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Old 12-07-2002, 04:02 PM   #1
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Post Swedenborgianism, what is it?

Hello Everyone,
To provide members and visitors to this discussion forum with information about what Swedenborgianism is all about, I am following up on a suggestion and posting here this article.

Kind Regards
Adriaan

EMANUEL SWEDENBORG
1688-1772

A brief sketch

Emanuel Swedenborg was born in Sweden, into a devoutly Christian family. After a university education he journeyed to England and other European countries, to continue his studies. On these travels he set about to learn as much as he could of the world s scientific and philosophic knowledge then available, particularly studying mathematics, geometry, physics, astronomy, and the making of mathematical and optical instruments.

Returning to Sweden, he reported to the King as consultant, engineer, and metallurgist. His efforts contributed importantly to the iron and copper mining and smelting industries critical to the Swedish economy. He also served as a member of the House of Nobles, and of the Royal Academy of Sciences. In addition to numerous mechanical inventions and improvements, including significant contributions in the developing fields of metallurgy, mineralogy, chemistry, geology, engineering, anatomy, physiology and psychology, he mastered everything known about the sciences generally, publishing his works in Latin, the universal scholarly language of his day. In addition to Latin, and his native Swedish, Swedenborg was also fluent in Hebrew, Greek, English, Dutch, German, French, and Italian. By modern measurement of his learning capacity it is estimated that he had one of the highest intelligence levels ever known.

In middle age, he turned to the study of anatomy in a probing search to physically locate the immortal human soul. Sometimes a century or more ahead of his time, he made remarkable advances through observing the functions of the brain (such as its right/left capabilities), heart, lungs, various glands, and their interaction. However, in spite of focusing intently on the human body and uncovering many of its mysteries, physical discovery of the soul still eluded him, leaving him to feel he could go no further on his own.

During the period of 1743-1745, in his sleep Swedenborg s dreams increasingly turned into what he became convinced were spiritual experiences giving him a direct perception of the world of the spirit. He felt he had been granted revelations from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, culminating with a call to His service. Although maintaining an active interest in Swedish public affairs he gave up all scientific studies from that time on, commencing three years of intensive Biblical study in preparation for his new mission. In 1748 he began writing theological works containing the spiritual truths being unfolded to him, which he referred to as the "internal sense" of the Word of God, contained within the Bible. Unlike mystics approaching spiritual experience through a trance, Swedenborg claimed that his natural body was fully awake to all the sensations and surroundings of this earth while he simultaneously had the eyes of his spirit fully opened to spiritual experiences of every kind in the next world. For the first time in history, a highly trained and widely respected scientific intellect was being used to describe, in detail and clarity, spiritual laws and principles from daily contact with many people now in the spirit world and observation of their lives. He believed the spiritual truths being revealed through him to be the birth of a New Christianity, the promised Second Coming of Christ, appearing not physically but in a new and much fuller understanding of God to all who desire it.

Not wanting to compel belief by miracles and signs, Swedenborg sought no occasion to demonstrate publicly his contact with the spiritual world. Still, a few such incidents did take place unavoidably, and were widely reported, verifying his gift of spiritual sight and knowledge to incredulous peers such as Immanuel Kant and John Wesley.
All of Swedenborg s Theological Writings published in his lifetime were at his own expense, anonymously at first but later showing his name only as servant of the Lord, in order to attract no attention to himself from what he believed was a mission from The Divine. As they were printed, he quietly distributed his Writings to centres of learning throughout Europe. At no time did Swedenborg preach, make any moves to found a church or religion, or attempt to gather any following around himself, believing only that the Lord s own truth would be accepted whenever and wherever seekers with open minds were ready for it. Having written prodigiously (more than 7,500,000 words in 35 volumes with only a quill pen), after 27 years of continuous experiences in the spiritual realm he published the crowning summary of his works, The True Christian Religion, and died in England in 1772 at the age of 84.

