Spiritual Advice and Guidance Blog: Urantia Book

Q: How can we know that the Urantia Book is a book from God and not from man?

A: Thanks for this important question. We always love to hear from our visitors.

The Urantia Book presents itself as a revelation of God to mankind - a revelation of epochal significance. It claims that numerous authors of celestial origin were employed to make it manifest to our planet, and that it was authorized by God to be delivered to the human races of Urantia.

The Urantia Book contains material that is mind-expanding and revelatory, and facts that have been heretofore unknown to mortals, providing answers to questions that we didn't even know we had. This material is designed to raise the spiritual consciousness of all of mankind. As well, The Urantia Book contains over one thousand concepts of human knowledge and wisdom that were already known at the time of its delivery to the planet. That is why it may seem that some of the information is "man-made;" it actually is. The authors clearly state this. However, the sheer weight and magnitude of the revelatory aspects of the material presented seems to me to be far beyond the abilities of human beings.

But how can we know? I am not sure that we can ever really KNOW. Maybe a better question is, how can we believe?

Pragmatically speaking, if some human, or group of humans, created this remarkable revelation from whole cloth, I feel sure that they would not have left the attribution of authorship to heretofore unnamed beings of celestial origin. To do that would run counter to everything I have ever experienced of human nature. In the 50+ years since its delivery, no human being has ever claimed authorship. It seems to me that only spiritual beings could have the selflessness required, and the years of dedication needed, to produce such a life-altering document for the sole benefit of humanity-at-large, without seeking personal recognition or thanks. That fact alone makes me sure that it is not "from man."

The recognition of Truth is like a bell resonating in the heart - once it is experienced, it cannot be denied. One does KNOW it in every fiber of one's being.

In my experience, this revelation which is The Urantia Book presents a collection of truths and a philosophy of living that, adopted as a whole, can be "acted out." It certainly can be "lived" in one's experience, and the result is a life that is lifted and ennobled far beyond one's fondest expectation. It produces inner happiness and spiritual assurance of a very high level. Even if it were the creation of man, it would still have that flavor. I, however, choose to believe that it is exactly what it says it is, simply because of its effects on my life.

It is the revelation of God, and the restatement of the life and teachings of Jesus in The Urantia Book that, to me, are overwhelming evidences of its authenticity. To me, no person, or group of persons, could have pulled this kind of knowledge - this kind of spiritual "flavor" - out of thin air. But even if they did, it would still resonate as true, nonetheless. Truth is truth...and it echoes in the soul. I believe it is from God because it has brought me closer to God, and stretched my soul and mind to their capacity. No mere mortal would have that as their final agenda - to what end? In my opinion, only a spiritual and divine agenda can be the purpose of such a revelation.

I cannot declare this for you, however. Each of us who are truthseekers must make the same journey when attempting discernment of any spiritual revelation - whether it is The Urantia Book, or another kind of revelation found in another place.

Experiment - put into practice the materials contained The Urantia Book and their effect on your life - and then you may come to the answer to this important question in your inmost self.

Thanks again for this great question, and best wishes in your search for Truth...

Labels: belief, God, revelation, The Urantia Book, truth

Permalink

Why do wicked people live longer in their wickedness without conspicuous evidence of God's judgment on their lives?

Q: Why do wicked people live longer in their wickedness without conspicuous evidence of God's judgment on their lives?

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

There certainly is no shortage of supposedly wicked people these days. There have always been those who take unfair advantage of others, and who appear to live relatively carefree lives in spite of their wickedness. I understand why this is disturbing to you...none of us likes to see this.

Unfortunately, there will likely always be those who embrace evil ways. When human beings have the choice of freewill - when the choice of good or evil is given - there will always be some who choose evil and sin. Even Jesus said: "...some people are really wicked at heart; they deliberately choose to do mean things..."

On the material plane, the wicked may be seen to get away with a lot of bad behavior - even live long and outwardly prosperous lives. But don't be fooled by that. Eventually, all unrepentant wickedness is dealt with by God's justice.

We are given a lot of leeway here on this earth...we can choose goodness and live lives of freedom and originality with God, or we can choose evil, and allow wickedness to creep into our lives and distort our souls. But the fruits of these choices are very different. The fruits of the righteous are joy in the Spirit, while the wicked lead troubled lives. Again, Jesus, quoting Scripture said: `The wicked flee when no man pursues.' `The wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, but its waters cast up mire and dirt; there is no peace, says God, for the wicked.'

So, even though it may appear to the on-looker that a wicked person has it made, this is not the case. In this same section from which the above quote was taken, Jesus speaks to us of contentment, and how different it is from the life of evildoing:

"Simon, some persons are naturally more happy than others. Much, very much, depends upon the willingness of man to be led and directed by the Father's spirit which lives within him. Have you not read in the Scripture the words of the wise man, `The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts'? And also that such spirit-led mortals say: `The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a goodly heritage.' `A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked,' for `a good man shall be satisfied from within himself.' `A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance and is a continual feast. Better is a little with the reverence of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred therewith. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without rectitude.' `A merry heart does good like a medicine.' `Better is a handful with composure than a superabundance with sorrow and vexation of spirit.'

"Much of man's sorrow is born of the disappointment of his ambitions and the wounding of his pride. Although men owe a duty to themselves to make the best of their lives on earth, having thus sincerely exerted themselves, they should cheerfully accept their lot and exercise ingenuity in making the most of that which has fallen to their hands. All too many of man's troubles take origin in the fear soil of his own natural heart. `The wicked flee when no man pursues.' `The wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, but its waters cast up mire and dirt; there is no peace, says God, for the wicked.'

"Seek not, then, for false peace and transient joy but rather for the assurance of faith and the sureties of divine sonship which yield composure, contentment, and supreme joy in the spirit." (149:5.2)

In the end, it is those who seek goodness who also possesses joy and peace. Even though they may not possess the world's riches or ill-gotten gains, they do possess an inner peace that the deliberately wicked can never possess.

Finally, this passage from a discourse that Jesus gave to his apostles on affairs of the kingdom:

"He never ceased to warn his disciples against the evil practice of retaliation; he made no allowance for revenge, the idea of getting even. He deplored the holding of grudges. He disallowed the idea of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He discountenanced the whole concept of private and personal revenge, assigning these matters to civil government, on the one hand, and to the judgment of God, on the other. He made it clear to the three that his teachings applied to the individual, not the state. He summarized his instructions up to that time regarding these matters, as:

Love your enemiesâ€”remember the moral claims of human brotherhood.

The futility of evil: A wrong is not righted by vengeance. Do not make the mistake of fighting evil with its own weapons.

Have faithâ€”confidence in the eventual triumph of divine justice and eternal goodness." (140:8.5)

That last sentence is of greatest importance when perplexed by the phenomenon of wickedness in the world.

Thanks again for this question to Truthbook. Please write anytime, and if you have not yet done so, please feel free to sign up for our free Quote of the Day service which will deliver a message of goodness and cheer to your inbox daily.

Labels: evil, God, Jesus, justice, The Urantia Book, wickedness

Permalink

As we are Christians, I believe we are more in GOD'S HEART...

Q: As we are Christians, I believe we more in GOD'S HEART and what I wanted to know, is SATAN the only thing GOD was unhappy about since he was chased out of heaven to earth?

A: You say that you believe that Christians are closer to God's heart. I would have to say that I disagree with you about that. God is no respecter of persons - he does not prefer this person over that one, but loves all of his children the same. All of God's children are on an equal footing, and possess the same potential for eternal life. Christians, Muslims, Jews, even those persons who do not belong to a particular religion, have an equal place in God's heart. It is not the religion that you belong to, but the fact that all people are indwelt by God that unifies all of us, and leaves no one out. God is spirit Father to all.

