THE CLAIM OF CHILDREN ON THEIR PARENTS

MANY CHILDREN LIVE under an unfortunate delusion in regard to their parents, which will do them great harm.

They believe they can charge their parents with being the cause of their existence on earth.

One often hears the remark: “Of course my parents must take care of me, for they brought me into the world.

It is not my fault that I am here!”

Nothing more foolish could be said!

Every person is here on earth either at his own request or because of his own fault.

The parents merely provide the possibility for an incarnation, and nothing else.

And every incarnated soul must be grateful for the opportunity offered!

The soul of the child is only the guest of its parents.

This fact alone gives sufficient explanation to enable one to know that in reality a child can claim no rights in regard to its parents!

It has no spiritual claim on its parents!

Earthly rights, however, have arisen solely out of a purely mundane social order, brought about by the State so that it need not take any obligations upon itself.

Spiritually the child is a complete personality in itself.

Apart from its physical body, which it needs as a tool for its activity on this gross material plane, it has received nothing from its parents – only a dwelling which the already independent soul can make use of.

Still, through procreation the parents assume the obligation to care for the dwelling place they have thus created, and to maintain it until the soul which has taken possession of it is itself capable of undertaking its maintenance.

The natural development of the body will indicate when the moment for this has come.

Whatever is done beyond this is a gift from the parents.

Therefore children should finally cease to rely upon their parents, and would do better to think of standing upon their own feet as soon as possible.

In that respect it is really immaterial whether the child works in the home of its parents or elsewhere.

But it must be an activity other than mere pleasures and the fulfilment of so-called social duties.

It must definitely be a really useful duty, such as would have to be performed by some person specially engaged if the child no longer did it.

Only in this way can one speak of a useful life on earth, which brings about the maturing of the spirit.

If a child, male or female, fulfils such a task in the parental home, then the parents should give it the same wage as they would have to pay a stranger engaged for the purpose.

In other words, the child must be regarded and treated as a really independent human being while fulfilling its duty!

If the parents and children are linked by special bonds of love, confidence and friendship, it is so much the nicer for both, for then it is a voluntary tie born of inner conviction, and therefore all the more precious.

Then it is genuine, and the bond will endure into the beyond for their mutual advancement and joy.

But when children have reached a certain age, it is unsound and objectionable that they should continue subject to family customs and servitude.

Naturally there should also be none of the so-called claims of kinship on which particularly aunts, uncles, cousins, and whoever else tries to come within the category of a relative, so often depend.

It is exactly these claims of kinship which are an objectionable abuse, and which must always disgust a person who is free and independent.

Unfortunately tradition has caused this sort of thing to become such a habit that a person usually does not bother to think differently, but quietly submits to it, even though with aversion!

But he who ventures to take the small step of thinking it over freely will, from the bottom of his soul, find it all so ridiculous and repulsive that he will indignantly turn away from such presumption.

Such an unnatural state of affairs must be cleared up!

As soon as a new and healthy race of men awakens inwardly, then this type of abuse will definitely be tolerated no longer because it is contrary to every sound sense.

Anything really great could never arise out of such artificial distortions of natural life, because on account of this human beings remain far too bound.

A terrible bondage arises out of these apparently minor matters!

It is here that the individual must begin to free himself by breaking away from these unworthy customs!

True liberty lies only in the proper recognition of duties, to which their voluntary fulfilment is linked.

Rights are only obtained by the fulfilment of duties.

This also applies to children who can only claim rights if they loyally perform their duties.

There is, however, a long list of the strictest duties incumbent upon all parents, which have nothing to do with the rights of the children.

Every adult must be aware of what procreation really involves.

The frivolity, thoughtlessness and wrong views hitherto existing in this respect wreak a terrible vengeance.

You must know and understand that there are in the immediate beyond a great number of souls standing ready and awaiting the opportunity to reincarnate on earth.

They are mostly human souls bound by threads of karma, which they are seeking to redeem in a new earth-life.

As soon as the possibility is presented, they attach themselves to where an act of procreation has taken place in order to await and follow up the growth of the new human body as a prospective dwelling.

During this waiting period ethereal threads are spun from the young body to the soul – which keeps itself persistently in the immediate vicinity of the prospective mother – and from the soul to the young body.

At a particular stage of maturity these threads serve as the bridge which permits the alien soul from the beyond to enter the young body and immediately take full possession.

Thereby a strange guest moves in whose karma can cause its educators many worries.

A strange guest!

What an uncomfortable thought!

Everyone should always bear this in mind and never forget that he also can have a say in the choice between the waiting souls, if he does not carelessly waste his time.

The incarnation is certainly subject to the Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Species.

However, it is not absolutely necessary that one of the procreators should serve as the homogeneous pole; sometimes it may be a person who is often near the prospective mother.

Many an evil can be averted as soon as mankind really understand the whole process and consciously concern themselves with it.

As it is they frivolously trifle their time away, attending games and dances, giving parties, and paying little attention to the important event which is being prepared during this period, and which later on will forcefully intervene in their whole lives.

Through prayer which is always based on fervent wishes, they should consciously take a guiding hand in these matters, thus lessening the evil and strengthening the good, so that the strange guest who then comes to them as a child would remain welcome to them in every way.

Much nonsense is talked in the usual manner about pre-natal education – a misunderstanding or half understanding of certain outwardly observable effects.

As often happens the conclusions drawn by men from such observations are wrong.

There is no possibility of pre-natal education, but instead there is a definite possibility of influencing the attraction, if it is done at the right time and with the appropriate seriousness!

This is a difference, the consequences of which reach further than any prenatal education could ever accomplish.

If this has become clear and people still carelessly and thoughtlessly enter into a union, they deserve nothing better than that a human spirit should penetrate into their circle with the risk of bringing only disquietude, if not evil.

For spiritually free human beings procreation should be nothing but the proof of their willingness to take a strange human spirit into the family as a permanent guest, offering it the opportunity on earth to atone and to mature!

Only when both sides have the fervent wish to achieve this purpose should the opportunity for procreation be sought!

If you now take into account only these facts as regards parents and children much will automatically change.

Their treatment of one another, their education and everything will rest upon a different and more serious foundation than has up till now been customary in many families.

There will be more consideration and respect shown towards one another.

The consciousness of independence and the striving for responsibility will make itself felt, resulting in a natural social advance for the nation.

The children, however, will soon learn to desist from claiming rights which never existed.

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