249、然而，如今很少有人被允许与灵人说话，因为这很危险。｛注1｝因为这样灵人就知道与人在一起了（灵人原本不知道）。恶灵极度地仇视世人，只想毁灭人的灵魂和身体。这的确发生在那些沉溺于幻想、远离正常人适当乐趣的属世之人身上。有些独居的人有时也会听见灵人与他们说话，而且没有危险，主不时地将这些灵人移开，以至于他们不知道自己和人在一起。因为大多数灵人没有意识到，除了他们所生活的世界外还有其它世界存在，因而没有意识到其它地方有人。这就是为何不允许人回他们的话，因为如果这样，他们就会知道。
那些经常冥想宗教主题的人，他们是如此专注于它们，以至于可以说是在自己的内在看到它们，他们也会开始听到灵人在跟他们说话。这是因为，无论哪种宗教问题，当人自己完全沉醉其中，又不被世上各种有益的事情修改，这些问题就会深深地进入人的内层，住留在那里，占据此人的整个心灵，甚至进入灵界，并影响那里的灵人。不过，这些人都是幻想家和狂热者，无论他们听见什么灵人说话，都认为是圣灵，而事实上，这类灵人是狂热的灵人。这样的灵人视伪谬为真理，不仅自己信以为真，而且还使他们所流入的人如此信服。然而，这类灵人逐渐被移除，因为他们开始引诱别人作恶，并控制他们。狂热的灵人与其他灵人的区别在于他们自以为是圣灵，还相信他们所说的话是神性的。由于世人像敬拜上帝一样来尊荣他们，所以他们不想伤害这个人。我有时与他们交谈，他们注入到其崇拜者的恶事那时就被揭露了出来。他们都一同住在朝左的沙漠之地。
｛注1｝：世人能与灵人和天使交谈；古人经常与他们交谈（67-69，784，1634，1636，7802）。在某些星球，天使和灵人以人的形像显现，并与居民们交谈（10751，10752）。但如今在地球，与灵人交谈是很危险的，除非人处在真正的信仰中并被主引领（784，9438，10751）。
------------
249. 但如今, 与灵人交谈极少获得允许, 因为这是很危险的. 那时灵人其实知道他们与人同在; 恶灵具有这种性质, 他们对人心怀致命的仇恨, 巴不得将他的身体和灵魂彻底毁灭. 对那些沉浸于幻想, 以至于远离适合属世人的乐趣之人来说, 他们就是这样做的. 一些过着离群索居生活的人有时也听见灵人与他们说话, 并无危险. 主将这些灵人稍稍隔开, 以致他们不知道他们与这些人在一起. 因为绝大多数灵人没有意识到, 除了他们所生活的世界外还有其它任何世界的存在, 因而没有意识到其它地方也有人. 这就是为何人不被允许反过来与他们交谈, 若人这样做, 他们就会知道. 那些经常思考宗教问题, 并且如此专注于其中, 以至于可以说在自己里面看到他们的人, 便开始听见灵人与他们说话. 这是因为, 当人主动完全沉浸于宗教问题, 无论哪种宗教, 而不在世界时常实践各种有益活动时, 这些问题就会深深进入人的内层, 在那里停歇, 占据此人的整个灵, 甚至进入灵界, 并作用于那里的灵人. 不过, 这些人都是幻想家和狂热者; 无论他们听见哪种灵人说话, 都以之为圣灵; 而事实上, 这类灵人都是狂热的灵人. 像这样的灵人视虚假为真理, 并且不仅使自己如此信服, 还使他们所流入的人也如此信服. 然而, 这类灵人逐渐被移除, 因为他们开始引诱其他人作恶, 并掌控他们. 狂热的灵人凭以下事实而有别于其他灵人: 他们自以为是圣灵, 还以为他们所说的话是神性. 由于人向他们献上神性敬拜, 所以他们不会伤害他们所流入的这个人. 我有时与他们交谈, 那时他们注入其敬拜者的恶事被曝光. 他们都住在朝左的一个沙漠之地.
注: 人能与灵人并天使交谈; 古人经常与他们交谈(天国的奥秘 67-69, 784, 1634, 1636, 7802节). 在某些星球, 天使和灵人以人的形式显现, 并与居民交谈(天国的奥秘 10751, 10752节). 但如今在地球, 与灵人交谈是很危险的, 除非人处于正确的信仰, 并被主引领(天国的奥秘 784, 9438, 10751节).
