Origin and Purpose of Islam According to Emanuel Swedenborg

In light of the recent atrocious and horrible massacre of French journalists by Islamic extremists, here is Emanuel Swedenborg on the reasons for the founding of the Mohammedan religion, as he terms Islam, from Divine Providence (an English translation now out of copyright. His original works were in Latin. Actually, ALL his works are out of copyright, being that Swedenborg died in 1772, but some recent translations would not be out of copyright, as this one is.)

It is notable that anyone accepting Swedenborg's Writings as divinely inspired must also accept Mohammed as a true prophet of God as Swedenborg describes, for the reasons given. This passage touches on why Mohammed himself forbade any depiction of his image or likeness.

"255. _ The merely natural man confirms himself against divine providence when he sees the Mohammedan religion accepted by so many empires and kingdoms. _ The fact that this form of religion is accepted by more kingdoms than Christianity is may be a stumbling-block to those who give thought to divine providence and at the same time believe that no one can be saved unless he has been born a Christian, thus where the Word is, by which the Lord is known. That form of religion is no stumbling-block, however, to those who believe that all things are of divine providence. These ask in what the providence consists and find it is in this, that Mohammedanism, acknowledges the Lord as Son of God, the wisest of men and a very great prophet who came into the world to teach men; most Mohammedans consider Him to be greater than Mohammed.

[2] That form of religion was called forth in the divine providence to destroy the idolatries of many nations. To make this fully known we will pursue some order; first, something on the origin of idolatries. Previously to that form of religion the worship of idols was general in the world. This was because the churches before the Lord's advent were all representative churches. The Israelitish church was of this character. In it the tabernacle, Aaron's garments, the sacrifices, all things of the temple in Jerusalem, the statutes also, were representative. Moreover, the ancients had a knowledge of correspondences, which is the knowledge of representations--it was the chief knowledge of their wise men. This knowledge was cultivated especially in Egypt and was the origin of Egyptian hieroglyphics. By that knowledge the ancients knew what animals of every kind signified and what trees of every kind signified, as they did what mountains, hills, rivers and fountains signified, as well as sun, moon and stars. As all their worship was representative, consisting of sheer correspondences, they worshiped on mountains and hills and in groves and gardens, regarded fountains as sacred, and in adoration of God faced the rising sun. Furthermore, they made graven images of horses, oxen, calves and lambs, and of birds, fish and serpents, and placed them in their houses and elsewhere, arranged according to the spiritual things of the church to which they corresponded or which they represented. They placed similar objects in their temples, too, to put them in mind of the holy things they signified.

[3] Later, when the knowledge of correspondences had been lost, their posterity began to worship the graven images themselves, as holy in themselves, not knowing that their forefathers had seen no holiness in them, but only that they represented holy things by correspondences and thus signified them. So arose the idolatries which filled the whole world, Africa and Europe as well as Asia with its adjacent islands. In order that all these idolatries might be uprooted, of the Lord's divine providence it was brought about that a new religion, adapted to the genius of Orientals, should start up, in which there would be something from each Testament of the Word, and which would teach that the Lord had come into the world and was a very great prophet, wisest of all, and Son of God. This was done through Mohammed, from whom the religion is called the Mohammedan religion.

[4] Of the Lord's divine providence this religion was raised up and, as we said, adapted to the genius of Orientals, in order that it might destroy the idolatries of so many peoples and give them some knowledge of the Lord before they passed into the spiritual world. This religion would not have been accepted by so many kingdoms or had the power to uproot idolatries, had it not suited and met the ideas and thinking of them all. It did not acknowledge the Lord as God of heaven and earth, for the Orientals acknowledged God the Creator of the universe, but could not comprehend that He came into the world and assumed human nature, quite as Christians do not comprehend this, who therefore separate His divine from His humanity in their thinking and place His divine near the Father in heaven and His humanity they know not where."

a reply to: CoriSCapnSkip

Muhammad vehemently rejected idols. Not only did he forbid images of himself to be created, he also made it unlawful to paint portraits of any living being at all. According to Muhammad, art was not to be an endeavor of pride nor creation, for such attributes rival the supremacy of Allah as the ultimate Creator. Upon his conquest of Mecca, he ordered the destruction of some 360 idols that were housed in the Ka'aba.

Emmanuel Swedenborg's assertion that Islam was a creation of Divine Providence, meant to wipe out world-wide idolatry, is rather fascinating.

These ask in what the providence consists and find it is in this, that Mohammedanism, acknowledges the Lord as Son of God, the wisest of men and a very great prophet who came into the world to teach men; most Mohammedans consider Him to be greater than Mohammed.

In this reasoning, Mr. Swedenborg has made a major theological error. In the Qur'an, Allah rejects all partnerships. The Qur'an says that Allah has no children, and directly denies that Jesus is the Son of God/Allah. The Qur'an also says that Allah did not incarnate in human form as Jesus.

Although Islam considers Jesus to be born of a Virgin through Divine Providence, considers him to be a righteous and holy prophet, and attributes Jesus as possessing miraculous powers,... the Qur'an specifically denies that Jesus holds any divinity whatsoever.

a reply to: Sahabi

Although Islam considers Jesus to be born of a Virgin through Divine Providence, considers him to be a righteous and holy prophet, and attributes Jesus as possessing miraculous powers,... the Qur'an specifically denies that Jesus holds any divinity whatsoever.

