Spiritual Experiences (Buss) n. 5941

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5941. THOSE WHO ARE IN THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM, AND THE GENII. Those become of that sort who do not reflect upon any subject, but sometimes remain as if they do not think, and suppose that, if they do not reflect upon the matter, they do not think at all. At such a time, the affections which are of their love are varied without their perceiving it; which also appears in the changes of their minds, and sometimes in their faces. In consequence of this, they believe that they do not think at all. With those who are in the spiritual love of truth, which is perceived by delight in listening to preachings and other [disquisitions] upon the truths of Word, of Heaven, and of the Church, - when these think, good affections from the Lord through heaven are varied, and perfected daily, they being ignorant of the fact and according to these they live. But with those who are in the love of self and of the world, evil affections, which are numerous and antagonistic to the neighbor, are varied; these become genii. The first and last named perceive a delight in sitting as it were without thought; this is their repose and refreshment. They are also able to think from the understanding if they see anything, but not with penetration; also from the memory of such things as have met their sight, but not about matters of faith. When they are together they also speak but little; and when they wish to say anything, they first exhibit it in dumb show: for instance, if they are going anywhere, they first go to a place which looks thither, and point, and afterwards say. They show many things by representatives: as, for example, when they meet with anyone spiritual, they represent a ship with such things as correspond: if that spiritual person is crafty and evil, they surround the ship with serpents. So in a thousand ways.

5941a. THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FATHER ONLY, AND PASS BY THE LORD, ARE TURNED TO THE LOVES OF THE BODY AND OF THE WORLD. All persons whatsoever, in the other life, are fixedly turned to their loves, thus either to the loves of heaven, or to the loves of hell. Those who acknowledge the Father only and not the Lord, inasmuch as these cannot think about the Father under any form, are unable to be turned by the Lord to Himself. Hence there was with them a looking around on every side, which is contrary to order. Wherefore, they can only be turned to the loves of the body and the world. They were likewise turned thus, in the life of their body and, for that reason, they have not any religion in their spirit. Some look above them, in the sky overhead, or the zenith, at one, as it were a man, whom they say is the Father; but these also are in like manner without determination [of loves]; wherefore, they who have lived well are turned by little and little to the Lord, as a sun, or as a moon, but those who have lived ill are rejected. Determinations to loves are all in the face. Sometimes those who are turned to the Lord are remitted into the idea of a God overhead; and then they are not in intelligence, but in a sort of stupidity. The greatest part are at such times in ideas of natural thought.


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