In this issue, we continue the study of the book, Spiritism in its simplest expression, published in 1862 by Allan Kardec. The present work is based on the translation into Portuguese made by Salvador Gentile.
Preliminary issues
A. What is the essential purpose of Spiritism?
Man’s advancement. Therefore, one just has to search in life for what improves his moral and intellectual progress. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
B. Who can we consider as a true Spiritist?
A True Spiritist is the one who learns and benefits from the teachings given by the Spirits, not the one who only believes in Spiritist manifestations. There is no use in believing, if belief does not make you step forward on the path of progress and does not make one better regarding his neighbor. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
C. Is it correct to say that man is often the creator of his own unhappiness?
Yes. Let the unhappy individual go back to the source of his misfortunes, and he will see that in most cases they result from his negligence, pride, greed, and therefore his violation of God's Law. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
Text for reading
129. The evils which afflict men on Earth are due to pride, selfishness, and all evil passions. In contact with their vices, men become reciprocally unhappy and punish each other. May charity and humbleness replace selfishness and pride, so that then they will no longer try to harm one another; they will respect the rights of each other, and shall allow harmony and justice to prevail among them. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
130. However, how can we destroy the selfishness and pride that seem innate in man’s heart? (Spiritism in its simplest expression – Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
131. Selfishness and pride are in man’s heart, because men are Spirits, who have followed from the beginning the path of evil, and who were exiled to the Earth in punishment for these same vices; and this is where their original sin still prevails, and of which many have not yet managed to remove. Through Spiritism, God makes a final appeal to the practice of the Law taught by Christ: the Law of Love and Charity. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
132. Since Earth has reached the time appointed to become a home of happiness and peace, God does not want the incarnate evil Spirits to continue there, disturbing the good; so they should disappear. They will atone for their hardness of heart in less advanced worlds where they will go on working towards their perfection, in a series of more unhappy and more painful lives if compared to the one they had on Earth. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
133. In these worlds they will form a new and enlightened race and their task will be to help the progress of the backward beings that live there, by using their already acquired knowledge. Then they will not go out into a better world unless they have merit, and until they attain complete purification. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
134. If the Earth was to them a purgatory, these worlds will be their hell, but a hell from which hope is never banished. (Spiritism in its simplest expression – Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
135. While the outlawed generation will disappear quickly, a new generation rises whose beliefs will be founded on Christian Spiritism. We witness the transition that takes place, a prelude to the moral renewal of which Spiritism marks the advent.
(Spiritism in its simplest expression - Summary of the Spiritist Teachings).
136. The main aim of Spiritism is man’s advancement. Therefore, man only has to search for what can help him in his moral and intellectual progress. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
137. The true Spiritist is not the one who believes only in spiritual manifestations, but one who takes advantage of the teachings given by the Spirits. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
138. It is no use believing, if your belief does not make you take a step forward on the path of progress, and does not make you treat your neighbor better. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
139. Selfishness, pride, vanity, ambition, greed, hatred, envy, jealousy, and slander are poisonous herbs that feed the soul. It is necessary that – on a daily basis – one rips out some of these herbs, which have, as an antidote: the practice of Charity and Humbleness. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
140. The belief in Spiritism is only useful to the one who can say: "I am better today than yesterday". (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
141. The importance that man gives to temporal goods lies in the inverse ratio of his faith in the spiritual life; it is the doubt about the future that leads him to seek his joys in this world, satisfying his passions, even at the expense of his neighbor. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
142. Troubles on Earth are the remedies of the soul; they save the soul for the future in the same manner a painful surgical operation saves a patient's life and brings his health back. This is why the Christ said: "Blessed are those who suffer, for they shall be comforted”. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
143. In your grief, look beneath you and not above; think of those who suffer even more than you. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
144. Despair is natural in those who believe that everything ends with the physical life; this is foolish in those who have faith in the future. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
145. Man is often the maker of his own unhappiness in this world; if he goes back to the source of his misfortunes, he will see that they are in most cases the result of his recklessness, pride, and greed, and therefore in violation of the Law of God. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
146. A prayer is an act of adoration. To pray to God is to think of Him; it is to approach Him; it is to communicate with Him. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
147. The one who prays with unction and faith is stronger before the temptations of evil, and God sends him Good Spirits to help him. God never refuses His help when our request is sincere. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
148. Important is not to pray a lot, but to pray with quality. Certain people believe that all merit is in the length of the prayer, while they close their own eyes to their own faults. Prayer is for these people a task, a way to employ their time, but not a study to become aware of their own selves. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
149. Those who ask God to forgive them for their faults only reach God’s forgiveness by changing their behavior. Good deeds are the best prayers, because deeds have more merit than words. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
150. Prayer is recommended by all good Spirits; on the other hand it is requested by all imperfect Spirits as a means to relief their suffering. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits).
151. A prayer cannot change the Divine Laws; but when the suffering Spirits see that there is someone who remembers them, they feel less abandoned; they are less unhappy; their courage improves, and they feel the need to repentance and reparation, and it can also distance them from evil thoughts. It is in this sense that prayer cannot only relief but shorten their suffering. (Spiritism in its simplest expression - Maxima extracted from the Teachings of the Spirits). (To be continued on the next issue).
