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 suggested for discussion was the end of the text below.
Questions
A. The identity of spirits communicating Spiritism is essential to the practice of?
B. We then examine communications received?
C. We ask questions to spirits?
D. We can get advice from spirits, on subjects of our particular interest?
Text for reading
259. The issue of identity is therefore nearly indifferent when it comes to general instruction, since the top spirits can replace each other without major consequences. Superior spirits form a collective whole, whose legend we are, with rare exceptions, unknown. Not one of them that we care, but the education we provide. Now if this is good teaching, no matter what the Spirit is called Peter or Paul. He should be judged by its quality and not by their insignia. (Item 256)
260. Another much longer applies to communications intimate because there is someone who interests us. Very reasonable, therefore, is that in these circumstances seek to make certain that the Spirit communicates is really who this name. (Item 256)
261. One means employed, sometimes successfully, to identify a spirit who communicates, is to make it to state, in the name of God Almighty, who is really who they say they. It happens often that the Spirit uses a name usurped retreat before the sacrilege. There is, however, nothing scrupulous spirits, who swear to all that ask. (Item 259)
262. You can include evidence of identity between the similarity of the handwriting and signature, however, and is not given to all mediums achieve this result, it is not quite a guarantee as there are forgers in the world of spirits, as for this. The presumption of identity only acquires value by circumstances that follow. The best of all is evidence of identity in language and in fortuitous circumstances. (Item 260)
263. It may be objected that if a spirit can imitate a signature, able to perfectly mimic the language. This is exact, we have seen some take the name of Christ boldly, and to create the mystification, simulating the evangelical style and pronounced right and left these words: Verily, verily I say. Studying, however, saying, as a whole, examining the background of ideas, the range of expressions, while the maximum fine pair of charity, see if recommendations childish and ridiculous, would need to be fascinated that someone was mistaken. (Item 261)
264. Certain portions of the material form of language can be imitated, but not thought. Never imitate the real ignorance know, never vice imitate true virtue. At any point appears whenever the tip of the ear. (Item 261)
265. It is then that the medium and the experimenter need all the wit and all consideration to unravel the truth at falsehood. The evil spirits are capable of all devices. So the more venerable is the name under which a spirit is present, the greater should inspire distrust. (Item 261)
266. Spirits should be judged as men, the language they use. Suppose a man receives twenty letters from people who are unknown to you, by style, by ideas, by a multitude of evidence, finally, check if those people are educated or ignorant, poorly educated or polished, superficial, deep, frivolous, proud, frivolous, sentimental etc.. So too with spirits. You can establish yourself as invariable rule without exception and that the language of the spirits is always in relation to the degree of elevation that have already arrived. The language always reveals its origin, either by expressing thoughts, either by the way. (Item 263)
267. Goodness and kindness are essential attributes of Spirits debugged. They have no hatred, nor man, nor to other spirits. Lament the weaknesses, errors criticize, but always in moderation, without bitterness and without animosity. Assuming that spirits cannot truly want good but good but good things to say and we conclude that all denote, in the language of spirits, lack of goodness and kindness cannot come from a good spirit. (Item 264)
Respostas às questões propostas
A. The identity of spirits communicating Spiritism is essential to the practice of?
The absolute identity of Spirits is in many cases a matter incidental and unimportant, which does not happen with the distinction between good and bad spirits. The individuality of them may be irrelevant, but never their quality. In all communications instructive that is the point to which to converge all our attention, because this distinction is that only give us a measure of confidence that can be attributed to the Spirit that manifests itself, whatever the name under which it presents itself . (The Mediums Book, items 262 and 267.)
B. We then examine communications received?
Yes, all communications must yield to a scrupulous examination, analyzing the thought and expressions as we do when it comes to judging a literary work, rejecting without hesitation all that sins against logic and common sense, everything that belies the character of communicating spirit. Therefore, we will encourage them not deceiving spirits, which will eventually retire, once convinced that we can not deceive. We repeat that this is the only way, but it is infallible, since there is no bad communication that resists rigorous analysis. (Ibid., item 266.)
C. We ask questions to spirits?
Yes, the questions, far from having the least inconvenience, are very useful from the viewpoint of the instruction when formulating them know within desired limits. They have another advantage, which is to help unmask the deceiving spirits that spans more than being wise, rarely support the evidence of a logic closed questions that lead them to their last strongholds. Spirits serious gladly respond to questions that aim to the right and the means to make the man ahead. Do not listen, therefore, futile questions, those that are useless and those made by idle curiosity or just to taste them. (Ibid., itens 287 and 288.)
D. We can get advice from spirits, on subjects of our particular interest?
Sometimes yes, according to motive. But it depends on the person to whom those addresses. Warnings concerning the private life are given more accurately by familiar spirits, because they bind to one person and are interested in what concerns him: the friend, the confidant of his most secret thoughts, yet frequently men with the faint questions so absurd, they are silent. It would be absurd to ask such intimate things to spirits that we are strangers to it as we go to the first person we encountered on the street. (Ibid., item 291, paragraphs 17 and 18.)
