Tolerance is not complicity

Tolerance is not complicity

 

Marco Milani

 

It is, therefore, the duty of all sincere and devoted Spiritists to openly repudiate and disapprove, in their name, any kind of abuse that could compromise it (Spiritist Doctrine), in order not to assume responsibility for them. To condone abuses would be to become an accomplice and provide weapons to adversaries. Allan Kardec, Revue Spirite, June/1865 - New tactics of the adversaries of Spiritism.

 

If the imperfections of a person only harm themselves, there is no usefulness in divulging them. However, if they can cause harm to others, preference should be given to the interest of the greater number. Depending on the circumstances, exposing hypocrisy and lies may constitute a duty, for it is better that one person falls than many become their victims. In such cases, the sum of advantages and disadvantages must be weighed. St. Louis (Paris, 1860). The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter X, item 21

 

Misunderstood charity leads to silence and passivity in the face of unjust and abusive situations. Under the pretext of indulgence or tolerance, a frank and friendly word remains unspoken, and an opportunity for clarification and assistance to others is wasted. Inaction allows events to unfold, often resulting in undesirable outcomes, and anyone who had the option to correct or alert others to the mistakes but chose to remain silent is also responsible for the respective consequences.

By studying the doctrinal principles and values presented by Allan Kardec, we begin to understand the Spiritist worldview, which encourages the search for rational answers to all questions that afflict humanity, from existential matters that have always troubled humankind (who we are, where we come from, and where we are going) to those directly related to individual experiences in daily life.

Unlike monolithic religions based on unquestionable truths, Spiritism is structured on the premise of evolving ideas through the verification of facts, elegantly and soberly combining the knowledge revealed by disembodied beings with empirical knowledge. However, the dynamic nature of Spiritist doctrine requires a critical stance and coherent positioning from its followers.

The commitment of a Spiritist is, therefore, not only to their own spiritual development, achieved through the improvement of moral and intellectual aspects, but also to the very doctrine they claim to profess, as they become an example and reference.

In our current evolutionary stage, we are all still learning from one another, and it is foolish to expect perfection from anyone. However, since we are in direct relationship with various individuals and have the opportunity to contribute to doctrinal clarification when the subject under discussion is Spiritism and its principles, it is our duty to practice this act of charity whenever possible.

Naturally, enlightenment should be based on respect and a sincere desire to help. In a Spiritist center or any social environment (including virtual ones), we come into contact with people of different profiles and life experiences, but all supposedly share the doctrinal bond and the intention of spiritual progress. When confronted with any conceptual or practical inconsistency that deviates from Spiritist principles, it is up to us to determine the best way to contribute to the clarification and resolution of the problems arising from the situation. Common sense, coherence, and charity should prevail over rudeness and humiliation. Likewise, silence should not be used if other people may be harmed by confusing information or inappropriate behaviors, as tolerance may then turn into complicity.

Getting to Know and Participating in the Spiritist Center: Responsibility and Charity

 

Getting to Know and Participating in the Spiritist Center: Responsibility and Charity

 

Marco Milani

 

There are several ways to practice charity in a Spiritist center, and some of the most important ones involve accompanying and voluntarily participating in the administrative activities of the institution. Without committed collaborators ensuring the proper management of the Spiritist center, its work can be hindered, and the center may cease to function. In essence, a Spiritist center cannot exist without administrative teams and individuals engaged in overseeing the quality and operation of activities.

Depending on the complexity of the institution, there are expected to be different positions and work functions duly coordinated and governed by internal and external rules and regulations. According to the legal characteristics of the Spiritist center, its bylaws establish the existence of hierarchically defined administrative bodies. In general, the highest governing body of an institution is the assembly of members, which meets infrequently throughout the year, both ordinarily and extraordinarily, to discuss and approve strategic and relevant operational matters. For example, this assembly has the power to amend the bylaws and mission of the center.

In the hierarchy of powers, many institutions have a board of directors (or deliberative, advisory, cooperative, among other designations). The bylaws determine the functions and responsibilities of this body, which tends to be, after the assembly of members, the most significant in the hierarchy of powers. Its members are elected for a defined period and are responsible for discussing and approving various strategic matters. Among other responsibilities, the board monitors and supervises the work of the executive board, which is another administrative body of the institution. The board has the power to elect and dismiss all members of the executive board (president and other directors).

It is the bylaws that define the structure and responsibilities of the executive board, which is responsible for the operational functions of the center and is accountable to the other bodies.