Swedenborg presented his works logically in a clear and scientific manner, because he said that truth must always be understandable in the clear light of reason. He rejected any article of faith which forced anyone to confess what they could not understand. Christianity, as Swedenborg defines it, goes back to actual Biblical texts to determine the real meaning and teaching of the Word of God. From his time he bridges back over the whole 1700 year history and practice of Christianity, separating those beliefs and practices truly found in the Bible, from those developed subsequently by humans in councils, edicts, and proclamations. This departure from traditional Christianity is totally new with Swedenborg s claim that he was taught by the Lord Himself in explanation of many Biblical passages otherwise indiscernible, including spiritual implications behind the Bible s account of worldly events thousands of years ago.

Over the past two centuries, many of the world s leading thinkers have been influenced by Swedenborg, some profoundly. Among such, Emerson, Goethe, Robert and Elizabeth Browning, William Blake, Carl Jung, and Helen Keller may be listed to name just a few. The world over, his Theological Writings continue to be read by increasing numbers of those with inquiring minds who value genuinely new and deeper insights into the spiritual realm, and who have had their spiritual perceptions widened in ways not otherwise possible. Among many readers are those who believe his Writings to, indeed, be part of The Word of God, along with the Old and New Testaments, and today those of that persuasion form the New Church (sometimes called Swedenborgian) around the world.

A rational understanding of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as a single Divine Person, the Lord Jesus Christ as one God; His Divine Humanity and our responses of love to Him and the neighbour; the order of His Creation; the operation of His Providence and our part in it; His Love and Wisdom; Heaven and Hell ---- these subjects and more are all there to explore. Swedenborg s legacy is for anyone on a spiritual journey to search his Writings, and see if they meet their claim "Now it is permitted to enter with the understanding into the mysteries of faith. - T.C.R. 508."
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Old 12-07-2002, 05:59 PM   #2
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Aww, surely this guy wasn't the first scientist to go crazy...
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Old 12-08-2002, 03:09 PM   #3
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So is there a link or website or something to read some of his stuff?
The Urantia folks have a similar thing going on.
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Old 12-08-2002, 03:26 PM   #4
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Hello Smugg and Marduck,

If that were the case I doubt if anybody would send an article like this to a Scientific magazine to celebrate the 300th anniversary of his birth.
Hi Marduck, who are the Urantia folks?
A websearch with Swedenborg will generate a lot to read, but there is <a href="http://www.newchurch.org" target="_blank">www.newchurch.org</a> and <a href="http://www.swedenborg.ca" target="_blank">www.swedenborg.ca</a> and thanks for asking.

