Adulteration in Genesis and the “CSI of Spiritism”

For those who follow our work and have already found out about the information on this initiative, you know that it was born, mainly, by a great personal agitation caused after reading the works “The Legacy of Allan Kardec”, by Simoni Privato, and “Neither heaven nor hell: The laws of the soul according to Spiritism”, by Lucas Sampaio and Paulo Henrique de Figueiredo. After having contact with these works, which, I reiterate and defend, are extremely well based on the evidence of historical facts, combined with the irrefutable rationality of their authors and others involved, it remains clearly evident that Spiritism suffered a great setback, after the death of Allan Kardec, with the adulteration in the lyrics, in A Gênesis and in O Céu e o Inferno, and in the spiritist movement. That's not what Carlos Seth, from CSI of Spiritism, but we'll talk about that in a moment.

in the letter, two works by Professor Rivail (Allan Kardec) were tampered with, after his death, inserting in it contents that cause understandings many different of those that the Encoder and the Superior Spirits previously reflected in these works.

on the move spiritist the adulteration was in the sense that, according to Kardec's plans, this should stop being centralized in a person or group, spreading over countless groups, in solidarity with each other, continuing their studies in the same molds of logic, reason, universal agreement and, above all, charity and fraternity. After his death, the movement, under the name of Parisian Spiritist Society, founded by Kardec, and at the expense of its notorious image and previous contribution, started to be governed according to the private wishes and personal interests. The said Society became the temple full of money changers.

Before continuing, however, I beg you: don't just believe me. You can also read these works, in addition to the work “Muita Luz”, by Berthe Fropo, easily found in PDF on the Internet.

I believe that as Spiritualists we must seek the upright and just example of the great master, Professor Rivail, who never gave affirmative or negative on any subject without, first, knowing it completely. And here, we cannot do otherwise, if we really want to be loyal to the Spiritist Doctrine which, in order to spread light, needs to be confirmed and understood everywhere.

Well, well! Driven by this impulse, I came to a Facebook page called “CSI of Spiritism“, where, among some articles, there is a very special one, by Carlos Seth, on 11/04/2020, dealing with a handwritten letter, with the unmistakable handwriting of Allan Kardec, which would imply that, “without a shadow of doubts”, the work “A Genesis” would not have been tampered with in its 5th edition, but produced by Allan Kardec himself.

I want to advance that I think strange an article on a supposedly spiritist page and which, by its very name, suggests the great commitment to the investigatedog, based only on one side of the story, not going deep into the citation and analysis of contrary statements, as is the case of those presented largely by the author Simoni Privato in the previously mentioned work and, later, by Paulo and Lucas in the work “Nem heaven nor hell”.

IT'S very strange, as a matter of fact. There seems to be a hurry, an anxiety even, very big, in even find a source that give foundation, although skewed, to the thesis that all this enormous amount of information that points to adulterations would, in fact, be a mistake, or that the authors were mere carelessness in the peremptory analysis of all this material.

IT'S totally different from what I did and what Allan Kardec recommended, which, on numerous occasions, presented and discussed opposing ideas, even those that could, at a first glance, win sympathies contrary to Spiritism. But he wasn't worried about that. His concern was truth, drawn from the verification of the logic of facts and reason.

For my part, I do not intend to make the same mistake and, therefore, I reproduce below some excerpts from this article, which can be read in full through from this link.

The article on the CSI page of Spiritism and my considerations

I will highlight the most important excerpts from the cited article, making my considerations just below each excerpt.

It is informed by Allan Kardec (see part in bold in the table containing the transcription/translation of the manuscript) that the translation should be made from the new edition of the work (A Genesis), which was being reprinted at that time – in September 1868. and that it contained important corrections and additions.

This does not prove that it was a new edition, but, yes, of the reprint, most likely from same edition – the 4th, in the finalization stage at that moment. Now, we cannot suppose that Kardec, methodical and always extremely careful with everything, would have submitted a new edition for printing without having carried out the legal deposit with the National Library, which was still required by law and which was strictly complied with to all at new editions of all the works he produced.

We still have something very substantial here: in “The Legacy of Allan Kardec”, by Simoni Privato, the author gives a deep explanation of how prints worked at that time. In short, while the editing of a work was not completed, that is, there were still corrections to be made, they were made on movable types, with the printing of few copies. After the corrections and adjustments were finalized, the movable types were used for the casting of matrices, which functioned as molds for the production of fixed types, in metal, for large-scale production.