From The Urantia Book:

"To every spirit being and to every mortal creature in every sphere and on every world of the universe of universes, the Universal Father reveals all of his gracious and divine self that can be discerned or comprehended by such spirit beings and by such mortal creatures. God is no respecter of persons, either spiritual or material. The divine presence which any child of the universe enjoys at any given moment is limited only by the capacity of such a creature to receive and to discern the spirit actualities of the supermaterial world." (1:4.6)

"The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man present the paradox of the part and the whole on the level of personality. God loves each individual as an individual child in the heavenly family. Yet God thus loves every individual; he is no respecter of persons, and the universality of his love brings into being a relationship of the whole, the universal brotherhood." (12:7.8)

As for the second part of your question - about Satan being "chased out of Heaven to Earth..."

There is a great deal of confusion about Satan and the devil on our world. The Urantia Book sorts it all out for us, and reveals the truth about Satan and Lucifer and the devil - these three are separate beings, and all have an interesting story. Understanding the true nature of these beings and their roles in our planet's history is one of the most amazing parts of the revelation of The Urantia Book. Please see our topical study on Satan HERE, to learn the truth about this being, and his place in our history. From there, you can follow the links to read more about Lucifer and the devil as well.

In short, I can tell you that Satan was not "chased" from Heaven. Satan was a once-beautiful created son of God, and he was assigned as a lieutenant of Lucifer. Together, Satan and Lucifer launched the terrible rebellion against God's rule which is still causing the world trouble even today. Satan is no longer on our planet, but is, along with Lucifer, in custody on one of the prison worlds of space.

"Lucifer and Satan freely roamed the Satania system until the completion of the bestowal mission of Michael on Urantia. They were last on your world together during the time of their combined assault upon the Son of Man." (53:8.1)

"...Satan is now unqualifiedly detained on the Jerusem prison worlds." (53:9.4)

Finally, about God being unhappy...

"Jesus said: â€œMy brother, God is love; therefore he must be good, and his goodness is so great and real that it cannot contain the small and unreal things of evil. God is so positively good that there is absolutely no place in him for negative evil.'"(130:1.5)

"God is love"; therefore his only personal attitude towards the affairs of the universe is always a reaction of divine affection".(2:5.1)

God loves Satan and Lucifer just as much as he loves any of his children. The fact that they rebelled against him has still not destroyed his love:

"God loves the sinner and hates the sin: such a statement is true philosophically, but God is a transcendent personality, and persons can only love and hate other persons. Sin is not a person. God loves the sinner because he is a personality reality (potentially eternal), while towards sin God strikes no personal attitude, for sin is not a spiritual reality; it is not personal; therefore does only the justice of God take cognizance of its existence. The love of God saves the sinner; the law of God destroys the sin. This attitude of the divine nature would apparently change if the sinner finally identified himself wholly with sin just as the same mortal mind may also fully identify itself with the indwelling spirit Adjuster. Such a sin-identified mortal would then become wholly unspiritual in nature (and therefore personally unreal) and would experience eventual extinction of being. Unreality, even incompleteness of creature nature, cannot exist forever in a progressingly real and increasingly spiritual universe." (2:6.8)

And this is precisely what will happen to both Lucifer and Satan, unless they eventually accept God's love and mercy. Up to the present, they have not. It could be that God feels unhappiness or sorrow over his erring children, but his attitude of love is his primary response to his creation.

Thanks again for writing back to us here at Truthbook. I hope that this answer has been of some help to you...

Labels: Christian, God, Jesus, mercy, Satan, The Urantia Book

Permalink

I was unfaithful to my spouse ~ something I thought I'd never do. I now feel "blocked" spiritually...

Q: I was unfaithful to my spouse ~ something I thought I'd never do. I stopped the affair, but our marriage is now ending. I have huge regret for my actions but can't get that chapter out of my head. I now feel "blocked" spiritually, like I can't forgive myself and move on. I feel like part of me is gone. Please help.

A: I feel so sorry that you are suffering such painful regret. I understand regret, as I suffered with it for quite awhile in my past - still do, at times - but when it was at its worst, I was no good to anyone...I can understand that space of inertia, where you can't really move forward because the past is just too heavy around your heart...

Whatever your misdeeds were - in this case, infidelity - they are already forgiven. I can say that with absolute certainty, and I hope you can take that in and believe it as well. God has forgiven you, especially since you have recognized and seem to have sincere remorse for what you did.

You are right: a very important piece of forgiveness is to forgive yourself. Jesus said:

"My disciples must not only cease to do evil but learn to do well; you must not only be cleansed from all conscious sin, but you must refuse to harbor even the feelings of guilt. If you confess your sins, they are forgiven; therefore must you maintain a conscience void of offense." (156:2.7)

That is kind of a "wow" statement, but it is very true. When we continually harbor the feelings of sorrow and regret over our failings, we simply cannot move forward. And so, it is important that you begin to actively and seriously think about forgiving yourself.

One technique that was of some help to me during some particularly dark days was to imagine that I was looking at my life as from the outside - as if I was looking at a friend, perhaps. How would I respond to a beloved friend or relative who was in the same situation I was in? Would I withhold my love and care from her because she was unfaithful to her husband? I can see she's sorry...and has taken steps to stop the affair...would I shun her, and expect her to wallow in sackcloth and ashes? Or would I say to her: "You know, we all make mistakes in life. We all fall short of our ideals. One mistake does not define a whole life. I love you, and I know you will do better in the future. You''ll learn from this, and it will never happen again"

In short, practice the same kind of compassionate love on yourself as you would practice on a beloved friend or sister or brother. To refuse to do so effectively says "no thanks" to God's forgiveness. Thinking that you are unworthy of forgiveness is really an act of pride...there is no one who cannot be forgiven - no one. Try to let this truth sink into your inner being...

What you are going through cannot be ignored or wished away. You do have to deal with it, but it does not have to last forever. You say that you feel spiritually blocked. This is understandable. I have some suggestions from The Urantia Book; take all, some, or none, but I want you to know that it is the kind of truth revealed in The Urantia Book that brought me back from the brink many years ago. I know that if you are a truthseeker, you will always benefit from its truths and comforts. And if you do this assignment, maybe you'll be too busy in the present to want to dwell in the past. These activities will help you live in the present moment, which is where we find God and open that channel of relationship with him. God is our heavenly spirit Father and he loves us with a fatherly affection. He wants to help you.

I would like to suggest that you begin your spiritual recovery by doing a bit of reading in The Urantia Book. Start with Papers 1-5 - about God the Father and his love for us, and perhaps you might like to read Papers 100-103 - these are dealing with spiritual growth and reality of religious experience, and are mightily inspiring. Start with either one.

It is important that you try to gain a larger view - one that is not concentrated solely on your problems. You are a human being of eternal destiny and you carry within you a Divine spark of God. I guarantee that if you sincerely acknowledge the presence of God who walks through your life with you, you will find new purpose and a way forward. Not only that, but you will learn new ways of viewing your life and your choices and you'll gain strength to deal with the present problems you are experiencing as a result of this past event.

Another suggestion I can offer is to find someone who needs you - find someone who is worse off than you are and do some service for them with no thought of repayment. There are lonely people everywhere. Look for them...nursing homes, in homeless shelters, women's shelters, hospice...there are volunteer positions you could add to your day - delivering meals to seniors through "Meals on Wheels" for example. Find something to do. Fill your spare time with service to others. Instead of lamenting your loss, you may find a part of you that will fill the empty places. Again, this is an activity which encourages present-moment living - the eternal NOW, where God can be found..

