SS92.真理的表象，也就是被包裹的真理，可能取自圣言，被当成了裸露的真理；当人们确认它们时，它们就变成了虚假；这一事实从一直存在，并仍存在于基督教界的许多异端邪说明显看出来。异端邪说本身并不伤害人。伤害人的，是邪恶的生活，以及利用圣言和属世人的推理来确认异端邪说中的虚假。因为每个人都生在其父母的宗教信仰中，并且从小被引入其中，后来持守它，无法摆脱它的虚假，因为他在这个世上忙着自己的事情。那将人定罪的，是活在邪恶之中，确认虚假，甚至到了毁灭纯正真理的地步。因为人若留在自己的宗教信仰中，信神（在基督教界则信主，尊圣言为圣），并出于一种宗教原则照十诫生活，就不会宣誓效忠虚假。因此，他一听见并以自己的方式感知到真理，就能信奉它们，并被引离虚假。然而，如果他确认其宗教信仰的虚假，情况就不同了，因为被确认的虚假仍然存在，无法根除。一旦确认虚假，这个人就实际上宣誓效忠于它，如果它迎合了他的自我之爱和对自己智慧的骄傲，尤其如此。
92. We can tell that semblances of truth, which are clothed truths, can be taken from the Word as bare truths and that they become false when we convince ourselves of them, if we think of the abundance of heresies that have existed and still exist in Christianity.
The heretical ideas themselves do not hurt us. What hurts us is living evil lives, and also using the Word and the rationalizations of our earthly self to convince ourselves of the false notions inherent in the heretical ideas.
We are all born into the religion of our parents and are introduced into it in early childhood, and we remain in it afterward, unable to extricate ourselves from its falsities because we are preoccupied with our dealings with this world. Living evil lives, though, and convincing ourselves of false beliefs even to the point of destroying genuine truth - that does condemn us. If we stay with our religion and believe in God (and within the Christian faith that means we believe in the Lord and revere the Word) and we live by the principles of the Ten Commandments out of religious conviction, we will not swear allegiance to notions that are false. Therefore when we hear something true and perceive it in our own particular way, we are in a position to embrace it and be led out of our former false beliefs. However, this will not happen if we have thoroughly convinced ourselves of the falsities of our religion, because once we have convinced ourselves of something false, that belief is there to stay and cannot be uprooted. Once we have convinced ourselves of something false we have in effect sworn allegiance to it, especially if it appeals to our beloved self-importance and therefore to our pride in our own wisdom.
92. The fact that appearances of truth, which are truths clothed, may be seized on from the Word as naked truths, and that when affirmed, they become falsities, may be seen from the many heresies that have existed in the Christian world, and which exist still.
Heresies themselves do not condemn people. An evil life does. And so do affirmations from the Word of the falsities found in any heresy and defended by the reasonings of the natural self.
Everyone, indeed, is born into the religion of his parents, is introduced into it from early childhood, and afterward holds to it, nor is he able to extricate himself from its falsities owing to his dealings in the world.
But to live an evil life, and to affirm falsities to the point that they destroy genuine truth — that is what condemns.
For someone who remains in his religion and believes in God, and in the case of Christianity believes in the Lord, considers the Word holy, and lives in accordance with the Ten Commandments religiously — such a one does not swear to falsities. Consequently, when he hears truths and in some measure perceives their truth, he is able to embrace them and so be extricated from falsities. Not so someone who has affirmed the falsities of his religion, for falsity once affirmed remains and cannot be rooted out. That is because once falsity is affirmed, it is as though the person has sworn to it, especially if it is connected with his self-love and consequent conceit in his own wisdom.
92. Appearances of truth, that is, veiled truths, may be taken from the Word for unveiled truths, and when confirmed, they become falsities. This may be evident from the many heresies which have been and still are prevalent in Christendom. Heresies themselves do not condemn men, but an evil life; and men are also condemned by confirming from the Word falsities which are inherent in heresy and by reasoning from the natural man. For everyone is born into the religion of his parents, and is initiated into it from infancy. He later adheres to it, nor can he of himself get rid of its falsities because of his business connections in the world. What does condemn is living an evil life, together with the confirmation of falsities to the utter destruction of genuine truth. That man is not sworn to falsity who adheres to his own form of religion and believes in God; and, if a Christian, who believes on the Lord, regards the Word as holy and from religious principles lives according to the Commandments of the Decalogue. Therefore when he hears the truth and perceives it according to his capacity, he can accept it, and thus be rid of his falsity. It is otherwise with the man who has confirmed the falsities of his religion, as a falsity confirmed remains, and cannot be eradicated. For after confirmation, a falsity is as though a man has sworn to it, especially if it agrees with his self-love, and consequently with the pride of his own wisdom.
92. That appearances of truth, which are truths clothed, may be caught at out of the Word as naked truths, and that when confirmed they become falsities is evident from the many heresies there have been and still are in Christendom. The heresies themselves do not condemn men, but an evil life does, as also do the confirmations from the Word, and from reasonings from the natural man of the falsities that are in the heresy. For everyone is born into the religion of his parents is initiated into it from his infancy, and afterwards holds to it, being unable to withdraw himself from its falsities through being engaged with his business in the world. But to live in evil, and to confirm falsities even to the destruction of genuine truth, is what condemns. For he who remains in his own religion, and believes in God, or if in Christendom, in the Lord, regarding the Word as holy, and from a religious principle living according to the ten commandments, does not swear allegiance to falsities, and therefore as soon as he hears truths and perceives them in his own way, can embrace them and so be led away from falsities; but not so the man who has confirmed the falsities of his religion, for confirmed falsity remains and cannot be rooted out. For after confirmation a falsity becomes as if the man had sworn to the truth of it, especially if it chimes in with his own self-love [amor proprii], and the derivative conceit of his own wisdom.
92. Quod apparentiae veri, quae sunt vestita vera, pro nudis veris ex Verbo captari possint, et quod, dum confirmantur, fiant falsa, constare potest ex tot haeresibus, quae in Christianismo fuerunt, et adhuc sunt. Ipsae haereses non damnant homines, sed vita mala; tum confirmationes falsitatum, quae in haeresi sunt, ex Verbo, et per ratiocinia ex naturali homine, damnant. Quisque enim nascitur in religionem parentum suorum, ab infantia initiatur in illam, et postea retinet illam, nec potest semet ipsum educere ex falsis ejus propter negotia in mundo: sed vivere male, et confirmare falsa usque ad destructionem genuini veri, hoc damnat. Nam qui manet in sua religione, et credit in Deum, ac intra Christianismum credit in Dominum, et Verbum sanctum habet, et secundum praecepta decalogi ex religione vivit, is non jurat in falsa; quare dum audit Vera, et suo modo percipit illa, potest illa amplecti, et sic a falsis educi: non autem ille qui falsa religionis suae confirmaverat, nam falsum confirmatum manet, et non potest exstirpari; est enim falsum post confirmationem, sicut quis juraverit in illud, imprimis si cohaeret cum amore proprii, et inde fastu sapientiae.