|
Whatever the truth of this story, there is a variety of opinions
among New Church people as to the truthfulness of the tale. Some dismiss
it outright in whatever version it has come down to us, others believe
some of it to be true, others choose to interpret what they assume to be true
very tentatively. Whether people choose to believe that Swedenborg was
insane or sane, their judgment is not based solely on this supposed incident.
A controversy such as whether or not Swedenborg was insane
certainly has aroused strong passions in the past, not only from those
who believe it implicitly, but those who disbelieve it. Exasperation and
anger have been expressed by a number of New Church people, such as
the following two opinions from 1906 and 1914 respectively:
These charges are like so many nine-pins which have been set
up again and again during the course of a century and a half, and as
often struck down by irrefutable proofs - only to be merrily set up again just
as if nothing happened.2
From time to time, the opponents of Swedenborg have attempted to
bring discredit upon his life-work by raising the cry that he was a
madman. This theory, in the past, has easily been exploded by a scrutiny of the
life-history of the seer, and all the contemporary stories of his insanity
have been proved to be fabrications.3
|
