57 The importance of knowing evil It is difficult to fight an enemy that you see and know; how much more difficult would it be to fight an enemy that you neither see nor know? That is why it is necessary to explore such an enemy, so that you know how to deal with him in order to be victorious in the forthcoming battle. That is why it is of great importance for the eternal life of the spirit to know Heaven and Hell thoroughly. It is not the purpose of angelic spirits and of human beings to cleanse and care for Heaven, but only that which was, from time immemorial, unclean. That is why it is much more important to know the place of filth more thoroughly than the place of cleanliness. Only the place of filth must be cleansed; when it is clean, Heaven will make its appearance on its own. It would be absolutely foolish if you were to ask someone constantly to point out and praise only his good characteristics, and never to think about his bad characteristics, nor to exercise self‑criticism. Goodness does not require praise, because it stands out by itself. But it is absolutely necessary that every human being go after his evil thoughts and desires, and work to eliminate them.[1] It is much better if you say, “Lord, be lenient and merciful with me, a miserable sinner!” than to say, “Lord, I thank Thee that I am not like other people, such as the customs officials and all the other sinners!” Judge for yourself which is the more important of the two: to know the ground you walk on, or to know the firmament on which no one has yet hurt himself. The ground carries us; therefore you must know how firm it is, whether there be chasms, and how you may avoid them. Whosoever wants to avoid evil must know it first; otherwise, he remains an immature child. That is why it is very important to explore evil thoroughly, so that each may easily recognize it within himself. 58 Phantoms and possession Most of you have read about peculiar cases of possession, but you do not have the particular knowledge of how these possessions come about, whence and under what circumstances. For your information, here is a dramatic portrayal. Satan, who has a multitude of evil followers, has his cohorts come among human beings at certain times. They are given the task of leaving no stone unturned so as to entrap any soul for the court of the prince of all evil and lies. The evil ones thereupon proceed on their secret path upwards to the upper world. They mask their intentions as adroitly as possible, so that any good spirit which they might encounter will not become suspicious. Should such a good spirit ask for a reason, the evil ones will give a respectable answer and implore their mighty keeper to let them ascend, so that they may find the opportunity to remedy many of their past evils and better themselves. In the kingdom of good and evil spirits, nothing is more respected than free will, provided that the intentions of these spirits be not too evil. They will be allowed to ascend, of course, under constant secret observation. Since this permission is mostly abused, they cannot object when they return to more unpleasant conditions than those in which they were before. What do these evil ones do when they ascend to the upper world? Some of these spirits of human beings, which, during their earthly life, were very haughty and rich landowners, proceed to their castle, if it still exists. These they haunt, because they want to make people aware that there is a treasure hidden in the castle. When these people become aware of this, they implore the evil spirit to show them where and when to dig in order to find the treasure. Then the evil spirit shows them all kinds of signs, indicating where the treasure is supposedly buried. The people dig, but find nothing. They continue their search with the greatest of zeal. And that is when it happens that such a hellish spirit chooses a victim, and causes him to be possessed. And the easiest way whereby this can occur is when food and drink are taken in and it is forgotten to ask Me for My blessings. Once such a haunting spirit has achieved his purpose, then the haunting in the old castle is usually at an end. When a haunting spirit has entered a human being, he immediately explores that person’s heart. The spirit soon knows his weaknesses, and begins to breathe in his evil inclinations, wishes, and desires. When these are accepted by the heart with approval, the evil one remains quietly as an observer, to see how such a human being gradually, in accordance with these hellish inspirations, begins to act. When a human being has sufficiently fulfilled the will of the inherent evil spirit, then this spirit usually causes a deadly ailment in the flesh. Through this the evil spirit seeks to wrench the corrupted soul as quickly as possible from the physical body and deliver it as booty to his lord and master. However, the outcome is never in accordance with the plan of such a spirit. As soon as the soul leaves the flesh, be she good or evil, she will always be received by angels. The evil spirit will be severely disciplined and returned to his master, where he will receive another very severe punishment. And such a failure will not be sent up too soon again. The soul, with her inherent spirit, is placed by angels into such a state that she gradually recognizes how she conducted her earthly existence. If she is willing to convert, she will go higher and higher. Should she be obstinate, it will lead her more deeply downwards, and thence to severe punishment. Should this not cause her to return, she may freely, in accordance with her own will, proceed on a trial run into Hell. Should the soul like it there, she may then remain there in accordance with her inclinations. Should she not like it there, she may then return. That occurs very rarely, however, since Hell is filled with all kinds of promising enticements. There are countless deceptions for bringing a soul closer to the actual being of Satan, so that she may become a part entirely concurring with him. Of course, that will never happen, because every soul contains her own spirit, and she cannot detach herself from this spirit. This pure spirit is the opposite of Satan’s spirit. When such a soul wants to get closer to Satan, the spirit within her opposes her as a judge, imposes punishment, and torments the soul like an inner fire. Through this torment, the soul is removed as far from Satan as possible, so that she may better herself. If she continues to better