Spiritual Advice and Guidance Blog: Urantia Book

Q: If a person has had memories of a pre-existence for most of life, how do they find meaning within this? Please help. It is so very confusing. No, I am not psychotic. I have always had these memories and visions. My life has been hard and I don't know how to reconcile the two. I pray and try to meditate; but, cannot find a way to figure it out or receive more guidance. Or, I am afraid to rely upon what I do receive. None of it is very clear. Help please...

A: Thanks for your note to us at Truthbook.com, a website dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book.

I am sure that whatever you are experiencing in your mind is quite real to you. You say that you are not psychotic, and so I assume that you have seen a medical professional in order to make that assessment of your condition...I will assume that you know for certain that your mind is sound.

You say that you have always have had memories of "pre-existence..." I wonder if that is the same as "past-life" memories? According to The Urantia Book teachings, reincarnation is a false belief. We have not had any lives previous to the one we are now experiencing, nor will we ever reincarnate again on this planet. Instead, our spirit-selves - our immortal souls which we develop throughout a life spent in the flesh - experience resurrection on the Mansion Worlds, from there to enter upon the eternal adventure of finding God in Paradise. We are "translated" a number of times in our upward journey, but never do we return to the planet of our nativity.

And you then seem to make a connection between the visions and memories and the fact that your life has been hard. I am not really understanding what the two have to do with each other, unless you have been so preoccupied with your mental state that you have not paid enough attention to the life right in front of you... Most people have varying degrees of difficulty in life, and difficulties always help us to become stronger, and to develop a strong and enduring character. But if you are putting too much time and energy into belief of a "past-life" instead of actively living your present life, this will continue to cause difficulties. And this is a choice you must make.

Not having much information about the kinds of visions and memories you are having, I cannot really advise you on how to ascribe a final meaning to the experiences. You do not appear to be frightened by them, but you do say that you are "confused." You say that you try to pray and meditate - I am glad to know that you do this, as it is a good practice, and will yield results if you persist in it.

One thing that I do know for sure is that you possess within your mind a literal fragment of the Universal Father - the indwelling Spirit of God that is called the Thought Adjuster in The Urantia Book. It is this fragment of God that serves as your constant companion, your spiritual guide, and your most intimate friend throughout your lifetime, and which assists you immeasurably in acquiring and developing your immortal soul.

It may help you to know that you are not alone in having some kinds of experiences regarding "past-life" issues. This has been a very widespread phenomenon for decades, and many people assume that because they have some kind of memories about having existed before, that they actually have done so. They can't imagine what else it could be...

I am going to offer something to think about - and please understand that this is my own opinion and my own attempt to help you come to peace. Even though we do not experience past-lives, we learn in The Urantia Book that some of the indwelling Thought Adjusters have had some previous experience indwelling mortals - mortals with whom they sojourned throughout a life, mortals who either chose not to survive, or who were not eligible for Father-fusion.

Now, I am not saying that you possess such an Adjuster, but I am saying that it is a possibility, and could be the source of the kinds of visions and memories that you experience, as "Nothing of survival value is ever lost..." with the Adjuster. One might wonder whether, in some individuals, this Adjuster experience could show itself in fragmentary dreams, visions, imaginings, or in what might be interpreted as "memory." Having ruled out mental illness, this could be the case, and possibly the source of the kinds of "memories and visions" that you experience. Again, this is my own interpretation, and may, or may not be an explanation that could be of help to you...I don't pretend to understand how this could be, or even if it is, but I am saying that it may be something to think about and even be grateful for...it is the way that we respond to such a possibility that is important.

You can read about the classification of Thought Adjusters HERE. The type of Adjuster I am thinking of is the second or third type - the Advanced, or the Supreme Adjusters.

In any event, you would do well to continue your prayer and meditation and your search for answers through becoming closer to God and learning to trust God. Since God dwells within your mind, it is through these communions with him that your answers will come. I would advise that you lay out this problem to God, and then spend time in quiet receptivity to discern the answer to your prayers. God is always with you, and you have nothing to fear. Just spending time in conscious, prayerful, worshipful contact with the Father and receiving his counsel will always bring peace to your spirit.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, do your best to live in the here-and-now - not in the past - even if you persist in having these kinds of thoughts. The life that you live NOW is the important thing - the experience that you gain through living the life you have been given is what will count in the end.

To become mature is to live more intensely in the present, at the same time escaping from the limitations of the present. (118:1.7)

Even while the Adjuster indwells our mind to assist us spiritually, you possess the freewill choice of what to think and what to concentrate on in order to maximize that assistance. Living life right now is always the right choice...and, if you ever reach a point where spiritual progress in your present life is suffering as a result of this mental activity, I would advise you to see your mental health professional one more time in order to rule out any other form of psychosis.

I hope that you are signed up to receive our daily Quote of the Day, which you can find HERE. To subscribe, please click on the link and look for "Subscribe" under the image.

Thanks again for your note to Truthbook.com. I hope this reply has been of some help to you...

Labels: God, mind, past-lives, reincarnation, resurrection, The Urantia Book, Thought Adjuster

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Saturday, February 06, 2010

I am a minister of Theology and political science, 72 years old...

Q: I am a minister of Theology and political science, 72 years old, and I studied 7 years in Christian seminaries. I found the Urantia Book last week, and have read some 30 pages on many important subjects. I have been so excited for the revelations that no one on earth could write them. Where can I ask many questions such as why such an important book but very few intellectuals or theologians know about it ? The book is too great for any mortal dare to claim its authorship. I agree. Where can I contact best in Los Angeles area ?

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com. It's always a pleasure to hear from someone just discovering this incomparable book and we understand you excitement and awe -- that's typical for each of us when we first come into contact with this material... it can become a life-altering experience.

