Advanced Study Group of Spiritism

http://www.geae.inf.br
Founded on October 15th 1992
The Spiritist Messenger - Monthly Electronic Report of   the GEAE Group 
GEAE 4th year - Number 1 - distributed: December 1997
    "Unshakable faith is only that which can face reason face to face in every Humankind epoch." 
                                                                                                                                          Allan Kardec
CONTENT
  EDITORIAL 
          
          The Spiritist Messenger: A new Spiritist 
          information vehicle  
 TEXT  
  
          The numbers of the GEAE group 
  SHOWCASE   
             
            On behalf of the 5th GEAE birthday - a Spiritist  
           chronology  
  
          ``La Revue Spirite'' is still published  
  
            A new section in Esperanto  
  LET'S REMEMBER KARDEC  
  
           Is Spiritism a Religion ? 
 MESSAGE FROM ABOVE
 
            Christmas 
            Emmanuel 

 
EDITORIAL

THE SPIRITIST MESSENGER - A NEW SPIRITIST INFORMATION VEHICLE

Beloved Friends,

Let the peace of the Lord abide forever with all of us!

This is the first edition in English (to be delivered monthly) of the already renowned electronic journal of the GEAE, advanced study group of Spiritism. In its current form, mostly written in Portuguese and distributed weekly, the GEAE report has been for 5 years an important and open minded instrument of Spiritist discussion in the world web. Once more the time is come for the blossoming of one so gladly planted seed in the form of a new version specially directed to our English speaking friends. Let us then thank God for His everlasting goodness, since He has giving us, through the Internet, the opportunity for exchanging ideas and hopes, for improving our minds and hearts and for setting our spirits free through the study of the so important subjects of our beloved Spiritist Doctrine. Let also our humble work be specially useful for all those who, still in the lack of a conscious knowledge, feel there is in life something more than their eyes can perceive, whose spirits understand the whole aim and glory of God's creation and whose minds are sufficiently open to realize that our existence will continue forever in spite of all negative claims of Materialism.

``The Spiritist Messenger'' also intends to be a free channel for the Spiritist debate. Our aim is to present, in a coherent way, articles, texts and messages on important Spiritist topics. Since Spiritism deals with the most important questions of the human species, these topics deeply concern everyone, even those who do not accept Spiritist principles, but whose lives are inexorably governed by them. It also aims at bringing together news and notices about upcoming events in the Spiritist movement worldwide. Since our main language is English, in order to make our work easy and due to time limitations, articles and materials  should be preferably sent in this language. However, short comments and notices (no more than 40 words) can be sent in Portuguese, Spanish and German.

We again hope that all can profit by the new communication vehicle which has come to express and fulfill old Spiritist ideals, and we most humbly ask for God's and the good spirits' guidance on this new work.

The GEAE Editors

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TEXT

THE NUMBERS OF THE GEAE GROUP

A GEAE statistics:

The GEAE group has 1264 participants (up to October 1997) spread among 26 countries. The distribution according to each country is:
 
Argentina 
Austria
Australia 
Belgium 
Brazil 
 Canada 
Chile 
5
2
4
1
977
3
1
Colombia
Germany 
Finland 
France 
Guatemala
Holland
Israel
1
15
1
1
1
1
1
Italy
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Peru
Portugal
Spain 
1
6
2
1
2
59
5
   South Africa 
Sweden
Switzerland 
United Arab Emirates 
 United Kingdom 
 United States 
2
2
2
1
12
155
There are 2938 Spiritist institutions catalogued on the GEAE  web page. These institutions are distributed according to 33 countries:
 
Argentina
Austria
Australia
Belgium 
Bolivia 
Brazil 
Canada
Chile 
Colombia
Dominican Republic
France
Germany
Guatemala
Holland 
 Italy
Japan 
Mexico 
Norway
New Zealand 
Paraguay
Peru 
Poland
Portugal
Puerto
Rico
South Africa 
Spain
Sweden 
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States

Uruguay
Venezuela

There are 2321 books in the GEAE web library in 11 different languages:
 
  Czech 
 English
Esperanto
French 
  German 
Greek
Italian 
Japanese 
Portuguese 
 Spanish 
Spanish

Argentina 
  Australia 
Brazil 
 France 
 Guatemala 
              Japan 
           Portugal 
            Spain 
United Kingdom 
Available titles in HTML format on the GEAE page: 138 catalogued Spiritist publishing houses among 15 countries:
 
Argentina 
 Belgium 
Brazil 
Canada 
France 
Germany
 Guatemala
Italy 
  Japan 
Mexico 
 Portugal 
 Spain 
 United Kingdom 
  United States 
Venezuela 
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SHOWCASE

ON BEHALF OF THE 5TH GEAE BIRTHDAY - A SPIRITIST CHRONOLOGY

A small text on the Spiritism history is posted on the GEAE web page in order to commemorate the GEAE 5th
anniversary. This text describes events occurred in several countries. The principal aim of this chronology compiled by Carlos Iglesias and some friends is to provide a modest starting point for more advanced researches on the history of the doctrine.

