Here is a Spiritual Conundrum submitted to Spiritual Insights for Everyday Life last November by a reader named Ya’meen fisher:
Is getting tattoos a sin and will god accept you?
Recently a reader named Sunshine submitted another Spiritual Conundrum on the same subject:
Geometric and floral tattoo
Me & my boyfriend have the same religion but different views on it. To be more detail we are both Christian but he is more of we need to go to church class and church every Sunday and I believe in the fact that I don’t need to go to church every Sunday because my god knows that I love him and I don’t need to go to church to show him this. Our big issue right now is the fact that I wanna get a tattoo. As a Christian he believes that your body is a temple witch I agree with but I also feel that my body is my temple and I can decorate however I want. I hope you can help me with my question.
Thanks for the good questions!
Here is the only place in the Bible that makes a clear statement about tattoos—using the old King James Version translation that many traditional Christians prefer:
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:28)
It is based almost entirely on this verse that many Christians and Jews believe that getting a tattoo is wrong and sinful. Some Christians also think that the famous “mark of the beast” in the book of Revelation is a tattoo.
So is getting tattoos a sin against God?
Let’s take a closer look.
Why did Leviticus prohibit tattoos?
If a commandment is given in the Bible, there’s a reason for it. However, the reason isn’t always obvious. Also, not every commandment in the Bible is a universal law for all time. Many commandments relate to particular issues and practices in the cultures of the Bible.
The commandment in Leviticus 19:28 not to put marks on one’s body is part of the “Holiness Code” given in Leviticus chapters 17–26, which contains several lists of laws that the ancient Israelites were to observe. The opening verses of chapter 18 put these laws into perspective:
The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God.’” (Leviticus 18:1–4)
And the list of laws in chapter 18 concludes with these words:
“‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you must keep my decrees and my laws.” (Leviticus 18:24–26)
In other words, these laws are given to set the Israelites apart from the Egyptians, among whom they had been slaves for several generations, and from the pagan nations inhabiting the land of Canaan (Palestine), which was to become their new homeland.
Why didn’t God want the Israelites to follow the practices of these other nations? The first two of the Ten Commandments provide the answer:
And God spoke all these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:1–6)
Egyptian-style tattoo
Early Jewish commentaries on Leviticus 19:28 commonly interpret the commandment not to put marks on one’s body as a commandment to avoid the idolatrous practices of the surrounding pagan nations, who marked their bodies with images of their gods, and with symbols related to pagan practices in service of those gods.
In other words, the prohibition on tattoos was an extension of the commandments not to worship other gods and not to make and worship idols. Since the ancient Israelites were very prone to worshiping other gods, they were prohibited from making marks on their bodies as the nations around them did in devotion to their gods.
The mark of the beast
The famous or infamous “mark of the beast” in the book of Revelation (see Revelation 13:16–17, 14:9–11, 15: 2, 16:2, 19:19–20, 20:4) is an example of marking one’s body in devotion to a powerful, godlike figure:
Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. (Revelation 13:16–17)
The “mark of the beast” was an indication that the people with the mark on them accepted the beast’s authority.
During the dark times described figuratively in the book of Revelation, anyone who did not receive this mark on their hand or their forehead would not be allowed to do any business. However, when God and the angels defeated the evil beast, the people who received the mark of the beast would be destroyed along with the beast itself, while those who had refused to receive the mark would be saved.
This “mark of the beast” might be a tattoo. But it is more likely a contrarian reference to a commandment given to the ancient Israelites:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (Deuteronomy 6:4–8, italics added)
This is not talking about tattoos. Tattoos were forbidden to the ancient Israelites.
Instead, when taken literally they were the “phylacteries,” or “tefillin,” that Jesus mentioned in the New Testament (Matthew 23:5): small leather boxes containing parchments with verses from the Torah, or Law of Moses, worn by observant Jews on their foreheads and hands as part of their religious rituals. These have the same function for Jews as tattoos did for the various pagan nations: showing their devotion to their God and to his commandments.
In short, the “mark of the beast” in Revelation provides further support for the idea that the ancient Israelite prohibition on tattoos was an extension of the prohibition against worshiping other gods and making images of them.
Christians and the Holiness Code
Today, most Christians believe that Christ fulfilled the Old Testament Law, so that Christians no longer have to observe the ancient Jewish ritual and sacrificial laws. Christians are no longer required to sacrifice animals, avoid eating certain ritually unclean foods, engage in purification rituals when they have touched a dead body, and so on.
Of course, some of the laws in the Holiness Code and elsewhere in the Old Testament Law are still in effect, such as:
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not deceive one another.
Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.
Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:11–13)
But what about these laws given in the same chapter?
Do not mate different kinds of animals.
Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. (Leviticus 19:19)
Most Christians agree that we are no longer bound to observe these laws.
