Interior transformation
and moral perfection

One of the most serious problems in our spiritual evolution is to change our hearts. This change, proposed by Spiritism as our great moral struggle, it is undoubtedly essential for our real education. How can we get those who we approach to feel that this inner change and behaviour betterment, if we do not show that we are of this ourselves? Moreover, unless we change our behaviour, how can we ask others to do so? Our speech lacks the emotion needed to pass things that they believe in and live. What is worse is that without this transformation of our hearts we are acting like the Pharisees, so hypocritical.

This religious hypocrisy was the only one to get a very firm and decided censorship of the Master Jesus: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, who under the guise of long prayers, devouring the houses of widows, you will have therefore a more rigorous trial! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, to clean out the cup and dish, which inside are odour of prey and impurity! Thus, seems fair outside, while inside are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Then, approaching him, his disciples said to him: 'You know, listening to what you just said, the Pharisees were shocked? He said: Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Leave them alone, they are blind that lead the blind, if a blind guides other blind, both fall in the hole. "

Allan Kardec put in the passage: "Damn against the Pharisees” inserted into" The Genesis”, the following appropriate and very objective questions: "But his words have come to us unadulterated and free of misinterpretation? Would all Christian sects have caught its spirit? Did not some have skewed the true sense, as a result of prejudice and ignorance of the laws of nature? Did not some have made themselves a tool of domination to serve material interests and ambitions, a step not to go up to heaven, but to rise on Earth? Are they all exempted of the apostrophe that Jesus directed the Pharisees of His time? " Therefore,  we  must  understand  the true Christian

virtues as clear as possible so that our interior reform actually produces a moral transformation. A more detailed study of the moral Christian shows us that it is perfectly feasible. Jesus would not have taught it and exemplified it if it was impossible to practice.

Let us try to show how the Christian virtues were and still are taught by the religious of the various churches to meet the interests of the churches and of the powerful, not seeking their true essence.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

1^st: Enlightened people do not care about their material needs, he puts first and foremost spiritual needs. In his prayer, aid the needy, tolerance WITHOUT LIMITS, ENDLESS WORK WITHOUT FATIGUE, AVOIDING FUN AND CARRYING OUT THE DUTIES. That’s what’s more important.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

Enlightened people know, whenever praying or studying in sessions that the true worship comes from the heart that is to practice good and avoid evil. Do not confuse charity with the giving of alms, and knows that men will understand one another they the practice the LAW OF JUSTICE. They know that charity is an attitude towards everyone (benevolence "good will"), a way to feel in the face of human evil (indulgence: to understand and give due consideration because we know that we are imperfect), a way to act with those who hate us or have prejudice against us (forgiveness: to forgive because understand the imbalance or the limits of another without retaliate or take revenge).

Enlightened people do not seek the guidance of spirits for all their needs. They know that the spirits inspire and guide if they remain a decent conduct. Whenever possible they dialogue with the spirits knowing they are our brothers whose opinion is worth as much as that of another informed man. They compare the teachings of the spirits and conclude them within their understanding when possible.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

3^rd Religion teaches us to renounce our rights to encourage children, mothers, fathers and brothers. We must be the loving DONORS, always doing everything for our next, spare them and work for them. Do goods to others without moaning if necessary, giving an example of detachment and moral elevation, without any concern of who appears to be the author. Love the other is to renounce yourself and to be the base to the glory of someone else.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO USE ANOTHER HUMAN BEING TO ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL GOALS. Often using affection and sweet words, we are able to entangle our next in our web like spiders, leading him to do what is good for us and not for him.

Consider our neighbours’ right EQUAL to ours and not higher. "Love your neighbour as yourself", not "Love your neighbour and despise yourself."
Jesus loved us and asked us to love as He did. (“Love one another as I have loved you"). He fought all the time to explain to all so there would be justice and charity. He did not died on the cross to save us. Each of us must find our own "salvation."

No sacrifice in advance for proud and selfish individuals, distant from love and goodness is worth it. They just learn to use us for their ends, in thrall to their whims. Jesus sacrificed himself for a cause, for His ideals, for the good of all and not for anyone.

