Tidings Special Issue – June 2022
This issue of Tidings is dedicated to the memory of the late David Linthicum who graduated June 1, 2022. David was a long-time student of The Urantia Book and an active member of Urantia Association serving in various capacities. He was an inspiring, tireless, and loyal servant of the revelation as you will see when your read the articles in this special memorial edition.
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In This Issue
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UAUS 
“A Mighty Oak Has Fallen”
Long time devoted Urantia Book student and servant David Linthicum graduated from Urantia in the early morning hours June 1, 2022. He was informed of cancer earlier this year and selected aggressive therapy, bravely giving his all, in hopes the healing process would emerge victorious over time. David kept a wonderful, positive attitude throughout the months of treatment, and met the trials of illness and impending death with a calm dignity, true courage, generosity, steadfast faith, and hope for eternal life.
David continued to his last precious days on Earth to give his time and resources to important legacy projects he had been involved with. He was a dedicated servant to mankind. Perhaps not too many people know that David wrote and self-published a book titled “The Emerging Recognition of Jesus’ Divine Nature.”
David helped charter the Spirit of Oklahoma Urantia Association, as well as serving as its president. He was a regular study partner with a group in Tulsa, Oklahoma. David served two terms as President of Urantia Association of the United States (UAUS), as well as Dissemination Chair for Urantia Association International. He helped found the Prisoner Inquiry Response Team (PIRT) and served as its Director for many years, as well as becoming a volunteer who personally answered letters and gave support to many prison inmates.
In more recent months David became the first Vice President of Worldwide Ministry of Jesus, a nonprofit established to provide funding for the Center for Unity projects, including the Jesus Museum, the Jesus Metaverse, Cinematic Jesus, and the immersive virtual Experience Jesus. His generous support of the Center for Unity will be one of his legacy projects as the plans continue to move forward with new energy and momentum. We offer our heart-felt condolences to David’s beloved wife Regina, his son Jerod, daughter Lacey, his grandchildren and extended family. We know they are experiencing a profound loss, as are his many friends from all avenues of life. David was a Navy veteran, an outdoorsman with a love of sports and nature. David’s incredible work ethic followed him through his career as a Project Manager at Chevron, and impacted his life as a volunteer for many worthy causes. He was described by his son Jerod as a “caregiver” for anyone in need, and a source of “unconditional love.” He truly was a man of God with a servant’s heart.
In a recent conversation David expressed an interest about what his first assignment would be upon his resurrection to a new spiritual life on high. That’s our David; always eager to serve. We certainly look forward to a joyful reunion with him in eternity.
David Linthicum—Director for the Prisoner Inquiry Response Team (PIRT–a Urantia Association International Dissemination Subcommittee)
“Over the past seventeen years a small committee of extremely dedicated Urantia Association members have been quietly going about the business of disseminating The Urantia Book to those who find themselves in the deepest, darkest of places, our nation’s prisons.” This is David’s description of PIRT, which was one of his passion projects. Here is a sampling of the abundant fruit from his labor of love:
In concert with his other notable service, David Linthicum served as the PIRT Director for twelve of its seventeen-year history, and not only as Director, but as a PIRT team member and volunteer himself. PIRT is the longest running dissemination project in Urantia Association's history. The team has answered over 5300 inmate letters and disseminated more than 2,700 Urantia Books. David did this. Not alone of course; there is an amazing list of volunteers who served with him over the years. Still, I believe it was his strong leadership that kept the committee together, unbroken, for so long. He championed for its support at the board level and with that support a platform was built, upon which hundreds of inmates have written to share how profoundly The Urantia Books that we send out, has changed them.
Here are some of David’s words from a 2014 Tidings article about PIRT:
"Over the years some have asked me why so much time and energy is being devoted to prisoners. Are we not casting pearls before swine? In response to these types of questions I refer the reader to Jesus’ own admonition to his Apostles:
“And mark well my words: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. The Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister and to bestow his life as the gift for all. I declare to you that I have come to seek and to save those who are lost.” [cf. Matt. 9:13b; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32, 19:10; UB (1750.3) 157:6.9]
This is the service PIRT endeavors to foster and carry forward, to minister to those who sit in darkness and to offer them the saving truths of the Fifth Epochal Revelation. Jesus was adamant that he was here to seek out the sinners, the lost coin, to welcome the prodigal son’s return and save the lost sheep.