Deciding which laws in the Bible we must still obey and which were due to particular cultural issues of Bible times that are no longer in force today can be a tricky business.
The main point is, just because a law is given in the Bible, that doesn’t necessarily mean it applies to all people in all times. Today, very few people in predominantly Christian areas of the world are tempted to worship pagan gods. So for most present-day Christians, there is no need for the ancient Israelite prohibition against tattoos.
Your body is a temple
There is one other type of Bible passage that Christians sometimes quote to say that getting tattoos is wrong and sinful:
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
And:
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Our body is a temple, these teachings say, and we should use it to honor God.
Even Christians who admit that the Old Testament law against tattoos doesn’t necessarily apply anymore may point to passages such as these and say that we still shouldn’t get tattoos because they’re associated with criminal gangs, prisoners, and other disreputable types.
This argument does have some merit. At various times, in various cultures, tattoos have been associated with people who flout the law and thumb their noses at God. That is exactly why tattoos were prohibited to the ancient Israelites: because they were associated with violating God’s commandments and worshiping other gods.
But what if, in a particular culture, tattoos aren’t associated with lawbreakers, rebels, and godless evildoers?
Many cultures have used tattoos to indicate social position and devotion to the culture and practices of the tribe.
U.S. Navy tattoo
Bible verse tattoo
This isn’t limited to pagan cultures. There is a long tradition in the United States and Great Britain of sailors and soldiers getting tattoos to show their dedication to their units and to God and country. Have all of these sailors and soldiers been thumbing their nose at God by getting tattoos of the insignia of their units—or even of Bible verses meant to remind them of God’s presence and power?
Tattoos: good or bad?
The meaning of tattoos all depends on how they function within the person’s culture.
Obviously if we figuratively get “the mark of the beast” by getting ourselves tattooed with satanic symbols and images glorifying blood, gore, and other evil and disgusting things, then we’re wandering into a serious gray area. If we’re getting ourselves tattooed with gang insignias showing our readiness to attack and kill anyone who gets in the way of our particular ring of criminals, that is definitely not a good thing. Some tattoos are meant to be scary, threatening, and defiant. From a Christian and spiritual perspective, such tattoos are a real problem.
But that’s not the sort of tattoos most people are getting these days.
Today, tattoos are becoming more and more popular in Western society. There’s a tattoo parlor on every street corner. And young people, especially, are flocking to them to get tattoos displaying their individuality and their ideals on their bodies.
They’re not going into the tattoo parlor thinking, “Ha! I’m gonna thumb my nose at God!” In fact, as I mentioned earlier, many people tattoo themselves with Bible verses in order to remind themselves and others of God’s presence. They are using the “temple of their body” to praise and show devotion to God.
Butterfly tattoo
Others get tattoos of flowers, trees, animals, and other beautiful things from the world of nature that God created. Still others get geometrical designs, or tattoo the names of loved ones on their bodies.
Is it evil and sinful for people in today’s culture to get tattoos?
I don’t think so.
Most tattoos that people get today are positive affirmations of life, and yes, even of God.
Though there are still those who get tattoos to display their devotion to evil, in today’s popular culture tattoos have taken on a different meaning. And although I personally am from a generation and culture that mostly preferred to keep the body tattoo-free, I recognize that the meaning of tattoos changes according to the particular culture of the times.
In ancient Israelite culture, tattoos meant disobeying the Lord their God and devoting themselves to other gods. That’s why tattoos were prohibited to them.
But today tattoos mean something very different for most people. And if a tattoo is meant to be positive and life-affirming, and even to show appreciation for the good things that come from God, it does not violate the spirit of that ancient law against tattoos, whose purpose was to keep the people of that culture devoted to the God of the universe.
Is getting tattoos a sin against God?
Not if the tattoo honors the love, wisdom, and power of God as expressed in the Bible and in God’s creation. And not if it displays our love for our fellow human beings.
So if you are thinking of getting a tattoo, think of what the tattoo means, and of what messages it will send to the people around you.
And don’t forget that you’re going to have it for a long, long time!
This article is a response to two spiritual conundrums submitted by readers.
For further reading:
- How God Speaks in the Bible to Us Boneheads
- It’s not fair that God made some people incredibly beautiful, and others just average!
- Will My Body be the Right Weight and Appearance in the Afterlife?
- The Bible: Literal Inerrancy vs. Divine Depths of Meaning
- Heaven, Regeneration, and the Meaning of Life on Earth
Share this:
Lee Woofenden is an ordained minister, writer, editor, translator, and teacher. He enjoys taking spiritual insights from the Bible and the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and putting them into plain English as guides for everyday life.
