READINGS

Lecture Notes on Theistic Psychology (Version 8 and beyond) by Dr. Leon James available at:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/mental-anatomy.htm

Note: Arabic numerals (Lectures 2-10) refer to Sections in Part 1 of the Lecture Notes, Roman numerals refer to Part 2 (Lectures 11-15).

STUDENTS

1. zz
2. Iseri, Charyse
3. Ku, Jarrett
4. Haire, Jeremy
5. Gomez, Brilliant
6. zz
7. Ono, Yuko
8. Watanabe, Yuriko
9. Clarke, Steven
10. Purington, Noah
11. O’Connell, Praew
12. zz
13. Washington, Angela

READINGS for Lecture 2: Sections 1, 2

(1) Explain the main differences between theistic psychology and non-theistic psychology. Include an explanation of the negative and positive bias in science. What is your reaction to hearing that science education in high school and college present the negative bias only. Discuss whether it might be better in the future for science teachers and textbooks to explicitly acknowledge that denying the existence of God and the afterlife is a negative bias in science, and that a positive bias in science is also possible.

Discuss this issue with your team members and with your friends or other students. What is the conclusion you reach from these discussions?

(2)  Explain what is the mental world of eternity. Why is this the same as the afterlife? How is it that human beings are actually immortal? Why is it important for us to know about eternity and the afterlife?

(3) What is Sacred Scripture? Why is it called Sacred? Explain the difference between theistic psychology and religion. Explain the distinction to friends. Can they understand the difference between the literal sense of Sacred Scripture and its hidden scientific correspondential sense?

(4) Briefly explain to the class the Chart of 12 layers in successive order. Explain what the chart is in simultaneous order. What are the four major divisions of three layers each?

EXERCISE 2 for Lecture 2

(a) Google the word God.
(b) Google the phrase "Sacred Scripture" (in quotes).
(c) Google the word afterlife.

(1) How many Web sites use this word or phrase? Inspect the first 100 results (or more) merely from the description and web address. Type out your reactions, thoughts, and predictions.

(2) Now click on about 20 (or more) results to see their content. Type out what you see and what your thoughts are about what you see.

(3) Discuss your notes with team members and make a connection between your comments and Section 1 of the Lecture Notes.

(4) Present the whole thing to class. From time to time ask the audience a question to keep their attention and involvement.

READINGS for Lecture 3: Sections  2.1,  2.2

(1) Explain once again to the class the Chart of 12 layers in successive order, this time in greater detail than last week's team presentation. Explain what the chart is in simultaneous order. What are the four major divisions of three layers each?

(2) Discuss what your reaction was when first reading the 12 layers. Describe how you are going about trying to memorize the chart.

(3) Describe the interrelationships between the 12 layers of mental anatomy in eternity. Discuss them in terms of the threefold self across the layers.

EXERCISE 3 for Lecture 3

(1) Study the layers on the chart. Be sure you can explain and justify what they are and what they represent. Get together with a couple of your friends. Explain to them that you have to do this for a course. Have a printed version of the Chart with you. Explain the layers to your friends. Notice their reactions so you can type some notes about it later.

(2) Try to teach the chart to them so they can learn to visualize it. When they are ready, use the layers to identify the mentality of other people in real life or in the media that you know in common. How do your friends react to this activity? Get together with your ream members. Compare experiences in steps 1 and 2. State your overall conclusions and make suggestions about how to improve this exercise.

(3) Construct a brief quiz for testing the students' knowledge or understanding of the layers. Give it to the class orally and ask for a show of hands for the answers.

READINGS for Lecture 4: Sections  2.3,  2.4

(1) Explain the issues involved in the question "Where is the mind?" What is the relationship between the mind-body issue in the physical body and in the spiritual body? Discuss the general correspondences between the three general systems of the body with the three general systems of the mind.

(2) For each layer, discuss the relationship between our mentality or particular mental states, and the body organs to which they correspond.

