245. About spirits who distort holy things by "plastering with untempered mortar" [Ezek. 13:10-15]

Today again, I was shown how the worst spirits distort holy things, namely that they bring holy things to bear as if they were their own, and as it were plaster them over, and bring them in this form to human consciousness; consequently, innocent people can easily be persuaded that the very inward holy things come from those spirits, when yet it is mere "untempered mortar," as described in Ezekiel [13:10].

At first I considered that the sensation of very inward things originated from them, but afterwards, when better informed, I was allowed to expose their deceptions to them through conversation and symbolic depiction. This angered them, especially the fact that from something evil a perception of goodness can result, and one of truth from something false. Along these lines the clay wall [v.10] was also explained. 1747, the 12th day of November (old calendar).

They imagine they are good and holy when they are declaring their vows, like the dragon now and then, when yet inwardly they harbor malice, although in that state they do not know it.