The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

[Sandy]

Rod, I absolutely loved "The Garden of Spiritual Progress"
Thank you for sharing it!

Sandy

[Amigoo]

From early morning musing about other expressions for "kingdom of God" ...

"The great effort embodied in this sermon was the attempt to translate the concept of the kingdom of heaven into the ideal of the idea of doing the will of God. Long had the Master taught his followers to pray: “Your kingdom come; your will be done”; and at this time he earnestly sought to induce them to abandon the use of the term kingdom of God in favor of the more practical equivalent, the will of God. But he did not succeed." (170:2.11)

"Jesus desired to substitute for the idea of the kingdom, king, and subjects, the concept of the heavenly family, the heavenly Father, and the liberated sons of God engaged in joyful and voluntary service for their fellow men and in the sublime and intelligent worship of God the Father." (170:2.12)

Re: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realm

"Realm" is a gentle substitute for "kingdom of God"; perhaps "the Father's Realm":
"the eternal Father, who is the center and circumference of this spiritual kingdom" (157:6.5)

"Triunity of the Realm" would be post-Revelation, ethereal elevation of "realm", while ...
"Brotherhood of the Realm" might refer to "sons of God engaged in joyful and voluntary service ..."

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnuNnprAWCI

Good lyrics and memorable tune for the gently aging residents of 606.

Rod

[Sandy]

As a child of the sixties it brings back some great memories. I adore the music from this era...
Thanks Rod!
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Re: http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/6 ... lly-HUMANS

Hmmm ... Doesn't the UB hint (or suggest) that the Life Carriers intended for all creature DNA to keep evolving naturally - not artificially? Such cloning may introduce undesirable future editions (and quantities) of these "cattle, pets, and humans" (IMO).

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: http://board.1111angels.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=25727
Urantia, May 1, 2016.
Subject: “Real Life is Lived Within, Not Without.”

"Many people think that they will get another chance at earth-life to do things better the next time around. However, the incubation time on earth is past and will not be recalled.

"The question remains: what if you were to do your life all over again, what would you change as you have no recollection of this present one? You might find yourself a great deal worse off, because you did not learn anything the ‘first’ time around."


Hmmm ... "will not be recalled" is perspective shared by the UB:

"Your Adjuster memory remains fully intact as you ascend the morontia life. Those mental associations that were purely animalistic and wholly material naturally perished with the physical brain, but everything in your mental life which was worthwhile, and which had survival value, was counterparted by the Adjuster and is retained as a part of personal memory all the way through the ascendant career. You will be conscious of all your worth-while experiences as you advance from one mansion world to another and from one section of the universe to another — even to Paradise. (47:4.5) See also: http://www.theub.org/part-ii.html#P047_4_5

Interestingly, "your Adjuster memory" (which many readers read mentally as "your Adjuster's memory") is subtle highlight of ongoing mortal progression toward fusion with their Adjuster (two are becoming one, even starting on Urantia): "practically all surviving mortals are fused with their Adjusters on one of the mansion worlds" (40:8.1) See also: http://www.theub.org/part-ii.html#P040_8_1

Rod

[Amigoo]

everything in your mental life which was worthwhile, and which had survival value, was counterparted by the Adjuster
and is retained as a part of personal memory all the way through the ascendant career

"But what is worthwhile and of survival value? Examples?" (a UB reader's comment)

A discussion topic that, if started today on a UB blog, would go on for decades as readers interpret "worthwhile" and "of survival value" (since the UB does not give explicit examples).

Interestingly, during my neighborhood's 5-hour power outage last night, I listened to a radio program. The caller (a woman) asked the host for advice on how to "encourage" (from a Christian perspective) a friend to move out of her house since the friend had, for two years, stopped paying for her room and board due to persistent unemployment. The radio host insisted that the woman and her husband were enabling the friend's behavior and that they should firmly insist that the friend either get a job soon (and pay current + past due rent) or leave and don't come back

While "Stop enabling!" is an easy solution to dictate, the problem is more complex, considering that our UB-inspired, evolving spirituality should caution that God does not treat his children so arbitrarily - the goal should be to stop enabling while helping the friend resolve her dependence. While some of Jesus' lessons may seem harsh, his actual behavior was always respectful, loving, and never intended to cast wrongdoers aside.

Apparently, such problems provide opportunities for decisions (and behavior) that create experiences in our mental life that are "worthwhile" and "of survival value". That one could lawfully force the woman to leave, probably to live on the streets, does not seem to create experiences and memories that are worthwhile and of survival value ... albeit such force is popular and rationalized in modern human society - even by devout religionists! IMO

Rod

[Amigoo]

"But what is worthwhile and of survival value?

