THE ARENA _____ ANZURA Volume 11 No 4 and New Zealand Summer 2004/05 URANTIA Association

THE MIND ARENA OF CHOICE 'Mind is your ship, the Adjuster is your pilot, the human will is captain." (page 1217)

The Rewards of Isolation In this issue... Readers will recall that the technique of isolation, IUA News separate development, and re-combination is extensively Your IUA Team ...... 2 used in the evolutionary process. Atlantic Eden………………….…….…….. 2 IUA Conference 2006………………………… 3 The grand universe itself is divided into the seven superuniverses, each of which is kept so isolated from the Contributions others that not even a message can be transmitted from The making of subinfinite penetrators ... 4 one to another except through the Paradise clearinghouse An artist's impression of stage 1 ...... 6 of the Master Spirits. Upon the settling of all seven in Study Groups in & New Zealand ...... 8 light and life, the supernniverses will begin to interact with one another directly—and what a stupendous revelation The Lanonandek bestowal ...... …….……8 that will be. Each of the superuniverses is reflective of a different Master Spirit, and the Master Spirits are very different from one another Each superuniverse will be Urantia within Satania, and the default meant the very surprising to the others, and no doubt their continuation of the isolation. So now we have The Urantia combination will take eons, but the result will be the Book, and the possibility of Agondonter status. completion of Supremacy, which (probably) could not have In addition, however, we have the possibility of been achieved in any other way. evolving a unique way of recombining the various strands Something of the same could be said about the local of our isolation into that planetary culture which ill be universes, but their isolation is not as total as the our very unusual form of light and life.Jt would not be all superuniverses. that surprising to discover that Urantia's form of light and life turns out to be pretty different from that of more normal But a real echo of the technique at the planetary level is seen in the separation of the races. Here, the races are planets, and then again, maybe it will be rather a surprise deliberately planned to repel one another, so that they to the rest of Nebadon. But we won't know that any time migrate to different continents (or fight one another), where soon, of course. they develop their different civilizations. These different It does seem to me that Australia and New Zealand races are then re-combined to bring about a unified culture are particularly well placed to ponder this question. We exhibiting the best characteristics of the separate have experienced geographical isolation from the main civilizations, and uplifted by blending with the violet race. centers of planetary development for most of our history, In these instances we may think of isolation as being only recently coming to think of ourselves as part of the an essential ingredient of evolutionary growth—part of mainstream. And in Australia, (probably more than New the technique of Supremaey. The fact that it has all gone Zealand), we have experienced isolation from one another wrong on Urantia does not alter this conclusion. On normal until fairly recently, as a small population spread over a planets it works. Indeed, it is the very fact that it hasn't very large landmass. It may be true that most of us now worked here (yet) which provides us with the opportunity live in cities with good transport and communication to demonstrate the rewards of isolation in our own way. systems between them, but this is recent. Much of OM history, and certainly our traditions, are stories of the The rebellion isolated Satania within Norlatiadek and

® Registered Mark of TJRANTIA Foundation. Used pursuant to license. THE ARENA lonely struggles of isolated individuals and small groups Side-scan echoes from Eden against an unpredictable landscape, One month after Dennis de Jong enthralled attendees This experience has given us a certain outlook—a at ,ANZURA's 2004 Conference with preliminary maps and images, Robert Sarmast and his team have perspective on existence—which comes to terms with successfully completed the first stage of their project—to isolation in constructive ways_ The small team struggling discover the hill from which Adam and Eve once looked to achieve some goal, isolated from its fellow men and up out upon the world of their assignment. against vast natural obstacles is the paradigm experience "The 6 day long, privately-funded $200,000 of Australians. I think New Zealanders share this in their expedition has confounded or at least confused own way, though their geography is different. skeptics by bringing back scientific side-scan sonar It doesn't take much of a leap of imagination to see data which supports evidence from previous scans of the Eastern Mediterranean revealing man-made the readers of The Urantia Book in an analogous position. structures (including a 31cm long wall, a walled hill We constitute a tiny proportion of the planetary population, summit and deep trenches) - plus old river beds - scattered hither and yon among the population at large, in exactly the formation and proportions that Plato desperately trying to interest our fellow men in the most himself described for the Acropolis Hill of Atlantis significant body of information to appear on the planet City in his works of 2,400 years ago." for 2000 years. Whether or not Sarmast has discovered the first Eden, The small team, up against the odds, seems to fit. media outlets around the world-wide have picked up the story, and now await release of the new high resolution data gathered during the expedition. Even scientific curiosity has been aroused by the unusual formations detected a mile beneath the waves, half way between ANZURA AGM Cyprus and Syria. More details can be found at: ANZURA held its annual general meeting in Canberra on 10 October 2004. (For ANZLTRA members, see the http://www.discoveryotatlantis.com minutes and the various reports enclosed.) Elections were held for the President and Secretary positions. Vern Verass was re-elected as President and THE ARENA Kathleen Swadling was re-elected as Secretary. Neil PO Box 609, Narrabeen, NSW 2101, Australia Francey resigned his position as Vice President mid-term and William Wentworth was appointed to fill the vacancy. E mail [email protected] So now ANZURA's Governing Board consists of the Web : www-urantia.org.auianzura following personnel: Phone : + 61 2 9970 6200 Fax : + 61 2 9970 6201

