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Cláudio
Bueno da
Silva |
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The Gospel:
a century
and a
half
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The good spirits
were always at
the side of
Allan Kardec, in
a close
connection and
mutual trust. We
could say that
they produced
together (from
1857 to 1869 ),
in perfect
harmony, the
whole basis set
of the Spiritist
Codification and
its books and
supplementary
texts. The
intensity of
this
relationship can
be found in the
text "Imitation
of the Gospel",
contained in
Part 2 of the
book
Posthumous Works
(translation by
Bezerra de
Menezes), where
the spirits
reveal to the
codifier: "Our
action,
especially that
of the Spirit of
the Truth, is
constant over
you, and from
it, you cannot
escape." In
another
translation of
the same passage
(by Guillon
Ribeiro ), one
sees the idea as
if reinforced by
another verb: "
Our action ,
especially that
of the Spirit of
Truth, is
constant around
you and such you
can not deny."
Interestingly
neither could he
"escape from"
the influence
nor " deny it".
As it was under
this inspiration
which never
failed him, that
Allan Kardec
organized The
Gospel According
to Spiritism,
leading to its
edition in 1864
, a revolution
in the
ecclesiastical
environment of
the time .
Allan Kardec
stated in the
book
Spiritist Travel
in 1862:
"The importance
of an idea can
measured by the
opposition that
it raises"¹.
This thought
came in handy at
the time. At the
time, the Church
still had too
much power and
influence. If
the clergy can
somehow accept
some principles
of The
Spirits' Book,
the same would
not happen in
relation to
those contained
in The Gospel
according to
Spiritism,
contrary to
those that
supported the
doctrine of the
Church. So much
so that the
spirits warned
Kardec to
prepare for the
fight which
would become
tougher and that
the difficulties
were about to
start.
Ideas that
bothered the
Church
After all, did
this book
present that
upset both the
clergy and the
Church so much?
Let us list
briefly some of
the ideas
contained in the
book of Kardec
and that
bothered the
clerical class.
In Chapter 1:
the alliance of
science with
religion,
hitherto
incompatible.
Allan Kardec
established that
science needs
the moral
standards of
religion, and
religion needs
science to
explain the
phenomena of
life, they must
go together. The
Church often
trod different
path not only
from science but
from the general
culture and from
the advancement
of ideas too.
In chapter 2:
the future life
unfolded in the
beyond in always
progressive
achievements of
the Spirit, as
opposed to the
eternal and the
contemplative
life sentences
concept, both
immobilising the
being.
In Chapter 4:
reincarnation as
a biological
law, instrument
of God's
justice, an
essential
condition for
the evolution of
the Spirit, a
concept denied
by the Church.
In Chapter 5:
universal and
democratic
concept of
"Without charity
there is no
salvation",
which nullifies
other
exclusionary
axioms such as,
for example,
"Outside the
Church there is
no salvation".
In Chapter 16:
to serve God and
not wealth, an
evangelical
orientation is
not always
followed by the
Christian
religions.
In Chapter 19:
reasoned faith
replacing blind
faith which
generates
unproductive
dogmas.
The entire
chapter 26,
"Give for free
what you receive
for free", which
addresses the
gift of
healing(mediumship),
the paid
prayers, the
gratuity of
gifts etc.
The affirmation
of Jesus as son
of God and his
divine mission
as opposed to
the idea of the
Trinity: Father,
Son and Holy
Spirit.
These and many
other concepts,
now fully
accessible to
modern
intelligence,
were studied by
Allan Kardec and
added to the
information from
the higher
realms spirits,
constituted in
The Gospel
according to
Spiritism, a
practical and
accessible guide
to human
actions.
The Spirits talk
about the work
Allan Kardec
states in the
introduction
part of this
book, that he
chose to expose
only the part
referring to the
moral teaching
of Jesus, which,
in his words,
"It is the
common ground on
which all
religious cults
can be meet
together." He
also says: "For
men in
particular, is a
rule of conduct,
which covers all
circumstances of
private and
public life, the
principle of all
social
relations, based
on the most
rigorous
justice. It is,
finally, the
sure way to
conquer
happiness. "
The spirits also
spoke about the
work: "This book
of the doctrine
will have
considerable
influence,
because it
explains issues
of major
interest. Not
only will the
religious world,
but also
nations, will
find in it the
maxims they
need. In their
practical life,
they will get
excellent
instructions
from it."