herself, it becomes easier and easier for her, the closer she comes to the purity of her inherent spirit. Should this improvement continue, and if she attains the condition of her spirit, then the soul may reach bliss. Because this is the difference between bliss and damnation: in bliss the entire soul passes over into the spirit, and the spirit is then the actual being. In damnation, the soul wants to expel the spirit and take on another, namely Satan’s spirit. But since the spirit within her has the opposite polarity, he practices the counter force which repels her severely from Satan. The closer a soul comes to the being of Satan, the more severe is the effect of the spirit within her towards the spirit of Satan. This reaction is a very painful feeling for the soul. And that is where the suffering and pain in Hell come from. This reaction shows itself in appearance as an inextinguishable fire; that is the worm in the soul that never ever dies, and whose fire never becomes extinct. This is one and the same fire that causes the highest bliss in an angel and the greatest calamity in a devil. From this description, you may form the proper idea of the nature of Hell and of Satan’s practices. It is, of course, not the only method by which Satan attempts to capture souls for himself through his cohorts. Should these spirits be of a better kind, they will not be interfered with to take into their possession the flesh of innocent human beings, and even the physical bodies of children. But the souls of these human beings are carefully protected, and are guarded in the heart from insinuations. If an emigrant of Hell who is less wicked wants to do something good, then he may partake of the grace and mercy which such an innocent human being enjoys. Should such a spirit behave improperly and carry on all kinds of foul play in the body which he causes to be possessed, be will either soon be cast out or will be quieted in this body. At times, several spirits are permitted to take possession of one body. But they must promise beforehand that they seek only their salvation in this body, and their wish will be granted. Such spirits do not follow the advice of the angels; rather, they turn directly to the Lord. They insist stubbornly that only in this manner can they reach the Lord. Thus their wish is complied with, because the angels let those spirits with which they are entrusted learn through their own experiences. Upon the path of taking possession, the desired results are not achieved most of the time. That is why such permission is only granted once, and very seldom for a second time. Then another path is taken, namely the path of judgment, punishment, and pain. A proud soul can endure much; however, when it becomes too unbearable for her, she turns back for a while. The main evil of the soul consists of the reproaches which she makes against herself as soon as she feels better, which arise from Satan’s insinuations. They are not of repentance, but that she lets herself be intimidated and driven back by torment. If she had endured the pain, she would have become one with Satan’s might, and the magnificence of the Lord would have come to an end. Through these delusions the soul usually returns with even greater wickedness. In lower Hell, there really exist those that will not give up these delusions for a continuous, ever‑increasing torment and pain, and find, in a way, a triumph in this, when they resist the Lord even in the greatest of torment. Their obstinacy is so great that even the full force of the fire of wrath will not make them turn back. But in days to come, after their spirit has been taken away, they will have to tolerate, with their center, the voyage into eternal destruction. Do not be too dismayed about being possessed, because almost every human being has such guests in his body. Why and how, we shall learn to understand from the description which follows. 59 Carnal and sensual pleasures You know that certain human beings, male and female, are much afflicted with carnal desires, while there are others whose sensuous carnal nature is almost totally impassive. Such human beings do not react even if they are exposed to the most delightful flesh, whereas others would again enter into a frenzy at the sight of feminine charms. Yes, there are fools who, at the sight of a female, fall in love to such a degree that they completely lose their senses if they cannot have such a woman as their wife or, at least, for occasional sensuous pleasures. The reason for such carnal inclination, especially if it expresses itself severely, frequently lies in being possessed with one or even several lecherous carnal devils. How do these devils enter the flesh of such a person? Human beings themselves prepare opportunities without number or measure. Such carnal devils live especially in all “heating” (that is, alcoholic) beverages, in wine, in beer, and particularly in all distilled spirits. When people drink such alcoholic beverages and become severely inebriated, they have with certainty accommodated at least one or more carnal devils in their bodies. Once these carnal devils are in the flesh, they itch and torment the genitals in such a severe manner that human beings cannot but satisfy this enticement in sensuous pleasures. These carnal devils are nothing but impure souls of departed human beings who were very much addicted either to drinking or to carnal sensuousness. The reason for entering the flesh of a living human being is for the improvement of the‑ carnal devil, because the flesh was their element. They carry on in their new abode in a considerably worse manner than they did when they were in their own flesh. When these corrupt souls carry on too unrestrainedly and begin to ignite their impure desires more and more, they often cause many dangerous diseases. The guardian angel‑spirits allow this, so that the soul of ailing human beings may not totally perish in a furious rage of the flesh. Such so‑called hot beverages are the first means through which these carnal devils enter a person’s flesh. The second path is just as dangerous as the first, and it is attending a dance! You may safely assume that, at any such dances, there are at all times at least ten times as many invisible, flesh‑addicted impure souls present as there are guests. Under certain circumstances it is easy for them to enter the flesh, which here is severely stirred up and exceptionally susceptible to that type of filthy soul riff‑raff. This is