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With regard to young people reading (or not) the TUB, there are some very practical and fundamental issues that come into play for folks in their late 20s, all through their 30s, and into the early 40s, at least here in the United States. It is during those years that most folks are finishing up their education and/or ramping up their careers; starting families; creating a household and finding their ‘place’ in the world. When I look back at those years, there is no way I would have had the time and focus to read a nearly 2,000 page book that requires significant concentration and focus to even understand a single paragraph.
The first time I read the book, I was exhausted after reading only a page or two, and I was in my late 40s. Imagine if I had been in my 30s at a time when my infant children woke me up at all hours of the night and required my full attention all throughout the day. Or in my 20s while juggling a full course load at university plus working part time and trying to have a social life. It has only been in my later middle age that I have the luxury of a well-established career and full-time salary; children grown to an age they can look after themselves; and my household humming along with the routine of many years of working out the details that I can devote the time necessary to fully study TUB and appreciate its complex teachings.
George Park wrote:
I wish I could think of something more to contribute than warnings and criticisms to help.
But isn’t that the kind of thing that drives folks away? It won’t work. The only thing that works is living a fruitful life that is so fragrant and beautiful that others begin to think you have something they don’t have
You are, of course, correct in pointing out the superiority of this way. This sort of Old Testament style of warning about the dire consequences of ignoring or defying God does not often work, particularly today when so many dismiss God as nothing more than an ignorant superstition of primitive minds. And how can I not be rebuked and humbled in my soul “when confronted with the awful spectacle of human limitations”? If I were greater in the kingdom, I would be more effective in revealing the light, but such is not the case. Still, even those who are least in the kingdom have something of value to offer those lost souls who are “wandering about in confusion among the isms and cults of a frustrated philosophic era.”
Before the real emergence of spirit insight, man’s moral self-consciousness can only discern the value of goodness by contrasting it with evil. For those wandering souls who are afflicted with doubts about God, who are spiritually blind to him, the appeal of the infinite goodness of God must be contrasted with something they can grasp. One such thing is the terror of the infinite evil of the “eternal silence of the infinite void.” This Infinite Void does not in fact exist and the presentation of this idea might be considered a misleading deception by those already in the kingdom. But for those not in the kingdom, this idea can provide a way for them to grasp the “infinite evil” of the possibility of eternal personality extinction. This is a hard, very hard truth, which naturally drives away many, if not most. Not even Christianity, with its puerile ideas of hell and eternal damnation, has dared to approach this terrifying truth. How much easier it is to stop up the ears, lest we hear, in the foolish hope of indefinitely postponing the inevitable day of the eternal choice between the Kingdom of light and life and the Void of death and darkness.
And there are more than a few such hard truths in the Book, in addition to the far, far greater abundance of beautiful spiritual appeals. A Solitary Messenger cautions us that the bountifulness of God’s mercy “does not mean that human beings are to enjoy a second opportunity in the face of the rejection of a first, not at all.” (112:5.9) And consider the dire warning Jesus gives to the multitude in response to a question about whether few or many will be saved.
But herein is the danger to all who would postpone their entrance into the kingdom while they continue to pursue the pleasures of immaturity and indulge the satisfactions of selfishness: Having refused to enter the kingdom as a spiritual experience, they may subsequently seek entrance thereto when the glory of the better way becomes revealed in the age to come. And when, therefore, those who spurned the kingdom when I came in the likeness of humanity seek to find an entrance when it is revealed in the likeness of divinity, then will I say to all such selfish ones: I know not whence you are. You had your chance to prepare for this heavenly citizenship, but you refused all such proffers of mercy; you rejected all invitations to come while the door was open. Now, to you who have refused salvation, the door is shut. (166:3.4)
Some think they have all the time in the world to grapple with vexing spiritual problems, and so, they see no danger in first spending virtually all of their time dealing with more immediately pressing material problems. It seems only fair that Jesus should solemnly warn them of the grave dangers of this presumption. The door of salvation only remains open long enough to give each individual a real and true opportunity to freely choose to enter the kingdom of heaven. When all proffers of mercy have been repeatedly spurned and all spiritual invitations to enter have been finally refused, then the door to salvation is closed.
