AR 756 - Dominate Affections

AR 756 [2]

People in the world do not know 
that all after death become 
embodiments of the affections of their dominant love - 
embodiments of good affections 
if they have looked to the Lord and heaven 
and at the same time refrained from evils as sins, 
but embodiments of evil affections, namely lusts, 
if they have looked only to themselves and the world 
and have refrained from evils, not as sins, 
but only as damaging to their reputation and honor.

These affections are objectively 
seen and perceived in the spiritual world, 
whereas only the thoughts 
emanating from these affections 
are seen and perceived in the natural world. 
As a result, people do not know 
that hell resides in the affections of an evil love,
and heaven in the affections of a good love. 

So it is that people do not know this 
and do not perceive it, 
because the lusts of an evil love 
derive from heredity 
that they are delightful in the will, 
and thus pleasant in the intellect, 
and people do not reflect on something 
that is delightful and pleasant 
because it carries their minds along 
as the current of a swift river does a boat. 
Consequently people who have immersed themselves 
in these delights and pleasant thoughts 
cannot approach the delights and pleasant thoughts 
of the affections of a love of goodness and truth 
otherwise than as people 
who with straining arms pull on the oars 
against the current of a swift river.

The case, however, is otherwise with people 
who have not so deeply immersed themselves.