Spiritual Experiences (Odhner) n. 1788

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1788. And when I told them that it was not the same in this life as in the previous one, they were quite surprised at being in the other life. But soon forgetting, they continued looking for homes where they could continue lying in wait. I asked them whether they had any concern about spiritual sins in these matters, lest perhaps by those allurements the partner's love be estranged from that of her husband, and which would therefore go against spiritual order. But they paid no attention to this, nor did they understand it. Further I asked, Were they not afraid of the law and the penalties the law prescribes; for it is already out in the open, so that the couple knows that they want to perpetrate these wrongs? But about that they did not care at all. Then, Were they not afraid for their reputation, for thus they would be disgraced? But they did not care about this either. What they are like, and what concerns them, is seen at once by a spiritual mental image. So when I said, But what if, since the thing is known, they were taken roughly in hand by the household servants, and then lashed with whips and, to be sure, more severely than they could ever have known of before? This was the only thing they feared. But still, forgetting everything that was said, they went on, and their inward thoughts were portrayed to me, which were extremely filthy, and the snares they were planning in their minds were enumerated, and they were of a kind it is not permissible to tell anyone. From all this it is clear that in the other life their inward qualities are completely laid bare before spirits, and even more so before angels, who are able to find out their inward thoughts exactly, while they are kept in the same state of mind after death-in fact, the thoughts of the hearts of all of them. What these were like was portrayed by [spirits and angels], and they were very filthy. It was also portrayed what some in bodily life are like who regard adulteries and the like as not at all wicked, when yet adulteries so contaminate their spiritual life that the effects cannot be removed without very severe punishments. About these people I was told that later in their marriages they contract loathing for their partners, which is not the case with those who do not live immersed in that lust.


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