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Here’s another advantage – prayer, a psychologic procedure interassociated with a spiritual technique.
91:6:2 Prayer is not a technique for curing real and organic diseases, but it has contributed enormously to the enjoyment of abundant health and to the cure of numerous mental, emotional, and nervous ailments. And even in actual bacterial disease, prayer has many times added to the efficacy of other remedial procedures. Prayer has turned many an irritable and complaining invalid into a paragon of patience and made him an inspiration to all other human sufferers..91:3:6 Prayer ever has been and ever will be a twofold human experience: a psychologic procedure interassociated with a spiritual technique. And these two functions of prayer can never be fully separated..This reference pertains to the spiritual side of prayer.7:3:6 Conversely, if your supplications are purely material and wholly self–centered, there exists no plan whereby such unworthy prayers can find lodgment in the spirit circuit of the Eternal Son. The content of any petition which is not “spirit indited” can find no place in the universal spiritual circuit; such purely selfish and material requests fall dead; they do not ascend in the circuits of true spirit values. Such words are as “sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.”Before I was born-again, born into the kingdom of heaven – the invisible spiritual brotherhood, I did not believe that my destiny was to go to heaven and sit on a white puffy cloud playing music on a harp for eternity. Finding the Urantia Book was like finding a fountain of endless spiritual nourishment, as the book illustrates and illuminates the ascending journey folded up to us in our spiritual childhood, but slowly unfolding to us day by day. The premier advantage to us, among many advantages, as derived from the book is the marvelous information we have about the work of the Thought Adjuster. We have help no matter how strenuous material affairs can be, no matter what temporal difficulties we have to sort out, no matter how perplexing are the problems of the passing hour, nor the uncertainties of our mortal life.
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Even with the advantage of a Thought Adjuster, we must actively (at least not thwart) the mission of the Adjuster. Here is a paragraph (111:7:3; P. 1223) I list for consideration, question by question:
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“Why do you not aid the Adjuster in the task of showing you the spiritual counterpart of all these strenuous material efforts?.“Why do you not allow the Adjuster to strengthen you with the spiritual truths of cosmic power while you wrestle with the temporal difficulties of creature existence?.“Why do you not encourage the heavenly helper to cheer you with the clear vision of the eternal outlook of universal life as you gaze in perplexity at the problems of the passing hour?.“Why do you refuse to be enlightened and inspired by the universe viewpoint while you toil amidst the handicaps of time and flounder in the maze of uncertainties which beset your mortal life journey?.“Why not allow the Adjuster to spiritualize your thinking, even though your feet must tread the material paths of earthly endeavor?”
Even with the advantage of a Thought Adjuster, we must actively (at least not thwart) the mission of the Adjuster. Here is a paragraph (111:7:3; P. 1223) I list for consideration, question by question:
. “Why do you not aid the Adjuster in the task of showing you the spiritual counterpart of all these strenuous material efforts?
. “Why do you not allow the Adjuster to strengthen you with the spiritual truths of cosmic power while you wrestle with the temporal difficulties of creature existence?
. “Why do you not encourage the heavenly helper to cheer you with the clear vision of the eternal outlook of universal life as you gaze in perplexity at the problems of the passing hour?
. “Why do you refuse to be enlightened and inspired by the universe viewpoint while you toil amidst the handicaps of time and flounder in the maze of uncertainties which beset your mortal life journey?
. “Why not allow the Adjuster to spiritualize your thinking, even though your feet must tread the material paths of earthly endeavor?”
It might seem that from your questions extracted from the UB the following narration present a sample of the positives which are admixed by or through a negative process?