“Jesus was very partial to telling these three stories at the same time. He presented the story of the lost sheep to show that, when men unintentionally stray away from the path of life, the Father is mindful of such lost ones and goes out, with his Sons, the true shepherds of the flock, to seek the lost sheep. He then would recite the story of the coin lost in the house to illustrate how thorough is the divine searching for all who are confused, confounded, or otherwise spiritually blinded by the material cares and accumulations of life. And then he would launch forth into the telling of this parable of the lost son, the reception of the returning prodigal, to show how complete is the restoration of the lost son into his Father’s house and heart.” [UB (1853.2) 169:1.15]
Comments from fellow Urantia Book students:
Another bright light has gone out on our world. Godspeed, good and faithful servant. – Joanne Strobel
I’m sorry about David, yet I’m happy that his eternal future will be so bright. We all likely said goodbye to David in our own way. While our thoughts and prayers went with him, we will all share in a common feeling of knowing he is gone and missing the largeness of his life’s footprint. Our cup (the PIRT one that David sent to us) continues to runneth over with our spiritual freedom, as was the intention for each of us as we share the good news with those who earnestly search for the truth. You did a good job, David. Now onward to your next assignment! With all our love… – Maramis Choufani
It was a little over 4 months ago when David announced his illness to the Prisoner Inquiry Response Team. I am grateful for the time we had before his passing to express our heartfelt appreciation to him. He will be remembered well on Urantia and when met on high it will no doubt be said “well done good and faithful servant.” He served the revelation well and was a splendid example of what it is to be in partnership with God. You’re loved and will be sorely missed, David! – Jeanette Schafer
This news is bittersweet. I will miss David’s wisdom. For me, he demonstrated how experience, attenuated by intelligence, patience, tolerance, and love, leads to true wisdom. David is indeed a “good and faithful servant” and will continue to be so. This certainly leaves me feeling happy. He is in good hands. – Chris Gravel, PIRT Canada.
Such nice comments about the lovable David! You all reflect much of what I feel also. He is the one person who arrested my attention thinking about how valuable prisoners are also to God! His thought on that eventually led me to sign up for PIRT. Thank you, David. God’s speed via your Guardian goin’ to Mansonia!!!! – Mark Kurtz
This is heartbreaking. David has been special to all of us. David was a truly faithful person and met death with such courage and dignity. He was a great man of service to others, and an inspiration for me.
David was also the director of our prison ministry team, PIRT – Prisoner Inquiry Response Team. David answered inmate letters for many years and realized a real despair among the inmates that touched his heart to help create and continue the ministry for them. He believed that each one could be comforted by knowing they were valued and worthy children of God. I’ve been a team member for a couple of years now, because I was so inspired by the work they do.
David called last Friday and could only speak in a raspy whisper but he was always very kind to me. He said he wondered what our first assignment would be on the mansion worlds. He was very excited to find out. There certainly is a new light on those far off distant shores. – Susan Lyon
"Let us be about the Father’s business and assist him in his search for the lost sheep.” …And in David’s words – Dear Willem & PIRTeam, I wish to extend my profound thanks to Jeanette, Joy, Susan, Maramis, Mark, Chris, and Myra for their dedication to this committee and our mission to bring as many individuals as possible to the teachings of Jesus. The testimonials we receive always serve to revive our sense of duty and accomplishment, driving us ever forward to saving the next soul, and the next. For this is the work we do my friends – in cooperation with the angels, midwayers and, no doubt, our collective Thought Adjusters. It is an honor to serve with you all. In good cheer – David Linthicum
On behalf of everyone who has ever served with you David, thank you. It has been an honor and a joy. On behalf of the active PIRT Team, we’ve gotcha brother. Thank you for trusting me as your successor. Your very large shoes will be a challenge to fill, and I will do my best with you always in my heart. – Myra Hight
A splendid light has left us – and now that light continues its journey to Paradise. And though my heart is broken, the memories of David are precious and will be carried with each of us forever. – Margaret Slater-Thompson
David, you were only with us for a short time but you were a great presence to all. I know that you were ready and anxious to see all the beautiful lights of heaven. Indeed, a mighty oak has fallen. – Imogene Drake
Obituary for David Leon Linthicum
David passed away Wednesday June 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City. He was born June 12, 1955, to LaVerna Lee and Darrell Leon Linthicum in Tulsa, OK. David graduated from Will Rogers High School and Oklahoma University. David was a United States Navy veteran. He was a project manager for Chevron. David enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, sports and, especially, pickle ball. He is preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Tommy Linthicum; a sister, Elizabeth Rutherford. David is survived by his beloved wife, Regina Linthicum of Arcadia, OK; a daughter, Lacy Ferguson, her husband James; a son, Jerod Linthicum, his fiancée, Jennifer, step-daughter, Sandra Kelley, her husband John and grandchildren; Dylan, Raven, Caleb, Kameron, Brian and Jack.
