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Journal – February 2016

We’re a little late with this first quarterly issue of the Journal for 2016 but here it is choc-a-bloc with some wonderful reading material! This is the online version; we now produce this publication in the usual PDF format as well as in this online format. If you would like to view it in PDF click here.

In This Issue

Journal Editorial – February 2016

Suzanne Kelly, USA

Suzanne-editorialGreetings fellow Journal readers,

In this first edition of the Journal for 2016 we have four intellectual and spiritually challenging essays for the edification of your mind, body and spirit.  Our opening essay God the Great Supervisor is by Marc Belleau, Canada.  Marc takes on the worldwide held belief that God is responsible for everything man endures and smartly and kindly shows us otherwise. Since we are fully capable of entangling ourselves in tight situations without any external help, do we really need to believe that God sends us additional challenges to top the mistakes we are already making? Marc takes another look at the accidents of time and the consequences of our actions by scrutinizing the wrath and unloving actions of a punisher God vs. that of a true loving Father God. Wisely concluding, Our imperfection and immaturity are amply sufficient to supply us with all the trying times we are to face during our existence. However, we can learn to use our mistakes as multiple springboards toward higher levels of wisdom.

Our second contributor and most excellent Spanish Translator for the Journal, Olga Lopez takes us back to school and teaches us a valuable lesson on our mission as readers and believers of The Urantia Book in Reflections for teachers and believers in the fifth epochal revelation.  Starting with the teachings of Jesus Olga restates them in modern language to make them more deliverable to those who are seeking but who have not found The Urantia Book.  Restating the following: Always respect the personality of man. Never should a righteous cause be promoted by force; spiritual victories can be won only by spiritual power… [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:4] to: In modern language,  No matter how much we think the book’s teachings are very superior compared to any other doctrine, religion, or thinking, we should never impose them on anyone, for thus we are not respecting their personality, their path, or their free will.  Along with all of the valuable restatements she shares with us, I think the one that stands above them all, is Service is not about self-denial or sacrifice, but doing good to others with a sincere smile in our faces!

Our third contributor is long time reader, Carolyn Kendall, whose father introduced her to The Urantia Book in 1951. She has been studying the book ever since. Her essay on The Rehabilitation of Urantia encompasses the past and the future understanding, Our revelation is a unique and comprehensive undertaking, compared with revelatory bestowals on “normal planets.” The unusual form of this revelation—a book—fits well with our guinea pig status as an experimental world.  From the Divine Perfection plans, up through the Melchidezek bestowals and seraphic planetary supervision she educates us on what is entailed in bringing a planet in quarantine to its shining place in light and life and how we are an integral part of its success.

Bob Ghen our final author has taken on the toughest part of The Urantia Book in his essay On Studying the Foreword to The Urantia Book. Truly an epic task on our own, the Foreword was also daunting for Bob, but he finally realized, It is self-evident that in-depth study of  The Urantia Book is a lifetime project. So much more of the revelators’ intended meaning can reveal itself with even a fledgling grasp of the Foreword. It all starts with that first leg up; an intellectual boost that initiates the understanding scaffolding upon which ever higher concepts can grow. One that soon opens into an enlightening new, experiential sphere of progressive cosmic comprehension. He refers to Bill Sadler Jr, in his grasping of the real meanings and finally deduces that a focused study of The Foreword is one of the wisest investments of time and effort possible in this life.

Happy and enlightened reading…

Suzanne Kelly
skelly@wtmi.net

P.S. I  am currently seeking Assistant Editors, Proofers, and as always Submissions!

Note: All submissions must follow quotation guidelines when using quotes from The Urantia Book;  e.g. [Paper 141:4.2, page 1590:5]

God the Great Supervisor

Marc Belleau, Canada

Justice StatueThere is a belief, well spread in many religious movements, stating that the tribulations we experience through the course of our terrestrial life have been sent by God to put us on trial and help us progress in spirituality. Humanity has always attributed to some celestial personalities the account for the extra-ordinary events of life, especially those for which we have no control or explanation. I often heard my grand-mother say, when someone would die, that God needed him on the other side. But let us ask ourselves this simple question: would our celestial father send sickness to one of his children so as to have him gain compassion, or put a powerful man in bankruptcy to have him understand what humility is? Imagine, for example, that a terrestrial father burns the fingers of his child to make him understand that he should not play with fire. No intelligent being would do such a thing and I think it is the same with God. Never does the celestial father voluntarily send calamities to test and aggrandise his creation. God is not a tyrant!

It is our personal and collective decisions, coupled with the accidents of time, which entail the consequences through which we have to struggle. Personal decisions are those  that we have the most control over. For example, we can decide to not physically exercise regularly but this augments the risk of aging with handicaps. Collective decisions are constituent of the orientations we indulge in as a society and which has influence on the fate of each individual. Generally speaking, we have less control on these decisions. For example, the latitude given to the fuel industry by our governments leads us to worldwide disruptions. We can cast an arbitrary vote on these political parties who favor such action, but when such people are elected by majority, the planet as a whole suffers from the consequences. And finally, there are the accidents of time on which we have no control. My mother suffered from macular degeneration. Upon aging, her eyesight diminished to that of semi-sighted. She is not personally responsible for this situation. She was just born with less performing eyes; it’s a genetic factor.

…“The Father in heaven does not willingly afflict the children of men. Man suffers, first, from the accidents of time and the imperfections of the evil of an immature physical existence. Next, he suffers the inexorable consequences of sin — the transgression of the laws of life and light. And finally, man reaps the harvest of his own iniquitous persistence in rebellion against the righteous rule of heaven on earth. But man’s miseries are not a personal visitation of divine judgment…” [Paper 148:6.11 page 1664:3]

It is not the Father’s intention to torment his creation for any thinkable reason. The previous quote teaches us a bit more on the origin of our terrestrial tribulations. The consequences of our choosing are a product of three different causes:

  • Our imperfection: immaturity, the lack of judgement, knowledge and experience.
  • The inescapable consequences of sin: the transgression of divine laws. We are aware of things we should not do, we have sufficient insight to make the right decisions but we none-the-less choose the wrong path, whether it be by laziness, procrastination, cowardice, or any other weakness.
  • Rebellion against the sovereignty of heaven: it is the love of what is evil. When we repeatedly choose to do wrong, we make a habit of it and our vision on reality is distorted. Instead of blending with God—source of reality, we come to akin with evil which is vowed to vanish in its time.

The trials in our life are direct consequences of the transgression of divine laws. We all know the famous saying:  “The act is ours, the consequences God’s.” And so the universe may effectively function we must establish the rules that individuals must submit to. Should it be otherwise, it would be anarchy and chaos. These rules allow knowing the rights and the limits of liberty of each member of the group, their function and the authority they may make use of, etc. When we transgress these rules voluntarily or by lack of experience, we receive the kickback attached to them. The management of the laws which govern the universe of universes is in the hands of the Paradise Trinity.

All law takes origin in the First Source and Center; he is law. The administration of spiritual law inheres in the Second Source and Center. The revelation of law, the promulgation and interpretation of the divine statutes, is the function of the Third Source and Center. The application of law, justice, falls within the province of the Paradise Trinity and is carried out by certain Sons of the Trinity. [Paper 16:6.1 page 114:2]

In Greco-Roman mythology, justice is personified by Methis, a woman holding a scale and whose eyes are covered with a headband, a symbol of impartiality. This illustration says much on the nature of justice. Indeed, she presents the facts in open light without consideration of the individual. She does not seek to understand the motives of the concerned party; this role being rather attributed to Mercy. Justice oversees the rules to be applied; it assures harmony among the whole by regulating the individual. It is always managed by groups of personalities.

 Justice is inherent in the universal sovereignty of the Paradise Trinity, but goodness, mercy, and truth are the universe ministry of the divine personalities, whose Deity union constitutes the Trinity. Justice is not the attitude of the Father, the Son, or the Spirit. Justice is the Trinity attitude of these personalities of love, mercy, and ministry. No one of the Paradise Deities fosters the administration of justice. Justice is never a personal attitude; it is always a plural function. [Paper 10:6.2 page 114:3]

Although justice is precise and efficient it is always tempered through divine mercy. In his personal relationship with each of his creatures, God as a father does not judge his children. Upon death, our Adjusters do not decree our survival, this rather is in the hands of three Stationary Sons: a Universal Sensor, a Perfector of Wisdom and a Divine Counselor; this judicial trio operates at the constellation level and is the perfect judgement of the Paradise Trinity. While justice is an administrative function managed by groups of personalities, mercy is always an individual and personal attitude.