Said Jesus: "My children, if there exists a true and living connection between the child and the Father, the child is certain to progress continuously toward the Father's ideals. True, the child may at first make slow progress, but the progress is none the less sure. The important thing is not the rapidity of your progress but rather its certainty. Your actual achievement is not so important as the fact that the direction of your progress is Godward. What you are becoming day by day is of infinitely more importance than what you are today." (147:5.7)

The fact that you are reaching out now says to me that you are turning a corner. I am so glad that you chose Truthbook.com as a place that you felt good enough about to share this personal time in your life, and I will agree with you in prayer right now that you will from this day forward, seek truth, beauty and goodness in your life, and you will find it.

Labels: forgiveness, God, infidelity, Jesus, service, spirituality, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Monday, November 02, 2009

I am devastated when children are abducted and murdered.

Q: I am devastated when children are abducted and murdered. Please tell me that they are not alone in their last hour. It saddens me while a child is being tortured the world continues and unaware of their pain.

A: All humanity suffers when children are mistreated and murdered. It is an outrage that touches all of us very deeply...

I don't know if I can ease your heart through this pain you feel, but I can tell you that our God is a loving and kind Father to all his children. In life and in death, none of us is ever alone. I do not know for sure, but I like to think that there is some sort of mechanism in the brain that, at some point, shields a victim of such suffering from feeling the full brunt of the pain and fear of such an experience.

Here is a passage from The Urantia Book that may help ease your mind somewhat:

(39:5.11) ...During moments just prior to physical death a reflective phenomenon sometimes occurs in the human mind, and this dimming consciousness seems to visualize something of the form of the attending angel, and this is immediately translated into terms of the habitual concept of angels held in that individual's mind.

We can only hope that a youngster undergoing such a terrible experience may be blessed with such a vision of peace and loveliness. I suspect that the ministering angels do attend these young ones, and ease their passing in ways that we cannot know. And once the child has passed on the the next world, their eternal journey of adventure and joy will begin, despite the terrible circumstances of their death. For this, we can be grateful.

Remember how much Jesus loved children? He was always sensitive to them, and advised all of us to become like children in order to really be able to receive his tender mercies. Knowing this, I am sure that any child who suffers a hard death in this way has a special dispensation of mercy as they pass into his everlasting arms. I can't say for sure, but I prefer to think it is true, since there is no proof to the contrary...

It saddens me as well, to think of the terrible things that happen on our world - not only to children, but to innocent men and women in all kinds of circumstances. Many people are caught in situations all the time that stagger our imaginations and leave us feeling sad and powerless when we dwell upon them. If we were aware of each instance of suffering and pain that occur on our world, none of us could carry on. This does not mean that we are not sympathetic, though. Anyone who hears of such things is saddened and upset by them.

We have a choice though...we can choose to allow ourselves to become paralyzed by sadness and laden with sorrow over these kinds of crimes against humanity, or we can activate our highest mind, and pray for right thinking and a knowledge of God to spread over our world. We can selflessly love the children that we do know, and teach them to love others, and to love God. We can join, or contribute to groups that work to alleviate the suffering of innocent victims. We can put our energy to work in positive ways that serve others. These are activities that we CAN control, and positive action has a ripple effect on our world.

I know that my reply may not give you the kind of relief that you desire, but I do hope that you will open your heart to God and allow him to speak thoughts of peace to your soul. Staying close to God is a sure cure for these times when we feel overwhelmed by events that are out of our control, but which touch our hearts so acutely.

Finally, if you are not already signed up, please take advantage of our free service - Quote of the Day. Each day, you will receive a Urantia Book quote to help lift you up and inspire you to reach your highest spiritual goals.

Thanks for writing. Please feel free to write back any time...

Labels: angels, children, God, Jesus, love, service, Sorrow, The Urantia Book

Permalink

If a person suffers from severe mental illness...

Q: If a person suffers from severe mental illness which caused them to commit wrongful acts while in a state of "mania" is there any chance for redemption? Does the ancient belief that the mentally ill are possessed by evil spirits have any credibility? What can a severely mentally ill person do, if they feel that are somehow being influenced by something they cannot control?

A: Thank you for writing to us here at Truthbook.com, a website dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book

Since your question is primarily concerning a person who suffers from mental illness, I must first advise you that the person in question (whether it is you, or someone else) should see a medical professional as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment. We are not equipped to lend medical advice...

No matter what our transgressions, there is always a chance for redemption, which can be synonymous with "salvation," as in this passage about Jesus' love towards sinners; and not only redemption, but "eternal rehabilitation." This Urantia Book quote is about the cross of Jesus, and its significance to sinners.

(188:5.2) "The cross forever shows that the attitude of Jesus toward sinners was neither condemnation nor condonation, but rather eternal and loving salvation. Jesus is truly a savior in the sense that his life and death do win men over to goodness and righteous survival. Jesus loves men so much that his love awakens the response of love in the human heart. Love is truly contagious and eternally creative. Jesus' death on the cross exemplifies a love which is sufficiently strong and divine to forgive sin and swallow up all evil-doing. Jesus disclosed to this world a higher quality of righteousness than justiceâ€”mere technical right and wrong. Divine love does not merely forgive wrongs; it absorbs and actually destroys them. The forgiveness of love utterly transcends the forgiveness of mercy. Mercy sets the guilt of evil-doing to one side; but love destroys forever the sin and all weakness resulting therefrom. Jesus brought a new method of living to Urantia. He taught us not to resist evil but to find through him a goodness which effectually destroys evil. The forgiveness of Jesus is not condonation; it is salvation from condemnation. Salvation does not slight wrongs; it makes them right. True love does not compromise nor condone hate; it destroys it. The love of Jesus is never satisfied with mere forgiveness. The Master's love implies rehabilitation, eternal survival. It is altogether proper to speak of salvation as redemption if you mean this eternal rehabilitation."

God's forgiveness is also forthcoming for our sinful acts:

(146:2.4) "...The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him..."

As for the second part of your question: There was a time on our planet when this belief that evil spirits could possess the minds of men did have some credibility...even in Jesus' time, there were rebel midwayers still roaming the earth - remnants of the Lucifer rebellion who were able to influence the minds of men - but since the day of Pentecost, over 2000 years ago, when the Spirit of Truth that Jesus promised was poured out upon all flesh, no evil spirit has had the power to affect the minds of mankind.

(77:7.8) "The entire group of rebel midwayers is at present held prisoner by order of the Most Highs of Edentia. No more do they roam this world on mischief bent. Regardless of the presence of the Thought Adjusters, the pouring out of the Spirit of Truth upon all flesh forever made it impossible for disloyal spirits of any sort or description ever again to invade even the most feeble of human minds. Since the day of Pentecost there never again can be such a thing as demoniacal possession."

As for the third part of your question: All of us sometimes have the feeling that we are influenced by factors out of our control, and yet, this does not necessarily denote mental illness; however, if a person is convinced that they are "severely mentally ill" it is of great importance that they go to see a medical professional as soon as possible...

And at any time, any person who feels ill - mentally or physically - can turn to prayer as a supplemental means of feeling better:

(91:6.2) "Prayer is not a technique for curing real and organic diseases, but it has contributed enormously to the enjoyment of abundant health and to the cure of numerous mental, emotional, and nervous ailments."

Thanks again for writing to us. Please click on the links provided to open the text and best wishes.

Labels: mental health, possession, prayer, redemption, salvation, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Did you read the revelations of Anne Emmerich, who stated that jesus was born on 25th November 6 BC and not on the 21st August 7 BC ...?

Q: Who wrote The Urantia Book? Was there a revelation to the author by God? Did you read the revelations of Anne Emmerich, who stated that jesus was born on 25th November 6 BC and not on the 21st August 7 BC as you are alleging?

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com. We are always glad to hear from people who are interested in the revelations of The Urantia Book.

The Urantia Book was written by a group of spiritual beings, including angels, Melchizedeks, and other various orders of celestial beings. HERE is a link to the "Table of Contents" of The Urantia Book, which lists the authors. You can use our handy SEARCH feature to find out more about each of them, if you wish. Simply type in the name of the author and press "search."

