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103:2.5 (1131.4) The psychology of a child is naturally positive, not negative. So many mortals are negative because they were so trained. When it is said that the child is positive, reference is made to his moral impulses, those powers of mind whose emergence signals the arrival of the Thought Adjuster.
103:2.6 (1131.5) In the absence of wrong teaching, the mind of the normal child moves positively, in the emergence of religious consciousness, toward moral righteousness and social ministry, rather than negatively, away from sin and guilt. There may or may not be conflict in the development of religious experience, but there are always present the inevitable decisions, effort, and function of the human will.
We are born with the dual nature…we learn that which makes one more dominant.
I still have no idea how this relates to what you said: “We learn to allow the material nature to become dominant . . .” I thought we are supposed to learn to allow the spiritual nature to become dominant. Very confused.
I think these quotes are useful:
112:2.14 The possibility of the unification of the evolving self is inherent in the qualities of its constitutive factors: the basic energies, the master tissues, the fundamental chemical overcontrol, the supreme ideas, the supreme motives, the supreme goals, and the divine spirit of Paradise bestowal — the secret of the self-consciousness of man’s spiritual nature.
112:2.15 The purpose of cosmic evolution is to achieve unity of personality through increasing spirit dominance, volitional response to the teaching and leading of the Thought Adjuster. Personality, both human and superhuman, is characterized by an inherent cosmic quality which may be called “the evolution of dominance,” the expansion of the control of both itself and its environment.
I’m thinking you must be talking about the first quote, about the fact that the potential for self-unification is inherent within all the parts of our selfhood. But the second quote makes it clear that volitional response to spirit is critical to evolution of our nature, and that includes the transfer of identity at some point in that evolution.
The first quote makes total sense. Life itself has, ” . . . an insatiable craving for the attainment of ever-increasing perfection of environmental adjustment, organismal adaptation, and augmented life realization. (65:6.2)” The basic unit of life, with it’s innate craving for perfection, is the protoplasmic cell. All the physical energies that come in contact with life within the cell become part of the insatiable craving and are increasingly adjusted toward perfection.
Now add mind ministry to that, first pre-adjutant and then adjutant. Each circuit, each layer, is capable of providing directive action toward increasing perfection. Mind is provided by the Creative Spirit, the daughter of the Conjoint Actor. Mind is about action, about building and creating. The protoplasmic cell subject to mind ministry becomes more complex, it communicates with other cells, it continues to build, create, integrate and unify until finally it is ripe for the gift of personality with its precious power of volition – the ability to consciously choose. With a choice for value, contact is made with spirit, the Holy Spirit. At this point the Holy Spirit must dominate if there is going to be any continued evolution. This is when the Life Carriers change their focus and allow the Holy Spirit to be the Master.
Ah heck, I could go on and on, but I don’t really believe anyone reads this stuff.
I still have no idea how this relates to what you said: “We learn to allow the material nature to become dominant . . .” I thought we are supposed to learn to allow the spiritual nature to become dominant. Very confused.
I mean to say that we must learn either way of dominance….the material nature is not inherently dominant. For those in whom the material nature is or becomes dominant, that was a learned materialism. My intention is simply to recognize how inherent and intrinsic is our spiritual nature. We arrive with our dual nature and we learn to and by our choices make one nature more dominant than the other. I am understanding the text to teach us our natural and normal and functional is our spirit nature from the very beginning of our life.
We must learn to “transfer” the seat of our identity on this world at this time because we have made those choices and been given that example and upbringing which makes the material/animal nature the dominant nature. But if we were raised on a world settled in Light and Life, I wonder if we would not culturally be raised in an environment whereby and from our birth, we were raised to harmonize and balance both natures and recognize our true identity is the spirit nature? Religious consciousness emerges and does so positively in a child toward moral righteousness and social ministry…”…in the absence of wrong teaching…”.
So…yes I agree….”…we are supposed to learn to allow the spiritual nature to become dominant.” But only if we received wrong teaching originally and made choices which already made the material nature dominant.
Sometime before finding the UB, I studied Native American philosophy and the religion of the Mother Spirit. One of my favorite lessons was the old Cherokee parable about the 2 wolves:
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
“One is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
“The other is Good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.
