Swedenborg's Heaven
1.
What did you learn
about Swedenborg in the Introduction that was
noteworthy and interesting to you?
That
he was known and read by Kant, Goethe (a poet whom Schopenhauer hang
out with
for awhile and whose theory of colors Schopenhauer embraced) and
Wesley.
Mysticism (or gnosticism) has been around for a long time but I had no
idea
Swendenborg’s work was so influential to the romantic age. The theology
described is heretical from a fundamental Christian point of view for a
number
of reasons; primary from his denial of the Trinity existing as three
Persons in
one Being. He seems to advocate some kind of modalism. I am somewhat
curious as
to what he gives as a purpose for the crucifixion i.e. for what reason
did God
endure it?
2. ¶ 29 is describing the three heavens that Swedenborg
experienced, and ¶ 30
is saying something about the inner reality of persons. Do you see any
parallels?
2.
Describe in your
own words what
you understand "the principle of correspondence" to be, in chapters
12 & 13.
Somewhat like a cause and it’s effect corresponding to one another i.e. things in the natural world to things in the spiritual. This could be ‘geographical’ even as to body parts. There are three basic categories of animal, vegetable, and mineral correspondences.
3.
Why, according to
¶ 87 & ¶
115, is that principle so little understood today?
Because we have become ‘externally minded’ or physically minded loving ourselves and the world in it’s many pleasures.
4.
According to
chapter 15, what
do light and warmth "correspond" to?
Light corresponds to divine truth, divine wisdom and intelligence as well. Warmth corresponds to love; heavenly love is for one’s neighbor in self-less intention; hell-fire is self-love and profane craving.
5.
According to
chapter 22, what
does space "correspond" to?
Changes in ‘inner states’ describes ‘motion’ in the spirit realm since those within the spiritual realm have no concept of space (they forgot?) This ‘state’ is either a reluctance or acceptance of divine truth or light, and is what separates heaven from hell.
6.
In chapters 27
& 28, what
are one or two of the main points Swedenborg makes about how angels
speak?
Angels talk of the same things we do in the spiritaul realm as we do in the natural. They speak to us in our own language although in #237 angels are unable ‘to pronounce a single word of a human language.’ This is done supposedly telepathically, through like thought processes.
7.
What exactly are
angels,
anyhow? (cf. chapter 35.)
They are people that come from the human race.
8.
What is important
in chapter
39, about the rich and the poor in heaven?
That
both enter heaven just as easily and there are both rich and poor in
heaven;
the rich tend to be happier.
9.
a) What is
important in chapter
40, about marriages in heaven?
b) Does that sound good to you or not?
A. Marriage in heaven is when a male and female angel (human person) is of one mind; where the man’s part is intellect and the woman’s, volition. In the union goodness and truth come together.
B. No. I look forward to communion with God Himself.
10.
According to
chapter 42, what
does Swedenborg say real heavenly joy consists of? And what does it
definitely not consist of?
“All pleasures flow from love;” love for the lord and love for one’s neighbor. It is definitely not physical and sensory gratification.
11.
What exactly is
the "world
of spirits," according to chapter 44?
It is neither heaven nor hell, that is, it is halfway between them. It is only a temporary resedence for those souls who enter it; it is here that the good and bad elements of a person are sorted out.\
12.
Chapters 48, 49
& 50 are
about life in heaven, at least as far as Swedenborg experienced it.
a) What are the main characteristics of this life in heaven?
We
take our memories with us into a world experienced much like our own
except
that it is ‘spiritual.’
b) How is it different that life on earth?
In our memory,
naturally based objects become dormant since they cannot be spiritually
reproduced. The senses are more delicate, and that there will be no
hidden
secrets; everything will be revealed.
c) How is it the same as life on earth?
We
see, hear, talk, smell, taste, feel, want, crave, love and intend in
much the
same way. Studious types still read and write.
14. In ¶ 477 - 484 in chapter 49 Swedenborg talks about the
"ruling
love" of a person's life. What does he mean by the "ruling
love."