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James Woodward, USA 
The Prison Inquiry Response Team (PIRT) is very near and dear to me. Before it had the official title and an official Director (David), responding to prisoners was one of my duties at Urantia Foundation. As the Reader Services Manager, I was fielding lots of inquiries about The Urantia Book, including a growing number of letters from prisoners all over the United States. I decided to recruit my friends in Urantia Association to help with the workload, and a lasting service partnership developed between Urantia Foundation and the Association. The volunteers were eager to serve in a unique and valuable project.
Those “inside the walls” often sent stunningly sincere letters to the publisher; some were requesting pen-pals but that fell outside the office duties. Handing off the correspondence worked out well. Urantia Foundation continued to send the books after the volunteers had vetted an inmate’s level of interest.
Soon there was a small but devoted team in place. We had a successful program! But it needed someone to oversee the volunteers, keep abreast of prison book policies, and be a visible advocate. My friend David Linthicum turned out to be that person. David was not only a gifted leader of people, an astute administrator, and a passionate Urantia Book student, he also had a personal interest in prison outreach: a close family member was incarcerated. I thanked the angels for this rare individual who was inspired to step up.
David’s achievements have been remembered in so many fine tributes. To me he was a loyal and trusted friend, and I admired his passion for enlightening those in dark places with an epochal revelation. He was an inspiration to all of us. It should not go unsaid that David was a relentless advocate for PIRT and not only gave it his time but also his money when there was need. It can seem a cliche to say that someone is a stand-up guy, but that’s what David was. Always. We spent lots of time together on Urantia Association service teams but he was also a buddy who was a sheer pleasure to hang out with. See ya later my friend.
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Rick Lyon, USA
(Editor’s note: David asked Rick to make his eulogy a testament to the teachings of The Urantia Book. He wanted those gathered to hear what his religious life was about.)
My name is Rick Lyon. I have known David Linthicum for many years. I am and always shall be his friend.
I first want to point out the design you may have seen that David had engraved on the headstone and the pin I am wearing. The cross combined with the three blue concentric circles. The cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus. The blue circles represent the Trinity—God the Father, the Eternal Son, and the Infinite Spirit. The cross represents the greatest demonstration of love this universe has ever known, and the blue circles represent the source of that love.
When Billy Graham was nearing the end of his time on this earth, he was asked if he feared death. His reply was: "Fear death? I look forward to it. When you hear that Billy Graham is dead, don't you believe it."
This mortal life is only a shadow, the beginning, of spiritual reality. What comes next is more real and more true, beautiful, and good than anything we can experience in this life on earth.
Often when we lose a loved one due to disease or illness, we ask: Why do bad things happen to good people? This was a bad thing and David and Gena are certainly good people. But that is just the way the world is. The greatest affliction is to have never been afflicted, meaning that we learn and grow more from adversity than we do from a life of ease. As a child of God, we are not supposed to stay in this material world. This is our origin, not our destiny.
Our personality, that unique and non-material expression of who we really are, comes from the Father and like the Father, it is eternal. Having come from the Father, we seek to return to the Father. That is our destiny.
We have all seen videos of an egg hatching. The chick cannot be set free until the shell is broken and cast aside. We are like that. We are spiritual embryos inside a mortal shell and not until the shell is cast aside are we really set spiritually free. A chick will flop around gaining strength through trial and error until one day it leaps from the nest and learns to soar through the sky. It is only after we are free of this physical shell that we learn to soar with the angels.
This mortal life is only the beginning of the journey to the promised land of spiritual reality and eternal existence. It is difficult for us to grasp the idea of an eternal purpose—something never beginning and never ending—because everything familiar to us has a beginning and an end. We cannot see before the beginning or after the end.
Our lives suddenly appear for a season, and then they are lost to human sight, only to reappear as new beings, resurrected into a higher spiritual life to swing endlessly around the circle of eternity invisible to mortal eyes. When someone tells you that our beloved David is dead, don't you believe it. Let me assure you that David is more alive today than he ever has been.
We are here today to celebrate the lives of our beloved David. We celebrate the life he lived while here and the new life he now lives in one of the many mansions that Jesus promised is waiting for us. If it were not so, Jesus would have told us.
One of my favorite quotes says something like this: "A great king has many servants but a great man serves many people." That is David.
"Some men’s lives are too great and noble to descend to the low level of being merely successful." (196:3.2, 2096.8) The religious person transcends their environment and overcomes the limitations of the material world through a recognition of divine love, the awareness of God, which creates a desire to find truth, beauty, and goodness and in that way strives to become perfect even as God is perfect which is the meaning of the phrase "to do the will of God.”
David was a much loved and highly respected spiritual leader, teacher, and mentor. David knows the truth and lived the truth—loyally and steadfastly. He talked the talk and walked the walk as we say but he also helped others to know the path wherein to walk.
