The mildew of the world has clouded your perception and perverted your intellect, so that your feeble efforts have not been acceptable offerings to God. Had you divorced yourself from your speculating propensities, and worked in the opposite direction, you would now be enriched with divine knowledge and would be a gainer in spiritual things generally, whereas you have been losing spiritual power and dwarfing your religious experience. {4T 357.1}

(357) Verdens mug har omtåget din opfattelsesevne og forvrænget din forstand, så at dine svage anstrengelser ikke har været antagelige ofre for Gud. Havde du skilt dig af med spekulerede tilbøjeligheder og arbejdet i modsat retning, ville du være blevet beriget med guddommelig kundskab og generelt ville få åndelige ting, i stedet for at miste åndelig kraft og formindske din religiøse erfaring.