First, you're to be commended for taking an open-minded approach to look at something so foreign to your field of expertise. As we know, the world is full of fanciful scientific, philosophical and spiritual material posing as factual and authentic and it takes a discerning mind to separate the wheat from the chaff. Where religious and spiritual material is concerned most professional religionists tend to simply discount anything that is not traditional. So, with our encouragement, please continue to read with an open but discerning mind -- you will know whether or not this material continues to speak truth to you if you rely on your own truth receptivity.

You have already arrived at one critical discovery -- one which each student of these remarkable teachings must face and decide for themselves -- no one on earth could write this material. Fortunately it was provided in the early 1930s -- before computers could have been of use; its scope is too broad and deep for any one person to have composed; its consistency and integrity is too flawless to have been compiled by a committee; it encompasses material that beforehand had been unknown in human understanding.

One of our purposes here at Truthbook.com is to provide the service you've requested -- answering questions. There are several of us here who do just that and if the questions become too challenging for us to answer we can forward them to others who have more understanding, so feel free to pose your questions here.

As to your first question -- intellectuals and theologians. Many students of the Urantia material are intellectuals -- they're drawn to the book because of its logic and intellectual appeal. Some are drawn because of the astronomy, physics, geology, anthropology... others because of the philosophy and history and still others because of the spirituality and religious content. It overall appeals to inquisitive minds looking for logical explanations of the cosmos and our place in it. It is possible that many well-known intellectuals have taken a cursory look at the Urantia material and rejected it without delving into it in any great depth because it of its uniqueness and it is also possible that well-known intellectuals embrace the teachings of the book but don't make their discovery known because it could bring criticism down on them. For theologians -- there are a good many theologians, ministers, rabbis, priests, monks, who know of The Urantia Book but, because of their position and because of the years spent in training they are reluctant to come right out and proclaim their source for new insight. One prominent theologian was Dr. Meredith Sprunger, a long-time United Church of Christ minister, who became involved with the Urantia teachings shortly after the book was first published in 1955. Dr Sprunger is retired now and not particularly active at this time but we have a number of his written materials on our site. Please go to our home page and enter Sprunger in the search window at the bottom left where it says "Search Truthbook" to discover Dr. Sprunger's and others' writings on all manner of topics relating to the Urantia teachings.

Also, you'll notice there that we have a section marked FAQ and one marked Answers to Life's Toughest Questions -- you'll be able to learn a lot about The Urantia Book from these sections. The section named How The Urantia Book Changed My Life is also quite inspirational. Please feel free to spend as much time as necessary reviewing the material we've prepared on our site -- it's intended to help anyone newly discovering the book to become familiar with it. However, all of this material is about The Urantia Book. The Urantia Book itself is the revelation and must be read in order to be believed. All the material in the world about the book does not substitute for actually reading the words of the book.

As you may have discovered, the complete book is available on our site, where you can read on-line and listen to it being read aloud as you read along. You may also purchase The Urantia Book on Amazon.com through our site. I would like to recommend when you feel compelled to purchase the book that you select the The Urantia Book: English Indexed Version - Hard Cover since that version comes with a DVD that has the text available for your computer and includes a 600 page index which the others don't.

There are study groups in the Los Angeles area, from Santa Barbara down to San Diego so it's possible there's one near you. I might suggest though that you become familiar with the Urantia material from your own perspective before discussing it with others who aren't familiar with it or before connecting with a study group. There seems to be a connection that builds between the reader and the text when one invests ones own time and thinking -- it's a personal connection best done on one's own I think. I often suggest to new readers that they not be overly concerned with understanding everything they read at first, that it may be most important that they read the whole book as rapidly as they're able, not spending a lot of time pondering over the strange new thoughts they're presented with, but to forge ahead so that they can grasp the overall picture of the scope and content of this magnificent revelation. Then they will be prepared to go back and savor it with the overall comprehension of what it is disclosing.

Thank you again for writing. Best wishes to you and please feel free to write any time.

Labels: authorship, intellectuals, revelation, The Urantia Book, theologians, truth

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Why is the Bible in the Urantia book but the Urantia book is not in the Bible?

Q: Why is the bible in the Urantia book but the Urantia book is not in the bible?

A: Thanks so much for your note to us here at Truthbook.com. We are always glad to hear from our visitors and friends.

You want to know why the Bible is mentioned in The Urantia Book, but not vice-versa - the Bible does not mention The Urantia Book.

As you likely know, The Urantia Book is the fifth of five epochal revelations of God to mankind. The previous (4th) epochal revelation was that of Jesus of Nazareth - the bestowal of Christ Michael of Nebadon as the babe of Belthlehem. And the Bible contains pretty much all that humanity has had about the life of Jesus up till the arrival of The Urantia Book, even though the Bible itself is not an epochal revelation, but a compilation of previous inspired writings. It is understandable that The Urantia Book would mention these stories and try to enhance our understanding of them through its revelatory teachings.

When Jesus was on earth, many things that he said and taught are revisited in The Urantia Book. For example, Jesus mentions angels and heaven, life after death and the mansion worlds. He also reveals the loving heavenly Father in the various Bible books, and many of the miraculous happenings of his life are described. The Urantia Book describes all of them in far greater detail than their mere mention. In fact, Jesus' entire life is expanded and detailed so greatly that the Bible stories about him pale in comparison. Context is added, history is added, the personalities of the key people in Jesus' life are greatly expanded, and the true mission and teachings of the Son of Man are newly restated.

So, in that sense, the Bible accounts, while not specifically mentioning a new revelation, do act as a sort of precursor to this new 21st century restatement of his life and teachings.

Likewise, the 3rd epochal revelation of God to mankind - that of Machiventa Melchizedek did teach that another Son of God, born of woman, would come to the earth, but he does not specifically mention him by name.

Even further back, the 2nd epochal revelation of God to man - Adam and Eve - did not mention nor predict the arrival of the 3rd revelation, that of Melchizedek. Of course, Melchizedek was an emergency bestowal, and the absence of any hint can be easily understood.