President — Vern Verass The Arena is a quarterly publication Vice President — William Wentworth dedicated to the promotion of goodwill and understanding among readers of Secretary — Kathleen Swadling The Urantia Book. Treasurer — Rita Schaad Editorial contributions are welcome. NZ Representative — Marion Steward Subscription rates: In addition to the AGM, the Governing Board also held a continuous email meeting throughout the year. Australia/New Zealand – SA10 per year. (Again, members, see enclosed for minutes of that Other countries – SA15 per year. meeting). The main highlight of the email meeting was Please remit in Australian currency, the creation of a conference committee to take care of the cheques made payable to ANZURA. planning and organisation of the 2006 ILIA conference that's to be held in . Merindi Swadling was Interpretations and opinions expressed appointed Chair of this committee and the other members are those of the authors and do not are Nigel Nunn, Rita Schaad, Marion Steward, Kathleen necessarily represent those ofANZURA, Swadling, Vern Verass and William Wentworth. Other The Arena, or Urantia Foundation. sub committees will be formed to take care of the various All quotations, unless otherwise indicated, aspects of the planning process. are from The Urantia Book el 1955 and used by permission.

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Next International Urantia held 14 to 18 July 2006. Although it will be in the middle of our winter, it is a time when people from the Northern Association (IUA) Conference to be Hemisphere take their summer vacations, so an held in Sydney, Australia, July 2006! international conference "down under" will give many readers a good reason to make the long journey and come Yes, it's true! We Aussies and Kiwi's are hosting the and spend their vacation time visiting our great countries. next big international event for the IUA here on our very own home turf! In an effort to make it more affordable for our Australian and New Zealand readers the ANZURA The ILIA holds an international conference once every Governing Board decided at the recent annual general two years. The venues alternate between one of the North meeting not to hold our usual national conference for 2005. American countries and a non-North American country, Therefore we hope there will be a good turnout of Aussies which means that every four years the conference is held and Kiwis who will make a special effort to attend this outside of North America. very special event. We're anticipating the entire At the last meeting of the IUA's Representative conference fee to be around $450. Council, which was held in Chicago last July, the members Here is the initial announcement that has already been asked the ANZURA representatives if they would be sent to the internet discussion groups: prepared to host the international conference for 2006 in Australia. Our representatives gladly accepted the challenge and since then the ANZURA Governing Board have been busy making the preliminary preparations.

A conference committee has been formed, a theme has been established, and a suitable and affordable venue has been secured. It will be

2006 IUA Conference — Sydney, Australia The Rewards of Isolation: "Small Teams in Deep Waters"

14 to 18 July, 2006 The Women's College, Sydney University Newtown, Sydney, Australia

On behalf of the International Urantia Association (IUA), it is with great pleasure that ANZURA (The Australian and New Zealand Urantia Association) announces the next international Urantia Book study conference for the IUA that will be held in Sydney Australia in 2006.

Mark your calendars and start making plans for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Fraternise with Urantia Book readers from all over the world to study and ponder "The Rewards of Isolation" and to contemplate the notion of what "Small Teams in Deep Waters" can accomplish for the fifth epochal revelation.

