108. The distance between the sun and angels in the spiritual world is an apparent distance that depends on their acceptance of divine love and wisdom. All the illusions that are prevalent among evil people and simple people come from appearances that have been taken as facts. As long as appearances remain appearances, they are virtual truths, and it is all right for anyone to think and talk in terms of them. However, when they are taken to be actual truths, which happens when they are defended as facts, then the virtual truths become falsities and fallacies.
For example, it seems as though the sun travels around the earth every day and also follows its yearly ecliptic path. As long as this is not taken as fact, this is a virtual truth, and anyone may think and talk in such terms. We can say that the sun rises and sets, causing morning, noon, evening, and night. We can say that the sun is at this or that point on the ecliptic, or at this or that elevation, causing spring, summer, autumn, and winter. However, when these appearances are defended as the real truth, then the person who defends them is thinking and speaking falsity based on illusion.
The same holds true for countless other appearances, not only in earthly, civic, and moral matters, but also in spiritual ones.