Regards
Adriaan

Swedenborg and Modern Science
Ian J. Thompson
Physics Department, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 5XH, U.K
April, 1988.
Published in: Network Newsletter of The Scientific and Medical Network, 36 (1988) 3-8.
This year is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 - 1772). Although he worked in the eighteenth century, his investigations into the nature of physical, physiological and spiritual processes are still relevant today, although they are not as widely known as they deserve. In this article, I will briefly describe the stages in Swedenborg's life, and outline his mature teachings with particular relevance to what is relevant to the concerns of contemporary science, and to the concerns of those wishing to extend that science.
Snip.......
There are considerable similarities of these early ideas with what science has subsequently discovered. The modern atom with its rapidly circulating electrons appears to be solid in the same way he suggested, and rather differently from what Boyle and Newton imagined. Modern physics too has realized that the constituents of atoms have higher and higher energies, with the proposed quarks having energies much larger than appear in normal molecular, atomic, or nuclear processes. His ideas of intrinsic polarity in the constitution of particles is a remarkable anticipation of the notion of spin in modern particle physics, while the same ideas applied to magnetic materials produced pictures of magnetization which are still valid today.
By means of his theories of physics, he was trying to answer the question, `how can an Infinite Being create a finite world?'. The intermediate nature of the `natural point', being in some respects finite and in some respects infinite, was in part his solution to this problem.
The Search for the Soul
He had a second question in mind too: `what is the place of the human soul in nature' (what we call today `the mind-body problem'), and this led him on from considerations of physics to investigations in anatomy and physiology. He read all the anatomical studies available, and traveled extensively talking to those working in these fields. He performed some dissections himself, but soon decided that this biased his theoretical speculations, and that he should confine himself to using the results of others.
He was particularly interested in the structure and function of the nervous system, and was impressed by the hierarchical substructures of organs, bundles, and then single nerve fibres. As with the physical world, he understood that the human body was constructed of smaller units, and these of still smaller entities. He postulated what he called `cerebellula' (`little brains') as the smallest functionally autonomous units in the brain, and, against Descartes, became convinced that psychological functions were mediated by the cerebellula themselves. Various observations convinced Swedenborg of the primacy of the cerebral cortex, and also that different regions of the cortex were specialized for particular functions. This is the beginning of the theory of cerebral localization. He also speculated that various subcortical grey matters (in particular the cerebellum, the oblongata, and parts of the spinal medulla) had the capacity to act as motor centres in their own right, and allow highly developed motor habits in humans. These views demonstrate Swedenborg's remarkable intuitive grasp of a subject which others have had to elaborate over a long period.
He didn't find the soul in the brain, however, and he was led to investigations in psychology. Here he again applied his scheme of `discrete degrees' of organization. He saw the capacities of the mind to have sense data, to organize these into thoughts and ideas, and to judge those thought and ideas as three levels of sensation, thought, and reason or judgment, with each level being discretely higher than the previous. This idea of stages of psychological development reappears today in the theories of Piaget and Erikson.
New Insights
At the age of 55, however, his life began to change in unexpected ways. Where previous he had always had an intellectual approach to life, now he was having a disturbing series of dreams which were forcing him to reconsider his intellectual pride and his repression of affectional processes. From this time on, he systematically recorded his dreams and inner experiences in what became his Journal of Dreams and his five-volume Spiritual Diary . He gradually began to have psychical experiences and visions which even persisted in his waking state. In a sense he was developing the capacities to investigate the deepest realms of the mind itself, and finally to answer his search for the soul. He began forming his `post-illumination' philosophy and spiritual insights, in a kind of `rational mysticism' which he then consistently expounded in his writings and conversations for the remaining 25 years of his life.
The Importance of Swedenborg
Swedenborg is important because, although his is in general agreement with the esoteric teachings of ages before and since, he worked from within a distinctly Western and Judeo-Christian tradition. This may not seem a strong recommendation given the widespread uncertainties in that tradition today, but he is important precisely because he tackles and provides answers for what is today most uncertain. Very few people today (especially among the present readership) would believe, for example, that the Christian idea of the Divine Trinity (of three persons but not three Gods) is a coherent rational doctrine, that faith alone (without works) is what is important, or that Jesus of Nazareth died to appease the wrath of an angry and vengeful Divine Father. Swedenborg saw one of his tasks as replacing these ideas with what he regarded they should have been all along, and this he did and with attention to logical and psychological detail which has rarely been equaled.
