Spiritual Fello\Yship Journal

Spiritual Fello\YshipJournal for Students & Believers in the Revelstion of the (Jrantiu Papers

Volume12, Number 1 Spring& Summer,2002

The Inner Life Challenge JoanBatson Mullins

The PricelessOpportunit] ... The Joy that Knows No Bounds Tom Choquette

More Lessonsfrom the Birds and Bees (and other Living Things... Such us How Dee Hock's "Revolutionary" Organizational Model was Inspired by Nature) Merlvn Cox

The ScientificIntegrity of The Ursntia Book DenverPearson

The Infinity of God an Astronomical Approach BudBromley

The Real Gospel Norm Du Val

The TurningPoint - Part II Arthur Nash

Creative Outreach . Great Urantians ' Lest We Forget : PeggyJohnson' Interface TheSpiritual Fellowship. . .

"Can we really imaginea churchwhere authorityand power are sharedby all the participants,where neither financial gain, nor power,nor prestigeare of any real importance;where human resourcesare valued above all else; where,at times,anyone might be the leader,regardless of their title; where peopleare so bound by a clearpurpose that they are held togetherdespite all their obviousdisparities and differentneeds, and march,as it were, in the samedirection, toward the samegoal, eventhough everyoneknows it cannotpossibly be achievedin our lifetime?" MERLYN COX

The provocativequestion proposed above by Merlyn Cox in his article,More Lessons from the Birds and Beesin this edition of TheFellowship Journal. Merlyn's vision is one of a religiousorganization such as the world hasnever seen.Meredith Sprungerin his "Creative Outreach" column likewise suggestsa religious organizationthat has neverbeen seenbefore ... one basedupon the teachingsof the Urantia Papers. Each of theseUrantians has a unique vision of what this religious organizationwill look like, what it will do, andhow it will serve.The meldingof ideassuch as these will form the sharedvision that will unite Urantians,because creeds divide, and goalsunite.

To this end, the directorsof The Spiritual Fellowship, and the Urantianswho have takenearly roles in this greatenterprise, ask for your prayers.We aisoneed your ideas and your energy.The challengesof forming a religiousorganization such as the world has never seenare formidable. And thosewho affemptthis momentoustask with us "will doubtlesslive and die without realizing [theyJ are participating in the birth of a new age of religion on this world. " Even so, if you feel the call to join us, pleasedo so. You may be one of the new Urantianleaders who have somethingto say that this day and this generationneeds to hear. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Long [email protected]

The SpiritualFellowship Journal Spiritual Fellowship Editorials 4 The Greatest Thing Richard Feynman Ever Wrote Journal Ordination at Boulder... a Day to Remember For Students & Believers in the Revelation of the Urantia Papers Interfuce Founded by The Mix of Joy and Discouragement Merlyncox 6 Dr Meredith Justin Sprunger "So it is thismix of joy anddiscouragement that seems to bethe lot of those SPRING & SUMMER 2OO2 blessedwith finding The Urantia Book andbound by honestyand goodwill, if not Volume 12.No.l a clearsense of calling, to seekto shareit with others." Editor Larry Mullins Articles AssociateEditor The Inner Life Challenge Josn Butson Mullins 9 JoanBatson Mullins "The great battle is more often won or lost, day by day and minute by minute in Editorial Consultants the arenaof the human mind. And it is here, in the present momentsof our daily Meredith Sprunger living, wherewe are most challengedin our inner lives." Merlyn Cox The PricelessOpportunity ... The Joy that KnowsNo Bounds Merritt Horn Tbm Choquette 16 Eric Cosh RoseyLiesky "Seryiceor ministry is the essenceor fragranceof the Spirit. Sheis a wonderful Andre Radatus lady andthe sparkof all that is life. Sheis representedon this planetby our local Universe Mother Spirit, and Her energy and nurturing are everywhere. To me Sherepresents the way of Joy. It is throughHer, and Her needsthat I havebeen ResourceConsultants blessedwith unlimited oppornrnitiesto serve.." David Biggs David Kantor More Lessonsfrom the Birds and Bees Victor McGonesal (and other Living Things... Such as How Dee Hock's "Revolutionary" Angel F. Sinchez-Eicobar Organizationul Model was Inspired by Nature) Merlyn Cox 20 "In nature Dee Hock found there are countlessexamples where organismsadapt The Spiritual Fellowship quickly to their surroundings,work with others, even those they compete with, Journal is an ecumenical in a kind of symbiotic relationship,not necessarilyknowing what everything publicationpublished twice elsein the systemis doing and not needingto know-a kind of blendingof self- interest and other interest at the sametime." yearly by the Religious PublicationsDivision of The Scientific Integrity of The Urantia Book DenverPearson 24 PenumbraPress. "lt doesn'tstand to reasonthat the revelatorymandates encouraged the placing The publicationis non-political of inaccuratescience and cosmologyin a revelationthat was designedto 'reduce and unaffrliated with any other confusionby authoritativeelimination of error"' organization.Unless otherwise The Infinity of God - an Astronomical Approach Bud Bromley 28 noted,allmaterial published in "Incrediblyhuge as this known universe is, Godcreated it, Godsustains it, God the SpiritualFellowship Journal fills it, inhabitsall of it; andyet, God is probablyincomprehensibly greater than is @ Copyright2002by eventhis immensechunk of whichwe know." PenumbraPress, Boulder CO, and all rights are reserved. The Real Gospel NormDu Val 30 "The gospelthat Jesustaught was that informationwhich would satisfoour Subscriptions,donations, deepestspiritual hopes, needs and desires..." changesofaddress, articles and - editorial correspondence The Tlrrning Point Part ll Arthur Nash 33 "If nations,communities, individuals, were only living by the greatprinciple shouldbe sentto: which,glibly enough,has come to be calledthe GoldenRule, what a different PENUMBRAPRESS worldthis earth would be!" SpiritualFellowship Journal Features BOX 11248 BOULDER,CO Great Urantians - Lest We Forget: Peggyfohnson f, 80301 Creative Outreach - Dn Meredith Sprunger 6 Suggestedannual donation: $10. Pleasemake checks payable to Living the TeachingsGroups 8 PenumbraPress.

Spring& Summer,2002 J universe-and they know that God is love." [648] Editorisls I find this idea a reminding factor to help me keepthings in proportion.Of all the spiritualvalues, The GreatestThing Goodnessis the only one that cannotbe practicedin Richard Feynman Bver Wrote a vacuum. One can live integrity and Truth apart from the world. One can practice excellenceor Unlessyou area sciencebuff, the nameRichard beauty in isolation ... but not Goodnessor Love. Feynman(1918 - 1988 may not ring a bell. He was ) While it would be an oxymoron to say: "Jane (or one of the great physicists of all time. Feynman's Bill, or whomever) is not important-love is, it is passionfor physicswas legendary;his tapedlectures completelycorrect to weigh any material object,or aresold today in popularbookstore chains. Feynman concept,or concernagainst Love and find it to be was one of the key scientists involved with the relatively unimportant. Manhattan Atomic Project, and his theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED) is generally Paul referred to this same principle in his considered the most successful and accurate eloquentcomments in I Corinthians: scientifictheory ever developed. "Though I speakwith the tonguesof men and of Feynman wrote several books that remain in angels,and have not Love, I am becomeas sounding print. His best for the lay personis usually regarded brass,or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the as: Six Easy Pieces, a primer on quantumphysics. gift of prophecy,and understandall mysteries,and Yet, his greatest written pronouncement,in my all knowledge;and though I have all faith, so that I judgment, has rarely been noted. Passionate could move mountains,and have not Love, I am Urantiansshould pay it heed. nothing.And though I bestow all my goodsto feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, JohnGribbon tells the story in his brilliant book, and havenot Love, it profitieth me nothing." Schrddinger's Kittens and the Searchfor Reality. (See "Books of Significance" in this issue). A Did someone say, "Ah, but my life is so colleagueof Gribbon,Marcus Chown,was a student mundane,my opportunitiesto bestowmy love areso of Feynman at CalTech. He asked Feynman to limited. If only I could go where great things are explain to his (Chown's) mother why physics is beingdone?" important. Feynman wrote her a leffer to put things I saw a movie severalyears ago which featured into perspective.Feynman told Chown's mothernot a greatwoman. She is gone now. She was an old to worry about the significanceof her son's work. lady even then. In one sceneshe stood among the "Physics is not important," Feynman wrote, "love elite of the planet to receive the Nobel Prize. is." Stoopedand clothed in a faded blue sari and worn In our own passion for advocating the Urantia sandals,she looked fragile among the grandiose Papers, this statement should be our guiding sunoundings.What did this servant-leadersay to us? principle.When we can say: "the Urantia Papersare Mother Teresasaid on that day: not important-love is," we will have reachedthe "We cannot do great things. We can only do operativelevel of understandingthe gospelof Jesus. ordinarythings with greatlove." Obviouslythe issuessurrounding the UrantiaPapers Peacewill surely come to the world when a are not important (in relative terms) either,love is. critical massof peoplestrive to honor thosewords. For love is the greatestthing in the universe. "To finite man truth, beauty, and goodness L.M. embracethe full revelationof divinity reality.As this love-comprehension of Deity finds spiritual Ordinationat Boulder expressionin the lives of God-knowing mortals, ...A Day to Remember there are yielded the fruits of divinity: intellectual On a bright Colorado afternoon in June, The peace,social progress,moral satisfaction,spiritual Spiritual Fellowship conducted its first worship joy, and cosmicwisdom. The advancedmortals on a serviceat the historic "Old Main" building on the world in the seventh stage of light and life have campusof the University of Colorado. During the learned. that love is the greatest thing in the

The SpiritualFellowship Journal service, The Spiritual Fellowship also conducted readjustments,the economic transformations,the the ordinationof Dr. Meredith Sprungeras its first moral rejuvenations,and the religious revisionsof minister.The essenceof Dr. Sprunger'sordination Christian civilization would be drastic and address,in which he sketchedout his vision for revolutionaryif the living religion of Jesusshould The SpiritualFellowship, can be readin his column suddenly supplant the theologic religion about - in this publication,Creative Outreach. Jesus."[2090 par.3] It was an emotionalday in the red brick Old L.M. Main building. Those of us who have known Dr. Sprungerare aware of his long held dream for a spiritual fellowship of Urantians driven by the GreatUrantians religiousprinciples of the Urantia Papers.I suspect Lest WeForget his mainstreamcareer as a minister in the United Churchof Christ would have beenmuch smoother PEGGYJOHNSON had he avoidedany leadershiproles in the Urantia Johnson movement. It is rather difficult to think of Peggy without also thinking of her husbandof 51 years, However,it was the vision of Dr. Sprungerto Dick. They were always together,or so it seented, interfacethe teachingsof The Urantia Book with at Urantia conferences and activities. Peggy the Christian church. To this end, he has long embarkedupon the great universe advenfureon sought to develop a religious organization based February 23, 2002. Her graduationfrom Urantia upon the UrantiaRevelation. With the institutionof was celebratedon St. Patrick's Day, March 17, at The Spiritual Fellowship, a bold step has been the Johnson'shome in Phoenix,Arizona. There was made in that direction. Perhaps, one day the a potluck, songs,and ceremonyto bid her farewell. prophetic hope expressedby the Urantia Papers It is also difficult to think of Peggy without will cometrue: thinking of the Arizona community, and the "The time is ripe to witness the figurative dedicatedwork for the Father she and Dick have resurrectionof the human Jesusfrom his burial undertakenover the years. the tomb amidst the theological traditions and Their spiritual journey togetherwas centered Jesusof religious dogmas of nineteen centuries. upon,but not confinedto, their sfudyof the Urantia to eventhe Nazarethmust not be longer sacrificed Papers.Peggy and Dick hosted the secondoldest What a splendid concept of the glorified Christ. study group in Phoenix.They both have beenvery revelation,the transcendentservice if, throughthis active in AA, and they helped start the nation's from the tomb of Son of Man shouldbe recovered oldestcontinuous shelter for abusedfamllies, Villa presentedas the living traditionaltheology and be de Fidelis (House of Faith). Perhaps more and to all Jesusto the church that bearshis name, important than a list of activities, Peggy did not fellowship of other religions! Surely the Christian simply read The Urantia Book, she lived the make such believers will not hesitate to teachings. practicesof living as adjustmentsof faith and of The Spring issue of The Servafi, the Grand it to 'follow after' the Master in the will enable Canyon Society's Newsletter, was devoted to his real life of religious devotion demonstrationof touching tributesto Peggy.Those folks who knew will and of consecration to the doing of his Father's her bestwrote: service of man. Do professed to the unselfish "Peggy will be sorely missedin the lives of fear the exposureof a self-sufficientand Christians many. Words can't begin to express what a fellowship of social respectability unconsecrated wonderful, giving person she was. She was an economic maladjustment? Does and selfish inspiration to friends and family alike. The years Christianityfear the possiblejeopardy, institutional will passslowly now for thosewho mourn her loss. the overthrow,of traditional ecclesiastical or even We look forward to seeing her on our Father's if the Jesusof Galilee is reinstatedin the authority MansionWorlds." men as the ideal of minds and souls of mortal L.M. personal religious living? Indeed, the social

Spring& Summer,2002 unshakable source of joy that is always there, Interface however, and that, of course, is the book itself. growth, the by Merlyn Cox There is no end to the continuing serendipitousjoy, the refreshmentof our soulsthat emergeswhen we engageits witness. The Mix of Joy The second is like unto it: the joy and and Discouragement satisfactionof not just talking about the book and seekingto shareit with others,but seekingto live Recentlyone of the membersof a local study out the truth and Good News we find there-to love group introduced his new pastor to The Urantia othersand bestowour lives in self-forgetfulservice, Book, a practicehe has exercisedfor many years. and rejoice that we are a part of God's family here The pastorseemed to show genuineinterest, unlike on earthas well as in the etemalrealms. most of his predecessors.He is a fellow pastorthat This, of course,is the point of the revelationto I recentlymet and lives not far away,and I rejoiced begin with, and it is a source of endless at the thought that he might discoverthis amazing encouragementand joy in what often seemsa barren resource-in truth, a revelation. and lonely vigil. years Of courseI've learnedover the not to let Thereis one more thing: keepingin touchwith my expectationssoar too high. Only a few of those, others who know the specialjoy, and seekingto including close friends that I felt were ready and encourageeach other as fellow sojournersin our open and with whom I sharedthe book, took more common effort. than a passinginterest. Their reactionoften turned us and give us the graceto to puzzlementand dismay, and occasionallyeven May God strengthen put a strain upon what I thought were enduring and do all of these. unshakablebonds. Most of us have experienced Merlvn Cox this many times,and it may have sloweddown our enthusiasmand left us morethan a onceunbounded Merlyn Cox is a pastor serving in the North little cautious. Indiana Conferenceof the Uniled Methodist Nevertheless,occasionally the book at least has been a Urantia Book reader getspassed around and real interestemerges in new Church. He for and surprisingways. Just the thought of someone 18 years, and worked with Meredith Sprunger in discovering what we've discoveredis enough to initiating the Spiritual FellowshipJournal in 1991, causeour heartsto leap forjoy. and servedfor ten years as associateeditor. He is So it is this mix ofjoy and discouragementthat currently chairman of the Education Teamfor The seemsto be the lot of those blessedwith finding Spiritual Fellowship. The Urantia Book and bound by honestyand good will, if not a clearsense of calling, to seekto share it with others. CreutiveOutreach I think it is somethingwe needto be both wise and naive about-wise as serpents,and innocentas doves, as it were. We must be wise about the Toward Spiritual Fellowship obstaclesto belief and even open inquiry and yet Meredith J. Sprunger able to present it to people without investing ourselvestoo much in the outcome. The most distinctive contemporary religion in our world is the advent It's not alwayseasy to do, just as it isn't easy developmentof to keepplugging awayat goalsand dreamsthat are of the ecumenical movement and the so desirable,but whose realizationmay lie far in unprecedentedsearch for meaningful spiritual the future-such as TSF. We try to do well what is experience. This expanding quest for spiritual in our power to do, and wait patiently for the guidanceand directionhas takenmany forms.The -1923), unfolding of things in God's own way. theologian,Ernst Troeltsch( I 865 observed is limited, There is one clear and immediate and that all religions are relative-that partial, and incomplete. The historian, Arnold