also why people who have attended such a ball feel an actual aversion to anything higher or sublime. This may easily be observed, especially in cities. And as far as students are concerned, it often happens that those who were once diligent students do not think about books or learning after such a dance, but do think continuously about the white neck, bosom, arm, and so on of a female, and have the eyes of the object of their affection constantly on their minds. Their senses are occupied with nothing but the object at the dance, which gave them such great pleasure. This is why so many students give up their studies. Many, instead of studying the sciences, study only for their daily bread in order to become, as soon as possible, married with their lovely dance partners, such as they may be. And if such a couple actually marries, they are as incompatible as man and wife as the day is with the night. The initial time such a married couple spends together is spent strictly in sensuous pleasures. Therefore, in a very short time all the specifica are completely used up, which specifica should have been dedicated to the formation of power for procreation; and this is usually followed by fatigue of the flesh. In such cases, the carnal devils that inhabit such a human being seek a way out by suggesting, as would a family doctor, that such a soul look for other flesh. Thus the wife soon becomes disgusting to her husband, and vice versa. She gradually begins to look for young paramours; the husband, however, will usually go out at night to get Afresh air.” And such a relation continues until such a married couple become weary of each other; soon they divorce, or merely go their separate ways. Such occurrences – which are presently the order of the day – are the fruits of the ball or dances and such like, and the consequences of possession of the above‑mentioned evil patrons of the flesh. At first, this state of possession does not express itself with the same severity in everyone as it does in some, such as those who, through alcoholic drinks, have accommodated such unclean spirits within themselves. The spirits which come out of these hot drinks may be easily removed by means of a strong prayer for the soul by her spirit, whereupon a normal condition of the flesh is restored. The alien spirits which were attracted through the pleasures of dancing are not, however, so easily removed. It requires a considerable amount of fasting, prayer, and self‑denial, through which the soul unites more and more with her spirit. The spirit then reaches through the soul and throws the evil riff‑raff out of the house of the soul. What would such a couple generally do while at a dance? Besides dancing, they would usually eat and drink throughout the dance, and afterwards they may eat even more than normal, because they want to “replenish their energy,” which is the same as a guarantee to the carnal devils of a lifelong pension and lodging in their souls and blood. The physical body of many male and female dancers, when they have accommodated too many such guests, will in a very short time cease to exist, because these malicious carnal imps, who are no longer able to find any more room in the kidneys and parts of the genitals, prepare their dwellings also in the spleen, liver, and lungs. Wherever such an emigrant from Hell makes his home, he kills the flesh wherein he dwells. The consequences of this are hardening of the spleen and liver, consumption of the lungs, and emaciation. When two or more enter the lungs, they then cause galloping consumption. The Lord says: “I tell you that you may be assured that most human ailments originate from their hellish inhabitants, for which they themselves have paved the way into their own flesh; many already begin the school of Hell in their youth, and these are the true children of the world. These human beings do not sense that they are accommodating foreign guests of the dirtiest kind. These spirits not only seek to place the mood and flesh of the landlord in a sensuous mode, but also work in this manner upon the soul to the extent that she begins to find pleasure in all kinds of worldly things.” These worldly things, especially for females, are “fashion”! The charming flesh must be covered in accordance with the prevailing fashion, the hair must be curled, and the skin must be embrocated with well‑scented potions. For men, there must be the ever‑present hellish tobacco, and many young dandies, if they have a little money, will frequently smoke as much in one day as ten poor people spend to buy enough bread to feed themselves. You should also know what the spiritual significance of this fashionable smoking is. These evil inhabitants make every effort to familiarize the soul, while living a physical life, with the hellish vapors and stink of tobacco. Therefore, after the soul leaves the body, she does not become aware of her stinking company immediately, nor does she sense early enough that this fine company, completely unnoticed, is leading her into the third Hell. It has already been said that each soul, after the death of the physical body, comes first into the company of angels, whereat their evil company must yield in the twinkling of an eye. It happens in this instance as well. But such a soul does not remain permanently in the company of the angels, but instead is placed in a position whereby she may restore herself completely. In other words, she is brought to a place where, through free activity, she may regain the necessary specifica for her restoration that she squandered on this world. Here the aforementioned evil carnal company can approach such a soul unnoticed, although these hellish beings stink pestilential to a soul that is pure to a certain degree, and such a soul easily notices their presence. But a soul whose sense of smell has been so dulled no longer notices the approach of evil company. And we certainly cannot mention the sense of sight, since the soul does not have sufficient light yet, as the viewing of the soul comes only from the inside. Therefore she can only see that which is within her, but not that which is outside of her. Such spirits are outside of such a soul, and that is why she does not notice them. However, through the sense of smell she can perceive their presence and determine exactly where they are. Once she has accomplished this she can withdraw into her spirit, and soon she will be able to see where her enemies are located and what their intentions are. Once these hellish spirits notice that they have been detected, they flee immediately. A hellish spirit can endure everything, but not the brilliant eye of a pure soul, and much less that of an angel. And in order to protect themselves from My eyes, they erect mountains as cover. You may easily conclude from this why I often rallied against this highly detestable smoking of tobacco. You have likewise been given to understand how the excessive carnal desire in a human being comes into existence, whither that leads, and how human beings can protect themselves. 