What makes us better?

Self-proclaimed Islamic State, the group that has been terrorizing part of population of Iraq and Syria; it does certainly not  have a good advertisement of Islam and the doctrine contained in the Quran, a fact that has been remembered with sadness by Muslim leaders from various parts the world.

Indeed, girls kidnap and behead journalists procedures are not consistent with the religion founded by Muhammad and add to the arguments of those who claim that violence is inherent to Islam, which surely is not true.

Resurge, the purpose of the subject, an old-related question connected to religions quality and their effectiveness with their supporters. So, the inevitable question: - From the known religions which is after all the best?

The subject is no stranger to the work of Allan Kardec, who treated it objectively on the book What is Spiritism, in the passage reproduced below in which Kardec dialogues with a priest:        

The priest. - Well! What do the higher spirits say about religion? The good should advise and guide us. Suppose I do not have any religion and want to choose one; if I ask them to advise me if I should be Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Quaker, Jewish, Muslim or Mormon, what will be their answer?

A.K. - There are two points to consider in religions: the general principles common to all, and the particular principles of each. The first are those that we have just talked; these are proclaimed by all spirits, whatever their class. Regarding the latter, the vulgar spirits, without being evil, may have preferences, opinions; can advocate this or that form, animate certain practices, whether by personal conviction, be retained because the ideas of earthly life, either by prudence, not to scare timorous consciences. Believe, for example, that an enlightened spirit, even Fénelon was, addressing a Muslim, inexpertly will tell him Mohammed is an impostor, and that he will be damned if he is not a Christian? It will not, because it would be repelled.

In general, the higher spirits, if they are not requested by any special consideration, they do not care about these issues in detail, they merely say: God is good and just; want nothing but good; the best of all religions is one that only teaches what is according to the goodness and justice of God; that gives the greatest and the most sublime idea of God and do not lower him lending Him the weaknesses and passions of mankind; what make good and virtuous men and teaches them to love each other as brothers all; that condemns all evil done to others; not allow injustice in any form or pretext whatsoever; prescribing anything contrary to the immutable laws of nature, because God can not contradict; one whose ministers give the best example of kindness, charity and morality; one that seeks to better fight the selfishness and flatter less the pride and vanity of men; that, finally, on behalf of which it commits less evil, because a good religion cannot serve as a pretext to no harm; it should not let any door opened, neither directly nor by interpretation. See, judge and appoint. (What is Spiritism, Third Dialogue, The Priest.) (The bold is ours.) 

The ideas outlined above by Encoder of Spiritism are similar, if not identical, to what Dalai Lama expressed in an interesting dialogue with the known theologian Leonardo Boff, quoted in the book Spiritual Advice, published by Verus Publisher.

According to Leonardo Boff, within a meeting about religion and peace among the peoples, both of which participated in round table, he asked the Tibetan leader:

- Holiness, what is the best religion?

Dalai Lama paused a moment, smiled, looked him straight in the eyes and said:

- The best religion is the one that makes you better.

Given this statement as clear, theologian asked:

- What makes me better?

Dalai Lama replied:

- What makes you more compassionate, what makes you more sensitive, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible... The religion that can do this for you is the best religion...

In the face of wise ideas, how it would be nice that they came to the leaders of the Islamic State!

Surely Muhammad - wherever he is - would be happy if that was to happen and even more if they listen to and adopt it.