And finally, the first epochal revelation of God to man - that of Caligastia...The Urantia Book states: "The plans for race upstepping are prepared by the Planetary Prince and his staff and are executed by Adam and Eve." But nowhere that I know of in the book does Caligastia speak of the Edenic pair, or predict their arrival.

So, the fact that The Urantia Book is not mentioned in the Bible fits the pattern of all previous revelations, in that it contains hints of the next revelation. But it is not until that revelation arrives that these "seeds" are able to flourish.

Each succeeding epochal revelation is meant to build on the previous one, but they are not always predicted or predictable.

I hope that this answer has been helpful to you today. Thanks for writing to us, and please write back any time...are you subscribed to our free Quote of the Day service? If not, please feel free to click on the link and sign up!!!

Labels: Bible, Jesus, revelation, The Urantia Book

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Who is the first man?

Q: Who is the first man?

A: Thanks for writing this question to us here at Truthbook, a website devoted to the teachings of The Urantia Book. We're glad you found us.

You want to know who the first man is...well, the first "man" was in reality, the first truly human pair - twins named Andon and Fonta. They were the crown of the evolutionary ascent up to that time - humans who could speak and who had the capacity for wisdom and worship.

When the twins reached 11 years of age, the angels made this announcement and prayer:

(63:0.2) "Man-mind has appeared on 606 of Satania, and these parents of the new race shall be called Andon and Fonta. And all archangels pray that these creatures may speedily be endowed with the personal indwelling of the gift of the spirit of the Universal Father."

It was a very important time, and they were very important beings - the first real human beings, developed over millenia through the technique of evolution, now having reached the point where they could be called human beings. They left their simian family behind, and struck out on their own to become the beginnings of a whole new family - the family of man.

You can read all about Andon and Fonta and the first human family HERE.

Many religions teach that the first man was Adam. However, The Urantia Book makes very clear the difference between the first human family of Andon and Fonta and the very different mission of Adam and Eve.

Thanks again for writing to us. I hope you'll visit often. And I would like to invite you to subscribe to our free Quote of the Day service which will deliver an inspiring teaching from The Urantia Book each day to your inbox.

Labels: Adam and Eve, Andon and Fonta, evolution, humans, The Urantia Book

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Is 21.12.2012 of any significance to Urantia?

Q: Is 21.12.2012 of any significance to Urantia?

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook. 2012 is a hot topic in the world today, and I understand your desire to know if The Urantia Book teachings can shed any light on what may happen...

Unfortunately, I cannot give you any enlightenment on this subject from the teachings, except as I understand them. The Urantia Book does not engage in predictions or idle conjecture about any particular age to come, except for the normal ages of development that all worlds are subject to. Our planet - Urantia - is not progressing in the normal ways that most planets do, but that does not mean that we are exempt from gradual, and lovingly-fostered planetary development which will one day in the distant future, see Urantia achieve the final ages of Light and Life.

Because The Urantia Book spends so much time on giving us hope and information about our future destiny, I choose to believe that "21 12 2012" will be a day like any other. Absent any hard evidence, why would anyone want to believe otherwise?

The information out there on the internet is spotty, and there are positive and negative interpretations. It can be fun to see all the hype and read all the predictions, and we can get a thrill by scaring ourselves, but I would not recommend becoming too serious about it.

It is useless to waste our time trying to discern the future two years, or even two days down the road. The truth is that NOW is really all the time we have. It is also the place where we find God. He is not accessible tomorrow (although he will be), or yesterday (although he WAS)... Right this minute is where we find him. So, why be concerned over what might happen in 2010? If we live the best life we can, walking with God in every moment, we will have effectively created a future of increased goodness, no matter what...

In the end, "The real universe is friendly to every child of the eternal God"

This question has popped up before, and so I am giving you THIS LINK so that you can read what's been said before - about 2 years ago...

Thanks again for writing to us, and please write back if you have other questions.

Labels: 2012, God, predictions, The Urantia Book

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How much time will we have to live in heaven/paradise? forever or a certain amount of time?

Q: How much time will we have to live in heaven/paradise? forever or a certain amount of time?

A: Thanks for this note to Truthbook.com. Your question is a very good and thoughtful one. I suppose most people imagine that once they get to Paradise, that the adventure is over, and that they will be in God's embrace forever. And that might be an obvious imagining before the revelation of The Urantia Book.

The Urantia Book reveals to us a near-endless journey of spiritual growth, universe education, and fellowship provided by God's plan of ascension. It is a plan that is provided for all who will accept their sonship with God - all who choose to survive after death. But, there will come a time when we will have achieved our initial goal - we will step onto the shores of Paradise, there to stand in the Presence of God, and be embraced as the true spirit beings that we have become through countless ages of adventure and determination. One might think that this is the end - we have reached our goal. But, such is likely not the case in the Father's plan...

Part of the revelation of The Urantia Book is the Corps of the Finality. This Corps is comprised of, among others, spiritual beings who in their former life were human mortals - mortals born into the worlds of time and space - mortals like you and me.

The Corps of the Finality appears to be the next goal that we will have before us, once we arrive and become permanent residents of Paradise.

(31:0.1) "THE CORPS OF MORTAL Finaliters represents the present known destination of the ascending Adjuster-fused mortals of time."

The authors of this paper do not say that they know for certain, but they conjecture that the ultimate goal of this Paradise corps of mortal ascenders is to serve in an expanded way in the now-forming universes of time and space in the outer space levels of the master universe:

(31:3.2) We of Uversa do not know the "finality destiny" of the ascendant mortals of time. At present they reside on Paradise and temporarily serve in the Corps of Light and Life, but such a tremendous course of ascendant training and such lengthy universe discipline must be designed to qualify them for even greater tests of trust and more sublime services of responsibility.