“…Mercy ministry is always the work of the individual, but justice punishment is the function of the social, governmental, or universe administrative groups. As an individual I am beholden to show mercy…’’ [Paper 133:1.2 page 1469.1]

Stern FatherThe celestial Father is merciful because he personally and intimately knows the course of each of his children. This knowledge permits him to judge, in all fairness, the happenings within his universe. This same mercy is expressed through the attitude of the Thought Adjusters as they bear the consequences of our most foolish actions and, in reality, they do more than that. Using the consequences of our mistakes, and to the extent that we accept to reflect on our experience, they teach us the right way and the better path. In more down to earth terms, we put our feet in the dish and the Adjuster utilises these occurrences to develop our character and personality; but in any case the Father does not send trials to his progeny! In reality, he has no need to do so since we are fully capable of entangling ourselves in tight situations without any external help. Do we really need to believe that God sends us additional challenges to top the mistakes we are already making?

The Adjusters make a wise and positive use of these life experiences which to us sometimes seem recurrent. But isn’t that one of the loveliest expressions of divine intelligence, a habit of God transforming the errors of his children into opportunities of apprenticeship and growth? Let’s think of the rebellion that took place in our constellation. Our celestial Father, with sagacity, presently utilises the outcome (isolation of the planet, absence of the Planetary Prince’s government, and the cultural quarters of the planetary Adam and Eve) in liaison with the rebel sinners involved in this apparent catastrophe, while preparing and forming creatures with unshakeable faith, beings that will function in conditions where sublime confidence in divine providence is required to succeed. Our celestial Father has the power to transform evil into something much grander, nobler and more beautiful. In his image, we too can do the same. Choosing to learn from our trying times allows us to grow while giving us the feeling that we control our lives. We do not have to bear the consequences of our errors; we can learn to use them.

Teaching that catastrophes, sickness and any tribulation we encounter within our life span are sent by the celestial Father with the intent of affirming our character is to make him responsible for everything happening to us. In doing so, we project a false image of the loving character of our celestial Father. God certainly uses our misjudgements to help us grow, but never and for any reason does he cast trials to his children. Our imperfection and immaturity are amply sufficient to supply us with all the trying times we are to face during our existence. However, we can learn to use our mistakes as multiple springboards toward higher levels of wisdom.

 “…All too often there has prevailed a tendency to ascribe to God the responsibility for everything which ignorant man fails to understand. The Father is not personally responsible for all you may fail to comprehend. Do not doubt the love of the Father just because some just and wise law of his ordaining chances to afflict you because you have innocently or deliberately transgressed such a divine ordinance.’’ [Paper 148:5.4 page 1662:1]

Reflections for Teachers and Believers in the Fifth Epochal Revelation

Olga López, Spain

The Teacher-handsThe fourth epochal revelation—the one brought by our Creator Son to his world under the human identity of Jesus of Nazareth—is very closely related to the next one, the fifth epochal revelation contained in The Urantia Book. That may be why, when we read Part IV of the book, we cannot help feeling the midwayers in charge of the revelation of the life and teachings of Jesus are not just describing the facts of the seventh bestowal of Michael of Nebadon, but also conveying very valuable insights for the success of the fifth epochal revelation.

More precisely, there is a section in Paper 159—The Decapolis Tour—titled “Instruction for Teachers and Believers” that is worth a thorough study. These instructions were a part of a speech that Jesus gave to “guide those who preach truth” and to “activate all who teach the gospel of the kingdom” [Paper 159:3.1, page 1765:3]

Therefore, I invite you to reflect with me on each one of these paragraphs containing these deep teachings. Probably many other meanings, other thoughts, will come to your minds, and I would love you to share them with me. The most important thing here is to grasp the truth, beauty, and goodness in these teachings, and to convey them in our daily living.

Let’s start with these teachings of Jesus, summarized and stated in modern language:

Always respect the personality of man. Never should a righteous cause be promoted by force; spiritual victories can be won only by spiritual power… [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:4]

The late Spanish philosopher Jose Luis Aranguren, said in his essay Ética (Ethics): “We should never fight in an unfair way, not even against unfairness.” And this is completely true. We cannot use illicit methods to convey what is licit to us. And the use of force is, indeed, an illicit method that does not respect at all the unique personality of each one of our fellows.

No matter how much we think the book’s teachings are very superior compared to any other doctrine, religion, or thinking; we should never impose them on anyone, in doing so we are not respecting their personality, their path, their free will.

… Overpowering arguments and mental superiority are not to be employed to coerce men and women into the kingdom… [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:4]

Let’s be honest. How many times were we compelled to feel superior just to know a revelation that is very little known in the world today? And how many times have we felt the urge of using sarcasm or hurtful comments in front of people that don’t believe or think the same as we do?

… While emotion as a factor in human decisions cannot be wholly eliminated, it should not be directly appealed to in the teachings of those who would advance the cause of the kingdom… [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:4]

This insight is most valuable to me. It reminds me immediately the Christian churches and their use of human emotions, in order to strengthen the bonds among the members of the community of believers and—above all—between the members and the religious teachers. I think we should be alert and careful and follow the guidelines the Master gave to us.

… Make your appeals directly to the divine spirit that dwells within the minds of men. Do not appeal to fear, pity, or mere sentiment… [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:4]

These resources above mentioned are just the most used by institutionalized religions, among which Christianity—the religion about Jesus—is not an exception. How many times were we threatened to the eternal punishment of hell if we “commit sin?” How many times did we feel pity when told about the benefits of penitence, emphasizing for example the suffering experienced by martyrs in the early Christianity?

Since we are in charge of disseminating the glad tidings, we should take into account always that our fellows have also a divine spark within, their Thought Adjusters. Just for that they deserve our respect and consideration. Let’s think of them as pilgrims of time and space, because this is just what they are. They, and us.

… In appealing to men, be fair; exercise self-control and exhibit due restraint; show proper respect for the personalities of your pupils. Remember that I have said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and if any man will open, I will come in.   [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:4]

This is the attitude! We should not come into a house if its owner does not give permission to us. People value very much that their freedom of thinking—and acting—is to be respected. This is the red line we must never cross when disseminating the revelation; otherwise we wouldn’t be consistent with the teachings of true freedom that the fifth revelation offers to us.

Have you noticed how many good, beautiful, and true teachings are in this paragraph? And this is only the first one!

In bringing men into the kingdom, do not lessen or destroy their self-respect. While overmuch self-respect may destroy proper humility and end in pride, conceit, and arrogance, the loss of self-respect often ends in paralysis of the will. It is the purpose of this gospel to restore self-respect to those who have lost it and to restrain it in those who have it… [Paper 159:3.2, page 1765:5]

Even though it may sound commonplace, it’s fundamental to love oneself first in order to love and serve the others. As one of my favorite quote says, “Love is the desire to do good to others,” and to do good to others means help them to progress, to become more than they are now, and for that end, it’s fundamental to keep their self-esteem high enough. We should take into account these people may love and serve the others in turn, so that they can spread the benign virus of love. This is what Jesus’ gospel is about.

…Make not the mistake of only condemning the wrongs in the lives of your pupils; remember also to accord generous recognition for the most praiseworthy things in their lives. Forget not that I will stop at nothing to restore self-respect to those who have lost it, and who really desire to regain it.   [Paper 159:3.3, page 1765:5]

The Master applied this rule of behavior, and we should do that too. How many times do we regret or criticize what we think other people do in a wrong way! We are too generous with criticisms and too greedy with compliments! It’s not that we have to praise every trifle, but everybody has their good points to recognize and we should make our fellows feel appreciated and valuable. Who could resist a sincere compliment? Thus people will have a more receptive attitude immediately.

Take care that you do not wound the self-respect of timid and fearful souls. Do not indulge in sarcasm at the expense of my simple-minded brethren. Be not cynical with my fear-ridden children.   [Paper 159:3.4, page 1765:6]

I know very well how difficult is for timid people to express their ideas and thoughts in front of others. If we, on top of that, wear them out emotionally and intellectually using sarcasm, not only their self-esteem would be damaged, but also they will be even more reluctant to open their hearts, by fear of being hurt. That’s why it’s so important to listen and to have a loving attitude so that they feel confident. Sarcasm and irony are very appealing resources, because they put the person who uses them in a position of intellectual superiority, but it’s not about feeling superior, but helping others to see the treasures of the temple by themselves.

Idleness is destructive of self-respect; therefore, admonish your brethren ever to keep busy at their chosen tasks, and put forth every effort to secure work for those who find themselves without employment. [Paper 159:3.4, page 1765:6]

Even though we may think it’s better to live doing nothing, work really dignifies people, and there is no more destructive thing for self-esteem than being unemployed. That’s why one way to help the others is to help them in finding a way to keep them busy – a job that makes them happy and useful for their families and society.

It’s good to make The Urantia Book teachings known, but we should not forget that they are about helping the others in what they may need. Even if these needs are mundane, they are also necessary and we should not ignore them.

Never be guilty of such unworthy tactics as endeavoring to frighten men and women into the kingdom. A loving father does not frighten his children into yielding obedience to his just requirements.   [Paper 159:3.5, page 1766:1]

Once more, we should not use illicit tactics to achieve licit ends, because this invalidates our good intentions automatically. Fear never is or can be a licit tactic and, if the Father does not use it with us—since he is a loving Father—then we should not use it with our brothers and sisters. No one should be forced to enter the kingdom, no matter how good this would be for them. The free will of our fellows is sacred, as is ours. As the Master said a few paragraphs before, we have to show them the door and invite them to come in, never to drag them in. The respect towards the free will of the others is an act of love to them.

