Spiritual Advice and Guidance Blog: Urantia Book

Q: How do you move on when surrounded by circumstances which reminds you of a past life?

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook.com. We are always happy to try and assist our friends with their concerns, if we can...

Your question may have to do with either a kind of life which you led in your present life on this earth, and no longer lead - or, I am wondering if you are asking about a past life, as in reincarnation...?

Moving forward in a new kind of life, after renouncing a kind of life that we no longer wish to lead can be a challenge. And here, I am going to assume that you want to move forward in a spiritual, or moral sense. (I apologize if this is not correct.) When once we decide to adopt a better way of living, we are always faced with the remnants of the old life. It can take time to implement the new behaviors - to replace old habits with new and better ones. On this subject, Jesus teaches:

"Forewarn all believers regarding the fringe of conflict which must be traversed by all who pass from the life as it is lived in the flesh to the higher life as it is lived in the spirit. To those who live quite wholly within either realm, there is little conflict or confusion, but all are doomed to experience more or less uncertainty during the times of transition between the two levels of living. In entering the kingdom, you cannot escape its responsibilities or avoid its obligations, but remember: The gospel yoke is easy and the burden of truth is light." (159:3.7)

With determination and perseverance, the old patterns gradually fade, as we increasingly experience the joys and satisfactions of the newer and better ways. Success breeds success, and so one has to just keep reinforcing that success by living one's inner truth, and staying close to God. The circumstances of the old ways can be a hindrance at first - we can be surrounded by the reminders of the way we used to live; but in time, all of that will fade if we remain true to our desire to be better and do better. Don't lose faith. God will help you to overcome even the most difficult circumstances if you are sincere in your desires.

If your question is regarding your belief that you had a previous life in another reincarnation, I would have to advise you that your belief may need a revision. Reincarnation is a belief that many hold. I also had this belief at one time, but I no longer believe it to be true.

Jesus taught that reincarnation is not true. What IS true is that, rather than reincarnating on this planet again and again, we are resurrected into the new life of the Father's ascension plan after our death. In this new life, we do experience many "translations," rising ever higher, from mortal to spirit status, but the life that we experience here on earth is our one and only life in the flesh. It is the "vale of soul-making." Once we die here, we are never doomed to have to repeat the earthly life, but the soul that was created here is an entity of eternal value and will more forward. .

I find this teaching far more attractive and believable than reincarnation, which seems to me to be quite a dismal proposition, especially since our world is such a dark world, torn by rebellion and tainted by sin. The Father's plan provides an endless journey to true "enlightenment."

I hope that this reply has addressed your question. Please write back if it has not, or if you have any other questions. And thanks again for writing to us.

Labels: ascension scheme, change, God, Jesus, progress, reincarnation

Permalink

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A sincere inquiry from a Sikh religionist...

Q: Hope this mail of mine finds you in the very best of health and happiness. Can you please explain to me what this Urantia Book is all about? What is the history of this book? And another thing: your site's name is Truthbook.com, so according to this title you have to cover every subject - not only about Jesus. I have studied more than this site about Jesus; he was a nothing but the reincarnation of the Lords, ok? So try to cover all the subjects apart from Jesus...

A: I see by your name that you are a Sikh, that you've sent to us an attractive document on the beliefs of Hinduism, and that the belief in reincarnation is a major factor in your belief system. We honor your beliefs and recognize them as a force for good in the world -- may God be with you.

Can I explain to you what The Urantia Book is all about? No, I'm sorry I cannot. It is a revelation and a cosmology; it contains 196 chapters and over a million words, chapters that focus on the nature of God, on the creation of the knowable universe, on the creation of life in that universe, on the evolution of the material universe, on the implantation of life and how it has progressed on this planet, how mankind has evolved and evolved his civilizations, societies, cultures, how God reaches down to make contact as mankind reaches up for that same contact. It gives a history of the world from the perspective of the angels and other beings who have been here over these past millions of years. It is non-sectarian and doesn't espouse any religion. So -- no, I cannot explain what The Urantia Book is all about -- however, it is written just to you, just as it is written just to me, and the only way you can possibly know what it is all about is by reading it for yourself. It's a personal journey and revelation -- a revelation intended just for you and not for me to interpret for you.

So yes, you're right, our site is named Truthbook.com and according to this title this book would have to cover every aspect, not only about Jesus -- and it does just that. The Urantia Book, a revelation for humanity notwithstanding one's religion, culture, race, gender, level of education, social position -- contains what we as human beings need to know in order to become cosmic citizens in an intelligent and friendly universe that teems with intelligent life.

