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Eurípedes
Kühl |
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The man and
religion
Part 1
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We shall begin
by presenting
some notes about
Spiritism
history. We will
start by making
a brief
reflection on
how and when
Mankind's
religious
inclinations
started and we
shall go right
up to Allan
Kardec's Coding
of the Doctrine
of the Spirits,
in the
nineteenth
century.
8,000 B.C.
- Historians
assume, but are
unable to
confirm it, that
the belief in a
heavenly power
began around
8,000 B.C. Every
phenomenon of
nature created a
god - usually
domineering
(absolute
power...)
demanding
(holocausts...),
and vindictive
(even causing
deaths...). The
same happened
regarding every
human activity.
Then, man even
began to deify
the animals,
however always
using a symbolic
language.
For centuries
and centuries,
Humankind lived
under the
original
polytheism,
commanded by
those "gods,"
which were
responsible for
everything
happening in the
world at that
time:
Nature gods, one
for each of the
geological
phenomena, such
as lightning,
thunder, rain,
wind, volcano,
flood,
earthquake, and
so on.
There were also
gods
representing
man's daily
tasks, hunting,
fishing,
planting,
harvesting, war,
healing
diseases, birth,
and death among
many others.
There were still
more gods, for
each animal, for
instance, the
ibis, crocodile,
cats, cattle...
As time went by,
man began to
make a link
between the date
and time of
birth and the
position of the
stars precisely
at that moment,
the horoscope,
by dividing the
apparent
trajectory of
the Sun into
twelve parts,
each measuring
30º. The use of
the horoscope,
and the interest
in the future
was (and still
is today)
strictly
individual.
The Prophets
- Then came the
Prophets... they
surpassed the
beliefs at that
time by offering
a direct
communication
with God. The
purpose of the
prophecies aimed
at the
collective good.
Then the
missionary
Spirits landed
on this planet
with the mission
of founding
religions, which
were to refer
(as they did) to
the evolutionary
stage of each
period. All
those Spirits,
without
exception,
brought
illumination for
the future of
the people of
that time.
Now focusing our
attention on the
history of
religions, we
will always find
a social
hierarchy,
inducing the
followers (now
called
believers), the
people, to the
practice of
discipline and
submission to
the ruling
classes. Thus,
already began in
ancient Egypt,
Babylon (country
of ancient
Asia), Assyria,
and Rome.
Therefore,
mistakenly
linking Heaven
to Earth, many
believers
thought that
they could
achieve
individual
benefits in
exchange for
sacrifices,
offerings or
other promises.
Jesus
- The Christ,
anointed by God,
undeniably the
greatest of all
missionaries,
granted the
treasure of
Faith to
Humanity. He was
the one who ever
gave the most
love. He spoke
to the world of
the Kingdom of
God, considered
intangible and
untouchable by
the people of
that time. He
took million of
Spirits to a
level where they
could feel Hope.
His eternal
teachings had,
still have, and
will always have
the unique
effect of
illuminating the
inside and
outside darkness
of the mind. It
is necessary to
have "eyes to
see" and "ears
to hear." He
created no
religion. He set
no dogmas.
Christian
morality, from
the first to the
last resort, is
based on the law
of love - love
for God and
neighbor.
Therefore, we
believe that
Jesus is the
greatest of all
the countless
blessings that
God has always
granted to
Humanity.
We will now go
through the past
civilization,
focusing on the
rising of the
religions. Our
objective is to
get to Spiritism,
characterizing
it and showing
the multitude of
differences when
compared with
the Candomble
and Ubanda. The
three of them
deserve our
respect.
However, they
are different
from each other!
Religions
- Let us see
what History
recorded and the
world shows us
presently,
regarding the
relationship
Creator-creature,
Son-Father,
God-man:
Judaism:
It was founded
in the Middle
East, around the
17th century
B.C. by the
Patriarch
Abraham. Moses
was the
legislator of
the laws of
Israel. For the
Jews the Bible
is formed solely
by the Hebrew
books and it
essentially
corresponds to
the Christians'
Old Testament.
Judaism was
further
strengthened
with the
creation of
Israel in 1948.
It has strong
ethnic
characteristics,
in which nation
and religion are
mixed. Judaism
is recognized as
the first
monotheistic
religion of
Humanity and
chronologically
it is the first
of the three
religions
derived from
Abraham,
together with
Christianity and
Islamism.
Followers: about
14.8 million.
Hinduism
(Brahmanism):
India's main
religion. It is
known for its
caste system. It
followed Vedism
(primitive
religion known
by four
collections of
hymns - the
Vedas - between
1,400 B.C. and
the seventh
century B.C.).
It recognizes
the authority of
the Vedas. The
human being is
subject to
sansara
(succession of
lives and
rebirths),
governed by the
law of karma
(action and
reaction to any
good or bad
action).
Subsequently, it
incorporated the
ideal of
renunciation of
Buddhism.
Followers: 949
million.
Confucianism:
Dates from the
5th century B.C.