Sometime the children of the kingdom will realize that strong feelings of emotion are not equivalent to the leadings of the divine spirit. To be strongly and strangely impressed to do something or to go to a certain place, does not necessarily mean that such impulses are the leadings of the indwelling spirit. [Paper 159:3.6, page 1766:2]

Too often this is really hard to tell. We feel many times urges within us that we assume are coming from the leading of our Thought Adjusters, but to what extent is this true? It’s very easy to attribute the impulsive urges driving us to act on the leading Thought Adjuster. How can we know if these urges come from the divine spirit within? In this case, we must use our own insight and – if this is not enough—ask our Father for discernment to identify the leading of the Adjuster among all our impressions.

Forewarn all believers regarding the fringe of conflict which must be traversed by all who pass from the life as it is lived in the flesh to the higher life as it is lived in the spirit. To those who live quite wholly within either realm, there is little conflict or confusion, but all are doomed to experience more or less uncertainty during the times of transition between the two levels of living. [Paper 159:3.7, page 1766:3]

Now I would like to invite you to reflect on what has been and is your experience concerning the conflict between material and spiritual life. I believe all of us, since committed to the spreading of the fifth epochal revelation, wish to give more importance to spiritual life and we strive for living in its kingdom and being farther and farther from material life, but this struggle is not easy. We live in a material world with all its demands pushing us, whether real or fictitious. Life is a continuous and tiresome horse-trading but—if we want and by communing with our Father—we can make struggle less intense so the spiritual side of life will eventually win.

We all have to go through that, because it’s part of the condition of mortal creatures of time and space, and we should not feel discouraged if the material part wins the battle in a certain moment of our lives. The most important thing is to be aware that we must work hard and are not alone in this, because the divine guide is within our minds just to spiritualize us. We must not be too hard with ourselves!

… In entering the kingdom, you cannot escape its responsibilities or avoid its obligations, but remember: The gospel yoke is easy and the burden of truth is light. [Paper 159:3.7, page 1766:3]

As people committed to the task of spreading of the fifth revelation—people who want to be part of the kingdom which the Master spoke of—we are aware that ignorance is not an excuse for us. We know who we are, where we come from, and where we go—and the dual fact of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man makes our lives consistent with this. The Master does not ask for our intellectual consent towards this dual truth, but he asks for living this truth each and every moment in our lives. It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible either, as long as we make this truth ours in a way that living accordingly it becomes as natural and automatic as using our native language. It’s true that we had learned it as children, but we did it in a natural way and now we use it more than satisfactorily to express our ideas and feelings. Our progressive spiritualization works in a very similar way as learning our native language. We have to practice daily, using the reinforcement of a regular connection with our Adjuster by prayer and meditation, and one day our reactions will be automatic, we won’t even be aware of thinking “I have to do this because this is the right thing to do.” Furthermore, we won’t feel as restrained or deprived. The Master does not ask for self-denial or sacrifice, but making the kingdom real within us and putting it in practice with joy.

The world is filled with hungry souls who famish in the very presence of the bread of life; men die searching for the very God who lives within them. Men seek for the treasures of the kingdom with yearning hearts and weary feet when they are all within the immediate grasp of living faith… [Paper 159:5.8, page 1766:4]

These words reminded me the episode in which Jesus and Ganid helped a lost child to find his mother. Let’s remember here the words of the Master:

“You know, Ganid, most human beings are like the lost child. They spend much of their time crying in fear and suffering in sorrow when, in very truth, they are but a short distance from safety and security, even as this child was only a little way from home. And all those who know the way of truth and enjoy the assurance of knowing God should esteem it a privilege, not a duty, to offer guidance to their fellows in their efforts to find the satisfactions of living. Did we not supremely enjoy this ministry of restoring the child to his mother? So do those who lead men to God experience the supreme satisfaction of human service.” [Paper 132:6.1, page 1465:5]

Why are we, human beings, so stubborn, and insist on searching outside what we already have inside? Maybe because the inner search is the most difficult one, as paradoxical it may sound. But I add the other idea appearing in this paragraph of Paper 132: to those who know God, it must be a privilege and a duty to help the others to know God. This is just what service is about.

… Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship; it is an addition of power, not an added burden of life. There is but one struggle for those who enter the kingdom, and that is to fight the good fight of faith. The believer has only one battle, and that is against doubt — unbelief. [Paper 159:5.8, page 1766:4]

Faith provides the conviction that there is a higher reality, and the hope which gives to us provides also the energy to face the life hardships.  Of course, there are always moments in which faith may weaken. We live in a world where there is too much unfairness, life can be very hard sometimes, and it’s very easy to feel discouraged, to fall into pessimism, and to question ourselves whether what we believe is real or just a beautiful tale to make our life easier to bear. But, if our faith resists doubt and disbelief, nothing can defeat us: we will be able to fly higher and beyond all the mud of the mundane existence. And misfortune, if we ever experience it, is not going to get to us because faith makes us stronger. Faith is our distinguishing mark as agondonters!

In preaching the gospel of the kingdom, you are simply teaching friendship with God. And this fellowship will appeal alike to men and women in that both will find that which most truly satisfies their characteristic longings and ideals… [Paper 159:5.8, page 1766:5]

I want to highlight here how original and new were the Master’s words concerning the idea of God at that time. The Jews—the people with the most progressive religion then—thought of Yahweh, their God, as an Almighty Being who they must fear in order to not to be victims of his anger. Here, the Master is saying that preaching the gospel is “teaching friendship with God”—no more, no less. Therefore, our Father is not only our Creator but our friend, someone who knows us better than we do ourselves, and someone to trust in. Because he loves us and wants the best for us. Jesus brought God closer to us than any other person did. Who can be closer to us than a friend—Father? Thinking of God this way gives us strength to think that no matter if the rest of humanity leaves us: there is someone that never will, and in addition, he will make us be more than we are now.

… Tell my children that I am not only tender of their feelings and patient with their frailties, but that I am also ruthless with sin and intolerant of iniquity. I am indeed meek and humble in the presence of my Father, but I am equally and relentlessly inexorable where there is deliberate evil-doing and sinful rebellion against the will of my Father in heaven. [Paper 159:5.8, page 1766:5]

One thing is the attitude that divine beings have before personal beings, and another thing is the attitude towards a deliberate transgression to the Father’s will. As a Divine Counselor says in Paper 2:

God loves the sinner and hates the sin: such a statement is true philosophically, but God is a transcendent personality, and persons can only love and hate other persons. Sin is not a person (…) The love of God saves the sinner; the law of God destroys the sin… [Paper 2:6.8, page 41:6]

Rodan of Alexandria said about the Master:

“He strongly loves goodness and equally hates sin” [Paper 161:2.6, page 1786:1].

That’s why the reaction of divine beings is always firm against sin, even though it’s also true that they always keep a merciful and loving attitude towards creatures, being led astray or not.

You shall not portray your teacher as a man of sorrows. Future generations shall know also the radiance of our joy, the buoyancy of our good will, and the inspiration of our good humor. We proclaim a message of good news which is infectious in its transforming power. Our religion is throbbing with new life and new meanings. Those who accept this teaching are filled with joy and in their hearts are constrained to rejoice evermore. Increasing happiness is always the experience of all who are certain about God. [Paper 159:3.10, page 1766:6]

How far is joy from the religion which claims to be the bearer of Jesus’ message! How much emphasis is made in the suffering of crucifixion, in the importance of penitence, sacrifice, and self-denial to gain salvation, and how little importance is given to the joy of resurrection! Resurrection that all of us—not only Jesus—will experience one day, sooner or later. In this speech, the Master mentions joy many times as a life attitude before hardships. And this has to be our attitude! If we know as we do that death is not the end, that the lack of justice and the evil on this world are little black stains on a white canvas, then how could we not be joyous? If we see black stains too big, then we must look at them from a bigger distance. Thus we will see that living is not only easier to bear, but also material existence does not look a heavy burden to us anymore. It’s important to insist on what is really important: attitude, and how you look at it.

Teach all believers to avoid leaning upon the insecure props of false sympathy. You cannot develop strong characters out of the indulgence of self-pity; honestly endeavor to avoid the deceptive influence of mere fellowship in misery. Extend sympathy to the brave and courageous while you withhold overmuch pity from those cowardly souls who only halfheartedly stand up before the trials of living. Offer not consolation to those who lie down before their troubles without a struggle. Sympathize not with your fellows merely that they may sympathize with you in return. [Paper 159:3.11, page 1766:7]

In this paragraph, Jesus talks about avoiding false sympathy as well as self-pity. I think this deserves a bit more of discussion.

What is the meaning of “sympathy?” According to the Merriam-Webster, one of its meanings is “the character or fact of being sensitive to or affected by another’s emotions, experiences, or especially sorrows.”Concerning false sympathy, we may say this sensitiveness toward sorrows is false, it is just for show and it’s not truly felt. But this paragraph also talks about poorly understood sympathy, that is, when we felt pity towards someone who does not deserve it.