We see from this passage that our eternal residence will be on Paradise, but is that our final goal? They further state:

(31:10.8) But though we really know nothing about the plans of the Architects of the Master Universe respecting these outer creations, nevertheless, of three things we are certain:

1. There actually is a vast and new system of universes gradually organizing in the domains of outer space. New orders of physical creations, enormous and gigantic circles of swarming universes upon universes far out beyond the present bounds of the peopled and organized creations, are actually visible through your telescopes. At present, these outer creations are wholly physical; they are apparently uninhabited and seem to be devoid of creature administration.

2. For ages upon ages there continues the unexplained and wholly mysterious Paradise mobilization of the perfected and ascendant beings of time and space, in association with the six other finaliter corps.

(31:10.12)...can we be criticized for anticipating that something new and unrevealed is approaching culmination in the master universe? ...It is increasingly the belief of all Uversa that the assembling Corps of the Finality are destined to some future service in the universes of outer space, where we already are able to identify the clustering of at least seventy thousand aggregations of matter, each of which is greater than any one of the present superuniverses.

(31:10.13) Evolutionary mortals are born on the planets of space, pass through the morontia worlds, ascend the spirit universes, traverse the Havona spheres, find God, attain Paradise, and are mustered into the primary Corps of the Finality, therein to await the next assignment of universe service. There are six other assembling finality corps, but Grandfanda, the first mortal ascender, presides as Paradise chief of all orders of finaliters. And as we view this sublime spectacle, we all exclaim: What a glorious destiny for the animal-origin children of time, the material sons of space!

If you have read any of the cosmology of The Urantia Book - specifically those cosmologies having to do with the vast and almost unimaginable size of our present superuniverse, it might seem reasonable to think that within these evolving and gigantic creations, countless worlds will evolve - worlds that may even be something like our earth - worlds that will one day benefit from visitations of spiritual beings who will be sent as ambassadors from Paradise. Could this be our destiny? To travel the vast universe as ambassadors from Paradise, helping, revealing and educating evolving civilizations in the ways of God? Here is why we may qualify for this thrilling destiny:

(31:3.7) 3. The glorified mortals of the Paradise corps of finality are ascendant beings in possession of experiential knowledge of every step of the actuality and philosophy of the fullest possible life of intelligent existence, while during the ages of this ascent from the lowest material worlds to the spiritual heights of Paradise, these surviving creatures have been trained to the limits of their capacity respecting every detail of every divine principle of the just and efficient, as well as merciful and patient, administration of all the universal creation of time and space.

Again, the authors consider such thinking as conjecture, but they do invite us to conjecture freely, and add up the things that we DO know in an effort to discern what it all means.

Personally, I find such a thought very thrilling indeed. One thing we do know is that in God's universe, "progress" is the watchword. It seems reasonable to assume that, even after attaining Paradise, we will be expected to progress in some way. Even though our universe home will be on Paradise, this idea of serving as ambassadors to these now-forming creations, just as we have been visited and served by other spiritual orders of universe beings throughout our earth history seems both reasonable, and quite exciting!

I cannot say for certain whether this destiny truly awaits us, but I invite you to go HERE, which is the link to Paper 31, which deals exclusively with the Corps of the Finality, and the adventure that might await us as Finaliters. And HERE, is the specific section that deals with the Corps and glorified mortals. You can then make up your own mind as to the destiny that awaits you. It also might be a fun exercise for you to use our convenient SEARCH feature to find all the references to the Corps of the Finality. I guarantee that you will find it a fascinating journey!

Again, I thank you for this most interesting, and important, question.

Labels: ascension scheme, Corps of the Finality, heaven, The Urantia Book

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

...if God created us and everything, where did God come from?" Please answer me

Q: I believe in God Almighty. But I had a conversation with a person and the subject was "science vs God." After that a doubt raised in my mind; if God created us and everything, where did God come from?" Please answer me

A: Thanks for writing to us here at Truthbook.com, a website dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book...we are always happy to hear from our visitors.

You ask where God came from...this is something that is difficult for one human to answer for another. Being finite humans, we are accustomed to things having beginnings and endings; the infinite, non-beginning and non-ending nature of God is hard to wrap our minds around. But we do carry an infinite spark of this infinite God within our minds, and at some point in our eternal future we will grasp more of this mystery.

The truth is that in this earth-life we simply do not have the capacity to fully understand the mystery of God, and that is where our faith has to become active. We humans are just not yet able to fully satisfy our desire to understand, as much as we would like to...on normal planets, the eternal nature of God is a subject upon which there is no doubt, but here on Earth, we must rely on faith and experience alone to satisfy our doubts. The Urantia Book is a great help in this regard as well, being a new revelation of God that opens up the reality and nature of God in a way that helps make God more accessible to us than ever before.

Over the years, we have received this question in several forms in our "FAQ" and "Life's Toughest Questions." I am giving you the links to those questions and answers below. I hope that you will find an answer here that will help you through this doubt that you are experiencing. Within these Q+As are numerous links to passages from The Urantia Book, and pages on our site that will give you a great deal of additional information and inspiration.

...where did God come from?

Where was God before the creation of heaven and earth?

If there is God, who created God?

Does God really exist?

And remember - honest doubt is something that all believers grapple with from time to time. There is nothing wrong in having honest doubt. When you find yourself faced with doubt, there is a simple prayer that will help you through it:

"Lord, I believe. I pray you help my unbelief."

I hope you have gotten a satisfactory answer to your question today. Please write back any time!

Labels: belief, doubts, God, The Urantia Book

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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Is it true that the more you ask for God's guidance and the chance to change for the better, the more you receive tougher trials?

Q: Is it true that the more you ask for God's guidance and the chance to change for the better, the more you receive tougher trials??

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook. Your question is a really good one, and I am so glad you wrote...

