Swedenborg 101: The Basic Nature of Everything

[creator]

I found this YouTube Channel called "offTheLeftEye" that shares a lot of spiritual/gospel insights based on the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. I've really enjoyed a lot of the insights they share.

This particular video gives a quick introduction about who Swedenborg is and a "101" about the experiences he shared about the world of spirits and the nature of everything, based on his experience/perspective.

The reason I was curious about Swedenborg in the first place is that some people think Joseph Smith may have gotten some of his teachings from Swedenborg's writings (see image at the bottom of this post for similarities). However, similarities aren't proof of plagiarism. It's entirely possible both Smith and Swedenborg simply had similar details revealed to them from God.

Swedenborg 101: The Basic Nature of Everything

Joseph Smith and Emanuel Swedenborg similar doctrines:

smith-and-swedenborg.png (233.31 KiB) Viewed 3718 times

[Shaffer89]

This is super interesting, thank you for posting!
As usual your post involves alot for me to research and learn before I could even begin to comment. haha

But at face value I can say his story seems plausible and I don't see any reason to discredit what he wrote and experienced.

[Silver Pie]

Well, if both of them understood things through the power of God, it would only make sense that there would be similarities in what they taught, imo.

[creator]

It's a good reminder of the importance of truth and love from an eternal perspective.

[creator]

From the video:

swedenborg-heaven.jpg (183.62 KiB) Viewed 2847 times

[HVDC]

It's a good reminder of the importance of truth and love from an eternal perspective.

Informative.

Thanks.

Sir H

[Niemand]

This is the outfit William Blake was initially involved in although he fell out with them.

[ransomme]

Yeah that is a good synopsis on Swedenborg. And he had some amazing insights.

[Trucker]

I found this YouTube Channel called "offTheLeftEye" that shares a lot of spiritual/gospel insights based on the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. I've really enjoyed a lot of the insights they share.

This particular video gives a quick introduction about who Swedenborg is and a "101" about the experiences he shared about the world of spirits and the nature of everything, based on his experience/perspective.

The reason I was curious about Swedenborg in the first place is that some people think Joseph Smith may have gotten some of his teachings from Swedenborg's writings (see image at the bottom of this post for similarities). However, similarities aren't proof of plagiarism. It's entirely possible both Smith and Swedenborg simply had similar details revealed to them from God.

Swedenborg 101: The Basic Nature of Everything

Joseph Smith and Emanuel Swedenborg similar doctrines:
smith-and-swedenborg.png

One thing I always look for in other religions, spiritualities, visions of the spirit world, etc. is the exclusion of Christ or the notion that "all roads lead to God." Sure enough, at 36:30 in the video he talks about how basically all religions are good and lead to God.

So basically what I look for is whether it agrees with:

John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

and Matt 7:13-14
13 ¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

I can't accept it if it doesn't agree with that.

[JK4Woods]

…wait a minute..!!
Elder Renlund says only good revelation comes thru authorized channels. And if you go seeking it outside authorized channels, one is “likely to crash and burn”.

Those are his words..!!
(From last October Conference).

So if Swedenborg was in an equivalent time period of an authorized authority, ( Close to Joseph Smith) then by definition, all he says is false. Because Gods true revelation would wait to be transmitted through the authorized conduit.

SMH..!

[Cruiserdude]

…wait a minute..!!
Elder Renlund says only good revelation comes thru authorized channels. And if you go seeking it outside authorized channels, one is “likely to crash and burn”.

Those are his words..!!
(From last October Conference).

So if Swedenborg was in an equivalent time period of an authorized authority, ( Close to Joseph Smith) then by definition, all he says is false. Because Gods true revelation would wait to be transmitted through the authorized conduit.

SMH..!

That's a great point.
I LOVED it when I found out that Joseph had Swedenborg's book. And that Swedenborg had also been allowed to see the spirit world and the other truths he was aware of. We ought not fear the truth, in and of itself, AT ALL.

[Original_Intent]

I found this YouTube Channel called "offTheLeftEye" that shares a lot of spiritual/gospel insights based on the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. I've really enjoyed a lot of the insights they share.

This particular video gives a quick introduction about who Swedenborg is and a "101" about the experiences he shared about the world of spirits and the nature of everything, based on his experience/perspective.

The reason I was curious about Swedenborg in the first place is that some people think Joseph Smith may have gotten some of his teachings from Swedenborg's writings (see image at the bottom of this post for similarities). However, similarities aren't proof of plagiarism. It's entirely possible both Smith and Swedenborg simply had similar details revealed to them from God.

Swedenborg 101: The Basic Nature of Everything

Joseph Smith and Emanuel Swedenborg similar doctrines:
smith-and-swedenborg.png

I keep bumping into Swedenborg in my studies, this feels like the right time to take a look. Thanks for posting.

[creator]

I keep bumping into Swedenborg in my studies, this feels like the right time to take a look. Thanks for posting.