But who deserves sympathy? We may mean those who experience difficult situations and do something to solve them. People who wait for others to solve their problems, people who do nothing more than complaining and blame everything and everyone for their misfortune just don’t deserve sympathy.

As of self-pity, what do we really intend by pitying ourselves? Maybe that the others pity us? Maybe do we want to justify our limitations or to blame the others for our failures? What do we want the others pity us for? Maybe this way we become something better, or this makes the others want us more? Or is it just to get the perfect excuse for not progressing, not growing?

A true believer in the kingdom—a follower of the religion OF Jesus—will never fall into self-pity. How could they do it since they live life with joy, they do their best to be strong before hardships?

When my children once become self-conscious of the assurance of the divine presence, such a faith will expand the mind, ennoble the soul, reinforce the personality, augment the happiness, deepen the spirit perception, and enhance the power to love and be loved. [Paper 159:3.12, page 1766:8]

All the believers in the religion of Jesus—and, of course, in the fifth revelation—must have in mind the benefits of having a divine spark within us—a little piece of the Universal Father inside our minds:

a) Faith expands our minds: we are not talking about blind faith, the impulsive consent to statements made by other people or holy texts. Living faith —reasoned faith—makes us more open-minded always, because Truth can be everywhere. Those who have faith in realities beyond human existence are seekers by definition.

b) Faith ennobles the soul: we are sons and daughters of God by faith, and therefore we see the others as sons and daughters of God as well, as our brothers and sisters.

c) Faith reinforces our personality: faith makes us face life better, for we know there are better things to expect than what we are experiencing now in this life.

d) Faith augments our happiness: The hope that faith gives to us makes us happier even in objectively hard situations. It’s not about the happiness that money or other material things supposedly give, but a more profound and lasting happiness which does not depend on something as volatile and fleeting as our material welfare.

e) Faith deepens our spirit perception: learning by faith that we have within us a Father fragment makes us be alert towards its divine guidance, strive for keeping in tune with it. This makes us more receptive to spiritual values.

f) Faith enhances our power to love and be loved: how could we not love someone having a divine spark within? All humans with normal minds are endowed with this divine gift of the heavenly Father. We may be different, physically and intellectually, but we have the same spiritual endowment, the same potential to reach Paradise and to stand at the very presence of God.

Now, let’s go to the last paragraph of Jesus’ teachings in this section:

Teach all believers that those who enter the kingdom are not thereby rendered immune to the accidents of time or to the ordinary catastrophes of nature… [Paper 159:5.13, page 1767:1]

We tend to believe that having the privilege to know the marvelous teachings of The Urantia Book makes us “the ones,” or the chosen people with a special mission, and this implies to have some kind of immunity against the hardships of human existence, either natural or provoked by humans. And this is true… but only partially.

In my opinion, it’s not by chance that we and not others have found this book. In these early years of the dissemination of the fifth revelation teachings, I have the feeling that someone “up there” fostered that a group of truth-seekers—initially small—found these teachings. In all the years that I have been in contact with other readers, I read—and listened to—many stories about readers finding the book in very odd situations—even supernatural. On other occasions, this discovery happened after a strong crisis, after asking mentally for help, or after long years searching everywhere. Some knew of the book but they left it on a shelf for years. And one thing is true: everyone finds the book in the right moment: not before, not after.

So I think it’s true we were chosen, but it does not imply we belong to some privileged elite, meaning that life hardships are not going to knock our door anymore. For example, I remember Dr. Lena Sadler, Dr. Sadler’s wife. She believed in the veracity of the Urantia revelation since the very beginning, but she died from cancer and even suffered the amputation of one arm years before due to a medical error. She also suffered the loss of a daughter, and this is the worst experience one can have as a parent. I would not qualify her personal life as easy, regardless her success in his family and professional life.

I truly believe that if we were chosen it’s because we have the ability to feel the impulse of the glad tidings of the revelation, that our minds are fertile ground so teachings can blossom and bear fruit. So yes, we were chosen, but to work hard, not to gain public fame and recognition.

But I would dare to nuance these statements: we are not immune to hardships, true, but our attitude towards them and the fact to see them as they are, fleeting setbacks that visit us in time and space, makes that these setbacks are becoming less and less frequent. Somehow it’s like we have already learned that lesson. And what is the point in repeating a lesson that we have already learnt?

… Believing the gospel will not prevent getting into trouble, but it will insure that you shall be unafraid when trouble does overtake you. If you dare to believe in me and wholeheartedly proceed to follow after me, you shall most certainly by so doing enter upon the sure pathway to trouble. I do not promise to deliver you from the waters of adversity, but I do promise to go with you through all of them. [Paper 159:5.13, page 1767:1]

Here, the Master makes a remark that we should not overlook: the way to the kingdom is not a bed of roses, not only due to the difficulties inherent to it, but also because we take the risk to become an inconvenience to other human beings, to be in the eye of the hurricane in front of all those who want to subdue the others by fear and blind consent to their truths. Jesus of Nazareth lived firsthand the outcome to preach the truth of the gospel and, even though no one dies on the cross nowadays or is burnt in a bonfire, there are many ways to harm people: mocking, discredit, social isolation, etc.

In this stage of the dissemination of the revelation, all those who believe in the truth contained in The Urantia Book teachings pass more or less unnoticed. We are still very few. But there will be a time when we will be under the public eye, and we should be prepared by then.

But we should not be discouraged by these present and future setbacks. When we use cosmic perspective, temporal disgraces shrink, they become relative. Spiritual progress of mankind may be slow and winding, but it’s on its way. We may take two steps forward and one step back, but eventually the final outcome will be positive. Furthermore, we are not alone; we have many celestial beings and many other spiritual aids walking with us: the Thought Adjuster, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the adjutant mind-spirits… Not even one human being on this planet is totally and completely alone, no matter all their fellows have left them on their own.

Summary

Once we got here, and after analyzing the Master’s words on this section, I would like to synthesize the most important ideas—in my opinion—about what Jesus said to the teachers and believers of his time, in order to apply this to the fifth revelation and its teachers and believers here and now.

  1. Making the teachings known is not enough: we must have the teachings within us.

If there is something which automatically discredits people claiming themselves as religionists is doing just the opposite to what they claim to believe. If we commit ourselves to make The Urantia Book teachings known, it’s useless to give impressive speeches or write long essays about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men if we don’t make this dual principle the foundation for our daily living. If there is something that people tell immediately is the inconsistency between our words and our doings, and those listening to us will think—with good reason—it’s useless to devote their attention to teachings that have not transformed their interlocutor.

As believers in the fifth revelation teachings, we cannot fall into the same errors as institutionalized religions have. While it’s true, good and desirable to have a deeper understanding of the book’s teachings, it’s not about becoming book scholars or experts. The Urantia Book has such a depth and density of concepts that its study can take a lifetime, but we should not lose sight of the fact that our final goal is to progress spiritually.

  1. The ends don’t justify the means, no matter how noble they are. People are never means, but ends.

It would be preferable to fail in the dissemination of the revelation than to succeed by deceiving other people, manipulating other people or using them somehow. When we see people as mean, we are denying they are our fellows; we don’t honor the indwelling divine spark. We are all endowed with free will, and this gift is sacred for all the celestial personalities. So this must be it to us too.

It’s pointless to force the dissemination of the revelation or try to speed it up artificially. Always we have to keep in mind “the Most High rule in the kingdom of men” they are wise enough to spread an idea whose time has come. When time is come for the fifth revelation—in a probably not very distant future, even though we don’t really know when—there won’t be any force in heaven or earth able to stop its progress. In the meantime, we have to work and prepare the soil for that moment. And don’t expect to see some progress in our short sojourn on Urantia. Let’s remember that many generations of humans worked in the first Garden of Eden, and they didn’t even see Adam and Eve coming, because they appeared on Earth thousands of years after.

  1. Building, never destroying.

Remember that Jesus never undervalued or made fun of others’ beliefs, no matter how ridiculous they seemed. He just extracted the best in their beliefs and enhanced them, and thus he helped people to get higher truths. What could we get if we undervalue or make fun of someone? As I said before, what we get is their hearts getting locked to our words. And it’s impossible to convey glad tidings to locked hearts.

Materialism, in spite of losing its importance—at least revelators tell us the worst of it is in the past—makes that many people are suspicious of things like God and religion, and even more if they are told about a revelation outside the institutionalized religions. This is even more disconcerting to them! So we have to be very careful about the way we deal with these matters. The best thing to do is to try to look for points in common, something to agree with, even though it’s about the most basic ethic principles. Although some may say they don’t believe in anything, everybody believes in something. And it’s also true that there are much more good people than bad ones; and the first ones grasp truth immediately.