It was an
attempt to
establish rules
of behavior in a
hectic time of
the Chinese
world, where
several
principalities
mutually
destroyed
themselves.
Respect for
elders, love for
work well done,
and strict
morale - these
are the features
of Confucianism.
Followers: about
8.1 million.
Buddhism:
Religion born in
Asia, founded by
the Hindu prince
Siddhartha
Gautama, the
Buddha (560 to
480 BC).
Teachings:
everything is
transitory, the
reality is
mutable, and
there is nothing
in us of
metaphysical
reality. The
being is subject
to a cycle of
birth and death,
while the result
of karma
(action) is not
interrupted. The
existence is
subject to
misfortune,
manifests by
pain, disease,
and death. Has
the ideal of
renunciation.
The majority of
its followers
are concentrated
in Asia (about
494.9 million).
Shintoism:
Religion of
Japan, in which
the gods are the
personification
of the natural
forces and the
spirits of the
ancestors are
regarded as gods
too. From the
6th century
onwards, the
Buddhist
attached the
Shinto deities
to their
pantheon and
gradually formed
a syncretism. In
the 17th
century, new
Shintoism sects
refused any
compromise with
foreign
religions. In
the 19th
century, it
turned into a
kind of religion
of the State
(worship of the
emperor-god).
Followers: 2.7
million.
Christianity:
Group of
organized
religions based
on the person of
Jesus Christ,
and on the
writings
recording his
words and
thoughts.
Christianity was
born in Judea
and was
initially
widespread in
the East, and
after the death
of Jesus, the
Apostles
preached
Christianity in
the
Mediterranean.
Christianity, in
its origin a
sect derived
from Judaism, is
considered the
revealed
religion, i.e.
of divine
origin, but with
the difference
that Jesus, its
founder, was not
a mere
intermediary
between God and
Humanity, but
God himself.
There are 2.3
billion
Christians on
the planet.
Thus,
Christianity is
the religion
that has the
largest number
of followers in
the world.
Throughout
history,
Christianity was
divided into
three main
segments:
Catholic,
Protestant and
the Orthodox
Church, as well
as others such
as the Anglican
Church and the
creeds called
"Christianity
border" (groups
that are at the
intersection
between
Christianity and
another
doctrine, such
as the Adventist
Church, Mormons,
and Jehovah's
Witnesses).
Islamism:
is the Muslims'
religion and
civilization,
founded by
Muhammad, having
emerged in the
7th century, in
the Arabian
peninsula, and
it is the last
of the
monotheistic
religions.
Muhammad
received from
God the Qur'anic
revelation [The
Koran or Quran
and Hadith (the
Prophet's
tradition) form
the tradition,
the true
constitution
that serves as
an imperative
model for the
Muslims]. There
is no Muslim
clergy. The main
dogma of Islam
is the existence
of God (Allah),
the one Supreme
Being,
infinitely
perfect, creator
of the universe
and sovereign
judge of men.
For the Muslims,
Muhammad is the
envoy of Allah.
Followers: 1.5
billion.
Chinese folk
religions:
It is a group of
beliefs and
practices, which
include local
deities, and
Buddhist,
Confucian, and
Taoist elements.
Followers:
434,600.000.
Animism and
Shamanism:
They believe
that everything
that exists -
living beings,
inanimate
objects, places,
and even natural
phenomena - has
a soul.
Followers:
242,500.000.
Sikhism:
monotheistic
religion created
in the 15th
century in
India. It
appears due to a
dissidence of
Hinduism.
Followers: 24
million.
We also have
those who follow
no religion at
all and they
come to almost
813 million
people. As for
atheism - the
doctrine that
denies the
existence of any
deity and
dismisses the
idea of a divine
justification
for life - its
followers add
136.6 million.
One of the
arguments used
by atheists to
support their
position is the
supposed
incompatibility
of the
coexistence of
God and human
suffering.
(1)
Earth
Organization
- As we pointed
out earlier,
from time to
time missionary
Spirits arrive
at this planet,
with the
specific task of
building the
master columns
of the religion
that takes man
to God. All,
without
exception, state
that human
behavior - good
or bad - will
constantly be
the cause of the
approach or
withdrawal of
happiness.
Consistently,
these Peace
workers,
representing
Jesus - both
those who came
before and after
Him - waved the
banner of love
to God and
neighbor as the
main access
route to the
Celestial
Kingdom.
Jesus, speaking
to people who
followed a
dogmatic
religion, at the
time the Roman
Empire was still
the "master of
the world," He
could not say
things that
would make no
sense to people.
Examples? Let us
see some. Let us
begin by
remembering the
record about the
Master of
masters made
by the Spirit
Emmanuel in "The
Path of Light",
Chapter I,
p.17/18, 13th
Edition, 1985,
FEB, RJ/RJ :
Jesus helped to
organize Earth,
since when the
planet did not
exist. Indeed,
the Earth, some
4.5 billion
years ago, was
born from a
solar cloud. In
the beginning,
it did not have
a regular form.
As it attracted
a greater
quantity of
matter, it began
to take the
spherical shape.