This is an early announcement to give everyone a chance to start making plans for an exciting and unique trip to the great land "down under". Further details will be forthcoming as they unfold.

Visit our website at wwwuranti a. org.auianzuraTILTAconference2006 for regular updates and information. You may also register your interest in attending the conference or to volunteer your time and skills.

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Making subinfinite penetrators his larger, future plans for his universe of Nebadon. So, if we were to ask Michael what these larger plans and Nigel Nunn, Australia purposes might be, what exactly is it he is attempting out here in spce and time, he might say something like this: Given this year's events in Baghdad, the barbarity and butchering in Burundi, the pollution, disease and confusion "The universe of Nebadon is my technique for that continue to spread across our bright blue-green gem turning you fragile, precious ascenders into of a world, every human living on this world, and aware adjuster-fused first stage spirits. As such, you of its precarious state, would whole-heartedly agree that will be like caterpillars able to become Finaliter this is no way to run a planet. butterflies, given time in the cocoon ofliavona". But we readers of The Urantia Book have come to believe in a well-designed, well-managed universe. We If we were to ask Michael's Paradise Father why he wants assume with confidence that the Paradise Deities make no "Finaliters", he might say something like: mistakes. We have great faith in the ability of our own "My eternal infinite absolute is a very big place, Michael of Nebadon to run his local universe successfully. and my Trinity Of Trinities has plans. However, The presence of Trinity Observers on Salvington and the these plans depend upon a crucial ingredient. Constellation capitals is our guarantee that our problems A team of ones like me, but sub-infinite, able to do not stem from there. penetrate and to engage the non-time sequence So it is out here on the worlds of space, where the required to actualize those absolute realms. lowest of the descending Sons come face to face with the Your experience with time and sequence, your ascending children of time, in the ranks of the Lanonandek determination to survive and succeed, your rulers of the inhabited worlds, that we find the origin and personality fused to my absolute adjuster roots source of our woes. Those crucial decisions that doomed make you ideal for the task". Urantia to its difficult path were all triggered by Lanonandek Sons. From the bottom of page 392: The Master Architects might add,

Since Lanonandeks are a somewhat lower order of "Indeed, and it is only on this largest stage that you humans really make any sense." sonship than the Melchizedeks and the Voroncladeks, they are of even greater service in the subordinate units When we consider the number of divine beings of the universe, for they are capable of drawing nearer involved in making our local universe work; when we the lower creatures of the intelligent races. They also consider the vast army of local universe sons that Michael stand in greater danger of going astray, of departing has created and trained to oversee our ascension and safe from the acceptable technique of universe government, launch from Nebadon; when we consider the expense But these Lanonandeks, especially the primary order; lavished upon our education, we have to conclude that are the most able and versatile of all local universe something big is going on. As that Archangel put it on administrators. In executive ability they are excelled only page 558: by Gabriel and his unrevealed associates. "you are not the recipients of all this divine labor and

Warning bells start sounding on pages 393 -4: painstaking training only that you may survive just to enjoy endless bliss and eternal ease. There is a goal of The large number of these Sons who have lapsed from transcendent service concealed beyond the horizon of integrity does not indicate anyfault in creatorshrp. They the present universe age. If the Gods designed merely to could have been made divinely perfect, but they were so take you on one long and eternal joy excursion, they created that they might better understand and draw near certainly would not so largely turn the whole universe to, the evolutionary creatures dwelling on the worlds of into one vast and intricate practical training school, time and space, requisition a substantial part of the celestial creation as teachers and instructors, and then spend ages upon And here is the crux of the problem: ages piloting you, one by one, through this gigantic universe school of experiential training, Thefl4rtherance It is the contention of our high rulers that, while such of the scheme of mortal progression seems to be one of free-choosing Sons make excessive trouble in the earlier the chief businesses of the present organized universe, ages of the universe, when things are fully sifted and and the majority of innumerable orders of created finally settled the gains of higher loyalty and fuller intelligences are either directly or indirectly engaged in volitional service on the part of these thoroughly tested advancing some phase of this progressive perfection Sons will far more than compensate for the confusion plan." (page 558) and tribulations of earlier times." (page 394) We have been told that the tragedies and delays suffered Michael himself has chosen to set things up this way. by we the humanity of Urantia are local and transient, His design of his Lanonandeks is perfectly in accord with triggered by errors of a few local universe sons.

