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. If the desire is to possess a natural desire, which the character of legitimate ownership?
B. What is the true sense of the word charity, as employed by Jesus?
C. What are we to think of almsgiving?
D. What is the role of education in the moral reform of the individual and society?
E. What are the most meritorious of virtues and the most characteristic sign of imperfection?
Text for reading
525. It's natural desire to own, but when the man has only to wish you and your personal satisfaction, what is selfishness. There are greedy men who accumulate assets of no use to anyone, or just to indulge their passions. Do you think that God sees with good eyes? One who, instead, for their work together in order to help their fellows, practicing the law of love and charity, and God bless your work. (L.E., 883)
526. Certainly, no one can vote for their enemies a tender and passionate love. That's not to say that Jesus understood. Loving our enemies is to forgive them and repay them evil with good. Those who do so become greater than its enemies, while below them are placed, is looking to take revenge. (L.E., 887)
527. Condemning herself to begging, man degrades physically and morally: he oppresses. A society that is based on God's law and justice must provide the life of the poor, without humiliation for him. Must ensure that those who cannot work, not leaving them to life at the mercy of chance and good-will of some. (L.E., 888)
528. Do not resent the alms which deserve reprobation is the way in which it is usually given. A good man who understands love according to Jesus, meets the wretched, without expecting that this will extend a hand. True love is always kind and benevolent: it is in the act, as the manner in which it is practiced. Double value is a service provided gently. If it is with pride, it may oblige the need to accept those who receive it, but your heart will be moved slightly. (L.E., 888-A)
529. Remember also that the eyes of God, the show takes the credit for the benefit. Jesus said, "Ignore your left hand know what goes right." In this way, they taught you not grimy charity with pride. (L.E., 888-A)
530. One must distinguish almsgiving, itself, of beneficence. Not always the most needy is what you ask. The fear of humiliation holds the real poor, who suffer many times without complaint. The man that is truly human is ready to go seek, without ostentation. (L.E., 888-A)
531. Love each other, here is the whole law, divine law, by which God governs the worlds. Love is the law of attraction to living things and organized. The attraction is the law of love to inorganic matter. (L.E., 888-A)
532. Never forget that the Spirit, whatever the degree of advancement, whether in red or erraticity, is always placed between an upper guide and the perfect, and a bottom, to which has to meet those same obligations. Then be charitable, not just practicing charity makes you give alms to take away the cold pocket that you dare to ask, but what you take to meet the hidden miseries. Be indulgent to the faults of your brethren. Instead of ignoring the ignorance and vice, instruct the ignorant and moralized junkies. Be gentle and benevolent toward all that is below you. Be it to the tiniest creatures of creation and you have obeyed the law of God. (L.E., 888-A)
533. There is no doubt that men find themselves condemned to beg for his fault, but if a good moral education had taught them to practice the law of God, would not have fallen in the excesses that led to his undoing. That, above all, that depends on the improvement of this planet. (L.E., 889)
534. Maternal love is at the same time, a virtue and an instinctive feeling. Nature has her mother's love to their children in the interest of conserving them. In animals, this love is limited to material needs and ceases shortly. In humans, persists for life and carries a dedication and selflessness are virtues. Survives even the death and accompanies his son up in the afterlife. (L.E., 890)
535. The hatred that some mothers have for their children is sometimes a proof that the Spirit of son chose, or atonement, if you happened to have been a bad father, or mother perverse or bad son in another existence. Of course, in such cases the bad mother is an evil spirit that seeks to create embarrassment for your child succumbs. But this violation of the laws of nature does not go unpunished, and the Spirit of the child will later be rewarded by the obstacles which triumphed there. (L.E., 891)
536. Even when children cause their parents grief, there is no excuse for the lack of tenderness of parents regarding their children, since it represents a charge entrusted to them and their mission is to strive to push their kids for good. Further, these troubles are often the result of bad temper that parents let their children take from the cradle. Then reap what they sow. (L.E., 892)
537. There are people who do well spontaneously, this is a sign of progress. They fought and triumphed once. That is why the good feelings and no effort cost them their actions they seem very simple. Good if they become a habit. Due them the honor that is usually tax the old warriors who conquered his high office. (L.E., 894)
538. People lavish have some merit for his release? Yes they have the merit of disinterestedness, but not the good they could do. The indifference is a virtue, but the thoughtless prodigality is always injustice. The wealth, so that is not given to some to be bolted in a safe, neither is the other to be scattered to the wind. Is a deposit that everyone will be accountable, because they have to answer for all the good they could do and did, for all the tears that could have stalled with the money they give to those who did not need it. (L.E., 896)
