821.所有在世时思想神多于教皇，并出于简单的心思行出善行之人，一旦发现他们死后还活着，且被教导主自己，世界的救主在此施行统治，很容易被引离宗教迷信。对于他们来说，从天主教转向基督教容易得就象从一扇敞开的门进入神殿，或在王的吩咐下，经过大厅门口的守卫进入宫殿，或听到天上有声音传来，就仰起脸来，望向天堂。但另一方面，对于那些在世时极少思想神，参加敬拜只热衷于活动本身之人，要远离宗教迷信则困难得如同从紧闭的大门进入神殿，或在王禁止的情况下，经过大厅门口的守卫进入宫殿，或草丛里的蛇举目注视天空。奇怪的是，凡属天主教者，进入灵界后，没有一个能看见天人所在的天堂。他们上面有一团乌云遮挡了视线。然而，一旦那些已转化的人发生改变，天就开了，有时他们会看见穿着白衣的天人，当他们预备期满后，就被提升到天人那里。
821. 所有在世时思想神多于教皇, 并出于简单的心思行出善行之人, 一旦发现他们死后还活着, 且被教导主自己, 世界的救主在此施行统治, 很容易被引离宗教迷信。 对于他们来说, 从天主教转向基督教容易得就象从一扇敞开的门进入神殿, 或在王的吩咐下, 经过大厅门口的守卫进入宫殿, 或听到天上有声音传来, 就仰起脸来, 望向天堂。 但另一方面, 对于那些在世时极少思想神, 参加敬拜只热衷于活动本身之人, 要远离宗教迷信则困难得如同从紧闭的大门进入神殿, 或在王禁止的情况下, 经过大厅门口的守卫进入宫殿, 或草丛里的蛇举目注视天空。 奇怪的是, 凡属天主教者, 进入灵界后, 没有一个能看见天人所在的天堂。 他们上面有一团乌云遮挡了视线。 然而, 一旦那些已转化的人发生改变, 天就开了, 有时他们会看见穿着白衣的天人, 当他们预备期满后, 就被提升到天人那里。
821. There are people from the Catholic nations of the world who had turned their thoughts more toward God than toward the pope and had done works of goodwill with a simple heart during their lives. When they realize that they are still alive after death, and are taught that in the spiritual world the Lord himself, the Savior of the world, rules, they are all easily brought out of the superstitious aspects of their religion. They find the transition from Catholicism to true Christianity as easy as walking into a church building through open doors; or as easy as walking by guards in a hallway to enter the royal court itself when commanded to do so by the monarch; or as easy as lifting up their face and eyes toward heaven when they hear voices up there.
[2] There are, on the other hand, Catholics who over the course of their lives in the world had rarely if ever given thought to God and who had loved the worship rituals solely because they were spectacular. It is difficult to lead these people away from the superstitious aspects of their religion - as difficult as getting into a church building whose doors are locked; or as difficult as walking by guards in a hallway to enter the royal court when the monarch has forbidden you to do so; or as difficult as it is for a snake lying on the grass to lift its eyes toward heaven.
A surprising thing is that none of the people of the Catholic religion who arrive in the spiritual world have the ability to see heaven, where the angels are. Heaven to them looks like a dark cloud over their heads in which they can see nothing. As soon as a Catholic who has been converted to the true Christianity comes among other converted Catholics, however, heaven is revealed to her or him. After that, from time to time they see angels in white clothes up there; and after their time of preparation comes to an end, they are lifted up to be with those angels.
821. All those of the Catholic religion, on realising that they are living after death, if in the former world they have thought more about God than the papacy, and have performed charitable deeds out of simplicity of heart, are easily led away from the superstitions of that religion, once they have been taught that here the Lord Himself, the Saviour of the world, is king. For these the passage from popery to Christianity is as easy as entering a church through an open door; or as passing through the attendants in the ante-chambers to enter the court at a king's command; or as easy as raising one's face and looking skyward, when voices are heard coming from there.