Yes indeed!I’m sorry, but I’m still really confused. You wrote:
I mean to say that we must learn either way of dominance….the material nature is not inherently dominant. For those in whom the material nature is or becomes dominant, that was a learned materialism.I think our material nature is natural, and unless specifically inhibited, maligned or forced into unnatural negativity, will evolve in the direction of increasing perfection, with dominance naturally evolving in that direction too. The material nature, from the cellular level of life to the adjutants of worship and wisdom is inherently designed for ” . . . the attainment of ever-increasing perfection of environmental adjustment, organismal adaptation, and augmented life realization. 65:6.2)” This is what quote 112:2.4 above is saying. The potential of the material nature is inherent in the qualities of its constitutive parts. Here it is again:112:2.14 The possibility of the unification of the evolving self is inherent in the qualities of its constitutive factors: the basic energies, the master tissues, the fundamental chemical overcontrol, the supreme ideas, the supreme motives, the supreme goals, and the divine spirit of Paradise bestowal — the secret of the self-consciousness of man’s spiritual nature.My intention is simply to recognize how inherent and intrinsic is our spiritual nature. We arrive with our dual nature and we learn to and by our choices make one nature more dominant than the other. I am understanding the text to teach us our natural and normal and functional is our spirit nature from the very beginning of our life.
My intention is to point out that it’s not just our spiritual nature which has “inherent and intrinsic” potential for perfection, but also our material nature. Obviously we have no spiritual nature at the very beginning of our lives, as you say. Our spirit nature arrives with the Adjuster in the 7th psychic circle, which is also when our personalities begin to actually function and the precious power of choice begins to develop. Prior to entering the 7th psychic circle, the material nature is evolving toward perfection with culmination in the beginning of its spiritual evolution.
(1210.8) 110:6.13 The seventh circle. This level is entered when human beings develop the powers of personal choice, individual decision, moral responsibility, and the capacity for the attainment of spiritual individuality. This signifies the united function of the seven adjutant mind-spirits under the direction of the spirit of wisdom, the encircuitment of the mortal creature in the influence of the Holy Spirit, and, on Urantia, the first functioning of the Spirit of Truth, together with the reception of a Thought Adjuster in the mortal mind. Entrance upon the seventh circle constitutes a mortal creature a truly potential citizen of the local universe.
p1209:1 110:6.1 The sum total of personality realization on a material world is contained within the successive conquest of the seven psychic circles of mortal potentiality. Entrance upon the seventh circle marks the beginning of true human personality function. Completion of the first circle denotes the relative maturity of the mortal being. Though the traversal of the seven circles of cosmic growth does not equal fusion with the Adjuster, the mastery of these circles marks the attainment of those steps which are preliminary to Adjuster fusion.
We must learn to “transfer” the seat of our identity on this world at this time because we have made those choices and been given that example and upbringing which makes the material/animal nature the dominant nature. But if we were raised on a world settled in Light and Life, I wonder if we would not culturally be raised in an environment whereby and from our birth, we were raised to harmonize and balance both natures and recognize our true identity is the spirit nature? Religious consciousness emerges and does so positively in a child toward moral righteousness and social ministry…”…in the absence of wrong teaching…”. So…yes I agree….”…we are supposed to learn to allow the spiritual nature to become dominant.” But only if we received wrong teaching originally and made choices which already made the material nature dominant.
I don’t agree with this either. All of life is learning with or without defaults and rebellions. The choice for perfection must be made in any environment, ideal or otherwise. The impulse of reality is toward perfection even in the face of wrong teaching. According to the Melchizedeks, the good resulting from wrong teaching is now a thousand times greater than the initial evil. One might be inclined to think that evil is an impetus for greater righteousness. I think “wrong teaching” might time delay perfection, but I don’t think it can prohibit it.
54:6.6 The Melchizedeks now teach that the good resulting from the Satania rebellion is more than a thousand times the sum of all the evil.Here’s another good quote:
101:3.1 Religion is so vital that it persists in the absence of learning. It lives in spite of its contamination with erroneous cosmologies and false philosophies; it survives even the confusion of metaphysics. In and through all the historic vicissitudes of religion there ever persists that which is indispensable to human progress and survival: the ethical conscience and the moral consciousness.
