1976. 1About a wicked sharing
Some female spirits came to me, I presume not long departed from the life of the body, for they were still unaware that they were in the other life, but when it was pointed out to them, they were able to recall.
They first appeared as if they were good, for that was the air they put on, but when they had withdrawn, I heard from others that they were wicked, being among those who think a sharing of sexual intercourse between women and men to be not only allowable, but even holy. They say they had been born in sins, and they could not hold themselves back from this indulgence, so they think it unclean to be joined to any others than those of the same mind. In fact, they revile marriage, because to them it is not holy, even characterizing marriages as unclean.
I was told there are such people of both sexes in human societies, who engage in this sharing without the purpose of marriage, marital love, and having children, thus only to satisfy their lust-a life they called most enjoyable, which they had led since childhood.
Footnotes:
1. A paragraph numbered 1975 does not appear in the original.
1976. 1CONCERNING A MOST NEFARIOUS FELLOWSHIP.
Certain female spirits came to me, who were, I think, recently from the life of the body, for they were still ignorant that they were in the other life, but when the fact was shown them they could then look back and recollect. Their quality appeared at first to be good, for they assumed such an air; but when they had retired I learned from others that they were abominable, and belonged to the class of those who hold the intercourse of men and women to be not only lawful, but even holy, saying that they were born in sins, and could not refrain from this kind of indulgence, although to have such intercourse with any others than those who are wholly like-minded they regard as unclean. Yea, being unholy themselves, they went so far as to revile marriage, and to represent such connections as impure. It was said to me that there are such persons of either sex in human societies who hold to this kind of intercourse without an end of marriage, of conjugial love, or of offspring, but solely for the sake of lewdness, saying that they had thus lived a most delightful life from childhood.
Footnotes:
1. No. 1975 is wanting in the original.
1976. De nefanda communione
1
Quaedam ad me venerunt, ut reor, non ita pridem ex vita corporis, nam nesciebant adhuc quod in altera vita essent, sed cum iis ostenderetur, tunc potuerunt rescire, apparebant primum sicut quod essent bonae, nam talem animum praeferebant, sed cum recesserunt, audivi ab aliis, quod essent nefandae, et quidem inter tales, qui putant communem conjunctionem faeminarum et virorum esse non solum licitam, sed etiam sanctam, dicentes quod in peccatis nati sint, et quod a simili abstinere nequirent, quare aliis conjungi, quam talibus, quae idem confitentur, putant immundum, imo conjugium vituperabant, quia non sanctum 2
, immo repraesentabant conjugia sicut immunda; quod tales sint in societatibus humanis, mihi dicebatur, qui et quae sic communionem habent, absque fine conjugii, amoris conjugialis et prolis, solum lasciviae causa, quam dicebant vitam jucundissimam a pueritia sic vixisse.
Footnotes:
1. 1975 deest
2. The Manuscript has sancte ut apparet