539. The well should be done charitably, that is, with disinterest. There is an evil, of course, expect something better in the future due to the good we do, but he that doeth good, no preconceived idea, solely for the pleasure of being pleasing to God and his neighbor, who suffers, as is in a degree of progress that will allow you to achieve happiness much faster than his brother, more positive, does good by calculation. (L.E., 897 and 897-A)
540. Proceed as selfish anyone who calculates what you can each earn their good deeds in the afterlife. No selfishness, however, is the man to want to improve yourself, to get closer to God, because that is the goal towards which all should strive. (L.E., 897-B)
541. Undoubtedly, it is useful we strive to acquire scientific knowledge. First, it puts us in a position to assist our brothers, then our spirit will rise more quickly if you've progressed in intelligence. In embodiments of the intervals, we will learn in an hour what on earth would require years of learning. No knowledge is useless, all contribute more or less for progress, for the Spirit to be perfect, you must know everything, and because the meeting to make progress in all directions, all acquired ideas help the development of Spirit . (L.E., 898)
542. Two wealthy men who employ their wealth solely on personal pleasures, the more guilty is he who has known suffering, because he knows what suffering is. The pain, which seeks to give any relief, he knows, but as often happens, since it does not remember. (L.E., 899)
543. One who constantly accumulates assets, without doing well to anyone, you will find an excuse in the fact that accumulate with the intention to bequeath to their heirs largest amount? No, this is a conscious commitment to the poor. (L.E., 900)
544. Two greedy men, who denies himself the necessary and dies in misery over his treasure, and the other is only greedy for others and generous with yourself, the more guilty is what comes, because it is more selfish than miser. The first has already received part of his punishment. (L.E., 901)
545. The desire for wealth, in order to do good, is a laudable sentiment, is really neat. But that desire will always be selfless? Do not hide any view of a personal nature? (L.E., 902)
546. Incurs great guilt the man who studies the defects of others to criticize and publicize, because it is lacking in charity. If you do, however, to take advantage there, to avoid them, this study may be of some use to you. Should not be forgotten, however, that the indulgence for the faults of others is one of the virtues contained in charity. Prior to censor the imperfections of others, to see if you cannot say the same. Treat, therefore, have the opposite des ¬ quality defects to criticize in your neighbor. This is the way that you may become superior to him. If you blame greed, be generous, if pride, be humble and modest if the roughness, be lenient if the smallness, be large. In a word, do not so that you can apply these words of Jesus: He sees the mote in your neighbor's eye and not see the plank in your own. (L.E., 903)
547. Guilt that they probe the wounds of society and expose them in public depends on the feeling that the anime. If the writer intended only to produce scandal, does more than give yourself a personal enjoyment and may be punished for it. There is not always useful in judging the purity of the intentions of the writer. If they write good things, take advantage of them. If you do evil, it is a matter of conscience which concerns only. Besides, if he strives to prove his sincerity, support what you say in the examples I give. (L.E., 904)
548. Some authors have published stunning works of great moral help to the progress of humanity, of which, however, they took no avail. Them to be taken into account, as spirits, the good works that have granted their place? No, not the moral actions is the same as the seed without the work. That suits you the seed, if ye do not bear fruit that you feed? Serious fault is that these men, because had the intelligence to understand. Not practicing the maximum offering other, resigned them to reap the rewards. (L.E., 905)
549. Since man can be aware of the evil practice, should also have it well in order to know if you've been good or bad. Weighing all his deeds in the balance of God's law, and especially in the law of justice, love and charity, can you tell yourself if their works are good or bad. It cannot therefore blame him for having triumphed recognize the evil inclinations and be satisfied as long as such is not flattering, because it would fall into another fault. (L.E., 906)
550. The principle which gives rise to passion is not bad. The passion is in excess of that's on the will, since the principle which gives rise came on the man for good, so that the passions can lead you to achieve great things. The abuse of them are doing is causing harm. (L.E., 907)
551. The passions are like a horse, which is only useful when governed and that becomes dangerous since the pass rule. A passion becomes dangerous from the moment they no longer rule it and gives a result in any injury to yourselves or others. (L.E., 908)
552. The passion itself is the exaggeration of a need or a feeling. Is in excess and not the cause, and this excess becomes an evil when evil has as a consequence whatsoever. Every passion that brings the animal nature of man differs from that of a spiritual nature. (L.E., 908, Kardec comment)