The door of salvation only remains open long enough to give each individual a real and true opportunity to freely choose to enter the kingdom of heaven. When all proffers of mercy have been repeatedly spurned and all spiritual invitations to enter have been finally refused, then the door to salvation is closed.
Yes, but they also tell us that we are given sufficient mercy credits to assure survival. Persons who spurn that amount of mercy must really not want to survive, they must be totally lacking in sincerity and truthfulness, along with a wholehearted desire for self-destruction. If so, God will then give them what they want, no?
(314.4) 28:6.5 2. The Memory of Mercy. These are the actual, full and replete, living records of the mercy which has been extended to individuals and races by the tender ministrations of the instrumentalities of the Infinite Spirit in the mission of adapting the justice of righteousness to the status of the realms, as disclosed by the portrayals of the Significance of Origins. The Memory of Mercy discloses the moral debt of the children of mercy — their spiritual liabilities — to be set down against their assets of the saving provision established by the Sons of God. In revealing the Father’s pre-existent mercy, the Sons of God establish the necessary credit to insure the survival of all. And then, in accordance with the findings of the Significance of Origins, a mercy credit is established for the survival of each rational creature, a credit of lavish proportions and one of sufficient grace to insure the survival of every soul who really desires divine citizenship.
(314.5) 28:6.6 The Memory of Mercy is a living trial balance, a current statement of your account with the supernatural forces of the realms. These are the living records of mercy ministration which are read into the testimony of the courts of Uversa when each individual’s right to unending life comes up for adjudication, when “thrones are cast up and the Ancients of Days are seated. The broadcasts of Uversa issue and come forth from before them; thousands upon thousands minister to them, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before them. The judgment is set, and the books are opened.” And the books which are opened on such a momentous occasion are the living records of the tertiary seconaphim of the superuniverses. The formal records are on file to corroborate the testimony of the Memories of Mercy if they are required.
(314.6) 28:6.7 The Memory of Mercy must show that the saving credit established by the Sons of God has been fully and faithfully paid out in the loving ministry of the patient personalities of the Third Source and Center. But when mercy is exhausted, when the “memory” thereof testifies to its depletion, then does justice prevail and righteousness decree. For mercy is not to be thrust upon those who despise it; mercy is not a gift to be trampled under foot by the persistent rebels of time. Nevertheless, though mercy is thus precious and dearly bestowed, your individual drawing credits are always far in excess of your ability to exhaust the reserve if you are sincere of purpose and honest of heart.
“Yes, but they also tell us that we are given sufficient mercy credits to assure survival. Persons who spurn that amount of mercy must really not want to survive, they must be totally lacking in sincerity and truthfulness, along with a wholehearted desire for self-destruction. If so, God will then give them what they want, no?”
I always thought that self destruction was self inflicted, not God given, that final judgment was simply allowing the inevitable to happen after divine mercy could do no more.
Gene….my understanding is the same. And my understanding is that few, if any, mortals in such a brief life on such a world during such an epochal era can actually ‘achieve’ self erasure. As you suggest, there is no ‘judgement’ day for ascenders but there can come a day when the ascender can indeed ultimately reject love, mercy, and reality itself – but only by a knowing, conscious, and persistent choosing. That is something that seems highly unlikely on this mortal world. None are condemned and none can make such a final and conscious choice due to ignorance, fear, doubt, disbelief even, false beliefs, etc.
We discussed on another topical thread the reality and functionality of faith in pre-TA primitives and children and determined that, according to the teachings, “faith” and its expression does not require specific knowledge or belief…it appears in many forms and flavors, especially related to love of others and self forgetting service to others and deeply held hopes, etc. This is why I immediately felt fully relieved of my church-of-birth duties to ‘save’ others from hell and damnation. Now, also no need to worry overmuch about who survives death and who does not.
