341、⑻如今的伊斯兰教徒可以娶数个妻子，是因为他们不承认主耶稣基督与耶和华父为一，因而是天地之神；故不能接受真正的婚姻之爱。按照穆罕默德传下来的宗教信仰，伊斯兰教徒承认耶稣基督是神的儿子，一个非常伟大的先知；还承认祂被父神差到世上来教导人。但他们不承认父神与祂为一，或祂的神性与人性如同灵魂与肉体那样联结为一个人，而这是所有基督徒出于《亚他那修信经》的权威所信的。因此，穆罕默德的追随者们不能承认我们主是永恒之神，只能承认祂是一个完美的属世人。由于穆罕默德持有这种观点，所以追随他的门徒也持这种观点。他们因知道神为一，正是祂创造了宇宙，故在其敬拜中不能不忽略主；这更多是因为他们还宣称穆罕默德是一个非常伟大的先知。他们对主的教导也一无所知。这就是为何其本质上属灵的心智内在区域无法被打开的原因。唯独主打开它们（参看340节）。
当主作为天地之神被承认和靠近时，它们就被主打开，并且在那些照祂诫命生活的人当中被打开。其真正原因在于，若非这样，就不会有联结，没有（与主的）联结就没有（对主的）接受。就人而言，他既能拥有主的同在，也能与主联结；靠近祂实现同在，照祂诫命生活实现联结。只有同在，不会有接受；但既有同在，同时也有联结，就会有接受。
对此，我讲一下来自灵界的新奇事。在那里，思想一个人会使得他在场；但是，若不藉着一种爱之情感，两个人就不会有联结；这爱之情感只有通过遵行对方的话和决定才能被注入。在灵界，这种司空见惯的现象来源于主，因为祂就以这种方式同在，并以这种方式与人联结。说这些话是为了叫人知道，为何伊斯兰教徒可以娶数个妻子；这是因为，只在一个男人和一个妻子之间存在的真正婚姻之爱对他们来说，是不可能的；还因为他们的宗教信仰不允许他们承认主等同于父神，进而承认祂是天地之神。每个个体里面的婚姻之爱皆取决于他里面的教会状态，这一点可见于130节，以及前面章节的许多地方。
341、（8）与穆哈默德传下的宗教相符，穆斯林相信耶稣基督是神的儿子，是一个伟大的使徒，并且相信他被父神送到人间来教导人类。但是他们不相信，神、父和子是一体，神的神性和人性构成一个人。它们是象灵魂和躯体一样相统一的。因此，穆哈默德的追随者不会承认主是永恒的神，而只认为主是一个完美的人。因为穆哈默德是这样想的，他的信徒也这么认为。因为他们知道神只有一个，并那一个神创造了宇宙。所以他们不可避免地将我们的主拒之在外。同时因为他们还认为穆哈默德是最伟大的使徒。他们因此不知道主所教导的东西。
因此，他们头脑的内在是不能被开启的（见340节）
只有当人承认主是天上和地上的神，并跟随他时，人的头脑的内在因素才被开启，还要根据是否是按十诫生活。否则，就没有相互连接的地方，也就无法接受，主出现在人的身上是一回事，而主与人相结合又是加一回事，跟随主体现了主，按主的十诫生活带来了与主的连接。主单单是体现出来并不能等同于被人接受，而只有与主结合了才是接受主。
在此有一些来自于精神世界的事物来说明一下。想一个人会使那个人展现出来，但是人不会与另一个人相连，除非是通过情感的作用。情感是通过按对方意愿做而成长出来的。精神世界中这种现象是来自于主，通过这样，主出现了，并与虽人相结合。
关于穆斯林准许有多个妻子讲了这么多，真正的婚姻之爱在他们中不存在，是因为他们在宗教上，不承认主就是神，就是父以及天和地的神。（前面130节中说过每个人的婚姻之爱与他身上教会的状态有关）。
341. (viii) The Mohammedans of today are permitted to marry more than one wife, because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as one with Jehovah the Father, and so as God of heaven and earth. They are therefore unable to receive truly conjugial love.
The Mohammedans in accordance with the religion handed down from Mohammed acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God and a very great prophet. They accept that He was sent into the world by God the Father to teach mankind, but not that God the Father and He are one, and His Divinity and humanity are one person, united like soul and body, as all Christians believe on the authority of the Athanasian Creed. Mohammed's followers therefore have been unable to acknowledge our Lord as God from eternity, but only as a perfect natural man. Since this was the opinion of Mohammed, and consequently of the disciples who followed him, knowing that God is one and it is He who created the universe, they could not fail to overlook the Lord in their worship; the more so, because they also proclaim Mohammed as a very great prophet. They are also ignorant of the Lord's teachings. This is the reason why the inner regions of their minds, which are essentially spiritual, could not be opened. It is the Lord alone who opens them (340 just above).