When you saw David, you saw a humble, warm, compassionate, and easy-going Oklahoma cowboy, who loved being out in nature, which is the most beautiful of all God's cathedrals. But there is so much more to David.
A few weeks ago, David asked me to stand before you here today. I am deeply honored by his request and his trust. David wrote a few things he wanted me to share with you as we celebrate his previous life.
The first things he listed were from the 5th and 6th grade, which are Boy Scouts, bowling, and baseball. He wrote that his baseball team's record was one win and eleven losses with the one win coming from the other team forfeiting. David is a humble man with a keen sense of humor.
David was in the navy from 1975 to 1979. David loved and served his country and was a member of the Convention of States. David is a patriot.
In the 1980's he served in the Junior Chamber of Commerce, also known as the Jaycees. He volunteered with Junior Achievement, teaching basic economics to 8th graders. David was a brave soul. He served as the state chairman for the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation known as HOBY that inspires young people to a life dedicated to leadership, service, and innovation. How many young lives David touched through this program we will never know. Service is love in action and David is one of the most loving people that ever lived.
This is about the time that I got to know David. In 1996 he discovered a book that I will describe as a religious philosophy based on the life and teachings of Jesus. This is The Urantia Book. This spiritual philosophy, for all of us who have discovered it, changed our lives. It is a way of living that recognizes the fatherhood of God and the resulting brotherhood of mankind.
If God is the father of all, then we are all brothers and sisters, regardless of race, religion, or nationality and we should treat each other as such in the family of God. When you interact with other people remember that they too are a child of God. Do unto others as you believe God would do unto them.
The Urantia Book reveals that true religion is our own personal relationship with God at whatever level that may be for each of us. While we may have different beliefs, we all share the same faith in the one God. For David and thousands of people like him around the world, this philosophy of living became our passion—and our purpose is to live it to the best of our ability and to share it with everyone we can. With this new knowledge of the life and teachings of Jesus we can make this world a better place by inspiring individuals to become better people.
Recently, after one of the school shootings a lady in the post office asked me, “Why do young people do such things?” I replied: “Because they do not value themselves or others.” Too often we are told that we are born sinners and not worthy of being loved by God... or anyone else. But don't you believe it. One of the most profound teachings of The Urantia Book is that you are a child of God. The father in heaven and the creator of a vast universe of universes, Almighty God himself—loves you. He loves you personally and individually. He loves you so much that he has given you a spirit fragment of himself to guide you through this life so that you are never alone. He created angels to watch over you and he sent his beloved son Jesus to show you the way.
Many times we cry, "Nobody knows how I feel,” but if you are willing to investigate The Urantia Book, you will discover not only the divine Jesus but also the human Jesus who led a life of mortal joys and sorrows, triumphs and tragedies. He experienced life as a mortal child, a teenager, and a young man. Jesus not only knows how you feel but what you have endured and what you have achieved personally and spiritually. God is not waiting for you to mess up or make mistakes, God is your loving Father who is doing all he can to help you succeed and survive and find your way home.
Let me get back to David's list. He served as a charter member and President of the Spirit of Oklahoma Urantia Association, two terms as the treasurer and two terms as president of Urantia Association of the United States, and four years as the Dissemination chairman, which is a spiritual outreach committee of Urantia Association International.
In 2005, David became the Chair of the Prisoner Inquiry Response Team. He was personally aware of the needs of those who were isolated from family and friends so this was something he did to help those men and women to know that they are loved, forgiven and NOT forgotten. Over 4000 inmates have been touched by this program. We have many letters from inmates who have turned their lives around by learning the good news that they are children of God who are loved and valued by our Father in heaven and by others who care about them. My wife Susan is part of this team and very proud of what it has accomplished.
David and I worked together to send 75 books to a group in Malawi who only had one book to share among 75 students. From that, a young leader emerged who wanted to be a doctor. David helped this bright young man go to school and he did become a doctor. Somewhere along the way this young man impressed someone who got him a scholarship to a university in Ireland where today he is working on his PHD while several of us are helping to provide for his family while he is away. This fellow is Grevet Moyo and he and his wife Linda send their love and condolences to the family of David.
In 2011, Urantia Association International hosted a leadership symposium in Chicago. David created the program for that event from what he learned from HOBY. Because of this well-organized program, over 300 spiritual leaders from 27 countries were inspired to work together and today they have produced significant leaders in service to God and mankind. Because of this event we are seeing a great surge of interest in this new revelation of Jesus especially in South America.
David helped me create the Worldwide Ministry of Jesus. As a nonprofit organization, we are raising funds to support the Center for Unity in Israel and their projects to bring the life and teachings of Jesus to the world using state of the art technology and ultimately create a Jesus Museum in Israel.
