Happy Happy show!! Thank you! I too see Divine Providence when turning to my past. I never ever thought the 2nd promise would apply to me - that "We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it." (AA 12 steps). But I remember the moment when I realized this had become true for me. And just recently I was given the idea to think about that heaven is truly as near as our thoughts, our breath, and the beating of our heart - or put another way - an attitude of gratitude. The heavenly state is not a distant place in "the heavens". I marvel at how true this now appears to me. I also think that fear, worry, doubt, and other negative emotions like anxiety about the outcome of a situation, are really turning our backs on the Lord, and not trusting in His Divine Providence. On Friday I was driving to meet my brothers for lunch. The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous day. I found myself just smiling away and feeling the happiest I have ever felt in my life. And yet I feel that same way so often - that I could not be happier - and then I seem to feel a little happier all the time. Since I was such a prisoner to unhappiness and ignorance, I now believe there is no greater happiness a person feels that compares to someone like me who is set free due to the beginnings of love and wisdom from the Lord. Happy days, and such happy, loving shows! Thank you so much! ❤️
Divine providence brought me to your channel. I never thought I’d say this, but, I’m grateful I have been chronically sick... not being able to work, allowed me time to find your channel, which in turn has changed my life and my beliefs. Thank you my friends!
You are reminding me of this quote by Helen Keller: "I thank God for my handicaps, for through them, I have found myself, my work and my God." The Lord can bring good out of everything! We're so glad to have you here, Annie.
Very insightful show. I'm a Buddhist but from this show I gain more insight into why Fortune telling is generally discouraged in our tradition. I think it's because it may in some way interfere with Divine Providence and obstruct people's journey of spiritual growth.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense, Jianqiu. Thank you for watching! If you are interested, here is an article making connections between Buddhism and Swedenborgian ideas: swedenborg.com/scholars-swedenborgianism-zen-buddhism/
Fortune telling does not strictly go against Divine Providence. In a practical means of trusting the Universe, it does show the need to have control, and will hinder spiritual growth because of its nature, which can used to 'skew' the individual's proposed path. This would be done because the Ego would obtain the information, and it operates to find the easiest path to happiness. Divine Providence accounts for energy such as Fortune telling, and while it isn't healthy in a direct way, it is in the works (project). The kinks get worked out in the process of awareness, both on an individual, and collective scale. Another aspect to consider is the idea that the future isn't written, and becoming suggestible to certain inclinations of probability is really letting one perspective reign, even if it wasn't the 'best' course for ones path.
@@offTheLeftEye Thank you so much for replying! I discovered this channel when I was questioning my life and whether it was worth living but this show truly gave me hope and completely turned my life around. Wishing you all the best!
What did I learn from this episode? Trust the lord in all things. Love him more. Certain when I look back at my life I can see that divine providence has been working to help me.Thank you
Psalms 23:4 TPT Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near. Reminds me of that Rodney Atkins song; f you're going through Hell Keep on going, don't slow down If you're scared, don't show it You might get out Before the devil even knows you're there
I feel very lucky to be able to absorb these ideas in your shows before going out in the world every day. Very useful and helpful. Thanks for your good work!
I'm so glad these concepts are giving you helpful fuel to do what you need to do each day, Mark. Thank you for continuing to be a positive force out there in the world!
I can't believe I missed this. This is superb. An explanation for the subtlety of providence in action that is so profound it will shift my thinking. Wowee. In hindsight I see so many examples of this in action, including when I rebel against it to disastrous results. I try more and more to trust in God...it is very hard, but grows a bit easier every day. Just a perfect episode.
I'm so glad this resonated with you so strongly! I find the concept of Divine Providence to be amazing, comforting, and clarifying. It's a flow to try to get in alignment with, step by step!
Im unfortunately a procrast reader. so I once again thank you so much for these video studies, they are on the level. When Providence allows, I'd like to become a member lol!
God Is Good!! He Do Bring Good Luck / With Keeping Your Faith In Him 🕊 🕊. ...Also With The Lord. Money 💰 💰 Don't Means Nothing!!!!! It's Your Inner Faith With GOD & The LORD. With The Guildence Of His Helpers/Wich Are His Angels 👼.
I haven't watched this entire episode (from years ago) as yet, but must tell you how much I love the enchanting opening scenes of "theater sharing". Curtis and Jonathan are simply wonderful. Both of you continually bring smiles to my face and warmth to my heart. :)
Funniest thing today before I even got notification of this I've been wondering why my luck has been kind of bad lately and I thought why I haven't had my long conversations with our father lately so maybe that's it no obviously after listening to this and the timing speaks for itself
Also, God loves bad people and they are usually full of passion about what they want. They also are under Gods Providence. This is why the greatest commandment is: Love God with all you all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. So that this love will motivate you strongly.
So glad this has been repeatedly helpful for you, Nandi. It makes such a difference to have something to help us dive back into the stream and flow of Divine Providence! Blessings to you in all the messy and stressy times!
We tend to analyse divine providence in our lives with ourselves on central stage. But many times we are actually being used in a set up for the benefit of another person. Choices that we make (kind acts and mean ones) affect other people and present opportunities for learning. Its all so subtle and interactive. When you start seeing it you cant believe it, but then you start questioning how could you possibly not notice it before!
Very cool angle to view Divine Providence! The Lord leads creation both collectively and individually, all for the sake of establishing love as a central focus for humankind.
I agree! How can we show compassion if there is no one who needs compassion? How can we show forgiveness if no one has wronged us? The world is like a morality play where we all play a role. This is why we shouldn't judge others and should concentrate on being the best kind of human being that we can be.
Thank you all. I recognise Divine Providence working through my life. Next step: recognising its universality. I am also reminded of this: Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
Swedenborg is so insightful that probably no one in his day could understand his level of spirituality and morality. Every culture inherits a wisdom with the purpose of saving us from re-inventing the wheel of good morals and ethics. Sometimes it's the grandparents who pass on the wisdom to the young. In Christianity we have the wisdom of Christ. The Buddhists look to the wisdom of Buddha. But what happens when faith in these sources of wisdom begin to die out? Then we have the popular culture whispering in our ears. The "American Way" of becoming rich and successful takes the place of the spiritual sources because the success of science and technology is in our faces. The history of culture, morals and ethics is the hindsight way of seeing Divine Providence. It becomes obvious that Divine Providence has led American culture from a racist, slavery past to a point where no one supports slavery and racism is dying out. The people who suffered and died in this process became an inspiration to the rest of us and helped us grow spiritually. Maybe this can show us the wisdom and reason why none of our suffering is in vain. It's hard to see how this works going into the future, but this is where faith is important. If we have a Source of Divine Wisdom we can count on, then we can have the strength to do the right thing in situations which may not be good for our ego. Swedenborgians have a good source. I'll share a Baha'i source from Baha'u'llah which I think fits in beautifully with Swedenborg: "O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of the sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain."
Wow, yes, this is a great point: that we can see Divine Providence in hindsight not only in our own individual lives, but in the way that cultures and nations have grown and changed. And yes, that Baha'u'llah quote really drives home the point that Divine Providence is looking toward long-term, eternal goodness and joy. Thanks!
When I watch this videos of yours then pains go away from my tummy and make me have a happy life so when we all die all all ready know the questions on where we go when we die to heaven I like your vids keep them up dude
@Rodney Sharp every earthly religious organization has different versions. The more external, literal version of any religious organization can be very problematic, but there are also deeper, less literal, less external versions of all religions that all connect in very similar concepts like the ones you describe. I know that there are versions of Islam that align very well with the things Swedenborg wrote about, and we hope to soon have a guest on our show who will describe those connections!
@Rodney Sharp I understand what you mean, but you should keep in mind that God intended the Islam to appear and is beyond you to condemn to either Hell or Heaven. You should let that judgement come from Him who knows what good it did, does and will do. All is bound to the Lord God amen.
As I watch your videos, my PC gets turned off numerous times. It occurs more and more. I think the Job story is telling. His friends thought they knew the source of his problems, but their advice didn't pertain to him. The only thing that gives me real peace is knowing there's an afterlife and that's ultimate reality.
I find comfort in the reality of the spiritual world, too. And it's amazing that we can learn the details of heaven and hell, and begin to model our lives accordingly.
No, it's not easy but great that you are working on it. I've found that just like it becomes powerful through selfish repetitive action, it can be undone by repetitive selfless action.
I totally appreciate that the ego has a tight grip on us! And yet from a spiritual angle, it can serve higher loves, which are those things that combat selfishness, such as altruism and service to society. It becomes problematic when our ego dominates all love and activity in our lives.
The Ego provides us with boundaries that would otherwise not exist, and offer more considerations to being. Addiction, or wants of any kind that do not (seem to) correspond directly to spiritual growth are part of a much larger process. Understanding aspects of desire that do ultimately cause growth, happen and correspond to the actions of ignorance that need a foundation to even be. How nice it is to know what it is to suffer, and share in the work that needs to be done to rectify the perfection inherent in all things. Passion is fueled in this way, and provides the distinction necessary to appreciate the Love the underlies the grand project Empathy becomes a symptom of knowing how another feels through sensitivity that has been trained by paying attention, and relating at an authentic level. The Ego is a blessing because its an obstacle that challenges our sense of right and wrong in a direct way. It's difficult to see this as a blessing because it is very immature, like a child that wants his candy immediately, and hasn't considered implications of the decision that go far beyond that immediate pleasure. Respect this part of yourself that needs to be taken care of by not judging it, and know that everyone has this 'burden' that really is more of a gift that just hasn't been unwrapped to see the glory of Truth.