The Urantia Book is totally unique in that it is a revelation given in book form. The book is, in itself, the revelation - not to the authors, but to humanity. The authors were mandated by the Ancients of Days to deliver the revelatory information in this form, and it was completed in 1934, published in 1955.

The Urantia Book is unlike Scripture, in that it is not an "inspired" document. It is, however, a revelation of epochal significance - the 5th of such revelations that have been given to our planet. Each of the five revelations of God to mankind has been an attempt to communicate spiritual truth to the races of Earth (Urantia). Among the previous revelations, you'll no doubt recognize Adam and Eve, Melchizedek, and the incarnation of Jesus as the babe of Bethlehem.

Epochal revelations are rare, and periodic; all are designed to uplift mankind into a new understanding of God, and man's relationship to God. The Urantia Book contains within its pages the newest and most replete descriptions of God and the created universes, the detailed history of our own universe and our planet, and a full third of the book contains a complete restatement of the life and teachings of Jesus, including all the "lost years" that have been heretofore unavailable anywhere else.

Part of this new revelation of the Master's life is the accurate date of Jesus' birth, which is revealed as August 21, 7BC. I am adding a link HERE so that you can read for yourself a scientific and scholarly exploration of the accuracy of that date. To me, it makes the conclusive case for the accuracy of the date given in The Urantia Book.

I did look into Anne Emmerich, and I discovered that she was an 18th century German Catholic nun who was known as a "Mystic, Visionary, Stigmatist, Prophet." I could not find the specific reference regarding the birthdate of Jesus, however, I do understand that many, many people over many, many centuries, have claimed - and still claim - to have visions of God and special knowledge of, and from him, and that many people put a lot of credence into such visions.

Persons such as Anne Emmerich have a certain appeal, simply because their lives are so extraordinary - they seem to have a direct pipeline to God; but the mental states that produce such lives are not always healthy, nor are they reliable as avenues to God. By saying this, I do not intend to demean her, or her visions; she certainly did live a life which appears to have been dedicated to God. However, I am reluctant to place any faith in the accuracy of her visions simply because they appear to be the result of extraordinary physical deprivation.

About Jesus, The Urantia Book states:

(100:5.11) However favorable may have been the conditions for mystic phenomena, it should be clearly understood that Jesus of Nazareth never resorted to such methods for communion with the Paradise Father. Jesus had no subconscious delusions or superconscious illusions.

If Jesus did not rely on such things, I question whether he means for his children to experience such things, either. That Anne Emmerich did experience them speaks more to her religious fervor than of actual communication with God. This is however, my opinion. You are of course, free to form your own opinion.

The Urantia Book reveals the nature of the indwelling God - that "spark" of Divinity that lives in the mind of every person, and which provides everyone their own "pipeline to God." The Urantia Book calls this fragment of God the Thought Adjuster. God's communion is available to all of us - not as visions and mystical experiences, but as the gentle leadings into the knowledge of God's will through the proof of individual spiritual experience in ordinary day-to-day living. We are also blessed with the ministry of the Spirit of Truth - that good Spirit who Jesus promised, and who was poured out on all flesh on the occasion of Pentecost. This Spirit of Truth gives all people the ability to discern and sort out Truth - and to find the Truth wherever it may appear. It is through the Spirit that one can discern for themselves whether The Urantia Book - or any other spiritual revelation - is true or not. With sincerity of motive and prayerful approach, the truth can be felt by the sincere seeker as an unmistakable inner resonance.

I might suggest that, while you explore this subject of visionary knowledge by mystics, that you do yourself the favor of exploring The Urantia Book as well. Line them up and see how they differ, and how they correspond with each other. Allow Jesus and the Spirit of Truth to guide you in this endeavor. And please feel free to sign up for our free Quote of the Day service, which will deliver to your inbox a daily passage from the matchless teachings of The Urantia Book.

Again, thank you for your note. Please write back any time...

Labels: Anne Emmerich, authorship, inspiration, Jesus, mysticism, Pentecost, revelation, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Please teach me how to meditate.

Q: I have gone to your site and I was searching about meditation. Please teach me how to meditate.

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook.com. We are always available to answer questions from our visitors, and we are happy to try and help you in your spiritual path as we can.

Meditation is an important topic. It is a meaningful way to go within oneself for the purpose of communing with God.

You want to be taught how to meditate: I am not really qualified to teach you how to meditate, but I can certainly point you in the right direction.

While on earth, Jesus of Nazareth practiced meditation on a regular basis. Even as a child he would practice quiet times of communion with God. We are given no specific how-to details in The Urantia Book, but we are told numerous times that it was his practice to go off by himself for his times of communing with the Father. By reading and learning how Jesus did this, we can glean important clues about how to do it ourselves.

For many years, and for many cultures, meditation has been seen as a sort of "emptying" process, whereby we try to blank out any outer stimulus and become somewhat passive in hopes of receiving communion with spiritual forces; meditation, as practiced by Jesus, seemed to have none of these qualities. His methods of meditation appeared to be "active." The meditation practices of Jesus involved active thinking, rather than the passive approach. His times of communion with God always included worship. He used his mind to commune with God; and this is not surprising once we understand that our minds are indwelt by a "spark" of God who desires communion with us. Our deepest and highest thinking is a sure way to engage that fragment of God and to receive its wisdom in our inmost spiritual experience.

One key factor in meditation is relaxation. This Urantia Book passage helps one to see the value of meditation and relaxation which combine to produce a state of worship:

"The effort toward maturity necessitates work, and work requires energy. Whence the power to accomplish all this? The physical things can be taken for granted, but the Master has well said, "Man cannot live by bread alone." Granted the possession of a normal body and reasonably good health, we must next look for those lures which will act as a stimulus to call forth man's slumbering spiritual forces. Jesus has taught us that God lives in man; then how can we induce man to release these soul-bound powers of divinity and infinity? How shall we induce men to let go of God that he may spring forth to the refreshment of our own souls while in transit outward and then to serve the purpose of enlightening, uplifting, and blessing countless other souls? How best can I awaken these latent powers for good which lie dormant in your souls? One thing I am sure of: Emotional excitement is not the ideal spiritual stimulus. Excitement does not augment energy; it rather exhausts the powers of both mind and body. Whence then comes the energy to do these great things? Look to your Master. Even now he is out in the hills taking in power while we are here giving out energy. The secret of all this problem is wrapped up in spiritual communion, in worship. From the human standpoint it is a question of combined meditation and relaxation. Meditation makes the contact of mind with spirit; relaxation determines the capacity for spiritual receptivity. And this interchange of strength for weakness, courage for fear, the will of God for the mind of self, constitutes worship. At least, that is the way the philosopher views it.

"When these experiences are frequently repeated, they crystallize into habits, strength-giving and worshipful habits, and such habits eventually formulate themselves into a spiritual character, and such a character is finally recognized by one's fellows as a mature personality. These practices are difficult and time-consuming at first, but when they become habitual, they are at once restful and timesaving. The more complex society becomes, and the more the lures of civilization multiply, the more urgent will become the necessity for God-knowing individuals to form such protective habitual practices designed to conserve and augment their spiritual energies." (160:3.1)

We learn from this passage that meditation is a practice that is "protective," in that it can "conserve and augment...spiritual energies.."

Here is another passage from The Urantia Book, describing somewhat the methods that Jesus used:

"But the greatest of all methods of problem solving I have learned from Jesus, your Master. I refer to that which he so consistently practices, and which he has so faithfully taught you, the isolation of worshipful meditation. In this habit of Jesus' going off so frequently by himself to commune with the Father in heaven is to be found the technique, not only of gathering strength and wisdom for the ordinary conflicts of living, but also of appropriating the energy for the solution of the higher problems of a moral and spiritual nature. But even correct methods of solving problems will not compensate for inherent defects of personality or atone for the absence of the hunger and thirst for true righteousness.

