Martinus: Livets Bog, vol. 4, sect. 1494

1494. But a being that is inspired by such a spirit or such a desire is to a corresponding degree mentally radiant. If such a being were encapsulated within a sect or a society, it would in fact be the same as "hiding its light under a bushel", which is precisely what it should not do. If one takes all the electric light bulbs in a large house and puts them together in one of the rooms and allows them to shine there, this room would be far too brightly lit at the same time as the other rooms in the house would be left in complete darkness. If all humane or neighbourly-loving, radiant beings encapsulated themselves in a society along with all other mentally radiant beings, it would be the same as them shutting their light or neighbourly love up in a mental room. Together they will then, like the light bulbs, light up this room far too much. Here the members will come to see themselves in far too strong a light. They will think they are "holy" and "better" than people who are not members of the above-mentioned sect or society, at the same time as isolating themselves spiritually from the flock. They will have become a society outside society. But a moral society outside society cannot shine within the society it has isolated itself from, but only outside it. For this reason only a very small percentage of the light will benefit society in general, while the rest will be lost. It is natural that the individual grows out of the flock, but it would be unnatural if this individual were to isolate itself from this flock by allowing its higher mental light to shine upon and thereby favour only like-minded beings encapsulated in a society or sect. In order for a being's moral light to fully benefit the general population or society, its source must remain among this general population or within ordinary society and not immediately leave this by enrolling itself in or joining a moral society or sect, and thereby "hiding its light under a bushel" away from this general population. A being that is radiant is needed much more in ordinary society than in a society consisting only of radiant beings, where one therefore is – or thinks one is – already equipped with a perfect moral light. And incidentally, did not the world redeemer or Christ say to his disciples or co-workers: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost". What does "teach all nations" mean? Does it not mean precisely the same as going out into the general population, going out into life, out to the people that have not as yet become "disciples of Christ", to those who have not as yet become perfect as regards morality and behaviour? It certainly cannot be to people who are already perfect or are disciples, because there would of course be no need to give a commandment about turning people who are already disciples into "disciples". There is thus nothing whatsoever in Christ's command to his apostles that says that they should join existing sects or moral societies, or that they themselves should form sects, cliques or clans. On the contrary does he not say on another occasion that "the first shall be the last"? Who are "the first"? Are they not all those who have joined a moral society or are members of a religious or spiritual movement and therefore already are, or think they are, "disciples of Christ" or custodians or practitioners of morality, and who think they are among "the first" in the sphere of morality or perfection?