Course: Psychology 459, Fall 2006, Generation 25

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

Introduction to Theistic Psychologywww.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/ch1.htm

 My home page: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~tomim

Class Home Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm

Instructions for this Report: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonpsy25/59-g25-weekly.htm

 

 

My Understanding of Theistic Psychology

by Tomi Moore

Report 2 For Section 1.0.1.3 to 1.0.54 and

 

Question 1:  Describe the psychobiology of “conjunction” with God. You need to include the concept of how thoughts and feelings are substances. How do you see this concept as applying to you?

 

Answer 1:

 

The Psychobiology of “Conjunction” with God

 

The psychobiology of being conjoined with God can be examined on many levels according to Theistic Psychology. One way one can be conjoined with God is through religion. The purpose of religion on this planet is to conjoin human beings to God. When we are focusing on religion our thoughts and feelings can also focus on God. One’s thoughts and feelings are in the mental world where God can inflow the substances of good and truth instant by instant, through sacred scripture and divine speech, and thus making one happy from Himself. The substances of good and truth are an extension of God. Therefore, He is part of (conjoined with) everyone’s mental body.

 

This property God possesses of extending Himself outside of Himself to exist in created things is known as “Divine influx”. Looking at this tells us that there are parts of God that are reachable to human beings, and other parts of Him that are unreachable to human beings. God in Himself is unreachable to human beings while God that extends Himself outside Himself to the created world is reachable to human beings. Human beings can be conjoined to God outside Himself, but not to God as He is within Himself.

 

In most religions the notion of the “Holy Spirit” or “Divine Proceeding” is often used to refer to the part of God that human beings can be adjoined and conjoined with the good and truth from God in our mental organs. The closer we are conjoined with God the more good and truth we can receive from Him.

 

How This Applies to Me

 

This concept can directly apply to me. When I go to church and focus on the teachings of God or Sacred Scripture I am taught heavenly ways. With these heavenly thoughts and feelings in my mind I am closely conjoined with God, because if my thoughts and feelings are focused on my heavens the closer I can be conjoined to God and the more good and truth I can receive from Him.

                    

This also applies to me because God is conjoined to me in my mental mind and my thoughts and feelings. He has extended Himself to me. It is important to note that the parts of Himself that He has extended to me is not mine but His.

 

A new application I found is that religion can help someone regardless of the particular religion, as long as it is based on the Sacred Scripture. As long as hellish traits are minimized and heavenly traits are focused on, they can be closely conjoined with God; receiving more of the substances of good and truth from Him. This knowledge could be very helpful if more people knew about it. So many religious groups are so focused on which church is the “right” or “true” church, when really all the churches that base their teachings on sacred scripture are helping human beings in the same way. This knowledge can be used to end many “holy” wars in the middle east and in the holy land of Jerusalem.

 

Question 2:  Describe the infrastructure of physical things from the perspective of substantive dualism. Show that the inmost of any object is the mental world of humanity. How does this change the way you look at objects around you?

 

Answer 2:

 

Infrastructure of Physical Things

 

In short the human mind is the infrastructure for the physical universe. Now, I will describe this statement more completely. From previous questions I have answered we have established the Theistic Psychological idea that the spiritual eternal substances of good and truth, which flow from the spiritual sun to the mental mind, make up the infrastructure of the spiritual world.

 

This should be relatively easy to understand as it follows the same logic we have already been learning. From the law of correspondence we know that everything in the physical world is there due to something it corresponds with in the spiritual world. All physical things are merely here because they represent things from the mental world. From that reasoning we can conclude that the infrastructure of the physical world and thus physical things is the same as the infrastructure of the physical world, which are the physical substances of good and truth. This could also be said another way, that eternity outside time and space is the infrastructure of time and space.

 

Objects as Mental World of Humanity

 

With this knowledge, that the infrastructure of the physical world along with all the objects in it, originate from the spiritual substances God gives us of good and truth I will now try to explain to you that the inmost of any object is the mental world of humanity.

 

As explained to me in Volume 1 part C of section 1.0.3 by Dr. James, the word inmost can be interpreted as discrete degrees. For example if we wanted to know what is inmost of a volleyball we would think of the discrete degrees. From prior readings we know that the inmost of discrete degree is the world of eternity that is receiving the spiritual substances of good and truth from the spiritual sun. Therefore, every object in the physical world, even a volleyball, as I have explained, contain eternity and the spiritual substances of good and truth in their core. As I have mentioned this applies to whatever object you are examining in the physical world.