My task here is not to explain his ideas about ethics, religion and theology, although he would see those as central to his understanding, but to give an introduction to some of the consequences of his teachings with particular relevance to current topics of concern. I will first outline his general scheme of existence, and then explain how it fits into the operation of the physical world as discovered by modern science. Finally I will briefly discuss his interpretations or solutions to a number of phenomena and problems which are being discussed in psychology, psychical studies, and spiritual development.
Mature Teachings: The World as Hierarchical Structure of Propensities (Loves)
Swedenborg describes the world as made in the pattern of end-cause-effect (or goals-propensities-actualities). Each of these three stages is a discrete level or degree, and each is itself sub-divided into goals-propensities-actualities sub-degrees, and so on in a nested fashion. The outermost ‘actuality’ degree we call the physical world, the ‘propensity’ degree we call the mental world, and the ‘goals’ degree we call the spiritual world. The physical world then has sub-degrees we call goals, propensities and effects; the mental world then has sub-degrees we call desires, intentions and sensations/actions; and the spiritual world then has sub-degrees he calls love, wisdom and use. The life of all degrees and sub-degrees is itself derivative from the Divine Source, so that they are all like temporary pools in a cascade of life from the source to the ultimate effects. In this way is formulated a qualitative nested hierarchy of beings and processes. The prior degrees are not localized in space, in contrast to the ultimate effects. Minds, not being in space, are therefore individuated not by ‘multi-dimensional position’ or ‘frequency of vibration’, but by their varying uses (functions or effects) with respect to the physical world.
Causal Connections
The events at any stage depend on the propensities in that sub-stage, and on the events in the corresponding positions in the prior stages. What goals and propensities are present depend on the past actualities in both that sub-stage and in the following degrees. There is thus an appearance of bi-directional interaction between all degrees, but this is always based on a principle of Conditional Forward Production: `The propensities at any stage are those derivatives of preceding propensities or loves which accord with what is already actual in that stage'. The processes at any stage are therefore the joint production of `Principal Causation' from the preceding propensities, and of `Instrumental Causation' from which effects are already actual. Only in the instrumental sense can events ever said to be causally efficacious.
Interconnectedness in the Physical World
The physical world is in itself fragmented and without consciousness, but is being continually produced from prior propensities. The substances in the physical world are all interconnected via this connection with their non-localized source degrees, and have only local connections among themselves. (It is only a matter of convention whether these prior degrees are called within or external to the physical world, as, strictly speaking, spatial descriptions do not apply.)
Being, Substance, and Love
In Divine Love and Wisdom, his most philosophical work, Swedenborg explains how the substance of a thing is the propensity or love which constitutes it. Things are therefore forms of propensity, as quantum physics is finding. Aristotle's ultimate underlying matter is thus the originating love. The true nature of something (or someone) is its set of propensities or dispositions, and are hence only apparent in freedom and/or unusual `experimental' situations. Love is not a late addition to a person, but is his or her very being.
A Dynamic World
His is an intrinsically dynamic view of the world, as it is being continually produced, now, at many simultaneous levels of operation by an immanent Divine Source. The `Eternal Now' is the exploration of these degrees, and is not a global view of all past, present and future time in some immobile `block'. These is a tension in Capra, for example, between the static eternity of Minkowski space-time and the dynamic eternity `where life quivers in its true sense.' Swedenborg is adamant about the absence of any predestination and about the preservation of human freedom. Spiritual processes operate in time, but as prior levels concern themselves with longer-term goals, in a sense they encompass larger stretches of physical time.
Personality
The nested hierarchy of degrees and sub-degrees make up a person, as they constitute the human functions at the physical, mental and spiritual stages. Therefore, wherever these degrees are found, persons will be present. (To Swedenborg's initial surprise, he found that the origins of the soul's intentions were in a spiritual world peopled with men and women, all of whom had once lived on earth.) He also applies the `principle of personality' to the Divine Source, and we have our structure, he claims, because we are an image of a Source with that structure.
Survival After Death
Because the production of intermediate layers is normally conditioned on existing actualities, the mental and spiritual stages depend on the physical world as does a house on its foundations. However, as we live we are also forming intermediate actualities in the mental & spirituals levels, and it is these, Swedenborg proposes, which enable us to exist as individuated persons even after the disintegration of the physical body.
Quantum Physics
Schrödinger's equation describes the quantum propensities for actual events that would result from measurements, and these propensities are there even if no measurements are actually performed. Consciousness seems to play a role in producing these actual events, but this is what Swedenborg might expect, as physical actualities and mental sensations are the final sub-degree in their respective degrees, and hence should depend on each other as explained above. They have the same functional role in the physical and mental stages, and hence correspond to each other in the relation of cause and effect.