  1. Being aware that we should not expect public fame and recognition, but silent and anonymous work.

The Urantia Book was published in 1955 in English. In spite of progress has been made in the dissemination of the teachings, it’s clear there are still very few people in the world knowing there is a book called The Urantia Book. Sometimes I think that if we readers had created a secret organization, then The Urantia Book would have been more publicly known, because human beings feel an irresistible attraction to secret and forbidden things. But this is not the goal we should follow.

We don’t want to attract a sudden popularity that would be eventually harmful to the spreading of the revelation. It’s not wise to give wide publicity. We are not here to satisfy people’s superficial curiosity. What we want is to make teachings known so that they transform people little by little and thus making the world a better place, generation by generation. First in our most immediate environment and then, if occasion arises, in wider ones.

This is the way: silent and constant work. In this society, where looking for the immediate and the fast consumption is the norm, we should strive for standing and creating something durable and good in our children, our family, our friends, our neighborhood, our city, our country, and our dear planet Urantia. Probably our names will be forgotten by history, but celestial beings and our Father in heaven recognize our efforts right now. And the day we will be able to communicate with them, they will express this recognition in words that we’ll be able to understand, no doubt about it.

  1. Let’s make joy our distinguishing mark.

Remember what revelators said about Jesus: he was a man of joy, not of sorrows. Don’t walk in life with a sad face, thinking you are sacrificing yourselves for the others. Service is not about self-denial or sacrifice, but doing good to others with a sincere smile in our faces! We must not serve others just because this is our obligation, but we want to do it and, furthermore, we are pleased to serve, for the pleasure we feel giving is much better than the one we feel taking. Service must be our natural reaction toward life. It must be part of our character.

If there is something that The Urantia Book teachings give to us, is just hope for a brighter future, not only for us but also for mankind. Who would not be happy with this perspective?

  1. Faith is the best fuel for our inner machine.

Faith as described in The Urantia Book—faith-trust, reasoned faith, faith in harmony with science and philosophy—is an endless generator of inner strength. Life circumstances challenge faith countless times and we, as human beings, lose our hope sometimes or question if everything happens for the sake of a greater good. On these occasions, there is no better recharge for our faith than prayer. Remember that Jesus used to go away to a quiet place from time to time just to be in communion with his Father. Likewise, we also need to recharge our spiritual batteries from time to time, even if it’s just some minutes a day. It’s important to get away from the quotidian whirlwind on a regular basis and to live the present time consciously. Otherwise, the demands of daily life make us lose direction – make us forget our purpose in life and why we are here.

  1. Believing in the fifth revelation does not make us free of all harm, but chosen people to work hard. But this will be the sweetest gratifying work ever.

As human beings, it’s easy to fall into temptation and to feel ourselves as special people because we have found The Urantia Book revelation. But don’t get it wrong: in these times that we are living, we are going to find rejection or something even worse than that: indifference. Compared to other similar movements, The Urantia Book readers are still an insignificant community that very few people know. This has some disadvantages, of course, but it also has an important advantage (in my opinion): being anonymous puts us in a very effective position to make lasting changes in the society. If we are far from the public eye, then we can devote more of our energies to an effective dissemination work and less to a defensive one. But we must be prepared for the day we will be exposed to public opinion—since this day will come, sooner or later.

In the meantime, as believers in the fifth revelation, let’s live our life in joy; let’s be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. And, above all, let’s spread the benign virus of love, so that all the mankind will be infected by it. This is what our Father undoubtedly wants us to do. And it’s our will that his will be done.

Thank you so much for your attention.

The Rehabilitation of Urantia

Carolyn Kendall, USA

Bio—Carolyn Kendall was introduced to the Urantia Papers by her father, Clarence Bowman, in 1951, and has been an avid student since.  She spends her spare time researching special subjects in The Urantia Book. She attends study groups of the First Society in the Chicago area, including one she hosts.  

When a new reader asks why The Urantia Book came down from God or the angels, our response is usually one or more of several reasons: To reveal the true nature of God, the Heavenly Father; to disclose the truth about the life and mission of Jesus of Nazareth; to provide a full narrative of the evolution of the universe and our world; to describe the wondrous life in store for us after death; or simply, to save souls. We might add that another worthy purpose of the Urantia Revelation is to inspire human society to embark upon the pathway toward social and spiritual enlightenment and to propel this world toward the planetary stages of light and life.

The Urantia Book was fostered by the same orders of divine beings who bestow themselves upon other worlds like ours that are populated by similar human races. Revelation is a normal part of the divine perfection plan of the Universal Father and Eternal Son. Their plans envision material beings—us—born as animal-origin humans growing up on evolutionary spheres, and advancing through multiple levels of the universe of time and space. We achieve perfection in the spiritual realms of eternity and infinity. God the Father on Paradise provides each of us at an early point in our lives with unique personality and a fragment of the Father himself, a Thought Adjuster.  The local universe Master Son and Creative Mother Spirit send to our world their “hovering spirits,” the Spirit of Truth and the Holy Spirit. See [Paper 34:5.6, page 379:6]

Another reason our world received revelation in our time is because it is the latest of on-going efforts to rehabilitate this planet after hundreds of thousands of years of chaos and confusion. These diversions from the divine plan were due to rebellion and default of trust by the very beings sent to teach and improve early human races on Urantia.

The Divine Perfection Plans

Does it surprise you to learn that our world, Urantia, is undergoing intensive rehabilitation? Or, that these rehab efforts have been in progress since Adam’s and Eve’s bestowal 37,000 years ago?  And that untold numbers of unseen personalities, many of whom are divine, have been dedicated to this sacred mission? (The) divine plan of perfection attainment originated with the Universal Father on Paradise and …embraces three unique, though marvelously correlated, enterprises of universal adventure:

1. The Plan of Progressive Attainment. This is the Universal Father’s plan of evolutionary ascension, a program unreservedly accepted by the Eternal Son when he concurred in the Father’s proposal, ‘Let us make mortal creatures in our own image.’   This provision for upstepping the creatures of time involves the Father’s bestowal of the Thought Adjusters and the endowing of material creatures with the prerogatives of        personality.  

2. The Bestowal Plan. The next universal plan is the great Father-revelation enterprise of the Eternal Son and his co-ordinate Sons. This is the proposal of the Eternal Son and      consists of his bestowal of the Sons of God upon the evolutionary creations, there to        personalize and factualize, to incarnate and make real, the love of the Father and the mercy of the Son to the creatures of all universes. Inherent in the bestowal plan, and as a provisional feature of this ministration of love, the Paradise Sons act as rehabilitators of that which misguided creature will has placed in spiritual jeopardy. Whenever and wherever there occurs a delay in the functioning of the attainment plan, if rebellion,    perchance, should mar or complicate this enterprise, then do the emergency provisions of the  bestowal plan become active forthwith. The Paradise Sons stand pledged and ready to function as retrievers, to go into the very realms of rebellion and there restore the       spiritual status of the spheres.”

3. The Plan of Mercy Ministry. When the attainment plan and the bestowal plan had been formulated and proclaimed, . . . the Infinite Spirit projected and put in operation the tremendous and universal enterprise of mercy ministry, . . . and the spiritual personalities of the Third Source and Center all partake of the spirit of mercy ministry which is so much a part of the nature of the Third Person of Deity.” [7:4.4-6] (p. 85)  [Paper 7:4.3–6, page 85:5–7]

…Thus do the Deities effectively co-operate in the work of creation, control, evolution, revelation, and ministration—and if required, in restoration and rehabilitation.” [Paper 7:4.7, page 86:1] (emphasis added)

And, to emphasize the second feature above:

If ever the authority or administration of a Creator Son is challenged, attacked, or jeopardized, he is eternally pledged to uphold, protect, defend, and if necessary, retrieve his personal creation.” [Paper 21:3.14, page 238:8]

By rehabilitation, I do not mean retrieval from a devil’s grasp, nor redemption—reconciling—the world to God through Christ. We as individuals were never separated from God the Father; we have always been under his spiritual watch care and embraced in his divine love.

Urantia as a Life Modification Planet

The circumstances that brought The Urantia Book, in part, reflect our status as a life modification planet, the one-in-ten world that deviates from the majority of inhabited worlds in our local system. Generally, revelations come in the form of either visible or unseen beings who bestow themselves for periods of time to teach the evolving races of the planet. Our revelation is a unique and comprehensive undertaking, compared with revelatory bestowals on “normal planets.” The unusual form of this revelation—a book—fits well with our guinea pig status as an experimental world.

Long before the first humans Andon and Fonta evolved one million years ago, our world was designated a life modification planet on which the Life Carriers were granted latitude to manipulate the environment in order to improve the standard types of living things and beings on Urantia. See: [Paper 65:1, page 730:7] and [Paper 36:3.7, page 400:1]. For example, the colored races appeared and evolved in one family, rather than singly, as is usual on other worlds. They arrived at the same time as the Planetary Prince, 500,000 years ago. Ordinarily, the Prince arrives contemporaneously with Andon and Fonta. See: [Paper 65:4.7–8, page 735:7–8]

The Secondary Lanonandek Son who came to Urantia as Planetary Prince Caligastia had requested assignment to an experimental planet, perhaps assuming it presented a greater challenge to him than the average world. See: [Paper 66:1.3, page 741:5] After 300,000 years of effort on Urantia, however, Caligastia became restive and accepting of the proposals of Lucifer, the System Sovereign, who proclaimed absolute personal liberty for the individual, and defiance of the benign rule of Michael, the Creator Son. He joined in the system-wide rebellion against the local universe government.