"I am deeply impressed with the custom of Jesus in going apart by himself to engage in these seasons of solitary survey of the problems of living; to seek for new stores of wisdom and energy for meeting the manifold demands of social service; to quicken and deepen the supreme purpose of living by actually subjecting the total personality to the consciousness of contacting with divinity; to grasp for possession of new and better methods of adjusting oneself to the ever-changing situations of living existence; to effect those vital reconstructions and readjustments of one's personal attitudes which are so essential to enhanced insight into everything worth while and real; and to do all of this with an eye single to the glory of Godâ€”to breathe in sincerity your Master's favorite prayer, "Not my will, but yours, be done."

"This worshipful practice of your Master brings that relaxation which renews the mind; that illumination which inspires the soul; that courage which enables one bravely to face one's problems; that self-understanding which obliterates debilitating fear; and that consciousness of union with divinity which equips man with the assurance that enables him to dare to be Godlike. The relaxation of worship, or spiritual communion as practiced by the Master, relieves tension, removes conflicts, and mightily augments the total resources of the personality. And all this philosophy, plus the gospel of the kingdom, constitutes the new religion as I understand it. This worshipful practice of your Master brings that relaxation which renews the mind; that illumination which inspires the soul; that courage which enables one bravely to face one's problems; that self-understanding which obliterates debilitating fear; and that consciousness of union with divinity which equips man with the assurance that enables him to dare to be Godlike. The relaxation of worship, or spiritual communion as practiced by the Master, relieves tension, removes conflicts, and mightily augments the total resources of the personality. And all this philosophy, plus the gospel of the kingdom, constitutes the new religion as I understand it." (160:1.10)

Meditation is an important, and often neglected tool for gaining spiritual insight and wisdom. I think that people in general are confused about what it means, and how to do it effectively. One clue though, is in this idea of an active, "thinking" type of practice, rather than a purely passive anticipation.

Here are some further Urantia Book quotes about meditation:

Religious habits of thinking and acting are contributory to the economy of spiritual growth. One can develop religious predispositions toward favorable reaction to spiritual stimuli, a sort of conditioned spiritual reflex. Habits which favor religious growth embrace cultivated sensitivity to divine values, recognition of religious living in others, reflective meditation on cosmic meanings, worshipful problem solving, sharing one's spiritual life with one's fellows, avoidance of selfishness, refusal to presume on divine mercy, living as in the presence of God. The factors of religious growth may be intentional, but the growth itself is unvaryingly unconscious. (100:1.8)

The more healthful attitude of spiritual meditation is to be found in reflective worship and in the prayer of thanksgiving. (100:5.10)

It seems to me that the most important factor in learning a meditation technique that is workable for an individual relies on one's sincere desire to actually do it, and then to experiment with various ways that are used by other people. To that end, I would like to direct your attention to a very insightful and interesting study on "Meditation, Jesus-Style" This was written by a long-time Urantia Book student who gives us a fresh, modern-day approach to meditation, using Urantia Book teachings. It is a scholarly, detailed study, and has been very helpful to me in my meditation practices. I hope you'll give it a look...

Please click on any of the links provided in this answer to open the text; you may also find our Topical Study on Meditation useful.

Thanks again for letting us help you to explore this most important topic. I hope that this answer is meaningful to you.

Labels: communion, Jesus, meditation, The Urantia Book

Permalink

How compatible is the Urantia Book with the Book of Mormon?

Q: How compatible is the Urantia Book with the Book of Mormon? Since the Book of Mormon and The Urantia Book differ slightly, which one is a more accurate representation of God as we know him?

A: On one level, The Urantia Book is fully compatible with no other avenues of study, whether geology, anthropology, astronomy, physics, philosophy, genetics, history, religion, or spirituality... and there's a reason for that. The Urantia Book claims to be an epochal revelation, providing new and heretofore unknown facts, meanings, values from which we can derive a better understanding of the cosmos and our place in it. Your first challenge then will be to determine whether you believe this claim or not. If not, then whether the teachings of The Urantia Book are compatible with the Book of Mormon or not will have little value for you.

The Urantia Book and the Book of Mormon differ more than slightly. Joseph Smith was inspired, was called upon to translate mysterious writing on gold plates, produced the Book of Mormon, was martyred along with many of his followers, and founded what in about a century and a half has become a major religious movement on the planet. The Urantia Book is associated with no human subject, was produced in English exactly as you see it today, has received little public acclaim as it spreads its influence slowly around the globe. Both Mormons and Urantians have a belief in God and angels and in the validity of revelation. Jesus has a predominant position in each.

The God and Jesus presented in the Book of Mormon represent God and Jesus from Joseph Smith's inspiration. Joseph was a strongly fundamental Bible believer before being visited by the angel -- the BoM presents a strongly fundamentalist relationship with God, a viewpoint that appeals to much of struggling humanity in need of authority and spiritual direction. The historical perspective of the BoM rests on Israelites coming to the New World around 1000 B.C., evolving a culture, and being visited by Jesus at the time of his death on the cross.

The God and Jesus presented in The Urantia Book have little resemblance to what any previous religious forms provide other than the distillation of the truth, beauty, and goodness of these religions augmented by what is newly revealed by TUB. Its historical perspective spans billions of years, the New World became inhabited by a red race traveling over the Bering Strait land bridge about 80,000 years ago, and the red race is the only race not to have been visited in some manner by Jesus in person.

Joseph Smith is not unique in the world of spiritual inspirations. Many prophets of the past felt God's hand touch them and they interpreted what they perceived -- the results are found in the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, the Torah, the Old and New Testaments, the Koran -- they're the foundations upon which civilization and culture rest and most people are satisfied with the traditions of the past. The Urantia Book is unique. It illuminates the past from a perspective that's not part of that past. It provides an umbrella under which all religions can be gathered and coexist peacefully. It provides a glimpse of God unfettered by human mind filters. It offers Jesus back to the world, as he intended, unencumbered by Christian doctrine. It presents a view of our place in the cosmos that is consistent, logical, meaningful, insightful, joyful and uplifting.

If I believed any religion offered a more accurate representation of God I would be an adherent of that religion, but as a long-time student of The Urantia Book and believer in its teachings I obviously believe that the facts contained in the UB and its spiritual perspective provides the most accurate and meaningful portrayal available. But that's me; you need to make this determination on your own and for yourself.

Thanks for this interesting and important question. I hope that you are subscribed to our daily "Quote of the Day," an easy and inspiring way to learn more about the teachings of this book. If not, just go to Truthbook.com, and click on Quote of the day (right in the middle of the page) and then click on "subscribe." It is a free service that you can discontinue at any time. Also, you might be interested in viewing some of our flash movies - in particular, "After You Die," and "You Can Live Forever" or click on "Audio Book Video" in the left column for a list of all our videos.

Labels: Book of Mormon, God, inspiration, Jesus, Joseph Smith, religion, revelation, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, October 16, 2009

I Will Be Here

For all who love - each other, Jesus, and God - this is a lovely tune and a lovely sentiment.

Labels: God, Jesus, love, music, Steven Curtis Chapman, video

Permalink

Why does God let the devil destroy the life of his creation?

Q: Why does God let the devil destroy the life of his creation? Why doesn't he always keep us affiliated to his beautiful world rather than exposing us to this evil world?

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

It is tempting to blame all the ills of our world on the devil. After all, many of us have been taught from an early age that there is this force for evil, centered in the devil, that appears to have equal weight against the forces for good, centered in God. We have been taught to fear the devil, and we blame him for everything bad in the world. And when we are not blaming the devil, we are blaming God for letting the devil have his way so often.

