3154. THE QUALITY OF THEIR IDEAS, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I saw by spiritual idea, and it was given to hold communication with spirits [to this effect], that the ideas of those who do not wish to believe, unless they know and understand, are formed from innumerable [ideas] of such as reason falsely concerning every object of sight: for spirits have such a cupidity that they think they know everything, and reason concerning everything: some indeed from persuasion, when yet [it is] a false [persuasion]. Such innumerable ideas concur in each idea of those who do not wish to believe, unless they understand. Wherefore, if that idea [formed] from all these [ideas] were presented before their eyes, by representation of a face, or something else, there would be such base and hideous [faces], that nothing could ever appear more base and hideous. - 1748, September 14. This was seen in spiritual idea, with spirits around me. A certain spirit said that he saw represented the idea of someone, who was not so [very] evil, and that he never saw anything more hideous. - 1748, September 14. And it was only a general idea, as obscure as if it were nothing. Another merely said that he did not believe such things could have been seen in the other life; his idea was immediately represented, and surpassed others in ugliness [turpidine]. - 1748, September 14.