Perhaps ... "worthwhile" and "of survival value" includes all experiences
where we apply the will of God as we experientially know that Will,
for these experiences accumulate, guiding our own journey to Paradise.

Rod

[Amigoo]

(extracted from another blog, discussing a new term for UB readers, et al.)

All things considered, the name "Urantia" seems most important for it alludes to those who have been studying (or are fully aware of) our Fifth Epochal Revelation. And a more inclusive term for fellow travelers to Light and Life should include those who are unfamiliar with the Urantia Book. But "Light and Life" is descriptive of a distant period on the planet (current generations will have become residents of the mansion worlds long before the early decades of Light and Life are established here on Urantia).

However, the community of UB readers is indeed a special group: those who embrace our recent epochal revelation and participate in its dissemination. After all, the great majority of the planet does not yet embrace the Revelation ... and Brotherhood of Man has long been the planet's preferred, all-inclusive term - a term even proffered by our Master ( http://www.theub.org/part-iv.html#P170_2_24 ).

Nonetheless, here's another possibility (at least, direction): Truthseekers of Urantia, a term that does not limit membership to "UB readers", is broadly inclusive of all planetary inhabitants who desire truth, beauty, and goodness, and indirectly acknowledges that the planet has received revelatory upgrade to its "Earth" moniker.

Rod

[Amigoo]

a term that does not limit membership to "UB readers", is broadly inclusive of all planetary inhabitants who desire truth, beauty, and goodness, and indirectly acknowledges that the planet has received revelatory upgrade to its "Earth" moniker

Re: http://www.aitnaru.org/images/Truthseek ... rantia.pdf

Who knew?! This design has been waiting for years to find meaningful association.
But the geometry is the symbol and not the design (since a design might be trademarked
but the geometry cannot be so commercially confined).

And the 4,3,2,1 geometry is "So easy that a child could do it!":
Draw two concentric circles, one having half the diameter of the other,
then draw the other two circles upon the points provided.

Note: "4,3,2,1" refers to relative diameters.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Speaking of new terms ...

Did you ever read the massive "E.R. Five"?
It's atomic! (pronounced "ah 'tome ic")

Rod

[Amigoo]

Did you ever read the massive "E.R. Five"?
It's atomic! (pronounced "ah 'tome ik")

The Urantia Book is the fifth epochal revelation!
A tome, aka (or soon to be) "The E.R. Five" ...
and "mass" is a component of the atom.
Very logical, IMO

Rod

[Amigoo]

Speaking of "Entrepreneur alert!" ...

UB text, edited for Word Cloud designs, will make attractive and enticing coffee mugs, etc.

I'm creating a .TXT file for public use that will include multiple-word terms using the '~' character. Apparently, current Word Clouds created with UB text use only single words. This file can then be edited further as desired (for font, italics, letter color, etc.).

Judging by the million+ words in the UB, this editing may take "a few days",
but good text editor software (and user skill) makes the goal achievable.

Rod ... .... (off to crunch 'n munch on "a few words")

[Amigoo]

Regarding new terms for "UB Readers" ...

Re: http://harvardmagazine.com/2016/05/comm ... us-service

"Some 15 ministries—Islamic, Quaker, Urantia Book Readers, and others—were represented in the afternoon’s service, woven together through prayer and song. The graduating students read from the impressively old or startlingly recent texts of their diverse traditions"

Hmmm 1 ... the term "Urantia Book Readers" stands out when presented as one of these ministries. Methinks that "Readers" doesn't indicate "Doers" (those who minister ... and according to what they read). Even "Book Club" would suggest more group action than "Readers".

Hmmm 2 ... "The Urantia Ministry" has potential ... and is available according to a Google search.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: http://aitnaru.org/images/The_Urantia_Ministry.pdf

This will make a good poster, not of an organization, but of revelatory spirit
that includes living the Revelation as well as studying and disseminating its text
... and is inclusive of all who embrace Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: http://aitnaru.org/images/The_Urantia_Ministry.pdf
Oops! "Truthseekers" is two words in the UB.