60 The devil of play and the rearing of children Other kinds of human beings have, from early youth on, a particular inclination towards all kinds of games. They are unable to spend their time on anything else but dallying and playing. This inclination is awakened by shortsighted parents who ceaselessly provide little children with all kinds of toys, with the intent of guiding them towards activity. Verily, this is just another way by which evil souls of departed human beings gain entrance into the flesh of such children. These children are constantly driven by the spirits that dwell within them to possess more and more toys. Some children have so many toys that it represents a considerable amount of money for their parents. The children become so occupied with these games that they no longer take interest in anything else. This Devil of Play that takes root in early childhood unites within himself a constant addiction for play and entertainment, later on for material greed, and finally, in addition to this, a disguised lust for power. This devil is the most difficult to cast out of a person. If children must have pastimes, would it not be better if they were given such things for toys that, in one respect or another, relate to My childhood on Earth? (Reference The Childhood of Jesus, by Jakob Lorber. ‑ ED.). Thus good inclinations would be implanted in the children. And they would, as they grow older, enthusiastically inquire in detail regarding the significance of their toys. Under such circumstances, a spiritual teacher would certainly have a more pleasant task in setting up a new vineyard, would soon harvest remarkable fruit as well. But in the instance here, the opposite course has been taken: instead of Heaven, the child is being prepared, at a very tender age, for Hell, which will triumph in the end. Such human beings consider themselves to be good, righteous, impartial, and, in accordance with their worldly bent of mind, completely virtuous; that is why they think that as far as they are concerned, no improvement is necessary. But it will take much time and effort in the spirit world to complete the task of setting these human beings on the path of perfection. Because for them I do not exist at all, or I am nothing more than a wretched moralizer of olden times, whose morality has no value now, since a much better one has been nowadays invented. In the spirit world, circumstances are, of course, quite different; as the saying goes, “There blows a different wind.” It is, however, a Wind of Grace, but for those people it smells worse than the plague. That is why they avoid those places where they could meet such a Wind of Grace[2]. But I tell you, in days to come many of this class of human beings will enter into the final filth of matter. (Where Lucifer’s spirit is being held captive. ‑ ED.). 61 The nature and consequences of anger We shall, further, unveil another very dangerous kind of possession. It consists of being possessed in the earthly flesh by the Devil of Anger. This is the most dangerous of possessions, because the Devil of Anger not only possesses the body of such a person, but also a multitude of evil ministering spirits come with him. Anger is the most glaring contrast to love, and it forms the essential main ingredient of Satan. Anger cannot exist without nourishment; therefore it is constantly surrounded by countless nourishing spirits, on which the Devil of Anger sucks and which he consumes. Since love cannot exist without nourishment, which is to be loved in return, so anger cannot exist without anger in return. Let us see what kind of riff‑raff surrounds anger for its succor. Hate is the main provider for anger, followed by haughtiness. Out of this comes forth selfishness, envy, greed, adultery, fornication, and contempt of everything divine, the greatest of disdain for other people, murder and bloodshed, lust for power – and, in the end, a complete lack of conscience. These are the assistants of the Devil of Anger, each of whom has a considerable multitude of evil subordinate spirits, which are easily recognizable in the most manifold passions of a human being possessed by anger. This evil spirit is just as difficult to cast out of a person’s flesh as it is to extinguish a fire that has seized every part of a large house. In this instance, there is no other remedy but to let it burn down to the last beam, and then examine the cooled ashes to ascertain whether there is anything left that the fire has not consumed. Since this Devil of Anger is very wicked, we must gain the understanding as to how this ejection from Hell enters into the flesh of a human being. This spirit does not enter with time into a person’s flesh, but is placed in it during the act of procreation as a seed of Hell. And since it determines the progress of the flesh, it must be there. The seed itself does not reach a level of independence unless the newly born human being obtains the opportunity to develop it. Not until such a person is subjected to the wrong upbringing will this evil substance gather in the liver. Once this substance is present in the fullest measure, it awakens the independence of the Devil of Anger. Soon he takes the whole soul captive and draws her into his sphere, through which a human being becomes a real devil in a very short time. For many, it is not necessary that this carnal devil fully attain his own independence and that the evil evaporation of specifica spread through the whole body; it begins in the blood, which flares up easily when it approaches satiation with this specificum. Through the blood it enters into the nerves, through these into the nerve spirit, and through the nerve spirit into the soul. When the nerve spirit has penetrated the soul, then that person is already half a devil, and it is not advisable to associate with such a human. Such people are easily recognizable, because they flare up severely over any minor