2097. About those who from being Christians become Jews
Those who had been born and brought up as Christians and go over to Judaism, either openly or in secret within themselves, in the other life become as if insane. Among spirits, the kind of insane people that there are in bodily life cannot exist. Their insanity consists of raving with the same kind of fantasies those have who are thought to be sane in bodily life.
But those who go over to Judaism are like maniacs, and when they come among other spirits, they behave as such, laying hold of everyone they meet, and pushing them along, just like someone out of their mind.
I saw one today toward the front, a little higher than the forehead, but from a distance, who carried on in this way. Such spirits, however, are soon expelled from societies, and are sunk down. He then seemed to himself to have laid hold on some spirit, and to have turned him around. Where he went after being sunk down, I do not as yet know. 1748, 27 May.
2097. CONCERNING THOSE WHO FROM CHRISTIANS HAVE BECOME JEWS.
Such as are born and educated Christians, and betake themselves to Judaism, either openly or secretly with themselves, in another life becomes, as it were, insane. Amongst spirits cannot be displayed such insane persons as exist during the life of the body; but the insanity of those who are among the spirits consists in this, that they are insane with such fancies [phantasies] as occur with such as are regarded sane in the body. But those who betake themselves to Judaism are like insane persons when they come among other spirits; they are thrown into a similar state, and this no matter whom the spirit that they strike against, seize and project [offendunt, arripiunt, et projiciunt]; thus are they wholly like such as are captivated in mind. Today I saw a certain one, from the anterior part a little above in front, nevertheless at a distance, who so conducted himself; nevertheless such are immediately expelled from the societies and drowned [demerguntur]. He seemed to himself to seize hold as it were of another spirit, and to turn him about. Whither the drowned one went I do not as yet know. - 1748, May 27.
2097. De iis qui a Christianismo fiunt Judaei
Qui Christiani nati et educati sunt, et se conferunt ad Judaismum, sive aperte, sive recondite apud se, in altera vita fiunt sicut vesani, inter spiritus non dari possunt vesani sicut in vita corporis, sed vesania eorum consistit in eo, quod similibus phantasiis insaniant, qualibus qui sani putantur in corpore; sed qui ad Judaismum se conferunt, ii sunt sicut vesani; quando inter alios spiritus veniunt, se habent similiter, quemcunque offendunt, arripunt, et projiciunt, et sic prorsus ut ii qui capti mente sunt: quendam hodie vidi a parte anteriore paulo altius fronte, e longinquo tamen, qui ita se gessit-qui 1
tamen mox expelluntur a societatibus, et demerguntur-et 2
visus sibi tunc quasi secum arripuerit aliquem spiritum, et circumverterit, quo evaserit demersus nondum scio. 1748, 27 Maj.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has gessit, qui
2. The Manuscript has demerguntur, et