Re: http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_The_Urantia_Ministry
"Been there! Done that!" (but it's subject to public editing)

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: The Urantia Ministry

This ministry is actually a celestial/human partnership
including Michael's bestowed Spirit of Truth and his
divine associate, the Universe Mother Spirit.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_The_Urantia_Ministry
(current definition in case it's changed later)

According to the planet's "fifth epochal revelation", truth seekers (and those who so minister) are all who embrace this eternal truth:

"If you, by truth co-ordination, learn to exemplify in your lives this beautiful wholeness of righteousness, your fellow men will then seek after you that they may gain what you have so acquired. The measure wherewith truth seekers are drawn to you represents the measure of your truth endowment, your righteousness." *

At the spiritual level, this ministry is a vast celestial/human partnership that includes the bestowed, post-Resurrection Spirit of Truth and the all-pervading Holy Spirit (Universe Mother Spirit).

* The Urantia Book, Paper:Section.Paragraph 155:1.5

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_The_Urantia_Ministry

While "The Urantia Ministry" is not an organization, SSU could be (posted on another blog):

"Stepping Stones of Urantia" (SSU) would make a good name for a UB dissemination group since many are guided to the UB via "stepping stones" (varied interests, associations, activities, etc.).

SSU might become the effective coordinator, enhancing the guidance; for example, having representation in venues that are not directly UB-related. SSU "missionaries" come to mind.

Entrepreneur Alert
"SSU" will need design for T-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs (not facial tattoos ), rings, etc.
since "SSU" might allude to a symbolic "SS University", an organization without borders.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Current responses (re: SSU):

One "Good idea!" from Finland.
Two (paraphrased) "No way, Jose!" from the other blog,
including example of troubling acronym "Post-Implementation System Step"

Which leads to this morning's pre-coffee Thoughts:

First Thought: Get real! There are only 26 letters in the English alphabet - acronyms have to be recycled if we expect to communicate in English while creating many more new terms for many more centuries.

Second Thought: The term proposed was "Stepping Stones of Urantia" - not "SS University". "SS University" is conjecture about allusion of "SSU".

Third Thought: "The ship has left the harbor."* Having proffered "Stepping Stones of Urantia" to the world (email and internet), those who find it useful already have the freedom to incorporate the term personally or as formal organization.
* paraphrased from: http://www.theub.org/part-iii.html#P099_1_3

Fourth Thought: Oy Vey! How does any UB-related ship leave the harbor with such constant headwinds?!

Fifth Thought: (also see Third Thought) Promoting International Social Symbiosis is challenging!

Final Thought: What The Finesse?! (WTF)

Rod

[Amigoo]

An interesting survey of trends in organized religion:
http://investmentwatchblog.com/more-ame ... -religion/

"About half of current religious 'nones' who were raised in a religion (49%) indicate that a lack of belief led them to move away from religion. This includes many respondents who mention 'science' as the reason they do not believe in religious teachings, including one who said 'I’m a scientist now, and I don’t believe in miracles.' Others reference 'common sense,' 'logic' or a 'lack of evidence' – or simply say they do not believe in God."

"But not all faiths are losing members in the United States. In fact, Islam, Buddhism, Wicca and various New Age organizations have all experienced excellent growth in recent years."

"As the oldest Americans die off, the United States is becoming less and less Christian. We are on the exact same path that Europe has already gone down"


One could almost intuit that the primary trend is anti-Christian (not "aggressively against" but "moving away from"). And this might suggest that a new term will (should) arise for followers of the resurrected Master ... perhaps one less encumbered by the "undesirables" of long-organized Christianity. Can it be that Jesus' divinity, as long-promoted by Christianity, is a problem? Or that Jesus' crucifixion somehow associates with an unjust God? Or that "atonement" is a concept less influential on the religious nones?

Re: "Only about half of Millennials say they believe in God with absolute certainty".
Does this suggest that "God" needs to be repackaged by religionists for the current era?
Or perhaps, God is not promoted by parents/relatives as in the good ol' days?

Re: "America needs revival more than it has ever needed it before."
... but not the same ol' revivals from past centuries; maybe the anti-Christian trend is this revival!

An intriguing and positive trend ...
In a local Half-Price Books store, the UB is shelved in "Other Religions" - not "Christianity" - not "New Age".
So ... what shall we call this UB religion (lower case 'r')?


Pre-dawn inspiration for a name for the "Urantia religion": UResuma
(pronounced "oor ray 'zoom ah"; composite of "Urantia + Resurrected + Master")

Comments about UResuma ...
- "resuma" in Spanish means "to sum up".
- not a current/past era sound but an intriguing future sound, (especially, post-discovery of life beyond 606).
- as pronounced, a sound that "extends" from tribal communities to the nether regions of the local universe.
- "resume" (not resumé) hints of the Master's intended presence, post resurrection.

Rod ... ... (off to zoom ah)

[Amigoo]

Speaking of Half-Price Books stores ...