After reviewing many of the great things David accomplished in this life, we are excited to contemplate what even greater things he will accomplish on his way to Paradise and I for one plan to be part of his team for eternity.
One of the many lessons from the death of Jesus is the superb manner and the matchless spirit in which he met his death. David kept his sense of humor, dedication to service, and loyalty to God and family all through the difficult times of the past several months. Gena shared with me that David left her a list of quotes saying "These will help you." Just as Jesus provided for his mortal family as he hung on the cross asking the apostle John to watch over them, David provided for the peace and comfort of his family after he had gone. Gena told me that as they waited in the emergency room one last time, David said, "I am so excited to see Jesus.” I imagine Jesus is excited to see David.
I invite you now to close your eyes and, in your mind, envision the events I am about to share with you.
“Although it was early in the season for such a phenomenon, shortly after twelve o’clock [on the afternoon of Friday, April 7, A.D. 30,] the sky darkened because of the fine sand in the air. The people of Jerusalem knew that this meant the coming of one of those hot-wind sandstorms from the Arabian Desert.” [Paper 187:5.1]
“Shortly after one o’clock, amidst the increasing darkness of this fierce sandstorm, Jesus began to fail in human consciousness. His last words of mercy, forgiveness, and admonition had been spoken. His last wish—concerning the care of his mother—had been expressed. During this hour of approaching death, the human mind of Jesus resorted to the repetition of many passages in the Hebrew scriptures, particularly the Psalms. The last conscious thought of the human Jesus was concerned with the repetition of a portion of the Book of Psalms now known as the twentieth, twenty-first, and twenty-second Psalms. While his lips would often move, he was too weak to utter the words—as these passages, which he knew so well by heart, would pass through his mind. Only a few times did those standing nearby catch some utterance, such as, ‘I know the Lord will save his anointed,’ ‘Your hand shall find out all my enemies,’ and ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Jesus did not for one moment have even the slightest doubt that he had lived in perfect accordance with the Father’s will; and he never doubted that he was now laying down his life in the flesh in accordance with his Father’s will. He did not feel that the Father had forsaken him; he was merely reciting in his vanishing consciousness many Scriptures, among them the twenty-second Psalm, which begins with ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ And this happened to be one of the three passages which was spoken clearly enough to be heard by those standing near him.” [Paper 187:5.2, page 2010.3]
“The sandstorm grew in intensity and the heavens increasingly darkened. Still the soldiers and the small group of believers stood by. The soldiers crouched near the cross, huddled together to protect themselves from the cutting sand. The mother of John and others watched from a distance where they were somewhat sheltered by an overhanging rock. When the Master finally breathed his last, there were present at the foot of his cross John Zebedee, his brother Jude, his sister Ruth, Mary Magdalene, and Rebecca, onetime of Sepphoris.
“It was just before three o’clock when Jesus, with a loud voice, cried out, “It is finished! Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And when he had thus spoken, he bowed his head and gave up the life struggle. When the Roman centurion saw how Jesus died, he smote his breast and said: ‘This was indeed a righteous man; truly he must have been a Son of God.’ And from that hour this centurion began to believe in Jesus.” [Paper 187:5.4,5, page 2010.5- p 2011.1]
We know that David dedicated his life to doing the will of God.
Let us pray:
Our Father in Heaven,
We thank you for loving us and creating us to love you. We thank you for all you do for us and all you do with us. May all we do glorify you and be pleasing in your sight.
We thank you for the family and friends gathered here today to celebrate the previous and new life of David Linthicum and to express our love and support for each other. We thank you for allowing us to be part of David's life and for his being part of ours.
Just as Jesus demonstrated through his resurrection on the third day, the truth and the fact, the very proof of all he taught and promised about salvation and eternal life, we know that David has now experienced that same resurrection morning, awakening from this material life to the spiritual life with a new healthy body. We are told that in heaven we shall know and be known. We know that David is having a joy-filled reunion with all those family and friends who went before him.
Father, I ask that you help all the family and friends gathered here to realize that all the pain, suffering, trials and tribulations of this life will be replaced by peace, comfort, and security in the next life. Give them the absolute assurance that David is now safe in your loving arms and the bosom of our lord Jesus Christ.
Father, we pray for David's family and friends and ask your blessing upon them, and for their peace and comfort in this difficult time. May any darkness of grief be illuminated by the light of joy from their memories of one they loved and one who loved them and by your promise of the future. Help us to realize that there is no need to suffer anything other than the temporary pain of separation from one who has graduated from this life to the next.
Father, we the family and friends of David Linthicum have commended his material body to the earth from which it came. His soul and spirit have been commended to you from which they came. Bless his journey from this life to the next and may all of us take comfort and rejoice in knowing that someday, if we so choose, we too shall stand before you and hear those words we all long to hear:
Well done my true and faithful servant. Well done. David would want me to share a few final quotes with you that I know are some of his favorites.
