Spiritual Experiences (Odhner) n. 570

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570. Besides the spirits of that earth spoken of above [519-20], there are other spirits who urge toward things contrary, for everywhere there are also opposite spirits, and these are their spirits who have been banished from their society and have become evil. When they come up to anyone, something like a flying fire falls near the front parts of the person, passing thence to his back parts lower down, and from there he speaks toward the higher parts, and in fact in a rough and forked voice, such as cannot be adequately described, almost as if he spoke with a forked tongue. He tells them contrary things, namely, that they should not live according to the teaching of the angels, but free from restraints, and things of this kind that are contrary to what the teaching spirit had told them previously. For the most part they come not long after the teaching spirit has left, and then tell the person the opposite, urging him toward a licentious life. But because the people there know that these spirits are of that character, they do not heed them. They also learn in this way what evil is, for without a recognition of evil - inasmuch as there are such people - their life and understanding cannot develop; but they must be taught what is good by means of evil, and thus they learn to avoid evil, and to strive after good, as well as to be moved by what is good. 1748, the 27th day of January.


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