Heaven & Hell is a very interesting book. Also, this YouTube channel has a lot of good content based on Swedenborg's teachings. I really like what he called "correspondences".

Swedenborg seemed to be given many spiritual insights to the afterlife (the spirit world and heaven as it relates to life between death and rebirth/resurrection), but he didn't seem to be aware of what goes on before and after that, in regards to our eternal progression; in Mormon terms - progression from divine intelligence to spirit to physical body to the possibility of becoming like God.

[Dusty Wanderer]

…wait a minute..!!
Elder Renlund says only good revelation comes thru authorized channels. And if you go seeking it outside authorized channels, one is “likely to crash and burn”.

Those are his words..!!
(From last October Conference).

So if Swedenborg was in an equivalent time period of an authorized authority, ( Close to Joseph Smith) then by definition, all he says is false. Because Gods true revelation would wait to be transmitted through the authorized conduit.

SMH..!

That's a great point.
I LOVED it when I found out that Joseph had Swedenborg's book. And that Swedenborg had also been allowed to see the spirit world and the other truths he was aware of. We ought not fear the truth, in and of itself, AT ALL.

“receive truth, let it come from whence it may.” JS

When did Joseph have Swedenborg's book? Would love any direction toward source material about it.

[Cruiserdude]

…wait a minute..!!
Elder Renlund says only good revelation comes thru authorized channels. And if you go seeking it outside authorized channels, one is “likely to crash and burn”.

Those are his words..!!
(From last October Conference).

So if Swedenborg was in an equivalent time period of an authorized authority, ( Close to Joseph Smith) then by definition, all he says is false. Because Gods true revelation would wait to be transmitted through the authorized conduit.

SMH..!

That's a great point.
I LOVED it when I found out that Joseph had Swedenborg's book. And that Swedenborg had also been allowed to see the spirit world and the other truths he was aware of. We ought not fear the truth, in and of itself, AT ALL.

“receive truth, let it come from whence it may.” JS

When did Joseph have Swedenborg's book? Would love any direction toward source material about it.

I'm gonna butcher this, I'm positive I'm gonna butcher it BUT, it was something like one of the early brothers noticed the book on Joseph bookshelf or something kinda like that and that actual book Joseph had of Swedenborg's talked about the three kingdoms in heaven and plenty more that I don't want to butcher... It's something like that, I'm slaughtering it, I'm sure.
Someone else will know much better than me
I tried quick search and nothing jumped out

[creator]

I'm gonna butcher this, I'm positive I'm gonna butcher it BUT, it was something like one of the early brothers noticed the book on Joseph bookshelf or something kinda like that and that actual book Joseph had of Swedenborg's talked about the three kingdoms in heaven and plenty more that I don't want to butcher... It's something like that, I'm slaughtering it, I'm sure.
Someone else will know much better than me
I tried quick search and nothing jumped out

It's possible that Joseph had the book "Heaven & Hell", not sure if there is evidence for that, but we do know the book was available for purchase in his hometown during that time period. (per D. Michael Quinn: "Nine miles from Smith's farm, in 1826 the Canandaigua newspaper also advertised Swedenborg's book for sale. The bookstore offered Swedenborg's publications for as little as 37 cents.")

[Cruiserdude]

I'm gonna butcher this, I'm positive I'm gonna butcher it BUT, it was something like one of the early brothers noticed the book on Joseph bookshelf or something kinda like that and that actual book Joseph had of Swedenborg's talked about the three kingdoms in heaven and plenty more that I don't want to butcher... It's something like that, I'm slaughtering it, I'm sure.
Someone else will know much better than me
I tried quick search and nothing jumped out

It's possible that Joseph had the book "Heaven & Hell", not sure if there is evidence for that, but we do know the book was available for purchase in his hometown during that time period. (per D. Michael Quinn: "Nine miles from Smith's farm, in 1826 the Canandaigua newspaper also advertised Swedenborg's book for sale. The bookstore offered Swedenborg's publications for as little as 37 cents.")

Am I making up the thing about the book being noticed on Joseph's book shelf? Now, I'm thinking it might have just been a contemporary of Joseph's that noticed it on the book shelf....
Shoot, wish I could remember. I thought the book on his shelf was a more commonly known thing... Because I showed up way late to the forum and all this newer history stuff...
Now I better not be making a case for a red chair with some perfect embellishment to try and make a point but I think my story is at least close in principle to what I read... This is gonna drive me crazy now... Or maybe I already am crazy and this story is proof

[creator]

Am I making up the thing about the book being noticed on Joseph's book shelf? Now, I'm thinking it might have just been a contemporary of Joseph's that noticed it on the book shelf....
Shoot, wish I could remember. I thought the book on his shelf was a more commonly known thing... Because I showed up way late to the forum and all this newer history stuff...
Now I better not be making a case for a red chair with some perfect embellishment to try and make a point but I think my story is at least close in principle to what I read... This is gonna drive me crazy now... Or maybe I already am crazy and this story is proof

I thought I recall reading that among the library of Joseph's books was a book that included some Swedenborg stuff in it. But I don't recall the source.