(3) Explain your reactions to the existence of mind-body correspondences.  Which aspects of this mind-body relation do you find difficult to understand or justify clearly? Discuss it with your team members. Summarize for the class how each of you interprets this phenomenon.

EXERCISE for Lecture 4

(1) In chart 2.4 look at each layer across the columns. Describe some of the functions of the body organs that match the mentality themes in the last column. Check this source to see how Swedenborg discussed the functions of the body organs and their relationship to the mental states in which were the people living in those organ locations in mental eternity -- www.theisticscience.org/books/worcester/

(2) Discuss with your team members how you react to these descriptions of people's mentality in eternity. Which aspects are difficult to understand and justify?

(3) Discuss these issues with your friends. What stands in the way of their understanding these spiritual things? Discuss why these mind-body relations are important for psychology to know about. Search the Web for mind-body discussions. How do they relate to chart 2.4? Present your conclusions to the class.

(4) Find out how students in the class stand on the mind-body issue. Ask them questions and a show of hands for answers.

READINGS for Lecture 5: Sections  3 and 4

(1) Explain the growth of the mind from infancy onward.

(2) Explain the two self-modification activities called reformation and regeneration. Specify the role of natural and spiritual temptations. Why is regeneration necessary? 

EXERCISE for Lecture 5

(1) Examine the generational student reports on theistic psychology accessible through the lecture notes at the end --  http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/#part2
Select the work of three students who discuss the topics in Sections 3 and 4 -- mental or spiritual development, or students who discuss reformation and regeneration. Summarize what each of the student is saying. Compare this to the content of Sections 3 and 4 in our Lecture Notes.

(2) Review the work of the three students over the course of the semester. What topics did they choose to write about? How do you react to what they wrote and accomplished? What ideas did you gain from their reports?

(3). Copy the Statements in Section 3.5 and paste them into a Word file. Now go through each place where layers are identified and insert two names for each. E.g., if it says "layer 7" you can insert "interior-natural mind or rational mind." Or if it says "layer 9A" you can insert "the affective organ of the corporeal or biological mind." Etc. After doing the inserting, read the whole thing. Observe what difference it makes to your understanding of the statements.

(4). Illustrate with hypothetical examples how the three layers of the natural mind are regenerated. Discuss what conflicts the husband experiences in the regeneration of each layer. Illustrate how a husband thinks about his wife when he is regenerated in layer 7 (but not yet in layers 8 and 9), then when he is regenerated in layers 7 and 8, but not yet in layer 9, and finally when he is regenerated in all three layers.

READINGS for Lecture 6: Sections 5 and 6

(1) Explain the distinction between heaven and hell in terms of our mental traits. Is there a clear cut distinction between good and evil? Where does this distinction come from? Give various illustrations from every day life. What is the role of love or motive and why is it all important? Explain the meaning of "for the sake of."

(2) Explain how we can be naturally sane but spiritually insane. 

(4) Explain the process of regeneration. In what sense is it a psychological process? Who is the Divine Psychologist? Where in our mind is God present? What is the role of Sacred Scripture in regeneration?

EXERCISE for Lecture 6

(1) Pretend that you are broadcasting a radio talk show. The topic is regeneration, heaven, and hell as discussed in Sections 5 and 6. One student is the host taking the calls. The second student is a guest who is a psychologist in the negative bias mode of thinking. The third student is a guest who is a psychologist in the positive bias mode of thinking. The host should briefly introduce and interview each guest. The host will then read the email questions and the guests will answer. You agree on the email questions in advance during the meetings.

(2) The host should also take questions from the studio audience and take questions from the students in class. The guests will then answer.

(3) Half way through the presentation there must be a switch in roles, the host and one guest switching roles. The other guest will switch from positive to negative or the other way round.

