Christian Rationalism - Spiritualist Philosophy.
STRENGTHEN, ENLIGHTEN SPIRITUALIZE.
Christian Rationalism 45th Edition.
The 
aim of this book is to enlighten readers in
a concise and simple way about the meaning
of life through a spiritualistic point of
view. Explaining the principles through which
one can coherently form an understanding of
the Whole Universe – that is the Life in
the Universe in its ample and constructive
aspects - and with it, one can identify oneself
as a participant in an evolutive process.
Since ancient times, human beings have questioned
the mysteries of life: where one comes from,
what will be one's future, what will happen
after death, and what is the meaning of life.
These are the questions that have been asked
for a long time.
Only the knowledge of spiritual life and all
beings common origin will give humanity a
glimpse of new horizons on Earth and will
assist us to find the paths towards peace,
which is achieved as a result of an established
fraternal relationship among people.
Christian Rationalism 45th Edition.
Christian Rationalism Headquarters Board of
Directors coordinated the review, updating,
translation, layout and printing of this book.
Printed in Brazil. All rights reserved. This
book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced
or used in any manner whatsoever without the
express written permission of the editor.
The addresses of Christian Rationalism's houses
are available via phone +55 21 2 1 1 7 2 1
0 0 (international calls). Also available
on Christian Rationalism website.
Christian Rationalism Headquarters – Rio
de Janeiro. Brazil.
Christian Rationalism – Science and Philosophy.
Not Religion!
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
To the reader, Page 9.
General outlines, Page 13.
Chapter 1 - Evolution, page 19.
Chapter 2 - Force and Matter, page 25.
Chapter 3 - Space, page 30.
Chapter 4 - The spirit, page 38.
Chapter 5 - Thought, page 45.
Chapter 6 - Free will, page 52.
Chapter 7 - The aura, page 57.
Chapter 8 - Incarnation of the spirit, page
61.
Chapter 9 - Disincarnation of the spirit,
page 75.
Chapter 10 - Mediumnity and mediums - Physical
and
psychic phenomena, page 86.
Chapter 11 - Psychic imbalance, page 97.
Chapter 12 - Psychic normalization, page 107.
Chapter 13 - Valor, page 111.
Chapter 14 - Character, page 116.
Chapter 15 - The family and children's upbringing,
page 120.
Synthesis of Christian Rationalism's principles,
page 128.
Conclusion, page 130.
TO THE READER.
The aim of this book is to enlighten readers
in a concise and simple way about the meaning
of life through a spiritualistic point of
view. Explaining the principles through which
one can coherently form an understanding of
the Whole Universe – that is the Life in
the Universe in its ample and constructive
aspects – and with it, one can identify
oneself as a participant in an evolutive process.
Since ancient times, human beings have questioned
the mysteries of life: where one comes from,
what will be one's future, what will happen
after death, and what is the meaning of life.
These are the questions that have been asked
for a long time.
The longing for learning about the apparently
obscure transcendental world led humanity
to create myths and fantasies. In the heart
of spiritist phenomena, myths were created
about the existence origins. Based on these,
it was determined what should be commonly
accepted and what was not allowed to be acknowledged
about the Universe.
And it was like this for a long time, until
the idea to test theories via experiments
flourished.
The experimental method, the basis of modern
science, contributed to the dismissal of myths
and taboos but created a distance between
science and the conceptions of spiritual nature.
Nowadays, therefore, the very same scientific
stance begins to divest the validity of this
distancing. A wave of interest is being formed
with respect to methods of investigating that
differ from the traditional ones. As one can
determine similarities between current physics
theory, through experimental methods, and
some metaphysics concepts, originating from
mediumistic researches, which in other words
are investigations based in perceptive capacities
that surpass the possibilities of the five
human senses.
In this context, it may be a sign of a change
in paradigm of the scientific method, which
resurges and renews itself, in an evident
way within the studies accomplished in the
spirituality sphere. In this field, the results
escape the limits sorted by science itself.
However, in a serious investigation of metaphysical
phenomena, it is not by the fact that exists
external evidences that are resistant to the
repetitious experiments screening that one
should diminish the importance of the internal
evidences that shows that the spirit's essence
is a parcel of the Whole Universe. A parcel
that is inseparable and indistinguishable
of the Whole.