Whatever we put into the universe it will return too us God rules the universe , and if we do it the right way it will affect our lives in so many good ways, if it is bad we will get back what we put out.
Nothing separate us from the love of God, good or bad there are times of trails and temptation but in all God will make a way when you trust and obey God don't look at your situation look at your past where you're coming from if God did it in the past he will do it again he promised never to live us or for shake us. Thanks Curtis and Jonathan
The wife has a friend who is into poker big time. She needs help for sure. When she wins she goes back and looses what she won. She don't see that it's not going to make her happy. She travels a lot too. Always going here and there,she's searching for something she can't seem to gund. The wife told her just stop. Be still and let God talk to you. That went over like a lead balloon. So back up to Blackhawk for poker tournament then off to Vegas. Is there anything we can do to help her? The money she has lost in the past 3 years we've known her would blow your mind. 1500 to buy in for one game, unreal to us since that a month's wages with both our cheques combined. She lost the lot.any ideas??? Thank you for being here. We love your shows. Best time of the day when we watch yous.
Thank you for the kind words about our shows, Jay! Concerning your wife's friend, it sounds like she might have a gambling addiction. It's very hard to help someone stop addictive behavior if that person is unwilling to see their own behavior. That's why it often takes the "rock bottom" experience for someone to start to turn her or his life around. Your wife is doing the right things by trying to be a voice of reason for her friend whenever that seems appropriate and possible. But, your wife cannot "make" her friend see something that her friend will not yet see. Your wife can only refuse to enable the behavior in any way, and be ready to help if the friend finally starts to make some better realizations. It's hard, but trust that God will watch over the friend's journey, and somehow, someday, one of these "wake up calls" will have an impact!
Great advice! On a side note I wish you guys would redo the Swedenborg downloadable audio books with the voice of the woman narrating in this video. Yes, I WOULD pay for them then... Blessing n peace to you ....
I am a fan of Gordon Meyer, but when this video started, I actually thought I’d love to hear the woman voicing the intro do the audiobook for “Marriage Love”! Amazing that you posted this. Are you listening, OTLE? 😊👍🌻
I totally loved that illustration of the ego as being a giant bag of rocks that is too heavy for me to maneuver and work with on my own, but God is helping me out so that I can make some moves that aren't completely dictated by that bag of rocks. I loved the Secrets of Heaven number 8455 near the end of the show. It gives me a goal to try to find peace even when life is going in directions that I might not like. Thanks for another great show!
@@offTheLeftEye Joy from two years ago was quite succinct!! I watched this show quite a few times and it was very helpful! Really enjoyed rewatching from this vantage point. You guys are such a gift!! I'm grateful!
@@joyborazjani5757 Fun to meet your two-years-ago self as you rewatch! 😊 We're grateful for you, too, Joy, and grateful to have had you in the audience for all this time!
When Swendenborg says, "Lord" and "He" I assume he is speaking as the energy & power of the Universe. My thoughts are, "He" is the aspect of Masculine energy. Divine Providence is within you, as we have the light within. It's just a matter of tuning in & letting go of the ego. Just my thoughts. 💙
Great thoughts, Amanda! Swedenborg wrote that the Lord is the source of love and wisdom, qualities that emanate from Him and sustain all of creation. Swedenborg stated that "from the Lord there is masculine love, and there is feminine; but nevertheless love is not made full except by both together." So while he does use masculine terms, at times, to label the Divine, there is a general assumption that God is the perfect fullness of both genders. Just some thoughts! I'd love to hear how you hold that. Wishing you well :)
Amazing video and thank you :) Did Swedenbourg have a take on the idea that before we are born we contract with God all the good and bad things that will happen to us on earth? Personally i know this to be true in my own life, i believe i was complicit in the difficult circumstances of my childhood because i wanted to get closer to God in the end. Its the only thing i know about my eternal self, she really really wanted me to find God in the end. Did you see the Oprah show about the lady who accidentally left her baby in the car on a hot day and the child died. Just imagine how much in her pre-birth she wanted to get closer to God that she contracted for that to happen. And in the interview you can see that it worked :)
I'm happy that you enjoyed this episode! Thank you for watching. Swedenborg did not write about those kinds of contracts with God, but I'm glad that you see how the difficult events in your life ultimately led you to become closer to God. That is a spiritual view, a deeper view, on difficult outward circumstances, and I think it's wonderful how that has led you to be able to hold a positive and hopeful view of life!
I have often wondered why we cannot see the face of God. Jonathan reads, from Swedenborg’s Divine Providence 175.2, “ We are allowed to see divine providence from behind but not face to face , and when we are in a spiritual state, not in a materialistic one”. I don’t know why this is so. I recall also that their was a passage in Moses where God speaks to him, “” I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you and I will proclaim my name, the Lord in your presence ..... but you cannot see my face , for no one may see me and live ( Exodus 33:19-20) And then.....To protect Moses, God put him a cleft in the rock and covered him with His hand. as He passed by “ Then” God promised, “ I will remove My hand, and you will see my back”, “ but my face must not be seen”. ......I was also very moved by Jonathan ‘s explanation about looking into the past to see the Divine providence. Could he have been saying that our childhoods were not only much happier but also more sensitive to God’s presence? Or that being an adult moves us further away from God? Maybe I misunderstood the explanation wrong. I’m not sure. Thanks so much, it was another great episode 👍🏻!!!
I really enjoyed reading through your message, Julian! You pose some great questions. Your initial inquiry reminds me of a passage in Swedenborg's book Divine Providence, in which he explains why we cannot know the future: "Since foreknowledge of what will happen destroys our essential human nature, our ability to act in freedom and rationally, no one is allowed to know the future. We can, though, draw conclusions about the future on the basis of reason. This is what brings reason and all its powers to life. This is why we do not know what our lot will be after death or know anything that is happening before we are involved in it, because if we did know we would no longer think in our deeper self about what we should do or how we should live in order to reach some particular goal. We would only think with our outer self that this was coming; and this state closes the deeper levels of the mind where, principally, those two abilities of our life dwell, freedom and rationality. A desire to know the future is innate in many people, but since this desire originates in a love for what is evil, it is taken away from people who believe in divine providence, and they are given a trust that the Lord will take care of their fate. So they do not want to know it in advance, fearing that they might in some way interfere with the divine providence. The Lord teaches us this in several ways in Luke 12:14-48. [2] There is ample proof in the spiritual world that this is a law of divine providence. Most people who arrive there after death want to know what their lot will be; but they are told that if they have lived well their lot will be in heaven and if they have lived badly it will be in hell. However, since all are afraid of hell, even evil people, they ask what they need to do and what they need to believe in order to get into heaven. They are told that they should do and believe whatever they like; but they should realize that in hell people do not do anything that is good or believe anything that is true, only in heaven: "Ask what is good and what is true and think about it and do it if you can." So we are all left to act in freedom and to act rationally in the spiritual world just the way we are in this world. However, in that world we will behave the way we have behaved here, since in every case our own life stays with us. So does our lot, then, because our life determines our lot." This relates to seeing the face of God. If we were to know where the Lord was leading us, particularly regarding our eternal state, it would do serious damage to our humanity (as explained above). And yet the Lord does let us see things in hindsight, so that we can still get a sense of where/how His love was guiding us. In that sense, our freedom is preserved and not impacted by knowing future events. Your later inquiry-- about the spiritual quality of childhood vs adulthood-- is a great one! Swedenborg observed that children possess an innate innocence that creates a direct link to heaven and the angels there. That is why, in the tragic case of childhood death, each goes directly to heaven no matter what. As we develop, our inclinations toward evil (we are not born evil, but do have inclinations passed down from heredity) become activated in different ways, and we lose some of that innocence. This is where divine truth comes in. We learn how to move away from our selfishness and embody the innocence we once had in youth. This is the path to heaven. Sorry- that was a long answer! I'd love to hear your thoughts, my friend :)
Yall always make a video that fits whats going on in my life. Idk if its the same for others but man. They all had something. I fully believe god is in everything and can use everything to talk to us. Also on this video....the morning before i was laying in my warm bed and was all snuggled. I thought this is perfect. This is what its about. The simple awesomeness of the moment. Not money. Not fancy stuff. Just the moment. Then bam...watch the video and yall go into the what that moment is. By the way i said that with that moment during some ruff times. My stove, washer, dryer, air system, and some other stuff is broken right now. Washer was kinda working but bam...it died witha full load in it. Still the moment was awesome. Life was never meant to be perfect. Perfect shows you nothing.
We've heard that from others, too, that they were just thinking about a certain topic, and then we happen to put out a show about it! Divine Providence at work, for sure. Your message, about the "simply awesomeness of the moment" and "perfect shows you nothing" really warms my heart. Thank you so much!
