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POSTOJANJE RACIONALNE DUŠE NAKON SMRTI TIJELA
THE EXISTENCE OF THE RATIONAL SOUL AFTER THE DEATH OF THE BODY

1 Pitanje: – Nakon što se tijelo odloži a duh zadobije slobodu, na koji će način postojati racionalna duša? Pretpostavimo da duše koje su potpomognute milošću Svetoga Duha dosegnu istinsko postojanje i vječni život. Ali što postaje od racionalnih duša – tj. od velom zakrivenih duša159? Question.—After the body is put aside and the spirit has obtained freedom, in what way will the rational soul exist? Let us suppose that the souls who are assisted by the bounty of the Holy Spirit attain to true existence and eternal life. But what becomes of the rational souls—that is to say, the veiled spirits?159
2 Odgovor: – Neki misle da je tijelo tvar i da postoji samo za sebe, a da je duh slučajan i ovisi o tvari tijela, iako je, naprotiv, racionalna duša tvar, a tijelo ovisi o njoj. Ako se slučajno – tj. tijelo – uništi, tvar, duh, ostaje. Answer.—Some think that the body is the substance and exists by itself, and that the spirit is accidental and depends upon the substance of the body, although, on the contrary, the rational soul is the substance, and the body depends upon it. If the accident—that is to say, the body—be destroyed, the substance, the spirit, remains.
3 Drugo, racionalna duša, što znači ljudski duh, ne spušta se u tijelo – tj. ona ne ulazi u njega, jer spuštanje i ulazak su karakteristike tijela, a racionalna je duša toga oslobođena. Duh nikada nije ušao u ovo tijelo, te mu tako nakon njegova svršetka neće trebati prebivalište: ne, duh je povezan s tijelom kao što je ovo svjetlo povezano s ovim zrcalom. Kad je zrcalo jasno i savršeno, u njemu će se pojaviti svjetlo svjetiljke, a kad se zrcalo prekrije prašinom ili razbije, svjetlo će nestati. Second, the rational soul, meaning the human spirit, does not descend into the body—that is to say, it does not enter it, for descent and entrance are characteristics of bodies, and the rational soul is exempt from this. The spirit never entered this body, so in quitting it, it will not be in need of an abiding-place: no, the spirit is connected with the body, as this light is with this mirror. When the mirror is clear and perfect, the light of the lamp will be apparent in it, and when the mirror becomes covered with dust or breaks, the light will disappear.
4 Racionalna duša – tj, ljudski duh – niti je ušla u ovo tijelo niti kroz njega postoji; dakle nakon raspadanja sastava tijela, kako bi mu mogla trebati tvar kroz koju postoji? Naprotiv, racionalna duša je tvar kroz koju tijelo postoji. Ličnost racionalne duše postoji od početka; ona ne ovisi o instrumentalnosti tijela, već se stanje i ličnost racionalne duše mogu pojačati u ovom svijetu; ona će napredovati i dostići stupnjeve savršenstva ili će ostati u najnižem bezdanu neznanja, zakrivena velom i lišena gledanja znakova Božjih. The rational soul—that is to say, the human spirit—has neither entered this body nor existed through it; so after the disintegration of the composition of the body, how should it be in need of a substance through which it may exist? On the contrary, the rational soul is the substance through which the body exists. The personality of the rational soul is from its beginning; it is not due to the instrumentality of the body, but the state and the personality of the rational soul may be strengthened in this world; it will make progress and will attain to the degrees of perfection, or it will remain in the lowest abyss of ignorance, veiled and deprived from beholding the signs of God.
5 Pitanje: – Uz pomoć čega će duh čovjeka – tj. racionalna duša – nakon odlaska iz ovog smrtnog svijeta napredovati? Question.—Through what means will the spirit of man—that is to say, the rational soul—after departing from this mortal world, make progress?
6 Odgovor: – Napredak čovjekova duha u božanskom svijetu, nakon prekidanja veze s tijelom od praha, odvija se uz pomoć dobrote i milosti samoga Gospoda ili uz pomoć zagovora i iskrenih molitava drugih ljudskih duša ili uz pomoć milosrđa i značajnih dobrih djela koja se čine u njezino ime. Answer.—The progress of man’s spirit in the divine world, after the severance of its connection with the body of dust, is through the bounty and grace of the Lord alone, or through the intercession and the sincere prayers of other human souls, or through the charities and important good works which are performed in its name.
  BESMRTNOST DJECE THE IMMORTALITY OF CHILDREN
7 Pitanje: – Kakav je položaj djece koja umiru prije nego dosegnu punoljetnost ili prije određenog vremena rođenja? Question.—What is the condition of children who die before attaining the age of discretion or before the appointed time of birth?
8 Odgovor: – Ta su djeca u sjeni Božje milosti, a kako nisu počinila nikakav grijeh ili se ukaljala nečistima svijeta prirode, ona su središta objave milosti i Oko Suosjećajnosti okrenut će se prema njima. Answer.—These infants are under the shadow of the favor of God; and as they have not committed any sin and are not soiled with the impurities of the world of nature, they are the centers of the manifestation of bounty, and the Eye of Compassion will be turned upon them.