Physics has long ago given up the idea of solid material corpuscles (or at least ought to have done so), and is now moving to the idea of objective distributions of propensity which manifest themselves intermittently and probabilistically in suitable circumstances. The mind-dependent nature of these circumstances, however, will only become clear in the context of a general theory of mind and nature, such as Swedenborg begins to provide (as explained next).
The Mind - Body Problem
Swedenborg explains how there is an intimate relation between the mind and the body (even though they are distinct degrees) because of what was called above the principle of Conditional Forward Production, (what Swedenborg calls the principle of `spiritual influx'). Because of this principle, human desires, intentions, actions and sensations require a corresponding structure of physical actualities in order for them to be maintained, and this structure, Swedenborg observed, is just the structure of the human body - brain, organs, cellular structure and all. The brain, for example, is the base for goal-aspects, and by the operation of the propensities it thereby contains, it controls the person's deliberate actions. Thus if the brain is diseased, it does not permit certain normal mental dispositions to operate, and if the disease is permanent, they might never develop in the first place. All physiological processes are in fact significant, as they are related to specific psychic processes by similarity of function. Swedenborg gives us the beginning of a detailed theory of psycho-physical correspondences, a branch of science which should be compatible with all the observations of neurophysiology and of psycho-physical connections.
Near-Death Experiences
The first survey of this field drew attention to Swedenborg's description in Heaven and Hell (§ 445 - 452) of the stages in the processes of dying. Swedenborg does not however describe cases of returning to the body, except that he went through these experiences himself, and did return. David Lorimer has recently described these phenomena (and Swedenborg's contributions) in more detail.
Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs)
In his books The Presence of Other Worlds and especially The Natural Depth in Man, Van Dusen explores the realms of self-reflection, feeling-imagery, dreams, hypnagogic imagery, hallucinations and preliminary mystical experiences. He bases many of his insights on Swedenborg's Diary of Dreams, and on his understanding of Swedenborg's mature writings.
Swedenborg himself had extensive experience with his `double sight', and was able to trace back to their sources in the spiritual world those things which influenced him for good or ill (see e.g. Arcana Coelestia, § 6191). He also had many deeper mystical experiences, but afterwards, tended to complain that he could not put them into words (rather difficult for the intellectual type to admit!).
The contemporary mathematician J.H.M. Whiteman has been a `practicing mystic' for the past 60 years, and has found much useful guidance in Swedenborg. Whiteman has described the hierarchical potentiality-actuality structures in physics, and has attempted an extensive classification of ASCs. He incorporates many of Swedenborg's ideas, though not always without alteration.
In Heaven and Hell § 256, Swedenborg interestingly provides an alternative explanation of the states of consciousness in which people under hypnosis recall memories of lives before they were born, memories which are usually taken as evidence for reincarnation.
Symbolism in Depth Psychology and Religion: Universal Correspondences
There are prior-post correspondences not only with the parts and functions of the human body, but with all animals, plants and natural things. All these correspond to specific psychic propensities (states), according to the functions performed. Now these prior propensities can be given a `free hand' in dreams and visions to create images of what best would correspond to them, and thus they can represent themselves in such forms. When we see these dream images, we are often able to discern the originating psychic state, using a kind of `language of correspondences'. This principle is the basis of innumerable myths, parables and allegories from all religious traditions. Dante and Blake explicitly write in this manner. The correspondences are not merely metaphors or analogies, however. The true correspondent of any natural object is, strictly, that spiritual entity by means of which the object is created and sustained in the natural plane.
Swedenborg claims that much (but not all) of the Bible is written in the language of correspondences, such that the originating psychic states are telling their own `internal stories' which are typically about spiritual development (David Jenkins has some correct ideas here). This is not to say that none of the events actually occurred (only Genesis chs. 1 - 11, Job and Revelations are all mythical, he claims), but only that many of the historical reports could be of `acted out parables'.
Conclusion
Swedenborg never forced his views on anyone, saying they will be mainly of interest to many people (like himself) who ‘have to understand before they can believe’. His ideas had a mixed reception in his lifetime. Some, like Blake and Kant, found much material to accept, but ultimately turned away from him. His ideas are perhaps more in line with a `New Age' now, but much of what he said is still for the future.
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Old 12-08-2002, 03:39 PM   #5
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"Hi Marduck, who are the Urantia folks?"