 

Changes in the way I Look at Things

 

Knowing that eternity is located in all objects in the physical world does have an effect at the way I now view them. Even at this very moment while writing this paper the pen that I am using, and use almost everyday, seems strange and new to me. I once thought that it was lifeless, just a simple plastic tube with a vial of black ink at it’s core. But, now I know that this is not the case, this simple BIC pen contains eternity, along with the spiritual substances of good and truth at its core.

 

This gives so much life to a lifeless object. I wonder what I am going to do with this pen when it runs out of ink; do I still through it away as I have done so many times in the past, or do I keep it because it posses good and truth which God has extended from Himself into this pen. This seems weird when you think about a plain and simple pen in this way, giving it such depth and magnitude.

 

Question 3:Explain why God hides from people. What would happen if God showed Himself to your friends? Include the concept of how Divine Speech descends through the layers of meaning through the human mind reaching its lowest as the literal meaning of sacred scripture.

 

Answer 3:

 

Why God Hides from People

 

God hides his sensuous presence in the natural mind and rational mind due to the very reason why we are put here on Earth. We are put here on Earth because when we are born we have inherited hells and heavens already in our body. In order for us to be “accountable” for our actions we must have an equal chance to either dwell in our hells or dwell in our heavens.

 

Due to this necessity of freedom of choice God needs to stay hidden so that one can make their freedom of choice on their own, of self effort and one’s willingness to resist temptations. If God would revile himself people will not be given the choice to reject Him.

 

Dr. James also explains why God cannot speak to us in our natural mind. He explains that it is due to the modern psychological disorders of modern time. If one were to say that they hear voices in their heads as prophets of the past once did they would be diagnosed with schizophrenia and other such disorders.

 

What Would Happen if God Showed Himself?

 

I agree with the writings that Dr. James interpreted from Swedenborg. I think that if God showed Himself to my friends today their whole way of life would change. All the teachings they were taught as a little child through young adulthood in church would take precedence. At this stage in their lives they “know” what is right but they choose to live differently for the time. As their church proclaims that alcoholic beverages are not to be consumed due to the fact that it alters the mind and judgment, they feel like they are just going to party while they are young and later when they get older they will stop.

 

It is hard to explain all the ways in which I think their behaviors will change. The best way to explain it is to give an analogy for an example. We all know how our friends act, dress, and even speak when they are around their friends at a night club. Contrast that to how they would conduct themselves at their grandmother’s house. There is a definite behavior change but there are so many subtle changes it is hard to explain it but easy to see.

 

However, there is one way that God communicates with us while we are in the physical world and that is through Sacred Scripture. When we read Sacred Scripture we are hearing God’s divine speech. God’s divine speech travels through the layers of human minds. The highest level of the mind is the celestial-rational mind; if one is conscious in this mind after resus

citation then they will have the highest possible consciousness, knowledge, worship, and love of God. The next level that divine speech can be conscious in is in spiritual-rational. Finally, those who are conscious in their natural mind, us while we are here on Earth, are at their lowest level of understanding. This is the only level at which we are able to communicate with God while in the physical world.

 

Question 4:  Describe how Divine speech operates our mental life. How does this change your view of God and His relationship to people?

 

Answer 4:

 

Divine Speech as an Operator of Our Mental Life

 

Divine speech is the spiritual substances of good and truth flowing from the spiritual sun which creates the mental world of eternity. Divine speech operates our mental life as it is the direct connection to God. Divine speech is already in our spiritual mind which was built so it could receive divine speech from God. Divine speech needs to flow through the discrete degrees of the mental mind and thus affecting ones consciousness, understanding, and feelings. Divine speech descends into the individual’s mind from its unconscious spiritual level to its conscious rational mind.

 

The first level of the mind that divine speech enters is in the celestial mind. These celestial-rational meanings give human beings the highest possible consciousness, knowledge, worship, and love of God. This is unconscious while we are in the physical world. Next, divine speech descends to the spiritual-rational level of one’s mind. This level is also unconscious while in the physical world. Finally, divine speech reaches the lowest level and meaning in the natural mind. At the level of the natural mind the meaning of divine speech is at the literal meaning used in religions. Divine speech is what conjoins us to God as close or as far as we choose.