The SpiritualFellowship Joumal Toynbee(1S89-1975), examined all of thereligions themswitched congregations in thepast five years. of the world andpointed out that thereis a common But only 7 percentof newcomershad no earlier core and goal behind all religions.The psychiatrist, involvementwith a faith community which Carl G. Jung (1875-1961),in an in-depthsrudy of suggeststhat only a small number of the religions found that there is a common psychic unchurchedare looking for traditionalreligious origin and function among religions. These and affiliation.A greatnumber of peopleare searching other scholarlystudies of religion set the stagefor for a moremeaningful spiritual experience. In the the contemporaryecumenical movement. February,2002 issueof the AtlanticMonthly, an article,"Oh Gods!" by Toby Lestersays that the Paul F. Knitter's book, No Other Name? ... A newcentury will probablysee religion explode-in Critical Sumey of Christian Attitudes Toward the 'the both intensityand variety.New religionsare World Religions, is one of most insightful springing up everywhereand old ones are presentday discussionsof the ecumenicalbasis of transformingthemselves dramatically. religion. Dr. Knitter reminds us that Jesus established a theocentric (religion of Jesus) The Fullnessof Time foundationof religion ratherthan The stage is set for the a Christocentric(religion about advent of a new spiritual vision Jesus) basis of religion. He New religions sre springing uP that will transform our societY. points out that all religions could everywhereand old ones are Our world hasbeen prepared by: profit from the insights and transforming themselv es . The birth of the ecumenical experiencesof other religions. movement. The last chapter of Professor dramatically.,. . A recognition that a global Knitter's book entitled, "The of The stage is setfor the advent of religion must Challenge of Interreligious understanding s new spiritual vision thst will Dialogue," makes an eloquent be theocentric. argumentfor the developmentof transform our societY, . A proliferation of new a Global Theology. theological approaches to Stemmingfrom this new pluralismin theology spiritual experience. over the past quarter century or more, Lonnie D. . An unprecedented searching for a more Kliever's book The ShatteredSpectrum, A Suney meaningful view and experience of spiritual of Contemporary Theology, observes that the Reality. kaleidoscopeof new theologiesthat have appeared . A realization that our world needs a "new in recent times defy classificationunder the old organizingmetaphor or sharedparadigm that will categories.Professor Kliever believesthat radical reshapethe world." changeswill take place in the form and contentof The Fifth Epochal Revelation,in my opinion, religion in the future: "In suchcrisis circumstances, is the only resourcethat has the spiritualvision and the searchfor and conversionto a new worldview power to fuIfiIl these longings and aspirationsof can and does occur. Such a breakthroughdepends our humancondition. The history of religion shows upon finding some new organizing metaphor or that spiritual value systemsare always established sharedparadigm through which to re-view and re- by some kind of religious organization. The shapethe world." (p.197) Spiritual Fellowship is the first religious The authorsof the Urantia Papershave given organizationdesigned to carry the Fifth Epochal us such a new spiritual paradigmthat will bring a Revelationto the indigenouscommunities of the renaissanceof religion on our world. Evidenceof world. While we must always keep in mind that the changingnature of religion and the searching God is the end and all otherthings aremeans, there attitude of people is seen in the Congregational is a dangerin forgetting that it is the meansthat are Life Survey funded by the Lilly Endowmentand instrumental in getting to the end. When using the Louisville Institute.In April of 2001, nearly terms like "church" or "fellowship," there is a 300,000 worshippers filled out questionnaires danger of getting bogged down in semantics-a answeringquestions about their church attendance religious organizationis also a brother/sisterhood. and religious convictions. Nearly one quarter of

Spring& Summer,2002 The social dynamics of a religious organization are basic in carrying the religion of Jesusto the Living the TeachingsGroups grassroots of the world. A significantamount of interestin starting a The worldwide mission of The Spiritual homeLiving the TeachingsGroup has been Fellowship is to teach, motivate, empower,and generatedamong Urantia Book readers recently. support all people in their growing relationship Below is an excerptfrom one of our "Living the with God and to encouragetheir loving serviceto Teachings"booklets. humankind.We believethat every religion of our Some of us beganto believe sometimeago world can identify with this mission. As we that ordinary study groups do not cultivate the establishFellowships in the grassroots of every inner life. Readinggroups seemto be developed nation and culture, gradually the spiritual vision around"head knowledge." We beganto wonderif of the Fifth Epochal Revelation will become this was enough and had the feeling of known and this vision will eventuallytransform dissatisfactionwith our regular study groups. humansociety. Somethingwas missing. This outreachministry will not be easy.It is We could talk about the teachingsof the not for timid souls. It is difficult for balanced. Master in study groups,and most of us knew the solid citizens to risk being viewed by their Urantia Papersfairly well. But study groupsdid neighborsand friends as "different" or belonging not seem to change the lives of those who to some strange cult or movement. Pioneers attended.We cameto believethat very few of us always face difficulty and hardship. New and were living the teachings of the Master on a enlargedpresentations of truth have alwaysbeen, significantlevel. and will always be, attacked by religious traditionalistsand fundamentalists.The history of Intellectually,we thought we knew aboutthe spiritual growth shows that not until an enlarged religiouslife of Jesusand how he lived it. But vision of truth is attacked and its pioneers even this knowledge-that which is "of the persecuteddoes it cometo the attentionand make greatestvalue" to humankind-in andof itself was its appeal to the significant number of creative not enough. We knew aboutthis religiouslife, but seekersfor spiritual truth in society-"Happy are we did not, in a sense,"own" it. they who are persecutedfor righteousness'sake, We cameto believethat we neededmore than for theirsis the kingdomof heaven." [571] the knowledgeand philosophyabout the Master's Let us be numbered among those pilgrims religious life. We decided we wanted to "have who learned to feast upon uncertainty, to experiencethat religious life ourselves,and try to fatten upon disappointment, to enthuse over actuallylive it. We neededto live the religionof apparentdefeat, to invigorate in the presenceof Jesus. difficulties, to exhibit indomitablecourage in the face of immensity,and to exerciseunconquerable The group we now call Living the Teachings faith when confronted with the challenge of the set about to learn and define the religious life of inexplicable.In liaison with God, nothing- Jesus,and to discover how he lived it. We then absolutelynothing-is impossible." l29ll soughtto apply theseideas to our own lives. We discoveredthis processto be a mutual Dr Meredith J. Sprunger is thefounder of The adventure,yet one that is profoundly personaland Spiritual Fellowship, thefirst religious organization based upon the Fifth Epochal ongoing. More and more we discoveredourselves gravitating toward a religious belief. But not a Revelation.He is thefounder and Editor Emeritus of the Spiritual Fellowship Journal. On religiousbelief like any we had known before.It June 30, 2002, in Boulder Colorado, Dr was more a personal religious belief that addressedthe inner life of each individual. We Sprunger was ordained as thefirst minister of The Spiritual Fellowship. began to discover what the Papers call "the religionof personalexperience..." L.M.

The SpiritualFellowship Journal The Inner Life Challenge which is held on to as a pet evil, and which the entranceinto the kingdom of heavenrequires as a by Joan Batson Mullins part of the priceof admission."[1802] Imagine you're about to embark on a much Perhapswe are anchoredand we don't even anticipated voyage. It's a glorious day and know it. Could we be circling arounda self-seeking everythingis in order.You unfurl the sails and are desire?The rich man standingbefore the Master ready to get underway. But nothing happens.Your was confronted with his pet evil, a decision he you ship doesn't move forward. You wait, drift wantedto avoid. Is this what happenswhen lve try aroundin circles,and you wait somemore. There's to free our ship and push forward to the great goal somethingholding you in place:tethers submerged of hqman existence-to achievecommunion with is that must be hoistedup from the deep. This one God within us? In order to free ourselveswe must of the profoundchallenges of the inner life. make decisions."Man consciouslygrows from the As more and more of us are looking to the material toward the spiritual by the strength,power, inner life in order to and persistency of his own "increasinglygrow in the ability decisions;..."ll282l to feel the presence of God' Perhaps we are anchored "The success of your I I 733], we find that great Adjuster in the enterpriseof spiritual minds have engagedin and we don't even know it. piloting you throughthe mortal this quest long before the life and bringing about your Could we be circling around Urantia Papers.One of these survival dependsnot so much of the was Francis Fenelon a self-seeking desire? on the theoriesof your beliefs seventeenthcentury who wrote as upon your decisions, a book entitled TheInner Life. determinations. and steadfast "If you really look into the faith;'[205] your you stateof thingsbetween God and soul, will Is the Wind wanting? which you find that there are certainlimits beyond Or is the fault wholly ours? refuseto go in offering yourself to Him... We move quote continually in a vicious circle round self, only Before we examine the next from the thinking of God in connectionwith ourselves,and Urantia Papers,keep in mind its uncommonuse of "gear making no progressin self-renunciation,lowering the word "differential." One definition is as a of pride or attaining simplicity. Why is it that the permitting the rotation of two shafts at different vessel does not make way? Is the wind wanting? speeds,used on the rear axle of a car to allow No; The Spirit of Grace breatheson it, but the different ratesof wheel rotation on curves."Think vesselis boundby invisible anchorsin the depthsof of our choice/decision/determinationacting as the the sea. The fault is not God's, it is wholly ours. If differentialthat modulatesthe speedand amountof we will searchthoroughly, we shall soon see the our humancapacity to receivethe limitlessamount hiddenbonds which detainus. That point in which of God's spiritualpresence that is alwaysavailable. we least mistrust ourselvesis preciselythat which "The determinerof the differentialof spiritual needs most distrust." Spiritual Letters of presenceexists in your own heartsand minds and ArchbishopFenelon. consistsin the mannerof your own choosing,in the I find that this excerpt adds fresh insight into decisionsof your minds, and in the determination the following two passagesin the Urantia Papers: of your own wills. This differential is inherentin "Mind is your ship, the Adjuster is your pilot, the the freewill reactionsof intelligentpersonal beings, human will is captain. The master of the mortal beings whom the Universal Father has ordained vessel should have the wisdom to trust the divine shall exercise this liberfy of choosing. And the pilot to guide the ascendingsoul into the morontia Deities are ever true to the ebb and flow of their harbors of eternal survival. Only by selfishness, spirits in meetingand satisffing the conditionsand slothfulness,and sinfulnesscan the will of man demandsof this differentialof creaturechoice, now bestowingmore of their presencein responseto a rejectthe guidanceof sucha loving pilot ..." [1217] "Almost every human being has some one thing sinceredesire for the sameand againwithdrawing

Spring& Summer,2002 The Inner Life Challenge (Continued) themselvesfrom the sceneas their creaturesdecide We may need to searchour heafisthat we are adverselyin the exerciseof their divinely bestowed not holding on to any resentrnents---thatwe have freedom of choice. And thus does the spirit of forgiveneveryone, and then "rnaintain a conscience divinity becomehumbly obedientto the choosing void of offense."U7361 I have fbund that some of the creaturesof the realms."[150] resentments-and ones I thought I had already forgiven-are like barnacles, they must be In other words, the more we increaseour rate periodically powered-off i,vith God's love and of choosingGod's will, the more God rushesin to guidance. fill that desire.And the sameis true in reverse:our insincerity restricting the free flow of God's "Jesustaught that sin is not the chiid of a presence. Therefore,it is our "freewill reactions" defective nature but rather the off.springof a minute by minute, thoughtby thought,decision by knowingmind dominatedby an unsubmissivewill. decision, that determinesour spiritual progress, Regardingsin, he taughtthat God /zasforgiven; that stagnation,or regression. we make such forgivenesspcrsonally available by the act of fcrrgivingollr fellows. "The fluctuations of the When you fbrgiveyour brotherin Father'spresence are not due to I have that some found the flesh, you thereby createthe the changeablenessof God. The resentments-and onesI capacityin your own soul for the Fatherdoes not retirein seclusion thought I hud already receptionof the reality of God's becausehe hasbeen slighted; his forgiveness of your own affections are not alienated forgiven-ure like barnacles, misdeecls."l86l,] because of the creature's they must be periodically I wrongdoing.Rather, having been powered-off with God's love Adventuring on the High Seas endowed with the power of and guidance. of Soul Struggle choice(conceming Himself), his Once we are out of the children, in the exerciseof that harbor,we enterinto the high seas choice, directly determine the of soul struggle.Here is wherewe must learnnot to degree and limitations of the Father's divine resistthe leadingof Spirit,not to try to go our way, influencein their own heartsand souls.The Father but God'sway. Here is wheremany of us aresfuck, has freely bestowedhimself upon us without limit constantlygoing off coursechoosing our own will, and without favor."[46] not trusting God, deciding by our own human Releasingthe Invisible Anchors nature, giving in to temptation.indulging in laziness,immaturity, and So the Wind is not wanting,and we havesome selfishness, emotional reactions.Here is where we learn the difference choices,decisions and determinationsto make in betweenwholehearted desire to do the will of God order to get underway. One of our decisionsmay and our halfheartedefforts. be to do a thoroughsearch for the invisible anchors of our pet evil. Besidesthe obvious pet evils, "Never forget there is only one adventure Fenelon has suggestedthat we look at what we which is more satisfying and thrilling than the most trust in ourselves.I trust my forgiving nature, attemptto discoverthe will of the living God, and but when I honestlysearch my heartI find a cargo- that is the supremeexperience of honestlytrying to hold of resentments.The Urantia Paperspoint out do thatdivine will." U732) that "Your inability or unwillingnessto forgive At some time, we may find ourselves your fellows is the measureof your immaturity, surroundedby a dark night--where we lose our your failure to attain adult sympathy, footing and tumble into the sea.As lve're sinking understanding,and love. You hold grudges and into the lowerdepths of our humanrlature, if we but nurse vengefulnessin direct proportion to your implore with a Godward glar,ce,the Universe ignoranceof the inner natureand true longingsof Mother Spirit will reach down into the isolating your childrenand your fellow beings.Love is the blacknessand help us get backonboard. of the divine and inner urge of life. It is outworking "The religion of the spirit means effort, founded on understanding,nurtured by unselfish struggle, conflict, faith, determination,love, service,and perfected in wisdom." [1898] l0 The SpiritualFcllowship Journal TheInner Li[e Challenge(Continue:d1 "How long will it takethe world of believersto loyalty, and progress.....T'raditionis a safe refuge that prayer is not a processof getting and an easy path fbr those fearful and halfhearted understand your but rathera programof taking God'sway, soulswho instinctivelyshun the spirit strugglesand way of learning how to recognize and mental uncertainties associatedr'vith those faith in experience Father'swill?" "You must not voyagesofdaring adventureout upon the high seas executethe [1946] with your Adjuster as a of unexploredtruth in searchfor the farther shores regard co-operation consciousprocess, for it is not; but of spiritual realities as they may be discoveredby particularly motives and your decisions, your faithful the progressivehuman mind and experiencedby the your and your supreme desires, do evolvinghuman soul."[ 1 729] determinations constitutereal andeffective co-operation." [1206] On the high seasof soul struggle,we may often Communion feel we have lost our bearings.A mist clouds our Inner Life contact r,vith our Pilot and it seems that we are The inner life challenge is the continuous separatedand drilting. At thesetitnes: "The Fatheris processof makingspiritual decisions that will open not in spiritual hiding, but so many of his creatures the gatewayto God consciousness.Do not imagine have hidden thetnselvesaway in the mists of their the inner life challengeis confrontedand overcome own willlul decisionsand for the time being have in somedramatic breakthrough. The greatbattle is separatedthemselves from the more often won or lost, day bY daY communionof his spirit and the The great battle is more often and minute by minute in the arena human mind. And it is here, spirit of his Son by the choosing won or lost, day by daYand of the of their own perversewaYs and inthe presentmoments of our dailY minute by minute in the srens by the indulgenceof the self- living, where we are most assertivenessof their intolerant of the human mind. And it is challengedin our innerlives. minds and unspiritual natures." here, in the present momentsof We have spiritual weapons 164l At first glance we may our daily living, where we are to fight the good fight: Prayer, this quote as not dismiss most chsllenged in meditation, worship, loving pertainingto us becauseof the service,and living faith. Theseare our inner lives. word "perverse." But the rvord not precisely defined or "perverse"is used severaltimes systematizedin the UrantiaPapers and so we areon "1. in the UrantiaPapers, let's look at a definition: our own to discover through our personal Directed away from what is right or good and 2. experience how to use these instruments to Obstinatelypersisting in an error or a fault; wrongly harmonizewith Divinity. self-willedor stubboru."f'his soundsmore like me. Spiritually fragrant individuals have written So now by the choosingof my own self-willedand abouthow they pray, meditate,serve, and worship. stubbornways, I separatemyself from God in that There are many methods and practices that are momentsince I am not choosingGod's will. interestingto investigate.Some practices get you to Jesussaid: "The will of God is the way of God, a place of deeprelaxation, some to a stateof non- partnershipwith the choiceof God in the faceof any thinking oneness,some to a blissful feeling,and on potential alternative. To do the will of God, and on. I havepersonally tried many suchmethods therefore,is the progressiveexperience of becoming and occasionally use techniques for relaxing, more andmore like God, and God is the sourceand quieting the mind, feeling positive, etc' However, destiny of all that is good and beautiful and true'" keep in mind that thesepractices are but meansto [1431] an end and not the end itself: personalcommunion How can I stay in partnershipwith my Pilot so with God. that I can follow Fiis directionsto stay on course Thoseof us who feel we do not have adequate ratherthan making alternativechoices based on my knowledgeof the best way to meditate,to serve,to own self-seekingwill? We sometimesdrift a long worship, to discernGod's will, to use our faith, or time, praying that this is the way or that is the way, to controlour wanderingminds and emotions- who should we do this or that, wishing for some clear believethere may be sometechnique we're missing sisn from our Pilot of what to do. The Urantia or somethingwe haven't learnedyet: Know that Papersoff'er these admonitions: ll Spring& Summer.2002 The Inner Life Challenge (Continued)

