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. . . “But the pilgrim’s path to Paradise is one that each must walk in our way and in our time and it is by such a unique and personal journey that the creators may also celebrate the gifts of love, truth, beauty, and goodness they bestow to all creation.” . . .The Jesusonian Way.
Bradly, I must apologize for my presumption that you where the originator of the term “Jesusonian Religion” where it had been some time since looking up the term, where I now have found it in the Urantia Book and cannot fathom having missed it the first time, where one might seem that the continuum through time assimilates backing forward through time, yet surprises me not, from my various experiences.
What still puzzles me, in that Jesus, as noted in the UB, made extreme effort to not leave any written words behind, even presenting word symbols in the sand, whereby to remove evidence of any script.
Nevertheless, it would seem that the author(s) of papers “94” and “95”, “[Presented by a Melchizedek of Nebadon.]”, even though printed with square brackets, might indicate that they felt it necessary to introduce the term “Jesusonian gospel” in what I presume a replacement for the ‘Gospel of Jesus’, where it could be an indication that they or “a Melchizedek of Nebadon” might think it a good name for a new religion based on Jesus’ teachings, although one might think otherwise, based on the instructed precautions, from His elder brother. However, it could be argued that Michael changed his mind thereby giving permission.
(1032.2) 94:4.10 Today, in India, the great need is for the portrayal of the Jesusonian gospel — the Fatherhood of God and the sonship and consequent brotherhood of all men, which is personally realized in loving ministry and social service. In India the philosophical framework is existent, the cult structure is present; all that is needed is the vitalizing spark of the dynamic love portrayed in the original gospel of the Son of Man, divested of the Occidental dogmas and doctrines which have tended to make Michael’s life bestowal a white man’s religion.
(1038.7) 94:10.3 The Tibetans have something of all the leading world religions except the simple teachings of the Jesusonian gospel: sonship with God, brotherhood with man, and ever-ascending citizenship in the eternal universe.
(1051.1) 95:7.3 Here and there throughout Arabia were families and clans that held on to the hazy idea of the one God. Such groups treasured the traditions of Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, and Zoroaster. There were numerous centers that might have responded to the Jesusonian gospel, but the Christian missionaries of the desert lands were an austere and unyielding group in contrast with the compromisers and innovators who functioned as missionaries in the Mediterranean countries. Had the followers of Jesus taken more seriously his injunction to “go into all the world and preach the gospel,” and had they been more gracious in that preaching, less stringent in collateral social requirements of their own devising, then many lands would gladly have received the simple gospel of the carpenter’s son, Arabia among them.
And then to compound this mater, it would seem that “Midwayer Commission” would agree with the “Melchizedek” where the other finding of the word “Jesusonian” can be found in papers “195” and “196” as presented in the following UB quotes:
(2084.5) 195:10.5 In winning souls for the Master, it is not the first mile of compulsion, duty, or convention that will transform man and his world, but rather the second mile of free service and liberty-loving devotion that betokens the Jesusonian reaching forth to grasp his brother in love and sweep him on under spiritual guidance toward the higher and divine goal of mortal existence. Christianity even now willingly goes the first mile, but mankind languishes and stumbles along in moral darkness because there are so few genuine second-milers — so few professed followers of Jesus who really live and love as he taught his disciples to live and love and serve.
(2091.10) 196:2.1 Some day a reformation in the Christian church may strike deep enough to get back to the unadulterated religious teachings of Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. You may preach a religion about Jesus, but, perforce, you must live the religion of Jesus. In the enthusiasm of Pentecost, Peter unintentionally inaugurated a new religion, the religion of the risen and glorified Christ. The Apostle Paul later on transformed this new gospel into Christianity, a religion embodying his own theologic views and portraying his own personal experience with the Jesus of the Damascus road. The gospel of the kingdom is founded on the personal religious experience of the Jesus of Galilee; Christianity is founded almost exclusively on the personal religious experience of the Apostle Paul. Almost the whole of the New Testament is devoted, not to the portrayal of the significant and inspiring religious life of Jesus, but to a discussion of Paul’s religious experience and to a portrayal of his personal religious convictions. The only notable exceptions to this statement, aside from certain parts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are the Book of Hebrews and the Epistle of James. Even Peter, in his writing, only once reverted to the personal religious life of his Master. The New Testament is a superb Christian document, but it is only meagerly Jesusonian.
