The title of this book (Gospel according to Spiritism) is not inviting to many people, I am sure, but it is a very interesting book if you give it a chance. Many people reject any thoughts of reading a religious book because there are so many annoying religious people around trying to force us or bully us into believing in God and in their religion. That's not my intention at all by posting things about God and these religious books. But I do like to read and think about God to get to my own conclusions with no prejudice. People can be used to dismissing everything that includes Jesus, New Testament or Bible immediately because these things are associated to boredom, disbelief, wars and annoying religious people...I know it happens because it happened to me to a certain degree at the beginning of my studies of Spiritism. I truly think it can be fascinating to analyse the explanations and theories in Allan Kardec books about God. I am really into God at the moment as it has been a phase of introspection to me, especially after I have been to Israel...I've been thinking and thinking, non stop! Great trip!!! I remember that a nice tour guide who was Jewish in Israel made a joke that was really funny. He said: "Jewish people pray 5 times a day, Muslims pray 3 times a day and Christians...well, once in a while, when they remember!!" It might be just me, but I thought it was hilarious!!! It can be so true!! But I will ask you a question: Have you ever thought how difficult it is to live what you preach instead of only preaching? Is it easier to only pray or is it easier to put what we believe in and pray for into practice?
Gospel according to Spiritism is one of the books from Allan Kardec and it talks about the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ as much as it talks about Spiritism. This book is based on passages of the Bible. Sometimes people interpret the Bible in a very strict and "set in stone" way. The Bible is a sacred book for many reasons, but men can interpret this book in a very unilateral and partial way looking for what suits their beliefs only, denying everything else, and they don't seem to even try to think that other possibilities can complement their beliefs or even be better than what they currently believe.
To me, Spiritism is a line of thought that I see myself following not because I think it's better than other religions (every religion has it's value), but maybe more complete than others, in my point of view. There is always a problem when we keep our minds closed to new ideas, even if the new ideas seem a long shot! Is there anything else more important than finding answers that make more sense to us and relieve our inner doubts? We never get every answer at once. The truth comes in parts as much as Science makes new discoveries gradually...that's how we evolve morally and intellectually.
I am posting a part of the book entitled THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND RELIGION from the chapter I have not come to destroy the law. I find this message very interesting because it talks about Science and religion as complements of each other instead of being against each other, which I already posted something about previously.
Jesus said: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17) That's exactly what Jesus did, he complemented the teachings from the Prophets and the Law laid by them, but even nowadays, there are people who do not believe in Jesus teachings or do not consider his teachings relevant. Maybe because he wasn't the kind of leader they were expecting, maybe because he was too peaceful and died crucified...Then I ask you again: Have you ever thought how difficult it is to live what you preach instead of only preaching?
No matter what the reason is for not believing in Jesus, I still can't see why the way he died or the fact he was a peaceful leader would matter more to some people than his teachings, but I suppose this is a personal question that each one of us should ask ourselves...as long as it has been thought about and analysed before being dismissed...
If you would like to read this book, you can go on the link below and read it for free.
Book in english
http://www.oconsolador.com.br/linkfixo/bibliotecavirtual/ingles/gospel.pdf
I hope this message below makes as much sense to you as it makes to me.
Take care!
Mrs. P
THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND RELIGION
8. Science and religion are the two levers of human intelligence, one revealing the laws of the material world, the other revealing those of the moral world. But seeing that these laws have the same principle, which is God, they cannot contradict themselves. If they contradict one another it would stand to reason that one was right and the other wrong. However, God could not have intended the destruction of His own work. Therefore the incompatibility that apparently exists between these ideas proves that they have been incorrectly interpreted, due to excessive exclusiveness on both sides. For this reason we have a conflict which has given rise to incredulity and intolerance.
We have now reached a phase upon this planet when the teachings of Christ must be completed and the intentional veil cast over some parts of these teachings lifted. A time when science must desist in its exclusive materialism, so taking into consideration the spiritual element; when religion must cease to ignore the organic and immutable law of matter, so that both may became two forces, each leaning on the other and advancing together in mutual concourse. Then religion, no longer discredited by science and no longer being able to oppose the overwhelming logic of the facts, will acquire an unshakable power because it will be in agreement with reason. Science and Religion could not come together till this time as they could only see matters according to their exclusive points of view, which in turn caused them to be reciprocally repelled. Something more was needed to enable them to close the gap that separated them, something which could unite them. This missing link is contained in the knowledge of the laws which govern the spiritual universe and its relationship with the world of matter. These laws are as immutable as those which govern the movement of the planet and the existence of all the beings. Once this relationship could be proved by experiments, a new light would begin to shine as faith began to be directed towards reason, and reason, finding nothing illogical in faith, could finally defeat materialism. But, as in many other matters, there are always those who remain behind until the general wave of movement towards progress drags them along. If they choose to resist instead of accompanying this movement they will eventually be crushed. So, after an elaboration which has lasted for more than eighteen centuries, a moral revolution is now in progress, operated and directed by Spirit, as humanity reaches the climax of its present potentialities and marches towards a new era. It is easy to forecast the consequences which will cause inevitable changes in social relations and be impossible to withstand, because they are determined by God and derived from the Law of Progress which is God’s law.
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