What was Created in Seven Days? - Swedenborg Minute

Is the creation story in Genesis meant to be taken literally? Swedenborg wrote that it has a more subtle, psychological meaning.

The graphic of the mammal evolutionary tree was taken, via Wikimedia Commons, from Graphodatsky, Alexander S; Trifonov, Vladimir A; Stanyon, Roscoe (2011). "The genome diversity and karyotype evolution of mammals". Molecular Cytogenetics 4 (22)

Who's Emanuel Swedenborg?

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★☆★THE HOST★☆★

Curtis Childs is the digital media producer at the Swedenborg Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to spread 18th-century philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg’s timeless message of hope to all. While obtaining his degree in communication studies from Oakland University, Curtis experienced an internal battle with depression that led him to question God, existence, and his lifelong interest in Swedenborgian theology. After a period of intense suffering, he recovered from his depression with the help of modern medicine, therapy, and a return to the spiritually uplifting messages he found in Swedenborg’s writings. Now, Curtis is applying his education and desire to help others find peace through Swedenborg’s insights by producing and hosting a weekly webcast called Swedenborg and Life on the offTheLeftEye YouTube channel. Each week, Curtis and his behind-the-scenes team pour their talents and passions into creating a new episode for a worldwide audience that focuses on spiritual and societal topics such as the afterlife, angels and spirits, near-death experiences, overcoming worldly issues, and more.

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[offTheLeftEye]

Thanks very much, and I'm glad that Swedenborg's thought is resonating with you! Yes, we should have a new video out next week.

If you wait until the end of this video and click the "who was Swedenborg" link, it will take you to a great introduction to Swedenborg and what hiss different books are like. It also features links to many free ebooks of his in the description.

Thanks for the encouragement!

[offTheLeftEye]

Hey! Yes, I hear you. Swedenborg's explanation for that is that the crypticness of the text actually served to protect the inner meaning. The "hatred" was already in people hearts, and so they used the Bible as justification for their crimes. If the inner meaning had been made plain, then people would have twisted it too, ruining its potential to reemerge later and be genuinely useful.

[offTheLeftEye]

So glad you enjoyed it! Hope your program goes well!

[offTheLeftEye]

You're very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!

[lesliedasilva]

Really Beautiful! truly a new outlook on Genesis

[offTheLeftEye]

Hi! Yes, I've found Swedenborg's material so helpful that I enjoy passing it along to others. That's where I'm coming from.

The link isn't showing up? It's supposed to be there--I'm not trying to be mystical about it :)

It shows up for me, so I'm not exactly sure how to correct it. You can also google the Swedenborg Foundation, go to their "ebooks" section, and then click on Secrets of Heaven, Vol. 1 to get to the same place. Sorry for the inconvenience!

[oliviadeluca]

Curtis, your summary rocks, thank you for that! Now, I just have one wish : May God have rest in all of us !

[wyldman]

This little vid needs way more likes! C’mon people! This is gold!

[DonMrLenny]

This is genius I never thought in this way before

[TheLastLoki]

Ah, no problem! I had noticed the absence of a link on another video which is why I asked. It seems to be showing up now so perhaps it was just a browser issue.
A lot of your/his material, although somewhat esoteric in nature, resonates quite well with my personal beliefs. At the very least it seems interesting and I will certainly check out the ebook when I get chance. Cheers for the hasty reply and thanks for being such an obviously nice guy. Looking forward to more videos from you. Peace.

[verdew]

Well I feel that if Genesis has that deeper meaning it should have been written to explain that or if not should have had a preface stating such and that only highly spiritually advanced persons can fully understand and explain it. Imagine all the confusion, religious hatreds and suffering that could have prevented.

[harleyjames]

I have always understood the idea of symbolism, either intentional or not, within the fantastical stories of the Old Testament. What I can't understand is, if God did dictate these words, how and why he did so knowing that the biggest impact from his "symbolism" would be mass genocide, torture, slavery, and chaos for thousands of years, due to humans interpreting it literally as pure truth. I mean, isn't it in Matthew somewhere that whatever is bound on Earth shall be ratified by Chris in Heaven. Where is the punchline of all this symbolism, and when will it click so I can understand its purpose. 

