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Demystifying the
phenomenon of
death |
According to
Kardec,
in the
apportionment of
the happiness to
which all men
aspire,
the good and the
wicked could not
be
confounded
together.
The
inevitability of
death is
an
issue that
bothers
and
scares
most
of the planet’s
population.
Even
among
us spiritists,
the
theme
causes
-
to
put it mildly
-
discomfort
in
many.Common
sense
suggests
that
the
overwhelming
majority of
people
- that
is,
incarnated
spirits
-
are not
properly
prepared
to face
this
moment.
In general,
we "postpone"
thinking
about the
subject
as much
as
possible.
And such
behavior
does not cease
to
be
somewhat
paradoxical
given that
according to
research
conducted by
Datafolha1,
60% of
Brazilians
believe
there is
life
after
death.
However,
we are
constantly
reminded
-
through
the innumerable
events that
surround us
-
that
our
time
too will come
sooner
or
later.
That said,
the
end of
physical (bodily)
existence
should be
viewed
in a rational
way
by
us
all.
After all,
the
human body;
like
every
organic machine
with the
passing of
time; starts to
show signs
of
fatigue,
exhaustion
and the
cells
begin
the process of
breaking
up until
complete
extinction
of the
vital fluid.
There
is no way
to stop
this
process
indefinitely,
despite
the
increasingly
significant
advances in
science,
medicine
and
aesthetics
have
helped
in the
prolongation
of
human life,
with beneficial
effects
on quality of
life
in general.
Thus
it is worth
noting
the significant
increase
in
life expectancy
of the Brazilian
population,
according
to the Brazilian
Institute
of Geography
and Statistics
(IBGE).Reports
from this
institution
reveal
that
in the
1940’s
the
average life
expectancy in
Brazil was
only
45 years.
As for
the
current
year the
forecast
jumped
to
73.7 years
of age
and
for
the end
of
the century,
it is
estimated
to be around
84.3
years of age.2
In
short,
we all have
a
predetermined
time
to fulfill
our
mission
here on
Earth,
though
we do not know
how long it will
be.
However,
consider
how
well
the
Spirit
Brother
Joseph ponders:
"The
essence
survives.
The seed dies
and
a flower
is born,
the
flower
dies
and
the
fruit comes,
which
contains
in itself
its own
immortality
"3
The
Master
appeared to His
beloved
disciples
on several
occasions
Furthermore,
the
mentor
also
asserts
that
"Nothing
disappears
in
the economy
of the Universe"
.4
Therefore,
the
fundamental
point is
knowing
that
we will live,
ultimately,
forever.
Our
individuality
will
prevail
even
in
different
contexts
or
dimensions.
To those who
still
cherish
doubts
-
despite
numerous
scientific
evidences
-
it is worth
remembering,
for
example,
the
glorious
view
of
Mount Tabor
-
testified,
moreover,
by
the apostles
Peter,
James
and
John
-
reported
in the Gospel:
“There he was
transfigured
before them. His
face shone like
the sun, and his
clothes became
as white as the
light. Just
then there
appeared before
them Moses and
Elijah, talking
with Jesus.”
(Matthew 17:2-3)
It is
noteworthy to
highlight that
in this
episode
described by
the Apostle,
Jesus
spoke
with
two
characters
who
had long left
the
"world
of the living”.
To better
explain,
Moses had
lived
between
1592-1474
B.C. and
Elijah
between
874-852
B.C.
Therefore the
message
of
immortality
of the Spirit
was
absolutely clear.
The episode
was
so outstanding
-
representing,
without
a doubt,
one
of the largest
demonstrations
of
mediumship
manifestation
we have
news of
-
Peter,
enraptured,
"...
said to Jesus,
“Lord, it is
good for us to
be here. If you
wish, I will put
up three
shelters—one for
you, one for
Moses and one
for Elijah.”
While he was
still speaking,
a bright cloud
covered them,
and a voice from
the cloud said,
“This is my Son,
whom I love;
with him I am
well pleased.
Listen to him!”
(Matthew
17:4-5).
Furthermore,
chapter
20
of
John's Gospel
is completely
dedicated
to
the resurrection
of the Master.In
verse
17,
for example,
we read
a
unique
dialogue
between
Jesus
and Mary
Magdalene.
It was up
to
her,
in fact,
probably
as
a
reward
for
her
enormous
effort of
self-enlightenment,
the
honor
of
being
the
first
person
to
see
Jesus
after
his
death,
that is:
"Jesus
said to her:
Do not
detain me, I
am not yet
ascended
to
My
Father,
but
go
to
my brethren
and
tell
them, I
ascend
unto my Father
and
your
Father,
my God
and
your God”.
