Selfishness and its harmful fruits

André Luiz Alves Jr. discusses the civil conflict in Syria and the spirit vision of war in an article that is one of the highlights of this edition. Considering that war is the fruit of the selfishness of the peoples, we have made some comments about what is considered one of the wounds of Humanity and a direct cause of the evils that unhappy our world.

Emmanuel tells us in a message inserted in chapter XI, item 11, of The Gospel According to Spiritism:

"[Selfishness] hinders moral progress."

"... it takes more courage to overcome yourself than to defeat others."

"[Selfishness] is the denial of charity and, therefore, the greatest obstacle to the happiness of men."

"It is to this antagonism between charity and selfishness, the invasion of the human heart by this moral scourge, that it must be ascribed to the fact that Christianity has not yet fulfilled its mission."

Selfishness, as one day one wrote, is love exclusive or excessive to oneself.

"Love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). This teaching of Jesus completely modifies the point of view of the exercise of loving others. From there, the expression of love is not shaped by love for oneself. No. The model is Jesus, because love for oneself can degenerate into so-called self-love, a mere manifestation of pride. If the love with which you love is unhealthy, self-love can degenerate into selfishness.

Many famous spirits and speakers often say that one has to love oneself in order to love another person. No doubt. But they forget to say that there is a model to follow: Jesus. Because Jesus gave us this new teaching, because of the imperfection of our love which misrepresented "loving others as yourselves".

Selfishness and egocentrism are different things. The egoist denies others their rights. Everything belongs to him, everything is for him. No one can share their possessions. No one can comment on their behavior. The egocentric feels that people gravitate around him, but he does not deny the rights of others, nor is he intolerant of the opinion and advice he receives. The most characteristic type of the egocentric, also called egotistic, it is the child.

It is selfish to subordinate another's interest to one's own interest.

"What is the most characteristic sign of imperfection? Personal Interest." (Excerpt from issue 895 of The Spirits' Book)

In the pejorative sense, it can be said that the self-seeking seeks, in everything, to take advantage. Interest can be characterized by greed, avidity. To act with interest is always to have a second intention, usually to gain some kind of profit, of advantage, even if moral, as the person who does good serves as an example, desiring that each action of his have as a counterpart another brick in the house that it fancies to dwell in the sky.

The disinterested good is the only one recognized as good. Working with the intention of gaining something in return results in the words of Jesus: They have already received their reward on Earth.

It is selfish to judge all things from their own point of view.

The point is judgment. When one is seized of selfishness, only matters one's own point of view. The views of others, especially the opposing ones, are not considered. Thus his judgment is always partial and inclined to self-interest. A charitable judgment prioritizes the comparison of different opinions to the detriment of one's own, seeking consensus. He seeks the greater good, and not the good of the minority, or of one who acts moved only by interest.