6061. About the idea of God as a person
Zinzendorf
There was a conversation among spirits as to whether it was ingrained in mankind to see God as a person. Certain ones said that those who in the world see God in thought as a little cloud, or as light, or as the inmost of nature, cannot see God as a person. So this was tried with some, and once also with Zinzendorf and with an elder of the Moravian congregation who in the world saw Him in their mind's eye as a cloudy something. They were let into a spiritual state, and they then asked where God the Father is and were not thinking to see Him otherwise than as a person. They also asked where He was. But when they returned into the natural state with me, they saw Him as a cloudy something. They were convinced by this that it is ingrained in the human spirit to see God as a person.
Some of the Gentiles in western India came to Zinzendorf [in the world], whom he spoke with there. He spoke to them about God, saying that God had sent His Son, who saved us from hell. They believed, because they had the idea of God as being a Person. But when they met in the spiritual world, they realized that he had an idea of God as it were in a cloud. Amazed at this they said, "What is this? You think of God as not being a person?" when yet they had believed that he thought about God as a Person when he spoke with them about the Lord.
6061. THE IDEA OF GOD AS A MAN. ZINZENDORF.
There was discussion amongst spirits as to whether it is implanted in man to view God as a Man. Some said, that they who, in the world, viewed God, in their thought, as a little cloud, or as light, or as the inmost of nature, are not able to view God as a Man. Wherefore, this was tested with some and also, once, with Zinzendorf, and with an elder of the Moravian communion; both of whom, in the world, viewed Him, in the sight of the thought, as something cloudy. They were let into their spiritual state; and they then inquired where God the Father was, and then thought nothing else than of seeing Him as a Man. They inquired also where He was; and when they returned into their natural state with me, they regarded Him as something cloudy. Hence they were convinced that it is rooted in man's spirit to look upon God as a man.
There came to Zinzendorf some of the gentiles in western India, with whom he there spoke. He talked to them concerning God, saying, at that time, that God sent His Son, who saved us from hell. They believed, because they held the idea of God as a Man; but, when they now gathered together in the spiritual world, they discerned that he had an idea of God, as being, as it were, in a cloud. Being astonished at this, they said, What is this? You think of God as not a Man? when yet they had believed that he thought of God as a Man when he spoke to them about the Lord.
6061. De idea Dei quod sit homo
Zinzendorf
Sermo fuit inter spiritus, num homini insitum sit videre Deum ut hominem, dixerunt quidam, quod qui in mundo viderunt Deum cogitatione sicut nubeculam, aut sicut lucem, aut sicut intimum naturae, non possint videre Deum ut hominem, quare hoc tentatum est cum aliquibus, et quoque semel cum Zinzendorfio, et cum presbytero congregationis Moravianae, qui in mundo visu cogitationis viderunt illum sicut aliquid nubis, missi sunt in statum spiritualem, et tunce quaesiverunt ubi Deus Pater, et non aliter cogitabant tunc quam videre illum sicut hominem, quaerebant etiam illum ubinam esset, at cum redierunt [in] statum naturalem apud me, viderunt illum sicut aliquid nubis, inde convicti sunt quod insitum spiritui hominis esset videre Deum ut hominem.
Venerunt ad Zinzendorfium aliqui ex gentilibus in India occidentali, cum quibus loquutus est ibi, cum illis de Deo, dicens tunc quod Deus miserit Filium suum, qui salvaverit nos ab inferno, crediderunt, quia ideam de Deo habebant ut de Homine, at cum nunc conveniebant in mundo spirituali, appercipiebant quod haberet ideam de Deo ut sicut in nube, quod cum mirati dixerunt, "quid hoc, cogitas de Deo ut non de homine?" cum tamen crediderint illum cogitasse de Deo ut de Homine cum loquutus est cum illis de Domino.