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The Urantia papers help us to see these errors in work hard to make of us a spirit thing. Then Havona works context, and how they fit into a bigger picture. They hard upon us to make us Finaliters. describe clearly what went wrong, and imply a number of During all of this lavish education, we have not merely things that may actually be going very right. But to been growing up. We have been forging characters and understand why Urantia's ages of pain and struggle are capacities sufficient to engage the true purposes of the surprisingly worthwhile, we need to understand what universe. We have been acquiring an ear with which to Michael is really doing in this, his local universe of hear the themes of eternity. And we have earned the Nebadon. And if possible, how he is doing it. freedom to become true actors of the stage whereon the Father himself acts. Go forth, and multiply Let's say a system is fruitful if you get more out of it "Eternal fusion of the Adjuster with the evolutionary than you put in. Then the Urantia Papers describe a soul of man is the factual experience of eternal union with God as a universe associate ofDeity. " (page 11 76) universe that is fruitful. The Father sends out a team of Creator Michaels into the local space of the grand universe. As a universe associate of Deity Each Michael sends out one material son to each planet. In return, streams of millions of adjuster-indwelt ascenders The Adjuster is an absolute essence of an infinite being pour fourth from each planet. Millions of millions of imprisoned within the mind of a finite creature which, adjuster-fused spirits pour fourth from each local depending on the choosing of such a mortal, can universe. In return for sending forth the Michaels, the Father eventually consummate this temporary union of God and receives trillions of finaliters. man and veritably actualize a new order of being for unending universe service. (pp 11 76,7) Why might the Father want trillions of finaliters? The Urantia papers tell of this current grand universe age, and to become true actors upon that stage where the Father describe its culmination: the appearance of God the himself acts. Supreme. They go even further, talking of the master universe age and its eventuation of the God the Ultimate, Nor has the ascending progression of the Paradise a culmination of transcendent operations. But then they finaliters as yet disclosed the full possibilities inherent imply that all this achievement and fruitfulness merely sets in this supernal partnership of man and God In the last the stage for operations on some absolutely unbounded analysis, the Father fragments must be the gift of the stage. Here we find a hint why the Father might want absolute God to those creatures whose destiny finaliters. With eternity and energy available, and Havana encompasses the possibiliity of the attainment of God as absolute. (Page 11 78) in place, picture the Father standing on the shores of Paradise. Imagine him gazing upon his fields north of the Even to we shortsighted, humans, such a destiny seems outer space levels, south of the finite realms, east and west reason enough for us to be so tolerated, so educated, and of pervaded space. Imagine him turning to the Eternal so deeply loved. Son and saying, The Father's request, and Michael's motivation "If we had a sub-infinite aspect, we could really dig around in that lot. I've got this Tmaliteri idea..." There is deep symmetry between the Father's request and Michael's motivation. Part of this is their shared desire to The Papers also tell us that the type of personality with make a divine thing of Man, to turn us smelly, wriggly which we are endowed is capable of "sub-infinite thingamies into subinfinite penetrators of the Father's penetration of the absolute." So we might guess that our absolute realms. Which raises the question: how to make true place of operations is that stage whence our adjusters a divine thing of Man? By what process can the urges of come, the Absolute. And whereas supreme finite evolution adjutant motivation be translated into ascendant aspirations fully challenges our mortal natures, some kind of "absolute and finaliter foundations? evolution" may prove the true challenge and satisfaction for our Adjusters within The images on the following pages sketch out one idea about the preliminary stages of this transformation—stages If the master universe age is to be just a curtain-raiser that Jesus surpassed in a mere 25 years. From the daily for the main show, think what kind of actor it might take life in ancient occupied Palestine, he was able to tease out to act upon that Absolute stage. Then think what the experiences sufficient to call forth responses sufficient to Finaliters are. Then ponder the evolution that saw mortals lay down sufficient morontia fiber to fully manifest a soul rise from the mud of their home worlds to stand at the sufficient to contain and sustain his progressing self. And edge of infinity on peripheral Paradise. thanks to all this experience he found himself equipped to call up a gracious response to almost any circumstance. All this raising up and launching of mortals by the Michaels is Grand universe stuff. The Michaels reach The ability to rouse a gracious response to utterly down to the mud of the planets via their Lanonandeks, to unexpected and absolutely flying circumstances—just raise up millions of mortal ascenders. The Lanonandeks what the doctor ordered for those penetrating the unknown work hard to make of us a morontia thing. The Michaels depths of eternity!