I seem to have lost their url, I guess a search on urantia would find it. An organization that preserves the writings of some guy who also wrote volumns of stuff down about all sorts of things. Except I think he claims it was dictated to him while in a transe. I don't remember much other than the claim that it was 'the message of Christ for the scientific age' odd but interesting.


<a href="http://www.urantia.org" target="_blank">www.urantia.org</a> (found it)
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Old 12-08-2002, 09:34 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally posted by A3:
<strong>Hello Smugg and Marduck,

If that were the case I doubt if anybody would send an article like this to a Scientific magazine to celebrate the 300th anniversary of his birth.

...</strong>
Hey, if having followers makes you right how are we to determine whose followers are most correct?

...or am I missing your point?

This guy was a scientist in the eighteenth century then he had this religious experience. There are now people who belong to a religion based partly on his writings.

Okay.

Go tell <a href="http://website.lineone.net/~cornerstone/eddy.htm" target="_blank">Mary Baker Eddy</a>. Or <a href="http://www.aboutlronhubbard.org/" target="_blank">L. Ron Hubbard</a>. Heck, go tell <a href="http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/not_guilty/david_koresh/" target="_blank">David Koresh</a>.
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Old 12-09-2002, 10:47 AM   #7
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Hi Marduck,
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi Marduck, who are the Urantia folks?"
I seem to have lost their url, I guess a search on urantia would find it. An organization that preserves the writings of some guy who also wrote volumns of stuff down about all sorts of things. Except I think he claims it was dictated to him while in a transe. I don't remember much other than the claim that it was 'the message of Christ for the scientific age' odd but interesting.
-----------------
A: Odd indeed. There seems a wealth of information there, of the sort that can be found in “Lord of the Rings,” with possibly the same amount of ‘truth’ too. Each his own though, if whatever we find makes us a better person.... fine with me. I wish there was a place where you could just download this book. A site that lets you read it (it is based on what Swedenborg wrote) is a pretty good alterative. The book isThe Spiritual World. I think it is a great overall view of what life is all about, but then I might be biased. This book I have sent as a file but purely on a "see what you think" basis. (No salesman will call
What I have done a number of times is attach the book (pdf) to my reply to your email (or anyone who asks), but the site I mentioned earlier is <a href="http://www.lifeafterdeathdetails.org/index2.htm" target="_blank">www.lifeafterdeathdetails.org/index2.htm</a> . You may find it a lot more down-to-earth
Another site is <a href="http://www.swedenborgdigitallibrary.org" target="_blank">www.swedenborgdigitallibrary.org</a> .
================================
Hi smugg,

Originally posted by A3:
If that were the case I doubt if anybody would send an article like this to a Scientific magazine to celebrate the 300th anniversary of his birth.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S: Hey, if having followers makes you right how are we to determine whose followers are most correct? ...or am I missing your point?
This guy was a scientist in the eighteenth century then he had this religious experience. There are now people who belong to a religion based partly on his writings.
Okay.
Go tell Mary Baker Eddy. Or L. Ron Hubbard. Heck, go tell David Koresh.
-----------------
It would seem to me that having truth in our head is less important than having goodness in our heart. All through human history there are more arguments (and misery) about who is right than who is good.
There seems a correlation, however, between the level of truth-content and the level of goodness we can attain. Much the same as the better we know the rules, the better we can play the game.

Regards
Adriaan
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Old 12-09-2002, 10:59 AM   #8
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And since each of these religious leaders claims to have the most goodness or the most truth, how are we to base our conclusion?

Surely it just comes down to romantic appeal. Maybe Emanuel Swedenborg appeals to some because of his universalist message or his scientific background while Jack Van Impe appeals to those looking for someone more prophetic.
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Old 12-09-2002, 05:26 PM   #9
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Hi Smugg,
"And since each of these religious leaders claims to have the most goodness or the most truth, how are we to base our conclusion?"
Examen them. Check them out. If what they are doing is against the law or if they oppress or even abuse women or children. If anything they do is suspect in any way (according to what you and I consider the law) then making a choice should not be too hard.
My experience with Swedenborg is that we are encouraged to think and ask questions (which is an odity in religious circles). This approach gives freedom and rationality and

"Surely it just comes down to romantic appeal. Maybe Emanuel Swedenborg appeals to some because of his universalist message or his scientific background while Jack Van Impe appeals to those looking for someone more prophetic."

