Fora da caridade não há Espiritismo: a evolução moral espírita e as representações sociais através de práticas comunitárias na zona oeste do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Spiritism emerged in France in the mid-19th century, based on the studies of French professor Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail, who would later use the pseudonym Allan Kardec. However, it was not in Europe that it established itself as a religion, philosophy and science, but in Brazil. The object of study of this research, however, is not limited to the religious nature of the doctrine, but to the moral issue that it advocates. For this reason, this thesis aims to better understand the moral evolution of Spiritism based on the social (charitable) actions promoted by a Spiritist Institution in the region of Barra da Tijuca and Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in the city of Rio de Janeiro - RJ. In this path, we intend to work with some moral values defended by the Spiritist doctrine, such as: kindness, humility and forgiveness. Furthermore, through semi-structured interviews and content analysis methodology, we will assess whether the respondents perceived themselves to be more evolved in moral terms after they began attending the Institution and how this occurred. As a result, we identified that Spiritism offers comfort for spiritists, especially through explanations about life after death, but it also promotes inner reform, through self-knowledge and the practice of charity, humility and forgiveness, as a means of personal and collective growth. We also identified that there is prejudice against Spiritism, especially from followers of evangelism. The thesis reinforced the relationship between kindness and altruism and empathy. There was difficulty in conceptualizing humility, which was more associated with kindness, pride and the condition of apprentice. Regarding forgiveness, it was the moral value that, according to the interviewees, is the most difficult to exercise. Forgiveness was also associated with empathy and the association of forgiveness with forgetfulness was the subject of discussion in the thesis. All the interviewees declared themselves to have some moral development in different areas, with patience being the most reported after they began attending the Institution. Resignation, kindness, humility and forgiveness were also mentioned, with the systematic study of the spiritist doctrine being a good accelerator of this process for spiritists. Although religious proselytism is not the intention of the Institution studied, since there is no requirement to be a follower of the spiritist doctrine to attend the place, through the systematic study of the doctrine, which is done through lectures to the attendees, it was possible to perceive that it is present.