Where the last UB quote, is conveniently found in, “The Religion of Jesus” section, of the UB.
At first, I thought it convenient that “Jesusonian” appear at the same time as the establishment of the “Jesusonian Foundation” but since they were presented at the same time as the publication of the UB, I thought that it was because of its usage in the UB. Then I thought that it might have been presented in the UB through its editing, where it might be convenient to have this name in the UB, but then I digressed in that thought because it would serve no purpose to seed the name for alternative purposes, and definitely not to initiate a new religion.
Besides, based on the character of Jesus, I could not assume that anyone would attempt to offend Jesus, should He return and find that His intent, not to start a religion based on His name and teachings, be compromised.
But who are we to ascertain the reasons behind the presentation of the Urantia Book. Therefore, I cannot fault you or anyone else for thinking that if it’s in the UB it must be the truth.
MidiChlorian wrote: Does one tell their brother to do this or that and then do the opposite, which negates what has been said?Hi Midi, it would have as much effect as parents who smoke telling their children smoking is bad and they should not do it?Being a good example means being a living example of the values one professes.Most people have enough love and understanding to know that, being imperfect mortals, means the “real” falls far short of the “ideal.” While we aspire to be love saturated souls this cannot be achieved by will power alone. Only by loving can love be grown. Awareness of our own imperfection gives us the capacity to be patient and tolerant of others who, likewise, may fall short of their own aspirational ideals.Love is not self seeking, love is outgoing and inclusive of someone to love, other than self. The more a person motivates their being into acts of giving, the greater will be the capacity to love. Even to love those that may appear less than lovely at first.Understanding leads to friendship an friendship leads to love. If you could come to know your fellows you will fall in live with them.…If you could only know your fellows, you would eventually fall in love with them. [Paper 100:4.5, page 1098:2]
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. [Paper100:4.6, page 1098:3]
Love has always been the answer.
So simple, yet so seemingly hard to do, even for self-proclaimed sons and daughters of the Father who by claiming sonship are vowing to become living ambassadors of truth that exhibits “social fragrance” that has that same drawing power that Jesus had when he walked with us. For that, I am convinced, is exactly what is meant by “spiritual brotherhood,” Jesus walking among us as his truth comes to life in you and me.
When Christians, each and every one, becomes a focus of dynamic affection, the job of Christianity is done
Sabinatu wrote: “What is the Atonement Doctrine”? the majority would give you that deer trapped in the headlights look and you know the range of answers – some would say they don’t know and don’t care, some would say they don’t know but are interested in knowing, and some would make stuff up – lol.Hi Sab, thanks for your recent responses to my posts.I think you are right in responding to the questions I posed re: What do Christian’s think Jesus meant by “the kingdom is within you?”Yes, I admit it’s a leading question, however I’m genuinely curious. My hope in someone thinking on it, is that they open the door to spirit.Likewise, I appreciate you posing the question “What is the Atonement Doctrine?” Is this still of significance to the believer who has already experientially found “the kingdom within?” I think not.The Christian who is already a loving person signifies the limitations of erroneous teaching have already been transcended by the all embracing truth that God is a loving Father and he is personally experienced by faith of that particular son or daughter.
Sab, from what you have shared you probably come in contact with more people on a daily basis than I do in a month. Only by actual living relationships is anything being discussed here validated.
I don’t know how many who post here are actual regular Christian churchgoers, I’m not, not since childhood anyway. That was in the Lutheran Church which I found supportive of open enquiry into all the religions of the world to get an understanding of what people believed and why. I have only good impressions from my Christian upbringing, which prepared me well to find enlarged truth for which I hungered.Jesus was interested in people and wanted to know them, hence he asked questions.By the same technique I think a forum such as this could yield beneficial results.It already has.Today I read how Midi found for himself the instances of the word Jesuonian in The Urantia Book after Bradly had referred to himself as a believer of the Jesuonian Gospel.Along the same lines of a search for a new symbolism, I’ve reflected on alternatives for the term “kingdom within” as a description of the Divine indweller who we have been informed is the Thought Adjuster.Loving Father works adequately for me.To the one who asked for more information about where I’ve gotten mine, I can’t really answer it as I’ve made a lifetime study of Christianity with a lot of its’ branches as I was raised in the Christian religion.