God is not responsible for any personality's evil deeds; and the devil is not always responsible for the bad things that people do:

"The devil has been given a great deal of credit for evil which does not belong to him. Caligastia [the devil - see link below] has been comparatively impotent since the cross of Christ. " (53:8.9)

This is not to say that the devil does not exist. There is a personality who The Urantia Book calls "the devil," and you can read about him HERE. Â And he is not the only one; I am sure you are familiar with the names "Lucifer" and "Satan." These two personalities. along with the devil, Caligastia, pretty much constitute the "forces of evil" who have done untold harm on this planet from the days of it's earliest development.

Two of these personalities are no longer on this planet; the devil remains, but as a vanquished, hollow presence, who can only influence those who actually seek him out. His power is greatly diminished. The remnants of their evil deeds remain, but it can be overcome. Once we know the truth about these personalities, we realize that have much more power to assume responsibility for the changes we wish to see, instead of feeling that we are powerless under the influence of evil forces.

About God, and evil, Jesus said:

"My brother, God is love; therefore he must be good, and his goodness is so great and real that it cannot contain the small and unreal things of evil. God is so positively good that there is absolutely no place in him for negative evil. Evil is the immature choosing and the unthinking misstep of those who are resistant to goodness, rejectful of beauty, and disloyal to truth. Evil is only the misadaptation of immaturity or the disruptive and distorting influence of ignorance. Evil is the inevitable darkness which follows upon the heels of the unwise rejection of light. Evil is that which is dark and untrue, and which, when consciously embraced and willfully endorsed, becomes sin." (130:1.5)

Please read HERE about Jesus, and how he overcame the forces of evil when he was on Earth. (In this section, you'll read that Jesus was known as "Michael," which is his celestial title. But Michael and Jesus are one and the same personality.)
Â
God cannot force us to stay "affiliated with his beautiful world." unless he takes away our free will. But he never forces us. We must come willingly to God. Likewise, the evil things that happen on our earth - things that threaten the life of the creation - could be stopped by God if it was his will, but it was his will that men have freewill choice. If God had wanted a perfect world, he likely would have created it. Instead we find ourselves in a place where God's children have to struggle to find the perfection of GodÂ through faith. When we are exposed to a world that contains both good and evil, mankind then has the opportunity to choose the good and progress towards perfection. If there was no choice, we would not be freewill creatures anymore, and we could not experience the victorious joy of overcoming evil with goodness, as Jesus taught us to do.

But we are not alone in our struggles. God is still at work. Said Jesus:

"There lives within every human mind a divine spirit, the gift of the Father in heaven. This good spirit ever strives to lead us to God, to help us to find God and to know God." (133:3.7)

Every person has this divine spirit, and every person has free will. It is up to each of us to seek God out - not everyone does. But we all carry within us that spark of divinity which can help us immeasurably to stay affiliated with his "beautiful world" - the kingdom of heaven within - by our own choosing.Â Then, no matter what happens in the outer world, we find ourselves with the inner peace of the kingdom of God.

When you find yourself worried over the state of the world, please consider this Urantia Book passage:

"As you view the world, remember that the black patches of evil which you see are shown against a white background of ultimate good. You do not view merely white patches of good which show up miserably against a black background of evil.Â

When there is so much good truth to publish and proclaim, why should men dwell so much upon the evil in the world just because it appears to be a fact? The beauties of the spiritual values of truth are more pleasurable and uplifting than is the phenomenon of evil." (195:5.12)

God's only will for us is goodness. It is ourselves that we must change so that we learn to think with God, if we want to change the world...only in this way will be able to experience more goodness.

I hope this answer has been helpful...please click on the links provided, and always practice the advice that Jesus was fond of giving: "Fear not."

Labels: evil, God, God within, goodness, Jesus, Lucifer, Satan, the devil

Permalink

Where is Jesus' spirit now?

Where is Jesus' spirit now? Is part of it in humans also?

Thank you for your note to Truthbook.

Jesus is personally resident on Salvington, the sphere from which he rules this universe in "supreme sovereignty."

Although Jesus is no longer with us in the flesh, he did send the "promised helper" on the day of Pentecost.

You can read about this helper - The Spirit of Truth - HERE

And you can read about what happened on that day of Pentecost HERE

Jesus is very definitely a part of every human's life now, as he indwells every person and leads all believers into all truth.

Thank you for your question. I hope that you will click on the links above, and read more about this ever-present good Spirit that helps every one of us strengthen our connection to the Master.

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

Permalink

Are Satan and Lucifer real?

Q: Are Satan and Lucifer real?

A: Thanks for this question to Truthbook.com.

Satan and Lucifer are both quite real.

I am giving you a link to a previous answer regarding Lucifer HERE so that you can read about both of these personalities, as well as Caligastia, our one-time Planetary Prince who followed them into rebellion against God.

In addition, we have recently added some new topical studies regarding "the devil" as well as Satan and Lucifer. I hope you will find all of this information helpful...

Thanks for writing to us here at Truthbook.

Labels: Lucifer, Satan, the devil, The Urantia Book

Permalink

I'm quite surprised that you are trying to carve out an entirely new religion for Jesus...

Q:Good day to you...I stumbled on your website thinking it's a site that deals with more information on Jesus' works. I'm quite surprised that you have, or are trying to carve out, an entirely new religion for Jesus. Well I'm only curious to know what is in the Urantia book and what it says about Jesus.

One more question please, it appears there's a synergy between you and other religions; now if this is so, specifically what do you make of the Islamic version of Jesus and does Muhammad really come in as a prophet whom Jesus had talked about?

I will appreciate your response on these issues.

A: Thank you for taking the time to write to us at Truthbook.com. You have stumbled upon a website that deals with more information on Jesus... just like you were hoping for.

The Urantia Book isn't a religion although it contains much about religious history, its evolutionary and revelatory roots, meanings and values. But besides religion The Urantia Book contains much that isÂ meaningful in the areas of spirituality, cosmology, astronomy, geology, physics, philosophy, ... you've discovered some of its religious implications; there are other avenues to uncover there as well.

We can only hope that a synergy will result between the teachings of The Urantia Book and other religions - it's a slow and gradual process. Religions have deep and historical roots. The Urantia Book is new, only having come into existence in 1955 so it has no tradition to rest upon. Its teachings have to tested for their own merit and against oneâ€™s personal discernment of truth.

We readers and students of The Urantia Book believe that what it relates about what Jesus said and did is as historically accurate as we will ever encounter since we also believe that the Urantia Book account comes from the records the angels keep relating to our lives. Jesus made no prophetic pronouncements about Mohammed; MohammedÂ was a prophet 600 years after Jesus' time.

As I understand it, the Jesus of Islam isn't much different from the Jesus portrayed by some Christian sects... a good man, a holy man, but not much different from other historical holy men. The Urantia Book corrects that misconception without diminishing the value of the prophets or other holy men.

You can read and listen to The Urantia Book being read on our site HERE

The Urantia Book can also be purchased from Amazon.com HERE...

I would recommend either the paperback or hard cover indexed versions which also come with a DVD containing the full text of the book that can be loaded onto your computer; from that you can produce individual audio CDs to listen to whenever or wherever itâ€™s convenient.

Thank you for your note and for your comments. Please feel free to write any time.

Labels: Islam, Jesus, Mohammad, religion, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Is God the darkness we see in the universe?

Q: Is God the darkness we see in the universe? And is that the darkness inside of every human when they close their eyes?

A: My first thought is that the darkness (and light) that we can see with our physical eyes is a purely physical perception. Even when we close our eyes, the darkness that we "see" is simply due to the fact that we have shuttered our eyes to the outside world.