 

My View of God and His Relationship to People

 

This does not really change my view of God, rather it just deepens my understanding. I was always taught that God controlled our thoughts and feelings, but now I understand exactly how. He does so by sending his thoughts and feelings to us through divine speech. The divine speech then descends down from the unconscious minds to it’s literal meaning in the natural mind. This is kind of comforting to know that God takes each and every relationship on a personal level. He personally effects the thoughts and feelings of every human being at every level of the mind, both conscious and unconscious.

 

Question 5: Where is heaven and hell? Describe its anatomy. Why do they both exist in everybody’s mind?  

 

Answer 5:

 

Heaven and Hells Location

 

Heaven is located in each human beings mental mind. There are various degrees of heaven in each person’s mind. People who dwell in the first heaven of their minds are skilled in sports, art, education, and so forth, in their afterlife. Those who dwelt in the second heaven of their mind are a degree higher then those in their first heaven and the same for those in the third heaven of their minds.

 

Hell is also located in the mind of human beings. Hell is a state of mind just like heaven that people choose freely to be in. One may not think that a person would choose to be in hell, but they do. An example of a person who is in their hell is one who chooses not to do good deeds and is selfish, vain etc.

 

In the afterlife people who were in the hells of their mind on Earth almost always choose to be in their hells immediately after resuscitation. In the afterlife they are under spells of delusions and illusions, they are miserable, vicious, and uncivilized. Those human beings who are in the hells of their mind are still conjoined with God. However, they have the furthest form of conjunction with God. Also, the good and truth they receive from Him are perverted into its evil and the truths are falsified.

 

Another interesting thing I learned is that people who are in the hells of their mind can freely move to a higher level and be in their heaven in the mind at anytime although they choose no to.

 

Reason for Existence in Everybody’s Mind 

 

The reason the hells and heavens must exist in the mind of everyone is because that is where eternity is. Their feelings and thoughts, whether it be heavenly or hellish all dwell in the mind. This is also where we are conjoined with God. Therefore, in order for heaven and hell to be in eternity they must exist in eternity as well. Since eternity resides in the mental mind that is also where one’s heavens and hells are too.  

 

Question 6: Describe the two methods God uses to conjoin or communicate with people. In what ways have you experienced these two avenues of relationship with God?

 

Answer 6:

 

Two Methods God Employs to Conjoin with People

 

The two methods that God employs to conjoin or communicate with people are through conscious and sacred scripture. First I will talk about how God conjoins and/or communicates with human beings through conscience.

 

Every human being is born with a conscience regardless of culture or education and it is an organ located within the cognitive and affective organs of the natural mind. This conscious organ is a rational voice or realization and insight. By using the “voice of conscious” to communicate with human beings God allows us to maintain our mental state of freedom of choice. We are still free to choose whether or not to listen or to ignore God (the voice of conscious).

 

The next method God uses to conjoin and communicate with human beings is through sacred scripture. Sacred scripture is unique because it requires rational thinking and understanding to find the true meaning of it. The benefits of sacred scripture come from understanding the rational meanings. Analogous to the conscious, sacred scripture is divine speech from God.

 

There are four stages that one can be in conjunction with God using sacred scripture and conscious. The first stage which is called stage 0 is conscious disjunction with God through the negative bias way of thinking. The next stage, stage1, is the thinking and understanding God and sacred scripture in the literal meaning; historical, cultural and religious content). Stage 2 is the next stage where conjunction is required through understanding sacred scripture in a more abstract and symbolic way, less literal. The final stage, stage 3, is the inmost conjunction with God. It is received by understanding sacred scripture spiritually, recognizing the spiritual-rational and celestial-rational correspondences hidden within the natural meanings.

 

My Experiences

 

I experience these two avenues almost everyday. At any given time I am faced with ethical and even legal choices. Let’s say for instance I see someone drop a $20 bill and they did not notice. Do I pick it up and give it back to them, or do I keep it for my self. My conscious would tell me that I was raised with good values and know the rightful thing would be to give it back (this is the way God is telling me to behave). On the other hand I have the freedom to choose to listen or to ignore this voice.

