The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

A forum to discuss the Urantia Book.
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by happyrain »

well you both make valid points and I definitely think there's a bit of fear-mongering going around. :cheese:
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:idea: Considering the accumulating news, a bit of fearmongering is healthy:

From today's email ...

"My business ... over the last 34 years has been the canary in the coal mine concerning repercussions in the upturns and downturns of our local economy. We can accurately forecast what's coming economically by how the major corporations use our services. We are experiencing something new and disheartening. What's going to most probably happen not only here, but across the country as the virus spreads will have a HUGE economic impact. Far, far more damage is going to be done through a partial collapse of the economy than the virus itself." :shock:

Apparently, this will be mainstream news in the weeks ahead! :(

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:sunflower: Comment from an online discussion ...

"One night I had a vivid dream that I was working in the resurrection halls on the first world. People would wake up in groups and be all confused because it was not what they expected. I had to calm them down, show them a big map of all the universes and show them where they came from and where they are now and where they are going. Then they would move along and another group would wake up and it was the same thing all over again."

:idea: This might be similar to a tour bus guide, except these tourists were not aware of such a tour and were asleep even before boarding the tour bus. Of course, some tourists wanted to know who arranged and paid for the trip while others were puzzled about their one-way ticket. But even those who wanted to go back to "negotiate" a much later trip with their travel agent were delighted to first sample the refreshing drinks and heavenly pastries now awaiting the just-awakened, very-long-distance travelers. :roll

See also: http://www.theub.org/part-ii.html#P047_3

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

(from today's research)

:idea: The UB's consistency of usage seems to suggest that "third period"
is related more to a stage of transition than to travel time or distance:

"2. Sleeping Survivors. All mortals of survival status, in the custody of personal guardians of destiny, pass through the portals of natural death and, on the third period, personalize on the mansion worlds." (30:4.11)

"If the human individual survives without delay, the Adjuster, so I am instructed, registers at Divinington, proceeds to the Paradise presence of the Universal Father, returns immediately and is embraced by the Personalized Adjusters of the superuniverse and local universe of assignment, receives the recognition of the chief Personalized Monitor of Divinington, and then, at once, passes into the 'realization of identity transition,' being summoned therefrom on the third period and on the mansion world in the actual personality form made ready for the reception of the surviving soul of the earth mortal as that form has been projected by the guardian of destiny." (112:4.13)

"During the transit of surviving mortals from the world of origin to the mansion worlds, whether they experience personality reassembly on the third period or ascend at the time of a group resurrection, the record of personality constitution is faithfully preserved by the archangels on their worlds of special activities." (112:5.15)

"The third stage of the Master’s earth experience extended from the baptism through the years of his ministry as teacher and healer and up to this momentous hour of Peter’s confession at Caesarea-Philippi. This third period of his earth life embraced the times when his apostles and his immediate followers knew him as the Son of Man and regarded him as the Messiah." (157:6.3)

See also:
http://www.theub.org/part-i.html#P030_4_11
http://www.theub.org/part-iii.html#P112_4_13
http://www.theub.org/part-iii.html#P112_5_15
http://www.theub.org/part-iv.html#P157_6_3

Rod
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:study: Considering that UB authors purposely wrote "day" when a planetary period is referenced
but wrote "period" when referring to a stage of transition, I searched for clarification:

Meaningful periods in the transition after mortal death:

1st period: personal adjuster departs to Divinington (112:3.3)
2nd period: attending angel proceeds to first mansion world to await personality reassembly (113:6.2)
3rd period: surviving mortal experiences personality reassembly (112:5.19)

Requisite stages for personality reassembly: (112:5.17-19)

"The reassembly of the constituent parts of a onetime material personality involves:

1. The fabrication of a suitable form, a morontia energy pattern, in which the new survivor can make contact with nonspiritual reality, and within which the morontia variant of the cosmic mind can be encircuited.

2. The return of the Adjuster to the waiting morontia creature. The Adjuster is the eternal custodian of your ascending identity; your Monitor is the absolute assurance that you yourself and not another will occupy the morontia form created for your personality awakening. And the Adjuster will be present at your personality reassembly to take up once more the role of Paradise guide to your surviving self.

