Chapter 8
Be considerate of your fellow man, and weigh his standing place in the sight of your God.
For one man says: My highest light is to get money; another, to get great learning; another, to enjoy earthly pleasure; another, to contemplate sexual relations; another, to serve Buddha; another, to serve Brahma; another, to serve Christ; another, to be efficient in warfare, and so on, everyone from his own standpoint.
Many are also under the prejudice of old things, or the influence of a neighbor, or a spirit or their surroundings, or the impulse of their own flesh, and say: I too follow my highest light.
Whereas they are in darkness altogether; nor do they know what is meant by the term, highest light, often venturing an opinion or a vague surmise instead, and believing they are expressing their highest light.
For which reasons you shall explain that only facts well known, or comparatively proven, are light. An opinion is not light.
That whoever professes light must know the matter by his own knowledge.
That facts, numbers, figures or axioms can demonstrate light; and that without these, then the supposed light is only darkness.
Pursue this philosophy and you shall easily discover who among you has the highest light; and also what kind of judgment shall govern the chief’s rulings.
Some will desire to consult the angels, as to which, in a given matter, is the highest light; but I say to you, you shall weigh the words of angels as if they were mortals, exacting similar facts and substantiation.
Was it not the consulting of the oracles that destroyed Vind’yu (India), Socatta, Fonece (Phoenicia), Persia, Ghem and Greece? Such consultation of angels is answered from the first resurrection; and it will ever be so unless man exacts facts and substantial proof from the angels.
These, then, are rules of light: That which is self-evident: That which is axiomatic: That which is substantiated by facts: That which has a parallel in known things: Things that lead to peace, order, and the uplifting of your neighbor and yourself.
Also to discipline yourself to be constantly on the alert to be pure, good, truthful and gentle in your speech; to practice right-doing. These are following the highest light.
This though is darkness: to express fault finding, criticism, censure, or even an opinion unsupportable by facts.