The authors of Following Michaels Plan, all long-time readers of The Urantia Book, are drawn together by a shared concern that many of the organizational decisions made since publication of the book in 1955 are inconsistent with the revelators wise advice for the progress of the revelation. We are concerned that the current trend towards multiple publishers of The Urantia Book, the fragmentation of the revelation into separate parts, and the birth of numerous socio-religious groups competing for reader allegiance would be an unfortunate legacy for future generations. We are concerned that we are not preparing teachers and leaders steeped in the teachings ready for the day when the circuits are re-connected and a visible planetary government arrives to teach, uplift, and unify our world. We are concerned that we have not developed a culture of unremitting study of the revelation as fostered by the existence of thousands of study groups. We are concerned that we are not preparing the Eden of the mind for the broad acceptance of this revelation and the coming of another Son to our world. And, we are concerned that we have lost sight of the unity of purpose required for us to be a living example for the peoples of a world quivering on the very brink of one of its most amazing and enthralling epochs of social readjustment, moral quickening, and spiritual enlightenment. (Pg2082.7, P195:9.2)
The existence of multiple publishers, numerous socio-religious groups, and fragmentation of the text, though rationalized as healthy diversity, gives voice instead to the human tendency to resolve organizational disputes by hardening ideological differences and institutionalizing separation rather than rising to the gracious and unifying compromises of higher wisdom. It speaks of a confused and confusing identity for our community of reader-believers which threatens to obscure the unifying truths of the revelation. Publishing fragmentation already leads to perplexing claims of stylistic and reference superiority and marketing competition over bookstore shelf space for what is essentially an identical text. The existence of multiple groupings of reader-believers already generates ineffective and distracting competition for the time, talent, and treasure of new and old readers alike. How can this contentiousness be justified to those of our fellows newly energized by contact with the revelation and expecting to find a spiritually harmonious and unified group? All this after only 50 short years.
Notwithstanding where we are today, we have the opportunity still to make those choices which will align us with the wisdom embedded in Michaels Plan. We can accomplish the unity of purpose we have been told is required for general acceptance of the teachings by a world deeply fragmented by race, religion, nationalism, language, and culture. We can make this a living unity of purpose, and not just the claim of common intent. Such supreme unity of purpose would enable our fellows on the planet easily to recognize the original revelation, The Urantia Book, given to our world during the first half of the 20th century. We can foster a unified, worldwide community under a common universe banner of cooperation, friendship, love, and spiritual commitment which would assure our planetary fellows that we are all children of the same Father-God and citizens of the same universe government. We have been given the blueprint for our destiny and the tools to accomplish it.
We believe that it is both our privilege and our responsibility to implement the wise, practical advice the revelators elected to provide, as Immanuel did Michael, to guide this revelation. We, and we hope each supporter of this documents purpose as well, will work for the alignment of our community with Michaels Planone Urantia Book with an indisputable lineage from its initial publication, one Urantia Foundation with sole publishing and translation responsibilities, and one worldwide brotherhood of reader-believers making self-evident, as a unified human corps of universe-conscious citizens, our allegiance to and preparation for the coming establishment of a visible spiritual government on our world.
In drafting Following Michaels Plan, we have sought to form the best interpretations and understandings of our communitys role in this epochal project to date, based upon the available historical record. In the main we have focused on the opportunity Michaels Plan offers us. But, we have not avoided the forthright, self-critical examination of the current condition which The Urantia Book tells us leads to progress.
It is our sincere hope that in the years to come we will achieve the 90% level of unity of purpose and social harmony embodied in Michaels Plan that was specified as a requirement to foster general acceptance of the revelation. It is for this purpose that we offer Following Michaels Plan for your consideration.