Re: "The Accidental Mind" 2007 by David J. Linden

Recently purchased at a local Half-Price Books store but just browsed so far.
Very readable - even entertaining! But more about the brain than mind.
Includes discussion about gender identity, a popular societal topic.

This appears to be a great starting point (the evolutionary human brain)
for understanding UB-revealed mind and spirit influences. We humans may be
different makes and models, but we have evolutionary "combustion engines"
for integration with mind and spirit influences from above.

Rod

[Sandy]

"We can assume that religion on our post-bestowal Son planet is continually guided to be progressive - any words of the human Jesus that were edited (especially, paraphrased) by the midwayers certainly have the complete approval - maybe mandate - of Michael. And paragraph 195:9.2's "new vision of the Master’s life on earth" hints of the need for frequent restatement of Jesus' teachings, as the centuries roll toward light and life!"

Else, what is the purpose of celestial companionship and guidance on 606?"

I couldn't agree more!!! Well said, Rod.
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Re: "The Accidental Mind" 2007 by David J. Linden
(from my participation on another blog about God/human communication)

Someone posted: "the UB says that the proof of God is experiential only and otherwise unprovable":

"Those who know God have experienced the fact of his presence; such God-knowing mortals hold in their personal experience the only positive proof of the existence of the living God which one human being can offer to another. The existence of God is utterly beyond all possibility of demonstration except for the contact between the God-consciousness of the human mind and the God-presence of the Thought Adjuster that indwells the mortal intellect and is bestowed upon man as the free gift of the Universal Father". (1:2.8 )
See also: http://www.theub.org/part-i.html#P001_2_8

However (sez me) ...

If the human brain performs as an evolutionary, super-biologic computer with integrated parts/circuits, a "God spot" does not exist - just certain parts/circuits that are more "visible" when examined from outside the brain. That a hippocampus (and/or pituitary gland or whatever) might reveal greater electrical activity does not negate that other parts of the brain are also quite active in any intercommunication with God.

After all, an infinite God would be able to detect the firing of only one neuron when all others are returning to dust. Methinks that "God spot" is euphemism for "G-spot", euphemism that escaped long ago from late-night lab chatter and was overheard by a young lab assistant - not yet familiar with "G-spot" - who envisioned a future and widely-acclaimed doctoral thesis.

Re: (1:2.8 ) "The existence of God is utterly beyond all possibility of demonstration except for the contact between the God-consciousness of the human mind and the God-presence of the Thought Adjuster"

Intriguing sentence, hinting that such demonstration of the existence of God is effectively revealed by God-centered/guided human interaction with other humans.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: Messages from Celestial Teachers
“The Master, Tibet, and India” - http://board.1111angels.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26006

So ... what else do we know about Jesus in India?

Re: http://www.theglobalist.com/a-silk-road-caravan/

"A round-trip journey taken in ancient times along the Silk Road from China to Rome took two years."

The Silk Road map shows that travel also occurs across mountains and the article states that caravans make many stops along the way to unload (sell) and load (buy) goods. Obviously, a "caravan" was not a passenger train of express camels between Palestine and India.

Re: the UB

"It was the first of April, A.D. 24 (J' age 30), when Jesus left Nazareth on the caravan trip to the Caspian Sea region." (134:2.1)

"On the return from the Caspian region, Jesus gave up the direction of the caravan at Lake Urmia, where he tarried for slightly over two weeks. He returned as a passenger with a later caravan to Damascus, where the owners of the camels besought him to remain in their service. Declining this offer, he journeyed on with the caravan train to Capernaum, arriving the first of April, A.D. 25 (J' age 31)." (134:2.5)

So, Jesus (traveling by caravan) took one year for the round trip from Nazareth to the Caspian Sea region .... and this is about halfway from Nazareth to India. If the UB intentionally left out Jesus' trip to India during the Urmia lectures period, Paper 134 still does not leave enough chronological time for Jesus to have also made the trip to India and return to Nazareth.

Since Jesus' lifelong adventures are detailed year-by-year in the UB, what year(s) would we propose that Jesus traveled to India? Note that Jesus made but one more trip outside of Palestine upon returning from the Caspian: "When Jesus returned from the journey to the Caspian Sea, he knew that his world travels were about finished. He made only one more trip outside of Palestine, and that was into Syria." (134:7.1)

Ultimately, why would epochal revelation (specifically, the midwayers who supplied the narrative of Jesus' life) maintain a secret about Jesus' travel to India? [and no channeled message from any source to date even hints about Jesus' travel to India]

See also: Paper 134 - http://www.theub.org/part-iv.html#P134_0

Rod