We hereby continue the methodical study of "The Gospel According to Spiritism" by Allan Kardec, the third of the works of the Kardecian Pentateuch. The first edition was published in April, 1864. The answers to the questions suggested for discussion are at the end of the text below.
Questions for discussion
A. How is selfishness explained by Spiritism?
B. What is true charity?
C. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. What does He mean?
D. Why should we forgive, be lenient and love our enemies?
Reading text
166. "Is it reprehensible to note others' faults if it does not benefit them, since they will not be told about them?" - It depends on the intention. Certainly, it is not forbidden to see evil where it exists. We can also consider it improper to see goodness everywhere. Progress would be impaired by this fantasy. It would be a mistake to remark in detriment of your neighbor, thus discrediting him before general opinion with no need. It would be equally reproachable to do this simply in order to give vent to spite and the satisfaction of catching others at fault. (Chapter X, section 20, Saint Louis)
167. The opposite occurs when a veil is extended over evil and, therefore, evil remains undisclosed, but the person, who notes his neighbor's faults, privately benefits from these examples, because he avoids practicing what he reproaches in others. (Chapter X, section 20, Saint Louis)
168. "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Law and the prophets" (Matthew, Chapter VII, v. 12) "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (Luke, Chapter VI, v. 31). Selfishness is destroyed by the practice of these maxims. When followed as a rule of conduct and it becomes the base of all institutions, then man will understand the true meaning of fraternity and peace. Then justice will reign on this planet. Hatred and disagreement will not exist. Union, harmony and mutual benevolence shall prevail. (Chapter XI, sections 2 and 4)
169. "Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto Him a denarius and He saith unto them: Whose is this image and superscription? And they say unto Him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew, Chapter XXII, vv. 15 to 22). The question that was made to Jesus (Is it licit to pay the tribute to Caesar?) was caused by the fact that the Jews, who abominated the tribute imposed on them by the Romans, had turned the payment of this tribute into a religious quarrel. Therefore, this question was tricky, and it was used by those, who questioned, to incite the dissident Jews and the Roman authorities against Jesus. However, Jesus being aware of their malice, contoured this difficulty and taught them a lesson regarding justice by saying that each be given what is due. (Chapter XI, sections 5 and 6)
170. However, we should not understand the words: "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar" in a restrictive or absolute sense. As in everything that Jesus taught, this is a general principle, put in a practical and common form, as a consequence of a specific circumstance. This principle was originated from Jesus' teaching when He says that we should do to our neighbor what we would like him to do to us. It condemns all kind of moral or material damage caused to our neighbor, as well as any disregard for his interests. It determines respect for individual rights, as each one of us would like to be respected. (Chapter XI, section 7)
171. Love sums up the whole and entire doctrine of Jesus, since this is the quintessential feeling, and feelings are instincts elevated to the height of the progress made. Originally, man only has instincts; when he is more advanced and also becomes more subject to corruption, he has sensations; when he becomes instructed and more purified, he has feelings. And the delicate point of feeling is love, not love in the ordinary sense of the term, but the inner sun that condenses and gathers in its ardent focus all superhuman aspirations and revelations. (Chapter XI, section 8, Lazarus)
172. When Jesus pronounced that divine word: "love", it made people tremble and martyrs, inebriated by hope, descended into the amphitheatres. In turn, Spiritism has inserted a second word in the divine alphabet. Pay attention, because this word "reincarnation", lifts up the tombstones from the empty graves, and triumphs over death, revealing to astonished people its intellectual patrimony. (Chapter XI, section 8, Lazarus)
173. Instincts are the germination and the embryos of feelings; they bring progress with them, just as the acorn contains the oak tree; and the less advanced creatures are those who, after merging little by little from their chrysalises, continue to maintain themselves slaves of their instincts. The Spirit needs to be cultivated as a meadow. All the future riches depend on present labor, which will give us much more than earthly goods, for it will offer glorious elevation. So, having understood the law of love, which joins all creatures, you will seek to find within it the most sweet delights of the soul, which are the preludes to celestial happiness. (Chapter XI, section 8, Lazarus)
174. Love is of a divine essence, and all of us, from the most humble to the highest, have a spark of this sacred fire in the bottom of our hearts. It is an often proven fact that man, as much abject, vile and criminal, he may be, he still devotes an ardent affection to a creature or an object. This feeling resists to all attempts to diminish it, and often reaches sublime proportions. (Chapter XI, section 9, Fénelon)
175. Jesus said: "Love thy neighbor as thy self". Well, what is the limit with regard to your neighbor? Is it the family, the sect, or the nation? No, it is nothing less than the entire Humanity. (Chapter XI, section 9, Fénelon)
176. The law of love leads to a moral betterment and happiness of mankind while in this Earth. Do not believe that the human heart is sterile and hardened, because even though against his will, man gives in to true love. The contact with this love revives and fertilizes the latent seeds in his heart. (Chapter XI, section 9, Fénelon)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. How is selfishness explained by Spiritism?