3. When these prerequisites of repersonalization have been assembled, the seraphic custodian of the potentialities of the slumbering immortal soul, with the assistance of numerous cosmic personalities, bestows this morontia entity upon and in the awaiting morontia mind-body form while committing this evolutionary child of the Supreme to eternal association with the waiting Adjuster. And this completes the repersonalization, reassembly of memory, insight, and consciousness — identity."

Whereupon personality reassembly typically occurs "on the third day" (49:6.9)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:study: The subtlety of this period/day difference is that the adjuster departs immediately (first period) when a human's mind circuits can no longer function, but the guardian seraphim leave (second period) only after the human's body is no longer alive. Then, the human's personality and soul reunite (third period, typically "third day") on Mansonia.

:idea: That a person is in a coma does not necessarily indicate that their mind circuits no longer function (their adjuster remains present). But how would conscious humans know this? Best guess: Conscious humans have an active adjuster who knows ... and can somehow communicate the reality to their human partner. First thought: Poll a "jury" of adults and children about the adult in a coma to discover what they sense. ;)

Apparently, the adjuster's departure signals that the human's soul-building days are over, but their soul still exists and awaits reuniting with their adjuster on Mansonia.

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:study: Re: https://www.foxnews.com/us/coronavirus- ... est-reopen

[a comment] "I love Jesus. He does a fantastic job mowing my lawn." :roll:

:idea: While obviously referring to a Spanish name ...
a metaphoric lawn mowing (personal tall grass, weeds, etc.)
is indeed fantastic when mowed by the Master Gardener :!:
(frequent mowing is recommended) ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/arizo ... never-same

"A heartfelt obituary is making the rounds on Twitter for its hysterical ode to its late, great subject"
"Jacobs’ nephew Chris Santa Maria came forward and identified himself as the author of the humorous obit"

:sunflower: A shorter obituary, read from "mansonia number one":
"Here today - gone yesterday ... or so it seems." :hithere

See also: http://www.theub.org/part-ii.html#P047_3
Paper 47 - The Seven Mansion Worlds
3. The First Mansion World

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:study: Re: https://uudb.org/articles/henrynelsonwieman.html

"While living at Carbondale, Wieman continued to move away from traditional Christianity. In 1963 he wrote, 'It is impossible to gain knowledge of the total cosmos or to have any understanding of the infinity transcending the cosmos. Consequently, beliefs about these matters are illusions, cherished for their utility in producing desired states of mind ... Nothing can transform man unless it operates in human life. Therefore, in human life, in the actual processes of human existence, must be found the saving and transforming power which religious inquiry seeks and which faith must apprehend.' "

"In a 1967 sermon to Unitarians he said, 'I don't think I've found any other association of people who gather regularly to consider the important problems of human existence which I've found is more congenial or as congenial as this.' "


:idea: Considering the many volumes of writing by Wieman, that the two Rodan Papers (160, 161; apparently, Wieman's heavily edited "The Issues of Life") is such a small portion of Wieman's lifetime productivity suggests that "The Issues" had greatest potential for midwayer editing for inclusion in the Urantia Papers. In fact, these two Rodan Papers now seem intentional examples of the Acknowledgment in 121:8.12.

UB Acknowledgments by Authors/Sponsors*
Foreword: [ 0:12.11-13 ]
Part I - Papers 1-31 [ 1:7.9, 31:10.22 ]
Part II - Papers 32-56 [ 54:6.11, 56:10.23 ]
Part III - Papers 57-119 [ 119:8.9 ]
Part IV - Papers 120-196 [ 121:0.1, 121:8.11-14, 134:3.8, 134:5.1 ]

* From http://aitnaru.org/images/Urantia_Papers.pdf

"In carrying out my commission to restate the teachings and retell the doings of Jesus of Nazareth, I have drawn freely upon all sources of record and planetary information. My ruling motive has been to prepare a record which will not only be enlightening to the generation of men now living, but which may also be helpful to all future generations. From the vast store of information made available to me, I have chosen that which is best suited to the accomplishment of this purpose. As far as possible I have derived my information from purely human sources. Only when such sources failed, have I resorted to those records which are superhuman.

When ideas and concepts of Jesus’ life and teachings have been acceptably expressed by a human mind, I invariably gave preference to such apparently human thought patterns. Although I have sought to adjust the verbal expression the better to conform to our concept of the real meaning and the true import of the Master’s life and teachings, as far as possible, I have adhered to the actual human concept and thought pattern in all my narratives.