we have all we needpacked into our desirel wholly conforming our human will to his divine And what is your desire in this moment? Are will. By sharingwith God what's going on in our you desiring God supremely-more than anything inner life from where we are now to wherewe are else?Do you trust all else will be added?Even in spiritually striving, we stretch to do it-think it- regardto your own thoughts,if you desireto share God's way: the way of truth, beauty,goodness, and your inner life with God-God will teachyou how. love; the way of Jesus. If you are willing, God will add his partnershipto Jesus taught friendship with God, as a your thinking process.Sharing the inner life with friendshipshared with a loving parent.A faith-based God, unbroken communion, living faith, constant relationshipwith a partner who lives within your renewingof our mind-these ideasare held out to superconsciousmind, yet who can become more us and they becomeour ideals once we grasp for divinely real to you than anyone you know, "the them.These spiritual idealswill take us to Paradise very Source of reality." "God is literally and if we don't stop trying. But, make no mistake, eternally present in his universe of universes.He what's required for successis our wholehearted inhabits the present moment with all his absolute desire.We mustwant to be in communionwith God majestyand eternalgreatness."l35) God lives in the more than anything else. present,and is contactahlein "Every sincere attempt meets Even though we know that our contact thepresent So if your mind is with certainsuccess." And this stuck regretting the past or with God within us is on the wholehearted desire will worrying aboutthe future,you propel us to do what it takes: superconsciouslevel, how often do we won't be available for control our thoughts, have a lookfor results or a pleasurablefeeling communionwith God. Even if pure mind, love our enemies, you are off whimsically of some kind. And when we don't do God's will. In addition, we feel reminiscingthe pastand gaily get so much celestial help changed, do we get discouraged and fantasizing about the future, becauseGod desiresus. "The halJhearted-letting ourselves regress unless it has spiritual value Fatherdesires all his creatures into material mindedness? that you are meaningfully to be in personal communion sharing with God, you're on with him." [63] your own in that moment. "Man does not achieve union with God as a Perhapsthat's one reason why the revelatorssay drop of water might find unity with the ocean.Man work is our greatest blessing; it's present time attains divine union by progressive reciprocal thinking when we are working, and somethingwe spiritual communion, by personality intercourse can do in partnershipwith God. When we are on a with the personalGod, by increasingly attaining the nature walk it is easier to be in the present divine naturethrough wholeheartedand intelligent moment-sharing with God the beauty we are conformity to the divine will. Such a sublime experiencing.Weneed to try to keepour thoughtsin relationshipcan exist only betweenpersonalities." the present,connected to God. "It is forever true: [31] The past is unchangeable;only the future can be changedby the ministry of the presentcreativity of "The doing of the will of God is nothing more the innerself." or lessthan an exhibition of creaturewillingness to [l221] share the inner life with God-with the very God Jesussaid: "Did you ever sincerelyendeavor to who has made such a creature life of inner talk with the spirit of your own soul?Such a thing is yields meaning-valuepossibl e." ll22lf indeeddifficult and seldom consciousnessof success;but every honest attempt of the material Thesetwo quotes above are rich with truths to mind to communicate with its indwelling spirit ponder,but let'sjust look at the aspectof God being meetswith certainsuccess, notwithstanding that the a personwe relateto, a teacher,parent, friend. The majority of all suchmagnificent human experiences word reciprocal means an alternating back and must long remainas superconsciousregistrations in forth, an interchange.Such a progressingpersonal the soulsof such God-knowingmortals." relationship is a deepening,growing-more-closer 11475) communion; becoming more God-like by wisely, Even though we know that our contact with t2 The SpiritualFellowship Journal The Inner Life Challenge (Continued)

God within us is on the superconsciouslevel, how are convincedof their necessityand value in our often do we look for resultsor a pleasurablefeeling quest for self-mastery."Man can never wisely of somekind. And when we don't feel changed'do decidetemporal issues or transcendthe selfishness we get discouraged and halfhearted-letting of personal interests unless he meditates in the ourselves regress into material mindedness? presenceof the sovereignty of God and reckons Remember our spiritual growth is unconscious; with the realities of divine meaningsand spiritual have faith that it is effective. values."[1093] "The divine spirit makes contact with mortal Prayer is desire for God. Try sprinkling the day man, not by feelingsor emotions,but in the realm with desiremoments for God; raising our thoughts of the highestand most spiritualizedthinking. It is to God as often as possible.Desire for God's will. your thoughls, not your feelings, that lead you Desire for Jesus to live through us' Desire for Godward.The divine naturemay be perceivedonly spiritual insights. Desire to love God with the eyesof the mind. But the mind that really wholeheartedly. "... that man yearnsfor God that discernsGod, hearsthe indwelling Adjuster,is the resultsin universeascension." Il2Ill 'Without pure mind. holinessno man may seethe Here are a few gem-passageson communion: Lord.'All such inner and sPiritual "The ideal prayer is a form of communion is termed sPiritual spiritual communion which leads if you were to sit down insight.Such reli gious experiences "l/'hat to intelligent worship. True resultfrom the impressmade uPon right now and formulate an praying is the sincere attitude of the mind of man by the combined "ideu-decision" to rework reaching heavenward for the operationsof the Adjuster and the your daily schedule to Jind attainmentof your ideals."[1618] Spirit of Truth as they function time for several short spiritual "Prayer...doesso often dig out amid and upon the ideas, ideals, retreats throughout yoar daY? larger and deeper channels insights,and spirit strivings of the These are the little bridges wherein the divine bestowalsmaY evolvingsons of God." [1104] built into the day to help you flow to the hearts and souls of Thereare those of us who feel return to God's tryay..." those who thus remember to we are overextendedwith the maintain unbroken communion demandsof life without a moment with their Maker through sincere to spare. Again, our desireis all we needto make prayer and true worship." [2066] Of Jesus:" The the time throughoutthe day for prayerand worship. secret of his unparalleled religious life was this he "One of the greattroubles with modernlife is consciousnessof the presence of God; and prayer and sincere that man thinks he is too busy to find time for attained it by intelligent communion with God-and spiritualmeditation and religious devotion." 120771 worship-unbroken "Believers must increasingly learn how to step not by leadings,voices, visions, or extraofdinary "Prayer led Jesusup to asidefrom the rush of life----escapethe harassments religiouspractices." [2089] the Supreme of materialexistence-while they refreshthe soul, the supercommunionof his soul with Prayerwill lead inspirethe mind, andrenew the spirit by worshipful Rulersof the universeof universes. the mortals of earth up to the communion of true communion." 11739) worship." |6211 What if you were to sit down right now and formulate an "idea-decision"to rework your daily The Loving Service Response scheduleto find time for several short spiritual Unselfishly thinking of others' needs and retreats throughout your day? These are the little serving them is a more effective path to communion bridges built into the day to help you retum to with God than is meditation. "The contact of the God's way, in caseyou were gettingcaught up with mortal mind with its indwelling Adjuster, while the material side of life. "All nonreligioushuman often favored by devoted meditation, is more activitiesseek to bendthe uuiverseto the distorting frequently facilitated by wholeheartedand loving service of self;..." t67l Our commitment to service in unselfish ministry to one's fellow keeping our appointed times for prayer and creatures."[1000] Now we can better understand worship will be in proportionto the extentthat we how Mother Teresabecame a saint. Not that we

Spring& Summer,2002 l3 The Inner Life Challenge (Continued) needto go to Calcutta,or evenour nearestinner city I foving service involves our duty to God the (althoughwe may be led to bring spirituallight to I Supr.rn.,'i'tti.6 is oneof action-unselfishlove in thosein darknessthere). Mother Teresa tells us that I action."Love is the desireto do goodto others." her spiritualitygrew from trying to love.and..serve | 1O+S1Our duty to theSupreme is aJtuallydoing the eachpersonas if theywere Jesus in disguise'"Jesus I ioue-wort,carrying it out to completionand g-oing oftentook his apostlesaway by themselvesfor short I thatsecond mit6, riittr no thoughiof recognitionor periods to engagein meditationand prayer, but fo.r | .u.n self-congratulations,brit with a universe the mostpart he kept them in service-contactyitl I mindednesstoiard doingour part in furtheringthe man requir:.t-:lltlt-uul the multitudes.The soul of I realizationof the Supreme-whosenature deplnds exerciseas well as spiritualnourishment." [1000] | on ou'.sistering/brothering of humankind. Somemay be thinking that it would be easierto I faittt Connects us to the power of God's Love love and servea sick personin obviousneed than to ^';^;::;;;;-':"::-;_' .:;: | "Faith is the open door for enteringinto the love tnat narclsslsllc DacKSIaDDlngcoworKer wno (-:^A,, | o_':r..*,perfect,--^^^_. -^-f^^+ and^-r etemal^+^*^r lover^,,^ of^{. God." [1545]rr<,4

1A IA The SpiritualFellowship Journal The Inner Life Challenge (Continued)

The reality and power of the love of God is become self-consciousof the assuranceof the there,we just need to unfurl our faith-sailto reach divine presence,such a faith will expandthe mind, out for it. And when we do, we are promisedthat ennoblethe soul, reinforcethe personality,augment anythingis possible.But we musthoist up our faith- the happiness,deepen the spirit perception, and sail high and full to make real headwayin spiritual enhancethe powerto love andbe loved." 11766l progress..."man'sthoughts, wisdom, ethics, and Joy is the back door to faith. Joy is inherentin faith, his ideals will never rise higher than his existence.[312] Therefore,joy is within our nature sublime hope.And all such true faith is predicated if we just look for it. While we arestill learninghow on profound reflection, sincere self-criticism, and to tap into our wellspring of faith, we do know how uncompromisingmoral consciousness.Faith is the to prime the pump by thinking joyful thoughts: inspirationof the spiritized creative imagination." Think of one thing that you are grateful for; Il 4se] thankingGod leadsto worshipful assurance.Think Let's take a brief look at the teachingsof Jesus of what it really means to have God's wise and in regardsto faith and our inner life challengeof loving overcare;to have God as our coach, our doing the will of God: "The kingdom of heaven counselor,mentor, friend. Thus, thejoy of gratitude consistsin thesethree essentials:first, recognition is one way to activateour faith realization;the faith of the fact of the sovereigntyof God; second,belief that connectsus to the power of God's love.And the in the truth of sonshipwith God; and third, faith in love of the Fatheris madereal to us as we give our the effectivenessof the supremehuman desire to do love to others.[289] the will of God-to be like God. And this is the JesusOnboard good news of the gospel:that by faith every mortal "Though the Master is absent as a material may haveall theseessentials of salvation." [1585] being, he is presentas a spiritual influence in the To me that third essentialmeans: Desire to do the heartsof men. By going away from the world, Jesus will of God-more than you desire anything else - made it possiblefor his spirit to live alongsidethat and have that it worl

Spring& Summer,2002 l5 The PricelessOpportunitY ... Serviceor ministry is the essenceor fragrance of the Spirit. Sheis a wonderful lady andthe spark The Joy that KnowsNo Bounds of all that is life. She is representedon this planet bY Tom Choquette by our local UniverseMother Spirit, andHer energy nurturing are everywhere. To me She Urantia Book readersare aware of the fact that and the way of Joy. It is throughHer, andHer we have been blessed with being born in a represents that I have been blessed with unlimited Superuniversethat representsequally all attributes needs to serve. She is a powerful advocate of the Trinity. We live in the Superuniverseof opportunities will unerringly steeryou towardsthe Fatherin Orvonton which representsequally the Father,the and your heart. Spendtime with Her throughthe action Son, and the Spirit. Of course,we all know that and know you are loved beyondmeasure coming from such a Superuniverse,one never has of service, that you are a child of God. to worry aboutbeing sent back to the worlds of time and and space to acqulre more As students of the Urantia knowledgeor experience. Service or ministry is the essenceor Papers there are at least four major areasof servicein which What we may not take the fragrance of the Spirit. She is a an individual may choose to time to recognize from this wonderful lady and the spark of all becomeinvolved. reality is the incredible that is life. She is representedon opportunitythat presentsitself to this planet by our local Universe l.) Direct service to the each of us to grow in the Mother Spirit, and Her energy and revelation. Some of the ways experienceand understandingof nurturing are everywhere. To me in which we support the each personal aspect of the She representsthe way of Joy. It is revelation include a complete Trinity, Love, Mercy, and through Her, and Her needs that I reading and understandingof Ministry, as well as the have been blessedwith unlimited The Urantia Book itself, the associationbetween all three! opportunities to sewe. formation of study groups,the We have all of the spiritual formation of Fellowship helpers and tools that we need to advance Societies, IUA charters, and The Spiritual experientially and collectively towards an Fellowshipgroups, helping with the publicationand understandingof the Trinity on a level of the finite distributionof The Urantia Book andits translations that is so far removedfrom the "normal evolution" worldwide, the publication and distribution of of a world. The uniquenessof our environmentand secondary works, publications, newsletters,web its prospectsshould be absolutelyexhilarating to sites, and other methods of mass communication thoseof us who havebeen blessed to live on sucha which make the revelation accessibleto a larger world at sucha time. audience. Marketing The Urantia Book in our community in which we live How do we learn to reflect the Trinity in our private lives and in the methods which work directly towards lives? How do we reflect the Father,the Son, and are also The Urantia Book as a revelationto the the Spirit in a way that allows us to grow in grace, introducing and sisterson this wonderful and to radiate those realities to our brothers and rest of our brothers planet call home. sistersof this planet? I believewe learn to reflect we the Trinity by embracingthe quality of eachaspect There are several excellent reasons for of the Trinity: love, mercy andministry, in our daily endeavoringto fulfill one or more of thesegoals, for lives. It isn't enough that we love, we must the exposure the revelation receives, and the demonstratemercy to be allowed to love; it isn't personalgrowth one gains through participatingin enoughthat we manifest mercy, we must serveto outreachthat in time is destinedto transform the be allowed to manifest such forgiveness.And world we live on. There would appearto be a low service/ministryis perhapsthe cornerstoneto all level of personalrisk associatedwith this type of spiritualgrowth. What I would like to touchupon in service.If onewho is offeredthis "altemativebelief this article is service or ministry, whichever term system"chooses to reject it, we very seldomblame you find more helpful in your reachingout to serve ourselves. They are doubtlessly "not ready" or your community. "don't need" this advancedrevelation in their lives' l6 The SpiritualFellowship Joumal The Priceless Opportunity ... the Joy that Knows No Bounds (Continued)