Selfishness is a mankind's wound. Therefore, it has to disappear from Earth since it is an obstacle to moral progress. Selfishness is the target all believers should fight against, and all strength and courage should be directed towards this fight. Thus, let each one of us use all our strength to fight our own selfishness, assured that this monstrous devourer of all intellects, this son of pride, is the cause of all miseries in this world and the denial of charity. For this reason, it is considered the biggest obstacle to man's happiness.
With selfishness and pride, hand in hand, life would always be a race in which the most astute would be the winner. It would be a fight of interests in which the most saintly affections would be stepped on, and where not even sacred family ties shall be respected. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter XI, sections 11 and 12)
B. What is true charity?
God gives us a sublime teaching: true charity. True charity does not consist of only giving alms, nor even in the consoling words you may add to your donation. No, this is not the only thing God demands from you. Sublime charity, as taught by Jesus, also consists in the constant use of benevolence in all things pertaining to your neighbor. (Ibid, Chapter XI, sections 13 and 14.)
C. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. What does He mean?
If the principle of charity is to love our neighbors, to love our enemies is the most sublime application of this principle. To possess this virtue is a great victory against selfishness and pride. Usually, there is usually a misunderstanding regarding the meaning of the word love. When Jesus spoke, He did not mean that we should have the same tenderness for an enemy as we have for a brother or friend. Tenderness implies in confidence. Well, nobody can confide in another, if you know that the person is likely to abuse. People who have no confidence amongst themselves cannot feel the same affection they feel for those, who share the same ideas. In short, one cannot feel for an enemy the same pleasure you feel in the company of a friend.
However, to love our enemies is not to feel a natural affection, since the contact with an enemy makes our heart beat in a different way. To love our enemies means not to hate, nor bear rancor, nor desire revenge. It is to forgive all the evil they have caused us unconditionally and without hidden thoughts. It is not to put obstacles to a reconciliation; it is to wish them good instead of bad things in life; to feel joy, instead of regret, for all the good things that may come their way; it is to help them whenever possible and to abstain by words or acts from everything which might prejudice them. Finally, it means to always pay back their evil with our goodness, with no intention of humiliating. (Ibid, Chapter XII, sections 1, 3 and 4.)
D. Why should we forgive, be lenient and love our enemies?
There are several reasons. To begin, we know that evil is not a permanent state. It originates from a temporary imperfection and the same way as a child corrects itself, the evil man will one day recognize his faults and become a good man. Additionally, we also know that death only frees us from the material presence of our enemy, because he can pursue us with his hatred, even though he has left this Earth. Therefore, vengeance fails its purpose and causes even more irritation, which is capable of continuing from one existence to another.
There is no heart so perverse that it will refuse, even though reluctantly, to show itself sensitive to good behavior. Through good behavior it is possible to withdraw all pretext for retaliation and, who knows, even making a friend out of an enemy, before and after death. Through bad behavior Man only succeeds in irritating his enemy, who then becomes the instrument which God's Justice will use to punish the one who is unable to forgive. (Ibid, Chapter XII, sections 5 and 6.)
