348、⒀一夫多妻对那些其宗教信仰许可它的人来说，不是一种罪恶。违反宗教信仰的每个行为都被视为一种罪恶，因为它违反神。反之，符合宗教信仰的每个行为都不被视为一种罪恶，因为它得到神的同意。一夫多妻因是以色列人宗教信仰的一部分，同样是现今伊斯兰教徒宗教信仰的一部分，故对他们来说，无论过去还是现在，都不算是一种罪恶。此外，为防止一夫多妻对他们成为一种罪恶，他们保持属世，不会变得属灵。属世人看不到诸如被公认的宗教信仰所认可的那类事有何罪恶之处，唯有属灵人才能看到这一点。正因如此，尽管伊斯兰教徒按照《可兰经》的教导承认我们的主是神的儿子，但他们仍不靠近祂，反而靠近穆罕默德。只要他们如此行，就依然属世，因而不知道一夫多妻有何邪恶之处，甚至不知道有何淫荡之处。主也说：
你们若瞎了眼，就没有罪了；但如今你们说：我们能看见，所以你们的罪还在。（约翰福音9:41）
由于一夫多妻不能判他们有罪，故死后，他们有自己的天堂（参看342，343节），在那里照其生活体验这种快乐。
348、（13）每种与宗教相背的事都被认为是罪恶的，因为那是与神相背的。相反，每个遵守宗教的都不是罪恶，因为它与神一致。所以，因为以色列人的一夫多妻是他们的宗教所准许的，正如今天的穆斯林一样，他们不能被说成是罪恶的。
另外，这若非罪恶，他们就要是存在于自然人状态中，而非精神人。自然人不会看到其中的罪恶，因为那是被他们的宗教所接受的。这只有精神性的人才能看到。正是如此，穆斯林承认我们的主是神的儿子，但他们却不跟随主而跟随穆哈默德。只要他们还在这样做，他们就是自然性的，因而不知道其中有任何罪恶。也不知道一夫多妻有什么淫荡之处，主甚至说过：
你若是盲人，你就没有罪恶。但是现在你说看见了，那么你就有罪了。（《约翰福音》9:14）
因为一夫多妻不能判定他们是罪恶的，所以他们死后有自己的天堂（见342、343节），他们根据他们的生命而有他们的快乐。
348. (xiii) Polygamy is not a sin for those whose religion allows it.
Every act which is against religious belief is regarded as a sin, because it is against God. On the other hand, every act which agrees with religious belief is not regarded as a sin, because it has God's approval. Since polygamy was part of the religious belief of the Children of Israel, and the same is true of the Mohammedans today. it could not, nor can it now, be counted against them as a sin. Moreover, it is to prevent it being a sin for them that they remain natural people, and they do not become spiritual.
The natural man is unable to see that there is anything sinful in matters which have the approval of the accepted religion; only a spiritual man can see this. It is for this reason that, although the Koran tells them to acknowledge our Lord as the Son of God, they still do not approach Him, but rather Mohammed. This too is why they remain natural so long, and so do not know that polygamy contains any evil, not even any wantonness. The Lord also says:
If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say that you see, so your sin remains (John 9:41).
Since polygamy cannot be held to convict them of sinning, they have their own heavens after death (342), and there they experience such joys as their manner of life allows.
348. 13. Polygamy is not a sin among people for whom it is in accordance with their religion. Everything that is contrary to a person's religion is believed to be a sin because it is contrary to God; and conversely, everything that accords with religion is believed to be not a sin because it accords with God. So, because polygamy among the children of Israel was in accordance with their religion, and similarly today among Muslims, it could not and cannot be imputed to them as sin.
Moreover, to keep it from being a sin with them, they remain natural and do not become spiritual. And the natural man cannot see anything sinful in such things as are matters of the accepted religion. That is something only the spiritual man sees. It is for this reason that although Muslims in accordance with the Koran acknowledge our Lord as the Son of God, still they do not go to Him but to Muhammad. And as long as they do that, they remain natural, and consequently do not know that there is anything evil, not even anything lecherous, in polygamy. The Lord even says:
If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say that (you) see; therefore your sin remains. (John 9:41)
Since polygamy cannot indict them of sin, therefore they have their own heavens after death (nos. 342, 343); and they experience joys there in accordance with their life.
348. 13. Polygamy is not a sin among those who do it from religion.
