46. On the plurality of wives among Mohammedans

I spoke with Mohammedans about spiritual marriage, saying that it is a marriage of good and truth; that good loves truth and truth good like a married couple; and that these wish to be joined and bring forth goods and truths like daughters and sons, and as it were to procreate families. They understood this well, as also that conjugial love comes down from that spiritual origin, and that everything spiritual in man undergoes a change, so that it is scarcely recognisable, when it comes down to the natural; it can only be recognised by correspondences. From these facts it is plain that they, having several wives allowed by their religion, cannot have truly conjugial love. It was said that they are allowed several wives, that is, polygamy is permitted, because they live in hot climates and therefore are more heated with lust than those who live in cold climates. ¹ Therefore if they were not permitted polygamy, more of them would rush into adultery than would Europeans, and thus act contrary to their religious tenets; and to act contrary to one's religious tenets is to profane what is sacred. It was shown further that all their love of marriage is lascivious, and so not spiritual; nor can it become spiritual unless they acknowledge the Lord.

Bilješke:

6. Which God gave Him, to show unto His servants, signifies for those who are in truths from good. This is evident from the signification of "gave Him to show the revelation," as being to declare predictions, that is to say, predictions for those; and from the signification of "His servants," as being, who are in truths from good. Such are meant by servants of God, because those who hearken to and obey God are called, in the Word, servants of God. Hearkening and obedience take place with those who are in truths from good, but not with those who are in truths alone, or in truths without good; for these have truths in the memory only, and not in the life; whereas those who are in truths from good have truths in the life, and those who have truths in the life do them from the heart, that is, from love. Be it known, that no truth ever enters into the life of man unless the man be in good, for good is of love, and love makes the whole man; man therefore receives into his life all truths that are in accord. This may be abundantly seen from the fact, that whatever a man loves he appropriates to himself; and everything else he casts from him, yea, holds it in aversion. By good is here meant the good of love to the Lord and the good of love towards the neighbor; for this good is the only spiritual good, and with this truths of faith are in accord.