155:6.17 (1733.5) Now, mistake not, my Father will ever respond to the faintest flicker of faith. He takes note of the physical and superstitious emotions of the primitive man. And with those honest but fearful souls whose faith is so weak that it amounts to little more than an intellectual conformity to a passive attitude of assent to religions of authority, the Father is ever alert to honor and foster even all such feeble attempts to reach out for him. But you who have been called out of darkness into the light are expected to believe with a whole heart; your faith shall dominate the combined attitudes of body, mind, and spirit.
155:6.18 (1733.6) You are my apostles, and to you religion shall not become a theologic shelter to which you may flee in fear of facing the rugged realities of spiritual progress and idealistic adventure; but rather shall your religion become the fact of real experience which testifies that God has found you, idealized, ennobled, and spiritualized you, and that you have enlisted in the eternal adventure of finding the God who has thus found and sonshipped you.
(49:4.9) But mortal mind without immortal spirit cannot survive. The mind of man is mortal; only the bestowed spirit is immortal. Survival is dependent on spiritualization by the ministry of the Adjuster—on the birth and evolution of the immortal soul; at least, there must not have developed an antagonism towards the Adjuster’s mission of effecting the spiritual transformation of the material mind.
Not to belabor who will survive, which isn’t anyone’s business but their own, but I have witnessed this antagonism over and over again with certain people very close to me. Sometimes even with a concluding statement of expressing a desire to not survive and to just want to go to sleep forever when they die.
This always astonishes me but I get a very distinct feeling that many others share this attitude too.
I haven’t given up hope for them and pray for them still, but it seems to me that this antagonism is very deep rooted and is wholehearted.
As I’ve said before, when they’re confronted with someone who is on the other side of this equation, it doesn’t appear to me at all that they want what we have. It’s almost as if they know exactly what it is we have and are very determined to vehemently stand in opposition to it. In fact, I have often wondered if it’s because of seeing this in another, what we possess, that for it’s sake alone, it spurs them on to fervently work to reject it, while they lavishly bask in the accomplishments of their material world.
It has been my experience that that which is opposed and refused and denied and rejected is perceived hypocrisy, evil, and smugness in self claimed religionists and religions. The baby is thrown out with the very dirty bathwater. And the bathwater is indeed filthy in many cases. Perhaps they think heaven is no good place to go based on their life on earth and the hypocritical religionists which stand so proud of their sanctimony and safety as ‘saved’ ones?
This is a principal lesson in the UB…..only the fruits of the spirit reveal one’s success and progress in the Spirit and if those fruits are given in true love and service, then others will be drawn to such a mind, life, and person. Those praying loudly and giving alms in public are enough for any thinking person to reject IMO.
I’m not sure anyone or any of us might truly determine who is rejecting what with any precision nor are we able to measure another’s faith or hope to any degree either. Love rules, love wins….who does not hope for love or give love to another….even on other?
I’m not sure Enno you can factually or objectively state what antagonism to the TA might entail…it’s more than intellectual belief or disbelief to be sure. So some close to you espouse and practice hate? And have no love for any other in any degree or form? Or do they simply have a different perspective and mortal priorities and motives based on the material self and world?
What do you define antagonism toward the TA to be? An interesting concept.
What do you define antagonism toward the TA to be?
Well the word is defined in the dictionary as “active hostility or opposition.”
In the context of were the word is used in the UB (Evolutionary Will Creatures, the 4th section of the 49th paper, The Inhabited Worlds) I find it more than somewhat significant that it says that “at least, there must not have developed an antagonism towards the Adjuster’s mission of effecting the spiritual transformation of the material mind” in relation to the potentiality of the survival of evolutionary will creatures.
To define antagonism towards the TA, I think context is the most important factor.
When Jesus lived and loved when he was here, were there any who were antagonistic towards him?