Everything that is against religion is thought to be a sin, because it is against God, and, vice versa, everything that is for religion is thought not to be a sin, because it is on God's side. Polygamy was a matter of religion for the children of Israel, and the same today for the Mohammedans, so it could not and cannot be charged to them as a sin. Besides, they stay worldly and do not become spiritual to keep it from being a sin for them. A worldly person cannot see that there is any sin in anything of an accepted religion. Only a spiritual person sees this. This is the reason that even though they recognize our Lord as the Son of God, owing to the Koran, they still do not approach Him, but Mohammed. And all the while they remain worldly, so they do not know that anything bad, or even that anything lascivious, is in polygamy. Also, the Lord says, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now you say you see, so your sin remains" (John 9:41). Since polygamy cannot convict them of sin, they have their heaven after death (no. 342), and there they enjoy pleasures in keeping with their lives.
348. XIII. THAT POLYGAMY IS NOT A SIN WITH THOSE WITH WHOM IT EXISTS FROM RELIGION. Everything which is contrary to religion is thought to be a sin because against God. On the other hand, everything which is in accordance with religion is thought not to be a sin because in accordance with God. And because with the sons of Israel polygamy existed from religion, as likewise it does with Mohammedans today, it could not and cannot be imputed to them as sin. Moreover, that it may not be a sin, they remain natural and do not become spiritual; and the natural man cannot see that there is any sin in such things as are of the received religion; this the spiritual man alone sees. It is for this reason that, although from the Koran they acknowledge our Lord as the Son of God, yet they do not approach Him but Mohammed, and so long as they do this, they remain natural and hence do not know that there is anything of evil in polygamy, nor even anything of lasciviousness; and the Lord says:
If ye were blind ye would not have sin, but now that ye say ye see, therefore your sin remaineth. John 9:41.
Since polygamy cannot convict them of sin, therefore, after death they have a heaven of their own (no. 342) and there have delight in enjoyments according to their life.
348. (xiii) Polygamy is not a sin in those with whom it is of religion. All which is contrary to religion is deemed sin, being contrary to God. On the other hand, all that accords with religion is deemed not to be sin, according with God. Because polygamy was countenanced by religion among the children of Israel, as it is today among Mohammedans, it could not be and cannot be imputed to them as a sin. Moreover, that it may not be sin to them, they remain natural and do not become spiritual. The natural man cannot see that there can be anything sinful in what is countenanced by accepted religion; only the spiritual man sees this. For this reason, Mohammedans, although from the Koran they acknowledge the Lord as the Son of God, do not approach Him, but Mohammed; and all the while they remain natural and hence do not know there is anything evil, indeed anything lascivious, in polygamy. The Lord said,
If you were blind, you would not have sin; but now you say that you see; therefore your sin remains (John 9:41).
Since polygamy cannot convict them of sin, they have their own heavens after death (342); and there they enjoy delights in accord with their life.
348. (13) That polygamy is not a sin with those with whom it is from religion. Everything that is contrary to religion is believed to be a sin because against God; and on the other hand, everything that is with religion is believed not to be a sin because with God. And as with the sons of Israel polygamy was from religion, and is so likewise with the Mahometans of to-day, it could not and cannot be imputed to them as a sin. Moreover, that it may not be a sin to them, they remain natural and do not become spiritual, and the natural man cannot see that there is any sin in such things as are of the received religion; this only the spiritual man sees. It is for this reason that, although from the Koran they acknowledge our Lord as the Son of God, yet they do not approach Him but Mahomet, and so long as they do this they remain natural, and therefore, do not know that there is any evil, nor indeed that there is any lasciviousness, in polygamy. The Lord moreover says:
If ye were blind ye would not have sin, but now that ye say ye see, your sin remaineth (John 9:41).
Since polygamy cannot convict them of sin they therefore, after death have a heaven of their own (n. 342), where they have joys according to their life.
348. XIII: Quod Polygamia non sit peccatum, apud quos illa est ex religione. Omne id, quod contra Religionem est, creditur esse peccatum, quia contra Deum; et vicissim, omne id quod cum Religione est, creditur non esse peccatum, quia cum Deo; et quia Polygamia apud filios Israelis fuit ex Religione, et similiter hodie apud Mahumedanos, non potuit nec potest illa imputari eis ut peccatum. Insuper ne illa sit eis peccatum, manent naturales, et non fiunt spirituales; et naturalis homo non potest videre, quod aliquid peccati insit talibus quae receptae religionis sunt; hoc solum videt homo spiritualis: propter illam causam est, quod tametsi ex Alcorano agnoscunt Dominum nostrum pro Filio Dei, usque non adeant Ipsum, sed Mahumedem; et tamdiu manent naturales, et inde non sciunt, quod aliquid mali, ne quidem quod aliquid lasciviae, insit Polygamiae; dicit etiam Dominus, "Si caeci essetis, non haberetis peccatum; jam vero dicitis quod videtis, ideo peccatum vestrum manet," Joh. 9:41. Quoniam Polygamia non arguere illos potest de peccato, ideo post mortem illis sui Coeli sunt,342 [343]; et ibi fruuntur gaudiis secundum vitam.