Introduction
Spiritism is described as the belief held by some people that human beings are connected with spirits and that they continue communicating with them even after death. This means that there is a medium through which the living and the dead communicate or a psychic. Those who believe in Spiritism base their argument on reasons that are at times very hard to comprehend. According to these beliefs, death merely presents a breakup of the wavelength of communication.
The medium of communication here is believed to function in extreme radiations or frequencies that cannot be sensed by normal people alive. In this regard, it is believed that communication coming from the other side of the veil, the spirit world, becomes manifest to the living in psychical phenomena, for instance, trance talks, telepathy, and clairvoyance. At times the communication can be in terms of physical occurrences like automatic writings, ectoplasmic activities, and levitation or poltergeist.
Allan Kardec Description
Spiritism is a unique concept in humanity and Allan described it as a science that focuses on exploring the relationship between incorporeal beings and living people. Hence some spiritists view themselves as not subscribing to ant religion but only to a certain doctrine that has a scientific pivot and moral teachings (Kardec,1996, p. 67). Yet other spiritists do not view it as a big issue embracing the belief as a religion anyway (Olasky, 1992, p. para. 3).
Accordingly, Spiritism has described in this perspective a message of love and eternal life in the effort to seek self-improvement which is to be achieved in harmony with all other existences of creation. Spiritism comprises doctrines that are characterized by a compilation of principles and rules that are communicated to people by superior spirits (Kardec, 1987, p. 38).
Kardec Allan elaborates on some crucial principles that describe spiritualism as a doctrine. These principles include:
- Believing that spirits exist amongst people but live in the spirit worlds that are also invisible (Kardec & Duncan, 2004, p.13).
- There is communication between these spirits and the living through some medium
There is also a very distinct difference between spiritual and spiritist. Spiritualism describes a phenomenon that is opposite to materialism (Spiritualism, 2009, para. 4). This means that the belief behind the concept is that there is something though does not necessarily conform to this belief. Spiritualism holds very strong beliefs of talking or receiving messages from the spirits. The background of Spiritism dates back to the 1800s spiritualist movement (Vasconcelos, 2010, p.608).
The movement in an actual sense opposed materialism. Spiritism and spiritualist churches based their doctrine on similar doctrine only that as a religion, spiritualist does not emphasize on the reincarnation doctrine as a major precept of the faith. Some believe in it while others do not (Vasconcelos, 2010, p.608). Spiritist strongly believes in reincarnation and it’s, therefore, a major tent of the doctrine.
Nature of Spiritism
Since Spiritism is described as the relationship that exists between spirits and human beings, it detaches itself from any kind of religion but rather adheres to philosophical canon (Olasky, 1992, p. para. 3). Spiritists also believe in Karma and God whom they believe is the ultimate cause of everything that happens in the world. Their doctrine teaches that God is natural and a pertinent aspect of the spiritist paradigm.
Kardec portends that spiritist practice is similar to the teachings of Jesus Christ (Kardec, 1996, p. 67). He is also seen as the guide for all humanity and a model for perfect beings. His teachings show the highest level of purity expressions of what God demands of the people. The morality of Jesus is an indisputable guide for humanity’s progression and exercising it will offer solutions to the problems facing humanity (Kardec, 1996, p. 67). Other examples like Mahatma Gandhi, Budhha, and even Apostle Paul are just considered spiritist as far as the doctrine goes.
Spiritist Teachings
Spiritists believe that there is a supreme being who is God. He is in charge of the universe and offers ‘light’ to the world. It does not recognize organized religions (Kardec, 1987, p. 38). The doctrine claims that the advent of organized religion came about because people were not able to read and therefore they needed intelligent people to read and teach them God’s laws (Olasky, 1992, p. para. 3). Today, since many people are now literate and modern communication is much better, a religion that is organized is not very necessary. Some people believe that human beings live for so long on earth and then go to another planet when they reincarnate.
Spirits also teaches that Christianity is a true religion but insists that the Christian churches are no more. They regard them as being dead as they lack the spirit of truth or the spirit of God. People can now get these truths by themselves and learn to live a worthy life. The teachings show that Judaism and Christianity are God’s only ways of making revelation to man (Vasconcelos, 2010, p.608). The message has been communicated by prophets and seers since the foundation of the world.