Spiritual Insights for Everyday Life 
My grandmother doesn’t like tattoos, or people who dress in black but she’s an excellent person. She only sees the good in me and became upset for months when i told her that I hated her when I was a teenager. She is a Catholic but she doesn’t even say “hell”, she calls it “that place” and says that people who sin go there to experience their sins for all eternity… Sound kind of like my grandmother is the Swedenborg of this century.
Hi anonymous,
Haha! Maybe she’s the Catholic Swedenborg! 😉
My tattoo is the word ‘agape’, that reminds me of a mystical experience thst I had; one that helped me on my journey to become a christian. It reminds me of God’s overwhelming and unconditional love, and that I should do my best to emulate that in my dealings with other people. Its also opened up many conversations about my conversion, as people are interested to know what it means.
Hi Eva,
Very nice!
In the future, I’m thinking of getting quite a bit of piercings on my ears and perhaps a septum and nostril piercing. That’s it, really. When I look towards my intention, I don’t see it as a way of disgracing God/piercings being inherently evil. It’s like how people say money isn’t inherently evil. It’s the way you use it or your intention about it. I also don’t really see it as a way of glorifying either. Keep in mind though, that I don’t want to do this to please or impress others.
Is there anything in the Bible that says to not pierce yourself?
Hi rosebudx0,
Thanks for stopping by, and for your comments and questions.
Piercing is not prohibited in the Bible, though in one instance (Exodus 21:2–6) piercing a person’s ear is done as a symbol of voluntary servitude. So piercings have sometimes been interpreted as something that isn’t ideal.
However, women in Bible times did commonly wear jewelry such as nose rings that would have required body piercings. See, for example the story of Rebekah becoming Isaac’s wife in Genesis 24, especially verses 22 and 30. I should add that some modern feminist-leaning interpreters consider these nose rings also to be a sign of the woman’s servitude to her husband, and therefore think they are a bad thing. You’ll have to make up your own mind what you think about that. I doubt that Rebekah herself thought these gifts of expensive and presumably very beautiful jewelry were a bad thing! 😉
Today we live in very different times and a very different culture. My own view, as expressed in the article above, is that the various rules and prohibitions about body adornment, diet, and lifestyle given in the Bible were adapted to the cultures of the time, and for the most part aren’t meant to be universal rules for all cultures in all times. Today we have to decide about these physical practices and expressions based on our own society, culture, and views of life.
Very true! What you mentioned about some feminists saying the nose ring is bad because it’s supposedly seen as a sign of servitude to the husband is so silly. I’ve never heard of that, but wow. xD
Thank you so much for answering and making this website in general. I found this website not too long ago when I was google searching on the trinity and how science & God can intertwine. These are all very interesting insights and so new to me as I’ve never heard of this ‘Swedenborg’ person and I’ve always grown up with the Trinity idea.
I myself have grown up into a Christian home and still choose to be Christian upon my own choice. What I love about my parents is that they never discouraged me to learn and expand beyond what I may already know. That’s one of the worst things you can do to yourself: To deprive and isolate yourself only to what you know/grew up knowing. I’m only 18 so I still have lots to learn and a lot more of life to walk, but I do know one thing: I want to please God and learn all about Him as much as I can while leading a life as close to Him as I can. 🙂
Hi rosebudx0,
You’re very welcome! It’s good to hear that your parents are open-minded and encouraging. And I’m glad this website is helping you and giving you some new insight and inspiration. About Swedenborg, here’s a link with a video that will give you some of the basics: Who was Swedenborg? What Should I Read? And of course, if you have any further questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you! I also have a question. For years I’ve always been intrigued by the book of Revelation and what certain things stand for. Though no matter how much I read it, I always feel unnerved. xD I’m really wondering who the beasts mentioned are, and what the number 666 means. It says that that is it’s name. Do you have any articles that discuss or go into depth about this part of the Bible?
Hi rosebudx0,
Good question. I haven’t yet done a lot on the book of Revelation, but about the Apocalypse and the Last Judgment, please see: Is the World Coming to an End? What about the Second Coming?
And see also: How Big is the New Jerusalem?
The book of Revelation is not about physical events that will take place in this world, but about spiritual events that John saw taking place in “heaven,” while he was “in the spirit.” For more on this, see the comments sections on the above-linked articles.
The number 666 represents, in a negative sense, the total destruction of Christian doctrine by centuries of false teachings in the institutional Christian church. The beasts represent various branches of the corrupted Christian church. Swedenborg does explain the book of Revelation in great detail. In the future I hope to write more articles about this fascinating and largely misunderstood book!
One thing I forgot to include: One thing I’ve heard is that apparently the word used in Islam for God, “Allah”, the letters used for it are remarkably similar to the Greek letters to 666.