1223.7) 111:7.5 “Much of my difficulty was due to the unending conflict between the two natures of my subject:
the urge of ambition opposed by animal indolence;
the ideals of a superior people crossed by the instincts of an inferior race;
the high purposes of a great mind antagonized by the urge of a primitive inheritance;
the long-distance view of a far-seeing Monitor counteracted by the nearsightedness of a creature of time;
the progressive plans of an ascending being modified by the desires and longings of a material nature;
the flashes of universe intelligence cancelled by the chemical-energy mandates of the evolving race;
the urge of angels opposed by the emotions of an animal;
the training of an intellect annulled by the tendencies of instinct;
the experience of the individual opposed by the accumulated propensities of the race;
the aims of the best overshadowed by the drift of the worst;
the flight of genius neutralized by the gravity of mediocrity;
the progress of the good retarded by the inertia of the bad;
the art of the beautiful besmirched by the presence of evil;
the buoyancy of health neutralized by the debility of disease;
the fountain of faith polluted by the poisons of fear;
the spring of joy embittered by the waters of sorrow;
the gladness of anticipation disillusioned by the bitterness of realization;
the joys of living ever threatened by the sorrows of death.
Such a life on such a planet! And yet, because of the ever-present help and urge of the Thought Adjuster, this soul did achieve a fair degree of happiness and success and has even now ascended to the judgment halls of mansonia.”
It might seem that from your questions extracted from the UB the following narration present a sample of the positives which are admixed by or through a negative process?
Yes, in a sense. I’m not sure it’s a “negative process”. We were created with a dual nature. It is our nature, and as I understand it, all inhabited or inhabitable worlds are or will be peopled with mortals who also have to struggle with uncertainties, perplexing problems, decisional crises and the like.
34:6:9 “In every mortal there exists a dual nature: the inheritance of animal tendencies and the high urge of spirit endowment. […]Yes, “Such a life on such a planet!”
Thanks
Greetings!! I agree Mara, the description is not a “negative process” at all but the obstacles within one nature to attain the higher nature in our dual nature as material born children of the universe, endowed by the Father fragment. This list demonstrates the challenges of the dual nature and that of transferring the seat of our identity!! We are born with this dual nature. It is all quite natural for mortal born ascenders. Some of us recognize this “tension” and apparent “conflict” within us while some remain quite loyal to the material/animal mind as self loving and self serving rather than to choose to hear and follow the voice of spirit within which calls us to our higher nature.
110:2.5 (1205.3) You as a personal creature have mind and will. The Adjuster as a prepersonal creature has premind and prewill. If you so fully conform to the Adjuster’s mind that you see eye to eye, then your minds become one, and you receive the reinforcement of the Adjuster’s mind. Subsequently, if your will orders and enforces the execution of the decisions of this new or combined mind, the Adjuster’s prepersonal will attains to personality expression through your decision, and as far as that particular project is concerned, you and the Adjuster are one. Your mind has attained to divinity attunement, and the Adjuster’s will has achieved personality expression.
110:2.6 (1205.4) To the extent that this identity is realized, you are mentally approaching the morontia order of existence. Morontia mind is a term signifying the substance and sum total of the co-operating minds of diversely material and spiritual natures. Morontia intellect, therefore, connotes a dual mind in the local universe dominated by one will. And with mortals this is a will, human in origin, which is becoming divine through man’s identification of the human mind with the mindedness of God.
112:5.3 (1232.4) Mortal identity is a transient time-life condition in the universe; it is real only in so far as the personality elects to become a continuing universe phenomenon. This is the essential difference between man and an energy system: The energy system must continue, it has no choice; but man has everything to do with determining his own destiny. The Adjuster is truly the path to Paradise, but man himself must pursue that path by his own deciding, his freewill choosing.
112:5.4 (1232.5) Human beings possess identity only in the material sense. Such qualities of the self are expressed by the material mind as it functions in the energy system of the intellect. When it is said that man has identity, it is recognized that he is in possession of a mind circuit which has been placed in subordination to the acts and choosing of the will of the human personality. But this is a material and purely temporary manifestation, just as the human embryo is a transient parasitic stage of human life. Human beings, from a cosmic perspective, are born, live, and die in a relative instant of time; they are not enduring. But mortal personality, through its own choosing, possesses the power of transferring its seat of identity from the passing material-intellect system to the higher morontia-soul system which, in association with the Thought Adjuster, is created as a new vehicle for personality manifestation.
