We continue with the methodical study of "The Gospel According to Spiritism" by Allan Kardec, the third of the works that make up the Pentateuch Kardecian, whose first edition was published in 1864. The answers to the questions suggested for discussion was the end of the text below.
Questions
A. What is the the planet Earth and what is your destination?
B. How are the worlds of proofs and atonement?
C. In what consists the reincarnation?
D. Family ties are broken, or have been fortified by reincarnation?
Text for reading
72. The reincarnation was part of the dogmas of the Jews, under the name of resurrection, but the ideas of the Jews on this point were not clearly defined. They believed that a man who was alive, could revive, without knowing precisely how the fact might give up. Designated by the term resurrection that Spiritism, more judiciously, called reincarnation. (Chapter IV, item 4)
73. If the principle of reincarnation, contained in the words of Jesus to Nicodemus (John, ch. III, vv. 1 to 12), may, indeed, be interpreted purely mystical, the same does not happen with the story of Matthew (chapter . XI, vv. 12-15), according to which Christ expressly said that John the Baptist was Elijah. The text includes no doubt, "he is Elijah who is to come", he said the Master. (Chapter IV, Item 11)
74. The union and affection that exist between people of the same family are an indication of sympathy, earlier, that the closer. (Chapter IV, Item 19)
75. God allows, in families, occurring incarnations of spirits or unpleasant strangers, with the dual aim of serving as proof for some and for other means of progress. That is why there are, in the same family, people whose character, tastes and inclinations have no similarity with the other. (Chapter IV, Item 19)
76. The consequences of anti reincarnation doctrine are obvious. She cancels necessarily the preexistence of the soul. This being created along with the body, there is no tie between the former members of a family, who will thus be completely strangers to each other. Membership is reduced to matter, without spiritual ties. So much for the past. As for the future, as luck is finally fixed after death, can members of the same family get separated forever without hope of joining, depending on the evolutionary status of each. Who goes to hell never see her mother sent to paradise, which implies the absolute breaking of family ties. (Chapter IV, items 21 and 22)
77. In synthesis, four alternatives are presented to man for his future beyond the grave: 1st. the nothing, according to the materialist doctrine; 2nd. whole the absorption in the Universal according pantheism, 3rd. the individuality with definitive fixation of luck, according the Church; 4th. the individuality with progression without definition, as Spiritism. With the plurality of existences, inherent in the idea of gradual progression, there is assurance of the continuity of relations between those who loved and that is what constitutes true family. (Chapter IV, Item 23)
78. The perispirit undergoes successive transformations and becomes increasingly ethereal until complete clearance, which is the condition of the pure spirits. (Chapter IV, Item 24)
80. Only in the future life can carry up compensation which Jesus promises the distressed of the earth. Without the certainty of the future, these maxims would be a nonsense, even more, would be a sham. Even with this assurance, hardly understands the convenience of suffering to be happy. Why do some suffer more than others? Why some are born into poverty and others in opulence? (Chapter V, item 3)
81. Faith in the future can infuse comfort and patience, but does not explain these anomalies, which seem to disprove God's justice. However, since assuming the existence of God, no one can conceive of no infinite perfections. It necessarily has all the power, all justice, all goodness, without which it would not be God. If it is supremely good and righteous, do not act whimsically or in part is things that He does. Soon, the vicissitudes of life derive from a cause, and because God is fair, just there to be the cause. (Chapter V, item 3)
Answers to questions
A. What is the the planet Earth and what is your destination?
The earth belongs to the category of worlds and evidence of atonement. That is why the man who lives there grappling with so many miseries. Would make a false idea of living in a big city who judge by the population of their most intimate and sordid blocks.
In a hospital, find themselves just sick and crippled. In prison, find themselves gathered all shame, all addictions. In unhealthy regions, the inhabitants are mostly pale, frail and sickly. Well: figure to Earth as a suburb, a hospital, a prison, a place unhealthy, and while she is all that, and it will understand that the joys outweigh the sorrows, because they do not send you to hospital those who are healthy or workhouses for those who practiced no harm, nor hospitals and houses of correction can be to places of delight.
Now, as a city or across the entire population is in hospitals or prisons, also on earth is not all humanity. And, just as those who leave the hospital healed and those who served their prison sentences, the man leaves Earth, when it is cured of their diseases moral.
The planet we live on has been materially and morally inferior to a state in which we now find yourself and lift up under this double aspect to a higher degree. He approaches one of its periods of transformation, in which, atoning orb, will change in the planet of regeneration, where men are fortunate, because it imperará God's law. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter III, items 4, 6, 7 and 19.)
B. How are the worlds of proofs and atonement?
The worlds of proofs and atonement are like the planet Earth. Just watch it and have a picture of what these worlds represent. There are very smart people in them. However, also with a vicious and past errors. For these latter characteristics was that God placed them in such worlds, in order to atone for their sins, through painstaking work and countless miseries until they have earned ascend to a more blissful planet.
The earth offers one of the types of expiatory worlds, whose variety is endless but present as common character, serve as the place of exile for the rebels Spirits law that there have to fight at the same time, with the wickedness of men and the mercilessness of Nature, double and hard work that simultaneously develops the qualities of heart and intelligence. (Ibid., Chapter III, items 13 to 15.)
C. In what consists the reincarnation?
The reincarnation is the return of the soul or Spirit to corporeal life, but in another body specially prepared for him and that has nothing in common with the former. His goal is the improvement of the human spirit. (Ibid., Chapter IV, items 3, 4, 6, 10 and 11.)
D. Family ties are broken, or have been fortified by reincarnation?
The family ties do not suffer any destruction with the reincarnation, as some people think. Rather, they become more strengthened and tightened. The opposite principle, yes, destroys them. In space, the Spirits form groups or families intertwined by love, by sympathy and by the similarity of the inclinations. Blessed to meet together, these spirits are sought each other. The incarnation only momentarily separates them since by erraticity return to again meet as friends returning from a journey. Many times even follow each other in the incarnation, coming here to meet in the same family, or even in a circle in order to work together for their mutual advancement. If each embody and others do not, it do not cease to be united in thought. Those who retain ensure free by those who are in captivity. The earliest strive to make the laggards progress, so that after each existence, all have advanced a step on the path of improvement. (Ibid., Chapter IV, items 18 and 20.)