I well know that those concepts which have had origin in the human mind will prove more acceptable and helpful to all other human minds. When unable to find the necessary concepts in the human records or in human expressions, I have next resorted to the memory resources of my own order of earth creatures, the midwayers. And when that secondary source of information proved inadequate, I have unhesitatingly resorted to the superplanetary sources of information." (121:8.12)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/c ... -instagram

"After growing up in a Christian home, being a pastor’s kid, playing and singing in a Christian band, and having the word ‘Christian’
in front of most of the things in my life — I am now finding that I no longer believe in God." :o

"The 36-year-old singer explained he is 'open to the idea that God is there ...
I suspect if he is there, he is very different than what I was taught.' "

:idea: "Very different" most likely and often a better path for discovery. ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3849944/posts

"Those meant to die will die" :roll:

:idea: What is really meant to die is this expression - used worldwide ... for centuries :!:
No intelligent force in the universe wants humans to die sooner than their potential lifespan.
Consider: 100 years of a human lifespan is but a second to a God of infinite existence. 8)

;) On the other hand (even the one painted by Michelangelo) ...
human age and/or medical problems and/or societal stability, etc.,
can indicate probability that a human lifespan will be much shorter.

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:sunflower: Today's purchase for Easy Summer Reading ...

Re: https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Christia ... 1501136704
"The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World", by Bart Ehrman, 2018

A focus on the beginning of Christianity, the religion about Jesus.
:scratch: "How does it end?!" Check back during Light and Life. ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Christia ... 1501136704
"The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World", by Bart Ehrman, 2018
:roll So far, easy and thought-provoking reading ...

(p.7) "If God wanted the world to become Christian, why hasn't it become Christian?"
"If God wanted the masses to convert, why are most of the masses still not converted?"

:idea: Suddenly it becomes clear that God's plan is greater than the Bible,
greater than Christianity, and even greater than epochal revelation to a planet. ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:sunflower: More perspective for "What religion is the UB?"

Gospel of Joshua (170:4.8-13)

The Master on this occasion placed emphasis on the following five points
as representing the cardinal features of the gospel of the kingdom:

1. The pre-eminence of the individual.
2. The will as the determining factor in man’s experience.
3. Spiritual fellowship with God the Father.
4. The supreme satisfactions of the loving service of man.
5. The transcendency of the spiritual over the material in human personality.

See also: http://www.theub.org/part-iv.html#P170_4_8

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: Gospel of Joshua (170:4.8-13)

:idea: This suggests a name for a new website
that promotes the teachings of Jesus: "Counsel of Joshua" 8)
... since Jesus' name then was Joshua ben Joseph.

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:study: Re: https://www.foxnews.com/sports/san-fran ... nal-anthem

"San Francisco Giants manager, some players, kneel during national anthem"

:idea: Continuing controversy, begging new symbolism:
One knee = Black Lives Matter (human perspective)
Two knees = All Lives Matter (God's perspective)

:roll: Interestingly, the association of "one knee" and "BLM"
shifts protest message from anti-national-government
to anti-local-government (and their police forces). ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:study: Re: https://www.the-sun.com/news/1176865/pa ... n-lucifer/

“I tried to explain that we are not religious people, and Lucifer in Greek means ‘light-bringer’ and ‘morning’ but she wouldn’t listen."

:sunny: Fascinating that Greek writings know about Lucifer's beginning of brilliance! From the UB ...

"LUCIFER was a brilliant primary Lanonandek Son of Nebadon. He had experienced service in many systems, had been a high counselor of his group, and was distinguished for wisdom, sagacity, and efficiency. Lucifer was number 37 of his order, and when commissioned by the Melchizedeks, he was designated as one of the one hundred most able and brilliant personalities in more than seven hundred thousand of his kind. From such a magnificent beginning, through evil and error, he embraced sin and now is numbered as one of three System Sovereigns in Nebadon who have succumbed to the urge of self and surrendered to the sophistry of spurious personal liberty — rejection of universe allegiance and disregard of fraternal obligations, blindness to cosmic relationships." (53:0.1)

See also: http://www.theub.org/part-ii.html#P053_0_1

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:sunflower: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worshi ... the-rosary

Easy to see why this remains appealing to those who bond with it (if it's not mindless activity).
A "teachable moment" might exist now for an R&R transition (Revelatory Rosary). :o

:hithere Speaking of "R&R transition" (a concept) ...