Im glade it does. I mean it. People look at me like im crazy when i say im grateful for the ruff times. Also i can others connecting too. I'm still trying to get my friend to watch. Sje will say something and im all like....i know a video for that. Soon. She is warming up to it. But im not being pushy.
is this divine providence I went to the lab and after fasting for 12 hours I had a nurse who couldn’t hit my artery to take blood was like a fishing expedition in my left arm so finally she got her two tubes of blood and I said it’s nice I’ll be able to eat now she says oh you didn’t have to fast
You know, humor is a wonderful part of life, so if Divine Providence was able to bring a funny story to tell out of this misunderstanding, well, that's a good thing! :)
Nice video! At around 19:00 you talk about how Swedenborg says that people who are truly in the stream of divine providence don't even want to know the future or interfere with divine providence in any way. Not interfering with divine providence seems smart, but then how do these people make decisions and plan about what to do next? Does Swedenborg have advice for making good (in the stream of providence) decisions moment to moment, minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, etc? I believe Swedenborg himself says people can't just sit around waiting for divine providence to tell them what to do because then they would just be like statues. Obviously people should reject any impulses/plans/ideas to do anything sinful, but what about choosing between a myriad of different non-sinful choices? Does Swedenborg offer any advice for making in-the-stream-of-Providence choices? What are the mechanisms that determine how a life well lived (aka: a life in Divine Providence) rolls out? Thanks!
Great questions! Swedenborg lays out a sequence of how we are to partner with God in order to harmonize with the stream of His providence. Here's what he says: 1. Everyone has an inner and an outer level of thinking. 2. The essential quality of our outer thinking is determined by the quality of our inner thinking. 3. Our inner nature cannot be cleansed from compulsions to evil as long as the evils in our outer nature are not banished, because these outer evils stand in the way. 4. The Lord cannot rid us of the evils in our outer nature without our help. 5. Therefore we need to banish the evils from our outer nature in apparent autonomy. 6. Then the Lord cleanses us from the compulsions to evil in our inner nature and from the evil practices themselves in our outer nature. 7. It is the unceasing effort of the Lord’s divine providence to unite us to himself and himself to us in order to give us the joys of eternal life; and this can happen only to the extent that our evils and their compulsions are banished. So we do have a role to play, and to the degree that we actively work on our selfish behaviors, the Lord can create a new heart and mind within us. That's how heaven is accessed from within. What do you think?
@@offTheLeftEye Thanks for providing the step-by-step on how/why to cooperate with Divine Providence! Are you implying, also, that by making one's primary purpose in life to follow these steps, that as the evils (sinful behaviors) are banished more and more from one's life, that more and more good (useful, wise, meaningful) opportunities and wise insights will present themselves, and that the mental noise/chaos will diminish, making one's life decisions "easier" and more obvious?
@@markdristy Yes, I do believe that is very true in one sense. Through recognizing and shunning evils, we can feel more clear about many decisions because our priorities are more clear, and we can better notice the "still small voice" because we are paying less attention to the lower-self chatter. But also, we should expect to have challenges continue to the end of earthly life, because as we progress, we're also ready to face deeper issues. Both are part of the cycles of spiritual growth!
So to inject this into a real life scene....the unluck of me passing people on the highway in the rain almost two years ago was THAT type of negative spirit hyping me up to do so? The following result of my son and husband being thrown through the windshield (after our vehicle hydroplaned and rolled 2.5 times) due to them not buckling their seatbelt was what Swedenborg refers to as their 'free will' and probably a combination of the same type of spirits that put it in me to pass told them to not buckle up and then you have ME again, who is usually the Queen of making EVERYONE buckle up before we get on the highway just completely lost my mind that day because I for some reason never told them to buckle up before we entered the highway. With the final result being of me having to decide the outcome of my beautiful son dying from his severe head trauma by pulling him off life support so that he no longer suffered what was looking to be a slow and painful death as his body systems had started to shut down....at the young age of 20 - because he was the first one to hit the windshield, while my husband wound up wheelchair bound for 5 months was all Divine Providence? I'm still having trouble grasping this. Although yes, good things happened after as our community pulled together to help us all out and many other blessings came our way, as well as more terrible stuff, but I'm still without a son for the rest of my life. 😪
Hi, Brandi, this is Karin. My heart aches for you. I also lost a child in a car accident, and I was the one driving. I faced overwhelming feelings of guilt because it seemed that she died, and the rest of my family suffered, simply because I got distracted trying to reach something in the car to help one of my kids, and my tire caught the edge of the highway, throwing us off. The accident and loss in your family did not happen from Divine Providence, but from Divine Permission. Evil spirits are constantly trying to cause accidents and suffering. If they had their way, we would all be having destructive accidents every minute. Because of the complicated balance that must be maintained for our freewill, some of those efforts to cause harm have to be permitted. God does not want them to happen, but God permits our mistakes and accidents only if Divine Providence can make sure that something good can come out of it in the long run. So Divine Providence is not in the accident, but Divine Providence is in the good that comes out of it, including for your son in the afterlife. Evil is the cause of accidents. Divine Providence is the force of God's love that takes care of everyone though it all and afterwards, and brings the compassion and healing and the deepening of the heart. Do you see the difference? During earthly life, I don't believe we would be able to understand the details of why any certain accident had to be permitted. But people who have had near-death experiences say that they were shown all the reasons for everything that happened, and it made total, loving sense in the big picture. So, it brings me peace that in the afterlife I will know all the reasons, and for now, I can trust that God is taking loving care of my daughter in the afterlife, and us here on earth. Sending much love to you, Brandi!
offTheLeftEye, Karin, you have special place in my heart as you and I have spoke a while ago on the Swedenborg Facebook page regarding this very thing as well, but I don't think I asked questions as complex as this since I have learned and watched a lot more of OTLE since then. On there my last name is different than here as this place is not so private. I'm always so grateful when you reply as you have a vast amount of knowledge, and a similar experience. Your replies always make sense and are easy to grasp. Thank you 🙏
Rienk has said it well. Our outer differences reflect how we are all so unique in spirit. And Swedenborg wrote that God's infinity is reflected in the fact that no two people or any other things in creation are ever exactly alike!
In playing poker over the years, probably 200 times or more times a player would get the one or two cards left in the deck or hit a miracle card on the river to beat me, whereas it has happened to me maybe twice. I would always say that it was evil rewarding its minions and that it was to frustrate me with negative emotions which fed those spirits. Now there is confirmation that I was right.
The point is not to worry! We all have curiosity and a sense of adventure. We can walk and chew gum at the same time, concentrate on living our life here and now as well as trying to understand why we need to do this.
Thanks for the question, judypa. We have freedom to respond to either influence, and can attract good influences or evil ones. Here i a video on How to Allow Angels to Influence Your Life. ruclips.net/video/9xgZVITmFHI/видео.html Keep looking for answers!
Your self is an illusion you created to protect yourself from the great beacon of light that is the one and only Holy Lord God. Don't be decieved, you are lied to. Don't defend yourself. "No self, no self defence" - Buddha
But notice in the show we said that some things that happen are according to Divine Will, and some according to Divine Permission. For more about that, see our show "Why Bad Things Happen" ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
This video was about how God is present in the details of our lives, and how we can learn to trust His process of leading us. We also ask the questions: Are all the details of our lives really under God's constant care? What about luck, chance, and misfortune?
I just moved in to a new apartment I didn't have the deposit and these people came out of nowhere and said we will lon you the money that was God controling luck
@Josta356 Jonathan Rose did a weekly recorded Bible study for 8 years, and they are all available here: spiritandlifebiblestudy.com/. They were originally streamed on ustream, where you can browse the videos too: www.ustream.tv/channel/nunclicetbiblestudy . And you can find the audio recordings of most of them as a podcast wherever you get podcasts by searching "spirit and life bible study".
So when we die is it like your mum being pregnant with you again Cos when we where a baby we can’t remember what we did when we was a baby so when we die it will Just be like your mom giving birth to you again but to heaven
I always have that question, too. And the standard Swedenborgian answer of, "Nothing is allowed to happen (by God) that, in the end, will not, somehow, eventually, result in good." ESPECIALLY, since Swedenborg said that the human soul does NOT reincarnate to experience another human life. Even though it's a mystery to us for a reason, it STILL seems terribly unfair for the children & people who are born to lives of brutal, torturous abuse, deformity, terrible illnesses, Schizophrenia, etc, if that's their ONLY chance at human life to experience, and that probably isn't much comfort, for example, to the majority parents of abducted, murdered children, understandably, because not everyone can be a John Walsh, even if they wanted to,...
@The Aristocrat, it is never anybody's destiny to be a serial killer. Everyone, when created, is predestined to heaven. But freewill is real, and some people choose to become serial killers. As for terminal diseases, all disease is a result of thousands of years of human corruption, and yes, we are all in this together, so we are collectively affected by the germs and toxins that have come into being because of this corruption. But earthly life is only the very beginning of each person's story. No one is deprived of the chance to fully develop themselves if they die early. If the actions of humanity result in people having diseases and accidents, God provides that those people fully receive on the spiritual level what they were deprived of on the earthly level. Most of life is lived in the afterlife. See the following videos: "Is God Fair?" ruclips.net/video/UIMfRE0wmOA/видео.html "Life Isn't Fair... Or Is It?" ruclips.net/video/42BEBqN0H3Y/видео.html "Why Bad Things Happen" ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
@Dd Dedrick, earthly life is not anyone's only chance at human life experience. Far from it. Earthly life is only the very beginning of each person's story. Most of life is lived in the afterlife. What people were deprived of on earth because of human corruption will be made up for in the afterlife. God wants more than anything for us here on earth to stop the abuse and violence, the pollution that causes disease, the traumas that trigger mental illness, etc. We humans on earth are the channels through which God's love must come through. So all the bad stuff will end when we collectively decide to stop engaging in it. See the following videos: "Is God Fair?" ruclips.net/video/UIMfRE0wmOA/видео.html "Life Isn't Fair... Or Is It?" ruclips.net/video/42BEBqN0H3Y/видео.html "Why Bad Things Happen" ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
Sometimes,I'm thinking that maybe there are just some people who is lucky and some are experiencing bad luck in their life no matter how they stay strong,have faith in God.but I'm wondering why God allows some people to get raped ,slay and more devilish act ..I just have sympthaty so those OFW ,and many get raped ,and killed and got slave to some countries ..hayyyyyyy...life sometimes is unfair maybe.
