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.

Примітки:

In Leviticus 16:21, this signifies the communication and transference of all the iniquities and sins of the Israelites. (Arcana Coelestia 1002[31]) It also signifies the removal of sins with people who were repentant. (Arcana Coelestia 9937[8])

In Daniel 8:5-8, this signifies faith separate from charity; and in respect to the Christian church, this signifies people in external truths by delight, caring not at all for internal truths, for, if they teach them, it is for personal gain. (Arcana Coelestia 4769[3], Apocalypse Revealed 586)