"The Revelatory Rosary is a Urantia Book-based compilation of quotes and instruction for purposeful meditation
on the significance and personal direction of this fifth epochal revelation, while maintaining a familiar focus
of reflection, prayer, and receptive heart and while handling a bead set, long inspirational to many." 8)

"But wait! There's more!" ... if the worker bees get buzzin' ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rel ... 4252/posts

"Similar reports have emerged from at least five provinces over the last few months, with authorities urging believers
— often low-income households reliant on government assistance — to replace crosses and images of Jesus in their homes
with posters of Communist Party leaders, or lose welfare benefits."

:idea: When believers require less external symbolism, replacement is not so controversial:

Offer thanks and appreciation for the material benefits of the state,
but prayer to God is well-received even from a mind so directed. ;)

Let another object nearby - even a rock (pebble) - be the symbolism!
(from internet) "longevity of structures made of rock often means
that they are associated with the divine and the eternal." 8)
(allow for replacement with another rock when desired)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: https://www.christianpost.com/news/chin ... eport.html

"China removes over 900 church crosses in first half of 2020" :shock:

:farao: "Seize the moment!" comes to mind ...

With the cross still reflecting Jesus' death more than resurrection,
this new millennium - even local universe - begs new symbolism! ;)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: https://thewashingtonstandard.com/does- ... g-anymore/

"Does 'Evangelical Christian' Even Mean Anything Anymore?"

"According to the National Association Of Evangelicals, there are certain distinct beliefs that set evangelical Christians apart from the rest of the population … Evangelicals take the Bible seriously and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The term 'evangelical' comes from the Greek word euangelion, meaning 'the good news' or the 'gospel.' Thus, the evangelical faith focuses on the 'good news' of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ."

:idea: While this article laments the decline of evangelical Christians, it's reference to "the good news" highlights the greater message of UB dissemination: "'the good news" as re-presented by epochal revelation: "The Greek religion had a watchword 'Know yourself'; the Hebrews centered their teaching on 'Know your God'; the Christians preach a gospel aimed at a 'knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ';
Jesus proclaimed the good news of 'knowing God, and yourself as a son of God.' " ( 5:4.8 )

"The Christian concept of God is an attempt to combine three separate teachings: (5:4.10)
1. The Hebrew concept — God as a vindicator of moral values, a righteous God.
2. The Greek concept — God as a unifier, a God of wisdom.
3. Jesus’ concept — God as a living friend, a loving Father, the divine presence."

:study: See also:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/biblic ... #ref598075
http://www.theub.org/part-i.html#P005_4_8
http://www.theub.org/part-i.html#P005_4_10

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:roll: About Urantia21 ...

A new group, promoting their revision of the UB text, made available for download as PDF files and titled:
"The Urantia Book: A Restatement for the 21st Century". Apparently, attempt to create gender neutrality in the text
and removes or restates "controversial" wording. Who knew?! that this sentence of the UB was controversial:

"When all is said and done, the Father idea is still the highest human concept of God." (196:3.35)

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

Re: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... earth.html

"Musk boasts his Starship will take passengers to space in three years and says humans need to be an 'interplanetary species'
because the sun will eventually engulf earth" :o

(UB, 41:9.5) "Your own sun has long since attained relative equilibrium between its expansion and contraction cycles, those disturbances which produce the gigantic pulsations of many of the younger stars. Your sun is now passing out of its six billionth year. At the present time it is functioning through the period of greatest economy. It will shine on as of present efficiency for more than twenty-five billion years."

:idea: Musk is quite the visionary to anticipate this problem, 25 billion years from now! :roll:

See also: http://www.theub.org/part-ii.html#P041_9

Rod :)
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by happyrain »

That's hilarious, thank you.

I do think we will witness attempts to live in space stations and perhaps it'll be common place to think of leaving planet earth for my childrens children.
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Re: The benefits of reading the Urantia Book

Post by Amigoo »

:idea: More perspective on Urantia21's Restatement of the Urantia Book ...

The Introduction to this Restatement well-explains the goal of this revision, but the resulting editorial craftsmanship provides good example why revelators were required to present "epochal revelation" rather than humans. And this Restatement also provides indirect example how the revelators were able to incorporate existing human concepts now distorted or removed. :(

Rod :)
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