Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 1063

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1063. Moreover, from a description of the spirits of that place, it can be evident who and of what quality are those who are in that province. They are endowed with no mercy, and without conscience want to destroy the human race, to slay and to spoil without distinction as to whether they be men who resist, or children, women and infants. Thus without mercy they desire in this way to destroy and ravage the human race and whatever belongs thereto. They are of a ferocious disposition, as for the most part are soldiers and their officers. Such were these spirits. If license were given them such as they had in the body, when they ravaged cities and villages and whatever they met - not during the battle but after it - they would be aroused to such fury, that they would rush upon nothing with greater vehemence than the destruction of all, so that they could not be restrained. Meanwhile, I spoke with spirits concerning them, and concerning the nature of men when left to themselves and permitted to act without regard to law, saying, That they are far more violent than the worst of wild beasts, who do not in this way rush to the slaughter of their species. (It is different when they are defending themselves from their enemies, and when wild beasts exert their fierceness upon other animals, for these are left to them for food; this should not be considered otherwise than as a just defense when attacked by like enemies, and when they slay animals suitable for food.) The heavenly ones saw and were horrified that the human race on this earth was of such a nature, for without having beheld such a spectacle it would have seemed to them incredible. I further said to them, How can such souls ever be admitted into heaven where love, mercy, and peace reign? Would they not still cherish a like disposition to extirpate every one, if only license were given them? and would they not be actuated by the love of self and of the world? And I also told them that such persons at once rejoice at heart and are uplifted in mind, when they see armies of slain scattered about to the number of many thousands, and hear their cries of misery, and see the streams of blood flowing from the bodies, and they themselves and their swords sprinkled with human blood. In such things are they proud and consider themselves heroes. Yea, they even then sing "Te Deum laudamus". Yet they call themselves Christians!


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