112:5.5 (1233.1) And it is this very power of choice, the universe insignia of freewill creaturehood, that constitutes man’s greatest opportunity and his supreme cosmic responsibility. Upon the integrity of the human volition depends the eternal destiny of the future finaliter; upon the sincerity of the mortal free will the divine Adjuster depends for eternal personality; upon the faithfulness of mortal choice the Universal Father depends for the realization of a new ascending son; upon the steadfastness and wisdom of decision-actions the Supreme Being depends for the actuality of experiential evolution.
Me here: We are taught that only the very material and/or very spiritual minded mortals experience no conflict in mind while the mind which transcends material attachment to aspire to spirit potentials will experience the conflicts noted below. The process of transferring the seat of our identity requires rather rigorous adjustments and a keen will intent upon the prize of eternal life by the choices we make to respond to spirit within.
1223.7) 111:7.5 “Much of my difficulty was due to the unending conflict between the two natures of my subject:
the urge of ambition opposed by animal indolence;
the ideals of a superior people crossed by the instincts of an inferior race;
the high purposes of a great mind antagonized by the urge of a primitive inheritance;
the long-distance view of a far-seeing Monitor counteracted by the nearsightedness of a creature of time;
the progressive plans of an ascending being modified by the desires and longings of a material nature;
the flashes of universe intelligence cancelled by the chemical-energy mandates of the evolving race;
the urge of angels opposed by the emotions of an animal;
the training of an intellect annulled by the tendencies of instinct;
the experience of the individual opposed by the accumulated propensities of the race;
the aims of the best overshadowed by the drift of the worst;
the flight of genius neutralized by the gravity of mediocrity;
the progress of the good retarded by the inertia of the bad;
the art of the beautiful besmirched by the presence of evil;
the buoyancy of health neutralized by the debility of disease;
the fountain of faith polluted by the poisons of fear;
the spring of joy embittered by the waters of sorrow;
the gladness of anticipation disillusioned by the bitterness of realization;
the joys of living ever threatened by the sorrows of death.
It is interesting to consider the process to achieve our potential “Destinies of Ascending Sons”. To what extent, if any, is this a process of “elimination” (a negative process) and to what measure is it the acquisition of that spirit born nature (a positive process). Elimination vs. acquisition. I confess my own confusion on this topic related to transcendence and ascendency.
I think the process of transferring the seat of our identity is a positive transition performed best by a fundamental shift in our motive, our intentions, our priorities, and the choices made subsequent to these foundational changes in mind. Sincerity we are told is the key to the kingdom. Sincerity is a motive and the basis for intention and the driving force for choice. All of which delivers multiple forms of confusions, uncertainties, frustrations, disappointments, and failures – all normal for children of little experience and wisdom. Thus, the gift of time!! Practice makes perfect as they say…..lots and lots of practice.
The confidence of our relationship with Father and His love for us helps curb/moderate these frustrations and disappointments. Watch any toddler toddle and fall and toddle some more, and then lurch forward in a run to find that balance to run with the wind!! We are to be patient with ourselves…as well as others during this learning to find balance and developing of abilities to overcome the natural force of gravity upon our body. I think the list above of conflicting urges illuminates two opposing forces of gravity – material attachments on the one hand and spirit gravity’s force upon the growing soul. Determination to run, jump, and ultimately fly in defiance of physical gravity combined with the sincere intent of the human mind to seek God and be/become like Him should replace the notion of negative elimination of inferior choices for progress.
Positive intentions trump negative eliminations I think. It is replacing the inferior with the superior more than the removal of the inferior that we should focus upon. In this way we should consider the functionality of “displacement” rather than “replacement”. The true, beautiful, and good slowly displaces the animal self indulgence and pleasure seeking of self love we are born with as material beings. The spirit nature displaces the animal nature by the choices we make over time.
Yes, in a sense. I’m not sure it’s a “negative process”. We were created with a dual nature. It is our nature, and as I understand it, all inhabited or inhabitable worlds are or will be peopled with mortals who also have to struggle with uncertainties, perplexing problems, decisional crises and the like.