The reason this is possible is the gift of faith.
Sounds like I’m the one who is confused.
So, how is it that the child comes to that level of moral choosing and religious experience that the TA arrives and soul is born? For prior to that we already have the Holy Spirit and higher Adjutants fully engaged. We have a dual nature only after the TA? And what of the religious life of primitives prior to the TA? The TA comes so naturally and easily now compared to prior epochs but there has to be some religious nature and experience which is functional and makes or delivers those “moral impulses”.
There is the evolutionary religious life prior to the TA and the revelatory religious life afterward. How are these distinct in their function within?
Thanks for all the clarification and help!
I really like the thought that our material nature is also inherently and naturally oriented to the perfecting urges and process by connection to the spiritual ministry and universe reality. The perfection “impulse”. I did not really get that by your prior posts but see now I should have!! Even that without personality but only with life has such an urge and “insatiable drive” for ever increasing perfection.
So, how is it that the child comes to that level of moral choosing and religious experience that the TA arrives and soul is born? For prior to that we already have the Holy Spirit and higher Adjutants fully engaged.
The Holy Spirit is not engaged until the soul is born. The Holy Spirit is the matrix of the soul and she requires that the mind be fully prepared for her presence by being encircuited by all seven of the adjutants. So no, prior to the birth of the soul, the Holy Spirit is NOT engaged. The Holy Spirit does not encircuit the mind until after the first moral decision and entry into the 7th psychic circle.
We have a dual nature only after the TA?
Yup, that’s right. The material nature comes from our DNA. The spiritual nature comes from a “spark of infinity”, also known as the Adjuster.
And what of the religious life of primitives prior to the TA?
First of all, the religious life is not the same as the dual nature. The religious impulse comes from the 6th adjutant (36:5.11; 103:01). Primitives, like Andon and Fonta, evolved to the point where they engaged all seven adjutants and subsequently entered the 7th psychic circle, thereby engaging the Holy Spirit. Although they both got Adjusters, not all primitives did. However, primitives who made it to the 7th psychic circle had souls and the Holy Spirit’s influence to advance them spiritually. The Holy Spirit cannot encircuit the mind until it has been prepared by all seven of the adjutants.(36:5.16; 108:2.2; 110:6.13)
Bradly wrote:The TA comes so naturally and easily now compared to prior epochs but there has to be some religious nature and experience which is functional and makes or delivers those “moral impulses”.
Yes, moral impulses come from the 6th and 7th adjutants. You know, the gateway I keep yakking about. Remember that morality is superanimal but not superhuman (5:5.1). The soul and the Holy Spirit are superhuman.
There is the evolutionary religious life prior to the TA and the revelatory religious life afterward. How are these distinct in their function within?
Not sure exactly what you’re asking. Could you be more specific? Revelatory religion, in regards to the Adjuster, is dependent upon the capacity of receptivity and willingness of the individual to do God’s will. Evolutionary religion has its roots in the material adjutants; revelatory religion has its roots in the morontia soul.
Even that without personality but only with life has such an urge and “insatiable drive” for ever increasing perfection.
Life is so amazing. Think about it. How many times do they refer to living energy, living ministry, living truth, living Way, living God . . . life is at the very crux of it all. Sorry that some folks take it so lightly.
I thought I’d speak to the confusion surrounding the religious nature and the spiritual nature of mankind. Although they sound similar and functionally they seem similar, they are actually two different things.
The religious nature is essentially the moral nature. Morality is a human (superanimal and subspiritual) reality (196:3.25). Recall the three reality responses of the cosmic mind where morality is equivalent to duty. It is one of the three inalienable components of the human mind, the others being scientific curiosity (causation) and spiritual insight (worship) (16:7.1; 16:6.6-8). These components are inalienable because of the presence of personality which provides the impetus to choose reality (111:2.9). Just like life, personality is a divine pattern which has paid all gravity debt; and it too has an insatiable inherent drive for the attainment of ever-increasing perfection and augmented life realization.