I totally sympathize with these feelings, Mimi -- it does appear that life is waaay unfair. Swedenborg asserts that we are all being lovingly led on our path, though, no matter what our outer circumstances -- hard as that may be to believe. Here's a show we did called "Life Isn't Fair -- or Is It?" ruclips.net/video/42BEBqN0H3Y/видео.html . Let us know if those ideas resonate at all with you, and blessings to your compassionate heart.
Then WHY do people get sick ...... and then die, sometimes slow and horrible deaths devoid of any dignity ...... is that for the so-called "greater good" ??
Thanks for the question, Solar Ray! It's a good one. Swedenborg does not claim that illness and pain are for the greater good. He talks about good coming out of painful experiences but says that God does not will these things to take place in the first place. Have you seen our video, "Why Bad Things Happen"? If you have a chance to watch, I'd love to know if it answers your question! ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
My heart breaks for you. But please know that when the time is right, you will be reunited with your spouse. The pain may be horrible to bear, but the Lord desires that you continue living, learning and forming your spiritual character. The love you share with your spouse transcends time and space, and will never go away. You are loved, and you're not alone.
I think God can control luck I needed some money so me and my wife could have a wonderful Christmas I won some money on a game jacks or better that's what l played and mushrooms were 55 dollars a pound I made some money that day and me and my wife had a great Christmas
People say to there little children Santa is coming but people are a just making videos about god Cos my mum told me it will Just be black is they right Cos my mum never lies
I'm sure that you mum would never lie to you. But since most of us cannot see the afterlife until we die, each person has to choose what to believe about it. Your mum has chosen what she believes, and you can choose what you want to believe. People can still love and respect each other, even if they believe different things.
WOW THIS WAS ANOTHER FANTASTIC SHOW I AM SOOOO GREATFULL. BUT WHAT YOU CALL DEVINE PROVADENCE I WOULD CALL FATH, BUT YOUR WAY OF EXPLAINING IT IS ABOUT A BILLION TIMES MORE INSIGHTFULL,LOL. OK HERE IS MY BEEF. SWEEDENBURG IS AND WAS A GREAT MAN,BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND WILL CONTUINUE TO DO SO SUCH AS THE NEED TO EAT ANIMALS,MOST PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO EAT ANIMALS TODAY BUT OK SOME DO, YES I HAVE KNOWED PEOPLE TO PRASE THE LORD IN ONE HAND AND KILL IN THE OTHER, AND THAT IS WITHOUT NEED, EVIL WICKED PREVERTED SICK MINDS WOULD HAVE A FREEZER FULL OF MEAT AND A BARBAQE GRILL , I DO BELIVE THAT JESUS WOULD TURN OVER THEM JUST LIKE HE TURNED OVER THE TABLES, WELL I KNOW I AM NOT SAPOSTO HURT HUMANS BUT WE MUST ALL RUB THE NOSE OF A DOG IN ITS OWN POOP IF WE WANT TO HOUSE BREAK IT, I WOUNDER WHATS IN YOUR FREEZER????
Well, Kerry, we all have different diets on staff here at offTheLeftEye. This is Melissa, one moderator here, and while I can't speak for my co-workers, but I think we all strive to eat mostly plants and do the best we can by our planet and our fellow citizens on it. It's certainly something to aspire to, but not always easy for all of us. Whether to eat meat or not is a personal choice, and there are sometimes extenuating factors that make vegetarianism or veganism difficult. We believe that people will decide what is right for them, and respect their right to make those choices. I am glad you have found a way to eat and interact with your environment that feels powerful and right to you, and I definitely think it's a subject worthy of consideration! Swedenborg himself rarely ate meat, and has written about how the most ancient people (early humans) would never eat meat and regarded the practice as barbaric. Swedenborg wrote that as time went on, and humanity lost its close relationship with God, eating meat was allowed and we can now do it without eternal consequence - so long as it is in alignment with our beliefs. Swedenborg would eat meat occasionally, such as at dinners out, but on his own seemed to avoid it. Here's a link to an episode where we talk more about this, if you're interested: "10 Questions," ruclips.net/video/Jb-7BX0ctoI/видео.html Hope that is useful to you, and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue!
Hi Kerry, I can see you are upset by my response. I'm so sorry. If it would be helpful to you, we would love to continue this conversation via e-mail! Please feel free to contact us at offthelefteye@gmail.com
What beautiful souls these two are, indeed! Great teachers, guided by great teachings; but more importantly, they are lovers of God!
What a kind message, Mica! Your words made my day :)
I gotta say, that opening line is pure comic genius.
Haha! Glad you liked it! :)
Happy Happy show!! Thank you! I too see Divine Providence when turning to my past. I never ever thought the 2nd promise would apply to me - that "We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it." (AA 12 steps). But I remember the moment when I realized this had become true for me. And just recently I was given the idea to think about that heaven is truly as near as our thoughts, our breath, and the beating of our heart - or put another way - an attitude of gratitude. The heavenly state is not a distant place in "the heavens". I marvel at how true this now appears to me. I also think that fear, worry, doubt, and other negative emotions like anxiety about the outcome of a situation, are really turning our backs on the Lord, and not trusting in His Divine Providence. On Friday I was driving to meet my brothers for lunch. The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous day. I found myself just smiling away and feeling the happiest I have ever felt in my life. And yet I feel that same way so often - that I could not be happier - and then I seem to feel a little happier all the time. Since I was such a prisoner to unhappiness and ignorance, I now believe there is no greater happiness a person feels that compares to someone like me who is set free due to the beginnings of love and wisdom from the Lord. Happy days, and such happy, loving shows! Thank you so much! ❤️
Wowee! Your sphere of happiness is contagious, Mary. Thanks for making my morning :)
Divine providence brought me to your channel. I never thought I’d say this, but, I’m grateful I have been chronically sick... not being able to work, allowed me time to find your channel, which in turn has changed my life and my beliefs. Thank you my friends!
You are reminding me of this quote by Helen Keller: "I thank God for my handicaps, for through them, I have found myself, my work and my God." The Lord can bring good out of everything! We're so glad to have you here, Annie.
Very true this channel is life changing.
Very insightful show. I'm a Buddhist but from this show I gain more insight into why Fortune telling is generally discouraged in our tradition. I think it's because it may in some way interfere with Divine Providence and obstruct people's journey of spiritual growth.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense, Jianqiu. Thank you for watching! If you are interested, here is an article making connections between Buddhism and Swedenborgian ideas: swedenborg.com/scholars-swedenborgianism-zen-buddhism/
Fortune telling does not strictly go against Divine Providence. In a practical means of trusting the Universe, it does show the need to have control, and will hinder spiritual growth because of its nature, which can used to 'skew' the individual's proposed path. This would be done because the Ego would obtain the information, and it operates to find the easiest path to happiness. Divine Providence accounts for energy such as Fortune telling, and while it isn't healthy in a direct way, it is in the works (project). The kinks get worked out in the process of awareness, both on an individual, and collective scale. Another aspect to consider is the idea that the future isn't written, and becoming suggestible to certain inclinations of probability is really letting one perspective reign, even if it wasn't the 'best' course for ones path.
Another great episode. Without you guys the earth would be flat and colorless!
That's such a kind message, Yumiko. We're really honored to spread these revolutionary teachings. Wishing you well :)
@@offTheLeftEye Thank you so much for replying! I discovered this channel when I was questioning my life and whether it was worth living but this show truly gave me hope and completely turned my life around. Wishing you all the best!
Wow, it means a lot to us to know that. We're so glad to have you in our audience!
Yes oooooo Yumiko lol
Very true Sf is life changing.
Excellent show again. Thank you also for outlining the points around "Peace". Much appreciated again, Jeff.
I'm glad that outline was helpful to you, Jeff! Have a wonderful week :)
What did I learn from this episode? Trust the lord in all things. Love him more. Certain when I look back at my life I can see that divine providence has been working to help me.Thank you
If that is what you gained from this episode, we are deeply glad. Thank you so much for watching, Deborah!
Gives real meaning to, "Everything happens for a reason"..
It totally does! Great connection to make.
God is always taking care of me all the time you know I feel worthy of God he has let me do some wonderful thing's
God is indeed always taking care of us, in many different ways.
This is beautiful...it makes me have stirrings of faith I haven't felt for decades. Thank you! ❤⚘❤
Wonderful! You're very welcome!
Psalms 23:4 TPT
Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.
Reminds me of that Rodney Atkins song;
f you're going through Hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Beautiful prayer and message. Thank you!
AMEN!! By The Grace Of God.
I feel very lucky to be able to absorb these ideas in your shows before going out in the world every day. Very useful and helpful. Thanks for your good work!
I'm so glad these concepts are giving you helpful fuel to do what you need to do each day, Mark. Thank you for continuing to be a positive force out there in the world!
Amazing, informative, beautiful! Thank you
I'm thrilled to hear it! This is certainly a big topic within Swedenborg's teachings.
Wow ...that answered so many of my thoughts ...😆thankyou ✋
That's awesome to hear, Julie. Did anything in particular strike you?
I can't believe I missed this. This is superb. An explanation for the subtlety of providence in action that is so profound it will shift my thinking. Wowee. In hindsight I see so many examples of this in action, including when I rebel against it to disastrous results. I try more and more to trust in God...it is very hard, but grows a bit easier every day. Just a perfect episode.