Mara, you presented the UB questions, presented in your post and reposted in my reply but the questions directly assume that an individual is to either recognize and or communicate with their internal Thought Adjuster, whereby this might be considered as “Destinies of Ascending Sons”, which by the title of this topic implies that a person/soul has or can recognize their sonship?
Yes we are created with a “dual nature” – “as a result of inborn or inherent qualities; innately (inherent in the essential character of something)” where as defined in some sense in the UB as “animal vs. spiritual” nature. However, as mentioned, those questions are arbitrarily based on a tri-union, where the TA represents the “Father”, the material individual/animal represents the “Ascending Son” or self and, then there is the “guardian seraphim” who represents the part of the “Spirit”, which makes up a tri-union representing the “mind”, which we use to function or act out various life’s choices.
The following UB quote precedes the so called “positive” vs “negative”, or “spiritual” vs “material”, presentations, as the “seraphim said” below and, would or should be understood from that spirit-part which resides within the mind of the individual. Where these are one seraphim experience after the physical death of a subject.
(1223.6) 111:7.4 The higher human races of Urantia are complexly admixed; they are a blend of many races and stocks of different origin. This composite nature renders it exceedingly difficult for the Monitors to work efficiently during life and adds definitely to the problems of both the Adjuster and the guardian seraphim after death. Not long since I was present on Salvington and heard a guardian of destiny present a formal statement in extenuation of the difficulties of ministering to her mortal subject. This seraphim said:
Therefore, whether one uses the words “positive” and “negative” or “north” and “south” poles, to represent the difference between the aggregation of those characteristics mentioned, there is always a need for “balance” between the two extremes where there is a fulcrum which slides back and forth between the “dual natures” of man.
Also, as stated above, why is there a problem, for the “Adjuster and the guardian seraphim after death” ???
So, having presented those questions, what are the possible answers which might be debated as to “WHY” these questions were presented?
Me here: We are taught that only the very material and/or very spiritual minded mortals experience no conflict in mind while the mind which transcends material attachment to aspire to spirit potentials will experience the conflicts noted below. The process of transferring the seat of our identity requires rather rigorous adjustments and a keen will intent upon the prize of eternal life by the choices we make to respond to spirit within.
Bradly, I did not post the content listed below your statement above but, you use the word “conflicts” to represent the “seraphim” presentation of difficulty, where “conflicts” is as go a word as any but, this word implied opposing references just like positive and negative.
However, I’m not sure what your statement above actually means in relation the seraphim presentation of difficulties? I know that you had something in mind to present but, as I read it, it has little to do with the reasons for your post? Nice words which roll off the tongue eloquently but, say what???
Mara, you presented the UB questions, presented in your post and reposted in my reply but the questions directly assume that an individual is to either recognize and or communicate with their internal Thought Adjuster, whereby this might be considered as “Destinies of Ascending Sons”, which by the title of this topic implies that a person/soul has or can recognize their sonship?
These questions were presented by the author, a Solitary Messenger of Orvonton in PAPER 111, P.1223 and yes, we are “. . . to heed the distant echo of the Adjuster’s faithful call. . . .” which call is spirit-full, but each one of us chooses whether his/her soul picks up or does not pick up the distant echo. A distant echo surely is less clear to the ear, but the flavor is divine and personal to you and your soul, not the soul of someone else.
111:7:2 May I admonish you to heed the distant echo of the Adjuster’s faithful call to your soul? The indwelling Adjuster cannot stop or even materially alter your career struggle of time; the Adjuster cannot lessen the hardships of life as you journey on through this world of toil. The divine indweller can only patiently forbear while you fight the battle of life as it is lived on your planet; but you could, if you only would — as you work and worry, as you fight and toil — permit the valiant Adjuster to fight with you and for you. You could be so comforted and inspired, so enthralled and intrigued, if you would only allow the Adjuster constantly to bring forth the pictures of the real motive, the final aim, and the eternal purpose of all this difficult, uphill struggle with the commonplace problems of your present material world.