[gtbier]

This is great, thanks for making it!

[briancomiskey]

Kudos for squeezing all this in a minute. This is a huge subject and I like how you cut to the chase in the beginning. 

[TerminalDeceleration]

replying to the comments. That's hard to do. respect man, respect.

[Kite]

I wish I could understand the Bible with as much depth as it was revealed to Swedenborg..

[TheLastLoki]

I like your videos but sometimes it is hard to tell exactly where you are coming from - I'm guessing it is largely inspired by this Swedenborg guy? Also, your descriptions always claim to have a link for a free download of an ebook, but it is always left blank. Is this some cryptic enigma, implying that his words are everywhere and are found in all of us or did you simply forget to include the link? Thanks anyway.

[sashawhitehead]

Can I express some thoughts? Genesis Creation is written poetically and symbolically - as well as giving some dimensional pointers of actual Truths ( that we can understand)- which encompass massive amounts of power inconceivable to mere expression by words.It conatins massive amounts of information by the dimensions of  creation and power contained in its verses and structure and progressions . It is wholistically written to express a "huge 'idea of 'more than'- or greater than  universal proportion. So the higher you go in the  magnitude of the power structure towards God's Light and the Creation, the simpler the expression of it has to be, as the madnitude is held within.(Just as The Bible says, we need to be (pure)'like a child' to enter heaven- (perhaps meaning without developed expectations of human intellect).
 As Spirit is beyond physical manifestation as much it is also every part of physical manifestation. So just to give some reference to it in true terms  is  almost beyond our grasp in conscious understanding. (like an abstract painting- it needs to have individual relationship of correspondecne for interpretation- ( we are all unique). Yet, it is before us each day- as an open book to read the details- such as in inner sight- or spiritual insight, and reverence for the divine contained within. I believe that we( mankind)  are poised on the 6th day evening awaiting to be born into the seveth day- where the kingdom of Heaven and a New Earth is revealed, as a new birth in the Spirit and washing away of the dead blood cells in exchange for new invigorated ones. ( ie. Where Love rules the very nature of our being)-and the Light of Truth permeates all beings and we live in consonance and in accordance with the Laws of Love, Peace and Harmony -(New  Trinity) without the hardship and opposition of a discordant world. Peace .

[TrueNature]

I'm with Brian Smith..dope..totally <3

[mineones]

If the purpose of this video is to share or "preach" what Mr. Swedenborg believed and wrote, that is fine. The same could be done with other writers. No matter how absurd  their ideas are, be it right or wrong, everybody is free to do it. What is the purpose of questioning the 7 days of Creation, still in the christian world? There are so many spiritual implications in that account about the true God, His character, our human nature and purpose, etc. etc.. What kind of God do you guys believe in? Is it easy to be a christian pagan if one makes a personal god adapted to our very limited perspective and purposes of the real true God and His written revelation and the nature world ( Romans :1). 
I do not doubt about your good intentions with your efforts doing this kind of job or ministry; for sure you guys have many followers. But remember if what is said is not according to what is revealed, that, is in darkness, no true in it. Isaiah 8:20. 
No matter who is talking or writing, a pastor, a scientist, a writer, etc., the principle is always the same. One can believe whatever one wants, and we are using our right to do so; but my personal "true" is just that, is mine no matter how many followers I have with me. 
The facts do not change, but the interpretations of them do. What was written, it was in that way because He inspired so. We do not need keep questioning the inspired Word. If I do not believe something in the Bible, that is my personal thinking and perhaps would be better if I keep it for my own and ask God for guidance. Be careful in sharing some things that promote confusion, atheism and incredulity in GOD and His  natural and written revelation. Or, promoting what is worse: another religion leading people in the wrong way.