GOOD AND EVIL

2010 © United States Spiritist Council

What are the causes of all negative behavior in human

beings?

PASSIONS? FREE-WILL?

§10. ... All passions have a providential benefit. To fail to believe this is to assume that God would have made some things intrinsically useless and

hurtful. Only abuse constitutes evil and individuals engage in abuse by virtue of their

free-will. Genesis by Allan Kardec, Chapter 3

115. Are some spirits created good and others created bad?

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

"God has created all spirits in a state of simplicity and unawareness; that is to say, without knowledge. He has given to each of them a mission, with a view to enlighten them and to make them arrive at perfection gradually through the knowledge of the truth, and thus to bring them nearer and nearer to Himself. This perfection is, for them, the condition of eternal and unalloyed happiness. Spirits acquire knowledge by passing through the trials imposed on them by God.”

“God is one, unique, eternal, unchangeable, non-material, almighty, sovereign just and

good, infinite in His perfection.”

121. How is it that some spirits have followed the road of good, and others the road of evil?

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

120. Do all spirits pass by the road of evil to arrive at good?"Not by the road of evil, but ignorance."

"Have they not free-will? God has not created any spirits bad; He has created them simple and ignorant, that is to say, possessing an equal aptitude for good and for evil. Those who become bad become so of their own free-will."

629. What definition may be given to morality?

“Morality is the rule of good conduct; in other words, being able to distinguish between good and evil. It is founded on the observance of God’s law. Humans behave correctly when they do everything for the good of all, for then they obey God’s law.”

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

630. How can we distinguish between good and evil?"Good is everything that is in harmony with the law of God, and evil is everything that deviates from it. Thus, doing what is good conforms to God’s law, while doing evil infringes upon that law."

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

632. Since humans are prone to error, couldn’t they be mistaken in discerning good from evil and believe that they are doing what is good, when in reality they are doing what is evil?“Jesus has said to you: ‘Do unto others what you would

have them do unto you’; that sums up everything. Obey it and you will never go wrong."

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

640. Are those who do not do evil themselves, but who take advantage of the evil committed by others culpable to the same degree?

"It is as if they themselves had committed it; upon taking advantage of it, they participate in it. Perhaps they would have recoiled before the deed itself, but once it was done and they then took advantage of it, it was because they approved of it and would have committed it if they could have or if they had been more daring."

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

642. In order to be pleasing to God and to insure our future situation is it enough to simply not do what is evil?

"No. All must do good to the limit of their abilities, since all will answer for all the evil that has resulted from the good that was left undone." The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec

643. Are there persons who have no possibility of doing good because of their position?

"There are none who cannot do good; only selfish persons never find an opportunity for doing so. It is enough to be in relation with others in order to do good, and every day life offers such a possibility to whomever is not blinded by selfishness. Doing good does not only mean being charitable, but also being as useful as possible whenever your help is needed."

The Spirits’ Book by Allan Kardec