What comes to my mind immediately is the Parable of the Talents. In this parable, Jesus talks about the three stewards who are given a portion of their master's goods for safekeeping while he is away. One of them takes what he is given and invests it, doubling his master's talents. The second steward also invests his portion, and also realizes a profit for his master. But the third steward buries his talent in the earth, and gives back just the one talent just as it was given to him. Jesus rewards the first two stewards by giving them even more and higher responsibility, but from the third steward, he takes away what he has given him and gives it to the more productive stewards, leaving him with nothing. He has squandered his chance to progress in his master's household by ignoring the talent which was entrusted to him.

in this parable (see the above link), Jesus says:

"To every one who has, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away. You cannot stand still in the affairs of the eternal kingdom. My Father requires all his children to grow in grace and in a knowledge of the truth. You who know these truths must yield the increase of the fruits of the spirit and manifest a growing devotion to the unselfish service of your fellow servants. And remember that, inasmuch as you minister to one of the least of my brethren, you have done this service to me.

Even in our material world, one might assume that with more responsibility will come more challenge. Likewise, in the spiritual kingdom, those who are willing to invest their "talents" can also expect to reap the greater challenges, and also the greater return for their efforts. When we make the effort to ask God for help, that is like making an investment in those talents. Growing in "grace and in a knowledge of the truth" - yielding an "increase in the fruits of the spirit" and becoming more devoted to the "unselfish service" of the brotherhood naturally imply gradually more complex and difficult situations to overcome with goodness. But those who grow like that have also greater help and greater capacity for success. They have proved themselves in the smaller things, and so, they are entrusted with the greater as they progress, helping them to grow even more.

It is like a person who is an aspiring long-distance runner; at first, they might be able to run one mile with difficulty. But after running that distance successfully for awhile, they become better able to increase their speed and distance, so that in time they may have conditioned themselves to run a marathon, where once that might have seemed impossible. The increased training has made them more capable of handling the greater challenge with ease. It is their determination and persistence in their training that has made the marathon possible.

I think that it is like that with us in our quest for the perfection of God. There is a great deal of personal satisfaction to be had when we do our best to prove ourselves worthy of the talents that we have been given, by using and increasing them. Remember that "progress" is the watchword of the universe. We cannot sit still and expect to progress; there's the danger that we might tend to stagnate, or even go backwards. Progress always implies increasing responsibility and increasing chance for success. But the increased duty is manageable because we have done the necessary work beforehand in the smaller things. I think it is true that God does not give us problems to deal with that we are not capable of overcoming.

I hope that this reply has been of help to you today...if you have not already done so, please accept this invitation to subscribe to our free Quote of the Day service. Click on "subscribe" beneath the picture. You will receive a daily email from us containing an inspiring passage from The Urantia Book to assist you in reaping the highest and best in your own personal journey with God.

Again, thanks for writing to us with this important question...

Labels: God, parable of the talents, progress, The Urantia Book, trials

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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

...are there any more accurate records of the birth of the Urantia Book?

Q: I am aware that there are no 100% accurate records of the birth of the Urantia Book. The most popular record was through that of Sleeping Subject. What are the scientific odds that this could happen in reality (if it weren't for aliens)? And also, are there any more accurate records of the birth of the Urantia Book?

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook. It is always nice to hear from our viewers.

You are correct that the origins of The Urantia Book are somewhat obscure. This was a deliberate effort on the part of the revelators, due to the human tendency to concentrate on the messenger rather than the message. If the names of humans (such as the Sleeping Subject) had been associated with the birth of the revelation, far too much importance would likely have been directed to them, and the message of the book itself may have been missed. There was a concerted effort to disassociate the Papers from any mortal connection. The most recognizable name associated with it now is that of William Sadler. Some try to claim that he is the author, but this claim simply does not hold water. It was simply his professional association with the sleeping subject that really brought the nighttime sessions to light, and ultimately to publication.

From what we do know, the man who was used to deliver the book was an ordinary person who happened to take part in a very extraordinary process through circumstances that remain mysterious to this day. Even the Contact Commission were not told the method by which the Papers came into being. We know what the method of delivery was NOT, but not what it WAS. We are only told that it was delivered by a technique that had never been used before, and which will never be used again. The subject's life was not disrupted - the contact took place only in times of deep sleep, and as far as we know, he lived a normal life in other respects...he himself, remained aloof from the amazing process to which he was such an intimate party, and reportedly had no desire to have his name connected to it. Those who did know his name were sworn to secrecy, and as far as I know, none betrayed that trust.

I don't know about the odds, but I think that it is pretty clear that the revelation that is The Urantia Book has super-normal, and supernatural origins and purposes. One has to ask oneself:

For what purpose could this book have been given to our planet, other than a purely spiritual one?

In the 50+ years since its publication, have any humans claimed authorship? For a book of this size and scope to have had human authorship, one might expect SOMEONE to claim responsibility...

Are any humans reaping extraordinary profits from its sale? If that was the purpose, one might expect a far more aggressive marketing strategy to have been employed for its spread.

Is there a human or material motivation for the Papers that will enrich or otherwise favorably influence any group or individual? Like God himself, The Urantia Book invites ALL. It is inclusive of all, intended for all...

For every question there is an answer that defies any human connection...after reflective thought, and by applying logic, one can only conclude that the source of the book is spiritual, and its aims and purposes are spiritual as well; it is just as it claims to be - a new epochal revelation of God to mankind.

You want to call them "aliens," but I think a better way of thinking of these authors is as "unseen friends." Some of them may be "extraterrestrial," but also, many of them are still present on our planet, such as the Midwayers, and some orders of angels. And all of the authors are spiritual beings...

There is a good website that will give you a lot of detailed information regarding the origins of The Urantia Book - it is The Urantia Book Historical Society

Within that site, you might be interested to read the documents in this section

I also came across this internet article, titled "Origins of the Urantia Papers," written by a reader, which you may find informative.

Thanks again for your note to us at Truthbook.

Labels: aliens, authorship, origins, sleeping subject, The Urantia Book

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Thursday, January 14, 2010

I am not spirit experiencing being human - not human experiencing being spirit.