I'm so glad this resonated with you so strongly! I find the concept of Divine Providence to be amazing, comforting, and clarifying. It's a flow to try to get in alignment with, step by step!
THE GRAPHICS ON THIS , SHOW ARE EPIC KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! AND MAY GOD BLESSINGS REACH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I really appreciate your feedback, Jesus Perez! God bless you!
So iconic I guess
Im unfortunately a procrast reader. so I once again thank you so much for these video studies, they are on the level. When Providence allows, I'd like to become a member lol!
That's wonderful to hear, Rachael! We're glad to have you on board. Looking forward to hearing from you more!
Iconic I guess. Thanks so much
SO good! Bravo!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching, Jeremy.
God Is Good!! He Do Bring Good Luck / With Keeping Your Faith In Him 🕊 🕊. ...Also With The Lord. Money 💰 💰 Don't Means Nothing!!!!! It's Your Inner Faith With GOD & The LORD. With The Guildence Of His Helpers/Wich Are His Angels 👼.
I love your energy and passion, Donald! Thank you for blessing us with your presence.
amazing . thank ou.. i must say, unreal porogress in your videros.. just awesome :)
We're so glad you enjoyed this episode, stephanie! Your kind words and encouragement mean a lot to us.
Great episode, its great to be able to supplement ideas with this channel. I look forward to all the material.
We're so glad! Thank you for watching.
Can’t wait to watch another great episode!
I love your excitement! We can't wait to deliver another one to you :)
I haven't watched this entire episode (from years ago) as yet, but must tell you how much I love the enchanting opening scenes of "theater sharing". Curtis and Jonathan are simply wonderful. Both of you continually bring smiles to my face and warmth to my heart. :)
Thanks for this sweet and encouraging response, Nancy. They do make quite a pair, don't they? Hope you like the rest of the episode, too! :)
Great presentation!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Tom! Thank you for watching.
Funniest thing today before I even got notification of this I've been wondering why my luck has been kind of bad lately and I thought why I haven't had my long conversations with our father lately so maybe that's it no obviously after listening to this and the timing speaks for itself
It's amazing how God operates.
Often I have to leave a situation (sometimes even an out of town trip!) to see things more clearly.
So true, Monica! A shift in perspective is so helpful!
Also, God loves bad people and they are usually full of passion about what they want. They also are under Gods Providence. This is why the greatest commandment is: Love God with all you all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.
So that this love will motivate you strongly.
The Lord's love falls on both the wicked and the good. The difference is in how that love is received and reciprocated.
@@offTheLeftEye Yes! Yes! Exactly that! :D
Love the rock ego bag... great stuff.
I'm glad that analogy worked for you! Thank you for watching.
YOU GUYS ARE SO SMART SO WISE I NEED TO WATCH EVERY SHOW
Haha, kerry! So glad you are getting so much out of our shows!
Enjoyed the deep wisdom! Thank you :)
Splendid! Great to hear from you, my friend :)
This is still my go-to episode when my life looks like a mess or I'm stressing over (what look like) missed opportunities. Thank you SF
So glad this has been repeatedly helpful for you, Nandi. It makes such a difference to have something to help us dive back into the stream and flow of Divine Providence! Blessings to you in all the messy and stressy times!
I love you both so much! Very creative intro.
Wow. Great show. Just the information I needed for this moment in my life. :)
I'm so glad! Thanks for letting us know, my friend :)
We tend to analyse divine providence in our lives with ourselves on central stage. But many times we are actually being used in a set up for the benefit of another person. Choices that we make (kind acts and mean ones) affect other people and present opportunities for learning. Its all so subtle and interactive. When you start seeing it you cant believe it, but then you start questioning how could you possibly not notice it before!
Very cool angle to view Divine Providence! The Lord leads creation both collectively and individually, all for the sake of establishing love as a central focus for humankind.
I agree! How can we show compassion if there is no one who needs compassion? How can we show forgiveness if no one has wronged us? The world is like a morality play where we all play a role. This is why we shouldn't judge others and should concentrate on being the best kind of human being that we can be.
Thank you all. I recognise Divine Providence working through my life. Next step: recognising its universality.
I am also reminded of this: Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. Søren Aabye Kierkegaard
A beautiful reflection, Tim. And thanks for making the connection to Kierkegaard-- that's spot on! Happy Tuesday, my friend.
@@offTheLeftEye - merci encore! :)
I love these videos!
That means so much to us, Dorothy. Your presence here is a blessing to us!
Thank you 🙏
You're welcome, Rahel! Hope you found it helpful!
Swedenborg is so insightful that probably no one in his day could understand his level of spirituality and morality. Every culture inherits a wisdom with the purpose of saving us from re-inventing the wheel of good morals and ethics. Sometimes it's the grandparents who pass on the wisdom to the young. In Christianity we have the wisdom of Christ. The Buddhists look to the wisdom of Buddha. But what happens when faith in these sources of wisdom begin to die out? Then we have the popular culture whispering in our ears. The "American Way" of becoming rich and successful takes the place of the spiritual sources because the success of science and technology is in our faces.
The history of culture, morals and ethics is the hindsight way of seeing Divine Providence. It becomes obvious that Divine Providence has led American culture from a racist, slavery past to a point where no one supports slavery and racism is dying out. The people who suffered and died in this process became an inspiration to the rest of us and helped us grow spiritually. Maybe this can show us the wisdom and reason why none of our suffering is in vain. It's hard to see how this works going into the future, but this is where faith is important. If we have a Source of Divine Wisdom we can count on, then we can have the strength to do the right thing in situations which may not be good for our ego. Swedenborgians have a good source. I'll share a Baha'i source from Baha'u'llah which I think fits in beautifully with Swedenborg:
"O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of the sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain."
Wow, yes, this is a great point: that we can see Divine Providence in hindsight not only in our own individual lives, but in the way that cultures and nations have grown and changed. And yes, that Baha'u'llah quote really drives home the point that Divine Providence is looking toward long-term, eternal goodness and joy. Thanks!
When I watch this videos of yours then pains go away from my tummy and make me have a happy life so when we all die all all ready know the questions on where we go when we die to heaven I like your vids keep them up dude
That made me so happy! We're glad you found us :)
I believe in Allah but this show has always captivated me even before I started learning about islam.
I really appreciate you sharing that with us, Aila! God is good; God is one.
We should love the Higher Power (whatever we call Him) and our neighbor. That's all we're asked to do.
@Rodney Sharp every earthly religious organization has different versions. The more external, literal version of any religious organization can be very problematic, but there are also deeper, less literal, less external versions of all religions that all connect in very similar concepts like the ones you describe. I know that there are versions of Islam that align very well with the things Swedenborg wrote about, and we hope to soon have a guest on our show who will describe those connections!
@@AdriBraam well said!
@Rodney Sharp I understand what you mean, but you should keep in mind that God intended the Islam to appear and is beyond you to condemn to either Hell or Heaven. You should let that judgement come from Him who knows what good it did, does and will do. All is bound to the Lord God amen.
Another great show! Thank you so much for all you guys do.
It's a sincere honor, Alex! Thanks for sending the love.
Holy crikey, that *was* awesome. And that was just the intro!
That made my morning :)
As I watch your videos, my PC gets turned off numerous times. It occurs more and more. I think the Job story is telling. His friends thought they knew the source of his problems, but their advice didn't pertain to him. The only thing that gives me real peace is knowing there's an afterlife and that's ultimate reality.
I find comfort in the reality of the spiritual world, too. And it's amazing that we can learn the details of heaven and hell, and begin to model our lives accordingly.
AMEN.
Really great!
This was a fun episode to piece together. Did anything in particular strike you?
The ego is one tuff 🍪. I'm trying to unlearn ego illusions of society. Not easy
No, it's not easy but great that you are working on it. I've found that just like it becomes powerful through selfish repetitive action, it can be undone by repetitive selfless action.
I totally appreciate that the ego has a tight grip on us! And yet from a spiritual angle, it can serve higher loves, which are those things that combat selfishness, such as altruism and service to society. It becomes problematic when our ego dominates all love and activity in our lives.
The Ego provides us with boundaries that would otherwise not exist, and offer more considerations to being. Addiction, or wants of any kind that do not (seem to) correspond directly to spiritual growth are part of a much larger process. Understanding aspects of desire that do ultimately cause growth, happen and correspond to the actions of ignorance that need a foundation to even be. How nice it is to know what it is to suffer, and share in the work that needs to be done to rectify the perfection inherent in all things. Passion is fueled in this way, and provides the distinction necessary to appreciate the Love the underlies the grand project Empathy becomes a symptom of knowing how another feels through sensitivity that has been trained by paying attention, and relating at an authentic level. The Ego is a blessing because its an obstacle that challenges our sense of right and wrong in a direct way. It's difficult to see this as a blessing because it is very immature, like a child that wants his candy immediately, and hasn't considered implications of the decision that go far beyond that immediate pleasure. Respect this part of yourself that needs to be taken care of by not judging it, and know that everyone has this 'burden' that really is more of a gift that just hasn't been unwrapped to see the glory of Truth.
Whatever we put into the universe it will return too us God rules the universe , and if we do it the right way it will affect our lives in so many good ways, if it is bad we will get back what we put out.
Karen, very true. Whatever energy we put out will affect our spiritual state and those around us as well - the more love we add, the more love we get!