thing that touches them in the very least, and they are immediately ready to curse and fight. They may be compared to a red‑hot iron, that by itself seems to be perfectly quiet. But throw the lightest of sawdust upon the iron, and immediately smoke and flames emerge. For children that are so inclined, all of this may be avoided through a proper upbringing. The greatest evil in bringing up children is pampering. The child realizes soon how he can be naughty without being punished. Then he will attempt and dare constantly to become more and more disobedient. If the parents then punish such a child very little or not at all, the child has already reached a certain solidity in anger. Soon he becomes impetuous and demanding, and literally commands that he be given what he asks for. If the fulfillment of his desires is denied, he becomes infuriated, impudent, and presumptuous. Should the parents be intimidated by that, and give in to the impetuous demands of the child, then the child has already reached the first degree of devilish independence. Thereupon the adolescent child begins to pose as a brutal lawgiver to his parents. At this point it would not be very beneficial if the parents did not yield to the desires of their ill‑bred child. When such a child gets older, taller, and stronger, the life of many such parents would not be safe if ailments did not restrain the carnal devil of such children. Only ailments cast out this carnal devil to a certain degree, especially during the time when he has taken control of the blood. Scarlet fever, heat rash (miliaria rubra), skin rashes, smallpox, and other ailments are the means of elimination of this destroyer of human nature. Only these ailments cast this evil specificum out of the blood. I come to the assistance of these angry children by allowing ailments to manifest. But once an ailment is over, it is spiritually and physically beneficial for the parents and the child to assume a sense of reasonableness and to rear the child in accordance with My order. But if they pamper the child even more after the ailment, the circumstances that follow are usually much worse than before. Because when this carnal devil that is in the child notices that the path through the blood has not been successful, he then attacks the nerves. Once he has seized these, the child becomes extremely sensitive, which the parents usually consider to be an ailing condition. Because of this, they give the child everything he desires, in order not to irritate him because of supposedly weak nerves. At this point, I have to intervene again and afflict the flesh of I he child with dysentery and a severe cough in order to drain off this specificum from the nerves. This helps the body of such a child for a while. It is almost better if such a corrupted body be taken earlier from the soul of such a child, even before the carnal devil seizes his soul. Parents who have very few children usually pamper them too much, and that is why I take their children from them. Since I pursue a higher purpose with human children than their being merely vain toys for immature parents, I have no alternative but to take the children away from such parents and hand them over to My angels for their further education. I usually choose those children that are pampered by their parents. The excessive love of parents is usually the cause of their death. If I let them live in accordance with their body, their soul would sooner or later become the property of Hell. That is why the death of the body is better, so that the soul remains preserved for Heaven. That is why no one should be surprised that so many children die in their youth, and often even in the cradle, because I know best why I take them so early from this world. It is better that they become weak spirits of Heaven than strong spirits of Hell on Earth. But occasionally, because of the world, it must happen that these spirits of anger grow up. When the parents sufficiently and vigorously oppose in time the obstinacy of such children, these children can become useful and diligent human beings in one or another field of endeavor. When, however, their anger is challenged, they may easily become brawlers, rebels, and frequently tormentors of mankind. That is why, when they discover anger, vanity, self‑conceit, selfishness, and unruliness in their children, it should be close to the heart of the parents to oppose these passions with all their power. It might well be that these children might become very diligent and useful human beings, because by a resolute and firm upbringing of the child the evil anger fire specificum (anger belongs to the element of fire. ‑ ED.) can be changed into beneficial energy through a psycho‑chemical process. 62 Fighting anger Since the Devil of Anger is such a dangerous being when it is in possession of human flesh, it often becomes necessary to kill the physical bodies of whole generations through plagues and other devastating ailments, before this devil has the opportunity to draw the souls completely into his being. Above all, it is of great importance for every person who has to develop his own soul, as well as those of his children, that the proper diet be followed, through which not only the soul may be saved but also the physical body of a human being, to enable him to reach a very old age. This, of course, cannot happen when few know this diet and fewer still comply with it. How should a person be taught from birth, and how should he be educated so that, when he reaches maturity, he is capable of observing this spiritual and physical order of diet? Only thus will he be able to reach a quiet old age, so that by attaining this old age he will forever secure a true and firm continued existence for his soul. When it is obvious in the cradle that a child is of a very sensitive nature and may be easily irritated by all manner of influences, such a child should be nourished only with such foods as do not heat the blood, but gently cool it. When a mother breast‑feeds her child, she should refrain from all alcoholic drinks and safeguard herself from all irritating emotions, because she will thus place specifica in her breast which are nourishment for the Spirit of Fire. She should refrain from such foods and drinks that require too much bile for their digestion. Legumes, especially beans, cannot be recommended at all to such a mother. However, moderate amounts of meat broth, roasted flesh of clean animals, gruel from wheat, rye, and white