(4) The answers of the positive bias guest must come from the content of Sections 5 and 6.  The answers of the negative bias guest must call into question the content of Sections 5 and 6. You must find realistic or believable arguments to contradict the content of the Lecture Notes. The answers to questions should be relevant in terms of the content, either pro or con.

READINGS and EXERCISE 7  for Lecture 8: Section  7

This class will be a debate.

The first team listed will argue for the male dominance model.
The second team listed will argue for the equity model.
The third team listed will argue for the unity model.

Each team will come prepared to answer and discuss the following 5 questions. The answers must accurately reflect the content of Section 7. The answers should be cumulatively consistent. Discuss the answers with each other within your team. You can gain additional information on the three models by looking in the Lecture Notes for G27 Marriage Class.

We will start with Question 1. One student from each of the three teams will give an answer. Then we do the same with Question 2, and the rest of the questions. Students within teams should alternate giving answers. Each answer should be a two-minute presentation. You can consult your outline notes, but do not read prepared answers. Look around the room when presenting.

Questions:

(1) For a husband what is the best way of making a wife happy? Why do many men make their wife unhappy? How can they learn to keep their wife in the happy zone? How can a wife help her husband to accept the idea that he is responsible for her happiness in all situations.

(2) Do soul mates exist or is it merely a myth? What are soul mates? What do you have to know or believe before you can accept the idea of soul mates. How do soul mates learn to get along? How do they disagree and when? How do they appear to others like family and friends? How do they appear to each other?

(3) What are bad ways for a husband to act and think? Why are these ways called bad? What are the consequences of a husband's bad ways of acting, thinking, speaking? How does the wife feel when exposed to them?

(4) What is conjugial love (or marriage love)? Why is it called the highest possible love of all loves? What is the source of this love? What does it mean to say that it is the highest of all loves? How do people react when they are told this?

(5) Do you agree that the definition of a good husband is a man who brings home the paycheck and has no affairs. Such a husband, according to Dr. Laura, deserves the wife's respect, which she should express by welcoming him home from work with a clean house, dinner cooked, and wearing an attractive outfit that he enjoys. What do your friends say when hearing this?

After answering these questions, ask the audience of students to also ask you questions.

READINGS for Lecture 7: Sections  8 and 9

(1) Explain what is spiritual combat.

(2) Explain the Laws of Divine Providence and Permissions and their relation to human freedom.

(3) Discuss sexual behavior in terms of regeneration.

EXERCISE 8 for Lecture 7

Make up a skit that accurately reflects the content of Sections 8 and 9. One student will play the role of an angel, the second student will play the role of a devil, and the third student will be regenerating and facing spiritual combat. You need to do three skits, switching around for each skit, so that each student can play all three roles in turn.

The issue facing the combat will be:

(a) a natural temptation in layers 8 or 9
(b) a natural temptation in layer 7
(c) a spiritual temptation in layer 7

The student being tempted will speak the thoughts out loud, setting the stage for the temptation. The devil and angel will then give advice according to their perspective. The student being tempted will then respond and carry out a dialog with the angel and devil. In the end the student overcomes the temptation and succeeds. Be sure that the dialog is consistent with the level or layer being depicted, as explained in Sections 8 and 9.

READINGS for Lecture 9: Sections  10 and 11

(1) Discuss are ascending and descending procedures in mental development. Give illustrations across the layers. 

(2) Explain what is speech with the Divine Psychologist.

(3) Discuss the inheritance of traits.

(4) Describe the differences in mentality of layers 9, 8, 7.

EXERCISE 9 for Lecture 9

(1) Construct a monologue that you can read to the class. You can type it out and read it, or, you can just practice doing it spontaneously with just a few notes. The monologue should be three minutes during which you play the role of someone who is sitting quietly and thinking out loud. You heard someone say that swearing is bad, and you're reacting to it in your own mind. Is it bad? Why is it bad? Who says it's bad? What if you just think it, what's wrong with that? So and so swears so it must be OK. So and so says you go to hell if you swear using God's name. How do they know? Swearing is like letting out some steam so you don't explode. If children can't hear you what's wrong with swearing? Why should children be protected from swearing? Should swearing be censored in the media? I 've been swearing to myself since I was a child. It's not possible to stop. Etc. etc.