2.) Service as we "pass by." Most of the really pleasantriesof convenientand rewardingservice to importantthings which Jesussaid or did seemedto others we can lose track of the spiritual growth happen casually,"as he passedby." We are told made real from reaching out and serving in an there was so little of the professional,the well- environment that we are not familiar with, an planned,or the premeditatedin the Master'searthly environment that forces us to rid ourselves of ministry. He dispensed health and scattered judgment and rely on faith and guidance from happinessnaturally and gracefully as he journeyed aboveto reachout and be effective. through life. It was literally true, "He went about The personal risk in the Jesusoniantype of doinggood." [P. 1875-par.4] "serviceas you passby" is self-evidentin that you Jesuswas an enlightenedSon of God. He was give up all so that you may be born again of the empoweredby an unquestionableunion with His spirit and with power. The world is in desperate Fatherwithin. Jesus'service was so powerful and need of this service. This type of serviceis also selfless that when called a o'sood teacher" he included in the fourth categoryof services.The self- respondedby saying, "Why do retaining type of service"as you you call me good? None is The personal risk in the Jesusonian pass by" appearsto have a low goodbut God." lP.2092-par.0l type of "service as you passby" is personal risk factor in that it requireslittle changeor growth in It may be more correct in self-evident in that you give up all so today's terminology to say that us. It makesus feel good and in that you may be born again of the Jesusministered as he passed most cases is welcome and by. spirit snd il,ith power. The world is acceptedby thosewe serve. Jesusdidn't just fix a copier in desperateneed ofthis service. 3.) Service for society, or carry some groceries or ministry to those lessfortunate. sweepthe stepsor put gasin the car or give a person "$sryiss-more service,increased service, difficult a book or any of the other thoughtful serviceswe do service,adventurous service, and at last divine and on a daily basis for our loved ones and neighbors. perfect service-is the goal of time and the Becauseof Jesus' spiritual connection He could destination of space." [P. 316 - par. 4l The perceivetheir real inner needsas he ministeredto Jesusoniangospel is "the Fatherhoodof God and their outer needs. Jesushad the insight and gift to the sonshipand consequentbrotherhood of all men, empower people as he passed by. Jesus was which is personallyrealized in loving ministry and extraordinaryat this becausehe was so in tune with socialservice." [P. 1032-par.2] "The contactof the the Father'swill in all things. Jesuswas and is the mortal mind with its indwelling Adjuster, while masterof "serving as He passedby." If we devote often favored by devoted meditation, is more our lives to sucha serviceexample, great things can frequently facilitated by wholehearted and loving and do happen. service in unselfish ministry to one's fellow Initially, becauseof our humannessand lack of creatures."p.1000-par 2] There are three fruits of spiritual attainment,"serving as we pass by" may the spirit associatedwith service: loving service, not be enough. "As we pass by" may become a unfailing goodness, and merciful ministry. As a numbness,a justification for not steppingout of our matter of fact, there are thosethat would say that the comfort zone to serve in ways that not only require majority of the fruits of the spirit cannotbe realized more effort and sacrifice, but attune us more closely without the benefit of transformingsocial service. with the will of the Father. We may need to To differentiatebetween "serving as you pass immerseourselves in social service. by" and social servicelet's define social serviceas There are those that would suggestthat the the act of going out to specifically serve a saying of "doing good as you passby" may be an population that the obstaclesor challengesof life opiate for the readersand believers of the Urantia have left damagedand desertedby the brotherhood Revelation. An opiate becauseit may causeus to of humankind. Of the many categoriesthat would miss the grand opportunity of social service and fit this description let me name a few. Seniors consequentgrowth available to us on this rare and without income or close family, homelessfamilies, uniqueworld of the cross. An opiatebecause in the homelessyouth, HIV aids patients, the mentally disabled, the unemployed, the uneducated,the

Spring& Summer,2002 t7 The Priceless Opportunity ... the Joy that Knows No Bounds (Continued) 'It hungry,the abused,the list goeson and on. From reward! "The Gods have decreed, is more a spiritual perspective, maybe more accurately blessedto give than to receive,' and said your 'He describedas the hurt, the despairing,the lost, the MasterSon, who would be greatestamong you beaten,the abused(did I mentionthat before?),the let him be serverof all.' " [P.316- par.5] forgotten, this list goes on and on too. Can you 4.) Ministry. Living the Gospel. Becoming hearthem calling you? Have you heardthem in the Christ like. Trading your mind in for the mind of pastthrough the tumult of your mind, conveniently Jesus. "... but what is now most neededis Jesus' shut out by our everyday distractions? The world needsto see Jesusliving again on earth When we move out to serve in this in the experience of spirit-born mortals who environment, we start the process of becoming effectively reveal the Master to all men. Modern other than what we are. We must step outside of culture must become spiritually baptized with a our comfort zone and rely on our spiritual guidesto new revelationof Jesus'life and illuminatedwith a lead us into effective ministry. new understandingof his gospel salvation.And when There is no substitution. I will I wasJigaratively dragged of etemal this one more time Jesusbecomes thus lifted up, he repeat screaming and kicking from the becauseof the value inherentin will draw all men to himself." [P. womb of indecision, guilt, and the understandingthat you can not 2084-par.ll knowledge that I should be doing get from here to there without Jesustaught a living religion movine...... there is NO something more meaningful that impelled its believers to substitution! To grow with my life. engage in the doing of loving spiritually we must change. To service. We must create and changewe MUST serve.It's scary. It's hard. It nourish a ministry of second milers who are requires that you sacrifice a part of yourself for dedicatedto living and loving as He taught His His-self.It requiresan extra doseof all of the fruits disciplesto live and love and serve. "I lived my life of the spirit. in the flesh to show how you can, through loving You don't feel adequate,you feel unprepared, service,become God-revealing to your fellow men you're nervousabout doing more damage,as well even as, by loving you and serving you, I have as other valid reasonswhy your mandateto service become God-rev.ealingto you." [P. 2053- par.l] does not apply just now Why should those The great challengeto readersof the Urantia Papers wallowing in desperationand despairhave to wait is how to facilitate this type of growth. We can for another? Why do you continue to live as agreewith it, debateit, demeanit, intellectualize it, though otherscould do the job better? They can't! ignoreit, but for it to becomea reality we must live You are being called to serviceeven now as you it. It is probablythe highestrisk of all of the modes read these words. None can replace you in of service available to us. Spiritual growth is partnership with Jesus. You are more than somethingthat one must do alone.The "we" must adequate. You are the beginning of hope for all be takenout of this type of serviceand the "I" must thoseyou will courageouslygo out and serve. By go forth to find and realize its ultimate destiny in example you shall lead them. By example you serviceto our Father in heavenand in our hearts.At shall lead those of us around you that needto serve this point service is no longer an applicable by your side. By example,step by stepyou will be definition of what one is doing. A betterdefinition transformedfrom obedienceto your human will to may be Privilege. We first serve becausewe are that of the Divine. compelledto serve,we then servebecause we have We are blessedwith a veritable smorgasbord the opportunity to, and finally we serve becauseit of serviceopportunities. Perhaps no otherworld at is a Divine Privilege. any other time has had an environment where the As I readback over this articleI find emptiness children of God are neededso desperatelyto help within its boundaries that I feel compelled to in the healingof their cosmicfamily in partnership address. In my own life experiencewith service with God. This type of serviceis definitely high and ministry, I was figuratively draggedscreaming risk. You risk all that you have for all that you can andkicking from the womb of indecision,guilt, and become. Where there is great risk, there is great the knowledge that I should be doing something

r8 The SpiritualFellowship Joumal The Priceless Opportunity ... the Joy that Knows No Bounds (Continued)

more meaningfulwith my life. I was fortunatethat I had friends who helped and encouragedme to "My children languish for want of bread. move outside of myself, and trust in the spirit to Feed them. guide and sustainme on my journey towards the They wander in search of truth. fulfilling and irreplaceableexperiences of service. Guide them. My journey began with the "street kids" of They weaken in their struggles. Seattle, Washington.They, of course, were not Strengthen them. worthy. I was a harsh judge of all that they Their loneliness is crushing. representedin life. I would like to thank a close Love them. friend of mine, Tom Pirie, for holding on tightly as I tried to bolt, andhelping guideme into the birth of They need to know the truth. true service. You see,they are worthy. Tbll them. I've had a call to ministry for severalyears. In Tell them of my love, tell them of my power, tell my mind, of course,I was not worthy. I was a harsh them of my promise." judge of myself and all of my shortcomings.Who was I to representmy Fatherto the people of this "Call of the Spirif' by Merritt Horn Page60 - par.2. planet? I would like to thank anotherclose friend of mine, Meredith Sprunger,for allowing me my Submitted bv Tom Chosuette humannessand calling me to ministry in the faceof all my failings. You see,I am worthy. And you are, too! EsperanzaUrantia The world is in desperateneed of those who There will come a time, I know, when can acceptthe fact that they are worthy. The only Urantianswill go forth into the world to establish pre-requisitethat I know of is to be a son or a religion that belongsnot to a race,a nation, nor daughterof our Father,and to aspireto be just like to a specialgroup ofteachersor preachers. Him. Now comesthe hard work. Now comesthe pricelessopportunity. Now comesthe beginningof TheseUrantian Leadersof the New Spiritual the Joy that knows no boundaries.Now is the time Renaissancewill teach a gospel of the kingdom to grow in grace.Now is the time for you to start that belongsto both Jew and gentile, to rich and representingyour God on this planet. Thereis more poor, to free and bond, to male and female, even to help for you on your journey than you can ever the little children. And Urantians will proclaim imagine. However, you must move. Please,this this gospel of love and tmth by the lives which planetneeds you! Our Fatherneeds you. they live, for Jesusshall live againthrough them. By observingthese new Urantians,those who TomChoquette was born in Helena,Montana and raisedin Alaska.He wasintroduced to the Urantia havenot heard,shall hear,and thosewho havenot Papersin 1970.He is oneof thefounding members seen,shall see the Master,and they will learnof his and directorsof TSF... TheSpiritual Fellowship. For life-giving teachings. years, many Tom'swarm-and sometimesflaming- There will come a time, I know, when passionfor the Revelationhas enriched Urantia gatheringsall over the world. In the mid-eightiesTom Urantians shall love one another with a new and wasa charterfounder of the SeattleSociety for the startling affection, even as Jesusloved all of us then UrantiaBrotherhood. Several years ago Tbm when he walked among us. And these new electeda courseof activeministrv and Urantians will serve humankind with a new and uncompromisingievotion to liviig the teachings.His amazing devotion, even as Jesus served men and robustspirit hasbrought light to the dark streetsof he lived in the flesh. large cities,changing the livesof manypeople-street women when people,families in crisis,the lostyouth of the inner And when this hour comes. the new and city-any who are aboutto be discardedby the everlasting religion of Jesus will at last blaze world-these are thesouls Tom recognizes as precious. acrossthe earthin the lives of the men and women Tothose Urantians who knowand lovehim, he walks who believeit. his talk with touchingdevotion. Tom can be reachedat: L.M. [email protected]

Spring& Summer,2002 19 More Lessons It is no small thing, I think, that Jesussought to from the Birds and Bees communewith the Creator-Fatherin natute'ssetting. (and other Living Things ... With regularityhe withdrew to the wildemess,to the highlands and mountains of Mt. Tabor and Mt. Such as How Dee Hockns"Revolutionary" garden Organizational Model was Inspired by Nature) Ilermon, to the Mount of Olives, to the of Gethsemane. by Merlyn Cox He went to natureearly on to clarify in his own "O Lord, how manifoldare all your works!" says mind and soul his purpose and commission to the Psalmist, "ln wisdom you have made them all. mankind. During his public ministry he often The earthis full of your creatures.Yonder is the sea, withdrew from the crowds and went thereto refresh greatand wide; creepingthings beyondcounting are his soul. He went therein the final hoursbefore his there,living things both greatand small." betrayalto draw strengthfor the trials that were to Manifold and amazingthey are-the only reason come. Jesuswent to nature to commune with the found therea temple we seemnot to appreciatethem more, is that they are HeavenlyFather, and apparently goodness. he taughtus so abundant,and in their rushto live, they sometimes of God'swisdom and And so lessonsthat can be set in the roadof our well orderedlives. to look to nature and see the learnedthere, lessonsthat apply After the last two weeks of to our human situation,as well rain, I noticed tiny creatures .Iesuswent to nature to commune as to all those other creatures, emergingeverywhere, across the with the Heavenly f'ather, and largeand small. carpet, between the pages of apparentlyfound there a temple "Which you books, in the cupboards,across one of by being of God's wisdom and goodness. "can my windshieldat night. I don't anxious,"Jesus asked, add find the millipedes crawling out And so he taught us to look to even one inch to his stature,or your of the bathtub nearly as nature und seethe lessonsthat an extra hour to life?" "Consider interesting as those under the csn be learned there, lessonsthat the lilies of the field, they neither toil nor spin, yet I close up lens of a television apply to our human situation, as tell you that even Solomonin all camera.Lady bugs are cute when well ss to all those other seenin isolation,but a nuisance his glory was not adomedlike creatures, large and small. so when they swarrnthe house,and one of these. And if God they give off a rather unpleasant clothesthe srassand flowersthat odor when roastedby the halogenlamp in my office. are here today and gone tomorrow, will he not also take care of us?" "Not even a sparrow,"Jesus said, "Be fruitful and multiply" is the marchingorder "can fall from the sky without the HeavenlyFather's of all creation, and its creaturesobey with nary a knowledge. Of how much more worth are you than pauseto considerour feelingsabout the matter.That mally sparrows." suchcreatures are manifold is hard to deny;that they reflect God's wisdom, we often forget, or don't So,why shouldwe be anxious,when God knows notice. our needsbefore we ask. He even knows the very numberof the hairs on our head, includingthose we Nevertheless,there is an overall serenity and lose as the years pass by, and as worries and trials order and harmonyto naturethat hasalways inspired comeand go. thosewho go therein searchof it. Somemay say,"That's all well andgood, but in Yesterdaymorning early I went out to check on the rough and tumble of the real world, it won't help the rhubarb,and play with my brother'sdog, and the much, at most it may help me to surviveanother day. whole world seemedbathed in glorious color and The world is a highly competitiveand often hostile illuminatedby the gentle and warm rays of the sun, place. We need to be realistic.You can't always as if beinghighlighted by the artistwho broughtit all escapeto a romantic settingin the country.What do into being, causingmy spirit to soar and dance.It storiesof birdsand bees and sparrows and lilies have was anotherone of those"most beautifulthe dayshas to do with that world?" ever seen,or ever will"-until the next one, which hopefully will be tomorrow. Maybe more than we think.