corn, and barley and rice cooked in water are beneficial, provided they be not cooked in whole milk. When a mother does not breast‑feed her child, but when, instead, a wet nurse feeds the child – which is not a very good thing to do – it should first be ascertained what kind of person she is, and if she be a good and gentle soul, then secondly she must keep the same diet, and have control over her emotions, and must observe what has been specified for the mother as well. If the mother or wet nurse breast‑feeds, the child should be weaned from the breast once the first teeth begin to show. With the teeth, the memory begins to develop. Wheat‑pollard cooked and mixed with pure honey would be the best nourishment for a child who is inclined to be very temperamental. Water of barley sweetened with honey is also very good. Good, but even better yet, are cooked figs and cooked St. John’s bread, that is, carob. For certain older children, a light lentil stew would be good. Milk from animals is not at all to be recommended at first, because at times the animals are not healthy, and often, during the winter, they do not produce healthy milk. Some animals are also hot‑tempered, and their milk would disagree greatly with a temperamental child. Not until children are one or two years old may they be nourished with milk which is diluted with water. On the other hand, it will never harm a child to eat cooked fruit sauce from time to time. Apples and pears especially are very wholesome for the cleansing and toning down of the blood. Such children should not be given any meat until they have their second set of teeth. Should these children eat meat before this, their blood will become too excited, their flesh too fat, and their glands will be clogged with phlegm, and thereby many ailments will develop. When children of a very excitable nature, or who are highstrung, begin to walk and talk, they should be occupied with all kinds of soothing, beneficially uplifting children’s games for their minds. And attention should constantly be paid to the fact that the temperature of these children should not be raised, either by movement, and much less even by the emotions; everything that might cause any anger must be removed. If you notice, however, that one or another child, despite all caution, succumbs to fits of temper, the proper punishment should never be missed. But it should not be done by spanking the child immediately. It would be much more effective and advantageous to withdraw, within reason, his nourishment, because nothing heals anger faster than hunger, since hungry people do not have their minds on a revolution. On the contrary, when they are satisfied they cannot be trusted at all. It is very good for children, if they have to be punished for these reasons, to be made to understand that the Heavenly Father did not send them any bread because they were naughty. As soon as they are good and ask the Heavenly Father for bread, He will then allow the parents to give them something at once. Children are thus made aware of God, and it will be deeply impressed upon their young souls continually that they are dependent upon God in all things, and that He is the most reliable retaliator for everything, be it good or bad. When these children become truly quiet and well‑mannered, then one must not overlook showing them, in an understandable manner, how they give the Heavenly Father great joy day in and day out, and that He calls them morning, midday, and evening, “Let these dear children come unto Me!” When children are guided in such a manner, there will be few objections later on; if they are not guided, it will be somewhat more difficult to get them onto the proper path, and the old proverb fulfills itself: that an old tree cannot be bent, except at times by lightning and storm, when such a tree frequently suffers harm. When such children are fully grown and have developed total self‑knowledge, but occasionally show noticeable signs of exaggerated irritability, it should then be recommended to them that they live moderately in everything, go to bed early and rise early, and abstain for longer periods of time from alcoholic drinks and the meat of unclean animals. And they should not visit places of excitement for the wicked enjoyment of the audience, especially places where there are dancing and games. Such places have to be avoided by these hot‑heads for long periods of time; some even have to avoid these places forever. It is also very good for these individuals of both sexes to marry early, because the libido of a hot‑head is considerably stronger than that of a gentle human being. Most importantly, these people should, besides natural health care, pray often and read spiritual books, or have them read to them should they not be able to read. That will strengthen their souls and loosen the shackles of their spirits. The spirit will become completely free when he reaches for My love. Since such human beings are subjected to much greater temptation than others, they are therefore also much closer to My grace. They are those human beings out of whom something great can come when they are on the right path, because they have the proper courage within themselves. Out of these human beings come, spiritually speaking, ships built of oak, and palaces made of marble in My kingdom. Out of sponges and reeds, nothing better will come of them than what they contain. 63 Addiction to rank amongst arrogant humans Anger is just as evil and harmful as addiction to rank, which is often the reason for anger. A humble human being cannot be irritated easily, whilst a haughty person becomes angry immediately. This addiction is the actual main devil amongst human beings, and is very closely connected with Satan. Children will not be seized by this evil spirit until they have attained some level of self‑recognition. At an early age, when children can hardly speak, tendencies in this regard may already be detected. When you observe several children at play, you will notice that one child will attempt to control the others. Even a child that can hardly speak finds it pleasing when others pay homage to him. This urge is especially strong among those of the female gender. They begin to beautify themselves at an early age, and whoever wishes to ingratiate himself with such a girl need but praise her beauty often. Should you find another girl, however, to be more beautiful, the first will shed secret tears, at the very least. In boys, strength is of