“There is in the mind of God a plan which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life. And the infinite treasures of such a matchless career are yours for the striving!” [Paper 32:5.7, page 365.3]
“The goal of eternity is ahead! The adventure of finding God lies before you! The race for perfection is on! whosoever will may enter, and certain victory will crown the efforts of every human being who will run the race of faith and trust, depending every step of the way on the leading of the indwelling spirit and the guidance of the Spirit of Truth which Jesus so freely poured out upon all mankind at Pentecost.” [Paper 32:5.8, page 365.4]
and finally:
"Death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery." [Paper 14:5.10, page 159.6]
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David Linthicum, USA 
(Editor's note: This article was first published in the 2018 November Journal. It was adapted from a plenary speech delivered at the 2018 Netherlands conference. We are re-posting it in memory of the late David Linthicum who passed away on June 1, 2022.)
The conference theme of the 10th Urantia Association International conference in The Netherlands was “Jesus as a Teacher.” When I was asked to be one of the plenary speakers I thought it would be a great opportunity, even though I had never given a conference speech.
At the 2016 conference in San Antonio, TX, I presented my very first workshop, so I decided to expand on that workshop theme for my plenary speech in Holland, the workshop was titled, “The Eyedropper, Spoon, and Shovel.”
I came up with the idea primarily based on my experience with trying to get my family and friends to read The Urantia Book.
I found The Urantia Book and finished a cover-to-cover reading in 1996. Like many of us, I was eager to share this marvelous book with those closest to me, my family and friends. I couldn’t wait to tell my best friend the good news! I had discovered a true treasure, something beyond my wildest imagination.
One day I bought him a book and handed it to him saying, “Man, you have GOT to read this!” I was fired up! I was hoping my best friend would be just as excited as I was. I wanted him to read it, so we could share our thoughts as we had when we read the Carlos Castaneda and J.R.R. Tolkien books in years past.
Let’s just say, things didn’t work out as I had hoped; my friend never read the book. My effort was a dismal failure. I found out sometime later that he showed it to his wife who thumbed through it and declared it to be the work of the devil. I was heartbroken and disappointed.
In my own defense, please bear in mind that, at that time I didn’t know anything about Urantia Foundation, the history of the book or study groups, and I hadn’t met anyone else who had read the book.
Over the years I tried various approaches, trying to coax people to read the book and none were successful. A wise man once said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. It was time to rethink my approach.
My eye-opening moment came during a stint as a booth volunteer at the 2015 Parliament of the World Religions in Salt Lake City, Utah. Not sure how best to talk to folks about the book, I sat back and observed others who were more practiced, many with 40+ years experience.
I also watched the visitors as they interacted with the experienced booth volunteers and made mental notes of their reactions. When it came time for me to take my place at the booth I tried out some of the approaches I observed others using. I didn’t meet with much success; I just wasn’t comfortable with the way things were going.
The magic moment came when a visitor asked me what I thought of the book. That is when I hit my comfort zone. The Urantia Book had a profound impact on my life and I was eager to share what I had learned and how it changed my life. We ended up talking for about an hour. After that exchange I felt energized and confident.
Now, when people ask me what the book is about I simply tell them about my experience and what I learned from reading the book. I endeavor to avoid revelational terminology and simply say:
“For me, The Urantia Book answered the most pressing questions I had about religion, God, creation, angels, the devil and most importantly, life after death."
"I had always thought that there was more to heaven than sitting around and playing the harp for all eternity. No matter how perfect heaven is supposed to be, that would get kinda boring after say a hundred, thousand or a million years."
"There must be much more for us to do; eternity is a long, long, long time!"
"Surely God has a plan for us to stay busy, to grow in spirit and seek new opportunities that we can’t imagine today."
"In this book I learned that God does have such a plan for us, he is our Father and he has made provisions for continued growth and adventure in His far-flung creation.”
And I leave it at that.
If they ask for more information I suggest that if they have similar questions they might also find the answers they are looking for in The Urantia Book. If they persist with questions I do my best to address them while avoiding the introduction of terms that are unique to the book. I’ve also learned that you don’t start out by telling people that human beings don’t become angels and that dogs don’t go to heaven.
As mentioned, a couple of years ago I was asked to give a workshop at the San Antonio, TX conference. The conference theme was “Jesus the Master Teacher.”
After agonizing over what I was going to talk about, I decided to take a closer look at Jesus’ teachings. It was then that I came up with my topic, “The Eyedropper, Spoon, and Shovel.”
The concept came to me when I considered how Jesus taught the common people and his apostles. What really stood out in my mind was not so much what Jesus taught, but how he taught and, equally important, what he didn’t teach.