Accordingly, the teachings of spirits suggest that there is no need for having pastors to preach around. People can read and get the revelation by themselves. If not, then those able to read can read scriptures to those who don’t know. According to top Karma, whatever a person does, he shall get equal repercussion (Kardec & Duncan, 2004, p.13). The doctrine also holds that when people die, they go to the spirit world (astral) where they await their re-incarnation. Spiritism is seen to address a lot of controversial subjects that are not clarified in the bible, for instance, abortion, war, and homosexuality and so on.
Catholicism and Spiritism
For quite some time, catholic have often been accused of exercising Spiritism. At some point in the 1970s, there was so much confusion that even some Catholics started considering themselves are catholic-spiritist. Father Bamonte Francesco who carries the exorcism practice helps to elaborate on the issue. He explains the types of damages, both psychic and physical, that are a result of spiritualism (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 2).
Q: The first question seeks to find out whether people fall into spiritualism in search of the truth mistakably or what?
According to father Bamonte, that’s the case. He views the spiritist way or beliefs as some type of mistaken method used for searching for the truth. People, who get themselves into such, expect to get information from God directly, concerning man, God, and beyond. Also, they expect information concerning their future, the present and their past, and this denies them from making contact with the subconscious self. They think they are souls for the dead people (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 4).
Father Bamonte thinks that these spiritists at times get into a contract with demonic spirits that maybe pose as genuine spirits of the dead. This is because the manifestation of such issues is not usually fictional, trickery or psychological manipulations. If such actions are not creations of the mind or subconscious manifestation then, such unusual events can only be demonic or supernatural (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 6).
There are several invasion cases or diabolic possession whereby catholic exorcists have had to interfere following a spiritual séance showing that the practice can be tapped by the devil to destroy the people (Kardec & Duncan, 2004, p.13).
Q: This question seeks to know what is spiritualism and why doesn’t it amount to reconciling faith?
Father Bamonte states that spiritualism is just evoking the dead. The practice tries to call dead people either with or without a means for the purpose of asking questions. Each time Catholics pray to God on behalf of the dead, it does without a spiritual practice (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 8). They ask saints to pray with the living. This is what is called invocation and not evocation, which is done by the spiritists. The only way dead people can manifest to the living is by free plan by God.
The act can never be instigated by any other medium like the ones spiritists apply, séances. Its Only for serious cause that God can allow the dead to appear to the living. For instance, to offer counsel concerning the disturbing situations or comfort people in great sorrow and give thanks to the living for their prayers offered (Kardec & Duncan, 2004, p.13).
On the contrary, if the spiritist is the ones to instigate the meeting with their dead by evocation, then this is already rebuked in the Bible whereby God speaks in Deuteronomy 18:10-13 and Leviticus 19:30-32 that such is an abomination.
Q: Do Spiritualistic practices offer Consolation?
Father Bamonte feels that God is strongly against such practices. For this, he asks the spiritualist to read the Bible deeply and appreciate that the acts are prohibited by God. The purpose of God was to warn people against an act that would plunge people into spiritual darkness as it is deceitful and false (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 10).
People can be easily get swayed away from the truth and genuine faith into devilish acts of evil spirits. Anybody feeling so grieved and want to feel very close to their loved ones who passed on, then they need to go through frequent prayers of confession and guidance. God will certainly give them joy and guidance as well as the comfort they require (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 12).
Q: Spiritualism causes danger to people right?
Father Bamonte believes that such activities portend all manner of dangers. They can result in strong stomach pains, aching bones, epileptic seizures, heart attacks as anxiety among many other problems. The signs are stimulated by the tense situation the people go through (Kardec & Duncan, 2004, p.13).
Basically, besides the physical problems, people can also experience other psychological problems including insomnia, lack of concentration in class, agitations, nightmares, sensitivity, and strange feelings of people touching you. Individuals also experience social seclusion, dependency on drugs, dissociation from work or personal life, hallucinations of prayers, and blasphemy (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 14).
Q: Catholics practice spiritualism with pseudo-Catholicism.
Basically, the names are just placed with the effort of bringing many people to the church.
Q: Can superstition be corrected?
Basically, being superstitious is breaking the first commandment in real life, many Christians still place horseshoes at their doors. Many Catholics can be seen making funny gestures that some look like horns. According to Christianity, consulting wizards’ palm reading and horoscope reading is spiritualism (Catholic Online, 2003, para. 15).