greater importance than beauty. Each of them wants to be the strongest, and conquer his friend. A boy will furnish proof of his strength by every means at his disposal, so as to be acknowledged by his peers as the strongest and most feared. You already notice the presence of the evil satanic demon in such children. That this demon should immediately be dealt with should be a natural conclusion – even when no one has a higher and deeper understanding of these tendencies of the soul – because addiction to rank can soon lead to the grossest of vices. A girl who has a craving for admiration becomes coquettish very early, and in this condition she is right where Satan wants her to be. And in the instance of the boy, he will soon turn out to be a quarrelsome ruffian, with nothing more sacred to him than himself. These people soon become calumniators and judges over God and all things. They know everything better, and their verdict is the only right one, because they are the ones that made the verdict. What will become of them in the future? When their foolishness is clearly shown to them they explode, and when they are no longer capable of employing verbal persuasion they use physical force. Where a horse bucks, Socrates and Cicero yield. If everyone wants to be superior, then addiction to rank and anger strut along together. Their servants are insidiousness and pretense. This devil of addiction to rank in human flesh is the source of all evil in mankind, and fully equal to the lowest and deepest hell, because in him all evil is united. Would there ever have been a war if this demon had not corrupted humanity? Humanity has deposed God, and today place this demon of arrogance on the throne, just as they did in former days. That is why mankind deserves to be tyrannized from above as well as from below, because it finds the greatest pleasure in raising its own children as tyrants. That is why you should raise your children in humility, so that they themselves prefer to be the last rather than the first. Then the tyrants would soon have no alternative but to give up, because they would have no help or assistants. I gladly permit the power of authority to grow, so that the fools below are given something which humbles them and which shows them how they should be and not how they are. And that is why those rulers are empowered by Me – those who oppress mankind as much as possible. And they do right, because men deserve nothing better so long as they insist on domineering themselves. That is why proper humility should be the firm foothold of your existence. Then the evil demon of rank will leave you and all tyranny will come to an end. Behold, that is the path to bliss, here and in the beyond. You have to build a house from the ground up. Whoever wants to better mankind must first better himself and live properly, then all others will follow. As long as My teachings are not obeyed completely and in everything, it will not get better here, whether for individuals in the beyond or in general. But whoever obeys My teachings in their entirety will be well here as well as in the beyond. A humble soul soon finds her way in all situations. And since such a soul is the closest to Me, she is at all times assured of the safest and best help. 64 & 65 All kinds of human laments Human beings have many complaints. Some complain about bad times and how everything thereby becomes more expensive and more difficult. Others are furious about the government, believing that everything is its fault. Another again blames everything on the clergy, and some blame it on all the luxury. In brief, everyone is blaming the cause of all the world’s current woes on someone or something else. But none of these complainers ask themselves whether they have somehow contributed to this change for the worse in circumstances, while perhaps they themselves have made such contribution and perhaps still do. I hear a father complain about the luxuries of these times just after he has bought his daughters expensive dresses. What would you say to such a person when he accuses luxury? Nothing other than that if luxury displeases you, why do you then let your pride urge you to buy such expensive dresses for your daughters? Instead of complaining, begin to dress your children simply. Perhaps you will find other people who will follow your example, and they in turn will find others. Then, little by little, these luxury items will disappear, because there will be no one to buy them. Can he who does not improve himself demand that other people improve? Many merchants complain immensely about taxes, but they do not realize that they are the inventors of this governmental plague, since they frequently charge their customers a tax ten times higher in their profits. When a human being ruthlessly exploits his fellow man, how can he then demand from the government what he himself altogether lacks? I have the following comment to make: human beings always arrange things in such a manner as to please themselves, and I arrange the government in accordance with their model. By whatever gives them the greatest pleasure, so I set up the government. Who takes a greater tax from his brothers than a profiteer? From this you may learn that human beings are at all times among themselves the cause of their own troubles. That is why these woes will remain until those who cause them change. The house owners of the cities complain severely about property taxes. When a tenant is late with his rent, they will quickly bring legal action against him, followed by seizure of his belongings and eventual eviction. That is why property taxes increase; and this will continue as long as necessary, until the hearts of the property owners become softer and they give a room in their house free of charge to the poor. All these types of punishments are necessary, and they will become increasingly tougher. I say: whosoever is not satisfied with the quiet, fruitful soil of the Earth should go to sea and learn the difference between peace and tranquility, and motion and storm. Should storms at sea not swallow him whole, and should he love the sea, then he may return to it. Yet the solid earth remains still, just as, in spite of learned innovations, the ancient words of God continue to exist, and My mercy is there just as well for everyone that seeks it. As for those who do not care for My mercy but are interested only in innovations, purely because of an interest in rank and property, they may go to the