Q: I am not spirit experiencing being human - not human experiencing being spirit.

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com, a website devoted to the teachings of The Urantia Book.

The statement you make here is obviously a statement of your opinion, and all I can say is, thank you for sharing. The Urantia Book does have a passage regarding the spirit and the body, and it was recently featured in the Quote of the Day; I suspect this statement is your answer to it. The quote is:

"On a material world you think of a body as having a spirit, but we regard the spirit as having a body." (42:12.5)

The remainder of the quote is:

"The material eyes are truly the windows of the spirit-born soul. The spirit is the architect, the mind is the builder, the body is the material building."

They are not saying that we are wrong to think as we do. They are simply instructing us that the Spirit is the influence that creates the soul, which is a spiritual counterpart of the material body. "The spirit is the architect..." The soul evolves over a lifetime, every time we make a choice for truth, beauty and goodness. When we die, it is that immortal soul which survives death and goes on to eternal life. So, indeed the spirit does create and HAVE that body for eternity - that soul-body which also contains our personality, and memory, and which lives forever. The material body, having served its purpose, and incapable of eternal existence, returns to the earth.

I hope that this helps you to see this quote in a different light. For me, and many others, it is a joyful truth...

I am not sure what your question is, if any. If you have a question in the future, please don't hesitate to write back to us. We are always glad to discuss spiritual matters. Our answers come from long expeience with the life-changing teachings of The Urantia Book

Labels: humans, soul, spirit beings, The Urantia Book

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Why was God not with me when I needed Him the most?

Q: Why was God not with me when I needed Him the most?

A: Thanks so much for writing to us here at Truthbook, a website dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book. Your question really tugs at my heart. I hear so much sorrow in it, and I feel sad that you feel God was not with you in your hour of need.

You don't offer any details of what happened, and why you feel as you do. I suspect that you prayed about a situation, and it didn't turn out as you had prayed and hoped. And so, you have concluded that God was not with you.

I can only assure you that God has never abandoned you. He has never left you alone, and he never will leave you alone. God hears our prayers, and he answers prayer in many different ways. Oftentimes, we don't get what we think we want or need as a result of prayer. Sometimes, things go terribly wrong - people have accidents, they get sick, they die, we lose money, or a job, or our home. But life hands all of us challenges. No one - even the most successful person - is immune to life's trials and tribulations. Challenges make us stronger, or they break us. But through it all, God is ALWAYS with us. Even if we don't see the results that we wish for, this does not mean God is not with us.

From The Urantia Book:

Most of what a mortal would call providential is not; his judgment of such matters is very handicapped by lack of farsighted vision into the true meanings of the circumstances of life. Much of what a mortal would call good luck might really be bad luck; the smile of fortune that bestows unearned leisure and undeserved wealth may be the greatest of human afflictions; the apparent cruelty of a perverse fate that heaps tribulation upon some suffering mortal may in reality be the tempering fire that is transmuting the soft iron of immature personality into the tempered steel of real character. (118:10.9)

And Jesus taught:

"In the matter of sickness and health, you should know that these bodily states are the result of material causes; health is not the smile of heaven, neither is affliction the frown of God. (166:4.10)

God lives with you in the most intimate and loving way - he actually dwells within your mind - helping you to elevate and spiritualize your thoughts. He is not there to give you a life of ease, but instead, he helps you through the inevitable sorrows of life by raising your awareness of him, and helping you to know that sublime peace that passes all understanding, no matter what happens. God wants to be your partner through life - not your rescuer. It is for you to figure out how to rise above even the bitterest disappointment by using your God-given mind. In your mind, God is an ever-present help through everything and anything.

I am going to give you some Urantia Book links that may help you understand better how prayer works, and how God works within you, and with you, to make your life better.

HERE is a link to our study on prayer. From there, you will be able to click on any of the quotes to expand the passage for even better understanding of prayer.

And HEREis a link to our study on the indwelling God who lives inside of you - always available, always present.

Finally, HERE is our study on "Disappointment."

I would suggest that you have a careful look at these studies. They are full of wisdom, truth and inspiration for you.

Again, I am glad that you chose to write to us with this important question. I hope that you will take advantage of the links that I have given you, and come to peace within yourself about the problems that may be troubling you. In the end though, I hope you will understand that God WAS with you in your problem. He is still with you now, and I hope you will try your best to find him, for he loves you beyond measure.

Labels: disappointment, God, God within, prayer

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Why does The Urantia Book say, "if any man has Christ Jesus in him, he is a new creature...?

Q: Why does the UB say, "If any man has Christ Jesus in him, he is a new creature; old things are passing away; behold all things are becoming new." Because "Christ Jesus in you" is antichrist in my book.

A: I am a little perplexed at your reference to the "antichrist" in connection to this statement about Christ Jesus being within us. It is my understanding that the antichrist is an individual that is supposed to appear sometime after the rapture and the tribulations of the Bible - a being who will seem to be good, but will actually be bad.

I found this website which lists 27 ways (from Bible verses) in which we will be able to recognize this being, and nowhere in there do I see anything about having Jesus as our inner companion, and being a new creature because of it.

I just want to include this entire passage from The Urantia Book that you referenced, so we can look at it together:

Jesus was the perfectly unified human personality. And today, as in Galilee, he continues to unify mortal experience and to co-ordinate human endeavors. He unifies life, ennobles character, and simplifies experience. He enters the human mind to elevate, transform, and transfigure it. It is literally true: "If any man has Christ Jesus within him, he is a new creature; old things are passing away; behold, all things are becoming new."(100:7.18)

This is one of the most inspiring statements that I've ever read. I think that anyone who has been born of the Spirit, anyone who has seen in Jesus' life the ideal of doing God's will, anyone who follows the religion of the Spirit as Jesus taught - anyone who has had any experiences like this with the Master knows that experience with Jesus truly does "elevate, transform, and transfigure" our minds.