Lines of communication to the rebellious planets were instantly severed, and we were isolated from universe services. The lines will not be restored until the case of Lucifer is finally adjudicated on Uversa, the superuniverse headquarters, by the Ancients of Days. [Paper 53:7.3, page 607:4]  “Only a bestowal Son can re-establish interplanetary lines of communication.” [Paper 35:9.9, page 394:1]  Normal social and biological evolution was greatly affected by the misadventures of the followers of Caligastia, and by Adam and Eve, who defaulted their trust.

The Urantia Book portrays in great detail what went wrong to deprive us of the peace and progressive existence enjoyed on other worlds, comparing our rate of progress to human life as it exists elsewhere in the universe at the same stage of evolution. We will never be a normal planet, considering our background. However, we can, and will, achieve the status of light and life with the aid and support of the many beings, both visible and unseen, who volunteer to come and work behind the scenes for our spiritual and social rehabilitation.

“From the inception of life on an evolutionary planet to the time of its final flowering …there appear at least seven epochs of human life. These epochs (or dispensations) appear in the following order: [Paper 52:0.1, page 589] Urantia’s epochs are displayed for comparison:

*  There was no dispensational adjudication at the time of Melchizedek.

The Melchizedeks’ Role in Rehabilitation

The Melchizedek Sons are the highest order of local universe Sons, after Gabriel, the chief executive of Nebadon. Melchizedeks do much of the heavy lifting in the mission of rehabilitating planets in isolation.

The Melchizedeks are widely known as emergency Sons, for they engage in an amazing range of activities on the worlds of a local universe. . . . The ability of the Melchizedek Sons to function in emergencies and on widely divergent levels of the universe, even on the physical level of personality manifestation, is peculiar to their order… [Paper 93:0.1, page 1014:1]

The Melchizedek order of universe Sonship has been exceedingly active on Urantia. A corps of twelve served in conjunction with the Life Carriers. A later corps of twelve became receivers for your world shortly after the Caligastia secession and continued in authority until the time of Adam and Eve. [Paper 93:0.2, page 1014:2]  

The twelve Melchizedek receivers of Urantia did heroic work. They preserved the remnants of civilization, and their planetary policies were faithfully executed by Van (leader of the loyalist faction against Caligastia). [Paper 67:6.6, page 760:1]  

Melchizedeks have sometimes assumed the roles of both teachers and governors, bridging the gap between one downfallen Son and another, even providing some of the revelatory truths themselves to, and in behalf of, divine Sons.

“The instructions given Adam by the Melchizedeks implied that he (Adam) was to establish racial, continental, and divisional headquarters to be in (the) charge of his immediate sons and daughters, while he and Eve were to divide their time between these various world capitals as advisers and coordinators of the world-wide ministry of biologic uplift, intellectual advancement, and moral rehabilitation.” [Paper 73:7.4, page 827:3]

Adam and Eve...

“fully believed (the) gospel of resurrection and rehabilitation which the Melchizedeks so touchingly proclaimed to them.” [Paper 76:5.1, page 852:0]

“The twelve Melchizedeks returned to Urantia upon the default of Adam and Eve, and they continued thereafter as planetary receivers  on down to the day when Jesus of Nazareth, as the Son of Man, became the titular Planetary Prince of Urantia.” [Paper 93:0.2, page 1014:2] (See: [Paper 136:3.1, page 1512:5])

Here’s a look at the original plan for this world—what might have been:

“Think what it would mean on your world if somewhere in the Levant there were a world center of civilization, a great planetary university of culture, which had functioned uninterruptedly for 37,000 years. And again, pause to consider how the moral authority of even such an ancient center would be reinforced were there situated not far-distant still another and older headquarters of celestial ministry whose traditions would exert an accumulated force of 500,000 years of integrated evolutionary influence.” [Paper 51:6.3, page 587:1]

Machiventa Melchizedek: Precursor of Jesus

Four thousand years ago Urantia received an emergency bestowal by a Melchizedek Son, Machiventa Melchizedek, who appeared in human form. He lived and taught for 94 years in an area now occupied by the city of Jerusalem. The purpose of Machiventa’s emergency mission was to revive belief in the one God, preparing the way for the bestowal of Christ Michael almost 2,000 years later. The one God concept had grown dim in human minds thousands of years after the downfall of both the Planetary Prince and Adam and Eve. See: [Paper 93:1–2, page 1014:3 & 1015:1]

…In the spiritual spheres, angelic helpers continued to struggle in conjunction with the Thought Adjusters, both working heroically for the salvage of the individual; but no comprehensive plan for far-reaching world welfare was promulgated to the mortals of earth until the arrival of Machiventa Melchizedek, in the times of Abraham, who, with the power, patience, and authority of a Son of God, did lay the foundations for the further uplift and spiritual rehabilitation of unfortunate Urantia. [Paper 76:5.6, page 853:0]

Michael’s Bestowal as Jesus of Nazareth – Immanuel’s Charge

As Michael prepared to leave the headquarters world of Salvington for his seventh and final bestowal prior to attaining full sovereignty of the local universe of Nebadon, he was counseled by Immanuel, his “elder brother.” The Unions of Days are the ambassadors of the Paradise Trinity to the local universes, and he provided an “incarnation guide” for Michael to keep in mind during his bestowal as a human male on the evolutionary world of Urantia. See [Paper 120:0.6–7, page 1324:3–4]

One of the charges of Immanuel’s commission to Michael was:

“…to meet and adjudicate the blasphemous pretentions of Caligastia and Lucifer and, in your assumed humble estate, forever end the shameful misrepresentations of these fallen children of light…” Additionally, Immanuel, referring to earlier rebellions, declared that in dealing with the Lucifer affair, Michael will have “…brought to a close the unadjudicated affairs of all previous insurrections, notwithstanding the greater or lesser time lag involved in the realization of this achievement. By this act the pending dissensions of your universe will be in substance liquidated…” [Paper 120:2.2, page 1327:2]

It may be a surprise to many that repercussions of the two earlier rebellions were still unresolved.

In the late summer of A.D. 26, Jesus, in his thirty-second year, ascended Mount Hermon to commune with his Paradise Father for six weeks. In the last week of his sojourn, he asked to hold conference with his enemies, Lucifer, Satan and Caligastia. These three Lanonandek Sons of Michael obstinately refused to repudiate their positions or repent of their misdeeds, and they remained rebellious.

“…this final trial of human loyalty in the face of misrepresentations of rebel personalities… had to do with the sovereignty of a mighty and glorious universe…”  [Paper 134:8.6, page 1493:5]

“There on Mt Hermon, as an unaided mortal of the realm, he…  met and defeated the Urantia Pretender, Caligastia, the prince of this world.”  [Paper 136:3.1, page 1512:5]

(Michael) …was proclaimed by the Union of Days Planetary Prince of Urantia…” [Paper 114:1.1, page 1251:0]

“…The universe announcement of this momentous achievement was not made until the day of his baptism, months afterward, but it really took place on the mountain…” [Paper 134:8.9, page 1494:2]

“…And when Jesus came down from his sojourn on Mount Hermon, the Lucifer rebellion and the Caligastia succession on Urantia were virtually settled…” [Paper 134:8.9, page 1494:2]

The trial on Uversa continues and must complete its deliberations before isolation can end.

It is comforting to know that:

“The vast majority of all human and superhuman beings who were victims of the Lucifer rebellion on Jerusem and the various misled planets have long since heartily repented of their folly; and we truly believe that all such sincere penitents will in some manner be rehabilitated and restored to some phase of universe service when the Ancients of Days finally complete the adjudication of the affairs of the Satania rebellion, which they have so recently begun.” [Paper 67:4.7, page 758:5]

…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 as long as you mean this eternal rehabilitation…” [Paper 189:5.2, page 2018:1] (emphasis added)

The Government of Urantia—The Resident Governor General

“…the planetary government (of Urantia) is unlike that of any other world in the system of Satania, even in all Nebadon…”  [Paper 114:0.3, page 1250:3]   “…

Subsequent to the downfall of Prince Caligastia, at the time of the Lucifer rebellion, Urantia had no sure and settled relationship with the local universe and its administrative divisions until the completion of Michael’s bestowal in the flesh, when he was proclaimed by Immanuel Planetary Prince of Urantia. Such a proclamation in surety and in principle forever settled the status of your world, but in practice the Sovereign Creator Son made no gesture of personal administration of the planet aside from the establishment of the Jerusem commission of twenty-four former Urantians with authority to represent him in the government of Urantia and all other quarantined planets in the system. One of this council is now always resident on Urantia as resident governor general.” [Paper 114:1.1, page 1250:11]

The term of service for each resident governor general on this world is one hundred years.  These former Urantians who serve as counselors are listed on page 513–4. This council includes Adam and Eve who have been fully rehabilitated. See: [Paper 45:4.3–18, page 513:6–21]

The location of the spiritual headquarters and government of Urantia, as well as the archangels’ divisional headquarters is reported to be in the vicinity of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park in California. (Reported by the human contact commissioners.)