Devil with it. Such a person may rest assured that no one in My heavens will shed a tear for him. As far as the grumbling about clericalism is concerned, such lamentations do not reach My ear. I have arranged things in such a way that anyone has access to My word if he but wants it. This shows you that nothing is of value to Me except a pure, loving heart, and proper belief in Me. He who is not satisfied with that, and to whom the word of the preacher is more sacred than that which I Myself have spoken, may remain in his blindness. And he to whom an expensively constructed house of prayer is holier and more exalted than a pure heart, which is a temple of the Holy Ghost, should go there. How could all the cathedrals in the world enhance My honor? I never looked for My honor on Earth, but only for belief and love. Any other vain salute such as makes an idol out of Me, the only eternal, true, living God, is an atrocity to Me, because I want to be worshiped in the spirit and in the truth dwelling in the living heart of human beings. When people recognize Me as their God and Father, and love Me as such above all, and keep the commandments of love towards their brothers, that is true worship. A cathedral cannot contribute towards the greater glorification of My name because it does not show what I am, but only that which vain and arrogant human beings are capable of. But he who would admire My strength and greatness should go into Nature and look up at the sun, the moon, and the stars. There you will certainly find enough through which you can recognize God’s omnipotence. Instead of statues and paintings in cathedrals, you will find real, live human beings, and other creatures. And instead of all the ornaments in these cathedrals, magnificent forests and meadows that give evidence of the might, greatness, and wisdom of their eternal Creator may be seen. Such observations can raise the human heart to the greater glory of God. Although wisdom be victorious over stupidity, do not believe that fools will cease to exist; their kind will remain as long as Hell exists. The question is often raised as to why I allow so many atrocities, and why I do not destroy this old idolatry with lightning and fire from Heaven. Since I did so in ancient times, why not now? Let us grow the wheat with the tares, and the time of harvest and winnowing will come. He who knows eternity is never pressed for time. He who would remain stupid may do so, but he who would become wise knows where to knock. 66 Ceremonial ecclesiasticism Where is the benefit in all the churches that are filled with idolatry, and that indicate the observance of all the different kinds of foolish self‑renunciation? The most sensible thing to do would be to let the stream take its course. When it reaches the ocean it must give itself up. And it would be just as foolish to swim upwards against this stream, because the more vigorously you resist the waves, the stronger will they strike your brow. The best solution is to let the stream flow, as and whither it flows – but distance yourself in your heart from it as far as you can, and seek the secure path to pure truth. As an individual, it would be folly to oppose something that has established itself more and more as a certain norm over the centuries. It would be like a war between one soldier against a thousand: what could one man do against so many? The same applies to anyone who would oppose a common order that has been in existence for a long time. Even if his opinions were absolutely correct, what could he do if the great majority are blind and deaf? I never look at the exterior of a human being, but at all times only at the interior. Therefore, any honest Christian may cheerfully attend a divine service in a house of prayer; if he be with Me in his heart, no harm will come to him. But he who is annoyed by this divine service should remain outside, because no one is forced to attend. And even if one were to be so forced, it would not be harmful, because it is nonetheless better to perform a certain devotion in a house of prayer than to go hunting or gambling on holy days, or to conduct usurious business, or to scheme intrigues, or such like. Should you not like the sermon, then observe the verses of the Gospel that have been read. You will gain enough to enable you to reach eternal life, if only you follow the few verses properly. Therefore you lose nothing when you enter a house of prayer, where you may still find something that reminds you of Me. But he that renounces himself out of mere hate towards such idolatry does not gain anything better, but usually something worse. This leads Me to the question: Of what benefit will it be to you? In My lifetime on Earth, the temple at Jerusalem was solely a temple of idolatry. It was by no means a house of God. Yet I, as Jehovah, prohibited no one from visiting the temple or making his offering. I Myself frequently preached in the temple, and there forgave the adulteress her sins. My students were never prohibited from visiting the temple. Why should anyone here be annoyed at going into a house of prayer? If one enters a house of prayer truly in My name, then I will be with him. And as long as I remain there, he should be able to remain there. And besides that, no one should summon lightning and brimstone from Heaven until I hurl it. I know best when it will be needed. As long as it please the majority of human beings to support this ecclesiasticism under all kinds of circumstances, that is how long it will last. He who finds these pompous ceremonies pleasing may continue to remain with them, and he will also continue to be a fool. Whosoever seeks Me sincerely will also find Me. I will accept him, and I will prefer him to a whole world of fools. The reason I do not do much about these things is because of the general circumstances, and why I allow them to occur is a sign for you that these things are of very little importance to Me. Since there are, however, some individuals who love Me above all, such human beings mean more to Me than the whole world. I will let such individuals revel in all the fullness of My grace, and I will offer the dregs to the world in her folly. One human being means much more to Me than a whole world full of fools. How often has the grass been mowed on some meadows? How is that possible? Because the grass grows again. This also applies to humans on Earth who are fools and want to remain fools.
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