4834. About the hell of those who take away every sense of truth and of civil, moral, and Christian good
There were certain ones with me while I slept, and in my sleep it appeared that I wanted it to kill those who entered the room simply because they came in, for no reason and without any other desire than to kill them because they came in. This went on for some time, but afterwards I was brought to thinking that this should not be done because it is evil. On this account I began to come to myself and then woke up. Those who induced this evil spoke with me; they were above to the right. However, where this came from was discovered. It came from them, because when they flowed in, all power to think and to will what is right, true, and good was so weakened that they had no sense of whether it was evil or not evil, whether it was true or not true, whether it was right or not right. Since the spirits and angels around me did not believe that there was such an aura of their inflow, it was circulated from right to left, and from left to right, and to the sides and upwards, where spirits and angels are, and all those to whom it came said that it took away all feeling of what is true and good, and that they became so weakened that they could not think that what is good is good or that what is evil is evil. And then it was explained that they are the kind that in the world had believed that sincerity, virtue, honor and goodness are nothing but things done for the sake of appearances, so that they may seem to be like this, for the sake of a reputation that will bring them wealth and status, and who have confirmed themselves in this not only in their thinking but also their action. Such are eventually separated from all others, for they can take away all the inflow of what is good and honorable which comes from the Lord, and so take away the life of the will and the understanding, which consists in distinct and choice thought and affection for such things.
4834. CONCERNING THE HELL OF THOSE WHO TAKE AWAY ALL SENSE OF CIVIL, MORAL AND CHRISTIAN TRUTH AND GOOD.
There were certain ones with me while I slept; and, in my sleep, it appeared that I wished to kill those that entered into the chamber, for the single reason that they did enter, consequently, without any reason, and without other desire than that they should be killed because they entered. This lasted some time; but, afterwards, I was led into the thought that this ought not to be done, because it is evil; wherefore I began to come to myself, and then awaked. Those who induced that evil upon me, spoke with me: they were above, at the right. But it was disclosed whence this was, namely, that it was from them; for, when they inflowed, all power of thinking and willing right, truth and good, was so impaired, that no sense thereof existed, to wit, whether [a thing was] evil or not evil, true or not true, right or not right. And as the spirits and angels round me did not believe that such was the sphere of their influx, therefore it was spread abroad from right to left, from left to right, and to the sides and upwards, where the spirits and angels were; and they to whom [those spirits] came, all said that they took away all sense of truth and good, and that they [i. e. the speakers] have become so stupefied as not to be able to think that good was good, and evil was evil; and it was then said that those spirits are such as in the world have believed that sincerity, virtue, uprightness and good are nothing at all except for appearance sake, in order that they may appear of such character, on account of reputation and in order to acquire wealth and honors - and who have confirmed themselves therein, not only in thought but also in act. Such are at length separated from all others; for they can remove all influx of good and uprightness which are from the Lord, consequently, the life of the will and understanding, which consists in a distinct and exquisite thought and affection of such things.
4834. De inferno eorum qui auferunt omnem sensum veri et boni civilis, moralis et Christiani
Erant quidam apud me cum dormirem, et in somno apparebat quod vellem interficere illos qui intrarent in cameram, propter solam causam quod intrarent, ita absque ulla ratione, et absque alia voluntate quam quod interficerentur quia intrabant, hoc perstabat aliquantum, sed postea ductus sum in cogitationem quod ita non faciendum quia malum, quapropter resipiscere coepi, et tunc experrectus, loquebantur mecum illi qui inducebant malum illud apud me, erant supra ad dextrum; sed detectum est unde hoc, quod ab ipsis, nam quum illi influebant, omnis vis cogitandi et volendi rectum, verum, bonum, ita hebetabatur, ut nullus eorum sensus daretur, nempe num malum vel non malum, num verum vel non verum, num rectum vel non rectum. Spiritus et angeli circum me non credebant quod talis sphaera influxus eorum esset, quapropter circulata a dextro ad sinistrum, a sinistro ad dextrum, et ad latera et sursum, ubi spiritus et angeli, et dicebant illi omnes ad quos veniebant, quod adimerent omnem sensum veri et boni, et quod ita hebetati fierent, ut non possent cogitare quod bonum esset bonum, ac malum esset malum; et dictum dein quod tales sint qui in mundo crediderunt quod sinceritas, virtus, honestum, et bonum nihil prorsus sint, nisi propter apparentiam ut tales videantur propter famam ut lucrentur opes et honores, et qui semet in eo non solum cogitatione sed etiam actu confirmaverunt; tales tandem separantur ab omnibus aliis, nam possunt auferre omnem influxum boni et honesti, quae a Domino, ita vitam voluntatis et intellectus quae consistit in distincta et exquisita cogitatione et affectione talium.