Taking that aside for the moment though, a basic knowledge of history will prove my point starting with the catholic church. There was a time, and to a point it still exists, when that church was the most conservative around. To oversimplify things, you could say that that was the reason that Christianity split. A group wanted change and the conservatives didn’t/couldn’t handle it.
As for the atonement doctrine being the core, that is a historical fact.
Yes Chuck, indeed it is a historical fact. But one with some interesting twists and turns along the way. I was raised Southern Baptist and I can attest that they all know about “Washed In The Blood”. So many bloody hymns…pity. By the way, for all of us UBers who attend and suffer through such songs, replace the word “blood” with the word “love” and suddenly all such songs are transformed into truth! And no one else seems to notice. Some day they will. While Paul wrote the Corinthians to say Jesus died for our sins, interestingly the prevailing doctrine of atonement for nearly 1000 years in the Roman and early Christian churches was based on something far closer to the truth. The English word of atonement actually means at-one-ment. The sacrifice angle came in the Middle Ages and the Protestants bloodied it up even further. So it is not surprising that any Christian with a brain and an understanding of theological evolution (more like devolution) might have some confusion about its meaning.
From Wiki:
The English word ‘atonement’ originally meant “at-one-ment”, i.e. being “at one”, in harmony, with someone.[6] It is used to describe the saving work that God did through Christ to reconcile the world to himself, and also of the state of a person having been reconciled to God.[2][7] Throughout the centuries, Christians have used different metaphors and given differing explanations of the atonement to express how the atonement might work. Churches and denominations may vary in which metaphor or explanation they consider most accurately fits into their theological perspective; however all Christians emphasize that Jesus is the Saviour of the world and through his death the sins of humanity have been forgiven.[8] The four most well known theories are briefly described below:
One of the earliest explanations for how the atonement works is nowadays often called the moral influence theory. In this view the core of Christianity is positive moral change, and the purpose of everything the Jewish Jesus did was to lead humans toward that moral change. He is understood to have accomplished this variously through his teachings, example, founding of the Church, and the inspiring power of his martyrdom and resurrection. This view was universally taught by the Church Fathers in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
For a full read, including extensive references, of the 4-6 distinct progressions/regressions of atonement you may wish to visit here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atonement_in_Christianity
As far as reinventing Christianity is concerned, a return to the original doctrine of at-one-ment would be a start. But conservatives, especially the far right protestants, this will not be easy…many cling to be being made innocent of their own sins/errors by God taking the “perfect” sacrifice of his only son….and tie that to Abraham and Isaac for biblical foundation.
Thanks Chuck!
chucksmith1982 wrote: [Atonement]…that is a historical fact.Hi Chuck, yes it is a fact of history which has its origin in cannibalistic human sacrifice.Paul initiated the cult of “the blood of the everlasting covenant” which put an end to doctrines of redemption through human or animal sacrifices. The sobering truth of this theologic compromise has been that even revelation must submit to the graduated control of evolution.The ancient social brotherhoods were based on the rite of blood drinking; the early Jewish fraternity was a sacrificial blood affair. Paul started out to build a new Christian cult on “the blood of the everlasting covenant.” And while he may have unnecessarily encumbered Christianity with teachings about blood and sacrifice, he did once and for all make an end of the doctrines of redemption through human or animal sacrifices. His theologic compromises indicate that even revelation must submit to the graduated control of evolution. According to Paul, Christ became the last and all-sufficient human sacrifice; the divine Judge is now fully and forever satisfied. [Paper89:9.3, page 984:2]This statement…….. “that even revelation must submit to the graduated control of evolution” is validation of the thoroughness of the evolutionary process in recognizing the limits of human capacity for spiritual progress at the time. Then step, by bloody, historical step, to go through the necessary stages taking mankind to a state of readiness for up-stepped truth. Here we are! Spiritual progress is a process of revelation in conjunction with evolution.Christianity is the legitimate successor of those shocking early ceremonies of human