 

Another way I experienced these avenues is through sacred scripture. When I read the Old Testament etc. sometimes I do not understand how the stories told in that book relate to me when I am thinking literally (stage 1). However, when I apply the meanings of the stories I see how they could apply to everyone (stage 2).

 

Question 7: Explain why this is a perfect world despite the appearances of imperfection.

 

Answer 7:  

 

A Perfect World

 

God has created a perfect world regardless of what people think or say. The reason this is a perfect world is because it is accomplishing exactly what God had designed it to do. As stated in previous answers, the purpose of this world is to give every human being the opportunity to get rid of inherited traits, good and evil. One must choose to be in their heaven or hell it cannot be predetermined by our genetic makeup.

 

From that perspective it is easy to see how perfect this world is. We are able to choose to be good (live/think in our heavens) when faced with numerous temptations; equally we are just as free to give in to the temptations and live/think in our hells. Being presented with daily temptations is the only way to undergo true character reformation and thus free ourselves from our inherited traits.

 

Some may say that the world is opposite from perfect due to the global fighting, violence, etc. However, that is not the deciding factor of whether this is a perfect world or not, rather how well human beings are avoiding temptations and freely choosing to be conjoined with God at all levels.

 

Question 8: Why does spirituality, or relationship to God, have to be rational? What happens with “sensuous spirituality” ---discuss what happens in the afterlife.

 

Answer 8:

 

Reasons Spirituality or Relationship to God Must be Rational

 

Spirituality or our relationship to God must be rational because that is the only way divine speech can have deeper meanings rather than natural literal meanings. If God were to come to Earth and speak to us His divine speech would travel through all of our discrete degrees in our mental mind until it reached our natural mind. In our natural mind His words or messages is heard by us in our mental language. Therefore, what God tells us can only be understood by us in natural meanings, words, and concepts. This form of natural or literal meanings is the lowest form of meanings, and less important, then the meanings of His words in the rational levels of the mind.

 

It is even said by Dr. James in his example that people may be disappointed because it may sound like God would just be quoting sacred scripture over and over again, rather than sounding like He was talking to them. Those who are in the negative bias would only hear what they already believe, and those who are in the positive bias would also only hear what they have heard of over and over again from the writings of sacred scripture.

 

God’s messages have much more meaning and depth if it is understood or kept in our rational mind. In our rational or mental mind we can experience His messages in our third heaven in eternity. This is the highest or closest  meaning human beings can have with God. It is the celestial-rational mind. A lower level of understanding or relationship to God can be in the spiritual-rational mind. This is the second heaven in our mind. Finally the last rational level of spirituality we have is in our spiritual- rational mind. However, this rational level of understanding and relationship with God was not always this way. There was a race of people were able to communicate with God and people in the afterlife called the celestial race. This race of people were whole brained, namely they did not have a split brain (or two brain hemispheres) like the people in modern days do.

 

Differences Between People of the Celestial Race and Modern Human Beings

 

The people of this celestial race took part in sensuous spirituality rather than rational spirituality as we do. Their sensuous spirituality meant they, like Swedenborg, were dual citizens consciously. They were able to communicate with their family members from their heavens where they would receive directions and even punishments to keep them from their hells.

 

Possibly around 10,000 BC God switched evolution and created the split-brained race (us). With this split-brain we are able to choose right from wrong and we have the freedom to do this. The whole brain celestial race was not able to do this. They were completely innocent and ignorant from all evil. In conclusion, our relationship with God must remain rational so that it ensures we can maintain our freedom to accept or reject His divine speech and so that His words and messages have the ability to be “heard” in one of the degrees of our rational mind where their meaning will have more depth than its literal sense.

 

Question 9: Explain the formula “mental world= spiritual world= eternity” and write it down. Read it and edit it until it makes sense. Now try to explain the proof to a friend or two. How well did you succeed? What is your conclusion or future plan?

 

Answer 9:

 

How I Did at Explaining “Mental World=Spiritual World=Afterlife= Eternity”

 

When I first looked at this equation I thought I would have no problem trying to explain it. After all it makes complete sense to me, even with my religious background, as I have been reading the assigned sections. I think my down fall in explaining this was choosing my aunty who is a strong member in her church, takes her religion seriously, and is set in her ways.(I needed a challenge as all my friends my age have accepted almost all of what I have told them regarding theistic psychology since I started this course)

 

Explaining that the “spiritual world=afterlife=eternity” was the easy part. She agreed, as the equation agreed to what she learned and believed from her church, that one enters the spiritual world when they die (after life) and will remain there for eternity. The problem I had was convincing her that it is also the same thing as her mental mind.