When we view the sky in daytime, we see plenty of light, as our perception is that the sky is lighted up - and it is, because of the sunshine's reflection off of the earth's atmosphere. But when we see images from space - for example, from the Hubble Telescope, we see islands of lighted galaxies surrounded by large areas of darkness. This can be a confusing perception if we are aiming to "see" God. One might think that if God is everywhere, that the areas of darkness must be God as well; and that is true, in a sense.

We know from Urantia Book teachings that God, as the Infinite Spirit, Third Person of the Trinity - pervades all space.

(9:0.5) "The Infinite Spirit pervades all space; he indwells the circle of eternity; and the Spirit, like the Father and the Son, is perfect and changelessâ€”absolute."

(2:1.1) " 'Touching the Infinite, we cannot find him out. The divine footsteps are not known.' The blinding light of the Father's presence is such that to his lowly creatures he apparently 'dwells in the thick darkness.'"

But...

(4:1.6) " 'The Father unceasingly pours forth energy, light, and life. The work of God is literal as well as spiritual. 'He stretches out the north over the empty space and hangs the earth upon nothing.' "

All of the space bodies that we can see are apparently suspended in darkness, and so I can see why one might think that the darkness IS God. But, so are all the areas of light. However, we need to use our mind and our spirit to resolve this issue:

(103:6.4) "When man analytically inspects the universe through the material endowments of his physical senses and associated mind perception, the cosmos appears to be mechanical and energy-material. Such a technique of studying reality consists in turning the universe inside out.

"A logical and consistent philosophic concept of the universe cannot be built up on the postulations of either materialism or spiritism, for both of these systems of thinking, when universally applied, are compelled to view the cosmos in distortion, the former contacting with a universe turned inside out, the latter realizing the nature of a universe turned outside in. Never, then, can either science or religion, in and of themselves, standing alone, hope to gain an adequate understanding of universal truths and relationships without the guidance of human philosophy and the illumination of divine revelation.

"Always must man's inner spirit depend for its expression and self-realization upon the mechanism and technique of the mind. Likewise must man's outer experience of material reality be predicated on the mind consciousness of the experiencing personality. Therefore are the spiritual and the material, the inner and the outer, human experiences always correlated with the mind function and conditioned, as to their conscious realization, by the mind activity. Man experiences matter in his mind; he experiences spiritual reality in the soul but becomes conscious of this experience in his mind. The intellect is the harmonizer and the ever-present conditioner and qualifier of the sum total of mortal experience. Both energy-things and spirit values are colored by their interpretation through the mind media of consciousness."

And so, while we see one thing through our physical senses, the actual truth of what we are seeing has to be modified through the ministry of Spirit and revelation before we can get the whole picture. We need more than our physical senses to understand the truth of God.

Please consider this passage from The Urantia Book:

(102:0.1) "Nameless despair is man's only reward for living and toiling under the temporal sun of mortal existence. Each day of life slowly and surely tightens the grasp of a pitiless doom which a hostile and relentless universe of matter has decreed shall be the crowning insult to everything in human desire which is beautiful, noble, lofty, and good.

"But such is not man's end and eternal destiny; such a vision is but the cry of despair uttered by some wandering soul who has become lost in spiritual darkness, and who bravely struggles on in the face of the mechanistic sophistries of a material philosophy, blinded by the confusion and distortion of a complex learning. And all this doom of darkness and all this destiny of despair are forever dispelled by one brave stretch of faith on the part of the most humble and unlearned of God's children on earth.

"This saving faith has its birth in the human heart when the moral consciousness of man realizes that human values may be translated in mortal experience from the material to the spiritual, from the human to the divine, from time to eternity."

It is by FAITH that we see beyond our physical perceptions and come to know the "Father of lights." The darkness that we perceive when we close our eyes or view the night sky is deceptive, if this perception is as far as we go in looking for evidence of God in our experience. There dwells within every mortal a "light" that can only be perceived through the ministry of spirit:

(1:3.3) "The spiritual luminosity of the Father's personal presence is a "light which no mortal man can approach; which no material creature has seen or can see." But it is not necessary to see God with the eyes of the flesh in order to discern him by the faith-vision of the spiritualized mind."

(107:4.5) "There is a characteristic light, a spirit luminosity, which accompanies this divine presence, and which has become generally associated with Thought Adjusters. In the universe of Nebadon this Paradise luminosity is widespreadly known as the "pilot light"; on Uversa it is called the "light of life." On Urantia this phenomenon has sometimes been referred to as that 'true light which lights every man who comes into the world.'"

So, I would say that while God certainly does pervade that darkness that we see with our physical eyes, he cannot be defined as that darkness alone; he is also a luminous presence - within AND without - that can only be "seen" with the anointed eyes of faith.

Thanks for this most interesting question.

Labels: darkness, faith, God, light, physical senses, The Urantia Book, universe

Permalink

What does the Urantia Book say about the search for 'real' religion, and how can I know when I've found it?

Q: I am always searching for the right religion or spiritual practice to believe in. This feels like a never-ending quest, and it's very tiring! Spiritual writings seem to tell us that we will find peace when we find truth, but I am not at peace - even when I read the Urantia Book. What does the Urantia Book say about the search for 'real' religion, and how can I know when I've found it?

A: It sounds like you have not read quite enough of The Urantia Book yet, if you are still not finding that peace that you are looking for, and also, since you seem not to know what it says about "real religion." Little do you seem to understand that you HAVE found what you need, but there are steps you must make before you can "realize" what you have found.

I would strongly suggest that you read the religion papers, starting HERE. These papers are some of the most inspiring papers, and some of my all-time favorites regarding religion. Read them all carefully, and then, read them again. They go from Paper 99 to Paper 103.

In a nutshell, The Urantia Book's teachings on religion boil down to this: you are indwelt by a fragment of God, and this indwelling Spirit is there to help guide you into a knowledge of God's will, and to help you grow your immortal soul. Your religion is a personal relationship with God, and is manifested and made real by your own personal experience with God.

You will not find it from without, but you WILL find it by going within and establishing that personal relationship with God. You can read the words of spiritual writing all day long, but even the teachings of The Urantia Book will not help you unless, and until, you reach up to God, who is ALL Truth. When you do, he will reciprocate by reaching down to you; you will eventually achieve the peace that you seek when you make that effort. You'll start to find evidence of this "real religion" in your personal experience; it will be meaningful to you, personal and profound.

Some thoughts from the religion papers, referenced above:

"...true religion is the devotion of the self to the service of meaningful and supreme values."

"True religion is to know God as your Father and man as your brother."

"True religion is a wholehearted devotion to some reality which the religionist deems to be of supreme value to himself and for all mankind."

"Since true religion is a matter of personal spiritual experience, it is inevitable that each individual religionist must have his own and personal interpretation of the realization of that spiritual experience."

"...religion is genuine and worth while if it fosters in the individual an experience in which the sovereignty of truth, beauty, and goodness prevails, for such is the true spiritual concept of supreme reality. And through love and worship this becomes meaningful as fellowship with man and sonship with God."

Some other helpful quotes: Click on the links to open the text.

(2:6.1) "In the physical universe we may see the divine beauty, in the intellectual world we may discern eternal truth, but the goodness of God is found only in the spiritual world of personal religious experience. In its true essence, religion is a faith-trust in the goodness of God. God could be great and absolute, somehow even intelligent and personal, in philosophy, but in religion God must also be moral; he must be good. Man might fear a great God, but he trusts and loves only a good God. This goodness of God is a part of the personality of God, and its full revelation appears only in the personal religious experience of the believing sons of God."

(5:4.2) "The great and immediate service of true religion is the establishment of an enduring unity in human experience, a lasting peace and a profound assurance."