The Archangels

Archangels were created by the local universe Creator Son and the Universe Mother Spirit. See [Paper 37:3.1, page 408:4]  It is the archangels who encircuit and modify the Life Carriers to enable them to function on physical levels of electrochemistry. See [Paper 65:1.6, page 731:1]

“Archangels maintain the records of each personality from the moment of birth until the individual leaves the local universe, either moving upward into the superuniverse or is blotted out of existence.” [Paper 37:3.7, page 409:4]

“Archangels are… dedicated to the work of creature survival and to the furtherance of the ascending career of the worlds of time and space…” [Paper 37:3.2, page 408:5]

Archangels initiate the dispensational resurrections of mortals on the inhabited worlds. See [Paper 37:3.6, page 409:3]

Soon after the resurrection of Jesus

“…the circuit of the archangels then operated for the first time from Urantia…” [Paper 189:3.2, page 2024:4]

When planetary emergencies occur, the archangels’ circuit can be pressed into service by the planetary government. The chief of archangels is a daily consultant of the resident governor general of Urantia. See [Paper 114:5.4–5, page 1254:4–5]   In a situation involving

“…purely spiritual matters,…” the commander of the archangels has supreme authority. See [Paper 114:4.3, page 1253:6]

“…In more recent times a divisional headquarters of the archangels has been maintained on Urantia…” [Paper 37:3.3, page 408:6] (emphasis added)

The question is posed:

“Do you grasp the significance of the fact that your lowly and confused planet has become a divisional headquarters for the universe administration and direction of certain archangel activities having to do with the Paradise ascension scheme?” [Paper 37:3.4, page 409:1]

The date of the establish of the divisional headquarters is not given, only that it occurred in “…recent times…” They go out on a limb when they write that the existence of the divisional headquarters

“…undoubtedly presages the future concentration of other ascendant activities on the bestowal planet of Michael and lends a tremendous and solemn import to the Master’s personal promise, ‘I will come again.’” [Paper 37:3.4, page 409:1] emphasis added

The Master Seraphim of Planetary Supervision

“When the first governor general arrived on Urantia, concurrent with the out-pouring of the Spirit of Truth, he was accompanied by twelve corps of special seraphim, Seraphington graduates, who were immediately assigned to certain special planetary services.” [Paper 114:6.1, page 1254:7]

The chiefs of these groups serve in the cabinet of the resident governor general. The groups are:


    *   Reported by the contact commission.

    The Reserve Corps of Destiny and Secondary Midwayers

    Associated with the twelve corps of Master Seraphim is the reserve corps of destiny, comprised of nearly 1,000 living human beings

    “…chosen as protectors of planetary destiny,… pivotal individuals in the plans which the world administrators are prosecuting…” [Paper 114:7.2, page 1257:2]

    Each exhibits

    “Wholehearted dedicated to some special social, economic, political, spiritual, or other cause, coupled with willingness to serve without human recognition and rewards.” [Paper 114:7.5, page 1257:5]

    We cannot describe the work of the reserve corps without mentioning the secondary midwayers. The 1,111 loyal secondary midwayers who survived the default are today chiefly occupied as

    “…unperceived personal liaison associates of those men and women who constitute the planetary reserve corps of destiny…” [Paper 77:8.13, page 865:6]

    They also initiated the petitions that resulted in the mandates that made this revelation possible. [Paper 77:8.7–9, page 865:8–10] A midwayer can also make contact with Adjusters who indwell “contact personalities.”

    “…the better adapted secondary midway creatures are able to attain varying degrees of contact with the Thought Adjusters of certain favorably constituted mortals through the skillful penetration of the minds of the latter’s indwelling. (And it was by just such a fortuitous combination of cosmic adjustments that these revelations were materialized in the English language on Urantia.) Such potential contact mortals of the evolutionary worlds are mobilized in the numerous reserve corps, and it is, to a certain extent, through these small groups of forward-looking personalities that spiritual civilization is advanced…” [Paper 114:7.9, page 1258:1]  (emphasis added)

    The Urantia Book Revelation’s Role in Rehabilitation

    Machiventa Melchizedek introduced the new Urantia Revelation to the human contact commissioners in 1924, and personally presented several papers in The Urantia Book. He has visited our world many times (unseen) in his capacity as vicegerent planetary prince. Another Son of the same order, Mantutia Melchizedek, served as director of the superhuman revelatory commission, the group that managed the development of the Urantia Papers.[Paper 119:8.9, page 1319:2] Malavatia and Manovandet Melchizedek also presented papers in the book. See [Titles of the Papers, page viii]

    Yet another Melchizedek Son is known to have arrived in 1951 (also unseen), after the typesetting of the Urantia Papers was completed, to oversee the publication and launch of the book, and to provide instructions to the human contact commissioners for leaders in the years after publication. His name is Norson, and his title is The New Regent of the Acting Planetary Prince of Urantia. He authored the communication, “The Publication Mandate,” aka, “The Timing of The Urantia Book.” (Reported by the human contact commission.) Since Michael is conditioned by space, in his role as titular Planetary Prince of Urantia he cannot be in two places at the same time, thus he must rule through a vicegerent or regent. See [Paper 34:3.5, page 377:1]

    A successor Planetary Prince is assigned to an isolated world when the results of insurrection are partially overcome and addressed by other remedial measures adopted by the Melchizedeks and other ministering beings. See  [Paper 36:9.9, page 394:1]   Paper 114 does not mention that there is, or was, a Lanonandek Son serving in the planetary government. However, after Norson arrived in 1951, there has been a Secondary Lanonandek Son serving on a “supreme court,” established by the new regent. (Reported by the human contact commission.) This may infer that he is a Planetary Prince-in-training.

    The Urantia Book is a remedial effort, four revelations rolled into one. Its purpose is to mitigate the lingering effects of rebellion and default, and continue the rehabilitation of Urantia by Machiventa and Christ Michael. But a book can only reach so many planetary sectors and different types of human beings at the same time.

    To many living in our time, as it was in Machiventa’s time, it sometimes appears that revealed truth is “…threatened with extinction…” See [Paper 93:1.1, page 1014:3] The book was sent early—before the time of its true mission—to train leaders and teachers, to establish thousands of groups dedicated to studying the book, and to commission translations, all in preparation for the next revelator. The order of divine Sons most likely to come is an Avonal Son on a Magisterial Mission, who would further the rehabilitation of the world. Avonals are of an order of Paradise Sons—brothers of Creator/Master Michael Sons—mentioned in the Bestowal Plan above. We do not know when he will come; it could be five years, or one thousand years, before he arrives. We might even receive another visit by a Melchizedek Son before a Magisterial Son comes.

    “In all their work for and on the inhabited worlds, the Magisterial Sons (Avonals) are assisted by two orders of local universe creatures, the Melchizedeks and the archangels, while on bestowal missions they are also accompanied by the Brilliant Evening Stars, likewise of origin in the local creations…” [Paper 20:2.9, page 225:8]

    Brilliant Evening Stars have the ability to make themselves known to humans. [Paper 37:2.9, page 408:1]

    Despite our losses, the universe overseers are doing everything possible to compensate for the chaos and confusion which has befallen our world.

    The absence of the corporeal staff of a Planetary Prince and the material regime of an Adamic Son and Daughter is partially compensated by the special ministry of seraphim and by the unusual services of the midway creatures. The absence of the Planetary Prince is effectively compensated by the triune presence of the archangels, the Most High observer, and the governor general.” [Paper 114:5.3, page 1254:3]

    On the personal side, there is an up-side to isolation and lagging progress of our world. Mortals who survive with some level of faith are denominated agondonters. Agondonters are those who can believe without seeing; who can endure and persevere even while alone. They are rewarded by be being entrusted with numerous assignments requiring unquestioned faith and confidence in the early stages of the afterlife. See [Paper 50:7.1–2, page 578:6–7]

    Your isolated world is not forgotten in the councils of the universe… From Uversa to Salvington and on down to Jerusem, even in Havona and on Paradise, they all know we are here; and you mortals now dwelling on Urantia are just as lovingly cherished and just as faithfully watched over as if the sphere had never been betrayed by a faithless Planetary Prince, even more so. It is eternally true, ‘the Father himself loves you.’ [Paper 114:7.17, page 1259:2]

    The Selectmen

    On August 4, 1967, the president of Urantia Brotherhood, and contact commissioner, Emma L.“Christy” Christensen, addressed delegates and other guests at 533 Diversey Parkway in Chicago, Illinois. The last paragraphs of her speech revealed the existence of a growing body of selected humans who are working “with reservists” and the various angelic groups:

    “I have heretofore reminded you that the celestial supervisors of Urantia are mobilizing small groups of spirit-led men and women throughout the world—among all nations—and these truth battalions, these selectmen, are concerned today with scores of vital enterprises which have to do with the rehabilitation of the world following the ending of the present distressing conflicts. Some of them know who they are.”

