5542. Among these are also those who have only false doctrine from the sense of the letter of the Word. They have no concern for real truths themselves, however open they are in the Word or however they are preached to them in the other life, only if they have convinced themselves of them. Those of them, however, who have lived under the influence of what is good, long for truths, genuine ones, from the influence of what is good; for good longs for truths just as food longs for water. It desires conjunction since the one loves the other.
I have seen an enormous number of those like this, Lutherans and others. Those, because they did not want to accept anything of genuine truths, were thrown down from heaven and transferred to a land toward the east at the north there; and those of them who had lived evilly were transferred to hells.
[5542] 1/2. The reason that dragons are opposed to heaven is because they are opposed to the heavenly doctrine, for heaven's doctrine does not appear in the sense of the letter except to those who have been enlightened. For this reason too dragons are opposed to heaven, and if they come there, they immediately extinguish the wisdom of those who are there. Nevertheless, when the dragons who force their way up are examined, as a result of the profound obscurity that develops and the torment that results, they throw themselves back. Those who have confirmed [their false belief] more than others compose the dragon's head and body, and they are situated there according to the nature and degree of the confirmation. Their presence brings on mental torpor to the point of extinguishing the affection for truth with those who have intelligence from doctrine, as I know from experience. There were those like this below and there were those like this above, and to the extent that they were present the affection was numb; and if they had not been removed, torpor and surfeit to the point of nausea would have gripped [me]. When anyone talks with them from doctrine, they do not understand and they resist, and in the end they are hostile, some from aversion, some from hatred, and so on. Sometimes they appear to themselves to have light apart from any doctrine; likewise to have their own life and to have the freedom of feeling just as they wish, for and against, whatever and however.
5542. Among these, also, are they who are in false doctrines solely from the sense of the letter of the Word. These care nothing for the real truths themselves, however plainly they stand forth in the Word and however much they may be preached to them in the other life, if they have only confirmed themselves in the former. Those of them, however, who have lived in good, they, by virtue of the good, constantly crave genuine truths; for good craves truths as food does water. [Each] desires conjunction, inasmuch as one loves the other. There were seen, in immense number, those, from the Lutherans and others, who had been of such a character. Because they did not wish to embrace anything of genuine truth, they were cast down out of heaven, and sent across into the earth towards the east at the north there; and, those of them who have lived ill, into the hells at that part.
5542a. [It was said] that the dragons are opposed to heaven because they are opposed to heavenly doctrine; for heavenly doctrine does not appear in the sense of the letter, save only to the enlightened; wherefore, also, they are opposed to heaven; and, if they come thither, they immediately extinguish the wisdom of those there; but, still, when those dragons who are called forth to that part are attentively observed, they cast themselves down, by reason of a very interior obscurity which arises, and torment thence resulting. Those constitute the body and head of the dragon who have confirmed themselves [in those false doctrines] more than others; and they are situated therein according to the kind and amount of the confirmation. Their presence induces a sluggishness, even to extinction, of the affection of truth with those who are in intelligence from doctrine. From experience: such ones were below me, and above me; and, so far as they were present, so far was the affection benumbed; and if they had not been removed, numbness and loathing even to nausea would have taken entire possession of me. When anyone speaks to them from doctrine they do not understand; they oppose, and at length persecute [him] - some from aversion, some from hatred, and so forth. When they are without any doctrine, they appear to themselves to be in light, consequently, also, in their life and in the liberty of feeling altogether as they will, for and against, variously and wildly.
5542. Inter illos etiam sunt illi qui in falsa doctrina solum ex sensu literae Verbi, illi nihil curant ipsa vera, utcunque in Verbo exstant, et utcunque illis in altera vita praedicantur, modo se confirmaverint in illis; qui autem eorum in bono vixerunt, illi ex bono usque appetunt vera, genuina, nam bonum appetit vera sicut cibus aquam, desiderat conjunctionem, quoniam unum amat alterum: visi sunt ad ingentem numerum, qui tales fuerant, ex Lutheranis et aliis, illi quia nihil veri genuini recipere vellent, e coelo sunt dejecti, et transmissi in terram versus orientem ad septentrionem ibi, et qui eorum male vixerunt, illi ibi in inferna.
[5[542] 1/2. Quod dracones sint contra coelum, [est] quia sunt contra doctrinam coelestem, doctrina enim coelestis non apparet in sensu literae nisi solum illustratis, quare etiam sunt contra coelum si illuc veniunt statim exstinguunt eorum sapientiam, sed usque cum inspiciuntur dracones qui illuc enituntur, ex obscuritate intima quae suboritur ex angore inde se rejiciunt: draconis corpus caput constituunt illi qui se confirmaverunt prae aliis secundum confirmationis quale quantum ibi sunt. Praesentia eorum inducit torporem usque exstinctionem affectionis veri, illis qui in intelligentia ex doctrina sunt, ab experientia, fuerunt infra tales fuerunt supra quantum praesentes erant, tantum torpebat affectio; si non remoti fuissent, occupavisset torpor, taedium, usque nauseam. Ipsi quando quis ex doctrina cum illis loquitur, non intelligunt, ac resistunt tandem persequuntur, quidam ex aversatione, quidam ex odio sic porro, illi apparent sibi in luce esse quando extra aliquam doctrinam, sic quoque in vita sua in libero sentiendi prorsus sicut volunt pro contra, varie vage.