As I’ve said before, when they’re confronted with someone who is on the other side of this equation, it doesn’t appear to me at all that they want what we have. It’s almost as if they know exactly what it is we have and are very determined to vehemently stand in opposition to it. In fact, I have often wondered if it’s because of seeing this in another, what we possess, that for it’s sake alone, it spurs them on to fervently work to reject it, while they lavishly bask in the accomplishments of their material world.
No doubt there are folks who see what you have and hate you for it. That’s what killed Jesus, right? But I think he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (187:2.4)
No doubt there are folks who see what you have and hate you for it. That’s what killed Jesus, right? But I think he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (187:2.4)
Yes, I think you’re right.
But do you also think that those who “nailed him to the crossbeam” were also actively hostile “towards the Adjuster’s mission of effecting the spiritual transformation of [their] material mind?”
I always thought that self destruction was self inflicted, not God given
Like Bradly, I agree with your assessment. So does the Divine Counselor.
Mortal man may draw near God and may repeatedly forsake the divine will so long as the power of choice remains. Man’s final doom is not sealed until he has lost the power to choose the Father’s will. There is never a closure of the Father’s heart to the need and the petition of his children. Only do his offspring close their hearts forever to the Father’s drawing power when they finally and forever lose the desire to do his divine will—to know him and to be like him. (5:1.11)
God is a true Father who never closes his heart to his children. But he cannot finally prevent some of his children from forever closing their hearts to him.
Only by selfishness, slothfulness, and sinfulness can the will of man reject the guidance of such a loving pilot and eventually wreck the mortal career upon the evil shoals of rejected mercy and upon the rocks of embraced sin. (111:1.9)
The door to salvation is shut from the outside, not the inside.
But do you also think that those who “nailed him to the crossbeam” were also actively hostile “towards the Adjuster’s mission of effecting the spiritual transformation of [their] material mind?”
Of course, in regards to that matter, but perhaps not in all matters. Without knowing each person intimately, it’s impossible to say what inroads the Adjuster made into each mind. Clearly, they weren’t all completely soulless. Most were probably misguided, and I think in some cases, misguided by stupidity. Deity forgives stupidity.
From paper 2
The greatest punishment (in reality an inevitable consequence) for wrongdoing and deliberate rebellion against the government of God is loss of existence as an individual subject of that government. The final result of whole- hearted sin is annihilation. In the last analysis, such sin-identified individuals have destroyed themselves by becoming wholly unreal through their embrace of iniquity. The factual disappearance of such a creature is, however, always de- layed until the ordained order of justice current in that universe has been fully complied with
Cessation of existence is usually decreed at the dispensational or epochal adjudication of the realm or realms. On a world such as Urantia it comes at the end of a planetary dispensation. Cessation of existence can be decreed at such times by co-ordinate action of all tribunals of jurisdiction, extending from the planetary council up through the courts of the Creator Son to the judgment tribunals of the Ancients of Days. The mandate of dissolution originates in the higher courts of the superuniverse following an unbroken confirmation of the indictment originating on the sphere of the wrongdoer’s residence; and then, when sentence of extinction has been confirmed on high, the execution is by the direct act of those judges residential on, and operating from, the headquarters of the superuniverse.
When this sentence is finally confirmed, the sin-identified being instantly becomes as though he had not been. There is no resurrection from such a fate; it is everlasting and eternal. The living energy factors of identity are resolved by the transformations of time and the metamorphoses of space into the cosmic potentials whence they once emerged. As for the personality of the iniquitous one, it is deprived of a continuing life vehicle by the creature’s failure to make those choices and final decisions which would have assured eternal life. When the continued embrace of sin by the associated mind culminates in complete self-identification with iniquity, then upon the cessation of life, upon cosmic dissolution, such an isolated personality is absorbed into the oversoul of creation, becoming a part of the evolving experience of the Supreme Being. Never again does it appear as a personality; its identity becomes as though it had never been. In the case of an Adjuster-indwelt personality, the experiential spirit values sur- vive in the reality of the continuing AdjusterSorry but highlight is not functioning.
