I Still have doubts but i'll spare myself all the 'comments'... maybe till after the holidays one month later....
See you when I see you if I see you....
Salaaamz... or peace.. shalom... :)
2006-07-19 13:23:41 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Even the oldest of believers have doubts sometimes: we would not be human if we didn't!!
I feel sure you will find your answers for yourself one day!!
God bless and keep you!!
Shalom!!
2006-07-19 13:33:28 · answer #1 · answered by englands.glory 4 · 4⤊ 3⤋
FAQ: How can Swedenborg say there is marriage in heaven?
"Orthodoxy" teaches that there is no marriage in heaven because of the following verse in Matthew 22:30:
The Sadducees, who believed in no resurrection and who spoke of seven brethren that had one particular woman as wife, asked Jesus whose wife would she be in the resurrection? Jesus replied: "in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
A deceptively simple explanation is that angels must be neuter and there is no marriage in heaven.
However, when you read another place in the Bible (Luke 17:27 and Matthew 24:38), we see that "marrying and giving in marriage" is a phrase used by Christ as an extremely negative activity and just plain wrong!
"For in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that No'-e entered into the ark." (Matt. 24:38) "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day the No'-e entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all." (Luke 17:27)
If you know Swedenborg's theoloical system, you have heard of "the marriage of good and truth" as a good marriage. However, every symbol has a good sense and a bad sense. The opposite of "the marriage of good and truth" is the "marriage of evil and falseness." Every person has a "will" to receive good from the Lord and an "understanding" to receive truth from the Lord. This is the platter and cup that comprise your soul. If a person leans toward evil and lives a life of evil, that person enters into the opposite marriage - the marriage of evil and falseness.
Reference the Arcana Coelestia n. 4334[4]: "Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; signifies their state as to the appropriation of evil and falsity, and the consequent conjuntion with these. That "to eat" denotes the appropriation of good, and "to drink" the appropriation of truth, see n. 3168, 3513e, 3596; thus in the opposite sense the appropriation of evil and falsity. That "to marry" denotes conjunction with evil, and "to give in marriage," conjunction with falsity . . . [because], in the internal sense this is conjunction of good and truth, but here in the opposite sense the conjunction of evil and falsity."
In these passages in the Bible, when Christ talks of "eating and drinking" and "marrying and giving in marriage" in a negative way, He is talking either of people who are appropriating or of people who have appropriated evil and falsities to themselves.
2006-07-19 13:27:48 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're very welcome (on behalf of those who answered).
If you have doubts, feel free to email me.
I used to be an atheist. Over a period of time however, I grew convinced of the existence of the Christian God, and ultimately committed my life to Christ (e.g., see http://www.godsci.org/gs/chri/testimony/seek.html ).
Cordially,
John
2006-07-19 13:27:25 · answer #3 · answered by John 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alrighty then.
2006-07-19 13:27:20 · answer #4 · answered by Fotios 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are welcome. ;-)
2006-07-19 13:30:28 · answer #5 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