20 The SpiritualFellowship Journal More Lessonsfrom the Birds and Bees (Continued) allowed all the parts to work togetheras a whole, I recently came acrossthe work of a man by the without the whole necessarilyknowing what all of name of Dee Hock. Few people will probably the partswere doing, let alonebeing able to control recognize the name, although he is the founder of them. It would be far too complex for that. the largest financial enterprise the world has ever of such an seen,Visa International. Where did he look for a model organization?He looked in nature. He was raised in rural Utah, went to college, are countless and in 1951 he took a job at a small, floundering In nature Dee Hock found there quickly to their branch office of a consumer finance company. exampleswhere organismsadapt they After a few months, when the managerleft, the job surroundings,work with others, even those fell to him. He decided, along with three other competewith, in a kind of symbiotic relationship, in the young men, to trash the company manual, ignore not necessarilyknowing what everythingelse kind of the establishedcommandments, and do things as systemis doing andnot needingto know-a interest at the common sense, conditions, and ingenuity blending of self-interestand other suggested.Within two years, businesshad tripled sametime. and it was leading the rest of the company in A simple example: Flowers and plants attract profitability. At that point, they came to the bees,and gladly produceand sharetheir nectar;and attention of the power structure, the bees,in turn, pollinate the "you can't flowers and plants,and they all which said, in effect, It called for a netr kind of this way!" thereby survive and thrive. If do things institution and organization, very He exited and went to the bees of the world shoul

Spring& Summer,2002 21 More Lessonsfrom the Birds and Bees (Continued) stationor restaurant.At leastI do, and then I begin artificialperson or legalentity ...regarded in law as to wonder,did I sendin the last checkon time? havinga personalityand existencedistinct from that And you can't askto wait and seeif thereis enough of its several members ..."' In other words. a gold at Fort Knox to back it all up. There isn't. corporationis a mentalabstraction. Most of thesemonetary value transfersnow have You can't point to or touch a building and say nothing to back them up except a promise. You this is the government,or this building is General haveto trust the institutionto screenand guarantee Motors, or for that matter, this building is the the transfervalue. churchof JesusChrist. It may be a reflectionand a You don't even transfera piece of paper. Dee resultof that reality,but it is not the thing itself Hock pointsout the transactionis merelya steamof It was a long and arduousprocess: laying the electronsand photons,traveling and changingand foundation,getting organizationsfrom all over the at a speedno one can comprehend. At the end of world to agree, and to trust each other as equal it, you get a slip of paper saying what has partners,with no one of them in control. But it happened,although no one saw it happen. You happened,and the results,as they say,are history. don't have a transfer of money, per se, only VISA representsover 22,000owner/members, with information. Banks, he says, are no more than a billion people doing l4 billion transactions, institutionsfor the custody,loan, producing an annual volume and exchange of guaranteed He believesthst the 400 year old over a one and quarter trillion alphanumeric information. If model of the institution as a dollars, making it the largest you don't have a system that machine with cogs and wheels single block of consumer accepts and guaranteesthese purchasingpower in the global will have to go and be replaced by electronicphantoms, the system economy. one that retlects the way nature collapses. The actual setting up of the works, and the way human beings So, Dee Hock asked, what biggest financial institution in would a flexible, but stable, work best, one that can bring history took about 90 days and institutionlook like that could do order out of chaos, and above all, 530.000dollars. It was created this?I{e saysit would haveto be utilize the most wastedresource mainly by volunteersat the bank an organizationthat was owned of all-h a m an ing en u ity. who were given permission to by all its participants,no one of use their time on the project. It which has an inherently greater involved bank presidents, or lesser position, or able to buy or sell their cashiers,accountants, managers, and custodians,all position. Participation is always voluntary and pitching in, and rank was never mentionedin the nontransferable. process. Birds and bees and trees and flowers, as it During the pressureto get the cards sent out, were,all haveequal value in this kind of institution. the bank presidentknocked over a table of address Each participanthas to trust that they will not be plates,to his greatembarrassment. A lady custodian inferior to any others.Authority and control would bent over to help and saidreassuringly, "That's OK, be distributed equally among the participating it canhappen to anyone."Everyone pitched in to get entities. thingsback togetherand the work on track again. The institution would have to be totally In the process,he said, leadersspontaneously flexible, ableto changequickly, yet remaindurable. emergedand re-emerged,none in control,but all in Above all, in order to do this, it would have to be order. Peopleastonished themselves by what they built upon a statementof purpose,simple and clear, could accomplish and the talents that emerged. that everyonecould agreeto. If you don't havethat Position became meaningless;power over others statement,you don't havean organization-period! becamemeaningless; time becamemeaningless. Institutions, Hock insists, exist only in the Is this really any way to run a business? mind. They are nothing more than manifestations Dee Hock thinks so. He believesthat the 400 of the old idea of community. According to year old model of the institution as a machinewith Black's dictionary of laq "a corporation is an cogsand wheelswill haveto go and be replacedby

22 The SpiritualFellowship Joumal More Lessonsfrom the Birds and Bees (Continued) one that reflects the way nature works, and the way completelyshut down. human beings work best, one that can bring order But is this any way to run a business? out of chaos,and above all, utilize the most wasted I'm remindedof a book by Robert Greenleaf, resourceof all-human ingenuity. entitled"Seryant Leadership."'Greenleaf was not a Right now people are still largely treatedlike pastor or theologian. For thirty-five years, he cogs in a machine to be controlled from above and headed up management research for the world's the cost in human spirit and waste is beyond largest corporation, A.T.&T. In fact, he started the calculating. (We call them human resources.) managementresearch and training movement. Institutions,Hock believes, will have to changeor Greenleaf's thesis, drawn from years of they will continue to fail-and may, quite possibly, experience,was that servant leadershipwas not destroythe world. simply a vague and lofty ideal, it was a pragmatic Of course,he didn't go over to the Pentagonand necessity,and increasinglyit is becomingthe only tell the folks there that they should organizelike the kind of leadershippeople will accept. birds and bees, that they should learn from the Increasingly, he believes, "people will not flowers in the field, that they neededto learn to "surf casuallyaccept the authorityof existinginstitutions. the chaos," as some have Rather, they will freely calledit. Can we really imagine a church where respondonly to individuals the generals Actually, authority and power are shared by all the who are chosen as leaders first. You called Dee Hock participants, where neither gain, because they are proven the military has a Jinancial see, nor power, nor prestige are of any real and trusted as servants.To vested interest in creating importancel where human resourcesare the extent this principle an organizationthat is not valued above all else; where, at times, any prevails, the only viable only efficient,but that weds one might be the leader, regardlessof their institutions will be those together different skills title; where people are so bound by a clear that are predominantly into a whole, whose parts purpose that they ure held together despiteall servant led."' The meek, need not check with their obvious disparities and dffirent needs, Greenleaf suggests,those command central every and march, as it were, in the same direction, living humbly before God time a decisionneeds to be toward the samegoal, even though and in keeping with his made. everyoneknows it cannotpossibly will-namely that of There is little "float be achievedin our lifetime? service-will indeed time" even on the battle inherit the earth. field now-a-days. Tank Greenleaf quotes a battles are often over in a few minutes, fighter plane well known college president who said: "The engagementsoften in seconds,and if you don't have problems that so sorely trouble the world today personneltrained to take initiative and adapt to the [are] the problems of management and labor, situation rather than wait for instructions from problems of race, of social levels and special higherup, you're lost. privilege,of nationalismand internationalrelations. In the Gulf War the first thing the military went If these and others problems will be solved after, you may recall, was command and control. eventually in accordance with the essential (You may also remember General Schwartzkof's teachingsof Jesus,for the simple reasonthat the gestureof cutting off the head.) universe(is) built that way." Interestingly, the one institution that best The wisdom of all Creation is folded up in representsthis new kind of structurein our world, Jesus of Nazareth, and if the world is not yet the Intemet, was created by the National Security operating according to his teachings, it's not Agency. The idea was that if there were ever nuclear becauseit won't work, but becausewe havenot yet war, there would almost always be communications tried it. We may soonhave to in order to survive. open from any one place to another becauseof this And what, then, of the church? How well does web of networks that no one group could control, or it reflect the wisdom and purposesof God reflected completely destroy, and therefore, no one could in his creation?

Spring& Summer,2002 23 More Lessonsfrom the Birds and Bees (Continued)

Can we really imagine a church where authority The ScientificIntegrity and power are sharedby all the participants, where of The UrantiaBook neither financial gain, nor power, nor prestige are of by Denver Pearson any real importance; where human resources are valuedabove all else; where,at times,any onemight As scientifically-mindedreaders first peruse be the leader,regardless of their title; wherepeople The Urantia Book, it soon occurs to them that many are so bound by a clear purpose that they are held of its statementson the natural sciencesconflict together despite all their obvious disparities and with currently held data and theories.In the minds different needs,and march, as it were, in the same of many this gives rise to doubts about the direction, toward the same goal, even though truthfulness of those statements.Wisdom would everyoneknows it cannot possibly be achievedin lead us to realizethat nothing short of perfectionis our lifetime? perfect, and anything touched by human hands has Hmmm seems like someone mav have fingerprints.This shouldbe our guiding thoughtsas alreadysuggested such a thing. we contemplate the accuracy of the scientific "You arethe body of Christ," he said,and "each contentof the Urantia Papers. part of the body, whether it be the hand or foot, or ear Several years &go, at the first Scientific or eye, is equally important to the whole, and it Symposium,it was implied by one of the speakers cannotbe whole without them." that the revelationcontains errors. This implication Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the is alarming. At the second symposium held in branches,without me you can do nothirig. Abide in Oklahoma in 199I, an interesting publication me, as I abidein you." named"The ScienceContent in The UrantiaBook." Nature has much to teach us, and perhapsmost was made available (this document is obtainable simply and importantly, the world works best when from the Brotherhood of Man Library). In this it works in the way God created it to work. By the publication "Time way, Dee Hock says that everything one needs to is an article entitled Bombs," in know about leadership, he learned one rainy day which the author suggests that the Revelators from a one horned cow-but that's another story. planted certain inaccuratescientific statementsin "Countless are the things you have made, O the book in order to prevent it from becoming a God; by your wisdom you have madethem all..." fetish. He states, "...the Revelators incorporated "The heavenstell out the glory of God, heaven's safeguards in the papers that would form The vault makes known his handiwork. Urantia Book to diminish the tendencyto regardit "One day speaksto another, night to night imparts as an object of worship. What safeguardsdid they knowledge,and this without speechor languageor use? Suppose they decided to make sure that soundof any voice." mortals reading it understood that some Are we listening? cosmological statementsin the book would be found to be inaccurate." 'Birth of the Chaordic Age, Dee Hock, Berrett- After many years of detailed study of The HoehlerPublishers, San Francisco, 1999, p. 167. Urantia Book,I can't honestlyrecall anytimewhen 'servant Leadership,Robert K. Greenleaf,Paulist any of its conceptscontradicted themselves, nor did Press,New York, 1977. I feel that I was being told something that was untrue. It's one thing to foolishly claim absolute 'Ibid.,p.lo perfectionfor the book, but it's quite anotherto lead other readersto believe that by divine mandatethe Merlyn Cox is a pastor serving in the North Indiana revelatorswere forced to use erroneousdata, or Conferenceof the Uniled Methodist Church. He even worse yet, to intentionally plant inaccurate has been a reader of the Urantia Papersfor I8 informationfor any reaion, so called"time bombs." years, and worked with Meredith Sprunger in In my own experienceand that of others,I'd initiating the Spiritual Fellowship Journal in 1991, saythat the problemwith the scientificinaccuracies and servedfor ten years as associateediton He is we think we find in the book might really be our own preconceivednotion that modern currently chairman of the Education Teamfor TSF. scienceis

The SpiritualFellowship Journal The Scientilic Integrity of The Urantia Book (Continued) infallible; or our hang-upsabout literature claiming 1] So let us be reasonable. to havedivine origins; or even somethingas simple Only recently have I become aware that this as not reading the text carefully. thing called science is an extremely imperfect We all know there have been a few process conducted by extremely imperfect typographical errors and minor word changes or individuals. The word "process" is the key word corrections(fingerprints), and we are also informed here.Universal reality is a constant,and scienceis in severalplaces that the Revelator'sconcepts are that hit-or-miss process whereby we attempt to subject to distortion by the limitations of human understandthat reality.How do we know if we have languageand by the comprehensionlevel of the a hit or miss? Only time will tell, and the art of mortal mind. scientificdiscovery is still very young. The typos and word changesdon't affect the Our contentionwith somescientists should be soundnessof the revelationand arealmost expected that their theoriesare spun and cast in gold before with such a voluminous literary work. The all the datais in or regardlessof contrarydata. Yes, distortionsreferred to are to be found in sectionsof there is usually contrary data opposingany theory the book regarding very high spiritual conceptsand but it is usually ignored during publication,which in areasdiscussing aspects of the spiritual realm makesthe theory appea\to the casualreader, to be about which humans know nothing, such as the unanimouslyaccepted by the world of science.Two activities of the celestial artisans. Although current examplesof this are the Big Bang theory unfortunately distorted, these concepts are very which is now losing support, and a rather new helpful in enabling us to catch a glimpse of the theorythat claimsthat the dinosaursbecatne extinct magnitudeof our Father'seternal realities. due to a meteorhitting the earth.I predict that this But we are not talking now about typos and idea itself will become extinct in a few years. distortions.These are not the problem. The source Neither of these theoriesjibe with The Urantia of the controversy is in the discussionof the natural Book. Which do you believe? sciences, in areas where the Urantia Papers and How could someonecome to the conclusion, modernscientific theories diverge. when the Urantia Papersand sciencedon't agree, In becomingaware of the differencesbetween that the book is the one in error?This is parlicularly current scienceand the revelation, we are forced to interestingdue to the fact that the history of science cometo the conclusionthat both can't be right, and is plagued with contradictory theories, somehowwe must make a decisionbetween them. incompletenessand even deception. Part of the At once we grapple with the idea of facing the answermay be this:We've beenconditioned in this possibilitythat somethingis frshy somewhere.How century to judge so-called sacredwritings of the can we test the two sources?What test would be pastby their physicalabsurdities and lack of factual adequate to resolve this horribly annoying accuraciesin light of current information. This is problem?How about using our common senseand because much of their science content is the track records of the Urantia Papers and of metaphysicallybased. Metaphysics is that method science. of explaining reality by means of our mental observations as opposed to the more accurate As gullible children growing up in the new method of discovery and testing. It is very scientific age of discovery,we naturally accepted interestingthat modern sciencedoes both, many the no-nonsenseauthority of what we were told. timesconjecturing (conjuring up) elaboratetheories Who were we to question these great minds who basedon one small shredof flimsy evidence.In my were probing all the nooks and crannies of known astronomybook the author even admits that the reality? It has always been easier to accept their measuring of distant galaxies is based on the information as gospelrather than go looking for it assumptionof the uniformity of nature. He also ourselves.I generally still do, but with a grain of admits that present errors in measuringdistances salt. We are told in The Urantia Book "Faith does may be fifty percentor larger.Amazing, isn't it? not shacklethe creativeimagination, neither does it maintain an unreasoning prejudice toward the We should have a healthy respectfor science but not be afraid to scrutinizeits findings, either. discoveriesof scientificinvestigation." [1115 par.

Spring& Summeq2002 25 The ScientiJicIntegrity of The Urantia Book (Continued)

We are all aware of the great contributions the authorsalso claim that their statementsregarding the scientificcommunity has made to our world. For one physical scienceswill stand in need of revision thing, it has reducedsuperstition to a point where becauseof new discoveriesand developments,and religionistshave had to re-evaluatetheir beliefs and that they were forbidden to include these purge themselvesof false teachings.This is still in undiscoveredfacts in these records. Once again, process. Without modern science and its there is no implication that they had to use untrue repercussions,we wouldn't have The Urantia Book statements.Limited, yes, but not untrue. Because in our midst today.In fact, it was the book that really men and angelsalike must searchand discoverthe mademe awareof our silly superstitiousnature. We physical nature of the universe(it's not inspired),it can have a genuine love for science but still be would be unfair for angelsto revealinformation to us concernedwith its inaccuracieswhen usedas a ruler that we have yet to discover. to measurethe revelation. The thing that will catch the attentionof future Now, if people insist that current scientific studentsof this revelation will be the noticeable opinion is right, and The Urantia omissions of scientific data. will Book is in error, then they must Time and again These errors of omission justiff in their minds why this is make certain statements the case.Here is wherethe trouble it is stated that the revelators outdated and stand in need of starts.They begin searchingfor were mandated to use the science revision as the scientificprocess an explanationin the book itself. rolls on. Does this mean we are of the times, to give preference They search a supposedly actually going to receive a inaccuratebook for a statementto to the highest existing revision at some future date? prove its own inaccuracies.Once human concepts. Not necessarily. During the they find an explanation,they can expansionof the United States, relax, having found a mental mapscontained only thosestates loophole to slip through when confronted with that belongedto the Union. The first mapshad only controversialinformation. thirteen, and as additional states joined the Time and again it is stated that the revelators Federation,the maps were revised to include these were mandatedto use the scienceof the times, to new states.Now that we have mapswith fifty states, give preference to the highest existing human doesit make thoseearly mapsuntrue? No. They are concepts.And now that new discoverieshave been "in need of revision" and are erroneousonly in made, the revelation appearsto be in error. The comparisonto currentdata due to omissions,but they acknowledgmentin the beginningof the book seems are accuratein context. to be one of the sourcesfor this idea. It saysthat in As previously noted, it has been suggestedthat coordinating essential knowledge the authors must the Revelators purposefully planted erroneous give preferenceto the highestconcepts pertaining to informationin the book. the so-called"time bombs." the subjectsto be presented(p. l6).No matterhow I The ideais that theseerrors would oneday "explode" read that line, I never get the impressionthat in on the page, flawing the content of the book, thus coordinatingessential knowledge there was the need making it tainted and unattractiveto those readers to purposefully include inaccuracies.(In carefully who might otherwisemake it a fetish.In all my years reading the acknowledgmentit seems that it is of study, I've never come across anyone with a talking mainly aboutthings of spiritualvalue.) Urantia Book fetish. In fact, just the contrary.We We've already determined that with high mark it up, spill thingson it, and leaveit lying around spiritual conceptsthere is somedistortion, but when on the floor. This is like saying Adam and Eve concerned with the mechanical simplicity of the purposely stumbled and fell constantly so they physical sciencesthis hardly seemssensible. There wouldn't be worshipedas Gods.This is an insult to are too many instancesin the book where the science the intelligence of those individuals who are at a of the time was not used,or in fact was corrected. level capableof acceptinghigh truth. We do have a Continentaldrift is one example (p. 668), and the healthyreverence for the book, though,because it is calculationsfor the sun'smass is another$. a59). a beautiful work of literary art. Even opponentsof On page 1109, the so called "disclaimer," the the book recognize its commanding use of the

