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Many UB reader-students attended the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City October 15-19. There were Urantia related booths, full page program book advertisements and a very nice workshop about the non-traditional Jesus. This workshop was very nicely led by Gard Jameson and was attended by about 200 persons from varying nations and religions. Attendees were introduced to the book via a video and opening remarks by Urantia Foundation President Mo Siegel. Perhaps this Parliament offered the greatest exposure to the book compared to past Parliament gatherings held in several different global locations.
Many people stopped by a very nicely designed booth to view several translations, a video and to engage volunteers with questions. My take is there are many people seeking something new and it seemed to me many I talked to were willing to return home and begin research into the Revelation. Young UB reader-students offered a booth to engage people of all ages and presented various literature.
True, there were many different religions represented and there were many organizations promoting their services and concepts in hundreds of booths and displays. It was too much to absorb in just a few days, but now I have a much broader concept of the world as we know it and have a bit more accurate understanding of each religion, plus I’ve gained new understanding of the passions that move people in their traditions.
The Urantia Book offers unassociated religious guidance for all peoples. Through Parliament service opportunities, readers will help more people understand God is a real person and that no religion can contain our Creator. We all realize we are not omniscient; we are NONOMPS (non-omniscient persons). As a world populace, we are dependent on one another and our Creator. The Revelation has a place for service in helping people become more tolerant and to help us gain the best for each other through interfaith understanding and cooperation.
Mark Kurtz wrote: As a world populace, we are dependent on one another and our Creator.Hi Mark, Nicely described experience from the event, thanks. I can see that The Urantia Book was able to be presented in a very sensible way. Wisdom is the natural companion of the reasonable approach.All religions are the response to the same spirit influence originating in the same Father of all personalities. We are all God’s children.At gatherings like the World Parliament of Religions, the opportunity to experience spiritual unity with believers of other religions is one of the most satisfying and lasting benefits to be gained—sense of brotherhood. That’s how it was at the one I attended in Melbourne in 2009. Mark, this one by your account, has taken that experience of unity to a new level. Spiritual momentum is building making ready for significant steps forward.Mankind is beginning to look for philosophic consistency in religion, reason combined with natural curiosity, is inspiring truth seekers to find soul-satisfying answers to the big questions. Modern youth is no longer satisfied with dead ritual-bound theology, they crave living truth.Brotherhoods and discussion clubs popping up all over the world – some are concerned with “ethics” – true religion having a chance to “act”. You have to respect those peoples bouncing back from the disaster of a godless “ism”:
Sabinatu wrote: …true religion having a chance to “act”Hi Sab I suggest you check out this excellent presentation by David Kantor about the next stage forward.Hi Vern,
Thanks for the “suggestion”.
“Embarrassing” stuff happened?! Wow. I guess iniquity can be called “embarrassing”, also retarding…etc.
The big glaring issue for me when it comes to all this newly minted “authority”, is that the people speaking ABOUT The Urantia Book do not acknowledge the sovereignty of God (the pressure from above) – the real leader of “religion” – nor is there open and honest discussion about God’s Will for humanity as it is CLEARLY and lucidly revealed in the book they are supposed to be publishing and distributing without all the “editoralizing”.
Do they trust that God Knows Best? That the TA might be utilizing something other than self-serving corporatist psychology to insure the progress of humans in pulling together Personality, Soul and Experience to set the person with the personal religion on their personal path to Eternity and beyond…?
Set an IQ limit if you are going to continue to psychologically judge that the “masses” lack the natural ability to “understand” a basic truth about humanity – the Fatherhood of God, Brotherhood of Man. That the universe is generous and friendly. That LOVE grows a soul. Is it 70? 90? Should it be what the current USA judicial system sets in order to provide merciful judgement?
I think Star Trekkies and many other light-hearted and normal minded truth seekers will have an easy time accepting the “truth” of the big big big universe and humanity’s origin purpose and destiny in space and time, so there’s hope for “secondary works”, right?
A confused and confusing organization trying to be everything else but a “religion” – ironically enough, everything that is “suggested” in TUB that can correct their embarrassing condition was not taken into account when their SOPs were written….
I trust God.
All you guys, not so much…but good luck with it. I am sure we might compare notes one day, right now I am not worried about it – the act is mine, the consequences, God’s.