The religious impulse is provided to the mind by the material adjutant mind ministry which in turn prepares the mind for the ability to respond to spiritual stimuli (36:5.11). The religious impulse is not provided to the soul, but to the material mind; however, it is the gateway to the supermaterial mind of the soul and eventually to the superconscious mind-presence of the Adjuster (130:4.9). Still, it takes time for the adjutants, and specifically the higher adjutants, to coach, prod and train the mind to become sensitive to spiritual stimuli (85:2.6). This is a phenomenon which happens within the moral environment, that middle ground of philosophy and wisdom which is capable of bridging the gap between material facts and spiritual insight (130:4.10). (Don’t forget that spiritual insight is a gift provided by spirit and therefore requires the mind to, first become sensitive to spirit, then choose to make the leap of faith in order to enter into it.)
Recall the quote which states that religion is functional in the mind before it actually becomes conscious (103:2.1). This is the preparation time. When the religious nature becomes conscious the personality is able to make choices, and those choices open the door to the arrival of the spiritual nature. Also recall the quote which tells us that we are only able to choose from that which we are conscious (34:3.8). The now sensitized mind, fully conscious and choosing spirit is a mind which has entered the 7th psychic circle and therefore a mind with a budding spiritual nature – the birth of the soul.
With the birth of the soul and the arrival of personal spirit-presence within it, man suddenly has two natures to choose from, one human, the other divine. For a soul with an Adjuster (modern man), the Adjuster is the very source of that divine nature. We are told that “they are you” . . . the divine you . . . the very nature your personality desperately wants to become. Then begins the conscious transfer of dominance, the learning curve for choosing God’s will, which is the same as choosing his true, divine and spiritual nature over your humanly derived religious and moral nature . . . slowly learning to choose that which is really right, and truly real.
110:7.4 Subsequent to mortal fusion the Adjusters share your destiny and experience; they are you.
(1193.3) 108:6.4 The Adjuster is the wellspring of spiritual attainment and the hope of divine character within you. He is the power, privilege, and the possibility of survival, which so fully and forever distinguishes you from mere animal creatures. He is the higher and truly internal spiritual stimulus of thought in contrast with the external and physical stimulus, which reaches the mind over the nerve-energy mechanism of the material body.
There is the evolutionary religious life prior to the TA and the revelatory religious life afterward. How are these distinct in their function within?
I don’t understand why you didn’t clarify this question for me as I asked, but I can point out that evolutionary religion doesn’t cease the moment a person embraces the truth of revelatory religion. All religion has the same motive and one naturally grows out of the other. Evolutionary religion is the moral seedbed for the growth of revelatory religion. Both need to be fostered. Not sure if that has anything to do with your question . . . had to guess.
(1101.4) 100:6.9 The characteristic difference between evolved and revealed religion is a new quality of divine wisdom which is added to purely experiential human wisdom. But it is experience in and with the human religions that develops the capacity for subsequent reception of increased bestowals of divine wisdom and cosmic insight.
Thank you Bradley,Be acknowledge is a sure path to be encouraged to participate and uplifting brotherhood’s spirit.165:2.9 [Part IV]“And then shall you all know the voice of one shepherd, the true shepherd, and shall all acknowledge the fatherhood of God.”Always wonder if civility, acknowledgement would not enhance forum participation !Anybody wants share improvement to revitalize this forum or the “silent” audience stand to suggest something ?The “I like” or “do not like” to improve.Th anksAndréThere is the evolutionary religious life prior to the TA and the revelatory religious life afterward. How are these distinct in their function within?
I don’t understand why you didn’t clarify this question for me as I asked, but I can point out that evolutionary religion doesn’t cease the moment a person embraces the truth of revelatory religion. All religion has the same motive and one naturally grows out of the other. Evolutionary religion is the moral seedbed for the growth of revelatory religion. Both need to be fostered. Not sure if that has anything to do with your question . . . had to guess.
(1101.4) 100:6.9 The characteristic difference between evolved and revealed religion is a new quality of divine wisdom which is added to purely experiential human wisdom. But it is experience in and with the human religions that develops the capacity for subsequent reception of increased bestowals of divine wisdom and cosmic insight.