[Cruiserdude]

Am I making up the thing about the book being noticed on Joseph's book shelf? Now, I'm thinking it might have just been a contemporary of Joseph's that noticed it on the book shelf....
Shoot, wish I could remember. I thought the book on his shelf was a more commonly known thing... Because I showed up way late to the forum and all this newer history stuff...
Now I better not be making a case for a red chair with some perfect embellishment to try and make a point but I think my story is at least close in principle to what I read... This is gonna drive me crazy now... Or maybe I already am crazy and this story is proof

I thought I recall reading that among the library of Joseph's books was a book that included some Swedenborg stuff in it. But I don't recall the source.

Gotcha. Well... Maybe I'll run it by our resident historian, Luke, and see if it rings a bell with him...

[Cruiserdude]

Am I making up the thing about the book being noticed on Joseph's book shelf? Now, I'm thinking it might have just been a contemporary of Joseph's that noticed it on the book shelf....
Shoot, wish I could remember. I thought the book on his shelf was a more commonly known thing... Because I showed up way late to the forum and all this newer history stuff...
Now I better not be making a case for a red chair with some perfect embellishment to try and make a point but I think my story is at least close in principle to what I read... This is gonna drive me crazy now... Or maybe I already am crazy and this story is proof

I thought I recall reading that among the library of Joseph's books was a book that included some Swedenborg stuff in it. But I don't recall the source.

If that book of his Heaven and Hell discusses the three heavens or three kingdoms of heaven, that's gotta be the book.

[Dusty Wanderer]

I'm gonna butcher this, I'm positive I'm gonna butcher it BUT, it was something like one of the early brothers noticed the book on Joseph bookshelf or something kinda like that and that actual book Joseph had of Swedenborg's talked about the three kingdoms in heaven and plenty more that I don't want to butcher... It's something like that, I'm slaughtering it, I'm sure.
Someone else will know much better than me
I tried quick search and nothing jumped out

It's possible that Joseph had the book "Heaven & Hell", not sure if there is evidence for that, but we do know the book was available for purchase in his hometown during that time period. (per D. Michael Quinn: "Nine miles from Smith's farm, in 1826 the Canandaigua newspaper also advertised Swedenborg's book for sale. The bookstore offered Swedenborg's publications for as little as 37 cents.")

Very interesting stuff. I was wondering, though, if the premier source could've been from another route other than Joseph. Joseph's mother said he hadn't even read a book all the way through by the time he was 18, including the Bible. However, perhaps he'd heard the name or was familiar with a high-level verbal summary of his work -- who knows.

Sidney seemed like a more likely candidate to me. So I found this paper where he talks about a possible Sidney-Campbell connection: Joseph Smith, Swedenborg, and D&C 76

Perhaps the Sidney-Campbell connection is much more likely. There is evidence of Campbell writing articles about Swedenborg's work. In one article Sidney Rigdon is also mentioned. In another case, Campbell has another article about Swedenborg's work published in the same periodical as a separate article Rigdon had written. (cf. note 34 in the above paper).

I also found some remarks from Orson and Parley Pratt on Swedenborg a few years after Joseph's death, but that still may not indicate a familiarity amongst the general population of early saints, as (if I remember correctly) both came from the Campbellite congregations.

“Swedenborg, Irving and many others, taught doctrines in some respects true, and in other respects false... now if Mr. Smith [Joseph Smith] had professed that he had got his book as Swedenborg got his...that is, if he had professed to obtain this book to usher in the last dispensation in any other way than "out of the ground" we should have reason to suppose him a deceiver like Swedenborg and thousands of others, (Orson Pratt's Works on the Doctrines of the Gospel, pp. 5, 15; see also LDS Millennial Star, X:18, Sept. 15, 1848)

Either way, thanks for posting this. Had no idea about it.

[creator]

Seems odd that Pratt would call Swedenborg a deceiver. Based on what I've read, Swedenborg's writings compliment Joseph Smith's Mormonism.

[Cruiserdude]

Seems odd that Pratt would call Swedenborg a deceiver. Based on what I've read, Swedenborg's writings compliment Joseph Smith's Mormonism.

Yeah I actually took what Swedenborg said as additional witness of the truth of heaven.

[Niemand]

Seems odd that Pratt would call Swedenborg a deceiver. Based on what I've read, Swedenborg's writings compliment Joseph Smith's Mormonism.

I am dimly aware that there are some differences. But I'm not familiar enough with Swedenborg to go into what they are.

[creator]

I am dimly aware that there are some differences. But I'm not familiar enough with Swedenborg to go into what they are.

Sure, but being complimentary doesn't mean there won't be any differences. There are multiple people whose teachings I enjoy reading who disagree on things or have many differences in what they teach.