Nothing separate us from the love of God, good or bad there are times of trails and temptation but in all God will make a way when you trust and obey God don't look at your situation look at your past where you're coming from if God did it in the past he will do it again he promised never to live us or for shake us.
Thanks Curtis and Jonathan
That is beautiful, Betty. Thank you!
The wife has a friend who is into poker big time. She needs help for sure. When she wins she goes back and looses what she won. She don't see that it's not going to make her happy. She travels a lot too. Always going here and there,she's searching for something she can't seem to gund. The wife told her just stop. Be still and let God talk to you. That went over like a lead balloon. So back up to Blackhawk for poker tournament then off to Vegas. Is there anything we can do to help her? The money she has lost in the past 3 years we've known her would blow your mind. 1500 to buy in for one game, unreal to us since that a month's wages with both our cheques combined. She lost the lot.any ideas??? Thank you for being here. We love your shows. Best time of the day when we watch yous.
Thank you for the kind words about our shows, Jay! Concerning your wife's friend, it sounds like she might have a gambling addiction. It's very hard to help someone stop addictive behavior if that person is unwilling to see their own behavior. That's why it often takes the "rock bottom" experience for someone to start to turn her or his life around. Your wife is doing the right things by trying to be a voice of reason for her friend whenever that seems appropriate and possible. But, your wife cannot "make" her friend see something that her friend will not yet see. Your wife can only refuse to enable the behavior in any way, and be ready to help if the friend finally starts to make some better realizations. It's hard, but trust that God will watch over the friend's journey, and somehow, someday, one of these "wake up calls" will have an impact!
Great advice! On a side note I wish you guys would redo the Swedenborg downloadable audio books with the voice of the woman narrating in this video. Yes, I WOULD pay for them then...
Blessing n peace to you ....
I am a fan of Gordon Meyer, but when this video started, I actually thought I’d love to hear the woman voicing the intro do the audiobook for “Marriage Love”! Amazing that you posted this. Are you listening, OTLE? 😊👍🌻
PS - This woman or Chelsea, or Chara, or Shada. I’d buy it.
That woman does indeed have a wonderfully comforting voice! I'm glad you enjoyed it, Jay Dee.
Seems to me that luck,chance,accident is actually One of Laws of the universe/nature as God made it.
Thanks for sharing this with us! Luck and chance are both fascinating topics within Swedenborg's teachings.
@@offTheLeftEye Youre very welcome. This is something I learned from someone who knows a lot. Happy to pass it along.
Yellow6100, I agree. I do believe in the natural laws of the Universe.
It is true their is even a verse in the Bible detailing how God controls luck!
I totally loved that illustration of the ego as being a giant bag of rocks that is too heavy for me to maneuver and work with on my own, but God is helping me out so that I can make some moves that aren't completely dictated by that bag of rocks. I loved the Secrets of Heaven number 8455 near the end of the show. It gives me a goal to try to find peace even when life is going in directions that I might not like. Thanks for another great show!
That was a really fun scene! I'm glad you find peace in these teachings, especially in the turbulence of life. Thanks for sharing with us, Nadine :)
Great show!
Thanks so much, Joy!
@@offTheLeftEye Joy from two years ago was quite succinct!! I watched this show quite a few times and it was very helpful! Really enjoyed rewatching from this vantage point. You guys are such a gift!! I'm grateful!
@@joyborazjani5757 Fun to meet your two-years-ago self as you rewatch! 😊 We're grateful for you, too, Joy, and grateful to have had you in the audience for all this time!
When Swendenborg says, "Lord" and "He" I assume he is speaking as the energy & power of the Universe. My thoughts are, "He" is the aspect of Masculine energy. Divine Providence is within you, as we have the light within. It's just a matter of tuning in & letting go of the ego. Just my thoughts. 💙
Great thoughts, Amanda! Swedenborg wrote that the Lord is the source of love and wisdom, qualities that emanate from Him and sustain all of creation. Swedenborg stated that "from the Lord there is masculine love, and there is feminine; but nevertheless love is not made full except by both together." So while he does use masculine terms, at times, to label the Divine, there is a general assumption that God is the perfect fullness of both genders. Just some thoughts! I'd love to hear how you hold that. Wishing you well :)
Amazing video and thank you :)
Did Swedenbourg have a take on the idea that before we are born we contract with God all the good and bad things that will happen to us on earth? Personally i know this to be true in my own life, i believe i was complicit in the difficult circumstances of my childhood because i wanted to get closer to God in the end. Its the only thing i know about my eternal self, she really really wanted me to find God in the end.
Did you see the Oprah show about the lady who accidentally left her baby in the car on a hot day and the child died. Just imagine how much in her pre-birth she wanted to get closer to God that she contracted for that to happen. And in the interview you can see that it worked :)
I'm happy that you enjoyed this episode! Thank you for watching. Swedenborg did not write about those kinds of contracts with God, but I'm glad that you see how the difficult events in your life ultimately led you to become closer to God. That is a spiritual view, a deeper view, on difficult outward circumstances, and I think it's wonderful how that has led you to be able to hold a positive and hopeful view of life!
I'm wearing headphones, I literally thought rocks were sliding behind me when those sound effects came on. Scarred the crap out of me.
Ha! Sorry for the intensity of those sounds effects, my friend!
I have often wondered why we cannot see the face of God. Jonathan reads, from Swedenborg’s Divine Providence 175.2, “ We are allowed to see divine providence from behind but not face to face , and when we are in a spiritual state, not in a materialistic one”. I don’t know why this is so. I recall also that their was a passage in Moses where God speaks to him, “” I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you and I will proclaim my name, the Lord in your presence ..... but you cannot see my face , for no one may see me and live ( Exodus 33:19-20) And then.....To protect Moses, God put him a cleft in the rock and covered him with His hand. as He passed by “ Then” God promised, “ I will remove My hand, and you will see my back”, “ but my face must not be seen”. ......I was also very moved by Jonathan ‘s explanation about looking into the past to see the Divine providence. Could he have been saying that our childhoods were not only much happier but also more sensitive to God’s presence? Or that being an adult moves us further away from God? Maybe I misunderstood the explanation wrong. I’m not sure. Thanks so much, it was another great episode 👍🏻!!!
I really enjoyed reading through your message, Julian! You pose some great questions. Your initial inquiry reminds me of a passage in Swedenborg's book Divine Providence, in which he explains why we cannot know the future:
"Since foreknowledge of what will happen destroys our essential human nature, our ability to act in freedom and rationally, no one is allowed to know the future. We can, though, draw conclusions about the future on the basis of reason. This is what brings reason and all its powers to life. This is why we do not know what our lot will be after death or know anything that is happening before we are involved in it, because if we did know we would no longer think in our deeper self about what we should do or how we should live in order to reach some particular goal. We would only think with our outer self that this was coming; and this state closes the deeper levels of the mind where, principally, those two abilities of our life dwell, freedom and rationality.
A desire to know the future is innate in many people, but since this desire originates in a love for what is evil, it is taken away from people who believe in divine providence, and they are given a trust that the Lord will take care of their fate. So they do not want to know it in advance, fearing that they might in some way interfere with the divine providence. The Lord teaches us this in several ways in Luke 12:14-48.
[2] There is ample proof in the spiritual world that this is a law of divine providence. Most people who arrive there after death want to know what their lot will be; but they are told that if they have lived well their lot will be in heaven and if they have lived badly it will be in hell. However, since all are afraid of hell, even evil people, they ask what they need to do and what they need to believe in order to get into heaven. They are told that they should do and believe whatever they like; but they should realize that in hell people do not do anything that is good or believe anything that is true, only in heaven: "Ask what is good and what is true and think about it and do it if you can." So we are all left to act in freedom and to act rationally in the spiritual world just the way we are in this world. However, in that world we will behave the way we have behaved here, since in every case our own life stays with us. So does our lot, then, because our life determines our lot."
This relates to seeing the face of God. If we were to know where the Lord was leading us, particularly regarding our eternal state, it would do serious damage to our humanity (as explained above). And yet the Lord does let us see things in hindsight, so that we can still get a sense of where/how His love was guiding us. In that sense, our freedom is preserved and not impacted by knowing future events.
Your later inquiry-- about the spiritual quality of childhood vs adulthood-- is a great one! Swedenborg observed that children possess an innate innocence that creates a direct link to heaven and the angels there. That is why, in the tragic case of childhood death, each goes directly to heaven no matter what. As we develop, our inclinations toward evil (we are not born evil, but do have inclinations passed down from heredity) become activated in different ways, and we lose some of that innocence. This is where divine truth comes in. We learn how to move away from our selfishness and embody the innocence we once had in youth. This is the path to heaven.
Sorry- that was a long answer! I'd love to hear your thoughts, my friend :)
Great videos
I'm so glad to hear that, Nicole!
Thanks Guys outstanding
Your support means a lot to us, Colin!
Awesome. :)
I'm so glad!
Yall always make a video that fits whats going on in my life. Idk if its the same for others but man. They all had something. I fully believe god is in everything and can use everything to talk to us. Also on this video....the morning before i was laying in my warm bed and was all snuggled. I thought this is perfect. This is what its about. The simple awesomeness of the moment. Not money. Not fancy stuff. Just the moment. Then bam...watch the video and yall go into the what that moment is. By the way i said that with that moment during some ruff times. My stove, washer, dryer, air system, and some other stuff is broken right now. Washer was kinda working but bam...it died witha full load in it. Still the moment was awesome. Life was never meant to be perfect. Perfect shows you nothing.