From above:
Bradly wrote:
There is the evolutionary religious life prior to the TA and the revelatory religious life afterward. How are these distinct in their function within?Bonita replies:
“Not sure exactly what you’re asking. Could you be more specific? Revelatory religion, in regards to the Adjuster, is dependent upon the capacity of receptivity and willingness of the individual to do God’s will. Evolutionary religion has its roots in the material adjutants; revelatory religion has its roots in the morontia soul.”Thank you Bonita for the clarification…sorry to be so tardy in reply. I am really enjoying you and Nigel’s discussion about the adjutants and the Sangkik children….very helpful in general but also to this topic here.
I am only beginning to appreciate the roles of and distinctions between evolutionary and revelatory religion. The fact that they are layered as well as progressive makes sense too.
I am curious as to the soul’s ability for its own volitional growth and relationship with the TA and how this relates to the conscious mind and choices made and volitional decisions of the conscious mind. How are superconscious and soul related? As the birth of soul is a function of our conscious mind and choice, what about rebirth or being born again? I’ve always considered that to also be of the conscious and self-aware mind….but there seems to be so much going on in the soul AND the adjutant led evolved religious experience, I am confused as to what’s going on where. I’m wondering just how much of our religious experience and faith experience and revelatory experience are conscious and how much is unconscious.
We are hard wired for religious faith and experience and soul birth and revelatory truth reception and truth assurance…we do not create or connect any of this “hardware” of “software”….the operating system and the hard drive come with our mind and personality endowment but free will and choice and decisions (or perhaps spirit response (?)) are required to actuate or actualize true religious experience? What do you mean when you say “willingness of the individual to do God’s will”? This willingness is distinct from actually knowing God’s will, right? I am searching for the source of and better understanding of faith itself.
6. The Certainty of Religious Faith
102:6.1 (1124.3) The philosophic elimination of religious fear and the steady progress of science add greatly to the mortality of false gods; and even though these casualties of man-made deities may momentarily befog the spiritual vision, they eventually destroy that ignorance and superstition which so long obscured the living God of eternal love. The relation between the creature and the Creator is a living experience, a dynamic religious faith, which is not subject to precise definition. To isolate part of life and call it religion is to disintegrate life and to distort religion. And this is just why the God of worship claims all allegiance or none.
102:6.2 (1124.4) The gods of primitive men may have been no more than shadows of themselves; the living God is the divine light whose interruptions constitute the creation shadows of all space.
102:6.3 (1124.5) The religionist of philosophic attainment has faith in a personal God of personal salvation, something more than a reality, a value, a level of achievement, an exalted process, a transmutation, the ultimate of time-space, an idealization, the personalization of energy, the entity of gravity, a human projection, the idealization of self, nature’s upthrust, the inclination to goodness, the forward impulse of evolution, or a sublime hypothesis. The religionist has faith in a God of love. Love is the essence of religion and the wellspring of superior civilization.
102:6.4 (1124.6) Faith transforms the philosophic God of probability into the saving God of certainty in the personal religious experience. Skepticism may challenge the theories of theology, but confidence in the dependability of personal experience affirms the truth of that belief which has grown into faith.
102:6.5 (1124.7) Convictions about God may be arrived at through wise reasoning, but the individual becomes God-knowing only by faith, through personal experience. In much that pertains to life, probability must be reckoned with, but when contacting with cosmic reality, certainty may be experienced when such meanings and values are approached by living faith. The God-knowing soul dares to say, “I know,” even when this knowledge of God is questioned by the unbeliever who denies such certitude because it is not wholly supported by intellectual logic. To every such doubter the believer only replies, “How do you know that I do not know?”
Hi Bradly – missed you. Since I trust you won’t get upset, I must ask a sincere question. You probably know that I’ve written extensively about my understanding of all the issues and questions you raised. I’m just wondering if you reject those ideas or rather don’t understand all my blather. I don’t mind explaining myself again, but I really don’t think anyone is interested in me talking to myself. If you think what I’ve said over the years does not ring true to you, I’m cool with that. It’s just that I don’t know where to begin with this stuff, whether I should rehash the same old thing I’ve been saying or let someone else chime in, or try to find another way to explain it. Again, it’s my understanding that I’m trying to explain. I’m not claiming to have the final word on any of this. So, with that off my chest, I’ll take a stab at this one:How are superconscious and soul related?