Jesus is literally still with us, represented as the Spirit of Truth. It is the presence that he promised. Jesus talked about the promised helper many times:

"When I have gone to the Father, and after he has fully accepted the work I have done for you on earth, and after I have received the final sovereignty of my own domain, I shall say to my Father: Having left my children alone on earth, it is in accordance with my promise to send them another teacher. And when the Father shall approve, I will pour out the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh. Already is my Father's spirit in your hearts, and when this day shall come, you will also have me with you even as you now have the Father. This new gift is the spirit of living truth. (180:4.1)

"...when my spirit comes to indwell you, he will illuminate the difference between sin and righteousness and will enable you to judge wisely in your hearts concerning them." (180:6.2)

" ...I am going to send you my spirit, just like me except for this material body. This new teacher is the Spirit of Truth who will live with each one of you, in your hearts, and so will all the children of light be made one and be drawn toward one another. And in this very manner will my Father and I be able to live in the souls of each one of you and also in the hearts of all other men who love us and make that love real in their experiences by loving one another, even as I am now loving you." (180:4.5)

And this bestowal of the Spirit of Truth happened on the day of Pentecost.

HERE Is a good section to read for you. Perhaps you misunderstand the function of the Spirit of Truth - the promised helper. Among other things in this section, we read:

The new helper which Jesus promised to send into the hearts of believers, to pour out upon all flesh, is the Spirit of Truth. This divine endowment is not the letter or law of truth, neither is it to function as the form or expression of truth. The new teacher is the conviction of truth, the consciousness and assurance of true meanings on real spirit levels. And this new teacher is the spirit of living and growing truth, expanding, unfolding, and adaptative truth. (180:5.1)

The Spirit of Truth works in the mind with the Thought Adjuster. This is a great mercy for humanity, and without these Divine spiritual helpers we would be lost even more than we already are...

...But we know that there dwells within the human mind a fragment of God, and that there sojourns with the human soul the Spirit of Truth; and we further know that these spirit forces conspire to enable material man to grasp the reality of spiritual values and to comprehend the philosophy of universe meanings. But even more certainly we know that these spirits of the Divine Presence are able to assist man in the spiritual appropriation of all truth contributory to the enhancement of the ever-progressing reality of personal religious experienceâ€”God-consciousness. (0:12.12)

The indwelling Spirit of Truth does not make us think that WE are God. What it does do, is bring us CLOSER to God in loving parent/child relationship and in greater CONSCIOUSNESS of him. And through that relationship and through experiencing God in this way - in our minds and thoughts - we eventually strive to become more like God, our Spirit Father. But no sincere seeker of God would ever think of replacing him, nor think that having the indwelling Presence would somehow be anything but good. I suspect that may be another aspect of this question you have about "antichrist" - this idea that somehow man is going to start to believe that he is a god, or somehow equal to God - very "antichrist," indeed. But it bears no relation whatsoever to this passage that you cited.

Any connection of the Spirit of Truth with a being who is "anti" Christ just does not add up. Jesus lives in the heart of every believer, ministering and answering when he is asked. He stands at the door and knocks...willing to reveal divine Truth to us. Jesus not only SEEMS to be good, he really IS good.

But don't take my word for it. He lives in your heart, too...and you can always call upon him to find out if there is any truth contained in the assumptions you have made...if you are sincere, he will always answer you.

I hope that my reply was of some help...

Labels: antichrist, Jesus, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book

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I believe in Sefira of Kabbalah. Does this conflict with the Urantia Book?

Q: I believe in Sefira of Kabbalah. Does this conflict with the Urantia Book? And is it proper to say sefira is an aramaic named spirit of the Father?

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook.com.

I went to Google to find out more about your question, and I came up with this definition of "sefira," from the Britannica Online:

"Also spelled Sephira (Hebrew: â€œnumberâ€�), plural Sefirot, or Sephiroth, in the speculations of esoteric Jewish mysticism (Kabbala), any of the 10 emanations, or powers, by which God the Creator was said to become manifest. The concept first appeared in the Sefer Yetzira (â€œBook of Creationâ€�), as the 10 ideal numbers.

In the development of Kabbalistic literature, the idea was expanded and elaborated to denote the 10 stages of emanation from En Sof (the Infinite; the unknowable God), by which God the Creator can be discerned. Each sefira refers to an aspect of God as Creator..."

Just on the face of it, it does not appear that "sefira" is a name of the Spirit of God; however, I suppose that you are referring to the Kabbalah as a whole...?

Regardless of the many names that have been given to God over the centuries, he is still the First Source and Center - the Creator and the Universal Father - I believe that he is my Father and your Father - Father of our Spirit selves. I don't think that it matters what we call him, but you might like this description:

"On those worlds where a Paradise Son has lived a bestowal life, God is generally known by some name indicative of personal relationship, tender affection, and fatherly devotion. On your constellation headquarters God is referred to as the Universal Father, and on different planets in your local system of inhabited worlds he is variously known as the Father of Fathers, the Paradise Father, the Havona Father, and the Spirit Father. Those who know God through the revelations of the bestowals of the Paradise Sons, eventually yield to the sentimental appeal of the touching relationship of the creature-Creator association and refer to God as "our Father." (1:1.5)

Kabbalah is another, and quite ancient, type of religious belief - an example of an evolutionary religion - and is an offshoot of Judaism, as I understand it. As you know, Jesus came from Jewish roots, and was raised as a Jew. And as you also likely know, he later attempted to establish his new religion of the Spirit among the Jewish peoples; but he was rejected by the Jews in power, and put to death for his ideas of spiritual liberty - freedom from the fetters of the religions of authority.

I cannot say that Kabbalah is in conflict with the teachings of The Urantia Book, simply because I don't know enough about it. However, most religions that have at their heart the one-God concept are not at serious odds with what we learn from The Urantia Book, which also has at its heart one God - the Universal Father of all.