26 The SpiritualFellowship Journal (Continued) The ScientiJicIntegrity of The Llrantia Book third day" or less frequently stated "on the third Englishlanguage' period." What is a "period," by the way? One such "time bomb" has been supposedly Becausesome readers insist on interpreting"on discoveredin a complicatedparagraph on page657 ' the third day/period" as only meaning a three-day It states: time period,such as occurred with the resurrectionof planetsnearest the sun were the first to "The Jesui they are confrontedwith the problem of how sloweddown by tidal friction' havetheir ievolutions ,.rupiti*,'who can proceed at more than three influencesalso contributeto the -no Such g.auitational times the speedof iight, are able to arrive on the planetary orbits while acting as a stabilizationof mansion worlds seveial light years away within a rite of planetary-axial revolution' brake on the three-day time period. This is a very perplexing ever-slower until axial causinga planet to revolve problem, but must we resort to distorting time and leaving one hemisphereof the revoluiion-ceases, bending spaceto make it work out? In my opinion the sun or largerbody' 'asplanet always turned toward revElaiionmakes it seemclear that transportation and by the the is illusttut.d by the planet Mercury throughspace is a fairly simplego- moon, which alwaYs turns th It doesn'tstand to reasonthat the from-1his Place-to-that-Place same face toward il";*." l; procedure, excePt for certain urag ed the time of the revelation the r evelato ry man datesenco personalities like the GravitY believed scientific communitY the placing of inaccuratescience Messengers who seem to be that MercurY showed the same unconditionedbY time and space' it and cosmologYin a revelation side toward the sun. In 1965 There are some readerswho feel A was proved to the contrary. that wus designedto "reduce that there might be a manner of makes it seemas casualreading auth oritative transportationyet unrevealedto us the confusio n bY if the writers were exPressing for somereason that would account of enor." scienceof the time. It has been eliminstion for this problem of seraphictravel suggested that because the over sreat distancesin a relatively this, theY must Revelatorsknew shortperiod of time have used erroneousmaterial to createflaws in an The best explanation I have heard for this otherwisenear perfectbook to preventfetishism' problem is that "on the third day/period"refers to an the real problem seems to be a However, indefinite time period that is of a short duration this complicated paragraph' It misreading of rather than a long one. Something similar to the ideas in two interrelatedsentences' expressesiwo common Jewish eipression of Jesus'time, "on the introducesthe main topic which is The first sentence third day," which signified "presently" or "soon down by tidal friction' The second planetsslowing thereafter"(p. 1872).This is similar to the way we oneof parallelconstruction i, u.o-pound-complex use "a hop, skip, and a jump" to signify a short dependent clauses explaining wtrat with several distanceas oPPosedto a long one' eventually happens to a planet affected by tidal It doesn't stand to reason that the revelatory friction. in it wi have two ideasand two examples mandatesencouraged the placing of inaccurate of those ideas; planets revolving ever slower science and cosmology in a revelation that was (Mercury) until axlal revolution ceases(the moon)' designed to "reduce confusion by authoritative it is easy to see how confusion comes from a elimTnationof error" (p. 1109).The idea of divine sentence so structured with multiple dependent deception is repugnant, and I hardly think the clauses. Ancientsof Dayi would authorizesuch mandates' I'd like to addressone other suggested"time The mandatesconceming the physical sciences bomb" that has been addressedin the past without could havebeen something as simpleas this: (1) If resolution. The Urantia Papers state that those any human mind has conceivedany'thing remotely mortals achieving the third psychic circle acquire reiated to the fact, then the authors could restate it their own personal pair of guardian angels who, with more clarity. It didn't have to be a common or uponthe aeattrof their ward, proceedtothe mansion published idea. This could give rise to many worlds there to await the resurrection'For these apparentlypredictive statements; (2)If a certainline individuals this resurrection takes place "on the

27 Spring& Summer 2002 The Scientifc Integri6t of The Urantia Book (Continued) of scientific investigation is proceedingtoward a The Infinity of God definite discoveryin the very near future, then the an AstronomicalApProach could reveal that discoverybefore its time, authors by Bud Bromley knowing that scientists wouldn't be reading the revelation, thus not revealing undiscoveredfacts. How big is God? One approachis to ask,"How This too would producepredictive statements; (3) If big is the universewhich He pervades?Or, at least, current data is incorrect in any known theory,then it how big is what we presentlyknow of it?" with the first two can be corrected complying Let's startwith a map on which the whole Earth is just a suggestionas to what some mandates.This is but a circle ll4 inch in diameter,a gardenpea. may have been. of the mandates Thenthe moon is a tiny glassIndian bead 1/16 of an If there are verifiable flaws to be found in the inch in diameter,located 7.53 inchesfrom the Earth. revelation,then, in my opinion, they must be due to The sun is a beach ball 27.25 inches in diameter, recording errors, printing effors or some aspect located81.4 yards from the Earth,slightly morethan involving the productionof the book itself. 8/10 of the way down a football field. Our But how do we really determine what is in outermostplanet, Pluto, is a sand grain ll25 of an error, if anything?Whose ruler do we use?This is inch, or about a millimeter, in diameter,and is 1.8 my greatconcern. I'm only confidentthat we arenot miles from the sun. Considerthat again. The whole being deceived,pampered, or "time bombed." The Earth which is really about 8,000 miles in diameter, only thing we can know for certain is that the truth is but ll4 inch acrosson our map, yet Pluto, on that will prevail. We are currently laying the foundation samemap, is 1.8 miles away from the sun. We are for the future students of the Fifth Epochal alreadytalking about a map that extends1.8 miles, Revelation.But if our foundationbecomes attached and we havejust barely begun! science,then to the authority of a fallible modern Astronomersoften use a unit of measurecalled just as crippled as this movement will be a light year. It is the distancewhich light, going at is dragging around Christianity is today, which 186,281miles per second,goes in one year. It goes chain. Westerncivilization like a ball and about5,878,680,189,000 miles. To get someidea of In order to proceedsafely into the truth of this this huge distance,think of a meter stick, which is revelationand of today's science,we now needthe 39.37 inches long. The meter stick is marked in aid of Spirit-led investigatorswith no other motive centimeters,and millimeters. The millimeter is than to just discoverthe truth, beauty,and goodness about ll25 of an inch, and thereare 1,000of them to of our fascinatingcosmic home, a home filled with one meter. Let this meter stick representone light so many wondersyet to be uncovered. year. Now supposethat someonecould get in a car and drive at 65 miles per hour, day and night, with Denver Pearsonhas long beenactive in the no stops, no holidays. If he drove, non-stop,for "The Book Urantia Movement.He tells us: Urantia 10,317years, he would have driven just one single found me in 1970." Denverbecame a memberot millimeter of the way along the meter stick; that is, large of the Urantia Brotherhoodin 1977.He has he would still have999 more millimetersyet to go to organizedand participated in studygroups completejust one light year. whereverhe has lived. While living in Denver, To return to our map, which is scaleddown just Colorado,he becamea memberof the Roclcy slightly over2 billion times,one light yearis 2926.5 Mountain Spiritual Fellowship.Denver has served miles long. That is, if we put the sun on a strip of paper startinga few miles eastof Los Angeles,our as an in that Society.Denver has a fficer strip of paper would have to stretchnearly to New infine arts the Universityof Bachelorsdegree from York City to includejust one light year. Remember qs qn New Mexico. Many Urantians know Denver that our Earth is a Yoinch pea. accomplishedmusician, and hepublished a How many peas would it take in a line to go musical tape of original songs inspired by the UB. from Los Angelesto New York City? He is currently working on a novel basedon the Sirius, often called the Dog Star,the brightest Urantia Papers. star in our sky, is about 8.7 light years away, or

28 The SpiritualFellowship Journal The Infniry o.f God (Continued)

25,460miles on our map. That's aboutonce around I Can you imagine going "dot-dot-dot" every second the Earthin miles. Our paperstrip, startingwith the I for evenjust nouiif sunjust eastof LosAngeles, would nuut "igftt l:-t-:,:l_.g I Now put togerheryour understandingof how rongone right year is, with your understanding .1116 ofvr order::::1lh:l*1.3:*":9.,0^Tl^,"^1"'flg:':::lto includesirius, which is one of our verv I I rtor,i*uny a million is, thendouble it, andyou will near 'wr6'uurneighbor DrcrD'stars. I o^^"o.iotp rha '{iorah^6 r^ +reaA-,r-^-^r^ ..r^r^-.,, I appreciate the distance to the Andromeda Galaxy, If we can find the Big Dipper, and, starting at I our nearest galaxy. Astronomers can photograph-is the bowl, follow the curve of the handleon beyond I objects several billion light-as years u*uy; t6is the handle, we come to a bright reddish star. I several thousand times ttut u*uy ur ir th. Arcturus.Arcturus is 36 light'years away,which is I Rndromeda Galaxy. We can talk about these 105,354 milesaway on our map,or over four times I numbers, but our real comprehensionof these around the Earth. If we continue on around the I distanceswas overwhelmedlong beforethis. 'vrrr L'v u'vvwt r handle,rrorrsrw'we wv can_corn:vc' 'y o "'":: I rn.r.diblyIncredibly huge as this known universe is, God moderately::l:-*fl *:_?lol.t'sbright star' Spica, in the constellationlg " I .r"ut.a it, God sustainsit, God fills it, inhabitsall of Virgo;itis257lightyearsaway,it;andyet,Godisprobably| oll^T1p; And thegreatest miracte i.i.ol"i'.r,ensiblygreater ourX..it?::: moon T]t'::.Lis about than 240,000 even this immense miles away, is that this chunk of so our map is we know' already mconceivabty infinite God yh::,h Thesize of God, jsover threetimes ui fu, outas themoon! rn the bright tovingiyiivites nj:i:[ft:'iil1.'",:kL:"t;il: winter constellationof orion, euch one of us intelligenceof God, to have thebrightest star, Betelgeuse, is ,rFather! fu cull Him r, devised all this is another 587 light116'0 yearsrvsro away;svrqJ) thisrtrro isrD rtimpnc.in- nrrJio ;-{i_i+,, A-.r +L^ 1 11- OaA 'l dimensionofHisinfinity. Andthe r)tr t)6o4+mlles away on our . of God to sustain all this, map' orion's,--'-:^.^,^ second^^^^-r brightestL..t^t-r^_r star.-r__. Rigel,n: , is 880oon r Power | all at thesame time, is still anotherdimension;f iii; light yearsaway, or 2,575,332miles away on our I '^""',jlfi;,r. map.Deneb, one of the threebright starsforming | Anl greatest thewinter triangle (Deneb, Vega,"ana nrtaiij i; it; miracle. is. that. this I in^conceivably.,ltt.infinite , starat thehead ortn. Northerncross, a ;;;i"lih; I Godlovingly invites each one of usto callHim "Father!" constellationof Cygnus.It is 1630ligirty.urr u*uy, I or 4,770,218miles on our map. Over four.million I Aua Bromleyisaretiredmathematics andEnglish miles of a map is hard (impossible?) to | rcach"r--1".' He is theson of an AmericanBaptist comprehend,but we are still with stars we can | minister,yet Bud tellsus he wasa muchmore easiiy ,.., iturc in our near neighbo;;oJi il | don't forget--thereal universe is slightlymore than I intelligentlylogical scholar than the unfortunate 2,000,000,000times bigger than is our map. I sereotypeof a hard nosedconservative clergtman. The nearest galaxy to us is the Andromeda I Aua was a flying radio operator in the CBI theater Galaxy' thought to be about 2,000,000light^years I n ww r. He first encounteredrhe urantia Book away. How shall we comprehenda million? put | ,._ rn "",, I957'- '" and w1s carefullyskeptical' However,he 1,000I,UOUmeter sticks together in a line d;;;down ;a t";;road; I| " :"- reportsthat when he got to Paper 4, section that will be 1,000,000millimeters. You arewalking I 5, down that road. As you walk, visualize the I paragraph 4, (a refutationof the atonement millimeters (twenty fifths of an inch) you are doctrine)he was compelledto exclaim: "yes! This 'i1 I :llftf ^o::l^1t.fl.;'L:l.l j]lgllll'b:ry19 | "-"l^ 6gotto be right!,,And, ever since, he has been tenthsof a mile (.6214miles), you will havepassed | an theUrantiaPapers.Hetells one million of them. If you were hired io'put u I y\eststudentof pencil dot on eachone of the millimeter marks,and I us he has beenpuzzled often, but neverturned off. you could averagethree dots per secondfor eight I ara can be reachedat: hoursa day,it would take you eleven,days,four I [email protected] hours,and 44 minutesto dot all onemillion marks. I

Spring& Summer,2002 satisfy our deepest spiritual hopes, needs and The Real Gospel desires:to betterknow our Fatherin heavenand our by Norm Du Val relationshipwith humankind,to be of the Spirit and of the Spirit, and to have eternai What is the gosPel? to show the fruits life with God. The word "gospel" means "good news," but tell from his teachingsthat the gospel that'sjust a definition.You want to know, "What is We can even rvhat we may call the "religion of the good news,and where doesit come from?" of Jesus, Jesus."was and still is, this: Somewill saythat the gospelis the storyabout loving spiritual Father and we are Jesus,as written by the New Testamentwriters' God is our sons and daughtersin His Matthew, Mark, Luke and'John. After all, these all His children, fanily. love one another,v'e will have storiesare often called the "Four Gospels."Others If we love God and heaven. will tell you the good news is that God sentHis son eternallife in "I got it to earth as a sacrifice,to die, and to rise again, in Have you heard the expression, peoplesay order to atonefor the sins of mankind. Still others straightfrom the horse'smouth?" When right saythat Jesus'death on the crosswas a ransompaid this, they mean they got some information like a by God to recleemmankind from the Devil, and so from the source.and thereforeit is true. It is the on. gold miner who finds lode. The actual The New TestamentsaYs Doing the Futher's will is the keY mother teachingsof Jesusare from the thatJesus and the aPostleswent to entering the kingdom of true source, the tnother lode, from city to city, preachingthe heaven.And what is the Father's from God Himself, as gospelof thekingdorn of God to loving God, and will? It is simply personifiedby his son. the multitude. loving and serving our brothers are the high "And Jesuswent about all Here, then, and sisterson earth, our brothers teachingsof Jesus,the the citiesand villages,teaching spiritual snd sistersin God's that lre was giving in tlieir synagogues, and familY. information the real preachingthe gospel of the to the crowds, gospel. It's all you need to kingdom, and healing every sicknessand every diseaseamong the people." know [Mattherv9:35] The Father's ll'ill "And it canre to pass...thatJesus went Jesusteaches us about doing the Father'swill throughout every city and village, preachingand and enteringthe kingdom of heaven. shou,ingthe glad tidings of the kingdom of God: "Not every one who says to me, Lord, Lord, (Also and the twelve were with him..." [Luke 8:1] shall enterinto the kingdom of heaven;but he who seeMatthew 4:23, Mark 1:i4, andLuke 4:43.) does the will of my Father who is in heaven." tell that the gospel From theseverses we can fMatthew7:21] was something that Jesus actually preachedand Doing the Father'swill is the key to entering gospel taught. Thus, the question of where the the kingdom of heaven.And what is the Father's comesfrom is answered.It comesfrom Jesus. will? It is simply loving God, and loving and The word gospel means "good news" and serving our brothers and sisters on earth, our "glad tidings," but what exactly was Jesustelling brothersand sistersin God's family. the people?What was his message?And has the Eternal Life essenceof it, the actual gospel, the teachingsof can have eternallife' Jesus,been partly lost to us today and replacedby Jesustells us how we anothermessage, the teachingsabout Jesus? "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and 'Master, what shall I do to On these preaching tours, Jesus gave the tested him, saying, him, 'What is people very important information (the good inherit eternal life?' Jesus said to you read it?'And he news!),and it was a positive,powerful message, written in the law? how do 'Thou with all thy focused on a few specific ideas.The gospel that answeredsaying, shall love God and with all thy Jesus tausht was that information which would heart, and with all thy soul,