Answers to Questions
A. If the desire is to possess a natural desire, which the character of legitimate ownership?
Property is only legitimate that was acquired without prejudice to others. (The Spirits' Book, questions 883, 884 and 885.)
B. What is the true sense of the word charity, as employed by Jesus?
Kindness to every one, indulgence for the imperfections of others, forgiveness of sins. Charity, according to Jesus, not restricted to alms and covers all relations in which we find ourselves with our neighbors, whether they are our inferiors, our equals or our superiors. It prescribes the indulgence, indulgence because we ourselves, and prohibits the unfortunate humble, contrary to what is customary. (Ibid., questions 886 and 888.)
C. What are we to think of almsgiving?
Nothing against the charity. The thing to fail is not alms, but the way it is usually given. A good man who understands love according to Jesus, meets the wretched, without expecting that this will extend a hand. True love is always kind and benevolent, is in the act, as the manner in which it is practiced.
One should also distinguish the needy, itself, of beneficence. Not always the most needy is what you ask. The fear of humiliation holds the real poor, who suffer many times without complaint. The man that is truly human is ready to go seek, without ostentation. Do not forget that the Spirit, whatever the degree of their advancement and their status as disembodied or reincarnated, is always placed between an upper guide and the perfect, and a bottom, to which must meet these same duties. Let us, then, charitable, practicing not only the love that makes us give alms to the coolly took from his pocket to the one who asks, but that will take us to meet the hidden miseries. (Ibid., questions 888 and 889.)
D. What is the role of education in the moral reform of the individual and society?
Education, properly understood, is the key to moral progress. When the art of handling the characters, as is known to handle the mind, will be able to fix them, so they straighten up new plants.
Selfishness is the source of all vices, as the charity is of all virtues. Destroy one another and develop, this should be the target of all efforts of man, if you want to ensure their happiness in this world as much as in the future.
Selfishness is based on the importance of personality. Destroying the importance or at least reducing it to its legitimate proportions, gradually reduces the feeling of egoism. Now, Spiritualism, properly understood, shows things so high that the sense of personality disappears, in a sense, given the immensity.
As men are educated about spiritual things, give less value to material things, reducing therefore the power of selfish feeling in the world in which we live. This purpose lies with education. (Ibid., 889 question. See also questions 685, 813, 914 and 917.)
E. What are the most meritorious of virtues and the most characteristic sign of imperfection?
Every virtue has its own merits, because they all indicate progress on the path of good. There is always that there is resistance due to the entrainment of voluntary evil inclinations. The sublimity of virtue, however, is the sacrifice of personal interest for the good of others, without thought hidden, and the most meritorious is that based on the most disinterested charity.
With regard to the imperfections of men, the most characteristic sign is the interest. True selflessness is - according to Spiritism - something so rare on Earth that, when patents, all admire him as if it were a phenomenon. Attachment to material things is remarkable sign of inferiority, because the more you cling to this world's goods, the less the man understands his fate. Disinterest, on the contrary, shows that faces a higher point of the future. (Ibid., questions 893 and 895.)