Do you need to read this book? There are no requirements -- it's there if you have questions regarding your life and its true meaning, why and how you as a person were born, where you will go when this life is over, what your ultimate destiny as a creature of free will will be.... or if you have questions regarding the material universe, science, physics, geology, anthropology, or an interest in philosophy, that link between the material and the spiritual. The Urantia Book covers all of this in great detail -- it's an education from top to bottom in cosmic citizenry. If you're satisfied with what you've learned already through your education and through your religion then why spend the time and effort to learn more? But if you still have some lingering questions, if there's still a flicker of wonder at the world about you, if you just have an insatiable desire to know more... as many people do... then you will be delighted, awed, enthralled, uplifted, shaken, challenged, reborn through your association with this book. It is an epochal revelation -- no one reads it with an open and inquiring mind who is not shaken by the encounter. Its study is truly an uplifting, life-altering experience.

I understand your deep conviction to your religion and the teachings of reincarnation. In my youth as a seeker I studied Buddhism, Hinduism, the Hindu religion and Hindu philosophy. I believed I had lived past lives and that I had many more before me and I believed it with all my heart. That's no longer the case -- the teachings of The Urantia Book provide an explanation for life and the meaning of religion in that life that not only transcends the religions of the world, it offers instead a more logical, more meaningful, more enlightened explanation for the progression of life than any earthly religion has yet to offer, including the theory of reincarnation. Should you choose to study this book you will find that it will not rip out beliefs you already hold dear, it will instead supplant them with a deeper way of understanding those beliefs, a way for you to modify and adjust your thinking that is expansive and uplifting. Your Hindu and Sikh beliefs will be fortified and enhanced. There are many readers of The Urantia Book in India, just as there are in all countries. They come from all belief systems and from having had no belief to begin with. Clergy, priests, nuns, ministers, rabbis, monks... practitioners of all forms of religion have discovered that the teachings of The Urantia Book augment and uplift their belief.

I can understand your resistance to teachings aimed specifically at Jesus, particularly since the Hindu religion recognizes so many truly holy men. What it is you're resisting is not Jesus but it is the version of Jesus that the Christian Church has promoted, projected, and forced into the psyches of the peoples of the world. The Jesus of The Urantia Book is Jesus before Paul and the Christian Church took hold of his life and message and turned it into a world religion about Jesus, rather than promoting the religion of Jesus. If you have an interest in learning just why Jesus lived a life among us, what his mission was, what his true teachings were, how they apply to all people of all cultures and to all religions then you will want to read about the true Jesus disclosed by the angels who were present with him during his earth life here.

In any case and for whatever reason, you've stumbled upon something that's much bigger and much more grand than you have any idea of at this moment and that's usually for a purpose. So why not follow that leading -- begin to study. If you feel compelled to resist or reject the teachings then write back and let us know why - we're here to listen. You can read on-line and listen to the words being spoken as you read along -- to begin go here.

Best wishes, and thank you for writing. Feel free to write back at any time.

Labels: cosmology, Hinduism, history, Jesus, reincarnation, revelation, Sikhism, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Your website is good, but you're promoting only Jesus. Why ???

Q: Your website is good, but you're promoting only Jesus. Why ???

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com and we're pleased you appreciate our website. You asked why are we promoting only Jesus. Our site promotes all the teachings of The Urantia Book and we emphasize especially the teachings of Jesus as they're given in The Urantia Book.

The Urantia Book proclaims itself to be a revelation of truth of epochal, world-wide, significance, the fifth such epochal revelation to have been given to the world. The life and teachings of Jesus constitute the fourth epochal revelation of truth and those teachings are recounted in a separate section of this book (see link) for the purpose of placing his life and teachings in their proper perspective.

Jesus was a real person, living a real life, teaching new revelatory concepts. The message of his life and his teachings has been submerged under the mantle of the Christian religion. Jesus wasn't a Christian -- the example of his life and the focus of his teachings were intended for all humanity, for all religions and even for those without religion. The restatement of Jesus' life and teachings in Part 4 of The Urantia Book is intended to elevate Jesus above the confines of one religion and to make him understandable and available to all, not just from a Christian perspective.