It turns out that there is a statement, from Mr. Rouge, typographer of the first six editions of A Genesis, stating that the work's matrices were made at the end of 1868 and charged to Mr Rivail (Kardec), that is, shortly after the aforementioned letter in which he speaks of reprint of the work, as it contains errors and additions. In other words: the edition was in the final stages of elaboration, having been completed soon after!

We noted that it would clearly be possible to reprint new editions without changes. The opposite (making changes) would require the submission of a new record to the French National Library, without which the author would be acting illegally and could face reactions from the government itself, then under the Second Empire of Napoleon III.

The aforementioned work (A Genesis) had 3 editions made with Kardec in life. The 1st edition of the work came to light, in Paris, on January 6, 1868, followed, in that same year, by the publication of the 2nd and 3rd editions, absolutely identical,
mere reprints of the 1st edition (This is why there are only two legal deposits of the work: the first edition and the 4th edition.).

The 4th edition, although containing the year 1868 on the cover and title page, was only published in the first half of 1869, with the Encoder already disincarnated, but keeping the same characteristics of the first three editions, with which it does not differ in point. any, that is, produced on the matrices commissioned by Kardec himself at the end of 1868.

The manuscript contains the information that the printed sheets of the new edition (A Genesis) would be sent by Allan Kardec (to the recipient of the letter for translation), in addition to saying that there were about half of them (reference to the printed sheets with the content of the new edition) already ready, proving that the master had completed the amended text of the new edition.

I don't understand French, much less understand Kardec's handwriting. I have to consider what the author of the text is saying and, here, I ask myself: after all, was it a REPRINT or from a NEW EDITION? However, when searching in the texts transcribed from French (available on here) There is not, as far as I saw, the word “édition” related to the work A Genesis, nor to the work “O Céu e o Inferno”.

NOTE: after careful reading, I noticed that, yes, the word “édition” – “nouvelle édition – new edition – exists in the original letter. Even so, at this moment, this does not prove that the supposed 5th edition, from 1869, is entirely from Kardec's hands.

Considering that the “printed proofs” were already being made by the typography in September 1868, and if they would be sent for translation into German, we can say that we have substantial reinforcement for the hypothesis that the Printing Declaration of 02/04/1869 refers to to the 5th “revised, corrected and enlarged” edition. Furthermore, if the printing matrices were practically ready in September 1868 – since the printer was already printing the sheets – the attempt to interfere in the work’s content after Kardec’s death, and before the publication of the 5th edition of 1869 – my emphasis – (April, May or June), would be quite unlikely. How to justify any change to the typographer? Who would assume this cost of redesigning the entire book and making new matrices? Why? What evidence is there for this hypothesis?

The fifth edition was only officially published in 1872. There is, to date, A copy of a supposed fifth edition, from 1869, but which is evidently clandestine, as can be seen here: https://espirito.org.br/artigos/sobre-5a-edicao-clandestina-genese-de-1869/

In the manuscript of the letter of 09/25/1868 we also have the important information that the book “O Céu e o Inferno” would also be reprinted with corrections (see part in bold in the table containing the transcription/translation of the manuscript )

Same case. reprint is not New Edition.

It is the primary source that proves((Fallacious argument, since it starts from the analysis of only one side of the facts, and in a biased way.)) that Allan Kardec made changes to the book A Genesis, with important corrections and additions. In addition to indicating that the master had already started the process of reprinting the new edition of the 5th edition, already in September 1868((Starting is different from finishing. At that time, mainly, the process involved printing copies for analysis and correction. Only at the end of this, with the edition finished, did the headquarters for mass printing – which never happened, as Privato reports)). The letter manuscript confirm that at least half of the printed pages of the texts of the revised edition would already be ready on that date ((This only supports the thesis that the new edition was in progress, in the process of review and correction, but not finished.)).

Final considerations

Only at the end of the cited article, apparently as a way of “resting” the conscience, there is a very brief quote to the Name by Simoni Privato, with thanks for her fraternal work (?), with no previous citation, either from her work or from a bibliography, in order to seek to compare the evidence she pointed out.

