Edson Ramos de
Siqueira:
“To cut out meat
from our diet is
an act of
non-violence”
The author of
the book
Alimentação e
Evolução
Espiritual
(Eating Habits
and Spiritual
Development)
discusses in
this interview
the implications
for human beings
of eating meat
|
Edson Ramos
Siqueira (photo),
an Agricultural
Engineer and
lecturer at the
UNESP university
in the Brazilian
city of Botucatu
since 1980, has
been a Spiritist
since 1993. He
is a member of
two Spiritist
Centres in
Botucatu, in the
state of São
Paulo. He has
published
recently a book
focusing on
animals from a
Spiritist
perspective –
Alimen-
|
tação e Evolução
Espiritual
(Eating Habits
and Spiritual
Development).
His explanations
shed light on
this issue,
including human
eating habits. |
How did you
become
interested in
animal issues?
In my
profession, I
learned from
experience that
other animals
are sencient as
human beings
are. They can
feel pleasure,
pain, happiness
and sadness. And
modern science
has proven that
all animals have
that capacity.
But there is a
more intriguing
finding, which
is very recent:
other animals
also have
conscience. I
was learning at
the same time
that all Spirits
are created
simple and
ignorant. They
reincarnate in
different
kingdoms and
they are all
destined to
perfection.
Those are,
therefore, our
little brothers
and sisters. To
ingest their
remains is one
of the most
primitive habits
human beings
still have. It
is a cultural
habit rooted in
our unconscious,
but something
that will need
to change, as
such practice
will be
unthinkable when
the earth
upgrades from a
world of Trials
and Tribulations
into a planet of
Regeneration.
What is your
assessment of
the human
approach towards
animals,
including eating
meat?
Even those who
have awakened to
vegetarianism
should not
criticise those
who still eat
meat. Human
society is
inundated with
information
associating the
consumption of
meat to perfect
physical health.
That can be
changed, as
Medical and
Nutritional
sciences have
already proved
that is not
true. Humankind
continues to be
fooled. Economic
power and blind
faith get
together to
create the
impression that
things should be
as they are. The
media portrays
meat as though
it came from
flowerbeds.
Others say the
Bible authorises
the mass murder.
Changes are
already taking
place, but
evolution will
only come
through
education. And
Spiritism has a
crucial part to
play in that
educational
process. This
issue needs to
be discussed
more frequently
in Spiritist
Groups as
Spiritism is
clear about the
spiritual
reality of
animals. To cut
out meat from
our diet is an
act of
non-violence and
therefore, an
act of spiritual
development.
From your
research about
how Spiritism
deals with this
issue, what
would you like
to highlight?
Many brothers
and sisters say
there is nothing
clear in
Spiritism about
eating meat.
What really drew
my attention
when I was
researching for
my book was
finding clear
information
about animals in
the work of the
main Spiritist
authors,
starting by
Allan Kardec (in
The Spirits’
Book and
Genesis
mainly). I must
say, however,
that Kardec
dealt with this
subject in a
veiled, careful
way. After all,
he lived in an
era when people
questioned
whether women
had a soul. In
such times, how
would you expect
him to be clear
about the issue
of the soul of
other animals?
Everything comes
at the right
time. But one
thing we must be
sure of: at
least the
process of
questioning the
habit of eating
meat must begin
urgently.
What is your
assessment of
how people look
into this
issue?
The absolute
majority of
Humankind is
completely
unaware of the
process of
origin and
development of
Spirits on
Earth. Science
has not as yet
been able to put
together the
factors that
explain the true
nature of life,
with its process
of multiple
incarnations. It
does not
understand that
the physical
body is a mere
educational tool
that enables us
to learn during
our time on the
planet. A tiny
minority is able
to understand
what life really
is about. And
Spiritists are
part of that
minority. We can
no longer say
that we did not
know that
Spiritis begin
their journey of
Spiritual
evolution from
the simplest of
animals and that
they go up
through the
whole scale
until reaching
the level of
human beings.
And then it
progresses
morally and
intellectually
until it reaches
Divinity.
Is there
anything from
your experiences
that you would
like to share
with us?
A defining
experience for
me was, as part
of my
profession, to
have been often
to slaughter
yards. I could
see there
clearly the
inhumanity of
the slaughtering
process and the
suffering our
little brothers
and sisters go
through. I could
also feel the
heavy, low
energy that
circulates in
such places.
Less developed
Spirits gather
in such places
to try to suck
out the vital
fluid released
by the mass
murder of
animals, in what
André Luiz
(through the
mediumship of
Chico Xavier)
called the
industry of
death. So, when
I write and talk
about this
subject, I refer
to a sad reality
that I had the
opportunity to
feel.
Is there
anything you
would like to
add?
We know that the
Earth is going
through an
important phase
of transition
into a world of
Regeneration.
Such transition
demands profound
Spiritual
transformations,
which include
behavioural
changes. We need
to emerge from
the depths of
the ocean of
illusions and
open our hearts
and minds to the
reality of the
Spirit’s life in
the universe.
There is no more
room for
Spiritual
inertia for
those who have
access to the
clear
information
provided by
Spiritism and to
the scientific
information
produced on this
planet. Among
the behavioural
changes we need
to put into
practice is
cutting out meat
from our menu.
The Christian
principle of
loving other
people like we
love ourselves
clashes with the
idea of killing
in order to
satisfy our
archaic
gastronomic
wishes. We
should not,
however, nurture
a guilty
feeling, as meat
is a cultural
and ancient part
of our diet. But
the moment has
come to carry
out some deep
reflection; so
that once the
change comes it
occurs naturally
and it comes
from inside.