The research of the extrasensorial sphere
is read as a transcendental aspect of life.
Therefore, due to being vast and deep, it
presents difficulties related to the building
of a unifying synthesis. Sometime the results
are lost in digressions of an intellectual
nature, and in many others they get fainter
within mystical and fanciful considerations.
Luiz de Mattos, humanist and expert in spirituality,
codified Christian Rationalism, an enlightening
philosophy, to answer the innermost questions
about existence and to offer a safe guide
for living in this world. He formulated the
basic postulate that Force and Matter compose
the Universe. He outlined in a clear way the
principles that should rule life on Earth,
and he established, based on study, the code
of conduct for conscious, balanced, and harmonious
living.
Without any conceit and within the phenomenal
reality of the unfolded evolutive process,
Luiz de Mattos contemplated the theoretical
aspects of spirituality, without neglecting
to provide the implications arising from this
knowledge in actual daily life.
Christian Rationalism was codified by Luiz
de Mattos between 1910, the year of the foundation
of this philosophy, and 1914, when he published
the first edition before it was named Rational
and Scientific Spiritism (Christian). In the
period between 1915 and 1926, year of his
passing, three more editions were published,
updated by the spirituality master himself.
The original name was maintained until the
fourteenth edition in 1940. From the fifteenth
edition, in 1942, this oeuvre's name changed
to the current title.
In 1939, for the first time, this book was
translated from Portuguese into English. The
current edition is available simultaneously
in both languages. The English translation
goal was to maintain the paragraphs' fluidity
and the writing style accordingly to the original
book in Portuguese, within the potentials
of each language.
In an adequate way, some expressions of some
sections of this edition were updated to facilitate
comprehension by the ones who study spirituality,
maintaining the philosophical content of fifteen
chapters of the prior edition, disposed in
an order that allows the researchers in general
to develop a line of thought that will lead
them to their own conclusions.
The Editor. November 2015
GENERAL OUTLINES.
Christian Rationalism is a spiritualistic
philosophy that cares for the evolution of
the spirit and explains, through rational
reasoning, what we are and what we are doing
in this school-planet named Earth.
Christian Rationalism expresses two guiding
concepts that assert its entire philosophical
context. Firstly, RATIONALISM is connected
to the process of reasoning, logic, and rationale.
One has to pursue being rational through reasoning
or through well-guided thought. Reasoning
is enlightening when profoundly and precisely
operated and when elevated. When its use is
carefully polished, reasoning leads to the
right conclusions about life. Reasoning with
awareness promotes a solid basis for reaching
truthful convictions. It unravels and finds
what is being looked for within the interweaving
of ideas.
Secondly, CHRISTIANITY is associated with
RATIONALISM and completes the revealing sense
of this philosophy: a code of conduct that
gathers the spiritualistic principles and
Christianity precepts. As we say “code of
conduct," we are referring to the person's
procedure to the collectivity and toward himself
or herself. To be a Christian is to be honorable,
prudent, moderate, courageous, and fair. To
be a Christian Rationalist is to live an earthly
life under the spiritualistic norms of the
highest standard. It is to know, to prepare
the spirit for the present and future life
as an enlightened being, with awareness of
self-state and self-spiritual conditions.
Christian Rationalism is a complete set of
spiritualistic teachings because it conveys
to the individuals a self-knowledge, being
able to demonstrate what is the most important
and fundamental – your own Higher self – remote,
present, and future, which depends on health,
well-being, happiness, and with this a world
less violent, less intolerant, and more just
and understanding.
Nowadays, as it was in the past, everyone
who studies human issues and conflicts knows
that spiritual education can enlighten people
to be peaceful and honorable. In this regard,
however, there is a need to erase from common
sense the unrealistic way many live. It is
indispensable that one leaves behind inaccurate
ideas and teachings about existence, about
which many who look for understanding about
transcendental facts of life end up confused.
