A Death on the Street
(Anonymous)
I commanded the 9th Support Group at Ft. Douglas in Salt Lake City in Dec., 1998. My Sergeant Major and I decided to eat lunch at the Training Table and on the way passed an accident where a pedestrian was killed. We went on to eat and a discussion ensued concerning what happened to the man's spirit after he died.
We discussed the matter for a few moments and out of the blue a thought/voice came into my head. I was just sitting there staring at my Sergeant Major when he asked, "Is everything okay, sir!" I replied, "A voice in my head is telling me to go buy a book! Is there a book store around here?" He replied, "Yes sir, there's a Barns and Noble across the street." He took me across the street and the clerk greeted us at the door. He asked, "Can I help you?" I told him I need to find a book. He asked me what the title was and with a look of embarrassment I said, "I don't know!" Then he asked, "Who is the author?" To which I replied,” I don't know that either." He started to laugh and realizing how funny it was, I laughed with him and then asked if he had a religious or spiritual section. He took me to the middle of a long row of books; he was on my left and my Sergeant Major on my right. How stupid I must have looked but at the time I didn't care; I just stood back and started scanning the shelves from left to right. I got about half way and nothing was coming to me, so I started scanning again. As my eyes scanned all the way to the right end of the shelves, I noticed a big white box. Again, a thought/voice came into my head and told me, "That's it!" I walked up to it and asked the clerk what was in the box and he stated, "It's the Urantia Book." I asked him,"Urantia Book, what's that? I've never heard of it." "It's about God" he said.
I paid for the book and that evening began to read it straight through and finished it in two months. After finishing the last page, another thought/voice entered my head, "Read it seven times!" And so, I give this site my story; seven years later (August 2004), after having finished reading the Urantia Book completely through for the seventh time.
The Urantia Book has completely changed my views on life! I have a much greater appreciation for people and many of my questions about life, this universe, and most importantly...about God have been answered. I can hardly go a day without reading it and I gain new understandings each time.
I hope you too will enjoy the Master's gift to us here on Earth and enjoy your wonderful life!
God Bless! James Patten
