@Whateverist, (WARNING, LONG POST) I have much to say about the subject of “Meaning”, whether is intrinsic or applied or other, but must leave that for a later post.
Seeing Patterns in Random Data: Perhaps. I can imagine faces and animals in the clouds like anyone else. I can also pick out pop culture references in movies, sacred geometry in architecture, and many literary tropes. I’m not impressed by shadow faces on Mars or Madonna shaped stains under I-290 in Chicago, but sometimes apparent patterns actually do have significance. Like most Christians, I believe in Divine authorship of Holy Scripture. If believers are correct about this, then it stands to reason that the Lord would fold different levels of meaning into the text just like human authors do.
Could others find the similar deep meanings in the religious literature of other faiths. I cannot say because of my ignorance. I have only a cursory understanding of comparative religion. I can tell you that Swedenborgians do not believe that all the texts of the canon contain the deeper meanings that we call “correspondences”. Some, like the Epistles, are mostly for instruction. Given that, I doubt that the Koran,Vedas, etc. have the same correspondence with spiritual realities that the Law, Prophets, and Gospels do, even though they may be instructive and contain spiritual insights. But I will never know, just as I do not expect Muslims to understand the subtle differences between the various Christian denominations.
As I said in the previous post, the variety of religious belief does not bother me for a couple of reasons. The foremost is this: orthopraxy trumps orthodoxy. Following the Good is more important than knowing the Truth. You can know the truth but still have difficulty doing it, but if you do good than you will recognize the truth without difficulty. To do good in New Church terms means two things: 1) loving the Lord with all your might and neighbor as self & 2) refraining from evils because they are sins. Any religious person that follows the tenets of their faith in love will satisfy these requirements. So while I do believe that New Church doctrine provides more light and presents a deeper understanding of the Holy Scriptures, this does not give Swedenborgians any special edge salvation wise.
Seeing Patterns in Random Data: Perhaps. I can imagine faces and animals in the clouds like anyone else. I can also pick out pop culture references in movies, sacred geometry in architecture, and many literary tropes. I’m not impressed by shadow faces on Mars or Madonna shaped stains under I-290 in Chicago, but sometimes apparent patterns actually do have significance. Like most Christians, I believe in Divine authorship of Holy Scripture. If believers are correct about this, then it stands to reason that the Lord would fold different levels of meaning into the text just like human authors do.
Could others find the similar deep meanings in the religious literature of other faiths. I cannot say because of my ignorance. I have only a cursory understanding of comparative religion. I can tell you that Swedenborgians do not believe that all the texts of the canon contain the deeper meanings that we call “correspondences”. Some, like the Epistles, are mostly for instruction. Given that, I doubt that the Koran,Vedas, etc. have the same correspondence with spiritual realities that the Law, Prophets, and Gospels do, even though they may be instructive and contain spiritual insights. But I will never know, just as I do not expect Muslims to understand the subtle differences between the various Christian denominations.
As I said in the previous post, the variety of religious belief does not bother me for a couple of reasons. The foremost is this: orthopraxy trumps orthodoxy. Following the Good is more important than knowing the Truth. You can know the truth but still have difficulty doing it, but if you do good than you will recognize the truth without difficulty. To do good in New Church terms means two things: 1) loving the Lord with all your might and neighbor as self & 2) refraining from evils because they are sins. Any religious person that follows the tenets of their faith in love will satisfy these requirements. So while I do believe that New Church doctrine provides more light and presents a deeper understanding of the Holy Scriptures, this does not give Swedenborgians any special edge salvation wise.
