Martinus: Livets Bog, vol. 5, sect. 1783

1783. Since the terrestrial human being at its present stage is thus the trigger for the mental coldness and darkness of the cycle, this is thus due to its particular relationship to the highest fire or the particular constellation that the two sexual poles represent in this being. As already mentioned, these two poles give rise to the two specific, mutually contrary forms of sympathy in the mentality of terrestrial mankind. Of these two forms of sympathy one constitutes the basis for marriage or the principle of mating or reproduction of the species. For the present terrestrial human being it is therefore the one that is best known and fully authorised or officially recognised as an absolutely normal phenomenon. As a consequence of this, it is protected by law for this being in the form of marriage and, through its marriage certificate, has the blessing of the state or people. Less well known, however, is the other form of sympathy in the world, despite the fact that it has been the innermost core of the advanced, humane world religions for thousands of years. In the Christian world religion it has been expressed fundamentally and tellingly by the words of the world redeemer: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself". This great commandment was further protected against errors or wrong interpretations by the world redeemer saying in this connection: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind", and by confirming that "on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets". How could it be possible to interpret these divine words, this eternal analysis, in any other way than through the literal face value or directly expressed meaning of the words? Since we all, our neighbour as well as ourselves, exist as a part of God, it would of course be impossible to love God without loving our neighbour. He who hates and persecutes his neighbour, hates and persecutes God. The world redeemer went on to say that what one did or did not do to "the least of my brethren" (one's neighbour), one did or did not do to him. And since he and the Father were one, this means that everything that one does or does not do to one's neighbour, one does or does not do to the Father or the Godhead. Only beings that are very naive and hostile towards true neighbourly love can accommodate such naivety or such a lack of intellectuality that they, like fools who rush in where angels fear to tread, begin to interpret the above-mentioned command as something that does not refer to war, the conquest and oppression of others, dictatorship, persecution and terror for religious and political purposes. But since a very large part of terrestrial mankind's mentality is still at this primitive mental level, neighbourly love still remains only a very remote utopia for people in general, in the same way as the sunlit, warm days of summer are far removed from the ice, coldness and darkness of midwinter.