Through these
observations one
can glimpse the
role that The
Gospel according
to Spiritism
would play
alongside
humanity in the
construction of
the regenerated
world. Still
talking about
it, the spirits
conclude: "You
have done very
well in
addressing the
issues of high
moral practice
from the
standpoint of
general
interests,
social interests
and religious
interests.
Doubt needs to
be destroyed.
"
What doubt they
are referring
to?
I think Allan
Kardec clarified
this doubt to
the extent that
it served two
purposes.The
first one: when
he proposed to
write the
Gospel
emphasizing the
moral teachings
of Jesus in an
explained
manner, free
from ancillary
questions
regarding the
Master's life
which has always
provoked
discussions and
religious
disputes, he
intended that
this work became
an universal
manual for use
by all, without
distinction of
worship, and
that it
contributed
objectively to
the moral
transformation
of humanity.
He himself
justifies the
production of
the book with
those
characteristics,
writing in its
introduction
section a true
and courageous
statement:
"Everyone
admires the
Gospel morality,
all proclaim its
sublimity and
its need"
(...)"But few
know the
background, and
fewer still
understand and
know how to
realise
implications
from it. The
reason is, in
large part, due
to the
difficulties
presented by
reading of the
Gospel,
unintelligible
to most. The
allegorical
form, the
intentional
mysticism of the
language, makes
most to read it
only for the
sake of
conscience and
duty. "
This problem
continues until
today with the
adherents of
Christian
religions that
embrace the
Bible as a
guide. Many are
happy to just
accept the
traditions and
repeat
proverbial
maxims without
penetrating into
the "spirit" of
teaching. Many
others strive to
study, but
cannot figure
out the meaning
of the whole,
because they
lack the key
that Spiritism
brings.
Allan Kardec
thus rendered a
great service to
humanity when
produced The
Gospel According
to Spiritism in
a clear and
understandable
way. This was,
in my view, the
first purpose of
Kardec: to make
the teaching of
Christ intimate
and pleasing to
men on earth.
The second
purpose of
Kardec, and most
important one,
was to restore
the original
meaning of the
Gospels.
Rescuing the
Gospel,
still alive,
from the rubbles
to which was
launched to the
ignominy and
human
impudence.
Reason for the
Promisse
Spiritism is a
brief history of
Christianity, a
movement which
began with
Moses, widened
with Jesus and
ended with
Spiritism. As
the central
figure and
coordinator of
this process to
lead mankind
through the
paths of
spiritualization,
Jesus knew that
men, by
immaturity,
would not
understand
enough and would
eventually end
up despising and
misrepresenting
his teachings,
mixing with them
elements of the
pagan world and
Judaism, besides
the deliberate
omission and
interpolations
applied over
time, according
to certain
interests.Christianity
was disfigured.
Precisely for
this reason that
Jesus promised
to send, as we
read in John 14:
15-17; 26, a
Consoler that
"will teach you
all things and
bring to your
remembrance all
that I said to
you": the Spirit
of Truth. This
Consoler came to
restore the
denatured truth
and to complete
his teachings,
not in the sense
of adding new
truths, but
meaning to
explain and to
develop what
there is in
seedling:
reincarnation,
the plurality of
worlds, the
prior and the
survival of the
soul, the future
life, the
penalties and
rewards or
divine justice,
mediumship and
relations
between the two
worlds.
And, so, Allan
Kardec
cooperated in
the fulfillment
of the promise
made by Jesus to
send another
Consoler.
However, Why a
Consoler?
Chapter 5 -
"Blessed are the
afflicted" - it
is, by no
accident, the
longest of the
book and it
illustrates very
well the human
need for
consolation.
Jesus predicted
that men would
need
consolation,
since they would
not find
satisfaction
within the
beliefs they
would adopt.
Allan Kardec in
"Characters
of the Spiritist
revelation,"
explains this by
saying: “Because
it is to the
disinherited,
more than to
happy ones of
the world, that
Spiritism speaks
to" (...) "When
the poor are
sick and
Consoler is the
medic. "
Besides
consolation to
human
afflictions, the
Consoler has
brought hope to
man. What
doctrine, what
religion, that
philosophy, but
Spiritism can
bring so much
faith in God and
hope in the
future?