It is sad that this still happens. Once being
in touch with such useful, necessary, valuable,
and indispensable knowledge, the individual
is wandering for a long time after protection
and aid of supposed divinities of nature,
as one would have learned to trust oneself
and seek support and security on its own vast
and invincible willpower and its own righteous
thoughts.
Readers do not think that Christian Rationalism,
with the publication of this book, is disclosing
unprecedented information. From antiquity
to the present, spiritualism is an object
of philosophical studies, researchers, intellectuals,
men and women of science eager to reveal more
about the spiritual life to humanity.
When encoding its principles, Christian Rationalism
affirms that the Universe is composed of Force
and Matter. Force incites and moves all bodies
(being organic Matter). It is the intelligent
principle that interpenetrates the entire
Universe. The Intelligent Principle is understood
by many as God, preferably named by Christian
Rationalism as Creative Power, Great Focus
or Universal Intelligence, of which we are
a parcel, an emanation, that contains the
same attributes in its latent form to be developed
and perfected in countless earthly existences.
The Creative Power maintains the Whole Universe
ruled by evolutive
laws, to which everyone is subjected. It is
not admissible by Christian Rationalism probations,
predestinations, or miracles. The Christian
Rationalist's philosophy teaches us that the
occurrences of our lives derive from the use
of our free will and spiritual faculty controlled
by the thought, reasoning, and willpower.
Thus, we are what we think; the evil we wish
for our counterparts we are wishing for ourselves.
The good we do to us will return, as we are
who we want to become. Therefore, this philosophy
teaches us to not harbor sentiments of hate,
jealousy, or ill will.
As soon as one begins to reason within the
first phases of spiritual evolution, the individual
feels, even if in a vague and confused manner,
the existence of the Universal Intelligence,
of which one is not capable of defining. This
way, it is born, a tendency to adoration,
as the spiritual unpreparedness condition
he or she lives justifies it. One can understand
perfectly that certain part of humanity that
does not have a spirituality concept can go,
for instance, further along than the worship
of natural elements, as one lacks the basis
of understanding to detach oneself from the
perplexity of adoration one lives in.
To the attentive observer, it is not difficult
to evaluate the spirituality degree of the
individuals if one manifests the tendency
of adoration, as well as the greater or lesser
intensity of this propensity. The way of adoration
and what is adored vary with the awakening
of life consciousness, until one reaches the
point of being able to detach oneself from
the adoration sentiment.
The ones that venerate abstract things, after
reaching the necessary spiritual enlightening,
will perceive how misplaced this veneration
is inasmuch as how naïve their present understanding
of this idea is, which they nourished one
day by revering natures' elements.
It is not necessary to have a lot of imagination
to understand that these incoherencies represent
during the delicate period of formation of
character throughout infancy, and how they
contribute during adulthood to dull the reasoning
and to impose difficulties in one' expansion
within the vast spirituality sphere.
When the individual begins to comprehend what
he or she really is as a spirit, force, intelligence,
and power; when one is convinced that he or
she has the spiritual attributes to rationally
succeed any difficulty; when one awakens his
or her conscious mind to the fact that one
is a parcel of the Whole harmonious Universe
- inseparable from the Universal Intelligence
- the initial conceptions of protection will
fall flat. Within its vast concept of life's
understanding, there are the clear elements
of conviction, by means of which one can free
oneself from conceptions that imprison him
or her to miracles and supernatural mysteries.
There are no privileged individuals nor are
there protections. Everyone, without exception,
is subject to the same principles, rules,
and evolutive process. Invariably, one makes
the same path and the same cycle; therefore
there is an utmost and meritorious principle
of justice. One needs to convince himself
or herself that one cannot count on others'
assistance to free him or her from the consequences
of the mistakes he or she makes. One will
have to retrieve these errors with good deeds
in many existences as necessary to accomplish
it. Therefore, one will think carefully before
committing any inadequate action.
Then what really matters is the way in which
a person processes his or her evolutive march,
conquering step-by-step spiritual independence.
The one that knows to evaluate the responsibility
that one carries in his or her acts certainly
will do his or her best to establish himself
or herself within the teachings that transmit
the spiritual factual knowledge. Christian
Rationalism, without any interest other than
to awaken humanity to the reality of life,
aims to convey the clarification that one
needs to reach a clear spiritual condition
to facilitate one's own life.
