Kardec and the ambiguity of the term spirit

Although it was created by Kardec the spirit word - neologism that came along with the words Spiritism and perispirit, also created by the Encoder of the spiritual doctrine – it was soon proved to be ambiguous. The ambiguous adjective means you can take in more than one sense, indeterminate, vague, uncertain.

It was said by the Encoder himself, as we can read it in the text at the end of the book Posthumous Works.

According to Kardec, the title of spirit - and even convinced spirit - does not indicate in any way, the measure of belief. An assembly in which summon all those who call themselves spirits an amalgam of divergent opinions that would be unable to assimilate and it would not lead to anything serious. This lack of precision, inevitable at the beginning and during the period of preparation, often caused regrettable mistakes, what it had given to the doctrine only abuse or misuse. And as a result of this false application, which it is done daily the quality of spirit, what it has given matter for ridicule.

The words we read were written by Kardec and yet, more than a century later, we can say that the ambiguity of the term spirit persists and even it has expanded in Brazil, as recently seen in the controversy over the 2010 Census, there are in our midst who have suggested through the use of the word kardecist to avoid such ambiguity, but we all know that the Encoder himself repudiated the term "doctrine of Allan Kardec," as we give the view of the following words contained in the book What is Spiritism:

"There are between Spiritism and other philosophical systems that major difference, these are all human works, more or less enlightened, while, in that it attributes to me, I do not have the merit of the invention of a single principle. It is said, the philosophy of Plato, Descartes, Leibnitz, one can never say, Allan Kardec's doctrine, and that, fortunately, because that value may have a name in the subject of such gravity? Spiritism has greater weight aids, what makes us simple atoms." (What is Spiritism, Elements of conviction, pg. 120.)

It was this ambiguity - certainly allied to a lack of knowledge of the spirit principles - which produced more of these episodes in which a renowned newspaper attributed the fact that Spiritism is entirely foreign to what we learn in the works of spiritual doctrine.

See what our esteemed developer Gerson Monteiro Simões, a columnist of Extra newspaper since April 1998 and former president of the Union of Spiritist Societies of the State of Rio de Janeiro, current CEERJ (Spiritist Council of the State of Rio de Janeiro), wrote to the journalist Joaquim Ferreira dos Santos, editor of Good People column of the newspaper O Globo:

Dear Journalist Joaquim Ferreira dos Santos,

The note "Spiritual Prohibition", published in your column in the Sunday edition (21/08/2011) O Globo newspaper, it was reported that "Bezerra de Menezes Spiritist Center in Estácio, is forbidding people who attend that place to take cachaça during the ritualistic process of raising them up to the saints of that yard. That measure is also used for the faithful. Seeking to prevent this, the output of the trance, the spirits have problems with the earthlings of Prohibition. "

It is revealed in a note total incoherence, since the terms used are relate to Umbanda, there is no reason to be confused with Spiritism, doctrine codified by Allan Kardec.

I think that's a result of the Journalist does not need to attend sits of College to exercise the venerable profession, because of the mistakes committed in the short note, it is found a completely unaware of the chair of anthropology, course taught in basic cycles of Journalism, which is historically taught that Umbanda in our country began in the sixteenth century with the coming of our fellow Africans through slavery of blacks in Brazil, which entered the imposing ritual of the Catholic beliefs of their origin.

Since Spiritism began in France, from April 18, 1857 with the publication of "The Book of Spirits", which arrived in Brazil around 1860. Therefore, Spiritism has any ties with African cults, sects, or magic rituals because it does not a result of any form of religious syncretism and much less linked to other similar practices, such as Umbanda, which is closer to Catholicism than any other religious cult adopted in Brazil.

Moreover, in Spiritism, there is no priestly function. For this reason it will not engage at all denominations as a father-of-saint, cambono and the like.

Therefore, it is worth stressing that the spirit (neologism created by Allan Kardec) is the follower of Spiritism, doctrine encoded by him which does not adopt any kind of rituals, makes no use of alcohol, nor uses the images of saints or entities Spiritist Centers in the African cults.

This is even that cannot be overlooked is that the IBGE, in accordance with the criteria established by the Ministry of Justice due to Brazilian reality, which makes a distinction in their questionnaires for data collection, including the Census 2000 and 2010, separating Catholics, Evangelicals, Spirits, Umbandistas and Candomblecistas.

Sure to be contributing to this column and newspaper renowned report the facts accurately to their readers, thank you for your attention and put me at your disposal for any further clarification. (Signed: Gerson Monteiro Simões.) 

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The attitude of fellow Gerson Monteiro Simões deserves our applause and our support, because only by doing it so we can provide to the general public the right information, which is contributing to reduce the bias, which is still huge, about what matters concerning respect to the doctrine codified by Allan Kardec.