sacrifice and the still earlier cannibalistic rituals. However, now the potency of the sacrament is in its mystic symbolism.And so, after long ages the cult of the sacrifice has evolved into the cult of the sacrament. Thus are the sacraments of modern religions the legitimate successors of those shocking early ceremonies of human sacrifice and the still earlier cannibalistic rituals. Many still depend upon blood for salvation, but it has at least become figurative, symbolic, and mystic. [Paper89:9.4, page 984:3]Civilized men and women, believing Christians, have arrived at a place of elevated thinking in which their God concept is finally managing to go beyond delimiting notions of anthropomorphism. Only now do the universe controllers consider the potential of man is nearing that fortuitous threshold of relative dependability. That place of wisdom where spiritual truth can be assimilated and made actual by recognition of sonship status with God. Understanding of ethics is the new frontier.Man could never even dream of entering into a contract with Deity until his concept of God had advanced to the level whereon the universe controllers were envisioned as dependable. And man’s early idea of God was so anthropomorphic that he was unable to conceive of a dependable Deity until he himself became relatively dependable, moral, and ethical. [Paper89:8.5, page 983:3]For intelligent men and women to get right with God requires a new understanding of the relationship and how the notion of sin and forgiveness need to be redefined. Each individual is accountable for their own free-will choices, no power in the universe will absolve any person from accountability for their own decisions. If we require forgiveness we must have the capacity to forgive.Sin must be redefined as deliberate disloyalty to Deity. There are degrees of disloyalty: the partial loyalty of indecision; the divided loyalty of confliction; the dying loyalty of indifference; and the death of loyalty exhibited in devotion to godless ideals. [Paper89:10.2, page 984:5]Life’s purpose is to grow a soul this depends on how near or far—close or remote—the connection with the Father. This is a matter of loyalty to Deity.Jesus lived a life of wholehearted loyalty—complete consecration of the soul to the doing of the Father’s will—he lived as in the presence of God. His example inspires us to follow him and do likewise, find God as he did, by free will choosing—wholehearted child-like faith.Sin is deliberate disloyalty to Deity:- partial loyalty—indecision—inability to make satisfactory moral evaluations, requiring strength of character
- divided loyalty—confliction—the attempt to serve two masters
- dying loyalty—indifference—lack of response to spirit motivation
- death of loyalty—devotion to godless ideals—self obsession, identification with materialism.
…The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men. God’s forgiveness in fact is not conditioned upon your forgiving your fellows, but in experience it is exactly so conditioned. And this fact of the synchrony of divine and human forgiveness was thus recognized and linked together in the prayer which Jesus taught the apostles. [Paper146:2.4, page 1638:4]
So we pray, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
A self seeking person cannot circumvent the outworking of the basic law of justice over which even mercy has no influence.
There is a basic law of justice in the universe which mercy is powerless to circumvent. The unselfish glories of Paradise are not possible of reception by a thoroughly selfish creature of the realms of time and space. [Paper146:2.5, page 1638:5]
@Chuck – Christianity would not disappear if it stopped emphasizing The Atonement Doctrine as central to its “religious living”.
Would Judaism? No. So why would Christianity?
Sabinatu wrote: Christianity would not disappear if it stopped emphasizing The Atonement DoctrineJudaism gave origin to Christianity and the failed compromise of atonement Paul introduced did not achieve its intended aim of appealing to Judaism, they already had a culturally sufficient sybmbolic working version of atonement in place.
Pope Francis’ first trip to the U.S. coincides with one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar: Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement.
has its roots with Moses.
Traditionally, Yom Kippur is considered the date on which Moses received the second set of Ten Commandments. It occurred following the completion of the second 40 days of instructions from God. At this same time, the Israelites were granted atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf; hence, its designation as the Day of Atonement.
he much venerated Moses in his robust denunciation of polytheism as manifest in the worship of idols, had the unfortunate consequence of hindering acceptance of the Trinity. The evolution of the God concept in Judaism did however have a three-person-deity in the form of Elohim as preserved by the Sumerian-Chaldean groups who kept alive the teachings of Melchizedek.