Students of Christian Rationalism learn to
trust themselves in their moral capacity and
their willpower to fight and win. Therefore,
they are not adorers, supplicants, or lamenters.
They know that there are grand obstacles surging,
at each step, in their life's path, but they
also know that they can win with the very
spiritual resources they possess. Thus, it
is necessary that each one fulfill their duties,
accomplishing the parts that one is responsible
for, with attention, with the eyes and the
soul aiming toward the key meaning of existence,
which is spiritual evolution.
Christian Rationalism's principles gather
concepts and orientations of upright behavior
for the people who desire to practice it.
Knowledge about life is a continuous process
of study. Therefore, Christian Rationalism
makes an eloquent and constant appeal to study
and reasoning in the sense that humanity would
comprehend the imperative need to surrender
itself to a perseverant effort, to become
better and better and to grow spiritually.
This book, within its natural simplicity,
is profound and should be understood by the
reader as the foundation of spiritualistic
knowledge, the basis of which is built by
one's own effort. This is a serious research
work and is elucidative for reading and investigating.
It is able to open new horizons as a panoramic
view amplification that puts right before
one's eyes perspectives that can contribute
to impressing a new orientation to life and
assisting for this life to change, at each
step, for the better, reaching a meaning more
practical, ampler, more objective, safer,
and authentic.
At this point, the reader must be interested
in knowing the findings that are conveyed
by this philosophical school that is Christian
Rationalism. Your interest will be vastly
fulfilled within the next pages, in which
one can see the life problems addressed in
candid, simple, and objective writing. One
will feel, through the reading of each chapter,
the warmth of the message given by this philosophy
to humanity, with the expectation to contribute
to peace among individuals and that the world
will become fraternal and a better one.
Chapter 1
Evolution.
Evolution is the fundamental principle of
life in the Universe. In evolution lies the
basis for the understanding of everything
that comes to pass within and outside the
reach of human perception. Whenever evolution
is disregarded, there is no logical or rational
explanation for existence. Evolution will
always be present, always alive and active
in all manifestations of life since its emergence.
Evolution is perceived everywhere on Earth:
It is felt in the seed that sprouts into a
flower; in the tree that grows larger and
bears fruits; in the human being who attends
school for his or her own improvement; and
in the development of the arts, literature,
science, and socially productive activities.
Humanity came into existence on Earth as a
result of the constructive action of the Intelligent
Principle in the many kingdoms of nature.
This march towards evolution proceeds without
interruption or alteration. It is just that
those who are now beginning their evolution
in a human body find, in our day and age,
more favorable conditions for their mental
development.
However, one thing is certain: evolution must
be accomplished at all costs. This is an imposition
of the evolutive laws that rule the Universe.
These natural and immutable laws are not influenced
by any pretentiousness of those who believe
they can evade or nullify them.
The succession of existences or multiplicity
of corporeal lives of a conscious individuality
- the spirit - is named reincarnation, and
it is an essential condition to our own progress.
Therefore, individuals should strive to give
a sound orientation to their lives in order
to shorten their evolutionary process. One
should strive to be hardworking and progressive
and turn his or her attention to the betterment
of his or her own personality.
Humanity's history is filled with innumerable
historical marks that indicate one's long,
immense evolutionary trajectory. And, because
it is impossible to make that long journey
in a single physical existence, many refuse
to accept evolution, so that they are not
compelled to acknowledge reincarnation as
the means by which it is processed. If one
would reflect, one would see that there is
no serious opposition against the evolutive
laws. Without them, every person would be
at the same level of spirituality.
The idea of evolution applies to the vast
realm of spirituality. It coordinates and
amplifies our conception of the Whole Universe,
giving meaning to many of life's phenomena.
At the beginning of the evolutionary process,
all particles of the Intelligent Principle
started with the same possibilities, and resources
had identical conditions and equal latent
values. Therefore, all particles developed
in the same proportion until they could be
classified as a spirit, which in a human body
becomes endowed with free will in order to
act at one's own discretion and risk. The
improper use of free will delays spiritual
evolution. Hence, those who have made better
use of their free will evidently have made
more progress in the same number of incarnations
than those who were less thoughtful.