We've heard that from others, too, that they were just thinking about a certain topic, and then we happen to put out a show about it! Divine Providence at work, for sure. Your message, about the "simply awesomeness of the moment" and "perfect shows you nothing" really warms my heart. Thank you so much!
Im glade it does. I mean it. People look at me like im crazy when i say im grateful for the ruff times. Also i can others connecting too. I'm still trying to get my friend to watch. Sje will say something and im all like....i know a video for that. Soon. She is warming up to it. But im not being pushy.
is this divine providence
I went to the lab and after fasting for 12 hours I had a nurse who couldn’t hit my artery to take blood was like a fishing expedition in my left arm so finally she got her two tubes of blood and I said it’s nice I’ll be able to eat now she says oh you didn’t have to fast
It gave me a chuckle, so... Thanks‼️🤣👍😘💕
Oh, wow. :) Hopefully your body benefited from that unexpected fast. Many people do regular fasts on purpose, for health reasons!
You know, humor is a wonderful part of life, so if Divine Providence was able to bring a funny story to tell out of this misunderstanding, well, that's a good thing! :)
SO TRUE SO TRUE SO TRUE SO TRUE
Sounds like it's resonating well for you!
"Luck (Divine Providence ;) is the greatest superpower" - Stan Lee - rip 2018 (95)
Amen.
Nice video! At around 19:00 you talk about how Swedenborg says that people who are truly in the stream of divine providence don't even want to know the future or interfere with divine providence in any way. Not interfering with divine providence seems smart, but then how do these people make decisions and plan about what to do next? Does Swedenborg have advice for making good (in the stream of providence) decisions moment to moment, minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, etc? I believe Swedenborg himself says people can't just sit around waiting for divine providence to tell them what to do because then they would just be like statues. Obviously people should reject any impulses/plans/ideas to do anything sinful, but what about choosing between a myriad of different non-sinful choices? Does Swedenborg offer any advice for making in-the-stream-of-Providence choices? What are the mechanisms that determine how a life well lived (aka: a life in Divine Providence) rolls out? Thanks!
Great questions! Swedenborg lays out a sequence of how we are to partner with God in order to harmonize with the stream of His providence. Here's what he says:
1. Everyone has an inner and an outer level of thinking.
2. The essential quality of our outer thinking is determined by
the quality of our inner thinking.
3. Our inner nature cannot be cleansed from compulsions to evil
as long as the evils in our outer nature are not banished, because these outer evils stand in the way.
4. The Lord cannot rid us of the evils in our outer nature without our help.
5. Therefore we need to banish the evils from our outer nature in
apparent autonomy.
6. Then the Lord cleanses us from the compulsions to evil in our
inner nature and from the evil practices themselves in our
outer nature.
7. It is the unceasing effort of the Lord’s divine providence to
unite us to himself and himself to us in order to give us the
joys of eternal life; and this can happen only to the extent that
our evils and their compulsions are banished.
So we do have a role to play, and to the degree that we actively work on our selfish behaviors, the Lord can create a new heart and mind within us. That's how heaven is accessed from within. What do you think?
@@offTheLeftEye Thanks for providing the step-by-step on how/why to cooperate with Divine Providence! Are you implying, also, that by making one's primary purpose in life to follow these steps, that as the evils (sinful behaviors) are banished more and more from one's life, that more and more good (useful, wise, meaningful) opportunities and wise insights will present themselves, and that the mental noise/chaos will diminish, making one's life decisions "easier" and more obvious?
@@markdristy Yes, I do believe that is very true in one sense. Through recognizing and shunning evils, we can feel more clear about many decisions because our priorities are more clear, and we can better notice the "still small voice" because we are paying less attention to the lower-self chatter. But also, we should expect to have challenges continue to the end of earthly life, because as we progress, we're also ready to face deeper issues. Both are part of the cycles of spiritual growth!
That party was so realistic, lol. 😆😜
:D Oh, yes, just a typical office party at OTLE. ;)
I've been living by Divine Providence for about ten years.
My FB info says under
Employer: God.
Function: If I knew I'd probably screw it up.
Rienk Kroese www.universe-people.com/english/svetelna_knihovna/en_the_new_revelation_of_the_lord_jesus_christ.htm
Interesting one again
Thanks Lizzy! Glad you liked it!
@@offTheLeftEye "Yes I love it, Curtis lol
So to inject this into a real life scene....the unluck of me passing people on the highway in the rain almost two years ago was THAT type of negative spirit hyping me up to do so? The following result of my son and husband being thrown through the windshield (after our vehicle hydroplaned and rolled 2.5 times) due to them not buckling their seatbelt was what Swedenborg refers to as their 'free will' and probably a combination of the same type of spirits that put it in me to pass told them to not buckle up and then you have ME again, who is usually the Queen of making EVERYONE buckle up before we get on the highway just completely lost my mind that day because I for some reason never told them to buckle up before we entered the highway.
With the final result being of me having to decide the outcome of my beautiful son dying from his severe head trauma by pulling him off life support so that he no longer suffered what was looking to be a slow and painful death as his body systems had started to shut down....at the young age of 20 - because he was the first one to hit the windshield, while my husband wound up wheelchair bound for 5 months was all Divine Providence? I'm still having trouble grasping this.
Although yes, good things happened after as our community pulled together to help us all out and many other blessings came our way, as well as more terrible stuff, but I'm still without a son for the rest of my life. 😪
Hi, Brandi, this is Karin. My heart aches for you. I also lost a child in a car accident, and I was the one driving. I faced overwhelming feelings of guilt because it seemed that she died, and the rest of my family suffered, simply because I got distracted trying to reach something in the car to help one of my kids, and my tire caught the edge of the highway, throwing us off. The accident and loss in your family did not happen from Divine Providence, but from Divine Permission. Evil spirits are constantly trying to cause accidents and suffering. If they had their way, we would all be having destructive accidents every minute. Because of the complicated balance that must be maintained for our freewill, some of those efforts to cause harm have to be permitted. God does not want them to happen, but God permits our mistakes and accidents only if Divine Providence can make sure that something good can come out of it in the long run. So Divine Providence is not in the accident, but Divine Providence is in the good that comes out of it, including for your son in the afterlife. Evil is the cause of accidents. Divine Providence is the force of God's love that takes care of everyone though it all and afterwards, and brings the compassion and healing and the deepening of the heart. Do you see the difference? During earthly life, I don't believe we would be able to understand the details of why any certain accident had to be permitted. But people who have had near-death experiences say that they were shown all the reasons for everything that happened, and it made total, loving sense in the big picture. So, it brings me peace that in the afterlife I will know all the reasons, and for now, I can trust that God is taking loving care of my daughter in the afterlife, and us here on earth. Sending much love to you, Brandi!
offTheLeftEye,
Karin, you have special place in my heart as you and I have spoke a while ago on the Swedenborg Facebook page regarding this very thing as well, but I don't think I asked questions as complex as this since I have learned and watched a lot more of OTLE since then. On there my last name is different than here as this place is not so private. I'm always so grateful when you reply as you have a vast amount of knowledge, and a similar experience. Your replies always make sense and are easy to grasp.
Thank you 🙏
@@brandi6591 You're very welcome. I'm deeply glad if reflections on my own experience can be of any help to you. God bless!
I wonder if there is an episode out there about our DNA, why do we look different act different, feel different, etc.
...Because the material is the most outward expression of our spirit and no two spirits are alike. Can't be even!! :D
Rienk has said it well. Our outer differences reflect how we are all so unique in spirit. And Swedenborg wrote that God's infinity is reflected in the fact that no two people or any other things in creation are ever exactly alike!
offTheLeftEye .....Wow! thank you.
In playing poker over the years, probably 200 times or more times a player would get the one or two cards left in the deck or hit a miracle card on the river to beat me, whereas it has happened to me maybe twice. I would always say that it was evil rewarding its minions and that it was to frustrate me with negative emotions which fed those spirits. Now there is confirmation that I was right.
That's a fascinating connection, Kenneth! Thanks for sharing!
I think I need to concentrate on my life then worrying about the afterlife
The point is not to worry! We all have curiosity and a sense of adventure. We can walk and chew gum at the same time, concentrate on living our life here and now as well as trying to understand why we need to do this.
Thanks for this comment mate
The dark spirit and bright spirit shows up; is it the spirtis choice or has the person attracted the dark or bright?
Thanks for the question, judypa. We have freedom to respond to either influence, and can attract good influences or evil ones. Here i a video on How to Allow Angels to Influence Your Life.
ruclips.net/video/9xgZVITmFHI/видео.html
Keep looking for answers!
There is no god outside our wonderful self..
Hi Moira, thanks for the message. Are you saying that God is within?
Your self is an illusion you created to protect yourself from the great beacon of light that is the one and only Holy Lord God. Don't be decieved, you are lied to.
Don't defend yourself.
"No self, no self defence" - Buddha
What is wrong with that? I feel as if this statement was written under distress because it trails...
Is Divine Providence the same as God's will?
Yes!
I agree with Carwen! Divine Providence is how the Lord governs all of creation. So, it's totally His will.
But notice in the show we said that some things that happen are according to Divine Will, and some according to Divine Permission. For more about that, see our show "Why Bad Things Happen" ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
Why did you pull face impressions 😂
But what if people are right that we could be under ground what if they is right
I didn’t really pay any attention to this video what was it about
This video was about how God is present in the details of our lives, and how we can learn to trust His process of leading us. We also ask the questions: Are all the details of our lives really under God's constant care? What about luck, chance, and misfortune?