 

 I first explained to her that her mental world is where her thoughts and feelings are and that everyone’s thoughts and feelings are in the same place as there is only one mental world for the entire human race. She debated back and forth with me on how here thoughts were in her head and not in a “world” with everyone else’s. Of course she started to see things from my perspective when I told her thoughts and feelings are not located in her brain because no portion or area in the brain, which has been heavily studied using high-tech technology, which holds thoughts and feelings as physical matter. Thoughts and feelings cannot be in the physical world because they do not consist of time and matter.

 

I explained a little more logic behind this from the readings and by the end of the discussion I was at least able to get her to agree that it may be possible for the mental world to be the same as “spiritual world=afterlife=eternity”

 

My Conclusion

 

I feel that my aunty, like most people with religious backgrounds, find it easy to accept the half of the equation (spiritual world=afterlife=eternity). However they do not feel it equates to the mental world because it is new and different to their previous teachings. Once you have explained sufficiently what the mental world is, then they find it a little easier to accept the possibility it may be true. I feel the biggest reason they are unable to fully accept it is simply because it is new to them.

 

Question1: Explain the Swedenborg reports in relation to the positive bias n science. What happened to him? Describe how you manage to take on the positive bias regarding

 the Swedenborg reports.

 

Answer 1:

 

Swedenborg Reports in Relation to the Positive Bias in Science

The relationship between the Swedenborg reports and the positive bias in science has to do with they way one reads and evaluated his reports. Being in the positive bias mode simply means that one can grant the possibility that Swedenborg’s observations might be accurate, valid and scientific. It is critical that one remains in the positive bias way of thinking so they are able to examine the objectivity and rationality of Swedenborg’s reports.

 

This concept was explained as comparing one’s studies of any scientific field. When reading that text book we must also be in the positive bias so we can at least accept the possibility that the writings of the examiner are honest and not fabricated. It is also stated that other scientist who have read the Swedenborg reports in the positive bias mode find that it is consistent to his prior reports and is coherent, rational to the highest degree, inspiring, and meets the standards of a scientific work.

 

Swedenborg’s Discoveries

 

Swedenborg discovered that at the age of 57 God choose him to be the scientist to be conscious in his spiritual world while still conscious in the physical world. God choose him so that he could write detailed observations and conduct experiments in the spiritual world or afterlife.

 

He was also able to discover the rational way in which God operates and controls the world and the humans in it. He was able to see the levels of heavens and hells and where they are located, how one can conjoin and disconjoin with God and their spouse. In short, Swedenborg was able to discover and document in scientific detail all that happens in eternity much deeper than any religion can tell you and all of it very rationally.

 

How I Take on the Positive Bias

 

When reading the interpretations by Dr. James of Swedenborg’s reports I find it easy, almost automatic, to be in the positive bias way of thinking. First of all I grew up being taught and believing that God exists and controls everything in this universe. So, approaching these readings with that background, opposed to being an atheist I think made it easier. Also, my nature is to give someone the benefit of the doubt until I can find some explanation or reasoning that has no possibility of making sense.

 

I think this state of mind makes it easy to see Swedenborg’s reports in the positive bias. Every statement or explanation he makes is backed by reasoning and logic that makes it difficult for me to conclude there is no absolute way it is false. For now I will continue reading in the positive bias way of thinking, and stay that way until I find evidence or unsound explanations that will cause me to completely reject what he says is true.

 

Question 2:  What is the purpose of scared scripture? How is it meant to be used?

 

Answer 2:

 

Purpose of Sacred Scripture

 

Sacred scripture is ant collection of writings In a natural language that is produced by God through the mind of a particular individual on Earth. It is the same thing as divine speech which is the spiritual substances of good and truth flowing out from the spiritual sun in infinite variety and creating the mental world of eternity, only the divine speech is transformed into a natural language written be an individual.