Elohim. In Kish and Ur there long persisted Sumerian-Chaldean groups who taught a three-in-one God concept founded on the traditions of the days of Adam and Melchizedek. This doctrine was carried to Egypt, where this Trinity was worshiped under the name of Elohim, or in the singular as Eloah. The philosophic circles of Egypt and later Alexandrian teachers of Hebraic extraction taught this unity of pluralistic Gods, and many of Moses’ advisers at the time of the exodus believed in this Trinity. But the concept of the trinitarian Elohim never became a real part of Hebrew theology until after they had come under the political influence of the Babylonians. [Paper96:1.8, page 1053.6]
Perhaps Judaism could re-discover Elohim?
@Vern – “Perhaps Judaism could re-discover Elohim?
Perhaps not.
“Presented by a Melchizedek of Nebadon”
He is the tough critic of religion that even you believe we need after he makes the case. So let’s go back to a cut and paste job never offered from Paper 92: – “….Evolutionary religion pictures the circuitous gropings of humanity in quest of truth; revelatory religion isthat truth….”.
So the Atonement Doctrine is one of those gropings that comes up empty handed. No truth there about God’s relationship with creation.
So what? Why the well-nigh hysteria in hanging on to it by people who know better? There is a motive. A cynical management of primitivism by those groping for power.
Further on, “….Of all who received the teachings of the one hundred, the red man held them longest, but the idea of a Great Spirit was but a hazy concept in Amerindian religion when Christianity greatly clarified and strengthened it….”.
Fatherhood of God, Brotherhood of Man.
Not sure the “what is torture when greed is good?” cabal of religionists – a small sect but oh so domineering philosophically – is as a religious development? Is it evolutionary, or a personal revelation of humanity’s origin, purpose and destiny that is built on the shoulders of the previous revelations – the five major epochal revelations that – “is that truth”?
Paper 93 – “….But even this cautious innovation was not altogether successful; the various tribes all maintained auxiliary centers on the outskirts of Salem where they offered sacrifices and burnt offerings….”.
That was the failure of the third epochal revelation.
The fifth epochal revelation – The Urantia Book – is firm in not promoting The Atonement Doctrine that attached itself to Christianity. A vigorous case is made to jettison it if Christianity is to continue to “clarify and strengthen” great world religions present on today’s stage.
You are not going to end up being nailed to a cross by living ethically inspired by the spiritual practices Jesus taught. At least you should trust that people living ethically the same way will not be the ones to nail you with sacrifice and affliction (an “atonement” doctrine) while they get to grope for truth in Hedonism, Nihilism, and Anarchy.
The separation of church and state in the formation of the United States was always about keeping RELIGION safe from the reaches of the gropers. Don’t let anyone tell you any different
It’s gotta go. That “atonement” hysteria…you almost wish that those who launch these tyrannical controls of revolution would have a Director with the power to yell, “STOP. You are over-acting!”.
Thoughts to ponder for our mutual edification.
188:5:2 The cross forever shows that the attitude of Jesus toward sinners was neither condemnation nor condonation, but rather eternal and loving salvation. Jesus is truly a savior in the sense that his life and death do win men over to goodness and righteous survival. Jesus loves men so much that his love awakens the response of love in the human heart. Love is truly contagious and eternally creative. Jesus’ death on the cross exemplifies a love which is sufficiently strong and divine to forgive sin and swallow up all evil-doing. Jesus disclosed to this world a higher quality of righteousness than justice — mere technical right and wrong. Divine love does not merely forgive wrongs; it absorbs and actually destroys them. The forgiveness of love utterly transcends the forgiveness of mercy. Mercy sets the guilt of evil-doing to one side; but love destroys forever the sin and all weakness resulting therefrom. Jesus brought a new method of living to Urantia. He taught us not to resist evil but to find through him a goodness which effectually destroys evil. The forgiveness of Jesus is not condonation; it is salvation from condemnation. Salvation does not slight wrongs; it makes them right. True love does not compromise nor condone hate; it destroys it. The love of Jesus is never satisfied with mere forgiveness. The Master’s love implies rehabilitation, eternal survival. It is altogether proper to speak of salvation as redemption if you mean this eternal rehabilitation.Jesus said,141:6:2 “Simon, Simon, how many times have I instructed you to refrain from all efforts to take something out of the hearts of those who seek salvation? How often have I told you to labor only to put something into these hungry souls? Lead men into the kingdom, and the great and living truths of the kingdom will presently drive out all serious error. When you have presented to mortal man the good news that God is his Father, you can the easier persuade him that he is in reality a son of God. And having done that, you have brought the light of salvation to the one who sits in darkness. Simon, when the Son of Man came first to you, did he come denouncing Moses and the prophets and proclaiming a new and better way of life? No. I came not to take away that which you had from your forefathers but to show you the perfected vision of that which your fathers saw only in part. Go then, Simon, teaching and preaching the kingdom, and when you have a man safely and securely within the kingdom, then is the time, when such a one shall come to you with inquiries, to impart instruction having to do with the progressive advancement of the soul within the divine kingdom.”.160:3:5 This new gospel of the kingdom renders a great service to the art of living in that it supplies a new and richer incentive for higher living. It presents a new and exalted goal of destiny, a supreme life purpose. And these new concepts of the eternal and divine goal of existence are in themselves transcendent stimuli, calling forth the reaction of the very best that is resident in man’s higher nature. On every mountaintop of intellectual thought are to be found relaxation for the mind, strength for the soul, and communion for the spirit. From such vantage points of high living, man is able to transcend the material irritations of the lower levels of thinking — worry, jealousy, envy, revenge, and the pride of immature personality. These high-climbing souls deliver themselves from a multitude of the crosscurrent conflicts of the trifles of living, thus becoming free to attain consciousness of the higher currents of spirit concept and celestial communication. But the life purpose must be jealously guarded from the temptation to seek for easy and transient attainment; likewise must it be so fostered as to become immune to the disastrous threats of fanaticism..Beware of those lower levels of thinking. And be of good cheer! We are blessed.Vern, you implied in that last post that all those who believed in the atonement doctrine were only after power, at least that’s what I took from it. While in some cases people who claimed to support that doctrine may have been guilty of that, the majority of Christians hold the atonement doctrine as central to their faith and are not power hungry.
Incidentally, there have been both the devout and the power hungry in every religion, even in our own movement.
As for the one above who I can’t remember right now, the one that asked would the religions of Jewdism and Christianity disappear if that doctrine were removed, I’d have to disagree with you when you said no they would not. To some people in both religions, that is a central doctrine. It is the reason that they hold to that particular religion for what ever reason… especially the more conservative sects.
Here is a question about that by the way. I know this is a bit off topic, but I read on another forum of a Jewish reader of the ub who found great benifit from reading it. Keep in mind that that was second hand, not from the actual reader. Anyway, a Jewish person made a comment to the effect that she was from the more conservative sect of Jewidism and, after siteing the appropriate passage in a document that all adult Jews have to sign if they wish to return to the faith, pointed out that if a Jew actually made profession of the ub, that they would be excommunicated from the jewish community. I didn’t have time to read the entire thread, but it is under the skeptics corner on truthbook if anyone is interested.
Looks like it will be impossible to stay on a topic without the cut and paste slaps. Sigh.
Here’s “fruits” of the Atonement Doctrine:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/islamic-state-apocalyptic-beliefs_56044f37e4b08820d91c21a3?
“Divine love does not merely forgive wrongs; it absorbs and actually destroys them.”
DIVINE LOVE. God LOVE.
Perfection is a process. A LONG process. But there is always a first step – try to leave people alone when you clearly can’t even muster up human “like” for them because that lack of divine love is your fault, not theirs. Simple logic – God distributes His gifts to his children equally, He is not in hiding. So KNOWING all this about God and still hanging on to an Atonement Doctrine is “bearing false witness”. Is it God’s fault there too? Is He not perfect enough in His love for you in order for you to LOVE HIM in return?
