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Indeed….and you’d have to be careful about those “false positives” too. Thanks for the banter. Seriously though, there are some celestials and divinity that can truly measure spirit progress, wisdom, and loyalty in some pretty interesting ways during our ascension. Doubt anyone can hide anything within….now or ever, from such scrutiny and examination. Thanks Mara. Humor….a relief from so many forms of distress and confusion.
. . . there are some celestials . . . .
Here is a reference about the celestial assistance of Secondary Seconaphim. It points to one of the most important lessons we have to learn.
28:5:14 [#1]These are the angels who foster and promote the teamwork of all Orvonton. One of the most important lessons to be learned during your mortal career is teamwork. The spheres of perfection are manned by those who have mastered this art of working with other beings. Few are the duties in the universe for the lone servant. The higher you ascend, the more lonely you become when temporarily without the association of your fellows.Few are the duties of the lone servant. The effectiveness of teamwork depends on everyone working cooperatively and in harmony. The force of teamwork is far greater than the simple sum of its parts. (133:5:6)Mara wrote:The effectiveness of teamwork depends on everyone working cooperatively and in harmony.I agree that teamwork is essential to progress. But even on the mansion worlds the angels work to facilitate certain groupings of people (the Mind Planners). I would think that they choose people who have the capacity to compliment one another on some level. Plus, they always provide for leadership of teams. I think that teamwork is dependent upon quality leadership. Besides quality leadership, I think team members must desire to cooperate and progress. Uncooperative types tend to retard the progress of the group. Sometimes that’s not a bad thing though. Sometimes it’s good to take a second look at things and discern why there’s a lack of cooperation. And that’s where I think some of the modern UB movement problems are snagged, trying to understand why there’s a lack of cooperation, or perhaps, learning to how to progress despite a lack of cooperation . . . just thinking out loud here.That being said, how important do you think honesty is to teamwork? Loyalty? Is harmony really necessary? And finally, what makes a good leader?As to Leadership, I think many good examples are provided us in text, especially so the Master in Part IV. A discussion here about the qualities of leadership is quite appropriate. I would refer all readers to this link to a topic with good participation at the prior, archived Forum:
http://urantia-association.org/social/threads/leadership.50981/
Earlier on this topic thread about the Movement, I also listed some definitions of collaboration and consensus which are also helpful when considering Mara and Bonita’s points above. The movement is moving a thousand directions with a thousand different agendas around the dissemination of the Revelation. Only 2 have thousands of supporting members, several have hundreds, many have dozens, and the social media sites are exploding with hits, likes, and comments….some friendly, some enlightening, some from crazy town. I do not foresee herding these cats into some singular formation, direction, agenda, or outcome. I certainly have no such agenda or fantasy. But perhaps, given sufficient time and teamwork and leadership, most of these disparate groups might find many reasons for cooperation, joint ventures, mutual support, networking, access and promotion to each other’s mission, and working personal relationships between members and leaders that the angels will find useful to their purposes. I can personally testify to a great cross-pollination among many, many such disseminating groups today. The internet provides a launch pad for these many different approaches and agendas and it also provides a powerful networking potential for them as well.
I think the Book was given and the movement born to allow barely enough time for its infancy and toddler time before this world changing communication system became an evolutionary, even perhaps, an epochal transitionary force. The movement was slow, laborious, clumsy, and painful in its infancy. Now it runs with the wind. Leaping high over obstacles and in hopes of great aspirations! I find it a simply glorious moment to savor now, having been witness and participant in the infancy stage, often tripping over the most simple of obstacles, landing on face or butt. The exuberance and confidence of this now formative youth phase hardly means things are suddenly made easy nor does it demonstrate particular wisdom or great skills yet perhaps. But effort + sincerity does deliver “cause” and provide leverage and the fulcrum for those non-mortals with more skills and experience in such matters to work with for the long term “effect” today’s “cause” may potentiate.
Bonita: thank you for this prior post – so many important points for consideration. It is taught that if we only like those who like us and can only work with those who agree with us, we have not made much progress. Each person in a team or committee or board must manage ego assertion, self love, prejudice, impatience, angry retort, disgruntled expression, competition of ideas, etc. And they must work. There are many who “join” a cause but far fewer who show up, take up the load, and carry the work forward. I am so glad to report I have known and know still many great servants and servant leaders who live the teachings and are most diligent and able in the fields and vineyard of dissemination of the Revelation and its teachings. Peace and thanks to all.