Enlightened people don’t think they are a demigod and don’t work excessively

It is interesting to note that modern psychology teaches us that we only help someone when we help that person grow. If the assistance is material, such aid must promote the independence of that person and not an eternal dependence to us. Even naturally dependent people like children, elderly patients or patients with severe disabilities, should be encouraged to grow as people and be as economically, emotionally and intellectually independent as possible. Grown up children who cannot live away from parents, wives who are not disengaged from the position of princesses, depending on a saviour, are far from gaining freedom and happiness.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

4^th We should comply to all the requests of our superiors at work or those who live with us. Those who serve are enlightened rarefy. To serve is the glory of the Christian. The humiliation and injustice must be supported without complaints that would lose the value of the work. In addition, we are not to judge; only God has that right.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

We should know our responsibilities and work to fulfil them. We must do the aid that we can achieve within our forces, after fulfilling our duties, but without exhausting ourselves. Enlightened people don’t think they a demigod, and they don’t work excessively. The humbly exposes their limitations and needs, and they ask for aid too. They search for justice, which is a prerequisite for charity, they stand up for the their rights, recognize the injustices and they only bare them when unavoidable.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

5^th Enlightened people respect the elders and the authorities that God intended to control the human world and because answer to them with the most love and respect, working ceaselessly so their efforts are recognized and they can be called to share with them in their work or be accepted amongst them.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

Enlightened people RESPECT EVERY HUMAN BEING AND ALL LIFE ON EARTH. Animals, plants, children, sick ones, young, adults and elderly alike, they all deserve respect. Spiritism teaches us to respect those for whom we feel NATURAL DEFERENCE in the face of their knowledge and virtue. We must respect and love all other people, no reverence for their institutional authority or something with any real value.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

6^th Enlightened people do not criticize, respond to polemic arguments or defend themselves. The TRUTH is imposed by itself.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

Complaints must be made, especially when it involves interests of groups that may be deceived or manipulated by unscrupulous people. The truth does not impose itself. It is A DUTY and a GOOD DEED to vanquish evil.

Humility balances us, it shows us that we are all brothers and we should help each other

These religious people used to, and still say that:

7th Enlightened people are humble. They do not show off; expect that others recognize their merit. They accredit to their friends and group the work they do. They are modest because they know we are nothing.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

To be humble is to know what we can and what we cannot, acknowledging our mistakes and know our capabilities and qualities. To be humble is to be open to criticism, knowing that everything we do can be improved. To be humble is to admit what we do and accept the flaws and virtues are pointed out. To be humble is to recognize that we cannot do anything by ourselves and accept that other people’s help. To be humble is not to take on what others did as ours, pointing it to the author or inspirer of our work. The humble and enlightened person knows the great law of solidarity, and feels he/she can always learn from everyone, even those that have just started the journey and in particular from those that we may feel are ignorant and inferior. He is able to understand the journey of brothers and respect each of them within their current scope.

The humble man, teaches the Spirit of Adolfo, you know that without humility we cannot be charitable. Humility balances us and shows us that we are all brothers and we should help each other in the good path. Without this feeling our work will always be "top to bottom”, full of pride, pretension and superiority, be it material or moral charity.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

8^th Enlightened people hover above Earth’s passions. Is not involved with social movements such strikes, marches, even for just causes. They learn that their suffering is what they deserve, and thus do not search IMPROVEMENTS in their situation. They humbly accept the aid of charity, be it ostentatious or virtuous. They believe that Christians must give an example of resignation in the face of the injustices of society. Those who are evil will only wake up to the goodness by our submission to them and our example. So they give us our rights. No need to fight for them. Any way to pressure them is an incompatible violence to the teachings of Jesus. We must make ourselves indispensable for the poor, serving them with humility and devotion. Our love will touch their stony hearts, awakening them to the right. They most need our charity and our love.

The Spiritist Doctrine teaches:

The poor need our charity and our love and NOT OUR SUBMISSION not our submission.
We must not confuse weakness with virtue. The virtuous men need great courage and often lose their lives as Jesus, when facing evil and tries to stop its march. However, Christians must defend goodness everywhere. The struggle between the forces of progress and stagnation, described very clearly by spirits and by Kardec in the cap. XVIII of The Genesis requires of us a definition. It is no coincidence that Jesus said: "Woe to the warm..."
Allan Kardec recommended in analysing the causes that entertain selfishness and pride in people and social institutions and attack them with our strength, step by step and by parts, when you cannot attack all at the same time. 

It is our duty to support those who may be wrong and that are willing to repair their mistakes 

Enlightened people know that the person that does not respect her/himself and does not require others to respect them as a human being will not be respected. Never in human history those who abused and were proud, vain and selfish gave rights to those who they mistreated. It was not so with the slaves who were submitted to all situations, or with the women, who men had an unfair and cruel predominance, abusing the power and creating social institutions that had and still keep this injustice.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

9^th Enlightened people do not need to forgive because they FORGET. To forgive is to forget. Forget giving an opportunity to the offender, so that even the slicker, exploitative, and even a selfish can resumed his place and his duties with us in our home, in the Spiritist Centre, believing in its potential for regeneration and in our ability to love. Only forgive when the person allowed resuming its position as before, as the parable of the prodigal son of Jesus.