Whether it be a
heavenly love based upon concern for others or a carnal love based upon
love of
self determines position in eternity and/or stays with you forever.
15. a) What is the main message of ¶ 528 in chapter 55?
b) What do you think Arthur Schopenhauer would think of that message?
a.
Get out
and live life;
enjoy it else you will not be prepared to enjoy the afterlife.
b.
You’re
kidding
yourself and are tempting the will, which will backfire on you.
16. a) What is do you think is the main message of ¶ 534?
b) Do you think that is a good message?
a.
Along
the broad road
of life there is going to be a point of decision, though as presented
is really
stupidly devised (since all roads lead to heaven, Christianity has one
big
stumbling block unlike the others [Swendenborg calls that stumbling
block ‘the
Lord’s divine nature,] which you have to accept or reject [along with
adherence
to moral dictums and proper heart],) since it is the only path that has
such a
stone to stumble on where a choice (apart from love) must be made for
heaven or
for hell.
b.
Why in the world did Christ die on the
cross if the
only thing that could come of it is for that to be stumbling block for
people?
17. In chapter 57 Swedenborg says that people cast themselves into hell.
a) Does he mean this is the case in this
life's hells or in the afterlife's hells?
b) How does he
explain why people would cast
themselves into hell?
Wicked people, since
they love evil, are connected to hell. So after death they crave to be
there,
because the evil that is there.
18. Chapter 58 (and 57) describe something about what hell is like. In
your own
words, describe what Swedenborg says hell is like.
The creatures within
hell lack the qualities of goodness and truth; are savage, cruel and
ugly,
selfish and stupid.
19. See chapter 63. In what sense does Swedenborg say man is free?
Freedom exists in
balance between the good of heaven and the evil of hell.
20. What are your general overall impressions of Swedenborg's world
view?
I don’t have any reason to believe that Swedenborg was a con-man. Many men (and women) have made religious claims that were and are not true, but not many were crazy as this man seems to be. So as a bare probability, my bet is that he was nuts.
Swedenborg claims that all religions lead to God. But Christianity in particular has an intentionally or stupidly installed stumbling block intrinsic to it. So then, why in the world did Christ die on the cross if the only thing that could come of it is for that to be a stumbling block for people? He should have just stayed up in heaven because it only causes trouble, let alone do anything vital or even constructive.
He speaks that God judges not but all will be revealed; but to what purpose then? Hell is not really ‘hell’ since in #429 a man is calmed by a breath of hell and tortured by a breath of heaven. So he gets what he wants which then is really not a punishment, casting himself into a place that is really quite livable. Certainly there is an element of truth in this that we will get what we choose; but if we choose punishment, we shall be punished according to what we have done (and to that degree) and it will be anything but pleasant or in accordance with our intended natures. (We were created as good beings.) Hell is an ultimate form of depravation, neither of personality nor awareness, but of hope and pleasure. Hell is not a mere melding of like natures; there could be no justice in such a world. And we do commonly understand what justice is, so where is the correspondence here?
Swedenborg speaks of freedom, but puts much weight upon intelligence in making decisions for the good. (So how then is this intelligence metered out?) Those in hell are deprived of their intelligence, a vital aspect of their persons, an integral part of who they are. So then if God can remove a vital aspect of a person’s personality without doing wrong by violating that person, then why not annihilate them? Oh… but then freedom requires a balance between the ‘light side’ and the ‘dark side’ of the ‘force’ (God-heaven) to maintain freedom. So this places a condition which is more quantitative than freely volitional upon the notion of freedom itself; it seems this freedom could only exist as a probability since a balance must be maintained so that choice may exist. Are we really free then?
Lastly, a
question that puzzles me… If Swedenborg was from the natural whose
language
referred to natural things and angels who had forgotten the natural
realm (and
could only refer to spiritual things) and could not speak in human
language,
then were the common thoughts then shared ‘correspondences’ between the
natural
and spiritual? i.e. some kind of meditative language? Or do the
formerly
dormant memories of the angels Swedenborg conversed with kick back in?