Hi rosebudx0,
There is a very long list of historical and current people that various sects and religious leaders have said 666 refers to, starting with the Roman emperor Nero and going all the way to U.S. President Obama. With a bit of ingenuity, you can make that number mean almost anyone. If someone decided that you were the Antichrist, they could probably figure out a way that the number 666 works out to mean your name. 😉
Don’t believe any of them. As I said in my reply to your previous comment, the book of Revelation is not talking about people and events in this world, but about events in the spiritual world.
That’s true! So then if I got this correctly: Technically the events in Revelations already happened in the spiritual world? If that’s the thing, will we mainly just see God when it’s finally our time to part from Earth?
Hi rosebudx0,
Yes, that is how my church understands the book of Revelation. We don’t believe any of it is going to take place physically in this world. And though some people do have direct experiences of God / Jesus here on earth, for most of us yes, that will happen only after we die, when we go to the spiritual world and to heaven.
Low-key jealous of those who get do have direct experience with them while alive, ha ha! xD Alas, I will meet Him when it’s time/whenever it’s within His will to.
Now hopefully I’ll stop having nightmares about the second coming, LOL! That part of the Bible always shakes me up. One last thing from there that I found interesting as well is that the one writing said book wasn’t allowed to write down what the thunder said. It’s to remain a secret. UGH, God has made me with too much curiosity. xD Oh well! if we’re not meant to know, we’re simply not meant to know! ……………still….
Hi rosebudx0,
I figure God knows who needs a direct experience, and when.
And yes, I hope understanding that there’s a spiritual meaning behind the stories in Revelation and elsewhere in the Bible about “the end of the world” (which really should be translated “the end of the age”) will be an effective nightmare antidote! 😉
And yes, as much as we humans may learn, there will always be more that we don’t know and have yet to learn and understand. That’s the glory of being human! There’s never an end to our growth and development in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
I agree! I also have other questions. Is Swedenborgianism part of the New Age?? Because I tend to disagree with most if not all of their teachings like how you can become your own God and that everything (the trees, flowers, EVERYTHING) is God rather than said things just being a creatION from God. God is the creatOR and the bible does in fact touch on being careful not to worship the creation or value that over God.
Also, I’ve heard that celebrating holidays like Christmas, Halloween, and Easter aren’t very Christ like. Christmas because it’s not actually on Jesus’ birthday and that it was on the same day as a pagans holiday. As well as Santa supposedly being related to the pagan God Chemosh.. Though the fact that they both are similar in some cases, they’re not the same at all.
Halloween because it is known that certain activity like witch craft and other things of that nature are most performed as well as the things that characterize Halloween not being very “holy” or Christ like per se. Though I HAVE heard of a day called All Hallows’ Eve which I think is a Christian holiday.. Correct me if I’m wrong!
Easter because the egg, bunny, and I think something else supposedly
Hi rosebudx0,
No, Swedenborgianism is not part of the New Age movement, although Swedenborg did have an influence on it, as you can see here. The New Age movement began in the 1970s, two centuries after Swedenborg. And the Swedenborgian Church began in the late 1700s also. Some of our most liberal congregations do have some New-Age-leaning members, but our theology is solidly Christian, which the New Age movement does not accept.
Have pagan origins in regards to some pagan God or something providing fertility.. Is it bad for us as Christians to celebrate holidays in such ways as going trick or treating and setting up Christmas trees and giving presents. Going Easter egg hunting
Hi rosebudx0,
Yes, our current Christian holidays do have a lot of pagan influence in them. Remember, the Christian church had its great growth and spread in pagan lands, where Peter, Paul, and other early apostles spent many years evangelizing. Historically, Christianity adapted and converted existing pagan holidays into Christian celebrations.
Arch-conservative Christians often believe this is a terrible thing, and some of the most conservative don’t celebrate the various Christian holidays for this reason.
Personally, I don’t think it’s a big deal. Paganism was mistaken about God, but on the positive side it did have a sense of spirit within nature that is generally lacking within Christianity. So although polytheistic pagan theology had to be overturned by Christianity, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that some of the pagan influence about spirit being present in nature made its way into Christianity.
Unfortunately, I do believe that pagan polytheism also made its way into Christianity, as covered in this article: Is the Doctrine of the Trinity Polytheistic?
Etc etc.. I apologize for multiple comments! For some reason when I try to click on a different part of the reply to fix something on my phone with my finger, it doesn’t let me type or anything from there after so I have to press send.
Thanks so much! If I have any more questions I’ll be sure to ask. 😊
Yes, I don’t even bother trying to post comments on the blog from my phone. Too much of a hassle. I do it all on the computer. But I do read new comments on my phone when I’m away from the computer.
Sometimes, I get confused when Christians say that wearing a cross tattoo on your body makes it look like it is facing upside-down. That could mean two things.
a. It is associated with Peter’s death, since he did not want to mock Jesus by having his cross right-side up.