I could go on, but it is up to you to make the effort now. Persevere in your quest for God - it is the most satisfying journey you will ever make. Once you begin to have that personal spiritual experience for yourself, you will find a real religion you can believe in and the inner peace that you seek. The Urantia Book will give you the tools, but you have to do the work with those tools - so keep reading, and don't give up!

Labels: inner peace, religion, seeking, The Urantia Book, truth

Permalink

Why do some people have a clearer concept of God than others?

Q: You asked: Why do some people, even children, regardless of religion, have a clearer concept of God, Jesus' teaching and religion than others?

A: I think it is interesting that you mention children as having a clearer concept of God. I have found that to be true as well. I've always thought that it could have something to do with the fact that they have more recently been with him, and have not yet "learned" to forget about him. Sometimes, as we grow up, we get so involved with life and all the distractions of life that we lose sight of our need for God, for Jesus, for religion....

Jesus loved children, and he was always fond of saying that we had to become as little children to really enter the Kingdom. Children are naturally trusting, naturally optimistic, and naturally hopeful, until they are taught otherwise. And so, it is these kinds of qualities that help a person gain a clearer concept of God.

Those who are less trusting, and more pessimistic will not make as much progress because they lack the child-like attributes. Remember, it is that parent/child relationship with God that is so important, and so we have to learn how to become like a trusting child again to really know God as he wants to be known - as our loving Spirit Father. Some people understand this - some do not.

Also, there is the matter of desire. A person who sincerely desires to know God will naturally find more of him in their personal experience. Those who see no need for God - those who are satisfied and happy with themselves - will naturally not take the trouble to really look for him. But anyone who sincerely seeks God WILL find him. This is true of any kind of religious pursuit, whether it is God, Jesus or religion in general. It is always a case of "seek, and ye shall find..." And the opposite of that is "if you don't seek, you won't find..." It seems to me that is usually the sincere seekers that have the best experiences of God.

Thanks for this question. I hope my answer has been helpful to you.

Labels: children, God, Jesus, trust

Permalink

Sunday, September 27, 2009

How can I know Urantia book is not a temptation from the devil...?

Q: How can I know Urantia book is not a temptation from the devil or some evil forces? I am a Catholic I was told this is the only religion.

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook, a site dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book.

When we hold the beliefs of some particular religion, we can become frightened into thinking that any deviation from that theology is dangerous; it is then natural that we look upon anything new as suspect - even evil - and to be avoided. This can be true even though our inner spirit may testify to us that we have found something quite wonderful. Fear can hold us back from embracing new truth.

How do we know that The Urantia Book is not of the devil or from other "evil forces?"

Knowledge is power - one of the best features of The Urantia Book is a complete and factual exploration of Lucifer, Satan, and various other evil personalities who have so negatively impacted our planet. The expose is anything but favorable for them. If The Urantia Book was meant to tempt someone into sympathy for these beings, it could be considered a failure in that regard...

However, the overwhelming teachings of The Urantia Book surround the fact that man is a child of God and is a valued member of the family of this loving Father-God. In addition, one of the cornerstone teachings of The Urantia Book is that you carry a part of God himself within your mind, which forever ennobles you as a being of eternal status whose destiny is to one day reunite with that Source of all goodness on Paradise. One of the functions of this Divine fragment is to guide you into a knowledge of God's will, and to help you to develop an immortal soul. This concept can hardly be considered a temptation of the devil, for the devil does not lead men to God.

Your question might have been sent from any number of people who have been told that their religion is "the only religion." Reason tells us that not all of these claims can be correct.

Is there only one true religion? The Urantia Book states:

(143:7.2) "True religion is the act of an individual soul in its self-conscious relations with the Creator; organized religion is man's attempt to socialize the worship of individual religionists."

Now, if that was the extent of organized religion's attempts to reach the truth-seeker, there would be no conflict, but often, the organization also teaches retribution of some sort if the faithful person should question or abandon this teaching. This retribution is usually in the form of eternal damnation. This could be the source of your uneasiness about any other teaching being of a possibly "evil" source.

Any serious study of The Urantia Book will deliver you from these kinds of fears. You harbor within yourself an unerring guide for discerning truth. It is the Spirit that Jesus sent when he left the earth - the promised helper and Comforter. To be safe, always approach any study of a religious text with a prayer for discernment, asking that Jesus be your guide. In this way, you can't ever be "tempted" into a false belief, for Jesus will ever be faithful to your trust in him. Fear not..." Divine truth is best known by its spiritual flavor."

While the teachings of The Urantia Book do not promote any particular church as superior to any other, an affiliation with a God-centered church is entirely compatible with a belief in Urantia Book concepts. Many Urantia Book readers are practicing Catholics; however, the truthseeker must know that the only "true" religion is in the realm of personal spiritual experience, and this is the only religion that Jesus ever taught.

I suggest that you read Jesus' Discourses on True Religion HERE

In this section we learn that:

"Jesus made it clear that the great difference between the religion of the mind and the religion of the spirit is that, while the former is upheld by ecclesiastical authority, the latter is wholly based on human experience."

The Catholic Church, along with many other organized and institutionalized religions, constitutes a religion of the mind - a religion of authority. From this information, and after reading the above Discourses of Jesus, you should be able to form a personally meaningful resolution to the issue regarding the exclusive truth claimed by the Catholic Church.

You may remember that Jesus himself was accused of being in league with the devil during his ministry by people who were desperate to discredit him. His ideas were so revolutionary because they threatened the authority of the religious institutions of his time - so much so, that they eventually murdered him for espousing these liberating ideas to the people. Why? Because the religion of the spirit - true religion - forever leaves the individual religionist free to embrace the truth wherever s/he may find it;

"...true religion is delivered from the custody of priests and all sacred classes and finds its real manifestation in the individual souls of men."

Jesus' teachings are revolutionary today, too. The religion of Jesus still threatens the religions of authority, and sometimes people dismiss it out of fear of some imagined retribution because of what they have been told. The only real proof that you will ever be able to find about any truth is to use your own discernment to separate fact from fantasy. If you can suspend your fears and open your mind, you will find your sincere search for truth rewarded.

Finally, I leave you with this encouraging passage regarding God, and religion:

(2:6.1) "In the physical universe we may see the divine beauty, in the intellectual world we may discern eternal truth, but the goodness of God is found only in the spiritual world of personal religious experience. In its true essence, religion is a faith-trust in the goodness of God. God could be great and absolute, somehow even intelligent and personal, in philosophy, but in religion God must also be moral; he must be good. Man might fear a great God, but he trusts and loves only a good God. This goodness of God is a part of the personality of God, and its full revelation appears only in the personal religious experience of the believing sons of God."

Thanks again for writing. I hope this answer has been of help to you.

Labels: Catholicism, God, Jesus, organized religion, religion, spiritual experience, the devil, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Who is the author of this book? When was this book written? Who found this book?

Q: Who is the author of this book? When was this book written? Who found this book?

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.

To give you an immediate answer: The authors of The Urantia Book are numerous celestial personalities. The book was delivered to humanity through a lengthy process of questions and answers in the early years of the 20th century, and completed in book form in 1955. This book has been found by thousands of people over the years, even though it is not promoted or marketed as other books are; you are one who has found it, and we hope that you will visit our site and explore the matchless teachings of The Urantia Book for yourself. Only an honest exploration of its contents will reveal to you its treasure.

For more detailed information regarding your questions, I am referring you to THIS SECTION of our site, which will give you several other versions of answers to your questions. I would also suggest that you visit our FAQ section HERE, where you will find numerous other questions and answers regarding origins and content.

Please write back should you have other questions - and thanks again for your interest in The Urantia Book.

Labels: authorship, origins, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Monthly Archives - Previous Articles
October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009

RSS Feed

The Urantia Book : Pictures of Jesus : Angel Pictures: Inspirational Quotes : Life After Death : Story of Jesus : Truthbook.com : Urantia : The Urantia Book