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The Adjuster is constantly trying to bring forth pictures of the real motive, the final aim of the Father’s eternal purpose throughout our uphill struggles in a material world.
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108:6:6 And as you are the human parent, so is the Adjuster the divine parent of the real you, your higher and advancing self, your better morontial and future spiritual self. And it is this evolving morontial soul that the judges and censors discern when they decree your survival and pass you upward to new worlds and never-ending existence in eternal liaison with your faithful partner — God, the Adjuster.
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111:3:2 During the life in the flesh the evolving soul is enabled to reinforce the supermaterial decisions of the mortal mind. The soul, being supermaterial, does not of itself function on the material level of human experience. Neither can this subspiritual soul, without the collaboration of some spirit of Deity, such as the Adjuster, function above the morontia level. Neither does the soul make final decisions until death or translation divorces it from material association with the mortal mind except when and as this material mind delegates such authority freely and willingly to such a morontia soul of associated function. During life the mortal will, the personality power of decision-choice, is resident in the material mind circuits; as terrestrial mortal growth proceeds, this self, with its priceless powers of choice, becomes increasingly identified with the emerging morontia-soul entity; after death and following the mansion world resurrection, the human personality is completely identified with the morontia self. The soul is thus the embryo of the future morontia vehicle of personality identity.
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. . . and, then there is the “guardian seraphim”. . . .
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The guardian seraphim work from the outside inward, through the social, ethical and moral environment. “On the spiritual level, seraphim make personal many otherwise impersonal and prepersonal ministries of the universe; they are co-ordinators. On the intellectual level they are the correlators of mind and morontia; they are interpreters. And on the physical level they manipulate terrestrial environment through their liaison with the Master Physical Controllers and through the co-operative ministry of the midway creatures.”
113:4:1 The guardian seraphim are not mind, though they do spring from the same source that also gives origin to mortal mind, the Creative Spirit.Seraphim are mind stimulators; they continually seek to promote circle-making decisions in human mind. They do this, not as does the Adjuster, operating from within and through the soul, but rather from the outside inward, working through the social, ethical, and moral environment of human beings. Seraphim are not the divine Adjuster lure of the Universal Father, but they do function as the personal agency of the ministry of the Infinite Spirit.
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Upon death the guardian seraphim conserve as a trustee (113:6:5 ) all of everything of value of you – a keeper of your records, your identity specifications and your morontia soul that is conjointly evolved by the ministry of mind (loaned to you) and your Adjuster. The guardian of destiny (seraphim) carries this part of you to the first Mansion world to await your consciousizing there.
113:6:1 Having told you something of the ministry of seraphim during natural life, I will endeavor to inform you about the conduct of the guardians of destiny at the time of the mortal dissolution of their human associates. Upon your death, your records, identity specifications, and the morontia entity of the human soul — conjointly evolved by the ministry of mortal mind and the divine Adjuster — are faithfully conserved by the destiny guardian together with all other values related to your future existence, everything that constitutes you, the real you, except the identity of continuing existence represented by the departing Adjuster and the actuality of personality.
113:6:2 The instant the pilot light in the human mind disappears, the spirit luminosity which seraphim associate with the presence of the Adjuster, the attending angel reports in person to the commanding angels, successively, of the group, company, battalion, unit, legion, and host; and after being duly registered for the final adventure of time and space, such an angel receives certification by the planetary chief of seraphim for reporting to the Evening Star (or other lieutenant of Gabriel) in command of the seraphic army of this candidate for universe ascension. And upon being granted permission from the commander of this highest organizational unit, such a guardian of destiny proceeds to the first mansion world and there awaits the consciousizing of her former ward in the flesh.
The guardian seraphim are one of the many orders of the Divine Minister of the Infinite Spirit. They are our unseen friends. They do not invade the human mind.
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113:5:1 Angels do not invade the sanctity of the human mind; they do not manipulate the will of mortals; neither do they directly contact with the indwelling Adjusters. The guardian of destiny influences you in every possible manner consistent with the dignity of your personality; under no circumstances do these angels interfere with the free action of the human will. Neither angels nor any other order of universe personality have power or authority to curtail or abridge the prerogatives of human choosing.
