We continue the methodical study of the Pentateuch Kardec, which focuses on the five major works of the spiritual doctrine, in the order they were first published by Allan Kardec, the Encoder of Spiritualism.
The answers to the questions presented, founded in the 2th edition published by FEB, based on translation of Anna Blackwell, are at the end of the text below.
Questions
A. According to Spiritism, the absolute equality of wealth is not possible because of the diversity of characters and the human faculties. In view of this, why God gave a wealth and power, and others, the misery?
B. Men and women have equal rights?
C. Does any respectable belief, even when notoriously false?
D. Man has free will of their actions?
E. The body exerts some influence on the acts of life? If so, this does not affect the exercise of free will?
Text for reading
472. The rich are subject to greater temptations, but also has more resources to do good. But that is precisely what does not always. With their wealth, their needs grow and he never judges have enough for them only. (L.E., 816)
473. The high position of man in this world and authority over their proofs are similar so big and so slippery as disgrace, because the more rich and powerful, has to fulfill more obligations and more abundant means at its disposal to do good and evil. God experiences the poor and the rich by resignation employment by giving their property and their power. Wealth and power are born all the passions that bind us to the matter and keep us from spiritual perfection. (L.E., 816, Kardec comment)
474. The functions that the woman is destined by nature are important as large as deferred to the man, and even higher. It is the woman who gives him the rudiments of life. (L.E., 821)
475. The first principle of justice is this: Do not do unto others as you would not want to do. The human legislation, to be fair, must devote equal rights of men and women. Rights, no functions. Need is that each one is in place it deserves. Mind the outside and inside the man's wife, each according to ability. Every privilege granted one or the other is contrary to justice. The emancipation of women follows the progress of civilization. The sexes, moreover, exist only in physical organization. Since spirits can embody in either, for that matter there is no difference between them. Should be, therefore enjoy the same rights. (L.E., 822 and 822-A)
476. Lift funerary monuments to perpetuate the memory is a last act of pride. It is not always the dead who make such statements, are made by self-love and the world, as well as displays of wealth. (L.E., 823 and 823-A)
477. Do not resent the pomp of the funeral when it is directed to honor the memory of a good man, for this is right and good example. (L.E., 824)
478. The man can not enjoy absolute freedom in the world, because all need each other, the small and large. Since two men are together, there are reciprocal rights between them that they should respect, and therefore none of them enjoys absolute freedom. (L.E., 825 and 826)
479. How to reconcile the liberal opinions of certain men who usually exercise despotism at home or on their employees? Such men have an understanding of natural law, which counterbalance the pride and selfishness. When not a comedy, supporting liberal principles, understand how things should be, but do not do so. (L.E., 828)
480. The man has more intelligence to understand a principle, the less excusable is the failure to apply himself. The simple man, however honest, is more advanced on the path to God than one who wishes to look like what is not. (L.E., 828-A)
481. It is against the law of God all absolute subjection of one man to another. Slavery is an abuse of power. Disappears with the progress, gradually disappear as all abuses. (L.E., 829)
482. Evil is always evil and there is no quibble that does not become a bad action good. The responsibility is evil, but on the means that man possesses to understand it. One who takes advantage of the law of slavery is always guilty of violation of the law of nature. But then, as everywhere, the guilt is relative. Enlightened by the light of Christianity, the reason the man showed that the slave was his equal before God and then he has no more excuses. (L.E., 830)
483. The natural inequality of human races put certain skills under the dependence of the smartest breeds, so that these are the rise, not to brutalize them further by enslavement. (L.E., 831)
484. Men who treat their slaves with humanity is not as guilty as those who mistreat them, but they are still to dispose of them as a commodity, depriving them of the right to belong to themselves. (L.E., 832)
485. In the mind of man has unlimited freedom, because there is no way to bring it to Communities. You can stop his flight, but not annihilation. (L.E., 833)
486. It is man, before God, responsible for his thinking. And it is only God to condemn or absolve him, according to his righteousness. (L.E., 834)
487. Conscience is an inner thought that belongs to man, like all other thoughts. Freedom of conscience is one of the characters of true civilization and progress, and to God alone to judge it. (L.E., 835 to 837)
488. Who offend will be blamed by their belief that the other one does not think like him? Yes, because doing so is lacking in charity and infringe upon the freedom of thought. (L.E., 839)
489. Threaten freedom of conscience who put obstacles to beliefs that can cause disruption to society. May repress the acts themselves, but the intimate belief is inaccessible. (L.E., 840)
490. Teach the example of Jesus, making use of gentleness and persuasion and not force, which would be worse than the belief that those who wish to convince. The conviction is not necessary. (L.E., 841)
491. The doctrine closer to the truth is that which most men do well and less hypocritical. That the sign by which you will recognize that a doctrine is good, since every doctrine that has the effect of sow disunity and establish a line between the children of God can not be false and pernicious. (L.E., 842)
492. The instinctive predispositions that man brings to the Spirit are reborn before incarnating. As their advance, they can drag it to the practice of reprehensible acts, which will be assisted by the friendly spirits to these trends. There is, however, irresistible drift, since it has the will to resist. Remember to want is power. (L.E., 845)
493. Find one whose intelligence is troubled by any cause is not master of his thought, and then no longer have freedom. The aberration of the mental faculties is often a punishment for the Spirit that was in another existence, vain and proud, or made bad use of his faculties. Can the Spirit, if so, reborn in the body of an idiot, as the despot of a slave in rich and poor in a beggar. The Spirit suffers the effect of this constraint that is aware. There is the action of matter. (L.E., 847)
Answers to questions
A. According to Spiritism, the absolute equality of wealth is not possible because of the diversity of characters and the human faculties. In view of this, why God gave a wealth and power, and others, the misery?
Try them in different ways. Moreover, as we know, these tests were chosen by the spirits in them, however, often succumb. (The Spirits' Book, questions 814 to 816.)
B. Men and women have equal rights?
Yes. God has not granted the intelligence of both good and evil and the ability to progress? (Ibid., questions 817 to 820.)
C. Does any respectable belief, even when notoriously false?
Yes. Every belief is respectable when sincere and conducive to doing good. Condemned are the beliefs that lead to evil. (Ibid., question 838.)
D. Man has free will of their actions?
Of course. Because he has the freedom to think, are also the means act. Without free will, man is a machine. (Ibid., questions 843 and 844.)
E. The body exerts some influence on the acts of life? If so, this does not affect the exercise of free will?
It is undeniable that the subject influences the Spirit, and it may even hinder his demonstrations and the exercise of free will. (Ibid., question 846.)