So I’ll clip this part about what happens after end of existence: The living energy factors of identity are resolved by the transformations of time and the metamorphoses of space into the cosmic potentials whence they once emerged.But then there is this: upon cosmic dissolution, such an isolated personality is absorbed into the oversoul of creation, becoming a part of the evolving experience of the Supreme Being.
Never thought about it but what are the living energy factors of identity? They clearly are not personality as pointed out above.
Does this isolated personality that is “absorbed” into the over soul of creation remain an isolated personality with any conscious attributes?
What does it mean to “resolve” living energy factors of identity into cosmic potentials??
Are cosmic potentials the unqualified absolute?? Why resolve? Why not absorbe?
Personality absorbed and living energy resolved – thinking about this.Never thought about it but what are the living energy factors of identity? They clearly are not personality as pointed out above.
The energy factor of identity is the physical body.
Does this isolated personality that is “absorbed” into the over soul of creation remain an isolated personality with any conscious attributes?
No. Personality is pattern. Pattern alone has no mind to think with.
What does it mean to “resolve” living energy factors of identity into cosmic potentials??
It means turning your body back to dust, to the basic elements, so they can become something else . . . like the grass and flowers growing over your grave.
Are cosmic potentials the unqualified absolute??
I think the Unqualified Absolute is, “the repository of the uncreated universes of the eternal future.(3:1.7)” Living energy factors of energy that make up the physical body are already part of the created universes.
Why resolve? Why not absorbe?
Absorb would mean the energy cycle ends in assimilation. Resolve means to turn into a different form which continues the energy cycle. Absorbed personality cannot function again and is therefore unresolved. The Supreme will need to compensate for that.
(1283.4) 117:4.2 Throughout the grand universe the Supreme struggles for expression. His divine evolution is in measure predicated on the wisdom-action of every personality in existence. When a human being chooses eternal survival, he is cocreating destiny; and in the life of this ascending mortal the finite God finds an increased measure of personality self-realization and an enlargement of experiential sovereignty. But if a creature rejects the eternal career, that part of the Supreme which was dependent on this creature’s choice experiences inescapable delay, a deprivation which must be compensated by substitutional or collateral experience; as for the personality of the nonsurvivor, it is absorbed into the oversoul of creation, becoming a part of the Deity of the Supreme.
Never thought about it but what are the living energy factors of identity? They clearly are not personality as pointed out above.
The energy factor of identity is the physical body.
Does this isolated personality that is “absorbed” into the over soul of creation remain an isolated personality with any conscious attributes?
No. Personality is pattern. Pattern alone has no mind to think with.
What does it mean to “resolve” living energy factors of identity into cosmic potentials??
It means turning your body back to dust, to the basic elements, so they can become something else . . . like the grass and flowers growing over your grave.
Are cosmic potentials the unqualified absolute??
I think the Unqualified Absolute is, “the repository of the uncreated universes of the eternal future.(3:1.7)” Living energy factors of energy that make up the physical body are already part of the created universes.
Why resolve? Why not absorbe?
Absorb would mean the energy cycle ends in assimilation. Resolve means to turn into a different form which continues the energy cycle. Absorbed personality cannot function again and is therefore unresolved. The Supreme will need to compensate for that.
(1283.4) 117:4.2 Throughout the grand universe the Supreme struggles for expression. His divine evolution is in measure predicated on the wisdom-action of every personality in existence. When a human being chooses eternal survival, he is cocreating destiny; and in the life of this ascending mortal the finite God finds an increased measure of personality self-realization and an enlargement of experiential sovereignty. But if a creature rejects the eternal career, that part of the Supreme which was dependent on this creature’s choice experiences inescapable delay, a deprivation which must be compensated by substitutional or collateral experience; as for the personality of the nonsurvivor, it is absorbed into the oversoul of creation, becoming a part of the Deity of the Supreme.
It seems to me that this information is more specific for us mortals – but process wise it is likely the same, even for high spirit beings like Lucifer who has no physical body to be returned to ash, his living energy systems are a bit different.
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