It would be helpful to know what you mean by related. Do you mean how do they work together, or how do they exist in relation to each other, or both, or something else? First off, it’s always easier to talk about things if you’re discussing the relation between apples and apples, rather than apples and oranges. For instance, I would rather address the relationship between superconsciousness and soul consciousness – two levels of consciousness; or, we can talk about the relationship between spiritual reality and morontia reality – two levels of reality. As you’ve written the question we’re forced to discuss the relationship between a level of consciousness and a level of reality, which is harder to do and creates much more confusion.
The superconscious overlaps soul consciousness just as soul consciousness overlaps self consciousness, and personality, which is potentially capable of functioning on seven levels of consciousness, attempts to unify them all. This relates apples to apples.
The morontia reality of the soul is the offspring of the spiritual reality of the Adjuster, and the material reality of the self when they co-create together. This also relates apples to apples.
The superconscious is a level of consciousness which exists on the borderland of the morontia reality known as the soul, which is a place, or arena, or as Nigel says, a womb. This relates apples to oranges.
Your turn.
Bonita…please do pardon me and I have never been “upset” with you and your endless patience with me and kindness to me. I know I am asking for that which you have already written about and should do more research rather than treat you like a set of encyclopedias or something when I need some form of confirmation or reiteration or refresh of concepts and relationships. I fear I abuse you thusly and show myself lazy and a little dim perhaps.
I certainly am not challenging your prior sharings or the truth or accuracy of your perspective or posts…indeed I have two issues of my own to manage – one is simple recall of such complexities and the other is adding new context and enhanced perspective by study which requires reiteration and reconsideration to find new meanings in prior knowledge. But I am sincere and keen to grow in understanding and believe that not only myself but others too benefit by every post you make. And I am not knowledgeable enough to challenge your own knowledge.
The UB says its not the art work that’s completed that is art so much as the expression of truth, beauty, and goodness as it occurs. So I am hopeful only that you might restate and repeat yourself relative to new consideration of Papers or topics as they arrive in time. I hate to be so tiresome and demanding….but frankly, these studies of Papers 100-102 so far have truly helped me reformulate perspective and understanding of the meanings of and relationships of faith, assurance, revelation, truth, unconscious, conscious, superconscious, soul, soul-conscious, conscious volition and choice, and soul volition and growth independent of or cooperatively with the material self….and how the adjutants and Holy Spirit connect and influence our religious experience prior to and after the birth of soul and the arrival of the TA and Spirit of Truth….all of which demand new questions and consideration on my part, even challenging prior thinking and perhaps prejudice of what I though I knew once.
I will study your reply above and consider a better formulation of my questions….to allow a more apples to apples consideration…..seven levels of consciousness….oh dear. Thank you Bonita for helping me expand my own levels of consciousness and understanding of reality and relationships as they affect and describe religious experience and the foundations of religious faith!
Back soon…………..
Thanks Bradly for your confidence in me. I’ve been struggling with my role here on the forum and have decided that since there is no one left to talk to, it’s time to retire. But before taking leave, I certainly don’t mind addressing the topics you bring up. Each time I go through this stuff I learn something new, so it’s all good – especially if I can share it.
As the birth of soul is a function of our conscious mind and choice, what about rebirth or being born again?
Rebirth, born again, and born of the spirit is just another level of consciousness. If your normal everyday run-of-the-mill self-consciousness is elevated to engage worship and wisdom, which overlap with the Holy Spirit in the soul, then consciousness crosses the threshold into a new realm as though being born again. That new realm is an emerging soul-consciousness, a level of mind in contact with spirit presence and the beginning of the process of discovering and recognizing the living God within your very own mind. As the soul grows, soul-consciousness also grows with the caveat that the adjutants of worship and wisdom are habitually engaged. How do you habitually engage worship and wisdom? By consciously training your mind to mature the spiritual reflex explained in 100:1.8. It’s pretty easy, it just takes a little devotion to effort, a gentle reminder to yourself to stay focused and not let emotion carry you off into crazy land.
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