Could be. It may be that each has an approach that clicks with certain people. Some people look more for a structure with doctines that make sense. Others go more for the emotional side of things. All we can do is honestly and cincerely say: this is it for me, and I don't think we are really asked to do anything else.
Regards
Adriaan
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Old 12-11-2002, 07:39 AM   #10
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To take what you said earlier, one step further. I very much doubt there is anything with those you mentioned that can even compare with this wealth of information. True or not, it is something to think about. This is the content of Swedenborg's most popular book: Heaven and Hell
I'll try to find a site where this can be read. See what you think. <a href="http://swedenborg.newearth.org/hh/" target="_blank">NewEarth</a>

HEAVEN---------
1. The lord is heaven’s God
2. The lord’s Divine makes heaven
3. The lord’s Divine in heaven is love for him and charity toward one’s neighbor
4. Heaven is divided into two kingdoms
5. There are three heavens
6. The heavens are made up of countless communities
7. Each community is a heaven in a smaller form, and each angel a heaven in the smallest form
8. Heaven, if grasped as a single entity, reflects a single person
9. Each community in the heavens reflects a single person
10. Each angel is therefore in a perfect human form
11. Heaven as a whole and in its parts reflects a person because it stems from the Lord’s divine Human
12. There is a correspondence between everything in heaven and everything in man
13. Heaven has a correspondence with everything on earth
14. The sun in heaven
15. Light and warmth in heaven
16. The four major regions in heaven
17. Changes of state of angels in heaven
18. Time in heaven
19. Representations and appearances in heaven
20. The clothes angels are seen wearing
21. Angels’ homes and houses
22. Space in heaven
23. Heaven’s form, which patterns associations and communications there
24. Governments in heaven
25. Divine worship in heaven
26. The power of heaven’s angels
27. Angels’ language
28. Angels’ speech with man
29. Written materials in heaven
30. The wisdom of heaven’s angels
31. Angels’ state of innocence in heaven
32. The state of peace in heaven
33. Heaven’s bond with the human race
34. Heaven’s bond with man through the word
35. Heaven and hell are from the human race
36. The heathen or people outside the church in heaven
37. Children in heaven
38. Wise and simple people in heaven
39. Rich and poor people in heaven
40. Marriages in heaven
41. Angels’ occupations in heaven
42. Heavenly joy and happiness
43. The vastness of heaven
WORLD OF SPIRITS
44. What the world of spirits is
45. Everyone is a spirit as far as his more inward reaches are concerned
46. Man’s awakening from the dead and entrance into eternal life
47. After death, people exist in a perfect human form
48. After death, a person is engaged in every sense, memory, thought, and affection he was engaged in, in the world: he leaves nothing behind except his earthly body
49. A person’s quality after death is the same as the quality of his life in the world was
50. After death, everyone’s life pleasures are changed into things that correspond to them
51. Man’s first state after death
52. Man’s second state after death
53. Man’s third state after death, which is a state of instruction for people who are entering heaven
54. No one enters heaven by direct mercy
55. Leading a heaven-bound life is not as hard as people believe
HELL--------------------------------
56. The lord governs the hells
57. The lord does not cast anyone into hell, rather, the person himself does
58. People in the hells are involved in evil things and consequent false things as a result of their loves of themselves and the world
59. What hell-fire and gnashing of teeth are
60. The malice and unspeakable arts of hellish spirits
61. The appearance, location, and abundance of hells
62. The balance between heaven and hell
63. People are in a freedom by means of the balance between heaven and hell

[ December 11, 2002: Message edited by: A3 ]</p>
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