B. Many associate an inverted cross as a symbol for the occult and worshipping Satan.
Which interpretation is correct?
Hi Maia,
Just about everything can have both a positive and a negative meaning, depending on the context.
The tradition that Peter requested to be crucified with his head downward shows that even in Christianity, an upside-down cross is not necessarily an evil symbol. Whether it is or isn’t depends upon how it is viewed and how it is used. If it is used for worshiping Satan, then certainly from a Christian perspective that is an evil use and meaning of the cross. But if it is a sign of humility, as in Peter not thinking himself worthy to be crucified in the same way that his Lord was crucified, then it has a good meaning, not an evil one.
Hi Rev. Lee,
I’m getting a tattoo and I’m wondering if my tattoo (which I really like) would be on my spiritual body. There’s nothing sinful about it but I’m just wondering if it would be on my spirit body.
Hi luke,
If you want it to be, and it reflects something of your character and personality, then it will be. At least, that’s what I think.
Hi Lee,
My apologies in advanced for such long questions, this was dealing with a recent confrontation I had with a Swedenborgian (I just assumed they were and also there was definitely some new agism influences as well) about a video since I didn’t agree with the interpretation of it and from then on it got sorta heated and defensive in disagreement over the book Other Planets and specifically this OTLE clip like this one here with Curtis and the U.S Congress saying, “Here we are we’re talking about aliens from somewhere else and what we care about the first the headline detail is some of them are nice and some of them are mean” and it shows a clip saying “we’ve had people that say that there are good and bad of whatever these things are”.
And my reply to the person was that there is no evidence I even brought up how all NASA data is public and those people (even groups) who are seeing things or beings and such are seeing them spiritually not with their physical eyes but spiritual eyes. They went on to say with their reply to me: “Regarding “no evidence” of aliens, I’m not so sure. There are many people reporting direct experiences with beings or crafts that seem to originate from other planets. The whole reason for the recent congressional hearings about UFOS/UAPs is to try to get to the bottom of the apparent secrecy regarding this topic, so that we as a human race can effectively study what is going on. There definitely is life beyond this planet! Swedenborg says so, other people who have had NDES like Howard Storm (which it seems OTLE likes to promote a lot) say so, and so it is inevitable that eventually we’ll be able to physically study this, too.” And “others seem to have special knowledge, strange experiences, and witnesses. UFOs, Bigfoot, and many other legends and stories have just enough evidence to be credible.” Plus I heard the phrase “direct accurate experience” used in many times to promote really bad woo woo stuff like for example Scientology or Heaven’s Gate to name a few saying “Eventually the truth will become public knowledge.”
Some Swedenborgians I notice still even entertain the idea of aliens living inside the planets still or other dimensions or universes or like in another OTLE episode Curtis was mentioning that along with how ex Navy “whistleblowers” said there were or worked with aliens / bases ln or on the moon and such and “have conducted research supporting the existence of extraterrestrial encounters” or that “alien invaders are on a mission to conquer Earth disguised in human form.”
Or other Swedenborgians (like the one I spoke to) brought up this doctor as “proof” I was wrong like “Steven Greer who is a former emergency room physician. Greer claims the U.S. government conceals information about extraterrestrial visits to earth in order to suppress the development of free and abundant energy and to keep such alien technology as the exclusive property of the military. (Like antigravity element 115 which Bob Lazar claims he has). Greer is a well-known figure in the UFO community, promoting ideas that go beyond mainstream science. Supporters appreciate his efforts to increase public awareness and important issues to light of UFO phenomena and to lobby or advocate for government transparency regarding extraterrestrial matters.”
Greer came out with a documentary that he promotes called “close encounters of the fourth kind” something silly like that but how there are these ranches like skinwalker ranch that people go out and these so called “ETs” come and interact and how people had their hearing fix like someone deaf before now is healed and can now hear and this is supposed to be “well documented by objective data” and how also “Aliens won’t be coming from space they’re already here as leaders like the movie “invasion of the body snatchers” with advanced shape shifting technology that projects the outward looking human appearance”.
To which their reply was “There is no problem with his sessions of “close encounters of the 4th kind, or his work which seemed to me to be processes of connecting with ETs in a meditative way, through thoughts and feelings. That is tapping into that very real phenomenon that Swedenborg talks about, that in spirit, we can share thoughts and feelings.” Even though, I remembered reading how “Critics often argue that his [Greer] claims lack scientific evidence and that he profits from his lectures, documentaries, and other ventures related to UFOs and alien life.”