The SpiritualFellowship Journal TheReal Gospel(Continued)

strength,and with all thy mind; and thy neighboras 'Thou Separationfram God thyself.'AndJesus said to him, hasanswered If we have becomeseparated from God, Jesus (Luke right: this do, and thou shall live."' 10:25- tells us what the Fatherrequires in order for us to 28) come home to Him, to rejoin His family, our Do this and you will have eternallife! Love spiritual family. The Parable of the Prodigal Son. God, and love your neighbor. Could it be any fl-ukel5:11-32] cleareror simpler?Jesus knows that loving all of Many peopledo not give much thoughtto the our fellow humansmay not be easyfor us, but he parablesthat Jesustaught. They are often quoted expectstrend and effort. but seldomexplained. Parables are simplestories The Mission of Jesus with a single,clear message. You don't haveto be Jesustells us why he cameto earth a theologianor a rocket scientistto understand "And he said unto them, I must preach the them. In this parable,Jesus says that our spiritual kingdom of God to other cities Father will welcome us home just also: for thereforewas I sent." Imagine! The kingdom of God is as soonas we sincerelywant to return to Him. Even though fluke 4:43] within you. This is a stunning but long Many have differing viervs misunderstood teaching of Jesus. the repentantson was still a as to the purpose of Jesus' There are several aspectsofthe way off, the moment his father incarnationon earth.Flere, Jesus kingdom of God. One is spiritual, saw him coming down the road greet himself tells us that he cameto -the kingdom is not a material he ran to him to hirn in love earth to preach the gospel, the reulm. Another is the outward and welcomehim back into the good news of the kingdom of kingdom, - the Father and His family. This is how our F'atherin God. angels olf in heaven somewhere. heaven responds to uS, His children,always with an attitude The Kingdom of God And then there is the kingdom within. of love and forgiveness.No Jesus teaches a new and matter how far down the road very personal idea about the away from the Fatheryou think kinsdomof God. you are, if you want to return home, the door is "And when he was asked by the Pharisees, open. when the kingdom of God would come, he answeredthem and said, 'The kingdomof God will Forgiveness of Our Sins come not with observation:Neither shall they say, Jesus tells us how we can have our sins Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of forgiven. God is within you."' fl-uke l7:2Il "For if you forgive men their trespasses,your Imagine! The kingdom of God is within you. heavenlyFather will also forgive you." fMatthew This is a stunning but misunderstoodteaching of 6:l4l Jesus.There are severalaspects ofthe kingdomof Forgiving others is a difficult thing for us to God. One is spiritual, -the kingdom is not a do. In reality, the Father'sforgiveness is always materialrealm. Another is the outwardkingdom, - availableto us. By forgiving others,we tap into that the Fatherand His angelsoff in heavensomewhere. forgiveness,we open the door to it. And then there is the kingdom within. Jesusis Being Born Again talking aboutthis inner kingdom when he saysthat the kingdomof God is within you, actuallya part of In a conversationwith Nicodemus, Jesus "born the Fatherhimself, sharingyour life, going through teachesus aboutbeing again." your ups and downs with you, and if you desireit, "Verily, verily, I sayunto thee,except a man be guidingyou like a compassback to Him. This is not born of water[physical birth], and of the Spirit,he a nebulous spirituality wafting through you, as cannotenter into the kingdomof God." fJohn3:5] might be imaginedfor a spirit being,and as might God is spirit.When we love God anddesire to be the casein somesituations, but rathera definite do His will, we are born again,born of the Spirit. focalizationof the Fatherin vou. It's that simple.

Spring& Summer,2002 JI The Real Gospel (Continued)

Sharing the Good News be Jesus tells us to Perfect. Jesustalks aboutsharing the good news' -his your Father "Be you thereforeperfect, even as teachings. 5:48] who is in heavenis perfect." [Matthew "...freely you have received, freely give." Nobody's perfect, as the saying goes. fMatthewl0:8] condition, but it is our goal. Perfectionis not our The good news is not somethingto be hidden that we havebeen created with a The Fatherknows under a rock. It shouldbe sharedwith everyonein after all, He createdus. It will take "humannature," God's family. effort on our part to become more perfect, more Many religions are complex, but the real spiritual, more like God. There's no time like the gospelof Jesusis simple: Love God your Father' presentto start.In the words'of Lao'tzu, "Ajourney -of ind love your fellow man. If you do this you will a thousandmiles must begin with a single step." be doing the Father's will, and you will have an fesus tells us about God'sfamilY. etemallife of love and servicewith God. This real gospel of Jesuswill also be acceptableto all of Jesussays, "Our Father.'."[Matthew 6:9, Luke ll:21 God's children on earth who love Him, whether be Christian, Moslem, When Jesususes the term they Jew,Buddhist, or Hindu. Father, he is talking about his not, little would be Fatherand our Father.Above all "Fesr flock; And finally, as of a else God is a loving Fatherand it is your Father'sgood expected from the Son for loving God, comforting words we are his children.If we know pleasureto give that we are sons and daughters You from Jesusto all of us. of God, we will naturallYwant the kingdom." "Fear not, little flock; for it to act like one. is your Father'sgood Pleasure [Luke 12:321 to give you the kingdom." Jesus tells us that God knows. [Luke 12:321 "...for your Father knows what things you have need of, Att Bible quotationsexcerpted or adaptedfromthe beforeyou ask him." [Matthew 6:8] King James Version.@ Copyright 1994, Norm Du our real needs.His kingdom is a God knows Val. Please copy as needed. spiritual one and our real needsare mostly spiritual in nature. When we pray, we should not pray Norm Du Val has been a highly active Urantian overmuchfor material things, but should pray for for manyyears. Norm was born and raised in spiritual insight, pray for others, and pray for help Minneapolis.He spentthree years in the US Jesussays, to know and do the Father'swill. When Army, with a year of that in Korea in 1962.Few and it shall be given you; seek,and you shall "Ask, people know that Norm was related to Emma find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you..." ("Christy"), one of the 7:7, Luke 11:9], he is talking about Louise Christensen [Matthew Book, an spiritual gifts, spiritualtruths, and spiritualdoors. contactcommissioners. His first Urantia original 1955First Printing, was given to him in The Fruits of the Spirit 1959by his grandmother,Olga Christensen,who Jesusteaches us about tolerance,one of the wasEmma's sister ... and who also had the fruits of the Spirit, andbeyond mere tolerance, even "Christy." keepshis 1955 love for other people and groups which may be knickname Norm now different from our own. printing in a safe depositbox. He movedto "For if you only love thosewho love you, what Missoula,Montana in 1969.Norm retiredfrom reward haveyou? do not even the publicansdo the the (IS Post Office in Missoula in 1992.He now do same?And if you saluteyour brethrenonly, what lives in a rural area of the USA.Norm maintains than others?do not eventhe publicans you do more a websiteat http://www.freeurantia.org.'. he can do so?" 5:46-47,Luke 6:32-33] [Matthew be reachedby email at: [email protected]

32 The SpiritualFellowship Journal The TurningPoint - Part II drifting into it, we made no effort to develop the plant, electingto wait until the greatstruggle should Arthur Nash be ended. At this time The A. Nash Companywas one of Excerptedfrom the book, "The Golden Rule in just Business," copyright I923, this material has the smallestconcems in Cincinnati. As I have intimated,we had no factory of our own. We had significance for Urantian scholars for three reasons.Part I of this excerpt chroniclesNash's our place of businessin the Power Building, and joined devotion to his church, and the misguided furnishedfloor spaceto a man who had up with us, andwho madeour garmentsunder contract. fundamentalism of the organization thqt resulted in his expulsion.In Part II he chronicles his spiritual A short while after the Armistice was concluded, rebirth. In one of the most remarkable testimonies this man came to me and said, "Mr. Nash, I have to the practical values of the Golden Rule, Nash heard nothing of my mother and sisterssince the describeshow he applied it to afailing businessand outbreakof the war. I want to go back to Europe. watched it prosper and grow. It is inspiring to read Will you buy my shop?" the birth of personal religion in Nash by means of "Yes," I replied,"under thoseconditions I will be loving service-the great gospel of Jesus of gladto." Nazareth.Nash's work may well So we bought out this man, have been a secondaryhuman took over his businessand the Another fact should be borne in sourcefor a key concept of the peoplehe employed,and for the mind, namely, that the shop we Urantia Papers, as we shall see. first time his pay-roll came into L.M. bought was literally a sweat-shop, my hands. Concerning this and that sweat-shopsare always samepayroll I want certainfacts In the year 1909,I took up made up of infficient workers bome in mind. During the time my residence in Columbus, who cannot get a job in America was engaged in the Ohio, and started to a high-grade shop. World War. businessconditions manufacturemen's clothing, to in the clothing line in the city of sell to the public direct. My Cincinnati were decidedlypoor. businessflourished risht from Very few large governmentcontracts were obtained the start. Prettysoon I had a dozensalesmen out on by any of the firms located there, and no civilian the road, and I began to make money. By the year clothesin any quantity were being bought, simply 1913,my concernwas standingpretty solidly on its becauseall our young fellows were expecring feet. Then camethe disastrousflood andI, together almostdaily, to be calledupon to don the uniform of with many another man, found myself practically Uncle Sam. So workers were on the old, low wage wiped out. scale,when I took over this business. After this setback, I resolved to settle in Another fact should be bome in mind, namely, Cincinnati. I was pretty close to the wall in those that the shop we bought was literally a sweat-shop, days-so close, indeed, that I had to obtain and that sweat-shopsare always made up of permissionfrom my merchandisecreditors to move inefflrcientworkers who cannotget a job in a high- my stock, and to find security for a note of seven grade shop. Wagesin what are known as "inside hundreddollars I owed my bank. However, I got shops,"run by the factoriesthemselves, always start started,continued to make steadyprogress for three where the sweat-shopwages leave off; thus the years,and in June, 1916,The A. Nash Company wagesthat were being paid in this shop at the time was organized,with a capital of $60,000. We had we took it over. must not be confused with the an office, cutting rooms,and a stock of goods. We wagespaid in the inside shopsof the largeclothing cut the garmentsand farmed them out to be made manufacturersof Cincinnati. up. In this shop were two workers that particularly Meanwhile the World War continued its frightful attractedmy attention. One was a tall, dignified old work of devastation,and, as any reasoninghuman lady,close on to eighty yearsof age,who pulled out being could see,this country was surely,if slowly, bastingsand sewed on buttons. The other was a

Spring& Summer,2002 J-t The TurningPoint (Continued) I called them little hunchbackwho ran a machine.Both were on besides myself, in the concern, proposition-up this payroll at $4.00 a week. Workerspossessing a togetherthe next moming andput the after little more ability than they were supposed to tolhem. They agreedto liquidatethe company return possess,were receiving $5'00 and $6.00. The I had promisedto make good their loss, and to be able to highest-paidwoman in the shopwas drawing,$700. their investment,The most that I hoped money to Tlie preisersand "skilled" men were getting$18.00 do was to manageto get out with enough As I saidat the a weik. Such was the characterof the wage-scale makea small first paymenton a farm. can really handedto me when The A. Nash Companybecame time'."There 3 the only placewhere a man in the ownersof their own factory. be a Christian. He certainly can't be one clothingbusiness." I looked at that pay-roll and saw instantly that I somethingstood betweenit and myself. It was the After this meetingwith my fellow stock-holders group of Golden Rule that recently I had been doing a good went into the factory called my little kind to deal of talking about. I called my eldest son into workerstogether, and said somethingof this conferenceand said to him, "Look at that pay-roll'" them: Now it must be rememberedthat the boy was just "Friends,you have heardno doubt that we have back from a soul-rackingexperience on the battle- bought this shop, and I have fields of Europe;that, as a result, come in to get acquaintedwith he was in wretchedhealth, and had you. No doubt, too, you have "First, I wantyou to know that not, as yet, begun to look at these hearda greatdeal aboutthe talks Brotherhood is a reality with me. mattersas I had myself. that I havebeen giving duringthe You are all my brothers and mY "Well, what of it?" he asked,as War about Brotherhood and the sisters,children of the samegreat he scannedthe paper. Golden Rule, while pleadingthe Father that I am, and entitled to cause of Christianity and its "Just this," I answered' "You justice treutment affiliation to my concePtionof have beenwith me in someof the all the and fair true Democracy.Now I am going meetings where I have talked that I wantfor mYself." to do a bit of talkingto you. First, recently, in behalf of LibertY I want you to know that Loans, and you know something Brotherhoodis a reality with me. You are all my of the firm conviction that has sprungup in my heart brothersand my sisters,children of the samegreat concerningwhat this world can becomeif we really Fatherthat I am, and entitled to all the justice and live out the GoldenRule. Do you think that holding fair treatmentthat I want for myself.And so long as such a conviction that I can go into that shop next we run this shop, to me meantthree or four Saturday,and hand thesepeople pay-envelopes with fwhich monthslonger] God being my helper,I am going to any such wages in them as that sheetindicates?" treatyou as my brothersand sisters,and the Golden you do?" my sonretorted. "If you "What elsecan Rule is going to be our only governinglaw. Which yourself clean out. Yours is the don't, you knock meansthat whateverI would like to haveyou do to that is being paid in all similar samescale of wages me, were I in your place, I am going to do to you. you want to keep your end up, thereis shops,and if Now," I went on, "not knowing any of you it." Nor was there- nothingyou can do but stick to personally,I would like you to raiseyour handsas I way just then. at leastit lookedthat call your names." discussedthe situationwith my I went home and I read the first name. Under it was written: argument,taken at its face value, wife. My boy's Sewing on buttons-$4.00 per week' I looked We were closing our fiscal year was soundenough. straight before me at the little group, but saw no Our original investmentof showinga lossof $4,000. hand. Then I looked to my right, and there saw the by a recentlytaken inventory to $60,000was shown old lady I havereferred to, holding up her trembling No; there appearedto have depreciatedto $56,000. hand. At first I could not speak,because, almost I had to carry on this clothing be but one altemative: instantly,the face of my own mother camebetween to mete out what I knew to be businessand continue that old lady and myself. I thought of my mother get out of it. I decidedto do the rank injustice-or being in such a situation, and of what, in the latter, and as there were only a few stock-holders

.A J+ The SpiritualFellowship Journal circumstances,I would want someone to do for her. went to seemy bookkeeper-to find out how much I hardlyknew whatto say,because I wasaware that ready money I could command. What the when I went into the shop,that after agreeingto bookkeepertold me held me in absolute standall of theloss entailed by theliquidation of the astonishment.I was simplyastounded to find out company,I could not go too far in raisingwages. It how muchmoney we hadon hand. "What'sgoing seemedto be my obviousduty to salvagesomething on here?"I asked. "Are you sellinggoods by the for the boyswho werecoming home from military yards?" service,and for the daughterjust enteringthe "No," sheanswered, "but don'tyou knowwe are university.But asI lookedat thatold lady,and saw doing almostthree times the amountof business only my mother,I finally blurtedout: "l don'tknow weredoing at this time lastyear?" whatit's worthto sewon buttons;I neversewed a "No,I do not-never dreamedsuch a thing. How your buttonon, But wages,to beginwith, will be is it beingdone? Where are you getting the garments $12.00per week." That was a300Yo raise. The next made?" nameon list wasthat of the little hunchback.whose wageswere the sameas thoseof the agedworker. "I think they aremaking them in the shop,"my But I hadestablished a precedent and so had to give bookkeeperanswered. "I've hadno bills sentto me her a 300Yoincrease also. And for outsidework." so I went on, through my entire "That shop was running to wage-sheet,right up to the To aid me in answering my oh'n full capacitywhen we boughtit," pressers, I said. "Have you boughta lot of $18.0O-a-week whose question, I went to see my salariesI increasedto $27.00. extra machines?" bookkeeper-to out how much Let it be bome in mind that I ftnd No: she had seenno bills for was not actingunder the spell of ready monq) I could command. machines either. "But we are doing the business just the some wondrous, compelling lYhat the bookkeepertold me held vision. I realized with perfect same," she returned, "and the clearnessthat the granting of me in absolute astonishment. money is coming here, and we these increases meant. that are depositingit in the bank." everySaturday night,I would be After the help had gone, I takingjust so many dollars as the increasedpay-roll went down into the factorv and talked to the demanded,off the value of the farm I was proposing forelady. to buy. But I had reacheda point in my thinking "What's going on here?" I asked. where I felt, that unlessI was preparedto sacrifice "Why-nothing," she answered, "except that every bit of laudableidealism I had in my soul, the we're makinga lot of clothes." thing had got to be gone through with. Having so far settled matters with my conscienceand senseof "The bookkeepertells me you are making three equity,I beganto look aroundfor my farm. Beyond times as many clothes as when we took the shop exercisingsome sort of generaloversight, I ceased over. Is that a fact?" to pay much attentionto the clothing business.Yet I "It is. I don't know the figures," she went on, became aware that, unmistakably, sales were "but I do know we are actually producing picking up. This was becauseour soldier-boyswere merchandiseat less cost than before you increased being demobilized, and a demand for civilian the wages of the help. Take for instance,that old clothing accompaniedthe process. lady whoseweekly salaryyou increased300%. You Justat this time, I receivednews that a very dear should come in sometime and take a peep at her. friend of mine was in serousfinancial difficulties. Somehow,her poor, old, crippled fingers have got He was a man on whom I set the highestvalue. He limberedup, a look of youth hascome into her eyes, had a noble wife and two lovely daughtersabout the and sheis doing twice the amountof work sheever age of my own girl, and he was facing bankruptcy. did before. So the Golden Rule beganto get in its work again. "But the biggest thing of all in this shop," she "What can be done to help my friend," I asked continued,"is the case of the skilled help, who at myself. To aid me in answeringmy own question,I one time, were simply loafing on the job. They've

