1532. Spiritual ideas, spoken of earlier [1487, 1498], are able to comprehend that the people of this earth will judge these matters in a variety of ways. For they judge from outer sensation the assertions both that these planets exist (which, however, cannot possibly be denied), and that they are as described, or specifically, that a person was enabled to speak with their [inhabitants]. And each will judge from his own imagination and love.
But it makes no difference, because these things were seen and heard, as tangibly as things in human society, so I do not wait upon their judgment. I am convinced that when they become spirits, and even more, angels, they will ascertain the truth - they, and probably even some of the human race [on earth], if it so please the Lord. Let them just consider that in the spiritual world, as they call it, the distance to a place matters so little that what is far away appears nearby. For example, the souls who spoke with me and I heard next to me, in fact, near my ear, could have been a hundred miles away, as I sometimes told them. Since the distance to places appear so little to an eye beholding the sun and stars, how much less must it appear to the inner sight! It is sensory illusions which mislead the inhabitants of our planet, who are bodily senses, that is, who hardly stretch their mental sight beyond the senses of the body. 1748, 18 March.
1532. Spiritual ideas, concerning which see above [nos. 1487, 1498], can make it known that the men of this earth will judge variously concerning these matters, namely, that there are such planets, which, however, can by no means be denied, and that [their inhabitants] are of such a nature, and especially, that it could be possible for men to converse with them; since men judge from the external sense and from each one's phantasy and love. But this is of no consequence, for these things have been seen and heard as sensibly as in human society, therefore I care nothing for their judgments. I am persuaded that when they become spirits, and still more in the case of those who become angels, they will clearly see the truth, as perhaps also will some of the human race, if it is well pleasing to the Lord. Let them only consider that in the spiritual world, as they call it, the distance of a place matters so little that what is remote appears near by; so that the souls who spoke with me and were heard near me, yea close to my ear, might yet have been hundreds of miles distant from me, as I sometimes told them. Since the distance between places appears so small to the eye when looking at the sun and stars, how much less must it appear to the internal sight. It is the fallacies of the senses which mislead the inhabitants of this earth, who are of the corporeal sense, and who extend their ideas scarcely beyond the senses of the body. 1748, Mar. 18.
1532. Scire possunt ideae spirituales, de quibus prius [1487, 1498], quod homines hujus telluris de his varie judicent-nempe 1
tam quod tales sint tellures, quod tamen negari nequaquam potest, tum quod tales sint, imprimis, quod homini 2
cum iis loqui datum sit, judicent 3
ex sensu externo, tum ex cujuscunque phantasia, et amore, sed nihil refert, quia visa sunt, et audita, tam sensibiliter, ac in societate humana, ideo non moror eorum judicia; persuasus, quando spiritus fiunt, et magis qui 3
angeli, quod veritatem perspiciant, et fortassis etiam aliqui ex genere humano, si Domino ita beneplacet; considerent modo quod in spirituali mundo, ut eum vocant, tam parum efficiat distantia loci, ut quod dissitum appareat sicut propinquum; sicut animae qui mecum loquuti, et proxime mihi auditi, imo prope aurem, usque potuissent centum milliaribus a me distare, quod iis quandoque dixi; cum tam parva distantia locorum appareat oculo, intuenti solem et stellas, quid non minor visui interno? sunt 4
fallaciae sensuum, quae incolas hujus telluris, qui sensus corporei sunt, seu ultra sensus corporis vix ideas suas extendunt, seducunt. 1748, 18 Martius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has judicent, nempe
2. sic manuscript; J.F.I. Tafel's edition has homines substituit
3. The Manuscript has potuerunt (sic!), judicent ubi in J.F.I. Tafel's edition potuerunt, judicantes forte quum legendum
4. The Manuscript has interno; sunt