Observers who really want to see will have
before their eyes a picture of the evolution
of the spirit on Earth. No two individuals
are alike, although there are those who are
similar. Everyone is promoting advancement
in his or her own way and cost in accordance
with the pattern of conduct adopted by each
one in the course of previous incarnations
over a period of thousands of years.
This is one of the reasons that explain the
great dissimilarities in mentality, disparities
in feelings, and disagreements in opinion
found among people. The number of incarnations
lived varies among individuals, as do the
benefits obtained from them and the effort
made by each individual. There may be one
who lost two hundred incarnations as a result
of a disorderly life and another who lost
only twenty in a similar period. The latter
is undoubtedly more advanced than the former.
Hence, spiritual evolution is earned as a
result of effort, will, and aspiration of
progress.
However, anyone is subject to life's contingences
that escape entirely from one's will, such
as epidemics, public calamites, and geological
cataclysms. Hence, it is necessary to have
empathy and to elevate one's sentiments toward
our counterparts that are in unfavorable situations
in any part of the planet, since humanity
is a single family that is living here temporarily
to conquer its spiritual evolution. Humanization
should be a common theme in which cooperation
and fraternization represent the elements
capable of destroying animosity among people.
Even if there are agitating life disturbances,
individuals should think with elevation and
benevolence. In school, one cannot discriminate
a freshman for not knowing what a senior knows.
In equal manner, the ones that are evolving
on Earth by belonging to many different levels
of spirituality act correspondingly to their
evolutionary degree and will not go further
than their own possibilities.
Therefore, the ones that judge themselves
as perfect in light of spirituality are mistaken.
It will be of little use to close their eyes
for the spiritual reality because it will
be at a cost of new experiences, prolonged
meditation, study, work, and knowledge earned
from life's battles on Earth that one will
conquer the spiritual degree missing to reach
the understanding of this reality, the reality
of which results from assured evidence.
Spirituality and intellectuality are different
qualities that one develops independently,
being able to further progress in one than
in
the other during each existence. Both are
indispensable to the evolution of the spirit
and will have to be earned through effort
and determination. Spiritual development requires,
as intellectual progress, a complexity of
aptitudes, of knowledge, of experiences that
the spirit secures through the phases of the
evolutive process, which includes multiple
incarnations in different places.
We all know that each population differs from
another. These differences are even more accentuated
from country to country, which one can perceive
in the diverse habits, traditions, tendencies,
likes, inclinations, and temperaments. In
each of these humankind conglomerates, the
spirit counts on determining conditions to
develop faculties and attributes one feels
have lapsed in comparison to the improvement
achieved in others.
No one has only qualities or only flaws as
characteristics that belong to one's personality.
The battle undertaken has, as a result, reduced
imperfections and increased virtues as soon
as one awakens to the evolutionary side of
life. Just as a sample of individuals represents
a population, their moral formation indicates
a portion of the qualities and defects of
this same social grouping. Thus, each one
offers a greater or lesser contribution to
the variation in the moral level of the population,
in which one chose to evolve.
Hence, the inhabitants are the ones that evolve
the planet. In early ages of civilization,
individuals possess a less advanced evolutionary
level compared to today. The understanding
and knowledge are a result of the evolution
of the spirit, and a share of humanity already
considers life under a quite close approximation
of what is spirituality
It is lamentable that individuals transform
the wide path of spiritual evolution into
a narrow, rough, and winding one full of obstacles
difficult to surpass. At some point, earlier
or later, individuals will have to understand
that humanity walks the same direction to
reach the same identical end -spiritual improvement
- only achieved by one's well-applied efforts,
by disciplined individual work, and by the
conquering of the knowledge through intense
and permanent action.
Thus, it is necessary that the reader become
self-aware, learning to trust yourself and
be certain of the vast resources you possess
to undertake each earthly existence. Having
this thought, you can synchronize yourself
with the evolutionary current, in which you
will make your ascension without many setbacks
or sacrifices.
