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Parapsychology and Miracles
Within this theistic framework, all physical processes are the successive
products of prior spiritual and psychical processes, and we might therefore
expect very many parapsychological phenomena to occur, even many miraculous
events. (Miracles are just those normal sequences of the discrete-degree
processes, just happening more quickly than usual.)
However, there are several reasons why the world does not work like
this.
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The first reason is that all processes at all degrees are conditional
on the previous events in those degrees. This is a fundamental feature
of all immanent Divine operation, and means
that events are not arbitrary, but follow orderly patterns.
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Secondly, the prior degrees are just those processes which constitute peoples
thoughts and lives, so all operations are to some extent the result of
conscious
decisions rather than 'blind laws' which can be exploited regardless
of the good or bad aims.
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Finally, Swedenborg
tells us that nowadays, miracles are deliberately kept from our public
view, so as not to force rational thought. They occur still in many
interior degrees, but 'external miracles' only now occur when they can
be interpreted in many ways. (It seems to be a history of parapsychology,
that quests for definitive and forceful demonstrations make the phenomena
retreat). We are supposed to freely and rationally understand the
(possible) operation of God in the world.
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