1. While Swedenborg maintains that "everyone is born for heaven," and "no one is born for hell" ( Heaven and Hell 329), he also says that "we are born into every type of evil, . . . so on our own we are condemned to hell" ( Secrets of Heaven 10367[3]). This concept of "hereditary evil" is based on the notion that an inclination to do evil is inherited from one's parents. It is distinct from the traditional Christian concept of original sin first articulated by Augustine (see Kelly 1960, 361-366), which is based on the notion that all humans inherit actual sin from Adam and Eve. In Swedenborg's view, humans are born inclined to do evils of every kind, and more so to commit those evils that one's parents have committed, though every human is perpetually in freedom to choose between good and evil. Despite the differentiation Swedenborg makes between hereditary evil and original sin, he does not claim that the simple fact of our being born evil is unique to his theology. For an example of a similar teaching from Lutheran confessional texts, see the following statement in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession: "It is further taught that since Adam's fall all human beings, who are naturally conceived, are born in sin. From their mother's womb they are all filled with evil desire and the inclination toward evil" (McCain, Baker, and Veith 2006, 76. 2). For more on Swedenborg's concept of hereditary evil, see Secrets of Heaven 313, 494:2; True Christianity 469, 520-521; Marriage Love 525. For a passage specifically on our being born evil, see Secrets of Heaven 987, which further cites Genesis 8:21, "The inclination of the human heart is evil from youth" (New Revised Standard Version). [RHK, KK, JSR, RS, SS]