The
Master
later appeared
to
his
beloved
disciples
on several
occasions.
In one of these
occasions he
even
invited
Thomas,
holding his
hands
as he leaned
towards
skepticism.
Perhaps
the
most
striking
of
all
his post death
appearances was
when
he
appeared
to the so called
500
from
Galilee,
as described by
the
Spirit
Humberto
de Campos
in the
work
entitled
Good News.
The notion
of
purgatory
is not
part
of
Islamic
conceptions
The Spirit of
Joanna
de Angelis,
in its
turn,
explains
that
the
fear
of
death
is due to
"...
ignorance
about
life”.
She
adds
that:
"The
fear
of death,
somehow,
is
atavistic,
coming
from the cave,
when
the
biological
phenomenon
happened
and
primitive man
did not
understand it,
not knowing
the
reason for
its occurrence".5
On the other
hand,
the
anchors
of
religion
threw
more
darkness
than light
on
the subject.
Without
having the
pretention to
undertake
a
comparative
study of
the various
religions
and, from
now
recognizing
the
value
of
each
one,
we
recall
some
key aspects
of some of
them with
regards to
the
matter
under
consideration.
Thus,
the Christian
religions
– it
is worth
noting
-
do not accept
the
possibility
of
a
second
chance
or reincarnation.
For
them,
in fact,
hell
is
forever,
and after
the
Last Judgement,
the
souls
from
purgatory
and
heaven
will be
resurrected.
Similarly,
Islam
also
accepts
that
death
leads
to
eternity.
That is,
the soul
is
also
waiting for the
day
of Judgement
where it will be
judged
by the Creator.
Then
you can
go
to heaven or
hell,
depending on
your behavior
in
life.
The notion
of
purgatory
is not
part
of
Islamic
conceptsIn
Judaism,
the
dead are
driven to
the
Sheol,
a
sort of
limbo
to
await
the Last
Judgement (as
we see,
this
notion
is present in
many
popular
religions).
For
Orthodox Jews,
however,
the
expected
return of
the Messiah
will
raise them all.
The
Spiritualist
religions,
in
turn,
provide
a
very partial
level of
information
about the
topic.
Indeed,
in
Hinduism
it is believed
that
reincarnation
occurs
immediately
after death,
which
is not
correct.
In
Buddhism,
in its turn, the
discarnate
being can
reach the so
called
Pure
Land
-
the area of
enlightened
wisdom. The kind
of
reincarnation
that will ensue
in
the future
will depend on
each
individual.
In
the Buddhist
view, the
individual may
return
in
the heavenly
realms,
as humans
or
animals.
The idea
of
a
human being
reincarnated
in the body
of
a
dog
(metempsychosis),
for
example,
would be
to
condemn
someone
who
has already
reached
the
hominid
kingdom to
an
unjustifiable
and
inappropriate
regression,
that is,
something
totally
incompatible
with the laws
of
evolution.
In
Spiritism
finally,
the
soul
returns
to
the spiritual
world6
where,
as
Jesus
asserted:
“My
Father’s house
has many rooms;
if that were not
so, would I have
told you that I
am going there
to prepare a
place for you?
“(John
14:
2).
The
reality
of the
afterlife
is
the fruit
of our
actions
in
this life
Indeed,
the
Spirit
Andre
Luiz
discovered
in his
investigations
on the spiritual
plane
that a
few incarnate
can
exactly
accomplish
the allotted
time.
In
fact,
throughout
incarnation
we
usually
go on
doing many
inappropriate
things,
as well as
following
a
lifestyle
that ultimately
end up “shortening
our
time”.
"In
more extreme
cases,
we commit
suicide.
Therefore we
will go on to
discarnate
because
of incurable
diseases,
violent death,
incorrigible
disability
of
an organ,
an unexpected
accident
(collective
or
individual),
neglect of
our
own health (drug
addicts
and
alcoholics
are
in this
group),
due to
the
absolute
wear of
the
organic machine
or suicide.
Thus,
we must not
fear
death
itself,
since
it
is inevitable,
but
what comes next.
That is,
under
what
conditions
we
will return
to
spiritual home?
If
for the
expressed
reasons
we cannot
stop
death,
we must
prepare
ourselves
for
the
next
level.
Quite
appropriately,
the question No.