Thus, we ask:
- When Jesus,
was here,
incarnate, was
He unaware of
the existence of
the American
continent, which
was discovered
15 centuries
later, becoming
the home to
millions of
Spirits?
(2)
- Press,
electricity,
aviation,
electronics,
atomic energy,
computers,
bioengineering,
and many other
scientific
advances: were
they or were
they not known
by Jesus?
No way! All
these issues
were necessarily
known by Christ.
But, how could
He announce them
at that time and
to those people?
How? What about
Spiritism?
With Jesus'
ability to
foresee what
would come ahead
(the future),
Jesus did
mention
Spiritism, which
he pedagogically
called the
future
"Consoler,"
according to
John's records
(14:15, 16, 17
and 26).
Allan Kardec
appears at the
right time and
the right place
(19th century
and France).
Allan Kardec was
the pseudonym
adopted by
Hippolyte Leon
Denizard Rivail.
He was an
eminent
pedagogue, who
did not wish to
use his
well-known, and
respected name
to support the
content of the
work published
at the time and
which was a
result of a
meticulous
coding of
information
received from
the Spirits:
"The Book of
Spirits," the
cornerstone of
the Doctrine of
the Spirits,
followed by
other works.
Spiritism shows
God's Love with
the irrefutable
logic of
reincarnation
and the Divine
Law of Action
and Reaction:
sufferings today
are the bitter
fruit of
misguided
planting
yesterday. Here
the sufferer
understands the
reason for his
suffering.
Moreover,
knowing that he
is in a
temporary
rescue, he
comforts himself
and aims at his
moral
reconstruction.
This is the
comforting
aspect of the
Doctrine of the
Spirits!
With the arrival
of Kardec,
Christ's
prediction was
fulfilled! "The
Consoler"
arrived on this
Earth. Indeed,
"The Gospel
According to
Spiritism," in
chapter six -
Christ the
Comforter - item
3, we find: "Spiritism
arrived in time,
to carry the
promise of
Christ, and the
Spirit of Truth
presides over
its foundation."
In "What is
Spiritism" (the
"Preamble")
Allan Kardec
defined
Spiritism and
commented:
- Spiritism is a
science that
deals with the
nature, origin,
and destiny of
Spirits, as well
as their
relationship
with the
corporeal world;
- (...)
Spiritism is at
the same time, a
science of
observation and
philosophical
doctrine. As a
practical
science, it has
its essence in
relationships
that can be
established with
the Spirits;
like a
philosophy, it
comprises all
the moral
consequences of
these relations;
In the Spiritist
Magazine of
December, 1968,
in a long
opening speech,
"Is Spiritism a
religion?" Allan
Kardec explained
what he thought
about the
matter. We chose
some notes on
pages 358 and
359:
- Spiritism
cannot be
considered a
"religion,"
since there is
no worship, no
sacerdotal
caste,
ceremonies, and
privileges, yet
it has a
distinct
religious
meaning when it
defines a moral
bond between
men, when it
unites them,
resulting from
community views
and feelings,
fraternity and
solidarity,
mutual
forbearance and
benevolence.
On "Posthumous
Works" (in
"Light Response
to Detractors of
Spiritism"), he
remarked:
- Spiritism is a
philosophical
doctrine of
religious
effects (...) it
goes to the
bases of all
religions: God,
soul, and
afterlife. But
it is not an
incorporated
religion, since
it lacks a cult
or ritual. It
has no temples
and among its
supporters, no
one was given
the title of
priest or high
priest.
Only by these
assumptions, we
can already see
that Spiritism
cannot be
mistaken with
other religions.
Although all
religions
(Judaism,
Catholicism,
Confucianism,
Protestantism,
Theosophy,
Esoteric
Buddhism,
Brahmanism,
etc.) are
spiritualists,
i.e. they accept
immortality of
the Spirit and
God's existence.
It also cannot
be mistaken with
those that: a)
accept
reincarnation;
b) in their
practices,
marked by
syncretism, they
exercise
mediumship.
As soon as
Brazil was
discovered, its
colonization
began. In this
case, "to
colonize" meant
the arrival of
the Portuguese
representatives.
And since the
one who gives
the orders needs
those to obey,
Portugal did not
think twice: for
three centuries,
it provided the
criminal
importation of
"obedient"
creatures
violently
brought from
Africa. It is in
"Historical
Statistics of
Brazil"/IBGE:
4,009,400 slaves
were brought to
Brazil between
1531 and 1855.
Terrifying!(To
be continued in
the next issue.)
Notes:
(1) The numbers
of followers of
different
religions, with
data from 2010,
were taken from
the 2013 APRIL
ALMANAC, p.130,
Year 39, Editora
Abril, SP/SP, at
page 132 is the
number of
Spiritists in
Brazil:
3,848,876,
according to the
2010/IBGE
Census.
(2) In both
American
continents,
today, there are
about 948.3
million of
embodied spirits
(page 344 of the
APRIL ALMANAC,
cited above).
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