Each student will take turns reading or speaking a monologue on whether or not it's all right to swear out loud or to oneself under certain conditions. The first student listed will do a monologue from mentality layer 9. The second student listed will do a monologue from mentality layer 8.The third student listed will do a monologue from mentality layer 7.

(2) Construct an oral quiz to present to the audience. For example, read an item from the lists of mentality layers in Section 11 and ask which of the three layers that item belongs to. Some of your items should be from the lists given, others should be those that you add yourself. After each answer, explain to the audience why that item belongs to that layer.

READINGS for Lecture 10: Sections  12 and 13

(1) Explain the regeneration motive. Explain why every trait is either hellish or heavenly. Why are there no in-between traits? What are "transitional truths"?

(2) Explain the concept of as-of self. Why is it important for regeneration? Why do we need the Divine Psychologist operating in our mind? Does this mean that we are not free?

(3) Discuss these ideas with your friends. Which aspect of the concept do they have difficulty understanding? What is your conclusion after seeing these reactions?

EXERCISE 10 for Lecture 10

(1) Inspect the prior generation student reports at http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/#part2 and find three that discuss the as-of self. Summarize how they explain this idea.

(2)  Inspect the prior generation student reports at http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/#part2 and find three that discuss the Divine Psychologist. Summarize how they explain the process of talking to the Divine Psychologist.

This is the end of Part 1 of the Lecture Notes and the beginning of Part 2.

READINGS for Lecture 11: Sections I, II, and III 

(1) Explain the components of chart A. Then describe the parts that you are having difficulty understanding clearly or justifying rationally. Discuss the chart with friends. Which aspects turn out to be difficult for them to understand? How do you explain this difficulty?

(2) Explain how God's omnipresence is not in space but within it. Relate this idea of "within" to the simultaneous order of the 12 layers.

(3) Discuss how God's omnipotence can be rationally reconciled with individual human freedom.

EXERCISE 11 for Lecture 11

(1) Examine the view of your friends regarding God and report the results to class. Construct a questionnaire that contains some of the information presented in Sections I, II, and III, to help you keep track of the views your friends have. Find out what they think about the various issues discussed in Sections I, II, and III. Discuss the results with your team members and report the findings and conclusions to class.

(2) Read some of the items in your questionnaire to the class and ask for their answers by a show of hands.

(3) Watch this video on "Why do Atheists care about Religion?" Report to class what the content is and what you think motivates the views expressed. What are your conclusions?

READINGS for Lecture 12: Sections IV, V, VI 

(1) Explain the components of Chart B in Section IV.

(2) Explain the process of interacting with the Divine Psychologist as discussed in Section V.

(3) Explain the components of Chart C as discussed in Section VI.

EXERCISE 12 for Lecture 12

(1) Goggle the expression "Divine Psychologist" (in quotes). You will get about 50 to 60 results. Type out notes summarizing how this phrase is being used.

Now go to the end of the results and click on

(2) Now you are shown 200 more results. Summarize these additional pages. Focus especially on pages that relate to Section V that discusses the process of interacting with the Divine Psychologist. Type out notes.

Present your information to class. Use the interview format with one student introducing and asking questions, as in an interview, and the other two students giving answers from the information you gathered. Then take turns so that each student plays both roles.

READINGS for Lecture 13: Sections VII, VIII, IX 

(1) Explain the components of Chart D in Section VII. How do you react to these ideas about our ruling love? Discuss the economics of immortality with your friends. How do they react to the idea that they love both heavenly and hellish traits? Report your findings to the class.