[2] Their being opened by the Lord, when He is acknowledged and approached as the God of heaven and earth, and among those who live in accordance with His commandments, is the real reason, because otherwise there is no linking, and in the absence of linking no receiving. In the case of a human being, he may have the Lord present and he may be linked with the Lord; approaching Him causes Him to be present, and living in accordance with His commandments makes a link with Him. Only having Him present does not allow Him to be received, but if He is both present and at the same time linked, He is received.
[3] I shall report something new on this subject from the spiritual world. Anyone there can be made present by thinking about him; but no one is linked to another, except by an affection of love, and this is introduced by doing what he says and what he decides. This common fact about the spiritual world has its source in the Lord, being thus present and thus linked. These remarks have been made to make it known why Mohammedans were permitted to marry more than one wife; this was because truly conjugial love, which only exists between one man and one wife, was impossible for them, because their religion did not allow them to acknowledge the Lord as the equal of God the Father, and so as the God of heaven and earth. Conjugial love in each individual depends upon the state of the church with him (130 above and frequently in earlier sections).
341. 8. Muslims today are permitted to take more than one wife because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as being one with Jehovah the Father and thus God of heaven and earth, and they cannot for that reason receive truly conjugial love. In conformity with the religion handed down from Muhammad, Muslims acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God and a very great prophet, and they believe that He was sent by God the Father into the world to teach mankind. They do not believe, however, that God the Father and He are one, and that His Divinity and Humanity constitute one Person, being united as soul and body, in accordance with the faith of all Christians based on the Athanasian Creed. Therefore followers of Muhammad could not acknowledge our Lord as being any kind of God from eternity, but only as a perfect natural man. Because that is what Muhammad thought and what his disciples and successors consequently continue to think, and because they know that God is one and that that God is He who created the universe, therefore they could not help but pass over our Lord in their worship, and this the more because they also proclaim Muhammad to be the greatest prophet. Nor do they know what the Lord taught.
On that account the interior elements of their minds - which in themselves are spiritual - could not be opened (these being opened by the Lord alone, as may be seen just above in no. 340).
[2] The interior elements of the mind are opened by the Lord when people acknowledge Him as God of heaven and earth and go to Him, and this in those who live according to His commandments, for the actual reason that otherwise there is no conjunction, and without conjunction there is no reception. The Lord's presence in a person is one thing, and conjunction with Him another. Going to Him occasions His presence; and living according to His commandments brings about conjunction. His presence alone does not involve reception; but His presence and at the same time conjunction with Him are accompanied by reception.
[3] On this subject I will relate something new from the spiritual world. Thinking about a person there causes him to be present, but no one is joined to another except by an affection of love; and an affection of love is instilled by doing as the other says and wishes. This familiar fact in the spiritual world takes its origin from the Lord, in that it is the way He is present and the way He is joined with others.
So much has been said to make known why Muslims are permitted to take more than one wife; and the reason is that truly conjugial love, which exists only between one man and one wife, has not been possible with them, because they have not as a matter of religion acknowledged the Lord as equal to God the Father and thus as God of heaven and earth. (We have already shown that conjugial love depends in everyone on the state of the church in him, as may be seen in no. 130 above and in a number of other places in the preceding discussions.)
341. 8. Mohammedans today are allowed to have more wives because they do not recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as one with Jehovah the Father and thus as God of heaven and earth, and so they cannot receive real married love. Owing to the religion that Mohammed taught, Mohammedans acknowledge Jesus Christ as Son of God and the Greatest Prophet, and that God the Father sent Him into the world to teach people, but not that God the Father and He are one and that His Divinity and His Humanity are one Person, united like soul and body, according to the faith of all Christians from the Athanasian Creed. For this reason Mohammed's followers could not acknowledge our Lord as any God from eternity, but only as a perfect man in the world.
Mohammed thought this way and therefore his disciple followers thought this way, and they knew that God is one and He is the God who created the universe, so they had to bypass Jesus Christ in their worship - the more so because they pronounce Mohammed the greatest prophet. Nor do they know what the Lord taught.
It is for these reasons that the interiors of their minds, which are in themselves spiritual, could not be opened. Only the Lord opens these (seen already, no. 340). The real reason why the Lord opens them when someone acknowledges Him as God of heaven and earth and approaches Him - someone who lives by His teachings - is that no one else is joined with Him, and there is no reception without being joined with Him. The presence of the Lord and unity with Him are available to people. Going to Him makes presence, and living by His teachings makes unity. His presence alone lacks the reception, but His presence together with unity includes reception.
I bring this news about these things back from the spiritual world. There a person becomes present at the thought of him. But no one is united with another except by the feeling of love, and a feeling of love comes from doing what the other person says and likes. This commonplace of the spiritual world takes its source from the Lord. This is how He is present and united.
