a futile purpose. The frivolous spirits are everywhere; they shut up in serious meetings, but then they revenge in frivolous meetings, amusing themselves, mocking and answering all without caring about the truth. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 97).
62. He who does not want to have the trouble of studying is guided by curiosity rather than a real desire to acquire knowledge. The Spirits do not like curious people. They do not like the greedy too and they refuse to help such people with their services. (Chapter I, Second Dialogue, page 98). (Continues in the next issue).
Answers to the proposed questions
A. Those, who do not believe, would like to witness the phenomena in order to believe. They are told that for it to happen, they need to have faith. How can someone have an anticipated faith, if they do not give them the means to convince them so that they can believe?
There is a misconception in that proposition. There is no requirement of early faith for the one who wants to study. What is required is good faith, which is, incidentally, quite a different thing. (What is Spiritism, Chapter I, Second Dialogue, pages 86 and 87).
B. What was the starting point of modern Spiritist ideas?
Here is, according to Kardec, how it happened: spontaneous phenomena occurred, such as strange noises, strokes, objects moving and so on without a known ostensible cause, under the influence of certain people. It was soon recognized that these noises and movements happened intentionally and with an intelligent character, and therefore it was concluded that: If every effect has a cause, every intelligent effect has an intelligent cause. Who was this intelligence? It answered by saying that it belonged to incorporeal beings called Spirits. The idea of Spirits did not pre-exist or was it consecutive, i.e., it was not born in the brain of anyone, but it was given by the Spirits themselves. The following events have reinforced this idea and, shortly after, the Spiritist Doctrine was born. (Ibid, Chapter I, Second Dialogue, pages 89 to 91).
C. Are the Spirits abstract beings, or do they have a wrap that identifies them?
The Spirits have a wrap, which Kardec named perispirit, a kind of a fluid body, vaporous, diaphanous, invisible in the normal state, but that in some cases, can become visible and even tangible. (Ibid, Chapter I, Second Dialogue, pages 92 and 93).
