Good and Evil (8)

December 5

“But, Emanuel, cannot God do whatever God wants to do,” asked Sophie?

Swedenborg responded, “Sophie, it is quite impossible to say much about God’s Actions. Even the angels in the inmost heaven cannot experience God directly. God cannot be quantified, limited, or objectified. God, as God, is Unfathomable, Without All That Is, Inscrutable, Timeless and so on.

“For instance, for the angels existing within the Celestial, or Inmost, Heaven, loving the Lord does not mean loving an objectification of God as a person, but means loving the good that is from the Divine, and to love good is to will and do good from love. Loving ones neighbor does not mean loving a companion with respect to her person, but loving her innate expression of the truth, and to love truth is to will to do truth.

“For love is good and truth is wisdom. Love is the male valence of gender, and Wisdom is the female valence of gender. When the male and female are reconciled through God’s Will, Creation comes into being. Creation is naught, but a conscious Act or a Good Work. This is why it is said, ‘loving good is to will and do good from love.’

“However, God can only bring something into Creation by partially withdrawing Himself from Himself so to create a deficiency to fill. It is the withdrawing of Himself that creates limitations and restrictions as to His Actions and the possibilities of the new universe. The great Kabbalist, Rabbi Luria called this the Tzimtzum.

“So what did God withdraw so to bring life and mind into a new universe, Sophie? Any idea,” asked Swedenborg?

Sophie answered, “I do not know for I do not understand, yet?”

Gabriel intervened saying, “Now, darling, you should be able to answer this question. Stop trying to use your serial reasoning. Just open your intellect to the answer. Based upon what you have learned, what is the primary difference between the essential natures of God and of the physical world. Michael told you about this a very long time ago. Just open your mind.”

Sophie stopped thinking for a few seconds. She answered, “I know. Everything existing in the universe, on Earth or in Heaven, is built out of discrete space, discrete time, and quanta. Therefore, all we can perceive and imagine must be objectified. The universe may be imaginably large, but it is finite.
“Therefore, God must be Absolute Unity, Absolute Continuity, True Infinity, Unbounded, and Eternal. If the world is discrete, then infinitely long sin waves cannot exist. This means that the infinite waves needed in the equations of quantum mechanics cannot exist in our universe. They must exist in God, and God is a singularity and an infinity. So this is why the ancient taught, ‘In the beginning, God geometricized.’

“So the simple answer is, ‘By removing Himself, God removed His Continuity, and by removing Continuity, God could make a finite and discrete universe. I know I am correct for what I just said, I did not need to think about,” concluded Sophie.

Gabriel stretched over and kissed Sophie upon her cheek, saying, “Good job. I knew you knew the answer, my dear,” turning to Swedenborg, Gabriel said, “a keeper, I think.”

Swedenborg nodded yes and taught a sip of his tea and reached for a scone.

Everyone was silent, as to serious discussion, and so finished the scones and tea sandwiches amidst the stories of Swedenborg. Sophie found him to be most interesting. Soon afternoon tea time was finished and Swedenborg said, “Sophie, I want to show something to you which is most important and misunderstood by the doctors of the Church on Earth.”

Instantaneously, the trio found themselves watching a kesdjan body begin sinking into the earth and moving toward the Hell regions. Sophie heard this person mumbling, “I do not like Heaven at all. I do not find it at all pleasant or desirable. I need a harlot and I need some gold. These are available so I choose Hell over Heaven.” Poof, the man disappeared into the lower regions.

Then, Sophie was a young man speaking with his angels. “I understand that I made quite a few mistakes in my life and did some injury. I am truly sorry for my ignorance. However, I am glad that I had an opportunity to do Heavenly Community Service and do not mind if the Lord desires me to continue. For by being useful, I know I am feeling the good of love and the need to act with love.
Therefore, dear friends, my only request is that you find the best place for me to go.”

The angels smiled and took him by both arms and raised him to the middle Heaven (there are three Heavens). In a moment, Sophie, Swedenborg, and Gabriel were alone on the plain. Gabriel asked, “Do you understand the significance of what Emanuel just showed you?”

Sophie replied, “Yes. Neither God nor His Angels punish or reward anyone. As Love is the supreme quale in Creation, everyone chooses his or her ‘core love,’ while alive. Everyone is given a second chance to decide whether such core love was a love proper to Heaven or to Hell. The young man saw that his core love was not a healthy one and so worked to undue what he had done in life. He choose Heaven. The one man did not want to change his core love of harlots and gold and so choose Hell. I say, this system, is the fairest of all.”

“Correct, Sophie, you have learned the most important lesson of all. God Bless and enjoy your time with Gabriel. He may never call upon you again so do not waste his time,” turning to Gabriel, “you might visit this old man more often.”

With a big wave goodbye, Sophie and Gabriel were off on more adventure.

TO BE CONTINUED