The Urantia Book is a new revelation of God to mankind. It reveals things to us about God that we have not known before. And it is designed to improve our understanding of God, the universe, our planet, and ourselves.

There are many, many people who love, embrace, and study The Urantia Book who are also members of various churches and religious beliefs; there are quite a few Jewish people among that group as well. It is entirely possible to remain a believer in established religions, while also using The Urantia Book as an additional tool to come to a deeper understanding of God.

If you have specific concerns regarding Kabbalah vs Urantia Book teachings, please write back, so we can discuss them. I suspect, though, after reading some other material about Kabbalah, that there would be few inconsistencies, and that you would not have to feel that you have to abandon your spiritual practice in order to benefit from studying The Urantia Book.

The Urantia Book is meant to help mankind to upstep our ideas of God - to give us new information, and new insight as to the nature, the personality, and the love of God. If your aim is to live a good life, and to walk a spiritual path with God, using the teachings of The Urantia Book can only help you, as you expand your mind, and discover new truths about God, and his relationship to you, and with you. If you derive pleasure, satisfaction and spiritual growth in Kabbalah, you may have all you need already in the spiritual sense; but if you are still searching for more (and there is ALWAYS more to know about God) you would do well to continue to read and study The Urantia Book at the same time that you practice Kabbalah, as it will only assist your search for true meaning in your life. Eventually, you will come to a new understanding of both Kabbalh AND The Urantia Book if you are sincere seeker for truth.

Thanks again for your question. I hope my answer has been helpful. Again - if you have further questions, please write back.

Labels: conflict, God, Kabbalah, The Urantia Book

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If I take the Urantia Book as "the" source on God's will, will I tell the Adjuster "I don't need you," And rebel?

Q: If I take the Urantia Book as "the" source on God's will, will I tell the Adjuster "I don't need you," And rebel?

A: I am not sure that I understand your question fully...but I will answer with some ideas that may be helpful to you.

Accepting any source as "the" authority on the will of God runs counter to the teachings in The Urantia Book - especially the teachings of Jesus. While The Urantia Book is a marvelous revelation, and a sure guide as to the value of seeking and finding God's will, it is not, and does not claim to be, an "authority," and any attempt to capture those teachings and create a religion of authority out of them means to me that you maybe need to read and study further.

There is only one authority when it comes God's will, and that is the authority that comes through your inner experience with God, who dwells within your mind as the Adjuster, and who helps to "adjust" your thinking to correspond with God's will. When we make the decision that declares "It is my will do do your will," we are then on the right track. The decision to do God's will does not include rebellion against that will. Although that is certainly a possibility, it is never a good choice, as can be easily seen from our planet's unfortunate history...for example, the default of Adam and Eve, and the Lucifer rebellion.

There is no force that can go against your freewill decision. It is solely yours to make. Likewise, it is solely your decision to reject the leadings of your Adjuster, if that is what you want. I have no way of knowing what your future decisions may be, but I suspect you do not want that...

The Urantia Book is a revelation - it is a sort of roadmap that helps us to see the big picture - to discover our place in the universe, our place in God's family, our origins and destiny as human beings. Your acceptance of the teachings should not bring fear of losing your freewill. God himself will not interfere with your free will.

Rebellion against God's will is now, and has always been, a matter of individual choice. In the same way, choosing to do God's will is also a personal choice; freewill choices are made in the mind, and expressed in action. They may be influenced by outside factors, but free will choices are not pre-ordained according to outside factors. The responsibility for each choice lies with each individual.

Adopting and living the teachings of The Urantia Book should help, not hinder, the living of a life dedicated to the seeking and finding of God's will. If you continue to sincerely study and explore the Urantia Book, you will easily see that your fears are totally unfounded.

For more information on these topics, please see our study on God's Will HERE, and also our study on Free Will HERE. It also may be helpful for you to understand better the nature of Revelation, including the revelation that is The Urantia Book

I hope this answer has been helpful to you...if I have not addressed your question fully, please write back with more information.

Labels: authority, free will, God's Will, spiritual experience, The Urantia Book, Thought Adjuster

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Why did Jesus tell his followers not to write any of his teachings down?

Q: Why did Jesus tell his followers not to write any of his teachings down?

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook.com We are always pleased to hear from our visitors...

As regards your question: here is the advice given to Michael from Immanuel at the occasion of his seventh bestowal - that of Jesus of Nazareth

"...To the end that you may not unnecessarily contribute to the creation of subsequent stereotyped systems of Urantia religious beliefs or other types of nonprogressive religious loyalties, we advise you still further: Leave no writings behind you on the planet. Refrain from all writing upon permanent materials; enjoin your associates to make no images or other likenesses of yourself in the flesh. See that nothing potentially idolatrous is left on the planet at the time of your departure." (120:3.7)

"The first thing Jesus did, after thinking through the general plan of co-ordinating his program with John's movement, was to review in his mind the instructions of Immanuel. Carefully he thought over the advice given him concerning his methods of labor, and that he was to leave no permanent writing on the planet. Never again did Jesus write on anything except sand. On his next visit to Nazareth, much to the sorrow of his brother Joseph, Jesus destroyed all of his writing that was preserved on the boards about the carpenter shop, and which hung upon the walls of the old home. And Jesus pondered well over Immanuel's advice pertaining to his economic, social, and political attitude toward the world as he should find it."(136:4.2)

So, I don't think it was a matter of his followers not writing things down, but Jesus himself, and for the reasons given in the first quote, above. As we know, his followers wrote PLENTY! Please click on any of the links to read more...

And thanks again for writing to us. If you have not already done so, I hope that you'll want to subscribe to our free "Quote of the Day" service, and receive a Urantia Book quote with a beautiful image each day, so you can start your day with inspiration...

I hope this has been helpful to you. Please write back any time!!! And Happy NewYear!

Labels: Christ Michael, Immanuel, Jesus, likenesses, The Urantia Book, writings

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