These things are said to make known why Mohammedans are allowed to take more wives, and that it is because they cannot have the true love in marriage, which is only between one man and one wife, since they do not acknowledge from religion that the Lord is the same as God the Father and thus is the God of heaven and earth.
(No. 130 and other places before that show that the love in marriage is in keeping with the state of religion in anyone.)
341. VIII. THAT IT IS PERMITTED MOHAMMEDANS AT THIS DAY TO MARRY MANY WIVES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BE ONE WITH JEHOVAH THE FATHER, AND THUS AS THE GOD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND HENCE CANNOT RECEIVE LOVE TRULY CONJUGIAL. Mohammedans, from the religion handed down by Mohammed, acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as the great Prophet; also that He was sent into the world by God the Father to teach men. 1But they do not acknowledge that God the Father and He are one, or that His Divine and Human are one Person united as soul and body, according to the faith which all Christians receive from the Athanasian confession. Therefore, the followers of Mohammed could not acknowledge our Lord as any God from eternity, but only as a perfect natural man. And since Mohammed was of this opinion, therefore the disciples who followed him were of the same opinion. And because they knew that God is one and that this God is He who created the universe; therefore, in their worship, they could not but pass our Lord by, and this the more because they declare Mohammed also to be the great Prophet. Moreover, they do not know what the Lord taught. It is from this cause that the interiors of their mind, which in themselves are spiritual, could not be opened; that they can be opened only by the Lord, see no. 340 just above.
[2] The genuine reason why they are opened by the Lord when He is acknowledged and is approached as the God of heaven and earth, being opened with those who live according to His precepts, is because otherwise there is no conjunction, and without conjunction there is no reception. With respect to man, there is the presence of the Lord and there is conjunction with Him. Presence is effected by approaching Him, and conjunction by living according to His precepts. If there is merely presence, there is no reception, but if there is presence and at the same time conjunction, there is reception.
[3] Concerning this, I will relate something new from the spiritual world. There a person becomes present by reason of thought concerning him; but no one is conjoined to another save by reason of an affection of love--an affection which is insinuated by compliance with his words and his pleasure. In the spiritual world, this is a familiar occurrence, and it takes its origin from the Lord, it being in this way that He is present and in this way that He is conjoined with man. The above has been said to the end that it may be known why it is permitted Mohammedans to take several wives, namely, because with them, love truly conjugial, which is only between one man and one wife, is not possible, and this because they have not from religion acknowledged the Lord as equal to God the Father, and thus as the God of heaven and earth. That conjugial love is with every individual according to the state of the Church [with him] may be seen in no. 130 above and in many places in the preceding pages.
Footnotes:
1. See A Philosopher's Note Book, p. 488.
341. (viii) Mohammedans are permitted today to marry several wives because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be one with Jehovah the Father and thus the God of heaven and earth, and hence cannot receive true marital love. Mohammedans, as part of the religion delivered by Mohammed, acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as a very great Prophet; they also confess that He was sent into the world by God the Father to teach men, but not that God the Father and He are one, or that His Divine and Human are one Person, united as soul and body are, according to the faith of all Christians from the Athanasian creed. Followers of Mohammed could not acknowledge our Lord, therefore, as God from eternity, but only as a perfect natural man. Because Mohammed was so minded and hence his disciple followers have been so minded, and yet knew that God is one and is the God Who created the universe, they could not do otherwise than pass the Lord by in their worship, all the more because they also declare Mohammed to be the Greatest Prophet. Nor do they know what the Lord taught. The result is that the interiors of their minds, which in themselves are spiritual, could not be opened (see just above,340 that these are opened by the Lord alone).
[2] The real reason that the mind's interiors are opened by the Lord when He is acknowledged and approached as the God of heaven and earth, and are opened in such as live according to His precepts, is that there is no conjunction otherwise, and without conjunction there is no reception. There is a presence of the Lord with man and there is a conjunction of the Lord with man. To approach Him makes presence, but to live according to His precepts makes conjunction. The mere presence of the Lord does not mean reception; presence and at the same time conjunction do.
[3] I shall relate this new thing from the spiritual world about presence and conjunction: A person is present there as a result of one's thinking about him, but no one is conjoined to another except through an affection of love for him, which consists in doing what he bids and wishes. This familiar phenomenon of the spiritual world has its origin from the Lord; He Himself is thus present and thus conjoined.
This has been said so that it may be known why Mohammedans were permitted to marry more wives than one. It was because true marital love, which is between one man and one wife only, was impossible, for they did not from religion recognize the Lord as equal to God the Father and thus as God of heaven and earth. See above, n.130, and many times in what precedes, that marital love exists with a person according to the state of the Church in him.