    “And of all the emergency corps of mortal selectmen on Urantia, none is charged with a more solemn obligation than our group. We have been called to the great work of taking the first step of offering to mortal man a new light, a new revelation, of the love of God. The easy jog-trot religion of former days no longer suffices to meet the challenges of today. Following Jesus’ way of life calls for an act of complete commitment, a dedicated intention, a resolute purpose, and a trumpet call to a life that will not compromise.”

    Christy continued, listing how we can all be of greater service: God has provided the vision and the call. The answer must be ours. There are steps we can take that will help us to meet this challenge:

    First, we need to cultivate the power to envision our share in bettering the world.

    Second, we need to believe that God can speak to us, that he can use us and our talents, and that he does call us to our particular place of service.

    Third, we need to be willing to be used for the fulfillment of the vision.”

    “Let us pray that we may all become valiant soldiers of the circles, wholeheartedly enlisted in the solid ranks of those mortals who shall go forth in the coming battle of truth against error under the unfaltering leadership of the mighty seraphim of progress.”

    The Oncoming Dispensation

    On another occasion, the July 30, 1971 opening session of the Summer Study Session, Miss Christensen referred to the approach of a new epoch on this world:

    “We, the soldiers of the circles, will presently begin to function as a part of the spiritual illumination and religious readjustment of the oncoming dispensation.  I believe we are witnessing at the present time a subsidence of the political, social, and moral convulsions of the mortal races of this world. The transition upheavals of a new age have in some phases attained their height and the long and slow progress of dispensational adjustment is now beginning.”

    On Studying The Foreword to The Urantia Book

    Bob Ghen, USA

    The UB with treeDuring my first several years of study with The Urantia Book, I repeatedly returned to the Foreword to see what I might grasp of its intended, yet daunting meanings. And each time I found my understanding slowly increasing. Until that is, I got to the second page. Here, no matter how intense my intellectual purpose and focus, I was always soundly stymied. Inquiries posed to other readers assured me that I was not alone in my ignorance.

    Nevertheless, I continued my studies of the ensuing papers with near rabid fascination. And yet, I was becoming acutely aware of how much meaning I was actually missing. Ironically, I was becoming increasingly familiar with terms, paragraphs, sections, and even whole papers that almost completely escaped me. I simply did not have an intellectual “leg-up” on much of this material; and during those first early years, I never met anyone else who did.

    With virtually no understanding of many of the intended meanings of the heady concepts outlined in the Foreword, much of the integrity and continuity of the papers is interrupted by this intellectual vacuum.

    Unfortunately, we often fill in these blanks with our personal speculation, which we know going in, always falsifies its object.

    Thus, our sincere effort to grasp The Urantia Book teachings becomes contaminated with our own self-created speculation as a result of the mind’s inherent unifying propensity to connect all the dots, to “make sense” of it all. On the other hand, how often have you, as I have, mentally earmarked an incomprehensible sentence or passage with, “I’ll have to get back to that”—simply choosing to leave the blank, blank? When we don’t have a clear grasp of key terms, how will we ever follow the intended meanings of whole passages that contain those terms?

    First Things First

    The Chief of Divine Councilors (a Paradise origin personality) indited the Foreword. Divine wisdom dictated that it be placed before the first paper of The Urantia Book. We would do well, it seems, to heed the obvious intention of the revelators.

    By providing us with this, “explanation of the meanings which should be attached to certain word symbols as they may be hereinafter used in those papers which the Orvonton corps of truth revealers have been authorized to translate into the English language of Urantia” the revelators are abundantly clear. We are to use the meanings provided in the Foreword to make clear our study of the intended meanings in the papers that follow. In this way, our growing and integrated grasp of the papers will flow in the intellectual channels intended by the truth revealers. One’s grasp of new and true meanings grows. But it has to actually start somewhere. One must somehow get a valid leg-up on these weighty concepts to initiate and facilitate personal comprehension consistent with the intention of the revelators.

    Breaking Through

    My personal leg-up presented itself when a series of dusty, old audio tapes surfaced of Bill Sadler-Jr. informally discussing the Foreword, and I took up the task of transcribing them. Bill’s, Simplification of the Foreword also found its way into my life about this same time. What a blessing!

    Finally, here was someone who apparently did comprehend the Foreword and was able to speak about it in terms I could deal with, a valid, intellectual starting point. Finally, I was enabled to embark on the progressive quest to grasp some of the most (humanly) difficult and complex concepts ever revealed to mortal man. Never forget that our sincere pursuit of true, higher meanings is always divinely augmented by our indwelling partner. When once we approach enlightened meanings in the higher reaches of thinking, we can depend on those who foster our growth to enhance our efforts to comprehend.

    Clarifying “Comprehension”

    In this context and for our discussion, we will highlight an important distinction between “understanding” and “comprehension”.

    Dictionary Definitions:

    understanding: to perceive the intended meaning of words; to be informed

    This is a purely intellectual phenomena; the organization of data into one’s existing mental bank of information.

    comprehension: L.comprehendere, to seize; lay hold of; to include; to take in

    For our purpose, this word represents an augmentation of one’s soul, the complex, living, growing, morontia energy system that is the embryo of our impending new life. A morontia matrix of concept comprehension exists within the soul which has structure and literally grows with progressive comprehension. These are the spiritually rich concepts that we will take with us into the morontia life because they have survival value; they have become incorporated into the soul.

    We are in fact, encouraged by the revelators to make every effort to comprehend. I offer here a few relevant quotes:

    The progressive comprehension of reality is the equivalent of approaching God. [Paper 196:3.3, page 2094:2] (emphasis added)

    The divine spirit makes contact with mortal man, not by feelings or emotions, but in the realm of the highest and most spiritualized thinking. It is your thoughts, not your feelings, that lead you Godward. [Paper 101:1.3, page 1104:6] (emphasis added)

    Perhaps these psychic circles of mortal progression would be better denominated cosmic levelsactual meaning grasps and value realizations… [Paper 110:6.16, page 1211:1] (emphasis added)

    It is helpful to man’s cosmic orientation to attain all possible comprehension of Deity’s relation to the cosmos. [Paper 118:1.1, page 1295:1] (emphasis added)

    It is not enough that the ascending mortal should know something of the relations of Deity to the genesis and manifestations of cosmic reality; he should also comprehend something of the relationships existing between himself and the numerous levels of existential and experiential realities, of potential and actual realities. Man’s terrestrial orientation, his cosmic insight, and his spiritual directionization are all enhanced by a better comprehension of universe realities and their techniques of interassociation, integration, and unification.[Paper 106:0.1, page 1162:1] (emphasis added)

    Ability to comprehend is the mortal passport to Paradise. [Paper 26:4.15, page 290:5] (emphasis added)

    Inspiring New Horizons Revealed

    Allow me again to emphasize how valuable it is for earnest Urantia Book readers to make every effort to study The Foreword and learn to comprehend its mind and soul expanding revelatory concepts. And to do it now. We don’t need to be afraid of it. Let this be your next Urantia Book challenge. Once you get that initial leg up and begin to actually grasp the meanings intended there, you will be so greatly encouraged in your personal progress as you study the ensuing papers.

    Whole new cosmic perspectives, expanded levels of meaning, and a greater appreciation of values begin to unfold that were previously not even suspected. The mental blanks we filled with speculation (and those we skipped over) are gradually replaced with the authors’ intended meanings. All of those previously scattered bits and pieces of understanding begin to expand and appropriately fit themselves into a coherent pattern of ever larger perspective. And as this far-seeing perspective gathers into a critical mass of understanding, one often experiences one of those light bulb, aha! moments of true comprehension as new meaning is grasped by the soul.

    It is self evident that in-depth study of The Urantia Book is a lifetime project. So much more of the revelators’ intended meaning can reveal itself with even a fledgling grasp of the Foreword. It all starts with that first leg up; an intellectual boost that initiates the understanding scaffolding upon which ever higher concepts can grow. One that soon opens into an enlightening new, experiential sphere of progressive cosmic comprehension.

    Profound Discoveries Await in The Foreword

    For me, Bill Sadler-Jr.’s work opened the door into that first glimpse of real meaning revealed in the Foreword. But what really matters is that you find your own way to get your own leg up. A process of profound significance is thereby established in the soul. The artful beauty of intellectual symmetry begins to reveal the stupendous wholeness of the sublimely interwoven spiritual concepts presented in The Urantia Book. Even the reality of one’s cosmic citizenship becomes increasingly experiential as the soul matures and actually begins to comprehend its own nature. Only good can result from the sincere and persistent effort to comprehend the meanings and appreciate the values so generously afforded us by our incomparable, epochal revelation.

    Most assuredly, a focused study of the Foreword is one of the wisest investments of time and effort possible in this life