[2] On the other hand it is as difficult to lead away from the superstitions of that religion those who in the course of their lives in the world have rarely, if ever, thought about God and only been keen on their worship for its festivals, as it is to enter a church through a closed door, or to pass through the attendants in the ante-chambers and enter the court when the king forbids it; or as difficult as it is for a snake in the grass to lift its gaze to the sky. It is a remarkable fact that all of the Catholic religion on arriving in the spiritual world cannot see there the heaven where the angels are. There is a kind of dark cloud over them which blocks their view. However, as soon as someone is converted and joins the converted, heaven is opened, and sometimes they see angels there dressed in white; and when their period of preparation is over, they are taken up to them.
821. All those of the Catholic religion who in the former world had thought more of God than of the papacy, and from a simple heart had done works of charity, when they find themselves living after death, and have been taught that the Lord Himself, the Savior of the world, reigns there, are easily led away from the superstitions of that religion. To them the transition from popery to Christianity is as easy as to pass through an open door into a temple, or to pass the guards in the entrance hall and enter a palace when the king so commands, or to raise the face and look up to heaven when voices are heard therefrom. But on the other hand, to lead away from the superstitions of that religion those who during the course of their life in the world have rarely if ever thought of God, and who have entered that worship merely for its festivities, is as difficult as to enter a temple through closed doors, or to pass through the guards in the entrance hall into the palace when the king forbids, or for a snake in the grass to raise its eyes to heaven. It is wonderful that not one of those who pass into the spiritual world from that Catholic religion see there the heaven where the angels dwell. That religion is like a dark cloud above them which terminates the vision. But as soon as any convert comes among those who have been converted heaven is opened, and sometimes they behold the angels there in white garments; and when they have passed the period of preparation they are taken up to the angels.
821. When those of the Roman Catholic religion, who in the former world had thought more about God than about the Pope, and who had done works of charity in simplicity of heart, find that they are alive after death, they are instructed that the Lord Himself, the Savior of the world, reigns where they now are. They are then easily led away from the superstitions of that religion. The transition from Popery to Christianity is as easy for them as it is to enter a temple through open doors, or to pass the guard in the entrance hall and enter his palace at the command of a king, or to lift up the countenance and look upward when voices are heard from heaven. On the other hand, to lead those away from the superstitions of that religion who, in the course of their life in the world seldom if ever thought about God, and who had valued that form of worship merely for its festivals, is as difficult as to enter a temple when the doors are shut; or to pass the guard in the entrance hall into the palace when the king forbids; or as it is for a snake in the grass to raise its eyes to heaven. It is remarkable that Roman Catholics, on their entry into the spiritual world, do not see heaven, where the angels are. It is as if a dark cloud overshadowed them, limiting their sight; but as soon as a convert comes among the converted, heaven is opened, and sometimes they see angels there in white garments, into whose company also they are raised after completing their period of preparation.
821. Omnes illi ex Catholica Religione, qui dum animadvertunt se post mortem vivere, et in priori Mundo plus cogitaverunt de Deo, quam de Papatu, et Charitatis opera ex simplici corde fecerunt, postquam instructi sunt, quod Ipse Dominus Salvator Mundi hic regnet, facile abducuntur a superstitiosis istius Religionis; his est transitus a Papismo ad Christianismum tam facilis, sicut est per fores apertas intrare in Templum; et sicut est transire Satellitia, quae in atriis sunt, in Aulam, mandante Rege; et sicut est attollere vultum et suspicere ad Coelum, dum inde audiuntur voces:
[2] at vicissim, tam difficile est a superstitiosis Religionis istius abducere illos, qui in vitae suae curriculo in Mundo raro si usquam cogitaverunt de Deo, ac Cultum illum modo propter festivitates ejus dilexerunt, sicut est intrare in Templum per fores clausas; et sicut est per Satellitia in atriis transire in Aulam, prohibente Rege; et sicut angui in herba extollere oculos ad Coelum. Mirabile est, quod omnes, qui ex Religioso illo Catholico in Mundum spiritualem alluunt, non videant ibi Coelum, ubi sunt Angeli; est sicut Nubes obscura super illos, quae terminat visum; at vero ut primum aliquis conversus ad conversos venit, aperitur Coelum, et quandoque vident Angelos ibi in Vestibus albis, ad quos etiam post exactum tempus praeparationis, elevantur.