Bradly wrote: I do not foresee herding these cats into some singular formation, direction, agenda, or outcome. I certainly have no such agenda or fantasy. But perhaps, given sufficient time and teamwork and leadership, most of these disparate groups might find many reasons for cooperation, joint ventures, mutual support, networking, access and promotion to each other’s mission, and working personal relationships between members and leaders that the angels will find useful to their purposes.Should we leave it up to the angels then? My feeling is that if you have a group of spiritually fragrant individuals with an equally fragrant leader, others would be attracted and desire to work with them. Of course, I don’t think that it is possible to attract others unless you’re among them socializing on some level, spreading the fragrance around. Essentially, that’s what I mean by education. It wouldn’t hurt to have pedagogic education as well, but that doesn’t necessarily create a fragrance.
Should we leave it up to the angels then?
And they must work. There are many who “join” a cause but far fewer who show up, take up the load, and carry the work forward.
Nope. Waiting is not an option. Not for me, or you, or many, many others. I have heard it argued that doing anything defies evolution and patience and we should all just “wait”. Don’t get it. I’m the lemon and lemonade guy. I think the angels and midwayers are rather helpless to do anything without mortal activity – even really bad activities. This because, the love response to evil and sin and the shadows of evil which darken most also provide the greatest contrast for recognition by mortal mind. Good things come from bad things….eventually. Better things do come from good things it is true. But like the 1000 times more good resulting from rebellion than bad, so it is also on the material level. Just takes time. And choice and activity and will by mortals. We are not built to do nothing anyway….its just not normal. We are learners and yearners, builders and growers, inventors and innovators, this is our inherent nature. We do stuff. And if we do stuff with pure intent and sincerity of heart and loyalty to spirit, then especially do we provide raw materials and opportunities for our unseen friends. Our problem is impatience for results. That’s our problem, not theirs. Like prayer, sincerity is always responded to….sooner or later, one way or another, the best way for all and each.
Yes…the socializing aspect. Some would say that’s the real purpose of study groups, conferences, organizations, and forums – to interact, build teams, strive in purpose, and learn one from another. This is what is most important to the each in such a brief life…..but by the each acting so, the all progresses as well. Or so I think.
The “movement” (Some don’t care for that word, because of its normal association with the body’s intestinal function. I like Urantia community.) Whatever we call it, it’s quite dynamic and rapidly picking up speed. Ten years ago reader activity was patchy, chaotic, and projects advanced by fits and starts. Now organizations are streamlining and mainlining. Gigantic projects are coming to fruition, and like Brad alluded to, there are hundreds if not thousands of projects in the works. Believers in this revelation are not sitting, they can’t, it’s too inspiring to just sit with.
It boils down to this I think: Some readers want/need a team, some don’t. Some projects require teams (like creating a reader conference), some don’t. The fact is we readers/believers are a highly diverse group that usually works simultaneously on teams (perhaps several teams), and by ourselves on personal projects. Our common bond is God, the goal perfection. One thing is obvious, our creativity is rampant, raging and riotous, but it is gradually coalescing into broad streams of cooperation and coordination, forming a new river of knowledge, facts and truth that is drawing many seekers to its banks and into its waters. We can’t stop the river but we can change its course by inspired leadership, from within and without.
Thanks for stepping up all who love and live truth, and want it better known on poor sick Urantia.
Richard E Warren
Some readers want/need a team, some don’t.
Me here: well….according to text we must learn teamwork whether we enjoy it or not, whether its clumsy or not, and regardless of the outcome. No one works alone, or not much or long, in this universe. Not normal, not effective, not ideal. But, if not in this life then in the one to come, eh? Collaboration and consensus are not easy….for the egotist. It is one tool for self forgetting rather than self assertion. The secular and authoritarian religious worlds are not amenable to either consensus or collaboration…that border and nationalism thing I suppose reduced to the group level.
While individual effort is often more efficient and more productive….it is not the end that matters but, rather, the means and the process and all the intersections of relationship truth that are discovered by the effort to unify in will and work to a shared activity, process, project, and desired outcome. This is key I think. The results of teamwork upon the individual members as an educational method of personal progression and the very evolutionary results this delivers over time in result. I think the student-teacher aspect is another example of teamwork and the value of relationships with a shared progression or result. Thanks all for your reflections and quotes. Very interesting.
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