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c the urges of adjutant motivation ...

wisdom worship understanding courage knowledge counsel intuition

Page 1108: Thought Adjuster & Cosmic Mind: spiritual intuition (faith insight)

Spirit of Truth: spiritual philosopy (wisdom of spirit realities)

Holy Spirit: spiritual reason (soul intelligence)

.. translated into ascendant aspirations ... page 6 December 2004

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... and finaliter foundations

7. abilities stabilized by wisdom

6. techniques of worship

5. understand benefactors, destiny

4. nobility of motivation and courage

3. curiosity and knowledge amplify

2. love for fellows, Father and self

I. attuned to purposes of cosmos

Responder

if

THE ARENA

Contacts in The Lanonandek Bestowal Australia and New Zealand Ifyou would like your study group listed here, or if For more than seventeen years of universe time details have changed, please contact the Editor. this strange and unknown temporary ruler administered the affairs and wisely adjudicated the difficulties of this confused and demoralized local Joe Hausler Bob Reynolds system. No System Sovereign was ever more Stanthorp, QLD Wheelers Hill ardently loved or more widespreadly honored and 07 4681 3872 Melbourne, VIC respected. In justice and mercy this new ruler set 03 9562 0111 Trevor Hughes the turbulent system in order while he painstakingly Kuranda Gerhard Neuwiller ministered to all his subjects, even offering his North OLD Boronia, VIC rebellious predecessor the privilege of sharing the 07 4093 7105 03 9729 2523 system throne of authority if he would only Peter Webb Georg Sepp apologize to Immanuel for his indiscretions. But Kallaroo St Albans, VIC Lutentia spurned these overtures of mercy, well Perth, WA 03 9310 9771 knatAting_lb.at_ this new_ ,an_d strange System 08 9403 3709 Sovereign was none other than Michael, the very Trevor & Kathleen Swadling Narrabeen universe ruler whom he had so recently defied. But Vern Verass Duffy Sydney, NSW millions of his misguided and deluded followers 02 9970 6200 Canberra, ACT accepted the forgiveness of this new ruler, [email protected] 02 6288 4043

known in that age as the Savior Sovereign of the verrugdesignd.corn.au system of Palonia. William Wentworth Towamba Nigel Nunn Southern NSW And then came that eventful day on which there Belconnen arrived the newly appointed System Sovereign, Canberra, ACT 02 6496 7139 02 6214 1465 [email protected] designated by the universe authorities as the [email protected] permanent successor of the deposed Lutentia, and Rita Schaad all Palonia mourned the departure of the most noble Marion Steward New Lambton and the most benign system ruler that Nebadon had Manukau City, Newcastle, NSW ever known. He was beloved by all the system and Auckland, NZ 02 4956 2272 09 263 5800 [email protected] adored by his fellows of all groups of the [email protected] Lanonandek Sons. His departure was not unceremonious; a great celebration was arranged Rex Merrett Neville Twist Bateau Bay when he left the system headquarters. Even his Epsom Central Coast, NSW erring predecessor sent this message: "Just and Auckland, NZ 02 4385 6596 righteous are you in all your ways. While I continue 09 630 1415 [email protected] in rejection of the Paradise rule, I am compelled to [email protected] confess that you are a just and merciful Michael Symonds Burnie, TAS administrator." Colin Hemmingsen 03 6432 2003 Wellington 5, NZ [email protected] And then did this transient ruler of a rebellious 04 476 4868 system take leave of the planet of his short [email protected] administrative sojourn, while on the third day Elizabeth Brown thereafter Michael appeared on Saivington and Central Otago resumed the direction of the universe of Nebadon. South Island, NZ There soon followed the third Liversa proclamation 02 535 8232 of the advancing jurisdiction of the sovereignty and authority of Michael_ The first proclamation was made at the time of his arrival in Nebadon, the second was issued soon after the completion of the Melchizedek bestowal, and now the third follows upon the termination of the second or Lanonandek mission.

The trraidia Book, page 13 11

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