(2) Explain what is Divine Speech and how it influences the mind of human beings, as discussed in Section VIII. Discuss the role of correspondences in Sacred Scripture in relation to the layers of the mind.

(3) Give examples of correspondences in Sacred Scripture as discussed in Section IX. How do correspondences relate to theistic psychology? How do correspondences influence the mental development of every person?

EXERCISE 13 for Lecture 13

Read this brief news article on the current politics of religion and atheism. Discuss the article in your team. What is it that the writer and the religious debates going on don't seem to talk about, and perhaps don't know about? Consider what is said about Sacred Scripture in Sections VII, VIII, IX. Consider how Sacred Scripture is the source of all knowledge in theistic psychology.

What would happen to these religious debates if and when theistic psychology becomes common knowledge and taught in schools? What would be the social and political forces opposing the teaching of theistic psychology? Can science overcome these forces? 

In addition to discussions with team members, also discuss this with your friends.

Give a presentation to class summarizing the information that accumulated from these discussions. State your conclusions.

READINGS for Lecture 14: Sections X, XI, XII 

(1) Describe the mental struggles involved in character regeneration, as discussed in Section X. How does the Divine Psychologist participate in this mental struggle? Describe the process of cooperating with the Divine Psychologist in our character self-modification efforts. How do you react to this idea of God managing the things going on in your mind? What are "naked spiritual truths" and what is their function or purpose? What is enlightenment?

(2) Contrast our thinking process about God in layers 9, 8, and 7, as explained in Section X. Why do we need God to be a scientific concept? Explain the reasons why God stay hidden in the background instead of coming out into the physical world for all to see?

(3) Explain what Section XI says about our inherited hellish traits. Do we get punished by God for these inherited traits? Is this fair? Who is responsible for our being in the hells of our mind? At which point does our responsibility for evil begin?

(4) Explain the differences between a theistic and a non-theistic psychology, as discussed in Section XII. Are thoughts and feelings located in the brain -- explain.

EXERCISE 14 for Lecture 14

The team will prepare a podcast on the various issues in Sections X, XI, and XII. There should be an introductory portion that gives a brief outline and orientation to listeners. All three team members should take turns doing a portion of this.

Then do a second portion in which one person interviews the other two -- make up suitable roles for them.

Then the final portion should be reading and answering email questions. Tell the student audience to also ask questions to be answered by the podcast panel.

READINGS for Lecture 15: Sections XIII and XIV 

(1) Explain this sentence in Section XIII: "Whatever occurs in sequential order is also in simultaneous order after the last chain in the sequence has occurred." Explain the sentence: "all natural events exist as effects of spiritual events (i.e., mental events in eternity)." What does it mean to say that our natural mind is in an "inverted order" and how can we remedy this problem? Explain how it is that hell "is a choice, not a punishment."

(2) Explain what is "The Grand Human and the Grand Monster" as described in Section XIV. Explain the formulaic expression "spiritual geography = mental anatomy."

EXERCISE 15 for Lecture 15

(1) Read the passages from the Writings of Swedenborg that are quoted at the end of Section XIV. Discuss it with your team members. Summarize what your reactions are to this information. Discuss it with your friends and summarize their reactions. 

(2) Google the name "Raymond Moody" (in quotes). Summarize what you find. Contrast this movement and its conception with theistic psychology. Are they both scientific? Read my comments in this Section on Near Death Experiences as background to this debate: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/v1ch4to5-nonduality.html#_Toc22537455

(3) Discuss NDEs with your friends. Summarize their view on it. What is your conclusion?

For what questions to prepare for each student, see Instructions For Weekly Readings and the Five Reports with Due Dates  at:
        www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy27/459-g27-weekly.htm

For how to prepare for your oral presentation, see 459 Instructions for Oral Presentations at:
        www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy27/459-g27-oral.htm

Prior Generation Student reports can be accessed from:
      www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic/#part2  

G27 Class Home Page:  www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy27/classhome-g27.htm