To even like the 1997 so called “Phoenix Lights” to people still reporting seeing those V shaped lights out west which people call it the “tr3b” the reversed engineer UFO aircraft to even “well documented” and “I hear that happening a lot” of people going out of their body and going onto “crafts” and “shown so called cool things and secrets of the universe”? Like ““I was then provided with instant access to a higher physical dimensional physics and natural laws that somehow made sense, which I failed to comprehend fully and could not retain. In a nutshell, I had insight that, on higher dimensional levels, laws of nature still applied and that not everything was a matter of thinking and materialising. We were still subjected to it and could not simply override it by a mere focus of intent or wish.”
And they also mention as “evidence” and “proof” that there was “aliens”, Operation Mocking Bird a CIA scripted media that was around during the Cold War and some say it is still around today. And how these things didn’t stop at “Camp David”. They used this clip here on Tumblr to back up their claim with comments saying the “CIA is getting lazy”: https://www.tumblr.com/es-questions/753222909990977536/tchyp-invincibleswordprincess and I read how “The claim that”the USA is the biggest spreader of propaganda” with “mainstream media is under the influence of Operation Mockingbird, which is a CIA-scripted media control program” is a topic with a complex history. Operation Mockingbird was a real program initiated by the CIA during the early Cold War era. It aimed to influence media and gather intelligence through the use of journalists and media outlets. This operation officially came to light during the 1970s through investigations by the Church Committee, or the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities. However, the scope and impact of Operation Mockingbird as well as its continuation into the present day are subjects of considerable debate and speculation. While some believe that the influence persists in various forms, others argue that the historical operation has ended and that current claims lack substantial evidence. The conversation around media influence, intelligence, and control is ongoing and often involves discussion about transparency, freedom of the press, and the ethical considerations of intelligence operations.” This has even been tied into the Rockefeller foundation and Bill Gates and so called Illuminati-level billionaires controlling the news cycles that scrub search results, hack news archives, bribe the chief of police, all to suppress the simple, true story of aliens to which Americans have Stockholm syndrome for.
I do think Swedenborg had the experiences he did just not on those specific planets (just like your article Swedenborg’s Solution to the Fermi Paradox) which I shared the link so they can get a correct understanding of the topic. Plus what Swedenborg explained was “aliens” aka humans who were much more spiritual and simplistic and didn’t want anything to do with us people on earth who are so materialistic. And regarding the other NDErs / experiences I feel like that’s spirits who are either pretending to be aliens or that’s how they want to portray themselves because of the like minded nature of the spiritual world. Like how certain spirits from another planet wanted to be viewed as mist or orbs rather than human. I feel like this topic in the spiritualist field is again considered already fact just like how reincarnation is. There was even an article in The NY Times entitled “The Truth Has Not Always Been Out There Rather than explaining when U.F.O. sightings were really just top-secret planes, the government has sometimes allowed public eagerness about the possibility of aliens to take hold.”
But I just wanted to get your thoughts on this, and like anything else in life there is definitely a difference in perspectives from Swedenborgians (I would say some like to take the new age spin on Swedenborg) but me saying that there is no evidence of aliens seems like they got really upset and mad or wanted to defend ETs as already fact because of what I said I think they thought it goes against Swedenborg said or the popular narrative that is being pushed right now which I don’t think it does. I just find it ironic that before 1920’s there were no “alien reports” as we would interpret these experiences today because of our materialism and misuse of science (fiction) but rather would be spiritual experiences of spirits instead like how the Mayan/Aztec, Egypt, Turkey, pleidian star systems, Christian, etc civilizations/religions/stars viewed them until they were reinterpreted into “UFO’s” instead. Not to mention natural phenomena as well. Which again is why we should take people’s “so many” anecdotal experiences or interpretations or anything for that matter with caution just like Swedenborg says in Spiritual Experiences 1149 “…they had seen all things wrongly, namely, they saw the blemishes of others, even though they were not blemishes. There are very many such who observe the least details and interpret them wrongly…”
Thank you kindly Lee
Hi Sam,
Now I KNOW aliens are real because you posted this on the “Tattoos” article, which is INCONTROVERTIBLE PROOF that you are being MIND-CONTROLLED by tattooed aliens!!!!! 😀 😀 😀
But seriously, I’m sorry to hear that you got into your first big argument with another Swedenborgian-ish person. The Swedenborgian movement has its share of . . . characters . . . and it’s only a matter of time before one of ’em pops up to annoy you and test just how much you know and just how dedicated you are to these beliefs. Because there are certainly some Swedenborgians who will do their best to drive you out, whether or not that is their actual intention. Not most Swedenborgians, of course. But it only takes a few bad apples to create problems for the whole barrel.
And in general, when you encounter someone like that, the best advice is, “Don’t feed the trolls.”
