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Spiritual free will and self-determination is a major theme in ES' writings. In True Christian Religion, there's over 50 pages dedicated to the theme of free will alone. God does not cause things to happen, and in Divine Providence, ES states many times that God cannot do anything bad or evil. Killing a child is evil - and God would never do that, nor could he do it; it's impossible for God to do anything evil as God is LOVE ITSELF. God can only create - God cannot destroy (despite the appearances and despite what mankind has arbitrarily said over the centuries). It is utterly impossible for God to kill because it goes against DIVINE LOVE.

God is omniscient and does know all things; however, that does not mean that God wills all things to happen; quite the contrary.

My understanding of the the "death element" in the little boy's astrological forecast would be more like a warning from God - please take special care on this day - rather than a dire prediction that this little boy's life would be taken. That the mother was distracted and the little girl who witnessed the accident but did nothing to save the little boy would be explained by ES as the lower regions influencing both the mother and girl. You see, the lower regions have levels - just as the heavens do and their influence on us reflects it. Carelessness and distraction are things that the "higher" demons specialize in... and we in this world aren't even aware of it.

I have read 22 of ES' volumes and only came upon one sentence that ES wrote about astrology. I don't believe he called it astrology but perhaps divination of the stars and/or planets. One sentence to the effect of "it's something more than typically thought." I tried researching at the www.heavenlydoctrines.org website (online encyclopedia of ES' works) and found no reference so I can't verbatim quote this sentence for you. However, astrology is not a theme of ES' writings - with only one vague sentence, it's clear that it was not important to ES to dwell upon. I also perused the marvelous biography by Ernst Benz, Visionary Savant in the Age of Reason and there is no mention of astrology. Benz, a well known and respected theologian who wrote many books was not a Swedenborgian, although he wrote a really marvelous biography on the life and works of Swedenborg. Since he had no bias pro or con for ES, I value the biography and believe that if there were more to the astrology angle, Benz would have mentioned it.

And just for the record, while ES wrote that God doesn't decide who shall die and who shall live, neither do we individuals. There is such a thing as an "accident" - things do happen in this world for no apparent reason. We do not pick our own death nor more so than God does. Things happen... sometimes rather unfortunately. However, God can bring goodness out of tragedy if we humans only allow it. We hold the key whether God brings goodness and meaning out of the sorrow and heartbreak of our lives.

Dr. Van Dusen, I believe, was trying to give an example of the correspondences are within all nature because all nature is reflective of a greater, higher spiritual reality. We can ponder upon the things of nature looking for spiritual lessons.

According to Ernest Benz, "His [ES] understanding of the correspondences between everything in the world became a basic tenent of his epistemology, the more he pondered the thought that each natural thing is only the shadow of a spiritual thing and this in turn is only the likeness of a divine archetype. The entire visible natural world was transofrmed for him in a marvelous way under the sway of this idea. Nothing in this world is only what its form and name proclaim it to be but also points esoterically to the higher realms of being... Whoever possesses the key to the correspondences of things can learn the truth of heaven and be born from the heavy earth to the realm of heavenly freedom and truth on the wings of vision. ..
"Swedenborg endeavors to work out in detail a sort of encyclopedia of correspondences. On the basis of a compliation of various passages in which the same word or image occurs, he seeks to determine its symbolic meaning or spiritual sense. For each animal, each color, each figure (person) occuring in the Bible, a unique, definitive spiritual meaning is ascertained, which varies according to the context and is supplied with a positive or negative indiciation. Wherever this animal, this color, or this figure may occur in the Bible, it always refers to some nuance of its basic spiritual meaning. Thus the animal kingdom correspondes to the realm of instincts, desires, and appetites in people, whereby a concrete meaning attaches to each species and type of animal. The same applies to the plant kingdom, which generally corresponds to our knowledge and insights, whereby the individual types of plant have a special meaning. The mineral world corresponds generally and in detail to our fixed principles. In this fashion, the whole of Holy Scripture is transformed into a complex of spiritual meanings..." which can be applied to our daily lives for the betterment of ourselves and mankind.

With Peace and Love To All,
Judy

Hi Kathy,

ES did write that we humans have no good of our own; the source of good is God and only God (Luke 18:19). What we must do is be inspired by the goodness of God - that is the work that we must do. We must do what God has asked us - to live by the commandments; the Golden Rule. John 14:21 - those who love the Lord are those who keep the commandments. And when we do that, out of a spirit of love towards God and love towards others, those are the works that are spoken of on the Bible.