``LA REVUE SPIRITE'' IS STILL PUBLISHED

Browsing the home page of the ``Union Spirite Francaise et Francophone'' we surprisingly found out that the ``Revue Spirite'' (The Spiritist Magazine) has been normally published. Its first edition was launched by A. Kardec on January 1858 and lasted until 1976 when the French Spiritist movement underwent a hard internal crisis (even the words ``Spirite'' and ``Spiritisme'' were banished from its official organizations). After the magazine's end, under its fusion with another journal and the appearance of a re-named version ``Renaitre 2000'', a Spiritist group founded the USFF and started a battle for the Revue's publishing rights. A happy end came in 1989 with the revival of magazine [according to Charles Kempf in France].

A NEW SECTION IN ESPERANTO

During our last years of study we realized that the difference of language among the peoples is an almost insurmountable barrier. This barrier not only limits normal communication, but also impedes a better understanding of the truth.

Each people, each group of culturally related spirits have their own world view, see the reality through a particular prism.
The collection of these different views is a valuable treasure of mankind. The unrestrained exchange of ideas from different points of view improves those social groups which are able to do such exchange.

The intense communication among spiritists from several origins is desirable not only as a fraternal endeavor, but also as a source of constant improvement of the very way people understand the doctrine. It warrants a future opened to new ideas, a constantly renewed doctrine.

Esperanto, Dr. Zamenhof's Lingvo Internacia, together with modern ways of communication can help to this aim. The easiness of its learning can stimulate small study groups in several Spiritist institutions worldwide. Few weeks of effort would make people in such institutions able to communicate with each other. Everywhere there would be people able to translate into their national tongue materials published in Esperanto. Knowing the common language, everywhere spiritists on travel would find someone to understand their ideas.

Also even in the spirit world communication problems may arise. There is no sudden transformation after death, the spirit conserves its linguistic skills and it awakes after death in the same cultural environment as in its previous life. Contrary to general thought, telepathic communication is a very hard acquisition that is only attained by most elevated spirits and a common practice only on the highest planes. See the book: ``O Esperanto como Revelacao'' - Eperanto as Revelation - by the spirit F. V. Lorenz through the mediumship of F. C. Xavier (ed. by Instituto de Difusao Espirita) and also books by Andre Luis and Camilo C. Branco (spirits).

Even if our group had just started to learn Esperanto, we encourage further studies in this language in a new section by publishing texts in Esperanto on its learning and on Spiritism.

We therefore invite all friends to participate by sending texts and works.

Let us all work together to this aim!

GEAE Editors

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LET'S REMEMBER KARDEC

IS SPIRITISM A RELIGION?

Is then Spiritism a religion? Yes, of course it is Dear Sirs,  it is a religion in the philosophical sense which honor us very much since it constitutes the doctrine through which the fraternity bounds and the communion of thoughts are based upon solid supports: the very laws of Nature, and not upon simple conventions.

Why did we not declare Spiritism as a religion? Because there is just one word to express two different ideas. Also because, according to the general opinion, the word religion is inseparable from the notion of cult. This, however, brings the idea of form to which Spiritism bears no relation at all. Had it been declared as a religion, people would have taken it as a new edition of absolute principles of faith, together with their new cast of priests, hierarchical processions, ceremonies and privileges. They would not distinguish it from the ideas of mysticism and the mistakes of which it is very well free.

Since, according to the usual meaning of the word, Spiritism have no relation to religion, it could not or should not present itself under a title whose meaning gives rise to inevitable  misunderstandings. This is the reason for it to present itself just as a moral and  philosophical doctrine.

Allan Kardec [In ``Le Spiritisme est-il une religion?'' - Revue Spirite, p. 357, 1868. Trans. by A. L. Xavier Jr.]

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MESSAGE FROM ABOVE
CHRISTMAS
"Glory to God in the Heaven, peace on Earth and good will toward men"
Luke, 2:14
Emmanuel.

In ``Fonte Viva'' by F. C. Xavier (ed. by FEB).
Trans. by A. L. Xavier Jr.

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