341. (8) That the Mahometans at this day are permitted to marry more wives than one, because they do not acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be one with Jehovah the Father, and thus as the God of heaven and earth, and therefore, cannot receive love truly conjugial. Mahometans, from the religion handed down by Mahomet, acknowledged Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and as a very great Prophet, and that He was sent into the world by God the Father to teach men; but not that God the Father and He are one; and that His Divine and Human are one Person, united as soul and body, according to the belief of all Christians from the Athanasian creed. Therefore, the followers of Mahomet could not acknowledge our Lord as any God from eternity, but only as a perfect natural man; and because Mahomet was of this opinion, and thence his disciple followers are of this opinion, and because they know that God is one, and that that God is He who created the universe, they could not but pass Him by in their worship, and this the more because they also declare Mahomet to be a very great Prophet; neither do they know what the Lord taught. It is for this reason that the interiors of their mind, which in themselves are spiritual, could not be opened, since they can be opened only by the Lord, as may be seen just above at n. 340. The real reason why they are opened by the Lord when He is acknowledged, and is approached as God of heaven and earth, and with those who live according to His precepts is, that otherwise there is no conjunction, and without conjunction there is no reception. There is the presence of the Lord with man, and there is conjunction with Him. To go to Him brings presence, and to live according to his precepts effects conjunction. And His presence only is without reception; but presence and at the same time conjunction is with reception. Concerning these matters, I will relate this that is new from the spiritual world: There, everyone is made present by thought about him; but no one is conjoined to another except from the affection of love, and the affection of love is insinuated by doing his words and his pleasure. This fact, familiar in the spiritual world, takes its origin from the Lord, in that He is thus present and is thus conjoined.
These things are said that it may be known why it is permitted Mahometans to take more wives than one; that it is because with them there cannot be any love truly conjugial, which is only between one man and one wife, for the reason that they have not, from religion, acknowledged the Lord as equal to God the Father, and thus as the God of heaven and earth. That conjugial love is according to the state of the church with everyone, see above at n. 130, and in several other places in the foregoing pages.
341. VIII: Quod hodie Mahumedanis permissum sit plures uxores ducere, quia non agnoscunt Dominum Jesum Christum unum cum Jehovah Patre, et sic pro Deo coeli et terrae, et inde non possunt amorem vere conjugialem recipere. Mahumedani ex Religio a Mahumede tradita, agnoscunt Jesum Christum pro Filio Dei, et Maximo Propheta, et quod a Deo Patre in Mundum missus sit ad docendum homines, non autem quod Deus Pater et Ipse unum sint, et quod Divinum et Humanum Ipsius sint una Persona, unita sicut anima et corpus, secundum 1fidem omnium Christianorum ex Confessione Athanasiana; ideo Mahumedis consectarii non potuerunt agnoscere Dominum nostrum pro aliquo Deo ab aeterno, sed modo pro homine perfecto naturali; et quia ita opinatus est Mahumedes, et inde discipuli asseclae Ipsius ita opinantur, et quia noverunt, quod Deus unus sit, et quod Ille Deus sit Qui creavit Universum, ideo non potuerunt aliter quam praeterire Ipsum in suo cultu, et eo plus, quia etiam Mahumedem pro Maximo Propheta declarant; nec sciunt quid Dominus docuit. Ex hac causa est, quod illorum mentis interiora, quae in se sunt spiritualia, non potuerint aperiri; quae quod a Solo Domino aperiantur, videatur mox supra340
[2] Quod a Domino aperiantur, cum agnoscitur pro Deo Coeli et Terrae et aditur, et apud illos qui secundum praecepta Ipsius vivunt, est genuina causa, quia alioquin non est conjunctio, et absque conjunctione 2non est receptio: apud hominem est praesentia Domini, et conjunctio cum Ipso; adire Ipsum facit praesentiam, et vivere secundum praecepta Ipsius, facit conjunctionem; ac sola praesentia Ipsius est absque receptione, at praesentia et simul conjunctio est cum receptione.
[3] De his e Mundo spirituali hoc novum referam; ibi quisque sistitur praesens ex cogitatione de illo, sed non aliquis conjungitur alteri, nisi ex affectione amoris, et affectio amoris insinuatur per facere dicta et placita ejus; hoc familiare in Mundo spirituali ducit originem ex Domino, quod ita praesens sit ac ita conjunctus. Haec dicta sunt, ut sciatur cur Mahumedanis permissum sit plures uxores ducere, et quod sit, quoniam amor vere conjugialis, qui solum est inter unum virum et unam uxorem, non dabilis fuit, quia Dominum ex Religione non agnoverunt aequalem Deo Patri, et sic pro Deo coeli et Terrae: quod amor conjugialis apud unumquemvis sit secundum statum Ecclesiae, videatur supra 130, et pluries in antecedentibus.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: secundum,
2. Prima editio: conjuctione