For instance, Jesus commented on several occasions that, “In my Father’s house there are many mansions.” On other occasions he said, “I have other sheep not of this fold.”
These utterances are not remarkable to us, we know what Jesus was referring to.
But can you imagine the confusion on the faces of the Apostles? What in the world could he be saying?
Imagine this—Jesus and the Apostles are on the Mount of Olives and Phillip asks Jesus what he means about the Father’s house and this business about other sheep not of this fold?
Jesus takes his rod and begins to draw in the sand, and looking in the faces of his eager but confused Apostles he says:
At which point Thomas jumps to his feet and exclaims, “Satania! As in Satan?”
That much information, however true it might be, would have blown the Apostles’ minds. They would surely have thought that Jesus “was absolutely beside himself” and one must wonder whether the Apostles would have followed him any further.
Instead, Jesus tempered what he said to others, he used an “eyedropper” of truth here and there to illustrate his teachings.
He would give them revealed truth by the spoonful, when they were ready for more. And when he did divulge additional information, as he did with Nathaniel, he charged Nathaniel to “tell no man.”
He did not attempt to shovel too much truth; it would have surely overwhelmed them.
We can learn much from Jesus’ method of teaching by using the eyedropper, spoon, and shovel approach ourselves when we desire to reveal the truths contained in The Urantia Book.
There is much we can learn from Jesus that will help us to be better teachers and leaders in our daily lives. We tend to attempt too much, too soon, which can overwhelm people. I have found that sharing my personal story about how the revelation has changed my life is much more powerful than saying, “The book says this, or the book says that…” People can relate to a personal story.
Let us bear in mind the method Jesus used as he shared a new revelation of truth with the Apostles, disciples and the masses. We should focus on the things Jesus taught while also keeping in mind those things that Jesus did not teach and let that guide us as well.
Jesus’ life changed the world. His teachings led to the eventual creation of the Christian Church which went on to spread his teachings all over the world. He was able to change the perception of the God of Moses, which depicted an angry and vengeful God, to a God of Love, a loving Father who adores his earthly children. Jesus taught us about the Kingdom of Heaven and the Brotherhood of Man, that men and women are “saved” by their faith alone.
When all is said and done, the Father idea is still the highest concept of God. [Paper 196:3.35, page 2097.3]
These simple messages of love, faith, and family served to change the people’s perceptions of God and their relationship to him. God became more personable, more understanding and sympathetic to our earthly struggles.
Jesus’ message was not complicated; it was ideally suited for the times in which he lived. Jesus was able to deftly weave his higher insights into the fabric of beliefs held in those days, over 2,000 years ago. He was skillful in determining what to say and what not to say.
But what of the times in which we live today? What can we learn from Jesus’ teachings that can serve to instruct us as we reach out to family and friends with our new found understanding of the true teachings of the Master?
When we examine Jesus’ teachings it begs the question: how do we incorporate all the things we have learned from reading/studying this marvelous revelation in our efforts to share these things with the ones we love, our family and friends?
As you go forth in your travels, remember to bring the eyedropper and the spoon… leave the shovel at home. If you find someone who desires a book, give them one but let them get their own shovel and dig for the truths it contains.
And that friend I mentioned earlier, what I failed to realize was that he was already safely in the Kingdom of God. He is an active member in his church and has a strong faith in God’s saving grace and eternal salvation.
For those with an ear, let him hear….
(See this YouTube video for David's live presentation of this article given at the 2018 International conference in the Netherlands.)
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David Linthicum, USA 
(Editor's note: This article was first published in the 2021 June Tidings. We are re-posting it here in memory of the late David Linthicum.)
During a recent Urantia Association conference, a question was posed to those assembled: “How many have been successful in introducing The Urantia Book to family or friends?” The response was not surprising; a quick count revealed that only a smattering few raised their hands. For all those who have tried and failed to introduce the book to family and friends, you are in good company.
Here we have in our hands a divine revelation, the fifth epochal revelation to mankind, the most amazing treasure since Jesus walked the Earth and yet many of our family and friends are not interested. I’m sure this is a reality for a great many of us and a disappointing one at that!
I’ve been a student of the book for 26 years, yet despite my best efforts to interest family and friends, for the most part they have shown only passive interest, perhaps tolerance or even appeasement would be more like it; none have taken the time to read the book. I was able to get a previous girlfriend to read the book several years ago and she became a dedicated student of the book. So, one person after 26 years of trying—not a great record!
The inability to share The Urantia Book with those closest to me has been disappointing to say the least. It is a failure that is difficult to bear at times. If this is your story, you know what I mean.