The spirits teach us:

TO FORGET EVIL IS TO BE OPEN AND DEFENSELESS BEFORE IT. The merit is not to hate the evil ones, but to fight evil, without being driven by hatred. To support those who may be wrong and willing to repair the errors it is our duty as Christians. However we must help them to do what they need to do and not do it for them. We prevent people from growing, if we do not allow them to act by themselves. That is what Kardec teaches us in “Heaven and Hell”, when we speak of repair. In “The Gospel according to Spiritism”, cap. XII, item VII, the spirits explain that Jesus, when recommended us to offer the other cheek, He condemned the revenge, banned the "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" of the Mosaic law, but did not prohibit the defence. To forgive the enemy is not to have feelings of revenge, hatred and resentment towards him. It does not mean we must accommodate those who we know want to destroy us, because we would be “kindly offering our neck to the killer."

The forgetfulness is really important and spirits relate to it as “covering the past with a veil," meaning that the fact remains there but it has not been deleted or erased from our memory and can be accessed WITHOUT HURT, REBELLION, BUT WITH UNDERSTANDING. In other words, we really forgive when we can recall some wrong that has been done to us without emotions, tears and not suffering the experience again. Because if we suffer, cry, feel discomfort and anxiety when we remember, we have not yet forgiven. Throw a veil over the past means to access the memory without pain and with serenity. To forget the emotions that followed the attack, keeping emotionally balanced, even if the person that offended us is wrong in evil, we really forgiven. This will do more good to us than to our enemy or the offender, because he will feel the need to repair the evil he did to us so they can feel at peace and be really happy, rebalancing himself. 

Sex is creative energy and sexual intercourse is an important exchange of energy 

The complete and absolute neglect of the offences, as stated in “The Gospel according to Spiritism”, is a metaphor that should be understood with balance. If forgiveness was to erase from the memory, as some people do by a mechanism of psychic imbalance called repression, there is not need forgiveness, just oblivion. If we were not allowed to fight evil, we would not have contained the statement in Chapter XII on the need to defend ourselves, and The Book of Spirits would not excuse the killer who acts in self-defense.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

10^th To be enlightened is to be good and to be good is to serve the other, which does not measure sacrifices.

The spirits teach:

To be good is not using other people for personal purposes. These purposes can be money, position, pleasure, sexual satisfaction, shelter, security, affection, and protection, to feel superior because I can help. BE USED BY THE OTHER IS NOT SERVING. Serving means working for the good of all, with love.

When Jesus said "Whoever wants to be first, be the servant of all" His answer to a question on power, made by a mother wishing to have her children in the first place in the Kingdom of Jesus. He taught that the real power is expressed in service for the good of all and not in positions and privileges. The personal sacrifice has value, when we assist others to grow, as we have said, and this means placing limits on their unbalanced action.
Allow the others to use us for their personal purposes is leaving aside our personal dignity, turning us into an object of other people. That does not help us and it would not help them a bit.

These religious people used to, and still say that:

11^th enlightened people overcome SEXUAL TEMPTATION, represented by sexual desire and need to be happy with a partner. This is savage and that is bad and must be overcome, as reminders of the animal and our passage through the animal kingdom. Even if it is in other incarnations, we have to overcome sex, passions and instincts. However, if we cannot live with such spirituality, we recognize our moral inferiority and seek a less inferior and more worth it satisfaction in a marriage.

The spirits teach:

Sex is creative energy and sexual intercourse is an important exchange of energy needed for spiritual progress. André Luiz called this exchange of spiritual food. Enlightened men use sex with dignity, respect and knowing he is responsible for the feelings that he arouse in the other. Such placement of André Luiz, change all the focus given to gender in the history of Christianity, since antiquity, fostering a revolution in the understanding and use of sex as an instrument of love between a man and a woman. 

Sources:

The Genesis of Allan Kardec, cap. XVII.

The Gospel according to Spiritism of Allan Kardec, cap. V, items 1 to 10, cap. VII, item 11, cap. X, items 13, 15, 19, 20 and 21, cap. XII, item 8, and cap. XVII, item 11.

The Spirits' Book of Allan Kardec, issues 654, 748, 817, 818, 876-a, 886, 888, 889 and 917.

Developments in Two Worlds, food item Psíquico, pp. 144, Andre Luiz, psychographic by Francisco Cândido Xavier and Waldo Vieira.