Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2604

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2604. It is common for gentiles who have adored any god in an image or statue, or any carved object, to be introduced on entering the next life to certain spirits who are substituted in place of their gods or idols, in order that those gentiles may get rid of their false notions. When they had been with these spirits for several days they were removed from them. Gentiles who have worshipped human beings are sometimes even introduced to them or to others substituted in place of them. Many Jews, for example, are introduced to Abraham, Jacob, Moses, or David, but when they realize that these possess only the same human qualities as any others and cannot help them at all they are put to shame and are brought, in accord with their own lives, to places of their own. Among the gentiles in the next life Africans are liked very much, for they receive the goods and truths of heaven more easily than any others. Above all they wish to be called the obedient, but not the faithful. They say that because Christians possess the doctrine of faith, Christians may be called the faithful, but not themselves unless they receive it, or as they say, are able to receive it.


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