So from creation , no animal in itself can be evil or good , no matter how fierce and bloody , and also no matter how cute and cuddly . Crocodiles will always act crocodilian and kittens kittenish . They can do no otherwise .
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substance from which is each and everything that has been created .” ( See also Divine Love and Wisdom 44 , 52 , 59 , 283 and 356 .)
These two sets of quotations seem to totally disagree : there are evil animals from hell , yet all things that are created are from the Lord . Before I try to untangle this for myself I want to introduce two more sets of quotes .
All Animals Live in the Order of Their Lives Humankind can know about the Lord , and we can acknowledge and follow Him , or we can reject Him and so live out of the order that was created for us , but animals apart from humans can ’ t do otherwise than what they are created to do from their inherent order and instinct .
So , in this third set , the first from Arcana Coelestia 637-2 : “ Dumb animals are quite different however , for theirs is an order under which they do live wholly according to the order that is theirs , whereas man lives altogether contrary to order .”
And a second , from Arcana Coelestia 987-2 : “ Wild animals are born into a certain natural order . Those that are . . . beasts of prey do inflict harm on other animals . . . yet their devouring of other creatures is so that they may satisfy their hunger . And once that is satisfied they harm none .”
So from creation , no animal in itself can be evil or good , no matter how fierce and bloody , and also no matter how cute and cuddly . Some we may fear , rationally or irrationally , and some we may love in a natural way , but only their correspondences can be said to be good or evil . Crocodiles will always act crocodilian and kittens kittenish . They can do no otherwise . ( Further references are : Arcana Coelestia 1902 , 5850 and 7750 ; Apocalypse Explained 1202 , ( cont .); Divine Love and Wisdom 283 ; Divine Wisdom Part III , No . 4 -3 ; True Christian Religion 84 .)
Influx from Heaven is Twisted in Hell What comes from the Lord into heaven then flows on down and into hell , but just like rain falling onto a street or parking lot doesn ’ t remain clean as it collects and runs on downhill , so the flow outward from the Lord gets dirtier as it flows down through hell . Here are some quotations :
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So from creation , no animal in itself can be evil or good , no matter how fierce and bloody , and also no matter how cute and cuddly . Crocodiles will always act crocodilian and kittens kittenish . They can do no otherwise .