The page in question, CSI of Spiritism, have been widely indicated as a “reliable source”, as the last word regarding these investigations, by several other entities, individual or representative, as is the case of the FEB, in its article “About the alleged adulteration of the book O Céu e hell, by Allan Kardec”. It happens, however, that the necessary methodological and concordant study, submitted to reason, is not being carried out, even on these FATYOU:

1. It constitutes adulteration and, therefore, becomes illegal, any alteration to a work, carried out posthumously, other than for the necessary grammatical updating. Kardec was not alive to say whether he wanted that work published in that way, even though it was produced by his own hand.
2. For the simple fact that there is not legal deposit, by Allan Kardec, from the 5th edition of A Genesis, nor from the 4th edition of O Céu e o Inferno, whose alterations, by the way, include the elimination of the work's preface, which doesn't even make sense to reason, we should safely stick with the 4th Edition of A Genesis and the 3rd Edition of Heaven and Hell.
3. The Spiritist Society of Paris, commanded by Leymarie, distanced itself from totally Kardec's purposes, letting this unfortunate gentleman succumb to the temptation of vanity and money. reached the point of kick out, from one of the apartments destined by Allan Kardec for charity purposes, an elderly couple, for simple delay in payments of the rent, when the same and the Society had large sums of possessions and money. Furthermore, put aside the plans for the continuity of the spiritist movement, with the multiplication of study groups and spiritist “investigations”, governed by the necessary methodology – well, how could those who would be denied by it be applied, right?
4. One of the most used proofs to affirm that the 5th edition was entirely authored by Kardec himself, the 5th edition of 1869, presents on its cover, as a printing address, the new address of the Parisian Spiritist Society: “Librairie Spirite et des Sciences Psychologiques”, at “7, rue de Lille”.

We know that Kardec died before of the Company's establishment at the new address, which proves that this edition was only printed after your death. Read more by clicking on here.

Something very serious, too, is that, indirectly, Mr. Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (Allan Kardec) a serious crime: that of having carried out a new edition, with alterations, without having legally submitted it, through the legal deposit necessary, as it has always done, also stating it is irresponsible. Now, those who in their right mind have studied Kardec a little more deeply will easily verify that something he never did not do was to act seriously and legally, taking every care to ensure a safe future for the Spiritist Doctrine.

In fact, in possession of Kardec's manuscripts, made available by the CDOR, from FEAL, it was possible to identify that:

Some handwritten letters show that, in February 1868, Kardec was interested in adding excerpts in The Genesis, as it was his custom, after a while of release, to review his works. For this, he asked the spirits for advice to organize this work.

Some spiritual friends gave guidelines for a review of the work, with the express indication not to change the doctrinal issues in any way, as can be seen from the following excerpts from this communication:

"My opinion is that there is absolutely nothing of doctrine to be taken away; everything there is useful and satisfying in every way" and

"It is necessary to leave intact all theories that first appear in the public eye.”.

In this case, in addition to the legal demonstration of tampering with The Genesis, this communication also reinforces the fact due to the doctrinal changes identified in the work, with the suppression of several passages in which Kardec criticizes the heteronomous moral of religious fanaticism, among other manipulations.

Still in this communication, the spirit also suggested that he work without haste and without dedicating a lot of time:

"Above all, don't rush too much. (…) Start working immediately, but not in an exaggerated way. Do not hurry”.

https://espirito.org.br/autonomia/ncni-conselhos-sobre-a-genese/

It becomes absurd. These letters mentioned above have been available since at least 2020, and the confreres of the “CSI of Spiritism” don’t even touch on this subject!

These facts, added to countless others, which, today, can be easily collected and verified by the work of the cited authors, should light a great, a huge warning sign in Brazilian spiritist institutions, provoking the search for a deep analysis of the past, without bias (because it is not enough to take just one side of the story – the one that most pleases certain opinions) but, above all, for the recovery of the continuity projects and the exemplary model of Allan Kardec, these yes forgotten by the time and, obviously, because of the adulterations in the Movement.

This one, no sophistry, is the true way of paying tribute to this man, Professor Hippolyte Leon Denizard Rivail, who, together with his wife, Amélie Gabrielle Boudet, dedicated their time, happiness, tranquility and health in the name of the cause of charity and the spread of the consoling doctrine across Europe and around the world.