. . . why is there a problem, for the “Adjuster and the guardian seraphim after death” ???
My best guess is found in the reference you cited:
111:7:4 The higher human races of Urantia are complexly admixed; they are a blend of many races and stocks of different origin. This composite nature renders it exceedingly difficult for the Monitors to work efficiently during life and adds definitely to the problems of both the Adjuster and the guardian seraphim after death.Paper 28 – 6. The Tertiary Seconaphin
- The Significance of Origins – “….but with the ascending beings, including the lower orders of angels, the nature and circumstances of origin are not always so clear, though of equally vital importance at almost every turn of universe affairs – hence the value of having at our disposal a series of reflective seconaphim who can instantly portray anything required respecting the genesis of any being in either the central universe or throughout the entire realm of a superuniverse….”
One of my favorite one liners from this Paper – “….You should realize that there is a great reward of personal satisfaction in being first just, next fair, then patient, then kind…..”
Isn’t “personal satisfaction” similar to self-gratification?
How the individual will be judged is a revelation in Paper 28.
So, having presented those questions, what are the possible answers which might be debated as to “WHY” these questions were presented?
As for my opinion, I don’t think the questions are meant to be debated in the sense of trying to discern arguments for or against one answer over another. Each one of us leads a unique life, so it stands to reason answers are going to vary. As to why the questions were presented? Probably to get our attention. What would be your answer?
Sabinatu asked:
“Isn’t “personal satisfaction” similar to self-gratification?”
Interesting pair of words, Sabinatu! Got me thinking:
“My choice satisfied my adjuster.”
“My choice gratified my adjuster.”
Does the fact service can be so satisfying and so gratifying imply something about personality?
Nigel
Me here: We are taught that only the very material and/or very spiritual minded mortals experience no conflict in mind while the mind which transcends material attachment to aspire to spirit potentials will experience the conflicts noted below. The process of transferring the seat of our identity requires rather rigorous adjustments and a keen will intent upon the prize of eternal life by the choices we make to respond to spirit within.
Bradly, I did not post the content listed below your statement above but, you use the word “conflicts” to represent the “seraphim” presentation of difficulty, where “conflicts” is as go a word as any but, this word implied opposing references just like positive and negative. However, I’m not sure what your statement above actually means in relation the seraphim presentation of difficulties? I know that you had something in mind to present but, as I read it, it has little to do with the reasons for your post? Nice words which roll off the tongue eloquently but, say what???
Me here: I’ll try to clarify: Neither the TA or seraphim experiences the conflicts listed….the mortal mind has such conflict by its dual nature which delivers “difficulties” for the TA and ministry of seraphim. The quote I was paraphrasing is by the Master:
159:3.7 (1766.3) Forewarn all believers regarding the fringe of conflict which must be traversed by all who pass from the life as it is lived in the flesh to the higher life as it is lived in the spirit. To those who live quite wholly within either realm, there is little conflict or confusion, but all are doomed to experience more or less uncertainty during the times of transition between the two levels of living. In entering the kingdom, you cannot escape its responsibilities or avoid its obligations, but remember: The gospel yoke is easy and the burden of truth is light.
Me: The aspiring mortal ascender must overcome all manner of conflict during the spiritization process of transferring the seat of our identity – here is something on the “displacement” notion posted by me:
100:4.1 (1097.5) Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous. New religious insights arise out of conflicts which initiate the choosing of new and better reaction habits in the place of older and inferior reaction patterns. New meanings only emerge amid conflict; and conflict persists only in the face of refusal to espouse the higher values connoted in superior meanings.
100:4.2 (1097.6) Religious perplexities are inevitable; there can be no growth without psychic conflict and spiritual agitation. The organization of a philosophic standard of living entails considerable commotion in the philosophic realms of the mind. Loyalties are not exercised in behalf of the great, the good, the true, and the noble without a struggle. Effort is attendant upon clarification of spiritual vision and enhancement of cosmic insight. And the human intellect protests against being weaned from subsisting upon the nonspiritual energies of temporal existence. The slothful animal mind rebels at the effort required to wrestle with cosmic problem solving.