Superstitions are a sign of lack of trust and abandonment. In evangelical churches, preaching to the congregation is something that is essential in proclaiming the word of God and that Jesus atoned for man’s transgressions. The blood of Christ is enough to save man from evil and other forces of darkness that can enslave humanity.
Ecumenism
Ecumenism, as a doctrine practiced by Catholics, is not a mixed doctrine. The terms described a movement that initiates and activities that are undertaken depending on several needs of the church the way opportunities present. These are intended to promote unity among Christians. The true meaning of ecumenism is to achieve unity among Christians. This means that Catholics should re-check their compromise then look up for their separated brothers as it’s often indicated in their writings (Thurston, 1996, p.79).
Divisions in church are considered as the main hindrance toward achieving the fullness of catholicity. Catholics further state that ecumenism cannot take place without a change of heart. This praise in its contest described conversion according to the way Jesus laid out the truth. As Jesus laid down his life, then his atonement means great salvation for Christians. Anyone who believes in Jesus and the atonement has a chance for the remission of sins (Thurston, 1996, p.79). There has to be a change of heart for redemption by the blood of Christ.
The above concept was not clearly understood by some Catholics who started claiming that they were catholic-spiritsts. Some declared that were spiritist Catholics and so on. This led to a battle of words that lead to a lot of references being made to the scriptures (Thurston, 1996, p.80). Basically, the double standards of Catholicism and Spiritism only implied a lack of understanding of what Catholics and spiritist were.
Catholic just like many other Christian faiths profess that for the remission of sins, there has to be bloodshed. The only blood able to atone for the sins of man was that of Jesus. According to Matthew 26: 28 Jesus stated that his blood was shed so that remission of sins could be attained. Christians, therefore, recognize that man attained salvation by accepting the sacrifice that Jesus gave by laying down his life.
Spiritists, on the contrary, do not believe that the blood of Jesus Christ could save anybody from his/her sins. Catholicism and Spiritism may have some practices that look similar but they are not alike in any way (Thurston, 1996, p.80). Either symbolically and the objectivity and any mix-up are inadmissible – First, because it would be disfeaturing the original intention of God and second it would be a disguise of tolerance of religion.
Practicing spiritist exercises is seen as folly for Catholics. Form the Bible, its evident that Moses even in ancient times warned the Israelites against intercourse with spirits (Thurston, 1996, p.80). The only person to be consulted was God and no other. the claims that Spiritism can open the way people understand humankind, man’s latent and up till now the undeveloped faculties disembodied souls still control the thought of some people.
Conclusion
Catholic completely discourages Spiritism or anything that is likened or related does it. Catholics are not even required to be present when such occulting activities are being done even when they appear to show truthfulness and piety. They consider Spiritism a modern way of paganism, a doctrine that was even condemned in ancient times during the days of Moses. Engaging in such practices by Catholics is seen as a sign of lack of faith and lack of confidence in Prayer. This is not the way to seek reassurance of the loved ones. Being a heresy, spiritist activities and Christian ordinances have nothing in common. Yet a lot of people of high aim, genuine and truthful, if not on many occasions avowedly Christians, are entangled in the subtleties of that destructive sham.
Reference List
- Catholic Online. (2003), Spiritualism and Its Dangers Interview with an Exorcist, Father Francesco Bamonte.
- Kardec, A & Duncan, J. (2004), Gospel According To Spiritism, 2nd Ed, Conseil Spirite, London
- Kardec, A. (1987). The Gospel According to Spiritism (as Translated by J.A. Duncan). Great Britain: The Headquarters Publishing Co., Ltd, London.
- Kardec, A. (1996). The Spirits Book (as Translated by Anna Blackwell). Federacao Espirita Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro:
- Thurston, H., (1996), Catholics and Spiritualism, Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, Vol. 15, No. 57, pp. 79-94 Olasky, M., (1992). The Return of Spiritism, Christianity Today, 36(15), 20. Retrieved From Masterfile Premier Database.
- Tymn, M. (2009). An “Interview” with French Educator, Scientist & Philosopher, Allan Kardec, Esq. Journal of Spirituality & Paranormal Studies, 32(4), 226-235. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
- Spiritualism. 2009.
- Vasconcelos, A. (2010). Spiritual Development in Organizations: A Religious-based Approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(4), 607-622. Doi: 10.1007/s10551-009-0243-5.