And I DEFINITELY have lost patience with using the same quotes from TUB over and over and over and over again that are psychobabble management attempts – the “you are not jesus-enough” schtick…I’m pretty convinced that 99% of Parts I – III went zing over the head of “readers” otherwise why keep getting it wrong – the CONTEXT? Jesus knew all that is in Parts I – III (and so much more) and what Jesus said to the men he chose as his Apostles was an adjustment made to THEIR knowledge in THEIR day – that is why – HOW – Jesus did that is an inspiration to all of Nebadon. The inspiration is to RAISE people by RAISING their knowledge about “Divine Love”….HOW did Jesus raise the Apostles in that understanding?
“4. The Gift of Revelation
92:4.1 (1007.1) Revelation is evolutionary but always progressive. Down through the ages of a world’s history, the revelations of religion are ever-expanding and successively more enlightening. It is the mission of revelation to sort and censor the successive religions of evolution. But if revelation is to exalt and upstep the religions of evolution, then must such divine visitations portray teachings which are not too far removed from the thought and reactions of the age in which they are presented. Thus must and does revelation always keep in touch with evolution. Always must the religion of revelation be limited by man’s capacity of receptivity.
92:4.2 (1007.2) But regardless of apparent connection or derivation, the religions of revelation are always characterized by a belief in some Deity of final value and in some concept of the survival of personality identity after death.
92:4.3 (1007.3) Evolutionary religion is sentimental, not logical. It is man’s reaction to belief in a hypothetical ghost-spirit world — the human belief-reflex, excited by the realization and fear of the unknown. Revelatory religion is propounded by the real spiritual world; it is the response of the superintellectual cosmos to the mortal hunger to believe in, and depend upon, the universal Deities. Evolutionary religion pictures the circuitous gropings of humanity in quest of truth; revelatory religion is that very truth.
92:4.4 (1007.4) There have been many events of religious revelation but only five of epochal significance. These were as follows:
92:4.5 (1007.5) 1. The Dalamatian teachings. The true concept of the First Source and Center was first promulgated on Urantia by the one hundred corporeal members of Prince Caligastia’s staff. This expanding revelation of Deity went on for more than three hundred thousand years until it was suddenly terminated by the planetary secession and the disruption of the teaching regime. Except for the work of Van, the influence of the Dalamatian revelation was practically lost to the whole world. Even the Nodites had forgotten this truth by the time of Adam’s arrival. Of all who received the teachings of the one hundred, the red men held them longest, but the idea of the Great Spirit was but a hazy concept in Amerindian religion when contact with Christianity greatly clarified and strengthened it.
92:4.6 (1007.6) 2. The Edenic teachings. Adam and Eve again portrayed the concept of the Father of all to the evolutionary peoples. The disruption of the first Eden halted the course of the Adamic revelation before it had ever fully started. But the aborted teachings of Adam were carried on by the Sethite priests, and some of these truths have never been entirely lost to the world. The entire trend of Levantine religious evolution was modified by the teachings of the Sethites. But by 2500 B.C. mankind had largely lost sight of the revelation sponsored in the days of Eden.
92:4.7 (1007.7) 3. Melchizedek of Salem. This emergency Son of Nebadon inaugurated the third revelation of truth on Urantia. The cardinal precepts of his teachings were trust and faith. He taught trust in the omnipotent beneficence of God and proclaimed that faith was the act by which men earned God’s favor. His teachings gradually commingled with the beliefs and practices of various evolutionary religions and finally developed into those theologic systems present on Urantia at the opening of the first millennium after Christ.
92:4.8 (1008.1) 4. Jesus of Nazareth. Christ Michael presented for the fourth time to Urantia the concept of God as the Universal Father, and this teaching has generally persisted ever since. The essence of his teaching was love and service, the loving worship which a creature son voluntarily gives in recognition of, and response to, the loving ministry of God his Father; the freewill service which such creature sons bestow upon their brethren in the joyous realization that in this service they are likewise serving God the Father.
92:4.9 (1008.2) 5. The Urantia Papers. The papers, of which this is one, constitute the most recent presentation of truth to the mortals of Urantia. These papers differ from all previous revelations, for they are not the work of a single universe personality but a composite presentation by many beings. But no revelation short of the attainment of the Universal Father can ever be complete. All other celestial ministrations are no more than partial, transient, and practically adapted to local conditions in time and space. While such admissions as this may possibly detract from the immediate force and authority of all revelations, the time has arrived on Urantia when it is advisable to make such frank statements, even at the risk of weakening the future influence and authority of this, the most recent of the revelations of truth to the mortal races of Urantia.”