In fact, if you actually read James 2:14-26, you will see faith alone is dead. In the writings of Martin Luther, one can read how utterly vexed he was concerning this passage - so much so - that he completely tossed it out.

Kathy, I too was raised in the Protestant church. All Protestants trace their theological roots to Martin Luther particularly on the crucible of faith alone. But it is clearly not taught in the Bible; the church that I was a member clearly stopped at Romans 3:28 without bothering to read through the end of the chapter - at verse 31. If one reads through verse 31, one will clearly see that Paul never taught such a theology as faith alone.

One might ask - what difference does this make in a person's life? Why bother with theology? I'll tell you why - there are many millions of Christians who believe in faith alone. Now, some will believe that it's important to do what is right for the sake that it's the right thing to do, but I tell you truly that i have met many Christians who have told me that they can do anything that they want and still get into heaven. This leads to spiritual insanity. This type of faith leads to a famous evangelist calling for the United States to murder the president of Venezuela. That evangelist clearly cannot see the insanity of his statements; this all comes about from believing in faith alone. Much of the United States foreign policy comes about from a belief in faith alone and also a belief that God will one day destroy the world (God won't destroy the world - the book of Revelation is not about the physical destruction of the world). It's never acknowledged (and would probably be denied) that it's these beliefs are driving our national/international policies, but it's there in the background influencing it nonetheless.

And look what Jesus says about this - Matthew 15:9). In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Faith alone is from man; not from God. Faith alone is the doctrine of mankind. Also read Matthew 5:19.

Faith alone is the reason that I left the Christian Church years ago. I could not accept that God would "save" an evil Christian (yes, they do exist - look at Matthew 7:21-23; verse 23 clearly says "...those who do evil") but condemn a person of another faith who did his best to do good in his God's eyes. No wonder so many people have left the Christian Churches - who in their right mind can believe that God would save an evil person but condemn a good person simply on the basis of what they believe? Even our own court system does not put away a person for their beliefs, but for what they do.

ES wrote that anyone who lived the Golden Rule (and it is found in all religions and so-called non-religions - http://www.egogahan.com/GoldenRule.htm) would find their way to Heaven; even a person who naively worshipped the sun as God. Many Christians would protest this citing John 14:6 (I am the way, the truth, and the life...). As ES explains it, God is One; Jesus is God Himself. All come to Jesus, when they call upon God, no matter by what name they know God, whether or know they have ever heard of Jesus. 

I prefer ES' explanation; it allows me to be a Christian and yet know that those of another religion or faith are not condemned - that those with a different understanding of God are still loved and cherished by God and provided for in Heaven.  It allows me to see each individual with dignity and respect - a true brother and sister. Not only that, but it's the only explanation I can see when I read those Bible passages. I don't see truth in Luther's statements.

I highly recommend two of ES books - The Four Doctrines and True Christian Religion. Each of these books go into great depth and detail regarding this subject and always with supporting Biblical passages.

With Peace and Blessings,
Judy

George, thats what I picked up also, that Don was the reincarnation of ES...wow...that makes so much sense. love, alysia

ps. however, I sugar coated it to say he was related to ES, either way, makes sense.

George and Alysia:

Both Swedenborg and I are life-long Swedish bachelors who have experienced death premonitions and are obsessed with biblical interpretation, astral exploration, and the relevance of science to the betterment of humanity.     At times when I've entertained the possibility of reincarnation, the only prior incarnation that has engaged my imagination is one as Swedenborg.  However, I am prone to occasional delusions of grandeur, especially if I'm armed with a good bottle of scotch that inflates my sense of self-importance.     So I must reluctantly admit that my Swedenborgian fantasy has no more merit than the many Napoleans who surface during past life regressions.

I accept the critique of reincarnation offered by both ES and Classical Mediumship and will soon post a quotation from hypnotherapist, David Fontana.  Fontana has performed many past life regressions but has grown skeptical about their legitimacy from his conversations with first-rate mediums.  But I'm intrigued by the possibility that a "nonegoic" eastern type of reincarnation might have merit and might even be compatible with ES.  I will post on this in the future.

Don

George, will u marry me?

Marilyn do u have a swedish accent? I love accents....cool...well, not that anybody cares, but I"m full 50% Russian, 50% god knows what, ok, a little Bohemian, whatever. I came from slaves genically speaking of course.

No, no accent. My father's parents were born in Sweden and my mother's grandparents were born in Sweden. Yes, I love accents too. I love hearing Gordon's voice on the phone.

Love, Mairlyn

And I sure do love reading of Gordon's meetings with famous people. 

Jean