Sabinatu wrote: …I trust God.Me too.In sharing the video David Kantor has produced he has provided us with a sincere account gleaned from his own considerable personal experience he asks the obvious question, what information in the book itself gives us direction of what to do?I trust God to enhance my wisdom sufficient to see him in living in the lives of my fellows.To respect the experience of other son or daughter. I recognise the Father as I listened and watched David’s presentation. He is a 50-year veteran of the Urantia movement assessing the current state of “the movement” (family) and its primary organizations on the 60th anniversary of the publication of The Urantia Book. It is a good thing to pause and review the path traveled thus far to gain valuable feedback. To press on with action that is productive and abandon dead end ventures that are a distraction from the min purpose of establishing the Fatherhood of God.Sabinatu wrote: …the universe is generous and friendly. That LOVE grows a soul.Vern and all,
It seems right to assume many other UB reader/students who attended the Parliament will also post reports and observations at several different online addresses. I hope they do so we may have a broader view, realizing we each have limitations and unique experiences.
I met many of the youth there and am fondly impressed. And yes, I also get the feeling there is progress for the world as human beings long for God and to find peaceful co-esistence.
I learned again what Shalom means in different languages and traditions.
Vern, you wrote, “….I recognise the Father as I listened and watched David’s presentation….”
With all due respect as a brother who is challenging you to make sure you know what you are doing, the above statement is just creepy.
All spiritual agencies work for one thing only – to assist in the individual human being developing a soul.
Sabinatu wrote:All spiritual agencies work for one thing only – to assist in the individual human being developing a soul.
Me: That’s a rather declarative, and inaccurate, statement there Sab. I agree that the purpose, plan, and process of ascension is certainly the most important function to me and an integral part within the totality of all beings and all creation. But I think this is a form of reductionism that oversimplifies that which we are taught in the Papers.
12:0.1 (128.1) THE immensity of the far-flung creation of the Universal Father is utterly beyond the grasp of finite imagination; the enormousness of the master universe staggers the concept of even my order of being. But the mortal mind can be taught much about the plan and arrangement of the universes; you can know something of their physical organization and marvelous administration; you may learn much about the various groups of intelligent beings who inhabit the seven superuniverses of time and the central universe of eternity.
Me: The Divine love and plan for creation is a free will expression of God as expressed by the sevenfold nature of Trinity. There are many aspects in the relationships thusly created. Loving God by service to one another as a family has many, many results. The ascension career for mortal borns is a vast undertaking in time and space as further expression of potential and actualization.
12:7.10 (138.5) This very love of God for the individual brings into being the divine family of all individuals, the universal brotherhood of the freewill children of the Paradise Father. And this brotherhood, being universal, is a relationship of the whole. Brotherhood, when universal, discloses not the each relationship, but the all relationship. Brotherhood is a reality of the total and therefore discloses qualities of the whole in contradistinction to qualities of the part.
14:6.5 (160.6) Many superfinite activities take place in the Havona of the present universe age, involving untold diversities of absonite and other phases of mind and spirit functions. It is possible that the central universe serves many purposes which are not revealed to me, as it functions in numerous ways beyond the comprehension of the created mind.
4:0.2 (54.2) It is easy to deduce that the purpose in creating the perfect central universe of Havona was purely the satisfaction of the divine nature. Havona may serve as the pattern creation for all other universes and as the finishing school for the pilgrims of time on their way to Paradise; however, such a supernal creation must exist primarily for the pleasure and satisfaction of the perfect and infinite Creators.
4:0.3 (54.3) The amazing plan for perfecting evolutionary mortals and, after their attainment of Paradise and the Corps of the Finality, providing further training for some undisclosed future work, does seem to be, at present, one of the chief concerns of the seven superuniverses and their many subdivisions; but this ascension scheme for spiritualizing and training the mortals of time and space is by no means the exclusive occupation of the universe intelligences. There are, indeed, many other fascinating pursuits which occupy the time and enlist the energies of the celestial hosts.
Me: Thank you Mark and Vern for sharing your appreciation of this event and its expression of the inherent potential and eventual delivery of spiritual unity of the human family into the greater family of all creation. There are many reports reverberating within the on-line community of this glorious gathering of faith children finding unity of voice and purpose without the uniformity demanded by creed and doctrine. The future is bright as all can see…if they but look and can discern the march of progress upon this blessed world of ours, the Shrine of Nebadon!