The Atonement Doctrine went from the individual trying to buy forgiveness to people not even asking for forgiveness for their individual transgressions because Jesus is the ultimate scapegoat – he DIED for my sins so I do not even have to ask for forgiveness – I can cheerily accuse anyone trying to talk about applying human Rule of Law as being not jesus-like….and if that fails, I can definitely buy the right “judgement” with the vast stolen wealth I own, right?
I did mention that the CONTEXT of Part IV will reveal a different take on what Jesus SAID (never wrote anything down, must have known about the twisted psychology of the cut and paste crowd) if you take in Parts I – III as the REVEALED context
Paper 93 – 4. The Salem Religion
Rule of Law was built carefully and experientially on the shoulders of all the greatness that came before – “….You shall not bear false witness, You shall not kill, You shall not steal…”
Do not even DARE to bring up the “Disrespect” law – we are PEERS, fellow readers are NOT “parents and elders” with a nefarious agenda for “end times”.
I am laying down the “Law” card. I have the God-given right to freedom of religion which is impossible without freedom of “speech” (all human expressions of “love”, if you will, imperfect as they are). Fairness, Justice, Mercy – all ASPECTS of Divine Love – the FOUNDATION of the Rule of Law.
@Chuck – I think you would really enjoy reading Paper 92 in regards to “religion” as a mind endowment – 92:2.3 (1004.6) When modern man wonders at the presentation of so much in the scriptures of different religions that may be regarded as obscene, he should pause to consider that passing generations have feared to eliminate what their ancestors deemed to be holy and sacred. A great deal that one generation might look upon as obscene, preceding generations have considered a part of their accepted mores, even as approved religious rituals. A considerable amount of religious controversy has been occasioned by the never-ending attempts to reconcile olden but reprehensible practices with newly advanced reason, to find plausible theories in justification of creedal perpetuation of ancient and outworn customs.IMO, take the people to court that are attempting to deny religious freedom to anyone else in USA – these “anti” wha’ever PC lists are ILLEGAL in USA. And the FACT that everyone fears to get on that list is only proof of the iniquitous, barbaric, and murderous souls that keep such lists…do they even deserve to live in USA when they FLAUNT the breaking of USA’s freedom of religion laws?
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What a sad, if persistent, display of shrill self righteousness and personal attack on others. I wonder how long this community must abide and give soap box to one who brags about being dismissed from other forums and then demonstrates precisely why. No one here, or anywhere, cares about your hate mongering politics. We clearly understand those whom you blame and those who are the source of your great anger and disappointment. But such ranting and pontificating is pure childishness, a perpetual tantrum of self association. Perhaps if you capped ALL your letters, you could shout at us even LOUDER!
For certainly you could not be any ruder or offer any greater insults than you have already shared with us here. Who cares to convert Christians or condemn them or their leaders and who might care less about your narrow minded and misguided politics? You’re “beginning” to be a bit of a bore and seem to have nothing significant to contribute BESIDES your ill informed opinions about others and how to “fix” all that is wrong with others. Wish my beams were in my ears rather than my eye to help quiet down the sound of you screaming at us at every turn. We are simply not worthy of such attention as you grace us with here.
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Total solidarity with you Bradley,
…if moderators apply the policy of this site it will give us opportunities to experience oneness as is expect to be.
BUT
it’s been a while my complaints wont budge nothing (exception; Julian reply kindly to update me and consensus among doers of truths ).
I agree we must show patience but here is a case where “Sabinatu” by his wrong attitude cause many to go somewhere else.It cause dissension among us and symptoms wondering if “we are the friend of this readers UB or if not , feel sad” Hey brothers and sisters, we are a Family …. a Family who the Father is God. Ask me if I care to be friend or not of any UB’s lectors? I cherish more and value our brotherhood and sisterhood.
For sure once in a while we will be on different point of view and stand for it …. it’s OK … it is part of the experience to be or not United.
so … let’s send to his room Sabinatu mumble on this and see if after a month he will be back to a better attitude and repentant mode.
Enough is enough.
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