 

The purpose of sacred scripture is to give human beings rational knowledge about God and thus helping us to conjoin to Him. God uses sacred scripture for give human beings guidelines and definitions of what are heavenly and hellish traits so we can freely choose how far or close we want to conjoin with him.

 

How it is Meant to be Used

 

Sacred scripture has several distinct layers of meanings and definitions that God has given us. The first layer that sacred scripture has is the literal meaning. These sentences that make up the book of sacred scripture can be read and understood by anyone at this literal meaning. At the literal level sacred scripture has historical and religious content. At the literal level one is at the lowest stages of conjunction with God.

 

The next distinct layer that sacred scripture can help us to be closer in conjunction with God is when we understand it in a more abstract and symbolic way, less literal. Another way that sacred scripture can help us to conjoin with God is to understand the sacred scripture spiritually, recognizing the spiritual-rational and celestial-rational correspondences hidden with in the natural and literal writings. At this level of understanding one is the inmost form of conjunction with God. From this it is clear that God intends us to use sacred scripture to obtain conjunction with Him. The deeper the level of understanding one is able to extract from the writing of sacred scripture the closer they can be in conjunction with God.

 

Question 4: Give two illustrations not found in this section, so you will need to search for this in volume 18. Make sure you indicate  which section you took your two examples from. How do you react to being told that there is hidden scientific senses in sacred scripture, that is unsuspected to most scholars?

 

Answer 4:

 

Illustrations of Hidden Scientific Meanings in Sacred Scripture

 

The two illustrations that I have that show there is hidden meanings in sacred scripture are found in section 1.0.5.5.5. The first illustration is the when you see the “church” in sacred scripture in it is really talking about understanding the truth from sacred scripture. Another hidden message is when you see “rest on the seventh day” it really means that one should not be in temptations or conjunction with God the Divine human.

 

My Reaction

 

My reaction to being told that there is hidden meanings behind the writings of sacred scripture is that why I am able to find out this knowledge when there are scholars who have studied this subject for hundreds of years and have not found it.

 

I feel privileged to know this and feel that I should do what I can so that more people can also know the hidden meanings. I am already telling most of the people that I am close with and think I should encourage other people in this class to do the same. I feel that it is important to share the hidden meanings of sacred scripture with other people because it brings one closer conjoined with God as apposed to just the literal meanings they are fixated on.   

 

Question 5: What is rational spirituality in relation to God?

 

Answer 5:

 

Rational Spirituality in Relation to God

 

Rational spirituality is the spiritual discipline of getting closer to God through sacred scripture. This is done by extracting the rational doctrine of truth from sacred scripture using the method of correspondence that is reveled in sacred scripture and then applying this doctrine of truth to one’s daily thinking and doing. This is the highest form of spiritual disciplines. This helps us to understand God at the rational level which is a deeper level in comparison to the other natural ways of understanding.

 

Question 6: Explain why Substantive dualism is called Substantive

 

Answer 6:

 

Reason for Calling Dualism Substantive Dualism

 

Substantive dualism is called substantive due to the elements that makes one dual. This dualist approach in theistic psychology is based on the reports given by Swedenborg that shows that the mind is not made of the same substances of the physical world; rather it is made of the spiritual substances of good and truth that only exist in the spiritual world of eternity outside time and space. The dualist approach referrers to the existence of two interconnected worlds, through the law of correspondence, one in the physical world of time and space and the other in eternity outside time and space.

 

Swedenborg tells us that the universe is made of two types of “stuff”. From our science classes we know that the physical world is made of stuff called “matter”. Matter is physical, can be touched, seen, weighed, and exists in time and space. “Substance” is what things are made of in the mental world. Substance is spiritual (non-material) and does not have the property of mass, space, or time.

 

From prior readings we know that we are all dual citizens of this universe. The physical body is born in the physical world that is made of matter originating from the natural sun, at that same time the mental body is being created as well. Therefore, substantive dualism must be called substantive because it refers to the whole universe, one in the physical world of time and space made of matter and one in the mental world made of substance not of time and space.

 

Question 7: What is the most exciting piece of news you have heard so far in theistic psychology?

 

Answer 7:

My Most Exciting Piece of News

 

The most exciting piece of news that I have heard so far in theistic psychology would have to be the way that a man and women are married at two different stages in eternity. In theistic psychology we are told that there are two phases of the marriage union, the first is external and the second is internal union. The reciprocal mental bodies conjoin and one conjoint self of the married couple id the result. They are now one complete unit.