961
of
The Spirits’
Book
addresses this
issue
- that
is,
"What
is the
predominant
sentiment at the
moment of death?
Is it
doubt,
fear
or
hope?
Doubt
with the
hardened
skeptical;
fear with
the guilty; and
hope with
the
good."
In
question
No.
962,
Allan
Kardec
was
even
blunter,
but
let's see:
"How is it there
are skeptics,
since the soul
imparts to each
man the
sentiment of
spiritual
things?
“There
are fewer
skeptics than
you suppose.
Many of those
who, from pride,
affect
scepticism
during lifetime,
are
a good deal less
sceptical when
they come to
die".7
Kardec
concluded
that
the reality
of the
afterlife
is
a result
of our
actions
in
this
lifeHe
also
argued
with
clarity:
"Reason and our
sense of justice
tell us that, in
the
apportionment of
the happiness to
which all men
aspire,
the good and the
wicked could not
be
confounded
together.
God could not
will that some
men should
obtain,
effortlessly,
blessings which
others only
obtain through
persevering
exertion".8
Nobody is able
to
dodge
death,
however much one
tries
Hence
nothing
is more attuned
to the
notion
of
spiritual
reality
than the
thought of Paul,
according to
which God
will reward us
accordingly
to
our
works.
In this
sense,
Jesus
Christ
instructed us
in a
very
clear manner as
to not store up
“...
where moths and
vermin destroy,
and where
thieves break in
and steal.”
(Matthew
6:19).
But
to
store up
“...
treasures in
heaven, where
moths and vermin
do not destroy,
and where
thieves do not
break in and
steal.”
(Matthew
6:20).
So
we
fundamentally
have
to
worry about
what with we're
building
over there.
Strictly
speaking,
the proud
and
authoritarian
should
fear
future
life
as
“Pride
goes before
destruction, a
haughty spirit
before a fall.”
(Proverbs
16:18).
The
petty
and avaricious,
the
lustful
and
wanton
perpetrators
of
excesses
of all kinds,
the
transgressors
of the laws
and
the wicked,
the agents
of destruction
and
villainy,
the
hypocrites
and
maledictive,
the
reckless,
the
irresponsible
and the
suicidal,
should
be
concerned with
the spiritual
reality,
Hence,
it is worth
recalling
the sad
condition
that
the Spirit
André
Luiz
-
to
whom
we owe so much
for his
highly
enlightening
accounts of
life
in
the hereafter
-
returned
to the
spiritual
homeland.
André,
by the way,
suffered
eight years
at
the Lower spirit
zone.
When he was
capable of being
seen by
a
doctor
from the Beyond,
the
diagnosis was
irrefutable,
as our
unfortunate
fellow’s gastric
apparatus
had
been
destroyed
by the excesses
of food
and
alcohol intake,
apparently
without
importance.
Syphilis
had
consumed
his
vital energies.
Unfortunately,
André’s
condition
was
that of
a one who
had
unconsciously
committed
suicide.9
Finally,
as
Joanna de
Angelis
explains
in her book
"Nobody
is able to
dodge
death,
however much one
tries".10
But we can
and
must
strive
to
return
to the
higher world
in better
conditions.
Sources:
1. SALVADOR, A.
The Esoteric
Brazil. Veja
magazine, No
2182, 15th
September
2010, page 144.
2. IBGE.
Projection of
Brazil’s
population by
gender and age
1980-2050.
3. BACCELLI,
C.A. (By Spirit
Brother José).
Better Days.
Uberaba: MG,
Liv.
Espírita
Editions “Pedro
e Paulo”, 2004,
page 183.
4. Idem, ibidem,
page 184.
5. FRANCO, D.P.
(By the Spirit
Joanna de
Ângelis ).
Surrender
yourself to God.
Catanduva: SP,
Intervidas,
2010, page 89.
6. CARELLI, G.
The living and
other lives.
Veja magazine,
No 1904, 11th
May 2005, pages
116 and 117;
MENDONÇA, M. The
new Spiritism,
Época
magazine, no
424, 3rd
July 2006, pages
68 and 69.
7. KARDEC, A.
The Spirits’
Book(Translation
by Guillon
Ribeiro).
Digital version.
FEB, 2007, page
307.
8. Idem, ibidem.
9. XAVIER, F.C.
(By the Spirit
André Luiz).
Nosso lar ( aka
The astral
city).
9th
edition.
Rio de Janeiro:
RJ, pages 27 and
28, 1965.
10. FRANCO, D.P.
Op. cit, page
90.
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