It hasn’t been for a lack of effort; I’ve tried everything I can think of. I even tried talking about the book without mentioning the book. What I found was that most people just aren’t interested in that type of conversation; they typically subscribe to the old “It’s best not to talk about religion or politics” excuse.
I even tried reverse psychology with a friend who asked me what I was reading. He is one of the most well-read people I know; we’ve been close friends for over 40 years. I told him a little bit about the basics of the book but suggested he shouldn’t bother. “It’s over 2,000 pages long,” I told him, “and a difficult book to read and even tougher to comprehend."
He asked me to send him a book, which I promptly did. Yes! I thought, success at long last! As it turns out, he never read it, and he didn’t want to talk about it either—once again, my hopes were dashed.
I did have a total stranger ask me about the book just a couple of months ago. While in the waiting area at a tire store, a gentleman noticed I was reading the book and asked what it was about; he wondered if it was it some kind of Bible. I asked him if he was a religious man and told him that the book was along those lines. He said he was, named his faith, and added that he had an open mind. So, I handed him the book, open to the “Contents of the Book”; we sat and talked while he glanced over the pages.
After a nice chat, he said he’d order the book when he got back home and really looked forward to reading it. He seemed genuinely enthused. I gave him my phone number and asked him to call me once he got a chance to read some of it. Did he order the book? If so, did he read it? I don’t know—I haven’t heard back from him. Still, it was a pleasant experience.
That is one side of the coin; there is always the other side. On that other side, I am pleased to say, I have personally sent The Urantia Book to hundreds of people all over the country. And, more importantly, I know with certainty that many of them have read or are currently reading the book. How do I know this? I know because they write me often. They write to ask questions, to express how grateful they are to have such a wonderful treasure in their possession, to tell me how it has changed their life, and how they are sharing the book with their family and friends.
I like that side of the coin!
Here’s the difference: each of the individuals I have sent a book to personally asked me for the book. Most of the men and women I’ve sent books to have said they heard about the book from a friend. It is so encouraging to see this beautiful revelation spread from soul to soul in such amazing and inexplicable ways.
What a fulfilling service it is to be a small part in this mighty epoch in which we all live!
Along with a small group of my Urantia Book brothers and sisters, each a “seasoned” student of the book, we have been able to provide nearly 3,000 books, in like manner, over the past 16 years. Each book was requested; we didn’t set up stands in the park, man a booth at a bookfair, or use any of the typical means of reaching people and getting the book “out there.” Still, we have been blessed with the ability and means to provide books to so many—thousands of books to thousands of searching souls! It is an amazing story, such a wonderful and satisfying experience.
One of the supreme joys for a reader/student of The Urantia Book is the opportunity to introduce the book to an eager truth-seeker. The delight in being able to answer the questions of someone who is in the midst of reading the book for the first time is truly soul-satisfying. In connection with sending out so many books, it should not be surprising to learn that many of those grateful recipients continue to write with their questions.
Here are some of the questions I’ve received just this past year:
For those of us who attend study groups, we understand that such questions are essential to new readers as they sort through their current beliefs and/or disbeliefs about so many things. Being able to wisely answer their questions is not always an easy endeavor. One must be mindful not to injure or offend an inquisitive mind, not to say too much too soon, and to avoid confusion that might discourage further study.
It takes a delicate hand when your only form of communication is the written word, the exchange of letters—postal letters! Yes, the old-fashioned way.
Here’s the thing: I’ve never spoken to a single one of the people I’ve provided a book to, not a single one, not in person, by phone, Zoom or any other means. Just the exchange of letters.
Here’s the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say. Each of the people I’ve sent a book to is a man or woman who committed a crime and is incarcerated at a state or federal facility. You might say we volunteers have a “captive” audience. The fact that these men and women are incarcerated does not in the least diminish their value or worth in God’s eyes—nor should it in ours!
It has been quite an experience these past 16 years, being able to shine the light of truth in such dark and dismal places. I have found that there are many who sincerely desire to know better, to be better, to do better, to know God, to strive for a chance to make things right with their loved ones, but more importantly, with themselves. It always gladdens my heart to receive a testimonial of renewed spirit! These same folks are, in turn, spreading the word to their family and friends.
I thank God for the opportunity to experience the joy of being involved with like-minded brothers and sisters who sincerely and unselfishly desire to share this divine gift, The Urantia Book, with those who need it most, the so-called lost souls, the lost sheep, searching souls, to those who are looking for answers, to all who seek truth, no matter their station in life.
If you’d like to know more—if you’d like to be a part—if you’d like to donate to the cause, please contact me anytime. Feel free to email me at ubsooner2@outlook.com. I’ll be here till graduation…
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Tidings Committee
Please enjoy this selection of photos of the late David Linthicum depicting his participation in a variety of meetings, working groups and study groups.
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