Spring& Summer,2002 35 The Turning Point (Continued) myself to remain in the businessworld. But the got busy lately and are showing us all how to get foiegleams of coming day had shone in upon me, ivork done. The garments are coming through in -I and determinedto utilize every means compatible one constantstream." with an adoption and operationof the Golden Rule to at sea. "Do you mind telling I felt completely demonstratethe fact that, in the twentieth century of just all this about?"I askedthe me what hasbrought the Christian era,the principles laid down by Jesus forelady. of Nazareth in the first, could be made to work- "I hardly think I can," shereplied. work successfullyand not merely as a sacrificial "Why?" ideal-for the mutual well-being of mankind, and to "Well, for one thing, the story would have to the glory of God. include some talk that PossiblY THE GREAT DISCOVERY you wouldn'I careto hear." "Vl/hat'swrong At this point in mY story I "Don't mind me. Pleasego with ChristiunitY want to turn aside from the main right on and tell me. I haveheard narrative, which relates to the renders A. Nash some rather Peculiar talk at one that development of The the of time and another.Just relate what it powerless Company under PrinciPles hashappened." the Golden Rule, to deal with a personal exPerience. I "Well, it was something like in this awful hour poignant to it becausenothing this book this: After you left the shoP on turn of world-wide need?" contains, exceedsit in imPortance the day you announced Your as my own attitude intentionof raisingwages, we all so far Personal It is the story of a great stood around for a few moments looking rather toward life is concerned. of a greattruth' which helplesslyat eachother. Presentlythe little Italian discovery-of the embracing 'Well to relinquishwhile life pr.it".-you know him-blurted out: I'll be by God'i graceI nleannever dammed!' shall last. yearsof the World War-the "We all looked at him, and after a minute's During the first three United Stateslined up to silence he went on: "Whatever this Golden Rule years,that is, before the found myself in a bitter, thing is I don't knoq but what Mr. Nash told us iake her share in it-I I could get hold waslhat all he wantedus to do was work just aswe ironical frame of mind. Whenever to me, I would beginto would want him to work if we were up in the office of a ministerwilling to listen going on paying wages, and he was back here doing the rail at him regarding the frightful carnage work.- Now I know, if I was the boss and would in Europe. come in and talk to the workersas he did, and raise "Look at that sceneacross the ocean," I would wageslike he has,I'd want every one to work like say, "and tell me, if you think that is Christianity! hell!' Those nations who are at each other's throats are, Christian "There!" said the forelady. "That's about all with one or two exceptions,all, nominally, they profess,and which there is to it. Our peoplejust caught the drift of nations. Cannotthe religion to put an end to Tony's idea and went ahead in the spirit of it. you preach and teach, do anything thing the world has Thai's why we've trebledour output. If I talkedfor lhis tragedy-the most awful almost the entire heathenworld a week, I couldn't tell You anYmore'" ever known-while plays the parts of spectator? What's wrong with Nor can I. That is how it all began. In a very -Christianity that renders it powerless in this awful short time we found ourselvesunable to handle the hour of world-wide need?" volume of businesswhich beganto pour in. I soon them ever gave me an lost all interest in the purchaseof that farm and Needlessto say, none of The men I put begun to have a vision of the possibility of answer that amounted to anything. perplexed, andsimply be-orning a genuinelyChristian man in the world my question to were worried, And what is more- of commerceand industry. I desireto be implicitly didn't know what reply to offer. assumedthe role of believed when I state, that were it not for this although I, in my alrogance, Yet, as the facts vision, this possibility,I could never have brought questioner,I had no answer myself.

36 The Spiritual FellowshiP Journal The Turning Point (Continued)

alreadyset down in this narrativeindicate, I ought my pride and self-suffrciency. I had acceptedthis to have known just as well as anybody else. For challenge-well, to say the leastof it-in no spirit had I not been a studentof the Bible, and of the of humility. And yet, here was I, heart-brokenat writings of its antagonists,virtually all my days? the fate which had overtakenmy boy, and thinking Yet there I was, pestering anxious men with of hundredsof thousandsof other gallant fellows insistent queries for which I, myself, had no who were pouring out their life-blood in France solution-a pretty contemptibleform of diversion, and Flanders."This is no fitting time to get up in a as I see it now. But there was one minister in church pulpit and shoot off a lot of nonsense,'nI Cincinnati who appearedto be quite willing to face said to myself. "What rs wrong with Christianity, the situation, grave and bewildering as it was. anyhow? You had better find out for yourself, first, Eveningafter evening,he would before you attempt to tell other come and sit with me on my people." ...Thut what all the writers, who porch, and discuss the terrible So I started to find out. I war. were so eagerly rushing into print went down to the library-any One day he surprisedme by amount of articles were current saying: "Mr. Nash,I have a boy were attacking and finding fault at that time purporting to show about to be graduatedfrom the that Christianity was an arrent with was not Christianity at all, but university, and I have been failure-and began to ready up. asked to take some part in the the luck of it! *Christianity had not And my reading soon brought exercises.Which meansI shall me to see one great, stark, be compelled to be away from failed, simply because Christianity outstanding fact: That what all my pulpit on a Sunday about the writers, who were so eagerly had not yet been tried."t two months hence. Will you rushing into print were takemy place?" attacking and finding fault with was not Christianity at all, but "What on earth are you talking about?" uChristianity replied. the lack of it! had not failed, simply becauseChristianity had not yet been tried."' "I mean just exactly what I am saying," he rejoined. "I want you to occupy my pulpit, and I Quite a number of smart phrase-makerssought to will selectyour subjectfor you. Go over and tell annex credit for the invention of that phrase my people what, in your opinion, is the matter with during the World War, each of whom had stolen it. religion-with Christianity." Yet there was a tremendousproportion and element of tnrth in it, just as there had been away back in "Well, if I do," I answeredsarcastically, "you the early years of the eighteenthcentury when the can depend on one thing-you'll have no scoffrngatheists of thoseworthless, godless days, congregationto meet you on your return." flung it in the teeth of the professedfollowers of "l'll risk that," my friend returned. "Will you Jesus.In the individual life of many a saintof God consentto do it?" it had been tried, and never once,when earnestly Possibly,because I did not careto run out of a and sincerelytried, beenfound to fail. challenge,more than for any other reason,I agreed But of adoption in any national, or, so far as the to do what I had beenasked. ChristianChurch was concerned,universal sense, Just as I began to prepare what in my pride of there had been none. ll/hich statement is as spirit I imaginedwould be a tremendousassault on unchallengeablytrue at the very hour in which I the citadel of the Christian faith, I receivedword am penning these lines, as in the days when the that my eldest boy, who had gone over to Europe epigram was regarded as being quite the proper with the Canadians,had beenseriously wounded at thing to lisp and snicker, by the "wits" and the Vimy Ridge, and was lying unconsciousin a witless of the London coffee-housesand Paris hospitalin England. In additioo,ffiy youngestlad, salons, as they snapped their snuff-boxes, and caughtup by the spirit of the time, hadjoined the strutted their way down to a well-deserved and United States Marines. The reading of that unlifting oblivion. To be sure, the voice of the cablegramacted as a sort of solar plexus blow on Prophet of Nazareth is heard, today, above the

Spring& Summer,2002 JI The Turning Point (Continued) about Him, when He Who had babble and clamor of men and markets, with more crimson shadows was about to endure the poignant distinctnessthan in any previous era of the Christian done no wrong Cross: "Let not your heart be centuries. Yet, substantially,the shameful indictment agonies of the ye in God, believe also in me. In still stands, and to it the Church, together with the troubled: believe mansions:if it werenot world, must entera plea of "Guilty!" my Father'shouse are many so I would havetold you. I go to preparea placefor to get back to my own case: As a man reared But you. And if I go and preparea place for you, I will an Adventist, I imagined I knew somethingabout the come again,and receiveyou unto myself; that where Scriptures;so I went back to the old Book and began I am, there ye may be also." That was Jesus' to acquaint myself afresh with the teachings of the message,and the more I read of His teaching,the Galilean. Very soon I realized.that I was reading in a longer I searchedHis sayings,the more surely I fashion I had never read before. In other days I read becameconvinced that it represented,practically, all to prove a theory, searchingfor proof-texts to bolster the revelation He ever gave concerningthe life that up a creed. This time I was striving earnestlyto find stretchesaway beyond the one that is bounded by out, from the authentic records extant, what it really earth and Time. was thatJesussought to establish,what to teach,what, things became if anythingto condemn. As these I saw, as I had never done clearerto me, I beganto see how were quite a few surprises There little there really is that Jesussaid for me. Among other things, before, that the Son of God in store which applies only to the "life my hitherto came into this world, not I discovered which is to come." But I preconceived notion that Jesus merely that He might discoveredhow much He had to words of sharp censure and uttered transport afew ofus to say about "the life that now is." To bold condemnationconcerning the unother and more felicitous be sure, many of His sayingsare religion of His race, to be utterlY place, but thut men might ftnd capableof a two-fold application, unfounded. What He did condemn, salvation here and now. but most of them relateto life as it did call forth His scathing what shouldbe lived right here. I saw,as denunciation,was the atmosphereof I had never done before,that the Son of God came formality which permeated the nation's worship of into this world, not merely that He might transporta Jehovah, and the note of insincerity which made few of us to anotherand more felicitous place,but discord of what should have been a note of praise. that men might find salvation here and now. In its Time and again, I saw how He was continually ultimate summation,the philosophyof Jesusfound pointing out the claims of the law and the preceptsof expression in His unceasing effort for the the prophets, and how appallingly those about Him establishmentof a social and spiritual order here in were violating the one, and turning a deaf ear to the this world, which He called the Kingdom of God; other. "I have not come to destroy your religion," He that if men are ever to becomepart of it, and live in said in effect, "but to teach you how to fulfill its harmony with it, that now is the acceptedtime; and requirements,and to conform to its demands." That now the day of salvation; that men are to seek after was the substanceof Christ'smessage to the peopleof God now, amid all the tumult and turmoil of His own day. everydaylife. And then,just as naturally as the action of sunlight, And so I read on and on: "After this manner, I began to ponder the question as to what was to therefore,pray ye . . .Thy kingdom come. Thy will becomeof all those brave lads who were daily laying be done in earth as it is in heaven." "Seek ye first down their lives on the reddened battlefields of the kingdom of God and His righteousness,and all Europe? I tumed to seewhat Jesushad to say about a thesethings blessingsof every sort] shall question like that, and found that He had very little to [temporal be addedunto you." "The kingdom of God cometh say. t found that His chief concern was the not by observation: Neither shall they say, "Lo, establishmentof the principlesof the Kingdom of God here! or lo, there,for behold the kingdom of God is on earth. Yet I came upon this one great solacing within you." And as a climax to His word-a word He gave to those who were striving to famong] teachingin which He pictured the great kingdom, follow Him when Calvary was already flinging its He enjoined men to pray for it, to work for its

38 The SpiritualFellowship Joumal establishmentin the earth,and "therefore-because accordance with his ideas. And the men of many it is what I stand for; becauseof the beatitudesI subsequentgenerations have said the same things. proclaim;because it is imperativefor the welfareof Many intelligent and well-meaning men, even in the mankind-therefore, all things whatsoever ye more enlightened age of these revelations, maintain would that men should do to you, do ye evenso to that modern civilization could not have been built them:for this is the law and the prophets." upon the teachings of Jesus-and they are partially As I read that twelfth verse of the seventh right. But all such doubtersforget that a much better chapterof Matthew, the light of its true meaning civilization could have been built upon his teachings, broke in upon my soul for the first time in my life. and sometimewill be. This world has never seriously I laid down my Bible and said;"The only thing that tried to carry out the teachings of Jesus on a large is wrong with Christianityis that we are not giving scale, notwithstanding that halJheartedattempts have it a trial. We are using it as somethingto talk about, often been made to follow the doctrines of so-culled Sundayafter Sunday,as somethingto sing and to Christianity." [1720J pray about,to listen to ministerspreach about, and "This world has never seriously or sincerely or all the time neglectingto go forth andlive il in our honestly tried out these dynamic ideas and divine daily lives. If nations, ideals of Jesus' doctrine oJ'the communities, individuals, kingdom of heaven.' ] B63J It contained but plea-a plea [ were only living by the great one for principle which, glibly the establishmentof the kingdom of "Present-dayprofi t-motivated enough,has cometo be called God in the hearts of men. With that economics is doomed unless the Golden Rule, what a accomplished,the work of their different world this earth profit motives can be augrnented hands would take care of itself, would be! Then. indeed- by service motives. Ruthlcss would the glorious resolving itself, simply and naturally, competition based on narrow- consummationbe realized- into an outward expressionof the minded self-interestis ultimately Heavenwould veritablycome indwelling spirit of the blameless destructiveof even those things to eafth,and the Father'swill Christ, Whosework and mission was which it seeks to nraintain. be doneamong men, even as it Exclusive and self-servingprofit to uplift and save mankind. is donein Heaven." motivation is incompatiblewith Well. that is what I Christian ideals--much more discoveredduring the hardestweeks of study I ever incompatiblewith the teachingsof Jesus. put in in my life. I went and occupiedmy friend's "ln economics, profit motivation is to service pulpit, as I had promisedto do. But the addressI motivation what fear is to love in religion. But the made,bore no resemblanceto the one it was in my profit motive must not mind and intention to deliver when I consentedto be suddenly destroyed or do so. It was a very differentkind of thing--of that removed; it keeps many otherwise slothful mortals everybodymay rest assured. It containedbut one hard at work. It is not necessaryhowever, that this plea-a plea for the establishmentof the Kingdom social energy arouser be forever selfish in its of God in the hearts of men. With that objectives. accomplished,the work of their handswould take "The profit motive of economic activities is careof itself, resolvingitself, simply and naturally, altogetherbase and wholly unworthy of an advanced into an outward expressionof the indwelling spirit order of society; nevertheless,it is an indispensable of the blamelessChrist, Whose work and mission factor throughout the earlier phasesof civilization. was to uplift and savemankind. Profit motivation must not be taken away from men ' "Therewas mttch talk lin the synagoguefabout Jesus' until they have firmly possessedthemselves of preaching doctrines which were upsettingfor the superior types of nonprofit motives for cconomic commonpeople; his enemiesmaintained that his striving and social serving-the transcendenturges of teachingswere impractical, that everythingwould go to superlative wisdom, intriguing brotherhood, and pieces if everybodymade an honesteffort to live in excellencyof spiritualattainment." [805]

Spring& Summer,2002 39 SPIRITUALFELLOWSHIP JOURNAL for Students& Believersin the Rqyffition of the Urantis Papers

,,When the wind blows, you hear the rustle of the leaves,bat you do not see the wind--whence it comes or whither it goes--and so it is with everyone born of the spirit. With the eyesof the flesh you can behold the manifestations of the spirit, but you cannot actaally discern the spirit." The Urantia Papers,1602

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