👏🏼❤️
I just moved in to a new apartment I didn't have the deposit and these people came out of nowhere and said we will lon you the money that was God controling luck
Awesome!
Curious is there a bible study led by anyone with a Swedenborg point if view? That goes though the books of the Bible?
newchristianbiblestudy.org is what you need, all Swedenborgian 。🙏☀️
@Josta356 Jonathan Rose did a weekly recorded Bible study for 8 years, and they are all available here: spiritandlifebiblestudy.com/. They were originally streamed on ustream, where you can browse the videos too: www.ustream.tv/channel/nunclicetbiblestudy . And you can find the audio recordings of most of them as a podcast wherever you get podcasts by searching "spirit and life bible study".
@Brother Barton , your kind words mean a lot to us. Hope you enjoy exploring!
Not even a leaf falls idly.
edit: Nice green screen action :)
Ha, thanks so much Rienk!
Can you please reply all the comments I have been asking you ?
Very interesting theory about the Muppets, Curtis. I think you might be on to something...
Ha! ;)
Good stuff as usual, thanks.
The Muppets are real, right?
Ha, thanks for the kind words Keith! And whether the Muppets are real or not...it might just be a mystery of faith ;)
@@offTheLeftEye
:)
How do you think you guys will feel when you go up to heaven
Incredible joy...happiness beyond anything that can be experienced here on earth. And most importantly, we would feel loved and be loving.
@home
Illumination comes not only with rewards based on the virtue of what it is, but the knowledge of this intensifies it even more so.
So when we die is it like your mum being pregnant with you again Cos when we where a baby we can’t remember what we did when we was a baby so when we die it will Just be like your mom giving birth to you again but to heaven
Hi Jack, see my other message about spiritual rebirth, as well as the video I sent you. That should help! Wishing you well :)
What about those born with terminal diseases or those whose destiny was to be a serial killer?
I always have that question, too. And the standard Swedenborgian answer of, "Nothing is allowed to happen (by God) that, in the end, will not, somehow, eventually, result in good." ESPECIALLY, since Swedenborg said that the human soul does NOT reincarnate to experience another human life. Even though it's a mystery to us for a reason, it STILL seems terribly unfair for the children & people who are born to lives of brutal, torturous abuse, deformity, terrible illnesses, Schizophrenia, etc, if that's their ONLY chance at human life to experience, and that probably isn't much comfort, for example, to the majority parents of abducted, murdered children, understandably, because not everyone can be a John Walsh, even if they wanted to,...
@The Aristocrat, it is never anybody's destiny to be a serial killer. Everyone, when created, is predestined to heaven. But freewill is real, and some people choose to become serial killers. As for terminal diseases, all disease is a result of thousands of years of human corruption, and yes, we are all in this together, so we are collectively affected by the germs and toxins that have come into being because of this corruption. But earthly life is only the very beginning of each person's story. No one is deprived of the chance to fully develop themselves if they die early. If the actions of humanity result in people having diseases and accidents, God provides that those people fully receive on the spiritual level what they were deprived of on the earthly level. Most of life is lived in the afterlife. See the following videos:
"Is God Fair?" ruclips.net/video/UIMfRE0wmOA/видео.html
"Life Isn't Fair... Or Is It?" ruclips.net/video/42BEBqN0H3Y/видео.html
"Why Bad Things Happen" ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
@Dd Dedrick, earthly life is not anyone's only chance at human life experience. Far from it. Earthly life is only the very beginning of each person's story. Most of life is lived in the afterlife. What people were deprived of on earth because of human corruption will be made up for in the afterlife. God wants more than anything for us here on earth to stop the abuse and violence, the pollution that causes disease, the traumas that trigger mental illness, etc. We humans on earth are the channels through which God's love must come through. So all the bad stuff will end when we collectively decide to stop engaging in it. See the following videos:
"Is God Fair?" ruclips.net/video/UIMfRE0wmOA/видео.html
"Life Isn't Fair... Or Is It?" ruclips.net/video/42BEBqN0H3Y/видео.html
"Why Bad Things Happen" ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
@@offTheLeftEye Thanks for the detailed answer. Will check out the vids.
@@OUTBOUND184 You're very welcome!
Muppets used to be real! Lol! Curtis you are such a jokester.
Haha that was a fun scene!
Sometimes,I'm thinking that maybe there are just some people who is lucky and some are experiencing bad luck in their life no matter how they stay strong,have faith in God.but I'm wondering why God allows some people to get raped ,slay and more devilish act ..I just have sympthaty so those OFW ,and many get raped ,and killed and got slave to some countries ..hayyyyyyy...life sometimes is unfair maybe.
I totally sympathize with these feelings, Mimi -- it does appear that life is waaay unfair. Swedenborg asserts that we are all being lovingly led on our path, though, no matter what our outer circumstances -- hard as that may be to believe. Here's a show we did called "Life Isn't Fair -- or Is It?" ruclips.net/video/42BEBqN0H3Y/видео.html . Let us know if those ideas resonate at all with you, and blessings to your compassionate heart.
Then WHY do people get sick ...... and then die, sometimes slow and horrible deaths devoid of any dignity ...... is that for the so-called "greater good" ??
Thanks for the question, Solar Ray! It's a good one. Swedenborg does not claim that illness and pain are for the greater good. He talks about good coming out of painful experiences but says that God does not will these things to take place in the first place. Have you seen our video, "Why Bad Things Happen"? If you have a chance to watch, I'd love to know if it answers your question! ruclips.net/video/_F3Gokp44Qo/видео.html
My mum says it’s Just black when you die
Each of us is free to believe what we want. I believe there is life after death, and that we transition to seeing the spiritual world after death.
I want to die so bad..... why not out myself? I need to be by my spouse.
My heart breaks for you. But please know that when the time is right, you will be reunited with your spouse. The pain may be horrible to bear, but the Lord desires that you continue living, learning and forming your spiritual character. The love you share with your spouse transcends time and space, and will never go away. You are loved, and you're not alone.
@@offTheLeftEye You're very kind. Thank you.
I think God can control luck I needed some money so me and my wife could have a wonderful Christmas I won some money on a game jacks or better that's what l played and mushrooms were 55 dollars a pound I made some money that day and me and my wife had a great Christmas
I'm so glad that worked out for you!
People say to there little children Santa is coming but people are a just making videos about god Cos my mum told me it will Just be black is they right Cos my mum never lies
I'm not quite sure what you mean here. Can you clarify for me? Thanks!
My mum said to me it will Just be black when we die
I mean my mum said when you die you won’t see any thing
I'm sure that you mum would never lie to you. But since most of us cannot see the afterlife until we die, each person has to choose what to believe about it. Your mum has chosen what she believes, and you can choose what you want to believe. People can still love and respect each other, even if they believe different things.
WOW THIS WAS ANOTHER FANTASTIC SHOW I AM SOOOO GREATFULL. BUT WHAT YOU CALL DEVINE PROVADENCE I WOULD CALL FATH, BUT YOUR WAY OF EXPLAINING IT IS ABOUT A BILLION TIMES MORE INSIGHTFULL,LOL. OK HERE IS MY BEEF. SWEEDENBURG IS AND WAS A GREAT MAN,BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND WILL CONTUINUE TO DO SO SUCH AS THE NEED TO EAT ANIMALS,MOST PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO EAT ANIMALS TODAY BUT OK SOME DO, YES I HAVE KNOWED PEOPLE TO PRASE THE LORD IN ONE HAND AND KILL IN THE OTHER, AND THAT IS WITHOUT NEED, EVIL WICKED PREVERTED SICK MINDS WOULD HAVE A FREEZER FULL OF MEAT AND A BARBAQE GRILL , I DO BELIVE THAT JESUS WOULD TURN OVER THEM JUST LIKE HE TURNED OVER THE TABLES, WELL I KNOW I AM NOT SAPOSTO HURT HUMANS BUT WE MUST ALL RUB THE NOSE OF A DOG IN ITS OWN POOP IF WE WANT TO HOUSE BREAK IT, I WOUNDER WHATS IN YOUR FREEZER????
Well, Kerry, we all have different diets on staff here at offTheLeftEye. This is Melissa, one moderator here, and while I can't speak for my co-workers, but I think we all strive to eat mostly plants and do the best we can by our planet and our fellow citizens on it. It's certainly something to aspire to, but not always easy for all of us. Whether to eat meat or not is a personal choice, and there are sometimes extenuating factors that make vegetarianism or veganism difficult. We believe that people will decide what is right for them, and respect their right to make those choices.
I am glad you have found a way to eat and interact with your environment that feels powerful and right to you, and I definitely think it's a subject worthy of consideration!
Swedenborg himself rarely ate meat, and has written about how the most ancient people (early humans) would never eat meat and regarded the practice as barbaric. Swedenborg wrote that as time went on, and humanity lost its close relationship with God, eating meat was allowed and we can now do it without eternal consequence - so long as it is in alignment with our beliefs.
Swedenborg would eat meat occasionally, such as at dinners out, but on his own seemed to avoid it. Here's a link to an episode where we talk more about this, if you're interested: "10 Questions," ruclips.net/video/Jb-7BX0ctoI/видео.html
Hope that is useful to you, and thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue!
@@offTheLeftEye thank you for all that 411.i am very greatfull.
Hi Kerry, I can see you are upset by my response. I'm so sorry. If it would be helpful to you, we would love to continue this conversation via e-mail! Please feel free to contact us at offthelefteye@gmail.com