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. The man can, by itself, overcome the evil tendencies that dominate?
B. What is the greatest of all the vices which afflict humanity?
C. What it takes to destroy selfishness?
D. What is a good man, in the spirit?
E. What is the most effective practical means that man has to improve in this life and resist the lure of evil?
Text for reading
553. There are many people who say: Yes, but only the will is under their lips. Want, but are very happy that is not how they want. When a man believes that he cannot overcome their passions, that his Spirit delights in them, in consequence of their inferiority. Understands that spiritual nature of the man, which seeks to repress. Overcoming them is, for him, a victory of spirit over matter. (L.E., 911)
554. The most efficient way to combat the predominance of physical nature is to practice self-denial. (L.E., 912)
555. As men are educated about spiritual things, give less value to material things. Then, to completely drive out selfishness of the human heart, it is necessary to reform human institutions that entertain and excite. This depends on education. (L.E., 914)
556. Selfishness grows with civilization, and that seems to excite and maintain. The greater evil becomes more heinous. He had to produce so much evil selfishness, that they do understand the need to root it out. When the men stripped of selfishness if any, will live as brothers, without doing any harm and helping one another, driven by a mutual feeling of solidarity. So the stronger the support and not the oppressor of the weak, and no longer be seen men who lack the necessary, because everyone will practice the law of justice. That the reign of good, that the spirits are tasked to prepare. (L.E., 916)
Answers to questions
A. The man can, by itself, overcome the evil tendencies that dominate?
Yes, and often doing very insignificant efforts. What it lacks is the will. (The Spirits' Book, questions 909 to 912.)
B. What is the greatest of all the vices which afflict humanity?
Selfishness. It derives all evil. Let us study all the vices we see that the bottom of all is the presence of selfishness. (Ibid., questions 913 and 917.)
C. What it takes to destroy selfishness?
Selfishness is weakened in proportion as the moral life is prevailing over the material life and, above all, with the understanding that the Spirit gives our state's future. Selfishness is based on the importance of personality. Now, Spiritualism, properly understood, shows us things so high that the sense of personality disappears, in a sense, given the immensity. Destroying this importance, or at least reducing it to its legitimate proportions, it necessarily combats selfishness, a task for education, not the education that tends to make men learned, but that tends to make men good. Education, properly understood, is the key to moral progress. When the art of handling the characters, as is known the art of managing the intelligence, will be able to fix them, so they straighten up new plants. This art, however, requires much tact, much experience and profound observation. (Ibid., questions 914 to 917.)
D. What is a good man, in the spirit?
A good man is one who practices the law of justice, love and charity in their highest purity. If question one's conscience about the acts he did, ask if it violated this law, if not done evil, has done all he could well, if anyone has reason to complain of it, finally it did to others what you wanted do. Possessed a sense of charity and love of neighbor, do well for good, not counting any retribution, and sacrifices his interests to justice. He is kind, humane and benevolent to all, because he sees in all men brothers, without distinction of race or belief. If God gave him power and wealth, consider these things as a deposit, which he must use for good. Of them is not puffed up, knowing that God gave them to him, we will also can withdraw. If their dependence on the social order put other men, treat them with kindness and complacency, because they are your equal before God. Use their authority to raise their morale and not to crush them with pride. It is indulgent to the weaknesses of others, because he knows he also needs the indulgence of others and remembers these words of Christ: Throw the first stone he who is without sin. It is not vindictive. Like Jesus forgives sins, only to remember the benefits, as is well aware that, as there are forgiven, so you will be forgiven. Respect, at last, in his fellow men all the rights that the laws of nature give you, how you want the same rights will be respected. (Ibid., question 918.)
E. What is the most effective practical means that man has to improve in this life and resist the lure of evil?
A wise man of antiquity, have said: Know yourself. Knowing yourself is the key to personal development. But someone will ask: How do you judge yourself? That is not the illusion of self-esteem to alleviate shortages and make it excusable? The miser considers only economic and foresight, the judges proud that in itself is no dignity. This is real, but there is a means of verification that cannot deceive us. When we are undecided about the value of our shares, we think how to qualify this action, if practiced by someone else. If the blame on someone else, can not we have as legitimate when its author, for God does not use two measures to implement his justice. Let us also know what it feel like our opinion and do not despise our enemies, because they have no interest in masking the truth and God often places them beside us like a mirror, so that we may be warned with more candor than would a friend. Peer, consequently, his conscience who feel possessed the earnest desire to improve themselves in order to extirpate the evil inclinations of you, start your garden as weeds; balance in your day to morals, like the dealer, assess their losses and profits. If you can say it was good day, you can sleep in peace without fear and wait for the awakening in the afterlife. (Ibid., questions 919 and 919-A.)
