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 are the limits and what role the incarnation of Spirits?
B. Who works actively for its moral progress shortens the necessity of the incarnation?
C. What causes from the vicissitudes of life?
D. The tribulations of life are enforced or chosen by the Spirit?
Text for reading
82. The vicissitudes of life emanate from two very different sources: some have their cause in the present life, others out of this life. (Chapter V, item 4)
83. Dating back to the origin of terrestrial evils, we see that many are a natural consequence of the character and conduct of those who support them. (Chapter V, item 4)
84. Man is, in many cases, the cause of their own misfortunes, but rather to recognize it, think simpler, less humiliating for his vanity, acknowledge luck, Providence, poor star, when poor star is only your negligence. (Chapter V, item 4)
85. God wants all of His creatures to progress and therefore does not leave unpunished any deviation from the straight path. There is a lack, however slight it may be, no violation of his law, which does not entail compelling and inevitable consequences, more or less deplorable. It follows that, in small things as in great, man is always punished for what he has sinned. (Chapter V, item 5)
86. But if there is evil in this life whose primary cause is man, there are others who, at least apparently, you are quite strange and they seem to hit it as per fatality. Such, for example, the loss of loved ones and which are the protection of the family, unavoidable accidents, the reverses of fortune, the natural scourges, diseases from birth. (Chapter V, item 6)
87. However, by virtue of the axiom that every effect has a cause, these evils are effects that will have a cause and, since assuming a just God, this question is also to be fair. Because the cause precedes the effect, if it is not in the present life, will be before this life, or there being a previous existence. (Chapter V, item 6)
88. The sufferings due to causes prior to this existence, such as those originating from current faults, are often the result of misconduct, ie, man, by the action of a strict distributive justice, suffers what made others suffer. If it was harsh and inhumane, it may be hard to turn treated with inhumanity and if was proud, be born in humiliating condition; gone greedy, selfish, or if misused their wealth, may be deprived of necessary and so on. (Chapter V, item 7)
89. Tribulations are at the same time, expiations the past, receiving their deserved punishment, and evidence about the future. (Chapter V, item 8)
90. It may be considered as atonement afflictions that cause complaints and urge the man to rebellion against God. Suffering causing no complaints can be an atonement, but it is evidence that was sought voluntarily. (Chapter V, item 9)
91. Spirits can not aspire to complete happiness as have not become pure: any taint them forbidden entry into the worlds fortunate. (Chapter V, item 10)
92. Through the various physical existences is that spirits are expungem, little by little, of their imperfections. The trials of life make the step up, when well supported. (Chapter V, item 10)
Answers to questions
A. What are the limits and what role the incarnation of Spirits?
Strictly speaking, the incarnation lacks precisely drawn boundaries. It is unquestionable, however, that the passage of spirits by corporeal life is necessary so that they can meet through an material action , the designs whose execution God entrusts them with the intelligence they develop and advance on the path of perfection. The diligence with which perform this task quickly and less painfully transposing the first degrees of initiation and soon enjoy the fruits of their labors. Those who, on the contrary, hardly use the freedom that God gives them and retard their march, this is the stubbornness that show, can extend indefinitely the need to go through the reincarnation process. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter IV, items 24 and 25.)
B. Who works actively for its moral progress shortens the necessity of the incarnation?
Yes He who works actively for its moral progress, and the need to shorten the incarnation material, can also transpose at once the intermediate steps that separate the upper worlds. (Ibid., Chapter IV, Item 26.)
C. What causes from the vicissitudes of life?
From two kinds are the vicissitudes of life. Some have their cause in current existence, others outside. Dating back to the origin of terrestrial evils, will recognize that there are many natural consequence of the character and conduct of those who support them. However, there are evils to which, at least in appearance, the individual is completely strange and seem to hit it as per fatality, such for example the loss of loved ones and those who are the protection of the family, no accidents forecast would prevent, the reverses of fortune, the natural plagues, diseases from birth. However, due to the axiom that every effect has a cause, such evils are effects that will have a cause and, since assuming a just God, this question also has to be fair. Because the cause precedes the effect, if it is not in existence today, will be before it, ie, there being a previous existence. (Ibid., Chapter V, items 4 and 6; see also item 21 of ch. VIII.)
D. The tribulations of life are enforced or chosen by the Spirit?
Tribulations can be imposed on spirits hardened, or extremely ignorant, to get them to make a choice knowingly Penitents. Spirits, however, eager to repair the damage that may have done and do better, choose freely. Such is the case of someone who, having barely played his task, asks to let her resume, not to lose the fruit of his labor. (Ibid., Chapter V, Section 8.)