Everything seems to be working for bringing out the best in you, Bradly. Truly amazing how even your misunderstanding what we were talking about – the SPIRITUAL INFLUENCES ON URANTIA – AKA “religion” – led you to learn more about how descenders are still contributing to the creation of the Supreme Being without needing to interact with you, me or Kantor. Heck, everyone out there are still even protected from us through quarantine
They slipped us a book – no more “human sacrifices” required from their side.Yes, I was talking ONLY about the UNITY of PURPOSE here on Urantia – protection of our soul growth.
When checking out of the hotel, we were asked what brought us to Salt Lake City. The clerk acknowledged his appreciation for the group, the hundreds staying there attending the Parliament and said he noticed how nice were the people of all religions. There was no trouble with anyone! He liked seeing the group and having them as guests. We had breakfast each morning in the hotel with Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and many others, including Native Americans. We all related just fine. All this, plus the fact most religions have a common message of love and respect for one another. Maybe the UB authors really do know what they are doing with us!
Mark Kurtz wrote: …We all related just fine. All this, plus the fact most religions have a common message of love and respect for one another. Maybe the UB authors really do know what they are doing with us!Hi Mark that’s a wonderful account of your experience. Friendship with God results in friendship with others, that’s the way we’ve been made, from the inside……..out!There is unity in spiritual brotherhood……….once that is lived…………..we all relate just fine!Sabinatu wrote: …a brother who is challenging you to make sure you know what you are doing…Sure, no worries.Sab thanks for expressing your reservations. Allow me to clarify.It’s simply my way of saying the spirit in me recognizes the spirit in you. There are many places in The Urantia Book which state when we communicate with each other we should appeal to spirit. If a person is already steadfast in looking with the eye-of-the-spirit, it’s reasonable to have faith that the Spirit of Truth will be keenly tuned in synchrony with the Thought Adjuster to resonate in tones of confirming recognition when truth is expressed in actions and words of another brother or sister.David Kantor is a brother in whom I see sincerity in combination with experiential wisdom. That’s fruit enough for me to see a fellow son of the Father going about the Father’s business.A new video from Urantia Foundation: “Non-Traditional Jesus: An Introduction”, published on Oct 26, 2015. An introduction to Jesus in The Urantia Book. First shown at the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City.
@Vern, that is nice that you like Kantor and you are buds that go way back…still, stop that.
He is a big fish in a nanosecond pond if you consider the TRUTH that TUB reveals, clearly, lucidly and with a muscular logic based on their (authors) philosophy for living, service to others, that the “religion” OF Jesus – Papers 99-103 – is a mind endowment in humanity. Can’t get away from the questions asked about origin purpose and destiny by a NORMAL MIND. Sadler certainly attracted a cadre of “medical” minds very early into the movement to study this “abnormal” – how we got a book?!
Sure would have been soul satisfying to discuss that truth (Papers 99 -103) – the good news revelation of TUB – with sincere “religionists”. Spiritual brotherhood on Urantia in today’s environmental and economic soup is going to be very limited in its ability to act as the salt. All culture is reorganizing without “religion”, anyway, with or without “religion” thanks to the whole man to land ratio MATH thing.
So I will always be for protection of religious freedom of expression. As noted by Mark, they (religions) all have enshrined aspects of Deity consistently experienced by their people – love, truth, beauty, goodness – into their life maintenance routines, their culture, their law and order, their philosophy for living.
But we sure do come from different rivers of religious traditions. The reason no one saw this mess coming was because it had become a freedom so settled in USA that it was taken for granted. Yup, that’s when you lose the freedom.
Thanks to the massive daily contrasts that exist side by side these days in USA, manipulating the FINANCIAL weak spots left behind by previous defaults (true spiritual leadership and healthy life maintenance)
ala the institutions erected by the authorities of religion (the carnal pressure from “above”)
there is a new battle in town for a freedom we lost because we took for granted.
There you go, “…my army has not negotiated with your army, yet…”
I’m still flummoxed by the results of the algorithm that shows all the non-religious outcomes possible by a wrong translation of “Fatherhood of God, Brotherhood of Man” IF it is taken literally.
Go figure
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