Anti-Religious Claims
Though Spiritism is not a distinct "religion" per se, it is by no means anti-religious. To the contrary, it has a very religious aspect, in that it teaches us about our relation to our creator and the divine laws that govern all of creation. An enlightened understanding of those laws and of the true nature and meaning of our existence propels us to pursue a path of continuous moral improvement and inner reform, and to take part in the betterment of humankind, which reflects the highly moral nature of this philosophy.
Not only does Spiritism tell us what we must do to follow the path toward God, but it also enlightens that path by providing explanations for the confusing experiences of life and by showing us a better way to interpret and react to them. Spiritism teaches us how to make wise use of both our free will in our actions and of our ability to analyze what we are taught, as well as what we observe and experience.
While the superior spirits help us to understand God's laws, they also point out the supreme point of reference for us to follow, found in the life and lessons of Jesus, the "governor" of this planet Earth. He is the greatest example of morality that human beings have to follow. Spiritism does not contradict the teachings of Jesus; it helps us to understand them in the context of our current level of evolution. In addition, Spiritism teaches us that many other great moral leaders that have walked among humanity have had their own special place, fulfilling a role to share the same essence of Jesus' message of love, compassion, and the idea of a single, unique and just God.
Spiritism is not anti-religious; it is simply a philosophy and science that eliminates unnecessary rituals and dogmatic practices of traditional systems. At the same time, Spiritism upholds the moral teachings of Jesus and his disciples, maintaining, if not strengthening, our belief in a perfect and just creator by providing a clear and rational explanation of phenomena previously unexplained and of questions yet unanswered, thus leaving us with a solid, unshakeable faith.