------------
249. 時至今日, 與靈說話很少獲得允許, 因為它極具危險。靈本不知有人與其同在, 若允許對話, 他們就會發現。而惡靈從心裡懷著仇恨, 巴不得將人身體靈魂一併毀滅。事實上, 對於時常陷入幻想乃至失去身體知覺的人, 這一幕正在上演。
一些過著隱修生活的人, 有時聽到靈和他說話, 尚無危險。主將這些靈稍作隔離, 以致他們並不知有人與其同在。多數靈未曾意識到, 在其所住的世界之外還有其它世界存在, 也就不知有其他人的存在。所以, 我們不允許與其對話, 否則他們就會知道。
常常沉思信仰, 以致從我們裡面看見靈的人, 也開始聽見他們說話。因為人若全神貫注其中, 不能在世界時常實踐各種有益的活動, 那些問題就會深入其心, 佔據其靈, 甚至進入靈界, 影響精靈。這些人是幻想者, 狂熱者, 不論聽到什麼靈說話, 哪怕是狂熱的靈, 他們也以為是聖靈。狂熱的靈以偽謬為真理, 不僅自以為是, 也誘導其所流入的人。他們不僅要求人順服, 也催促人作惡。因此, 他們已逐漸被挪走。狂熱的靈以自己為聖靈, 以自己的話為神諭, 從這個事實, 可將他們分辨出來。他們尚不致加害人, 因為人將他們當作神明來敬拜。
我曾與他們有過交談, 其注入崇拜者心中的隱密被顯明了出來。他們全住在靠左的一個沙漠區域。
249. Talking with spirits is rarely allowed nowadays, though, because it is dangerous. 1The spirits then actually know that they are with us, which otherwise they would not; and evil spirits by nature harbor a murderous hatred for us and crave nothing less than our total destruction, body and soul. This is what actually goes on in people who regularly lose themselves in delusions, even to the point that they lose touch with the pleasures appropriate to their natural person.
There are some people who lead solitary lives who sometimes hear spirits talking with them without risk; but the Lord keeps these spirits a little space away so that they do not know they are with these individuals. Most spirits, you see, are not aware that there is any other world than the one they are living in or therefore that there are people anywhere else. So we are not allowed to talk back to them, since if we did, they would know.
People who are constantly thinking about religious matters, so wrapped up in them that they practically see them within themselves, also begin to hear spirits talking with them. This is because when we voluntarily get wrapped up in religious matters, no matter what kind, without the interruption of various useful activities in the [external] world, these matters enter into us very deeply and take substance there so that they occupy our whole spirit, move into the spiritual world, and affect spirits there. However, people like this are visionaries or fanatics, and no matter what spirit they hear, they believe it is the Holy Spirit, even though the spirits they hear are fanatical. Spirits like this see false things as true; and because they see them as true they convince themselves and also convince the people into whom they flow. Further, since spirits like this who command obedience have also begun to urge people to do evil things, they have gradually been moved away. Fanatical spirits can be differentiated from other spirits by the fact that they believe they are the Holy Spirit and that what they are saying is divine. They do not harm us, because we offer them divine worship.
I have talked with them on occasion and the unspeakable things they instill into their worshipers have come to light. They live all together toward the left, in a desert area.
Footnotes:
1. It is possible for us to talk with spirits and angels, and the early people often did talk with them: 67-69, 784, 1634, 1636, 7802. On some planets, angels and spirits appear in human form and talk with people: 10751-10752. On our planet at present, though, it is dangerous to talk with spirits unless we are involved in true faith and are led by the Lord: 784, 9438, 10751.
------------
249. It is rarely granted at the present day, however, to talk with spirits, because it is dangerous. 1For then the spirits know, what otherwise they do not know, that they are with man, and evil spirits are such that they hold man in deadly hatred, and desire nothing more than to destroy him both soul and body, which indeed happens with those who have so indulged themselves in fantasies as to have separated from themselves the enjoyments proper to the natural man. Some also who lead a solitary life sometimes hear spirits talking with them, and without danger; but that the spirits with them may not know that they are with man they are at intervals removed by the Lord; for most spirits are not aware that any other world than that in which they live is possible, and therefore are unaware that there are men anywhere else. This is why man on his part is not permitted to speak with them, for if he did they would know. Those who meditate much on religious subjects, and are so intent upon them as to see them as it were inwardly within themselves, begin also to hear spirits speaking with them; for religious subjects, whatever they are, when man dwells upon them by himself and does not modify them with various things that are of use in the world, penetrate to the interiors and dwell there, and occupy the whole spirit of the man, and even enter into the spiritual world and act upon the spirits there. Such persons are visionaries and enthusiasts and whatever spirit they hear they believe to be the Holy Spirit, when, in fact, such spirits are enthusiastic spirits. Such spirits see falsities as truths, and so, seeing them, they not only persuade themselves but also those with whom they inflow to believe them. Such spirits, however, have been gradually removed, because they began to lure others into evil and to gain control over them. Enthusiastic spirits are distinguished from other spirits by their believing themselves to be the Holy Spirit, and believing what they say to be Divine. As man honours such spirits with Divine worship they do not try to harm him. I have sometimes talked with them, and the wicked things they infused into their worshippers were then disclosed. They dwell together towards the left, in a desert place.