Thus, the most important figures in a Spiritist center are its volunteers, with emphasis on those who participate in the administrative bodies, responsible for safeguarding and fulfilling the institutional mission and objectives.

Usually, in order to work in an administrative body, the collaborator must already be actively involved in other activities of the center, so it is a task that will be reconciled with existing ones. In addition to a solid doctrinal foundation, it is recommended that these workers have related managerial experience and possess related technical knowledge. Ethics and common sense are more than desired.

It is expected that every volunteer contributes to the strengthening and smooth functioning of the Spiritist institution that offers them opportunities for personal development, and therefore, membership is an effective way to act in this regard. As a member, the volunteer has responsibilities and rights within the institution.

Fortunately, the majority of volunteers understand the importance of active participation in the association and directly contribute to the center. Unfortunately, some still use phrases like "I don't want to get involved in politics" or "I just come to do my little task and leave without knowing anything" or even "I work for Jesus, not for the center" to justify their non-membership or lack of interest in accompanying the administrative needs of the Spiritist center. Each person practices charity in the way they can and know.

To the workers concerned with the good management of the institution in which they participate, I extend an invitation to join, get to know, and accompany how the center is administered and, if possible, participate in some administrative body. Despite the inevitable challenges present in any human relationship, it is a valuable opportunity for self-improvement and an act of charity and respect for others.

The Syndrome of Sheep in Search of a Shepherd

 

The Syndrome of Sheep in Search of a Shepherd

 

Marco Milani

 

        The behavior of an individual reflects many conditioning factors developed throughout their own history. From the perspective of Spiritism, we understand that we are immortal beings experiencing evolutionary opportunities to achieve the relative perfection to which we are susceptible. In this sense, we are experiencing situations that will allow us to exercise our intelligence and develop moral aspects, enabling us to know ourselves and understand the reality in which we live, whether we are incarnate or disincarnate. We also know that we are naturally attracted to and attract these situations, in which it is our responsibility to act according to our own knowledge and sense of responsibility.

        Spiritism provides us with an understanding of this evolutionary process and represents progress for humanity in overcoming mystical and irrational conditioning that distorts the perception of reality. The relationships between the physical and spiritual worlds are presented with lucidity and clarity that can surprise those who still appreciate secrets and mysteries typical of past cultural traditions. Spiritism revolutionizes with its rationality and frees consciousness from magical and illusory thinking. However, such overcoming requires individual effort, and it should not be expected that everyone will progress equally. The atavism manifested in some followers who still struggle to free themselves from practices and attitudes recognized as ineffective and without any validity in relationships between incarnate and disincarnate beings or even with God is a fact.

        The progressive march will make everyone advance, but each at their own pace. However, this does not mean that atavistic behavior should be encouraged. On the contrary, it should be respectfully clarified and encouraged to be overcome, and it was precisely in this direction that Kardec and the Spirits who structured the theoretical body of Spiritism acted.

        While on one hand, religious proposals emphasized the need for relevant ethical standards, on the other hand, the conditioning resulting from centuries of training, mysticism, and religious oppression still resonate in a large part of humanity. A striking characteristic of this behavior is fear, submission, and the notion of exchange with the sacred. Certainly, those who claimed to represent God, Jesus, or hidden forces on Earth contributed to the pacification of entire communities and the creation of a dependent relationship with apparently enlightened intermediaries who would intercede on behalf of followers. This dependence on intermediaries or practices supposedly related to the Divine and the mysterious still leads many to seek someone or an institution to place their hopes in, in search of salvation or fulfillment of their desires. They adopt the behavior of sheep in search of a shepherd to guide and provide for them.

        Specifically in Brazil, a country with a Catholic tradition and syncretic influence from different religious denominations, it is understandable that many come to the Spiritist center expressing salvational desires and a strong dependence on intermediaries with the invisible realm. When they come to know and study Spiritism, they encounter an innovative logic for the majority, in which each individual is responsible for their own salvation without depending on the intervention of any person or having to follow rituals, interpret symbols, contribute tithes, or adopt external practices.

        The syndrome of sheep can still manifest in many Spiritist followers, but as they become aware that they were born to be shepherds of themselves, they begin to reduce their dependence on supposed soul guides and increase their self-confidence in pursuit of their own spiritual fulfillment.

Summary of Key Points in Spiritism

 

Summary of Key Points in Spiritism

 

The topics and comments presented below are based on item VI - Introduction, from The Spirits' Book (by Allan Kardec)

  

1) God is the Supreme Intelligence and Primary Cause of all things. God is eternal, immutable, immaterial, unique, all-powerful, sovereignly just and good.

 

2) As the primary cause, God created the Universe, which comprises only two elements: spiritual and material.

 

Note: The dualism (spirit vs. matter) is highlighted, and it is emphasized that God is not confused with His works, as He is not an element of the Whole. The pantheistic view, where everything would be part of God, is rejected.

 

3) The spirit world, constituted by immaterial beings, is the world that preexists and survives everything. The material world (or corporal world) is secondary and could cease to exist or never have existed without altering the essence of the spirit world.

 

Note: The independence of the invisible world from the visible world is reinforced, thus acknowledging the existence of interconnection and interaction, but with the material world being secondary. Physical theories such as the Big Bang do not explain the emergence of the invisible world, as it is independent of the corporeal.

 

4) The incarnate human being is composed of: a) body; b) soul or immaterial being; and c) perispirit or the bond that connects the soul to the body.

 

5) The Spirit is not an abstract being, as seen in the general elements of the Universe, and presents itself in different evolutionary classes, ranging from the most primitive to those formed by Spirits who have already reached the perfection of which they are susceptible.

 

6) To attain perfection, the Spirit must undergo various incarnations on Earth and other worlds. The speed of progress depends on their efforts. The soul had its individuality before reincarnation and retains it after the separation from the body. The Spirit never regresses, so it could not reincarnate in the bodies of irrational animals, for example.

 

7) Wandering Spirits do not occupy a specific and circumscribed region; they are everywhere.

 

8) Spirits exert an incessant action on the moral and physical worlds. They act upon matter and thought, constituting one of the forces of Nature, the efficient cause of numerous phenomena that the laws of matter cannot explain, and Spiritism provides a rational explanation.

 

9) The relationship between Spirits and humans is constant. Good Spirits assist and motivate us towards good deeds, while evil Spirits incite us towards evil.

 

10) Communications from Spirits to humans can be hidden or ostensive and can be either good or bad.

 

11) Spirits manifest spontaneously or through evocation. All Spirits can be evoked, but they are attracted based on their sympathy for the moral nature of the environment that evokes them.

 

12) The morality of superior Spirits can be summarized, like Christ's, in the maxim "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

 

13) Selfishness, pride, and sensuality are passions that bring us closer to animal nature and keep us tied to matter.

 

14) There are no unforgivable sins that cannot be expiated. In different existences, man finds the means that allow him to progress according to his desires and efforts on the path of progress and towards the perfection that is his ultimate goal.

Artificial Intelligence and Spiritist Knowledge

 

Artificial Intelligence and Spiritist Knowledge

 

Marco Milani

 

Text published in Revista Dirigente Espírita, ed. 195, May/June 2023, p. 28

 

Technologies that employ artificial intelligence have been gaining increasing visibility, primarily due to the popularization of applications such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, D-ID, Dall-E 2, and Tome, among others.

All of these tools facilitate the creation of texts and images on a wide range of subjects, offering content with significant informational databases.

One of these subjects is Spiritism, whose doctrinal knowledge can be approached from different perspectives and applications, from the elaboration of texts involving questions about Spiritist principles and values, to the depiction of characters from its history and even the simulation of mediumistic messages.[1]

While, on one hand, these technologies open up excellent opportunities to be explored, including for the study of doctrinal aspects and the promotion of reflection on the topics addressed, on the other hand, the content made available requires great care regarding its veracity, as the precision level of these tools still needs improvement.

Certainly, some speakers, lecturers, and writers may feel attracted to using texts and images provided by these tools in order to prepare classes, lectures, and articles, as the obtained information may seem useful and interesting, but they should not be used without proper critical analysis and verification of their authenticity. There is a risk of disseminating false, doubtful, or even biased information, as the programming of these tools follows guidelines formulated by humans, and the companies themselves alert their users to possible inaccuracies.

A legal aspect currently under discussion is the issue of copyright for texts and images produced by these technologies, which is why citing the source of the information remains an important ethical and legal element in these productions.

While emphasizing these necessary procedures regarding the integrity of the content, the application of artificial intelligence in the dissemination of knowledge is more than just a mere trend. It represents an advancement in the modalities of access and application of available information, but it never replaces human critical thinking.

In the very near future, a holographic image of Allan Kardec explaining what Spiritism is and engaging in conversations with anyone who wants to ask him something about complex philosophical topics or everyday matters is predicted. It is up to individuals to apply what the true Kardec and the Spirits have taught: reasoned faith.

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[1] See, for example, simulations conducted by ChatGPT at https://correio.news/especial/mensagens-mediunicas-podem-ser-simuladas-por-inteligencia-artificial

 

Eschatological Predictions and Spiritism

 

Eschatological predictions and Spiritism

 

Marco Milani

 

Text published in Revista Dirigente Espírita, ed. 195, May / Jun 2023, p. 11-12

 

Eschatological predictions are those that refer to the end of times and the fate of humanity and the world. These predictions have been a subject of discussion for centuries and are found in various religious and philosophical traditions.

One of the most well-known eschatological predictions is the biblical Apocalypse, which a series of events that will occur at the end of times, including wars and natural disasters. From the Catholic and Islamic perspectives, there will be a Day of Judgment in wich the righteous will be taken to Heaven or Paradise, while the wicked will be condemned to Hell.

In Hindu philosophy, the most popular eschatological prediction is the end of the Kali Yuga, which is the current age of disorder and suffering according to the Hindu calendar. This age will also be marked by disasters and conflicts, but followed by a period of renewal and rebirth.

Many predictions made throughout history about the end of times or the beginning of a new era often coincided with emblematic dates, such as in the years 800, 1000, 1500, 1600, 1800 and 2000, or specific dates like 1260 , 1533, 1892, 1901 and 1982, among others. In the last decade, the most popular ones were 2012, associated with the Mayan calendar, and 2019, attributed to the Brazilian medium Francisco Cândido Xavier and became known as “deadline” considering its purpose of warning humanity about the need for change in attitudes.

But are there eschatological predictions in Spiritism?

Allan Kardec, in item 16 of chapter XVI of the book The Genesis, expresses himself as follow:

 

“[...] wise Spirits never predict anything at fixed times, limiting themselves to warning us about the sequence of events that may be useful for us to know. Insisting on obtaining precise details exposes to the deceptions of frivolous Spirits who predict whatever one wants, without concern for the truth, amusing themselves with the terrors and disappointments they cause.” (KARDEC, 2022)

 

From the Spiritist perspective, the evolutionary process allows predicting that the destiny of the Spirit is its full self-realization reaching the highest degree of spiritual purity without further need for reincarnation. Since its creation, the Intelligent Principle follows a trajectory unknown to us in its details, but with the certainty that its development is not limited to a planet or era. Therefore Earth is just an opportunity for incarnation. In this sense, any prediction about a new era assumes a much more symbolic meaning than an objective one.

Concluding the book The Genesis, chapter 18 is entitled “The times have come” and signals  a representative stage of moral improvement of the Spirit, which will reflect in social habits and customs. Thus, collectively, a predominance of attitudes more consistent with the practice of good will be noticed, in contrast to previous periods marked more intensely by selfishness and pride. This does not mean that this period of transformation is the same for all beings, as free will and individual efforts will determine the moral conditions of each one.

The planet progresses physically through geological transformations and the intelligent actions of humans, and morally through the purification of incarnate and discarnated individuals who populate it.

All worlds are interconnected, and as long as the Spirit needs to reincarnate, it will occupy those that are most suitable for it in the Universe, according to the level of moral and intellectual development it finds itself in. If we are on Earth today, it does not necessarily mean that we were here in previous incarnations or that we will be here in the next.

Astronomical studies estimate the end of human existence on this planet to occur in 1.6 billion Years, when the increase in temperature caused by the expansion of the Sun will make terrestrial life unviable. It is a factual and objective prediction.

Considering the immortality of the being, magnitudes like millions, billions, or trillions of years cease to have the same meaning in the realm of erraticity. According to question number 224 from The Spirits’ Book, the interval between incarnations can last from a few hours to a few thousand centuries (KARDEC 1998).

For the Spirit, the natural collapse of the conditions for organic life on this world will not interrupt its evolutionary trajectory in the Universe. What matters to us is to do good wherever we may be.

 

References

KARDEC, A. A gênese: os milagres e as predições segundo o Espiritismo. Tradução da 4ª edição francesa. São Paulo: USE, 2022.

KARDEC, A. O livro dos Espíritos. São Paulo: EME, 1998