CONVERSATIONS IN SILENCE

Ben H. Swett
Pease Air Force Base, NH
(Excerpts from personal journals 1964-1965)

Did you live on this earth?

Yes.

Who were you?

Does it matter?

It might help.

We do not see it so.

What should I call you?

Do not call us. Call God. Call Jesus. We will answer.

Are you angels?

As angels. We work for God. Jesus is our master. We are a team of those who care.

What's the difference between you and angels?

The angels did not fall. We did, but we have risen again.

Are we all fallen angels, here on earth?

You are ...

What about animals? Are they fallen angels, too? Or do they even have a soul?

All life is habitation for souls. Animals are not fallen, but rising.
A cell is a spark. A plant is. An animal is. You are. We are.



Do we sleep and wait for the resurrection?

We do not. Some sleep. Some wait. But we work.
We work to rouse the sleeping, to vitalize the drowsy, the weary.



Can a soul die?

Yes.

How, if a soul is immortal?

By inertia. A dead soul is as a sleeping soul, inert.
But the sleeping soul can be revived. The dead cannot.


Do they still exist?

Yes, as a dead body exists.

Do they stay like that forever?

They do not experience time.

How do you see them?

As inert.

Do they decay, like a dead body?

They are burnt out, as a cinder.


Is baptism necessary for salvation?

Yes.

Oh ... well ... infant or adult? By sprinkling or by immersion?

Either, preferably infant. By immersion. But you speak of the baptism in water, which is the baptism of John. We speak of baptism in love, which is the baptism of Jesus. Unless the child is immersed in love, he cannot know God, for God is love. You could drown him in the font for no benefit. See?

Oh, yes. Thank you.

You are welcome.


It is said that animals do not have immortal souls.

Most return to earth. Some stay here, if linked by love to one who stays.

You mean like pets?

Yes, exactly. They stay because they love one who stays.
The rest return to what they desire.


So if an animal really loves a person, the animal becomes immortal?

He rises or falls with the one he loves. It is the same for us.
We rise by our love of Jesus. We stay because he stays.


Were you his disciples on earth?

Some of us met him there.
Some of us sought God there and met Jesus here.


Were some of you his apostles? Among the twelve?

Would you think us more trust-worthy?

Well ... I might.

Why?

I don't know.

So. Does it matter?

No, I guess not.

OK.

But you sound as though you were.

We are. Now. We work for him.

How do I know I can believe you?

Well asked! How do children know their fathers? By their love.
So we do not demand your trust. We try to earn it, by our love.


Do you enjoy your work?

Very much! But it is not always easy.

Do you get frustrated?

We do what we can. If we cannot reach a soul, we ask help. God hears our prayers, too. Another team, another channel will try. And we can wait. Whenever a soul opens, help is available.

But you do not force a soul to open.

We do not.

I see. It must take a long time that way.

We don't mind. It is worth waiting for.

Will all souls eventually be saved?

All who will. When they are willing.

Must they know Jesus to be saved?

They must seek God. Jesus makes it easy. He helps. He leads we who care.


Why is there so much suffering? Why doesn't God intervene?

He does. We do, when He approves.

But why does it seem so seldom?

When do we deal?

?

We intervene if and only if good can come of it. Otherwise, we wait.
[I have received this answer hundreds of times in thirty years.]


Why do demons and devils hate and fear the name Jesus Christ?

Christ they do not fear. Like master, lord, god, christ is not a name but a title. Jesus is the name of a person. Those who hide in darkness fear his name because if he hears it he comes, or sends us, and they do not want to face the light.


What of Satan? Is there such an entity?

There is.

Does Satan make war on God, and God's people?

He tries, but can only succeed when someone listens to him, believes him and follows him.

Does God hate Satan?

No. Satan is God's prodigal son, as Jesus is God's obedient son.
God loves them both.


Why doesn't God stop Satan?

God established the way that leads to life and the way that leads to death.
Every soul is free to choose which he will follow.


Doesn't God care which way a soul goes?

Of course. But He loves each one too much to take away the freedom.

Even if they are about to die? Spiritually?

Even then. Life and heaven would both be meaningless without the freedom.
Souls would be no more than inanimate machines.


What about those who never heard of Jesus? Are they doomed?

No. They mill around like lost sheep. They have no sense of direction.

What if they die before they find Jesus?

They continue to mill around over here until someone shows them which way to go.

Is that Purgatory?

It can be, if they purge themselves to follow Jesus.
They can also purge themselves while living on earth.


What if they don't?

Their earthly, selfish desires make them very unhappy here and eventually lead them back to earth.

Like reincarnation?

So you call it. We call it falling.
Or descending, if it is done for love of the sheep.


So reincarnation is a fact.

It is available, but it is no longer necessary. Those who fall again die again.
Not falling again is eternal life.


But couldn't people just go around and around forever?

And never escape. Yes. That is why Jesus descended.
He went down to show the way to those who had not found it.


What about those who follow Satan?

If they will not hear and turn toward life, they go to their own destruction.
But they have heard, here or there. And as said, whosoever will may come.


What about those who hear but don't understand?

Our task here. Your task there. Did you know you can reach souls we cannot?

Oh.


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