100:5.2 (1098.5) The progression of religious growth leads from stagnation through conflict to co-ordination, from insecurity to undoubting faith, from confusion of cosmic consciousness to unification of personality, from the temporal objective to the eternal, from the bondage of fear to the liberty of divine sonship.
100:6.3 (1100.5) The marks of human response to the religious impulse embrace the qualities of nobility and grandeur. The sincere religionist is conscious of universe citizenship and is aware of making contact with sources of superhuman power. He is thrilled and energized with the assurance of belonging to a superior and ennobled fellowship of the sons of God. The consciousness of self-worth has become augmented by the stimulus of the quest for the highest universe objectives — supreme goals.
100:6.4 (1100.6) The self has surrendered to the intriguing drive of an all-encompassing motivation which imposes heightened self-discipline, lessens emotional conflict, and makes mortal life truly worth living. The morbid recognition of human limitations is changed to the natural consciousness of mortal shortcomings, associated with moral determination and spiritual aspiration to attain the highest universe and superuniverse goals. And this intense striving for the attainment of supermortal ideals is always characterized by increasing patience, forbearance, fortitude, and tolerance.
103:2.4 (1131.3) Every human being very early experiences something of a conflict between his self-seeking and his altruistic impulses, and many times the first experience of God-consciousness may be attained as the result of seeking for superhuman help in the task of resolving such moral conflicts.
103:2.8 (1131.7) When a moral being chooses to be unselfish when confronted by the urge to be selfish, that is primitive religious experience. No animal can make such a choice; such a decision is both human and religious. It embraces the fact of God-consciousness and exhibits the impulse of social service, the basis of the brotherhood of man. When mind chooses a right moral judgment by an act of the free will, such a decision constitutes a religious experience.
Me: I hope this helps.
Sabinatu asked:
“Isn’t “personal satisfaction” similar to self-gratification?”Interesting pair of words, Sabinatu! Got me thinking:
“My choice satisfied my adjuster.”
“My choice gratified my adjuster.” Does the fact service can be so satisfying and so gratifying imply something about personality? Nigel
Me here: The dictionary definition of the two words does indicate some similarity – they are listed as synomyms one for the other. However, there is quite a distinction in satisfaction and gratification as well, especially when the word “self” is applied as prefix – personal satisfaction is completely different from self satisfied for example. It appears that personal pleasure is a goal for the feeling of gratification while accomplishment or realization is the cause for the effect of satisfaction. In some ways, this is quite the hair splitting… I think the revelators chose their terms carefully but gratification is a bigger term than “self-gratification” which seems to me to be a distinction of motive for choosing and acting in serving self or seeking for self – while satisfaction would mean something very similar if presented as “self-satisfaction” – to be satisfied by oneself – personal satisfaction is distinct from either self-satisfaction or self gratification (see “subjective gratification” below). Interesting.
100:0.2 (1094.2) Spiritual growth is mutually stimulated by intimate association with other religionists. Love supplies the soil for religious growth — an objective lure in the place of subjective gratification — yet it yields the supreme subjective satisfaction. And religion ennobles the commonplace drudgery of daily living.
136:6.10 (1519.3) This great decision of Jesus portrays dramatically the truth that selfish satisfaction and sensuous gratification, alone and of themselves, are not able to confer happiness upon evolving human beings. There are higher values in mortal existence — intellectual mastery and spiritual achievement — which far transcend the necessary gratification of man’s purely physical appetites and urges. Man’s natural endowment of talent and ability should be chiefly devoted to the development and ennoblement of his higher powers of mind and spirit.
136:6.11 (1519.4) Jesus thus revealed to the creatures of his universe the technique of the new and better way, the higher moral values of living and the deeper spiritual satisfactions of evolutionary human existence on the worlds of space.
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