We continue the methodical study of the Pentateuch Kardec, which focuses on the five major works of the spiritual doctrine, in the order they were first published by Allan Kardec, the Encoder of Spiritualism.
The answers to the questions presented, founded in the 2th edition published by FEB, based on translation of Anna Blackwell, are at the end of the text below.
Questions
A. By what evidence can recognize a complete civilization?
B. What causes the instability of human laws?
C. Will Spiritism becomes the general belief in one day on Earth?
D. How can the spirit contribute to the progress of mankind?
E. The inequality of social conditions is the law of nature?
Text for reading
456. The society could be governed solely by natural laws, is all well understood and wished to practice. The company has, however, your requirements. Are you required special laws. (L.E., 794)
457. The ideas only gradually change, as individuals, and we need to spend a few generations, that they completely erase the traces of old habits. The transformation, therefore, only with time, gradually and progressively, can operate. For each generation a part of the veil dissipates. Spiritualism has been tearing it up and down. (L.E., 800)
458. Do not teach children what is taught to adults and do not give the newborn a food that he cannot digest. Each thing has its time. Spirits taught many things that men do not understand or misrepresented, but can understand now. (L.E., 801)
459. Why not hasten the spirits of human progress through widespread demonstrations and patents? Those who wish to formulate this question, of course, miracles, but God will spread the stain and yet there are men who still deny it. Christ Himself was able to convince his contemporaries. No, not through the wonders that God wants men forward. In his kindness, he gives them the merit of being convinced by reason. (L.E., 802)
460. God created all spirits alike, but each of these lives is more or less time, and, consequently, has done more or less the sum of acquisitions. The difference between them is the diversity of degrees of experience gained and the ease with which work, will that is free will. Hence they improve some more quickly than others, giving them various skills. (L.E., 804)
461. Required is the variety of skills, so that everyone can contribute to the implementation of the designs of Providence. What one does, do it another. So is that each has its useful role to play. Moreover, being in solidarity with each other all the worlds, it becomes necessary that the inhabitants of the higher worlds - which mostly were created before yours - will inhabit it, to give you an example. (L.E., 804)
462. The Spirit, from one world to another, fully retains the acquired faculties: the Spirit does not kick it progressed. Can he choose, when disembodied, a coarser housing, or most precarious position than they ever had, but all this teaching to serve you and help you progress. (L.E., 805)
463. Abusers of the superiority of their social positions, to oppress the weak, deserve anathema. Woe to them! Will, in turn, oppressed, reborn in there that will have to suffer all that have made others suffer. (L.E., 807)
464. Inequality of wealth stems from the inequality of faculties? "Yes and no," answered the Spirits, who then added: "The deceit and theft, you say?" (LE 808)
465. Kardec ponders: "But the inherited wealth is not the result of evil passions." Answer: "What you know about this? Search the source of such wealth and you will see that it is not always pure .(...) you believe that greed of wealth, even when properly acquired, the secret desires to possess it as soon possible, are laudable sentiments? That is what God thinks and I assure you that your mind is more severe than that of men." (L.E., 808-A)
466. Those who inherit an initially ill-acquired wealth is not responsible for the harm done there are others, especially if you ignore it. But often only comes to wealth in the hands of a man, that gives you the opportunity to redress an injustice. Happy of it, if you understand! If he did it on behalf of those who commit injustice, both will be taken into account the repair, because, often, is this last amended whom the thymus causes. (L.E., 809)
467. Every action produces its fruit, sweets are the good deeds, always bitter the other. Always gets it right. (L.E., 810)
468. There has never been absolute equality of wealth, nor is it possible. It is opposed to the diversity of faculties and characters.(...) Those who believe this to be the remedy to the ills of society do not understand that equality would be undone in the short term by the force of things. Fight selfishness, which is your social scourge, and do not run after chimeras. (L.E., 811)
469. Already well-being is relative and everyone could enjoy it, if entended properly because the true welfare consists in each employ his time as he pleases and not in the execution of work for which no like feel. (...) In everything there is a balance, the man who is upset. (L.E., 812)
470. The men will understand when they practice the law of justice. (L.E., 812-A)
471. We have said that society is often the main culprit when someone, through their own fault, fall into poverty. Ensure that it does not have the moral education of its members? Almost always it is bad manners to them distorts the criterion, rather than stifle them pernicious trends. (L.E., 813)
Answers to questions
A. By what evidence can recognize a complete civilization?
It is recognized for its development a moral civilization. A society has the right to say there are civilized only when it banned the vices that disgrace and when components live as brothers, practicing Christian charity. Until then, she has covered only the first stage of civilization. Two nations that have reached the apex of the social scale, can only be considered the most civilized in the legitimate sense of the term, that where there is less selfish, less greedy and less pride, where the habits are more intellectual and moral than material , where intelligence can be developed with greater freedom, where there is more kindness, goodwill, mutual kindness and generosity, which prove to be less rooted prejudices of caste and birth, where the laws are no privileges and consecrate them, so for the latter, as the first one, which is carried out with less bias justice, where the weak always find refuge from the fort, where the life of man, his beliefs and opinions are well respected, where there are fewer wretches, finally where all men of goodwill will be sure not to miss necessary. (The Spirit's Book, 793.)
B. What causes the instability of human laws?
In times of barbarism, are the strongest who make laws and they have made themselves. In proportion as men have better understanding of justice, has become indispensable to modify them. The more we approach the vera justice, the less human laws are unstable, ie, both are becoming more stable, as they are made for everyone and identifying with the natural law. (Ibid., questions 795 to 797.)
C. Will Spiritism become the general belief in one day on Earth?
Yes, he will become general belief, and mark a new era in human history, because it's nature and the time came to be ranked among human knowledge. It will however have to withstand great fights, against the more interest than from conviction, because there is no way to conceal the existence of people interested in fighting it, some from self-esteem, others from worldly. His march, however, will be faster than that of Christianity, because Christianity itself is the one who will open the way and supports. Christianity had to destroy, the spirit just have to build. (Ibid., question 798.)
D. How can the spirit contribute to the progress of mankind?
In combat and destroy the material, which is one of the wounds of society, Spiritualism is that people understand where their real interests. Leaving the future life of being veiled by doubt, the best man realizes that through the present, it is given to prepare its future. Abolishing the losses of sects, castes and colors, it teaches men the great solidarity that is to unite as brothers. (Ibid., questions 798 to 800.)
E. The inequality of social conditions is the law of nature?
No. It is the work of man and not God. Being human work, one day disappear, but only when selfishness and pride no longer predominate. Remain then only the inequality of merit. (Ibid., questions 806 and 807.)