It’s easy to get sucked in. I’ve fallen prey to it myself a few too many times. Getting into an endless argument with someone who just wants to argue and argue and argue about everything. In the end, it’s a waste of time. They’re not going to see the light, and you’re just feeding them more and more energy to keep ranting about their crazy theories. The more you argue with them, the more absolutely sure they become that they are absolutely right and you are absolutely wrong. And not only that, they will quickly come to the conclusion that you are evil because you continue not to believe their superior wisdom. A few weeks ago I came across a passage in Swedenborg’s writings that said this exact thing, but it’s hard to dig it up again. Anyway, it’s a no-win situation.
So . . . Don’t feed the trolls.
Yes, there are some Swedenborgians who just can’t accept that Swedenborg was mistaken about people living on all those other planets in our solar system, and on our moon. But it’s even worse than that. Swedenborg actually says that every planet and moon in the entire universe is inhabited by human beings. He even made a vague reference to people from one of the moons of Saturn.
Now we know that Saturn has at least 274 moons. Most of them are just great big rocks. But if Swedenborg is right, every single one of them has a human civilization on it. Which is just ridiculous. It is no longer possible for anyone with any real scientific knowledge to believe that Swedenborg was right about every planet and natural satellite being occupied.
But some Swedenborgians just can’t accept that, so they glom onto all sorts of wild theories that also conflict with what Swedenborg said. For example:
On and on it goes. Swedenborgians and quasi-Swedenborgians who grab onto these theories think they are “saving Swedenborg” or “just believing what Swedenborg taught,” but in fact, they are believing in all sorts of theories that contradict clear and definite things that Swedenborg said.
And of course, they are contradicting all known science. There flat-out isn’t any scientific evidence for aliens. Not a shred of it. There are all sorts of conspiracy theories about supposed secret government programs and discoveries and all that stuff. But none of this is worth the paper it’s written on, or the pixels it consumes. It’s all just fallacy and illusion. If we had actually discovered aliens, it would be on the front pages of every paper, and the top news story on every news site.
But people want to believe it, and they will believe it regardless of all the facts of science and all the teachings of Swedenborg. They will just ignore and reject anything that doesn’t support their belief, and they will twist and distort anything they do come across to support their belief.
Once again, there is no arguing with them. They are the ultimate case of, “Don’t confuse me with the facts! My mind is made up.”
About that Tumblr video, there are these things called “scripts” that get sent out to TV and radio stations, and the radio announcers read them. Do people really think that those local stations are independently producing all the content they air? They don’t have the money or the staff for that. So they receive scripts from centralized news sources, and yes, sometimes from government sources, and they read them on the air as if it were their own material. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s just the way the broadcast business operates, especially in small markets.
This is not to say that there isn’t government interference in the media. The Twitter files made it clear that there very much is. But . . . are people really so naive that they don’t realize that politicians and bureaucrats do all sorts of shady and self-interested things in the pursuit of money and power? It’s not as though politicians are some noble class set apart from everyone else and divinely appointed due to their sterling personal purity and high motives. Why people continue to believe that government is some noble pursuit beyond the usual human drives for money and power is beyond me. All evidence is to the contrary. Politician after politician goes in poor or middle class and comes out rich. And the ones who go in rich get even richer. That’s not an accident. And when it comes to long-serving politicians and bureaucrats, the exceptions are few and far between.
Then is it all a big government conspiracy? No. Politicians and bureaucrats just aren’t that smart. If they were, they’d be killing it in the private sector. It’s just thousands and millions of people all seeking money and power, and the results are the mess we get. If there’s any conspiracy, it’s on the part of hell itself (or the Devil), which is always working to lead people away from good and truth toward evil and falsity, using our natural unregenerate desire for money and power (love of the world and love of self) to lead us by the nose.
All of this is why, after being active for a while in minor party politics in my early twenties, I realized that government is a dirty business, that it’s never going to fix our problems, and that the real root of the problems is not social, economic, or political, but spiritual. Only if people do the work of regeneration, setting aside love of self and love of the world as their ruling love and replacing it with love of the Lord and love of the neighbor will there be any healing of human society. Governments cannot fix our problems. Money can’t fix our problems. Only God can. And God can only do that if we leave our selfishness and greed behind, and turn our life toward God. That’s why even though I do have strong political beliefs, I devote my time to people’s spiritual life instead.
Most people aren’t interested and aren’t listening. They’re too busy seeking money, pleasure, and power, or they already have their religious and spiritual beliefs, and they’re content with them. But for those are interested and are listening, usually because they’ve reached a point of personal crisis that smashed all their old motives, goals, and beliefs and set them on a quest for something higher and better, the work you and I can do in spiritual fields can bring about something truly higher and better—at least in their individual lives and in the lives of the people around them.