And this is one reason from many why I reject Islam.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

I agree.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
John 10:34

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High.
Psalm 82:6

Yes, I am having a confusing yet enlightening little conversation with my pastor regarding which is worse, to deny Jesus Christ entirely (either His very existence or His divinity) or to accept a false version of Him! The Mohammedan religion as Swedenborg termed it certainly went straight for the latter...read between the lines of Swedenborg's text it seems...I am willing to be corrected if wrong...he is almost saying this religion was allowed by God as the lesser of two evils...the greater being not only idolatry but rampant idolatry. Sorry for confusion on my part, but it seems Swedenborg is saying here that Mohammed, having been allowed by God to establish, promote, and propagate this religion, must be accepted as a true prophet. (Even if not, Swedenborg hit the nail on the head as to the widespread influence of Islam and the discomfort this causes Christians. He seems to be saying that until Christians clean up their act they need to put up with a large Islamic element.) From a Christian perspective, Swedenborg as a believer in Christ directly rejects Islamic beliefs regarding the nature and purpose of Christ (a term it seems they wouldn't even use--they'd call him Jesus or Isa). Can a true prophet promote untrue beliefs? Gotta admit I'm puzzled. Perhaps my tiny little brain could be unsuited to pondering huge theological issues?

A few links from Islamic and Christian sources regarding beliefs:

www.soundvision.com...

Mohammed and Swedenborg may have reached common ground regarding the Oneness of God and disapproval of the Apostle Paul.

From this it seems that according to Islam Jesus doesn't like Jews or Christians either.

www.answering-islam.org...

Regardless of whether I am correctly reading and interpreting every word of every source, this is the part where I don't know whether to laugh or be really offended...probably both...at the idea that God would snatch Jesus out of harm's way, with God and Jesus willingly allowing someone else to be nailed up instead. www.answering-islam.org... In answer to the often-posed question, "What Would Jesus Do?" uh...DEFINITELY NOT THAT, DUDE! REALLY DIRTY TRICK, BRO! (This also flaunts the traditional Christian view of Jesus acting as a perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. Kinda spoils the whole plan to substitute a sinner!)

Let's have a look at the Bible Version from Matthew 26:

"50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.

51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"

If according to the Bible Jesus said this Himself, it is good enough for me!

The Arabs may not be bowing down to statues anymore, now that most of them are Muslims, but they still bow down to the black cube in Mecca which is called "The Kaaba". Muslims are told to take a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. Even Muslims who are in Europe and America, they pray toward the east toward Mecca where The Kaaba is.


Some Muslims claim that Christians are committing Idolatry by having images of The Cross, but The Cross is not a god. The Cross is a symbol to remind Christians to pick up The Cross metaphorically in order to follow Christ's example of Love and self-sacrifice as Christ taught in The Gospels:



"And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." - Mark 8:34



The Kaaba is not a symbol of Love and Self-Sacrifice. The Kaaba was worshipped as holy when The Arabs were pagans, but now that The Arabs are Muslims, they say that they do not worship it, but they still bow to it.



Many Muslims are secretly leaving the religion, but they cannot leave openly because in some Muslim countries, there is a death penalty for leaving the religion. They call it a crime of "apostasy". Muslims who leave to Europe and America, many of them become ex-Muslims and talk about the violence and pain and suffering that they witnessed and experienced while in Islam. Other Muslims are trying to cause a reformation of their religion like Christianity did in the past after all of the witch hunts and beheadings of innocent people by the guillotine.


Either way, God is Love and those who Love are Born of God and know God, but those who do not know Love, do not know God, for God is Love (1 John 4:7-8).

I wonder how disappointed all the ethnicities that believe in Mohammed will be to find out that they have to believe in almost every Jew especially the king of jews, Mohammed not black nor brown, and that there is no actual commandment to ban homosexuality? Instead they probably kept around as ass slaves, or having a bigger market.

In fact, he may have done something to his nephew. As it was written anyways. Remember it scripture can bring about terrible plagues.

a reply to: Sahabi

I agree. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? John 10:34 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High. Psalm 82:6

Ye Are Gods

As Jesus was arrested and held [Illegally] by the high priest Caiaphas He [Jesus] was charged with blasphemy in that He claimed to be the Son Of The Most High EL. In Jesus’ defense the scripture was quoted to the court as found in Psalms 82:6,7.

In this Psalms of Asaph 82, Asaph is lamenting to The Most High El as a prayer request of his [Asaph’s lack of understanding.]

Psalms 82:1-8
(1) A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
(2) How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
(3) Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
(4) Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
(5) They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
(6) I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
(7) But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
(8) Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Asaph is saying “I have said that ye are gods [referring to the princes and governors of the Kingdom]. But this is not to say that these men are Gods because there is but one God and that is The Most High EL.

Asaph states - in verse 6 and 7 “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

By this law of King David it is understood that The Most High El does regard some as His sons and as His gods of authority in his kingdom.

Is it not said the same to Moses ?
Exodus _7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
Was not Moses then a son of the Most High before David had a breath?


John 10:33-36
(33) The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
(34) Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
(35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
(360 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

This then was the defense of Jesus as He said “Is it not written in your law”, [referencing Asaph’s Psalm] I said Ye are gods? If The Most High called the servants of David gods then the law of David cannot be broken. Then Jesus pricked their minds in reminding these accusers that He [Jesus] was not blaspheming The Most High EL in claiming to be a servant or son of The Most High. Indeed He was a son of God and being a servant of God was a god by the law of David.

Jesus was acquitted by over 50% of the Sanhedrin of the charge of blasphemy but was then recharged to Pontus Pilate of sedition to Rome.

Now it is often repeated here on ATS by those who insist upon citing verses out of contextual study to meet their understanding. This particular example has been repeated numerous times and has been ignored too often. I urge you to study and realize the misinformation you garner in this type of posting. Your inferences are very damaging to others when you do this.