 

I think this is so interesting because it goes along with what I have been taught all along in my religion. In my religion everyone should strive to get married in the temple and have a temple marriage. A temple marriage is different because it is said to be for eternity and not just while we are here on earth. I never really was given much explanation about temple marriage other than when you find a partner you should make sure they are the person you want to be with for eternity.

 

All other religions have marriage vows that usually contain “until death do us part” But I was always taught this is not the case. It was exciting to learn that theistic psychology also agrees that a husband and wife must conjoin in eternity to form a complete unit.

 

More Exciting News

 

It was hard for me to choose a single topic I found to be most interesting because as a whole it was all interesting. I really like how it goes into detail and explains what I have always been taught and believed in from what my religion has told me. Going back to the married for eternity concept, my religion never went into detail to explain that man and women are reciprocals of each other. I was never taught how the affective organ of one individual covers the cognitive organ of the other etc. I was never given any details, just was taught to believe it without any explanation.

 

I found that theistic psychology is exciting because it does not contradict what I have learned in my religion, rather it compliments it and explains the teachings in detail and logically which only solidifies what I have believed in this whole time.

 

Question 8: List some objections you or your friends can come up with against the Swedenborg reports, against the positive bias in science, and similar issues. Be sure to comment on a) what the doubt is   b)  what your current position is on it.

 

Answer 8:

 

Objections to the Swedenborg Reports

 

This is the most difficult question I have had to answer so far. The reason is because I can not find anything in his reports I have objections with. Everything he has said goes along with what I have been taught and believe in. This makes understanding the Swedenborg reports easy for me. In fact, I find that it is easier to understand then sacred scripture. These reports are written so logically it is hard to find objections. Rather then finding objections to his writings there is one topic I think I need more explanation and clarification on

 

Topics I Need Clarified

 

In stead of listing some objections I will just talk about a topic I need clarification on. The issue is that our spiritual or mental body is not in existence until we are born. I was always taught that we exist in the spirit world where we stay until it is out time to get a physical body and come to Earth. I was taught that our families were already planned in heaven where we choose who are parents were going to be. Again in agreement with theistic psychology we need to come to Earth so we can have the opportunity to choose to accept God or reject Him. I find it hard to understand that if or mental body is eternal how can it be created when we are born; instead of already existing and only the physical body is created at conception.

 

For the time being my current position on this issue is going to remain at what I have been taught by my religion. I am sure there may be missing information from my religion and/or from theistic psychology that can better help me understand this issue. I am not saying that theistic psychology is wrong or that my religion is wrong, only that I need more information until I can make a decision on which stance I find more logical and rational.

 

Question 9: Make a dialogue between you and a hypothetical friend in a situation where you are telling your friend about this course.

 

Answer 9:

 

Dialogue

 

Me: Hey Sally, have you ever wondered why you believe all the theories you are taught you science classes in school yet go home and pray to God and go to church were you believe He created and manages the universe?

 

Sally: Yeah, I think about it some times why God is never included in the explanation of  how things are created or why they are a certain way.

 

Me: Well I am taking a class called theistic psychology and it is about a man named Swedenborg that was given the ability to be conscious in the afterlife of eternity and he documented all his discoveries in a scientific and logical way.

 

Sally: Really, what do you mean that he was conscious in the afterlife and documented what happened there.

 

Me: Well let me try to explain the underlying concepts and then if you want I will give you a web site where you could read to find more detail. The first concept I will talk about is that we are born as dual citizens in this universe. Dual citizen means that while we are born in the physical world with our physical bodies we are also in the mental world of eternity. The mental world is where out thoughts and feelings are. All things that happen in the physical world are there because it corresponds to something that is happening in the mental world.

 

The mental world has the spiritual sun at its core which can be thought of as the aura around God. The spiritual sun is the origin of the spiritual substances of Good and Truth which make up all things in the spiritual world. The spiritual world can be thought of as the cause and the physical world as the effect.

 

Sally: Wow, he documented all of this in his writings

 

Me: Yeah, and there is so much more like how heaven and hell are located in our mind and we are the one that choose to be in it. You really should go check out this website.

 

Sally: Thank you I am going to read more about this it sounds interesting.