Since time immemorial, human nations and empires have risen and fallen as greed and lust for power takes over among the people running those nations and empires, causing them to fall into corruption, chaos, and collapse. The same thing is happening to nations and empires today. We can see it happening all around us. And it causes great pain and suffering in the lives of many people. But those who find God and spirit can make it through by the power of their faith and the power of God’s presence with them.
We can’t fix all the political and social problems of the world. Unfortunately, people just have to learn the hard way that our human drives, desires, and ideologies, whether on the right or on the left, lead to nothing but chaos, despotism, poverty, and collapse.
But those of us who have found God, and found the spiritual truth, can have an inner peace through all of this, knowing that the things that truly matter are the things of the spirit, and of spiritual life, and that true happiness comes, not in gaining wealth or power, but in serving the physical and spiritual well-being of the people around us, and giving them what comfort, help, and happiness we can. Any beliefs or ideologies or conspiracy theories that don’t lead people to love and care for the people around them are just worthless chaff that the wind drives away. The real wheat is the seeds of goodness and truth in people’s hearts and minds that lead them to become thoughtful, loving, caring people who devote their lives to God’s work and to the well-being of their fellow human beings. This is the only thing that will ultimately solve the world’s problems, and lead us to happiness and heaven.
Well, that turned into a sermon, didn’t it!
But after a while, I just get tired of all the crazy theories that keep floating around and capturing people’s minds in their web. No real practical good for humanity comes from all these alien UFO conspiracy theories. But from God and the Bible and the writings of Swedenborg we gain so much solid understanding and guidance that leads us to become better, more thoughtful, more loving, and more caring people. And that’s what life is all about.
Hi Lee,
The plot has been exposed! Hahaha!
I’m so sorry!!! I could have sworn I posted it under your article What if I Love Debating and Bullying People Online? A Strategy for Change ! I definitely got a good laugh though! I apologize for not being more vigilant before posting!!! I had multiple tabs open on my phone reading your articles!
I super appreciate your clarity and in-depth info and advice when confronted with similar situations and how to handle it. Every group has their bad apples, I would say Swedenborgians probably have the least amount but they are still there lol. It did almost seem like a test how the confrontation went. And It’s so true that these people already have their mind made up and whatever points that you try and make, it only emboldens them even further that “they are correct and you are wrong” type of thing. After the confrontation I looked up the word “debate” on the Swedenborg reading app and the passage Love in Marriage 232 really hit the nail just like the points that you brought up with all these crazy conspiracies and people who promote them that just end up causing more fallacies and pulling people away from the actual truth. Definitely know now not to feed the trolls!
It’s funny how you point out how some the Swedenborgians that try to say Swedenborg wasn’t wrong also bring up things that actually contradict what Swedenborg wrote which is so ironic. Like I watched a recent OTLE video called I Can Feel Angels Guiding My Thoughts | I’m Sharing My Mind with Angels and Spirits and around to 30:00 -35:00 minute mark, the hosts were talking about illusion of Maya, Nirvana, Elkhart Toll and “higher self” of the universe, “downloading info” and being one with everything and there is no duality or separation and how that somehow fits into Swedenborg which does sorta to a certain extent but doesn’t really either. We are all created and come from God but we are still individuals even in the celestial heaven. It seems to be a common theme with bringing on people or topics or themes and saying this ties in with Swedenborg’s teachings which actually doesn’t.
And I never knew that how these local news stations get scripts since they don’t have to funding nor staff to create news every single day which is why when tuning in they repeat the same news stories for a good five days straight before something new is talked about lol. And with the shred of truth with some government interference, the truth of it being for the love of money and power makes so much more sense and not because of a so called grand cover up of “aliens”or “alien tech” or being brainwashed like puppets on strings like people like that Steven Greer or even my own father love to say and talk about, I swear they make that their whole identity and even religion which I think makes them feel a false sense of superiority because “they’re in the know and you’re not” kind of thing. When in reality it’s nothing like that it’s just for the love of self and hell aka devils which is nothing new and is found in every facet of jobs in our society because people’s loves are either in right or wrong place. Just like discussed in The Four Kinds of Love that Drive Human Life.
Plus I just wanted to add how recently I got an email that my device was part of a settlement that Apple settled for 95 million because Siri was listening in on conversations but how these things can’t even be kept so called “secret” and how even like the Bible says everything comes to light so the fact that these people get these huge followings and promote it as “truth” from spreading misinformation is just mind boggling and doesn’t contribute to anything productive to society.
Also excellent sermon as well! It gets to the core of what’s really important that will not only improve life in the physical but in the spiritual world as well. To have true inner peace and all that is important in life and that matters the most is spiritual and that means being of service is at the core of the Bible and Swedenborg and this is what will help us for our spiritual life that actually last forever. Christians and even Swedenborgians who are getting caught up in those things really is causing a detriment and takes away from the truth and the heart of the matter.
Thank you very kindly again Lee!