The Gospel
according to
Spiritism is
an educational
roadmap for the
Spirit. In that
sense,
consolation and
hope indicate
that man should
become morally
correct and
outline
development
plans from the
present time.
Spiritism
therefore having
science as an
ally, is the key
to understand
the words of the
Gospel and to
give them a
practical goal
of high interest
for humanity.
The Brewing of
Ideas
Herculano Pires,
in his book of
chronicles
entitled The
mystery of good
and evil,
uses the Gospel
image of the
yeast which is
mixed to the
flour for the
dough to rise,
comparing this
chemical action
to the action of
the Christian
ideas that
fermented and
changed the
social structure
of ancient
process and
which continues
acting.
Herculano Pires
states that in
relation to
ideas, similar
fact will occur
with Spiritism.
The ferment of
spiritist ideas
since 1857 is
mixed to the
dough and will
produce
ideological
changes in the
world, until the
true Christian
civilization is
implanted in the
whole earth.
Chain Reaction
The laws of duty
and brotherhood
lead the
spiritualised
men who inhabit
the earth to act
individually or
in groups, and
in a chain
reaction, they
will propose new
ways of living
to the masses,
both in the
physical and
mental realms;
the will go on
exemplifying
love in many
manifestations,
spreading
spiritualist
concepts and
thereby building
a different
mentality in the
world. Thus, the
influence of
renovating and
humanitarian
forces will be
expanding and
gaining
adhesions.
Meanwhile chaos,
disorder,
indiscipline
reigns and few
are willing to
listen, let
alone to think
about ethical
and moral
standards, but
the divine force
of progress,
driven by higher
spiritual
spheres which
have always been
relating to
Earth, acts
incessantly in
sense of put
humanity forward
to a new stage
of life, a more
orderly,
peaceful and
advanced stage.
Once the
energies of
materiality are
exhausted, which
are responsible
for leading men
to exhaustion,
men in turn,
will turn
themselves to
what can console
them and give
them hope.
The Action of
Spiritism
So in this more
prepared
environment, the
time will come
in which
Spiritism will
act consistently
about humanity,
speaking
directly to the
Spirit. The
Gospel will have
leavened the
dough, which
grew to feed the
hungry ones
of the world.
The Gospel
will continue
leading, through
the centuries,
the stragglers
who are willing
to "see and
hear".
The fact that
Christianity has
survived to our
days, now
dressed in the
garb of
Spiritism,
despite
opposition
suffered at all
times, is a
great victory of
Jesus. But
Christianity is
a process still
in development
and we believe
that it will
conclude when we
implant the
kingdom of God
on earth and
worship Him "in
spirit and
truth."
The need to talk
about Jesus and
to disseminate
his Gospel
A good part of
men and spirits
has not yet
approached the
truths of the
Gospel; nor have
they yet
reflected on the
advice of Jesus,
our pure
brother; many
have not
realized the
importance of
life in the body
for the
evolution of the
Spirit. Hence,
the need to talk
about Jesus and
his Gospel today
and to promote
the great
revelation that
Spiritism
brings. We need
to give daily
witness of "love
one another",
working
tirelessly for
the
implementation
of the
regeneration
process on
Earth.
Allan Kardec
brought the
Gospel to all of
us, and made us
see that the
lessons of Jesus
are not to be
lived only in
churches,
temples, the
spiritist
centres, in
religious
circles, but in
all places and
times in our
lives; after
all, good
example, good
thought, good
word, charity,
tolerance, and
many other
virtues that
Jesus taught,
fit anywhere and
at any time.
Gospel according
to Spiritism
is a special
book, but not
sacred. The
concept of the
sacred book is
not prevalent
among spiritists.
A Spiritist
drinks the
knowledge in
order to put it
into action, to
the benefit of
general progress
and for their
own advancement.
"A true
spiritist can be
recognised by
the effort in
improving
himself”, Allan
Kardec states.
So let us be
true spiritists,
true
Christians. We
are not lacking
in resources for
this.
¹ Kardec, Allan,
"Particular
Instructions
given groups in
response to some
of the proposed
questions.”
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