About thegodguy
EDWARD F. SYLVIA, M.T.S.
Philosopher/Theologian Edward F. Sylvia attended the School of Visual Arts in New York and received his Master of Theological Studies at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA and a Certificate of Swedenborgian Studies from the Swedenborgian House of Studies. He is a member of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (C.T.N.S.) and the Swedenborg Scientific Association (S.S.A.).
Award-winning author of "Sermon From the Compost Pile: Seven Steps Toward Creating An Inner Garden" and "Proving God," which fulfills a continuing vision that God’s fingerprints of love can be found everywhere in the manifest universe. His most recent book, "Swedenborg & Gurdjieff: The Missing Links" is an edgy collection of anti-intuitive essays for personal transformation that challenges and inspires.
He has been a student of the ideas of both Emanuel Swedenborg and George I. Gurdjieff for over thirty years. Read more about TheGodGuy, his books and his ideas at http://www.staircasepress.com
One of the most familiar metaphors used to depict human spiritual growth is that of a lowly caterpillar transforming into a beautiful butterfly. While it is true that we all can manifest greater beauty in our lives, it is wrong … Continue reading →
Posted in Inner growth, psychology, Reality, spirituality, symbolism, unity
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Tagged butterfly, caterpillar, genuine sacrifice, inner pain, innocence, metamorphosis, metaphor, psycho-spiritual death, self-importance
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Almost everyone has heard that phrase for successful wishing while he or she was growing up. But what does it really mean to make a wish upon a star? It seems more enchanting than even throwing coins into a wishing … Continue reading →
Posted in god, Inner growth, metaphysics, psychology, Reality, religion, spirituality, symbolism, unity
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Tagged heavenly influence, mental darkness, seeking higher values, spiritual enlightenment, star symbolism, wishing, wishing well, worldly nature and self-centeredness
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All religions have strategies to battle “sin” and “wrong-doing.” But how does a rationally thinking person verify what is really (objectively) a sin? “Sin” and “evil” can be understood scientifically as doing something against true order. But if you do … Continue reading →
Posted in Inner growth, psychology, Reality, religion, science, spirituality, unity
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Tagged Emanuel Swedenborg, evil, grand design, order, personal pleasure, sex, sin, worldly success
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Most worshippers who believe in The Lord God leave many mysteries in a zone of mental vagueness. But scientist/theologian Emanuel Swedenborg claimed that we are now living in an era where all the mysteries of faith can finally be explored … Continue reading →
Posted in god, Inner growth, metaphysics, Reality, religion, science, spirituality, unity
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Tagged creation, Emanuel Swedenborg, entropy, evolution, faith, rational worship, reversal of forces, reverse entropy, Triadic Law
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The Devil looked at all the attendees of his new hellish workshop and, with a cavity-filled smile, said, “We can no longer simply trick earth-humans into making overt acts of wrongdoing. That’s getting too obvious. From now on, you must … Continue reading →
Posted in god, Inner growth, love, psychology, Reality, religion, spirituality, unity
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Tagged attacking loves, destroying people’s lives, hellish delight, leading people’s hearts, subtle hellish strategies, The Devil, what hell wants most
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Scientist/theologian Emanuel Swedenborg made the claim that the evolution of the human spirit mirrors the evolution of organic life (plants and animals) on earth. Both “upward” processes involve a similar principle of the rules and order in the trajectory of … Continue reading →
Posted in god, Inner growth, psychology, Reality, religion, science, spirituality, symbolism, unity
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Tagged Bible interpretation, correspondences, dual evolution, Emanuel Swedenborg, growth of mind, heavenly knowledge, inner ecology, mental plants and animals, universal order
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The strange word formulation, above, was uttered by George Gurdjieff, but it could have been said by Emanuel Swedenborg, as well. Both men were concerned about humankind’s inner (or spiritual) development. Humans, if they ignore their spiritual responsibilities, will literally … Continue reading →
Posted in Inner growth, Life after death, love, metaphysics, Reality, science, spirituality, unity
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Tagged animal spirit, Emanuel Swedenborg, George Gurdjieff, Hanbledzoin, higher bodies, higher magnetic blood, odor, perspiration, spiritual cleansing
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In Emanuel Swedenborg’s great theological work Divine Love & Wisdom (n 404), he discusses three levels of marriage (nuptials) or conjunction between the human intellect and heart that leads to true reasoning and rationality. The main message here is that … Continue reading →
Posted in god, Inner growth, love, metaphysics, psychology, Reality, religion, spirituality, symbolism, unity
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Tagged Emanuel Swedenborg, heaven, knowledge, mental growth, psycho-nuptials, rationality, spiritual growth, symbolic Bible interpretation, understanding, wisdom
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I have been studying Emanuel Swedenborg’s theological writings for forty years. Each year I am becoming more convinced that I have wrongly interpreted Swedenborg’s insights towards spiritual transformation. It is true that Swedenborg pointed out the incorrectness of the Christian … Continue reading →
Posted in Inner growth, Life after death, Reality, religion, spirituality, unity
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Tagged dual natures, Emanuel Swedenborg, faith alone, good works, inner cleansing, pretense, self-delusions, self-examination, spiritual transformation
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What many people miss about the purpose of religion is that, while living, each of us is to “die” to our old self and its ways. Changing one’s smile, wardrobe, hairstyle or the books one reads doesn’t cut it. These … Continue reading →
Posted in Inner growth, love, psychology, Reality, religion, spirituality, unity
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Tagged faith systems, indignation, inner spirit, psycho-spiritual death, self-examination, self-love, spiritual world, uel Swedenborg
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