AC 6240 - The Real Rational Person

AC 6240 [2]

Many in the world suppose
that a rational person is one
who can reason acutely about many things,
and so join his reasonings together
that his conclusions may appear like truth;
but this is found in the very worst of people,
who are able to reason skillfully
and persuade that evils are goods,
and that falsities are truths;
and the reverse.
But he who reflects can see that this is vicious fantasy,
and not what is rational.

The rational consists in
inwardly seeing and perceiving that good is good,
and from this that truth is truth;
for the sight and perception of such people
are from heaven.
That they who are of the Lord's spiritual church
are interiorly natural,
is because they only acknowledge as truth
that which they have received from
their parents and masters,
and afterward have confirmed in themselves;
and do not see inwardly, and perceive,
whether it is true from any other source
than that they have confirmed it in themselves.

It is otherwise with the celestial;
and it is from this that the latter are rational,
but the former interiorly natural.
The internal celestial
which is represented by Joseph,
is in the rational;
whereas the spiritual good
which is represented by Israel,
is in the interior natural;
for it is the spiritual who are represented by Israel,
and the celestial who are represented by Joseph.