Footnotes:
1. Man is able to talk with spirits and angels; and the ancient people frequently talked with them (Arcana Coelestia 67-69, 784, 1634, 1636, 7802).
In some earths angels and spirits appear in human form and talk with the inhabitants (Arcana Coelestia 10751-10752).
But on this earth at this day it is dangerous to talk with spirits, unless man is its true faith, and is led by the Lord (Arcana Coelestia 784, 9438, 10751).
------------
249. But at the present day to talk with spirits is rarely granted because it is dangerous; 1for then the spirits know, what otherwise they do not know, that they are with man; and evil spirits are such that they hold man in deadly hatred, and desire nothing so much as to destroy him both soul and body, and this they do in the case of those who have so indulged themselves in fantasies as to have separated from themselves the enjoyments proper to the natural man. Some also who lead a solitary life sometimes hear spirits talking with them, and without danger; but that the spirits with them may not know that they are with man they are at intervals removed by the Lord; for most spirits are not aware that there is any other world than that in which they live, and therefore are unaware that there are men anywhere else; and this is why man is not permitted to speak with them in return. If he did they would know. Again, those who meditate much on religious subjects, and are so intent upon them as to see them as it were inwardly within themselves, begin to hear spirits speaking with them; for religious persuasions, whatever they are, when man dwells upon them by himself and does not adapt them to the various things of use in the world, penetrate to the interiors and rest there, and occupy the whole spirit of the man, and even enter into the spiritual world and act upon the spirits there. But such persons are visionaries and enthusiasts; and whatever spirit they hear they believe to be the Holy Spirit, when, in fact, such spirits are enthusiastic spirits. Such spirits see falsities as truths, and so seeing them they induce not themselves only but also those they flow into to believe them. Such spirits, however, have been gradually removed, because they began to lure others into evil and to gain control over them. Enthusiastic spirits are distinguished from other spirits by their believing themselves to be the Holy Spirit, and believing what they say to be Divine. As man honors such spirits with Divine worship they do not attempt to harm him. I have sometimes talked with them, and the wicked things they infused into their worshipers were then disclosed. They dwell together towards the left, in a desert place.
Footnotes:
------------
249. Sed loqui cum spiritibus hodie raro datur, quoniam periculosum est; 1tunc enim sciunt spiritus quod apud hominem sint, quod alioqui non sciunt ac mali spiritus tales sunt ut odio internecino habeant hominem, et nihil plus cupiant quam perdere illum quoad animam et quoad corpus, quod etiam fit apud illos qui multum indulserunt phantasiis, usque ut removerint a se jucunda naturali homini convenientia. Aliqui etiam, qui solitariam vitam agunt, quandoque audiunt spiritus secum loquentes, et absque periculo sed spiritus apud illos per intervalla removentur a Domino, ne sciant quod apud hominem sint; nam plerique spiritus non norunt, quod alius mundus detur quam in quo illi, ita quoque quod non 2alibi homines; quapropter non licet homini cum illis vicissim loqui, nam si loqueretur, scirent. Qui multum de religiosis cogitant, et inhaerent illis, usque ut quasi videant illa intus in se, etiam spiritus secum loquentes audire incipiunt; nam religiosa, quaecunque sunt, quando homo illis ex se inhaeret, nec interpolat variis quae usus sunt in mundo, interius vadunt, ac ibi subsistunt, et totum hominis spiritum occupant, ac intrant spiritualem mundum, et movent spiritus qui ibi; sed tales sunt visionarii et enthusiastae et quemcunque spiritum audiunt, credunt esse Spiritum Sanctum, cum tamen sunt spiritus enthusiastici. Qui tales sunt, vident falsa sicut vera, et quia vident illa persuadent sibi, et quoque persuadent illis apud quos influunt et quia illi spiritus etiam coeperunt persuadere mala, quibus etiam obeditum est, ideo per gradus remoti sunt. Spiritus enthusiastici ab aliis spiritibus distinguuntur per id, quod credant se esse Spiritum Sanctum, et quae dicunt esse Divina: illi spiritus non nocent homini, quia homo illos Divino cultu honorat. Cum illis etiam aliquoties locutus sum, et tunc quoque detecta sunt nefaria, quae cultoribus suis infuderunt: habitant simul ad sinistrum in loco deserto.
Footnotes: