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100:4.6 (1098.3) You cannot truly love your fellows by a mere act of the will. Love is only born of thoroughgoing understanding of your neighbor’s motives and sentiments. It is not so important to love all men today as it is that each day you learn to love one more human being. If each day or each week you achieve an understanding of one more of your fellows, and if this is the limit of your ability, then you are certainly socializing and truly spiritualizing your personality. Love is infectious, and when human devotion is intelligent and wise, love is more catching than hate. But only genuine and unselfish love is truly contagious. If each mortal could only become a focus of dynamic affection, this benign virus of love would soon pervade the sentimental emotion-stream of humanity to such an extent that all civilization would be encompassed by love, and that would be the realization of the brotherhood of man.
Notice the link above between true spiritualization of the individual and the realization of the brotherhood of man. Our spiritization and spiritualization are expressed by our ability to understand and learn to love another human, and then another, and another….and not just those who appear lovely to us or with whom we agree….remember the barbarous caveman above….no, we are to learn to widen the angle of our own perspective….to remove the beams of unworthiness from our own eye….to humble ourselves while exalting the soul and light and destiny potential in others!! We cannot love and cherish, like Jesus did/does, while judging and measuring another’s worth. And if we cannot learn such perspective and such love and such humility….then are we growing in the Spirit?
Can those who claim eternal destiny for ourselves while denying it for others, especially the vast majority of others, finding them as inferior to ourselves and lacking sufficient value to survive this life and world….can such ones be so certain of our/their own spiritual standing? Are we not judged by how we serve and treat the least of God’s children? And who are the least anyway? A funny, truly humorous saying….for one must first judge someone as the least and then become humbled by the objective recognition and evaluation of that personal determination sufficiently to wash their feet and carry their burden and overlook their supposed transgressions to then serve them with love….an interesting paradoxical lesson in self examination and self importance I think.
How we view our world’s situation and promise with the time unit perspective of past and future is similar to how we must view other individuals….their past and their potential destiny illuminate their motives and their circumstances in ways which soften our view and deliver tolerance and affection for the struggles of others. Otherwise, we are but the barbarous caveman ourselves…but without the justifying woman and two children in the background….just self centered and self important primitives after all.
41:10.5 (466.4) Urantia is comparatively isolated on the outskirts of Satania, your solar system, with one exception, being the farthest removed from Jerusem, while Satania itself is next to the outermost system of Norlatiadek, and this constellation is now traversing the outer fringe of Nebadon. You were truly among the least of all creation until Michael’s bestowal elevated your planet to a position of honor and great universe interest. Sometimes the last is first, while truly the least becomes greatest.
176:3.5 (1917.1) “To every one who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away. You cannot stand still in the affairs of the eternal kingdom. My Father requires all his children to grow in grace and in a knowledge of the truth. You who know these truths must yield the increase of the fruits of the spirit and manifest a growing devotion to the unselfish service of your fellow servants. And remember that, inasmuch as you minister to one of the least of my brethren, you have done this service to me.
155:3.4 (1727.4) Increasingly they learned from Jesus to look upon human personalities in terms of their possibilities in time and in eternity. They learned that many souls can best be led to love the unseen God by being first taught to love their brethren whom they can see. And it was in this connection that new meaning became attached to the Master’s pronouncement concerning unselfish service for one’s fellows: “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.”
Me here: What is the worth of a soul and its flicker of light within? Since all or nearly all humans on Urantia give birth to soul and soul can of its own volition respond to the TA and worship God, then we might wish to consider the worth and the potential of every soul on Urantia I think. Soul is not mind or body. What are we judging when we determine the value of another I wonder? Perhaps it is that we judge primarily ourselves in our measure of the value of others? Is how we judge others – both individually and collectively – and their worthiness a true measure and determination of our own value TO others? Just thinking out loud…..
156:5.9 (1739.4) Make not the mistake of estimating the soul’s worth by the imperfections of the mind or by the appetites of the body. Judge not the soul nor evaluate its destiny by the standard of a single unfortunate human episode. Your spiritual destiny is conditioned only by your spiritual longings and purposes.
I’m drawn to the last sentence of your last quote, Bradly.
Your spiritual destiny is conditioned only by your spiritual longings and purposes. (156:5.9)
So how is it that I will face the Ancients of Days in regards to my own annihilation, (as recently claimed), if my spiritual longings and purposes are wholeheartedly to survive?
What are we judging when we determine the value of another I wonder? Perhaps it is that we judge primarily ourselves in our measure of the value of others? Is how we judge others – both individually and collectively – and their worthiness a true measure and determination of our own value TO others?
Another brilliant observation Bradly. Justice is always a collective undertaking. No single person can judge another person’s value. Jesus puts the highest value on every single person, and since it’s his universe, no single person has the right to think otherwise. Not even the angels dare to judge.
(419.4) 38:2.4 Angels are superior to you in spiritual status, but they are not your judges or accusers. No matter what your faults, “the angels, although greater in power and might, bring no accusation against you.” Angels do not sit in judgment on mankind, neither should individual mortals prejudge their fellow creatures.
In regards to salvation – who will survive and who will not – we’re told to take salvation for granted. If I can take my own salvation for granted, then I have to take every other person’s salvation for granted too.
188:4.9 Salvation should be taken for granted by those who believe in the fatherhood of God. The believer’s chief concern should not be the selfish desire for personal salvation but rather the unselfish urge to love and, therefore, serve one’s fellows even as Jesus loved and served mortal men.
Me here: What is the worth of a soul and its flicker of light within? Since all or nearly all humans on Urantia give birth to soul and soul can of its own volition respond to the TA and worship God, then we might wish to consider the worth and the potential of every soul on Urantia I think. Soul is not mind or body. What are we judging when we determine the value of another I wonder? Perhaps it is that we judge primarily ourselves in our measure of the value of others? Is how we judge others – both individually and collectively – and their worthiness a true measure and determination of our own value TO others? Just thinking out loud…..
You raise some very thoughtful questions, Bradly. Being morally self-conscious beings, we naturally make moral judgments about whether things and behaviors are good or not, including whether what others and ourselves do is good or not. But who among us can claim to know the true spiritual longings and purposes of another? Are the spiritual motivations in the hearts of others truly revealed by morally judging the words and behaviors of others? Isn’t it true that only God can judge the spiritual worth of every soul on Urantia? By both example and precept we are cautioned not to confuse our limited moral judgment of others with the final spiritual judgment of God. Jesus seeks to spiritually enlighten others; he does not spiritually judge others. That is a matter in which he defers to the rulers of Orvonton.
You who would kill the Son of Man know not whence I came, who I am, or whither I go. You only judge by the appearances of the flesh; you do not perceive the realities of the spirit. I judge no man, not even my archenemy. (162:5.2)
To the many proposals and counterproposals of the emissaries of Lucifer, Jesus only made reply: “May the will of my Paradise Father prevail, and you, my rebellious son, may the Ancients of Days judge you divinely. I am your Creator-father; I can hardly judge you justly, and my mercy you have already spurned. I commit you to the adjudication of the Judges of a greater universe.” (134:8.7)
The nearest he came to making sociological pronouncements was to say, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” (140:8.12)
5. They who would receive mercy must show mercy; judge not that you be not judged. With the spirit with which you judge others you also shall be judged. (146:2.6)
Let us follow the example of Jesus and choose not to attempt to spiritually judge others – either individually or collectively.
Thanks to Bonita and George!!
I recall the Lord’s prayer where Jesus taught us to pray for forgiveness AS we have forgiven others.
We are to judge, to discern, to gain insight and wisdom….but this is situational and circumstantial….it is to find meaning and assess value at the intersections of choice and in the repercussions of those choices….it is for the purpose of learning….and religious growth and spiritualization of the mind and soul….to discover and express truth, beauty, and goodness in our loving service.
How does one serve those judged inferior and unworthy in spirit? We are taught that God knows the true inner motives and intentions while we can only judge the acts – often foolish, immature, inexperienced, unwise, and tainted by fear, doubts, and other material gravity responses – Jesus said “Make not the mistake of estimating the soul’s worth by the imperfections of the mind or by the appetites of the body…..”. And in 100:4.6….”….Love is only born of thoroughgoing understanding of your neighbor’s motives and sentiments….”
So….can we truly love others whom we also find lacking in spiritual value? It appears from the text that in the finding of the lack in others we have really only discovered our own evil, immaturity, and questionable value! Such judgements by a mind would seem to specifically identify one whose Religion In Human Experience is limited, blinded by a rather large beam, prideful, narrow minded, immature, and lacking love, hope, trust, and humility.
As a child and since, the parables of the Good Shepherd and the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son have always inspired me to lay aside such judgements as to the worth and value….and the inner motives….of all others without considering all the variables of experience, lack of examples, horrific examples and experiences suffered and endured, the fears and anxieties, the burdens of the care for others, social prejudice and intolerances suffered….all of these and more that we do not and most often cannot know about others…and yet we are commanded to consider these and seek out the inner light and not judge others harshly (as in claiming 90-99% of other souls are damned to oblivion by their unworthiness for soul survival by our own harsh – or twisted mathematical – calculations). Such claims are beyond evil/error in my opinion….it is the embrace of sinfulness to so judge an entire world and 7 billion souls unknown to us in such ways I think.
Jesus says we treat Him as we treat the least of our fellows….Beware such judgements and behaviors and pride!
Jesus said: 148:4.3 (1660.2) “Evil is the unconscious or unintended transgression of the divine law, the Father’s will. Evil is likewise the measure of the imperfectness of obedience to the Father’s will.
and: 148:4.6 (1660.5) “By nature, before the rebirth of the spirit, mortal man is subject to inherent evil tendencies, but such natural imperfections of behavior are neither sin nor iniquity. Mortal man is just beginning his long ascent to the perfection of the Father in Paradise. To be imperfect or partial in natural endowment is not sinful. Man is indeed subject to evil, but he is in no sense the child of the evil one unless he has knowingly and deliberately chosen the paths of sin and the life of iniquity. Evil is inherent in the natural order of this world, but sin is an attitude of conscious rebellion which was brought to this world by those who fell from spiritual light into gross darkness.”
I wonder who of us hopes to be judged and forgiven as we do now judge and forgive others? Or will we learn to seek a greater understanding of and affection for all others to receive such grace and mercy for ourselves? See 100:5.1 below related to “lost” and consider how many of us are so lost either by our confidence in religious authority or our rejections of such authorities. “The world is filled with lost souls, NOT lost in the theologic sense but lost in the directional meaning, wandering about in confusion among the isms and cults of a frustrated philosophic era.”
(Note: for context related to this recent discussion of personal judgements regarding the value and survivability ratio of souls compared to those some UB readers evidently deem unworthy of and unlikely to survive mortal death to the Mansion World experience….you may wish to visit:
https://urantia-association.org/forums/topic/200-million-mortal-ascenders-on-jerusem/ )
For me, this is the most meaningful, valuable, and powerful purpose of the Revelation I have discovered….a philosophy of living, a perspective of myself, all others, our world, and God’s friendly universe from origins to destinies. What a wonderful gift – this expanded and integrated view of reality. What a source of hope and humility and trust and inclusion….what a wondrous portrayal to share with our brothers and sisters of the glorious reality in which we all abide…..especially when compared to the more common planetary and personal doom and gloom warnings and anxieties taught in the churches of my youth and still today….even some who have this Good News Revelation in hand….oh dear.
Speaking of warnings, Section 5 of Paper 100 includes several warnings and dangers of Religion In Human Experience.
5. Conversion and Mysticism
100:5.1 (1098.4) The world is filled with lost souls, not lost in the theologic sense but lost in the directional meaning, wandering about in confusion among the isms and cults of a frustrated philosophic era. Too few have learned how to install a philosophy of living in the place of religious authority. (The symbols of socialized religion are not to be despised as channels of growth, albeit the river bed is not the river.)
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.
100:5.3 (1099.1) It should be made clear that professions of loyalty to the supreme ideals — the psychic, emotional, and spiritual awareness of God-consciousness — may be a natural and gradual growth or may sometimes be experienced at certain junctures, as in a crisis. The Apostle Paul experienced just such a sudden and spectacular conversion that eventful day on the Damascus road. Gautama Siddhartha had a similar experience the night he sat alone and sought to penetrate the mystery of final truth. Many others have had like experiences, and many true believers have progressed in the spirit without sudden conversion.
It appears from the text that in the finding of the lack in others we have really only discovered our own evil, immaturity, and questionable value!
Yup. That’s what TUB says:
176:3.9 How prone is man, when he is confronted with the failures of his own making, to put the blame upon others, oftentimes upon those who least deserve it!
I wonder who of us hopes to be judged and forgiven as we do now judge and forgive others? Or will we learn to seek a greater understanding of and affection for all others to receive such grace and mercy for ourselves?
We’ve been told that human things must be known in order to be loved. I would think that includes actual humans, not just their things. Genuine affection for other humans does not come naturally. We are naturally bellicose animals, something we’re meant to overcome, a task each of us must accomplish within ourselves, and when we do, it affects all.
…we are commanded to consider these and seek out the inner light and not judge others harshly (as in claiming 90-99% of other souls are damned to oblivion by their unworthiness for soul survival by our own harsh – or twisted mathematical – calculations). Such claims are beyond evil/error in my opinion….it is the embrace of sinfulness to so judge an entire world and 7 billion souls unknown to us in such ways I think.
You say it is “beyond evil/error” and sinful to judge that more than 90% are unworthy to survive. Do you think it is OK to judge that more than 90% do survive? If passing spiritual judgment in the first case is an error, must it not also be an error to do so in the second case? Jesus wholeheartedly hopes that 100% of his children survive, and we are encouraged to have faith and do so as well. But let us avoid the error of attempting to spiritually judge the souls of others, while we hope and work for the kingdom.
Jesus taught us that it isn’t good enough to love others as we love ourselves, but that we must learn to love one another like Jesus loves us. (140:5.1) It’s called fatherly love. We are to love even unlovely mankind with a fatherly love (140:5.5). Fatherly love always seeks the welfare of others (2:5.9); it always looks for the best in others (140:5.12). Fatherly love glorifies the value of every single person, and since we are told to strive to achieve fatherly love ourselves, then we should also glorify the value of every single person and presume the best in them, like a true parent would.
140:5.12 Fatherly love has singleness of purpose, and it always looks for the best in man; that is the attitude of a true parent.
The incarnation is an example of remarkable fatherly love (2:5.10), but even more incredible is the Adjuster who trusts himself to human will because he sees the best in each individual. Chances are most people have Adjusters and are therefore potential finaliters, the goal God has established for each and every indwelt personality and one the Adjuster never ceases to shed light upon.
(138.4) 12:7.9 The love of the Father absolutely individualizes each personality as a unique child of the Universal Father, a child without duplicate in infinity, a will creature irreplaceable in all eternity. The Father’s love glorifies each child of God, illuminating each member of the celestial family, sharply silhouetting the unique nature of each personal being against the impersonal levels that lie outside the fraternal circuit of the Father of all. The love of God strikingly portrays the transcendent value of each will creature, unmistakably reveals the high value which the Universal Father has placed upon each and every one of his children from the highest creator personality of Paradise status to the lowest personality of will dignity among the savage tribes of men in the dawn of the human species on some evolutionary world of time and space.
(454.2) 40:10.13 Thus, in the final analysis, it would be hardly proper to use the words “greater” or “lesser” in contrasting the destinies of the ascending orders of sonship. Every such son of God shares the fatherhood of God, and God loves each of his creature sons alike; he is no more a respecter of ascendant destinies than is he of the creatures who may attain such destinies. The Father loves each of his sons, and that affection is not less than true, holy, divine, unlimited, eternal, and unique — a love bestowed upon this son and upon that son, individually, personally, and exclusively. And such a love utterly eclipses all other facts. Sonship is the supreme relationship of the creature to the Creator.
(454.3) 40:10.14 As mortals you can now recognize your place in the family of divine sonship and begin to sense the obligation to avail yourselves of the advantages so freely provided in and by the Paradise plan for mortal survival, which plan has been so enhanced and illuminated by the life experience of a bestowal Son. Every facility and all power have been provided for insuring your ultimate attainment of the Paradise goal of divine perfection.
We’re also told that fatherly love never destroys anything that mercy can save. The benefit of time and suspension of doubt is given to all.
(617.3) 54:5.3 2. Supreme justice is dominated by a Father’s love; therefore will justice never destroy that which mercy can save. Time to accept salvation is vouchsafed every evildoer.
The Adjuster’s plan for each of us is survival. Survival is a gift. If every person already has the gift of survival, who has the right to take it away? Only one person has that right – the individual personality. The rest of us have no right at all to remove or suggest the removal of the gift of survival which fatherly love has so generously given to each of us.
167:5.1 Said Jesus: “You see, then, that the Father gives salvation to the children of men, and this salvation is a free gift to all who have the faith to receive sonship in the divine family. There is nothing man can do to earn this salvation.
193:2.2 Salvation is the free gift of God, but those who are born of the spirit will immediately begin to show forth the fruits of the spirit in loving service to their fellow creatures.
Question:
Without the Giver of the gift, there would be no gift.
Which is more important, the Giver of the gift or the gift itself?
Do you think it is OK to judge that more than 90% do survive? If passing spiritual judgment in the first case is an error, must it not also be an error to do so in the second case?
I don’t find the two examples even remotely related George. And I’m not passing any spiritual judgement as to anyone’s unworthiness or worthiness. But I am absolutely certain that I AM going to the Mansion Worlds….no doubts whatsoever and had such certainty prior to the UB and thanks to the 4th ER. And I have met many thousands of people in my life and many more day to day and see them on media and read of them and hear stories of them and I must say how favorably others compare to myself….rather than how poorly they fare compared to myself as must be the case for those with such harsh judgements. If this tadpole has a ticket, what tadpoles do not? Am I special? Are others so horrible? Not in my experience or perspective.
Who the hell thinks like that? What sort of ego has the chutzpah to declare most people are inferior compared to them? Really!!??
Who can read this Revelation of hope and declare 90-99% of all people are doomed? Who does that??!! Who might do that? THAT is the question! What perspective, what disappointment, what immaturity, what superiority would even allow such a belief….and then declare it as a reasoned proposition and defend it as true? I find it diabolical….as Bonita says, Luciferian even. An instrument of doubt and despair, anxiety and fear….the very antithesis of the contents and message of the Revelation IMO.
Jesus teaches how special all God’s children are and how us material born ones are so often affected by ignorance, doubts, fears, immaturities, distractions, and self importance…the errors inherent in our situation and animal nature….and also how patient, kind, generous, merciful, and tender is the paternal love for each of us….indeed, we are taught we must willingly, knowingly, repeatedly, and in full conscious REJECT this eternal love reality and fully embrace sin and iniquity sufficiently to kill the soul and extinguish the light of the Spirit within. Who has done this on this world and in this brief life? Who could do so?
The study of Religion In Human Experience should lead us into discovery of the mysteries of soul and faith and spiritization and spiritualization and how all of those can evolve and grow without knowledge or belief or even with false knowledge and beliefs. Such a study should inform us how unique and personalized is each religious experience and expression….and should make us tremble before making damning judgments toward other pilgrims and children of time.
What is the difference in being born of the Spirit – birth of soul – and being consciously born again by personal will volition and intent? What is the difference in material death while in the seventh circle and the third? What is the difference between the early mortal epochs where one lives a few decades and later when one lives a few centuries? Is their more Deity patience with the first or with the latter I wonder? And of those who live hours or days or weeks or just a few short and tender years? Not even such ones are doomed to Deity’s demands and impatience.
No George….the question is not even about how many survive material death….it is who could declare such doom and gloom and claim it comes from the Urantia Book….that’s the question.
You can’t give someone a gift if they don’t want it. God doesn’t do it, why should we?
Nonsense!! Who is not given the GIFTS of life, personality, mind, free will, the Spirit within (Adjutants, Holy Spirit, TA, Spirit of Truth), the ministry of angels, time, mercy credits, love, forgiveness, patience, and so much and many more gifts.
And we should give love and grow the fruits of the Spirit because we are commanded to and because we benefit from the attachment of our branch to the vine which gives all these gifts and by such attachment we do naturally pour forth the fruits of the Spirit….we can’t help it…it’s reality!!
What an odd post Enno. You think then we are to withhold love, mercy, kindness, patience, service, and love from others? Weird.
Question: Without the Giver of the gift, there would be no gift. Which is more important, the Giver of the gift or the gift itself?
I wonder which is more important to the Giver of all gifts? The parent or the child? For aren’t all gifts according to the Giver’s purpose, plan, will, and design? We are commanded to love the Giver with all our heart and mind and if we do then we will also love one another and embrace the Giver’s friendly universe. And if we do not love others like ourselves, then do we love the Giver at all I wonder? Or still as the immature child and animal nature we are born as, do we still love ourselves most?
Great question Mara!
Weird.
I thought you were my friend?
Sure Enno…still weird though. I’m also say and do things considered weird by my friends and family….and my friends do weird things and say dumb stuff…no big deal.
Bonita and I are great friends…and she is friend enough to point out how wrong I am about some things. For such friendship I am grateful. Friends do not agree on much, much of the time.
Do you really think God does not give all gifts to all of us all the time? Remember the rain for the just and the unjust? Perhaps I misunderstood your point? Please clarify as you may wish.
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