Please spend a bit more time at our site... you'll see that we don't promote only Jesus. The historical context of The Urantia Book includes the history of humanity before the time of Adam and Eve, it explains Adam and Eve and the evolution of culture and civilization down to the arrival of Melchizedek, 2000 years before Jesus. It describes the peoples of India, China, Eurasia and how the races mingled, how and why religion is meaningful. It describes the nature of God, the creation of the cosmos, how stars are formed how planets evolve. We have all of this on our site along with spiritual studies, questions and answers, videos, audio clips, discussions, pictures... all focusing on these various aspects of the teachings from this most marvelous of books, this revelation for humanity.

Yes, The Urantia Book does elevate Jesus but it also speaks of Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, Lao-Tse, and many other historical figures -- speaks of them from a perspective never before encountered. If you have an open and curious mind you'll be confronted with ideas you've never considered before so please feel free to browse.

May I also recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book. The "subscribe" link is underneath the image.

Best wishes, thank you for writing and feel free to do so again at any time.

Labels: history, Jesus, revelation, teachings of Jesus, The Urantia Book

Permalink

...how come the whole world doesn't know more about this book?

Q: The Urantia Book has given me a lot, now after reading it and re reading it I have learned and understood a lot of concepts, I know there are still millions of things to understand, but how come the whole world doesn't know more about this book? I think things would be easier here in this planet if this book could become public knowledge, and follow all those magnificent words that Jesus Christ said. To be honest I don't like the way things are developing right now: wars, crime, violence, no values, intolerance, and it seems nobody cares.

A: How come the whole world doesn't know about this book? For several reasons I think, the first being a policy of non-promotion that was pervasive from the time of publication in 1955 until the 1990s when the internet took hold.

Many of the early readers thought the book should only be spread through word of mouth, from person to person. The book itself is another reason -- it's written in a style that speaks to introspective and thinking people and not particularly to the general reading public. General readers prefer their inspiration coated in fluff that's easy to digest and The Urantia Book is unequivocal in relating its message. And another reason may be that The Urantia Book is a personal - not a group - revelation; it's written for the person holding it on their lap, reading its words -- that's about the only way the revelation is disclosed and transmitted... from the ink on the page to the mind of the reader. I can fill the mind of someone else with all the cool, unique, fascinating facts the book contains and it just becomes a bunch of interesting stuff. I can't transmit the revelatory nature of its message. That only comes from putting in the time and effort required to read the book for oneself. Lots of people think they know all about The Urantia Book but unless they've actually read it for themselves they really don't.

We all wish for peace and tranquility here -- but wishing accomplishes nothing. The Urantia Book makes it clear that the only way true peace and tranquility will come is through the teachings of Jesus infusing the hearts and minds of the world's inhabitants. To do that the true teachings of Jesus need to be removed from the hold on them that Christianity imposes - to be freed for all religions and all people - separate from religious dogma.

We have a study titled "War and Peace" in the Spiritual Studies category... you can go to it here... that condenses the teachings of The Urantia Book on this topic, discussing the value and tragedy of war and how to get past it; it may be of some help to you.

Labels: Jesus, peace, teachings of Jesus, The Urantia Book, war

Permalink

Are there consequences for past sin, even after accepting sonship with God?

Q: Are there consequences for past sin, even after accepting sonship with God?

A: Thanks for your note to Truthbook.com.

There are always consequences associated with sin, whether one has accepted sonship with God or not. Faith-sons of God are capable of sin, and even faith-sons of God suffer consequences of such sin. Whether the sin was committed before realization of sonship, or after, sin is still sin, and its consequences are inevitable.

If a person has no consciousness of being deliberately sinful, then what may appear to be sinful may not be in reality, but that is not for us to judge...

However, you ask about "past sin," which makes me think you are asking about some kind of "original sin," or inherited sin...

There are no such things as either inherited sin or original sin. The Urantia Book clearly helps us to understand the true nature of sin. Please read HERE, where we learn that sin is deliberate disloyalty to God. We also learn in this passage about God's forgiveness of sin.

Finally, you may get even more understanding of this subject through this passage spoken by Jesus;

Then Jesus made this final statement: "The Father in heaven does not willingly afflict the children of men. Man suffers, first, from the accidents of time and the imperfections of the evil of an immature physical existence. Next, he suffers the inexorable consequences of sinâ€”the transgression of the laws of life and light. And finally, man reaps the harvest of his own iniquitous persistence in rebellion against the righteous rule of heaven on earth. But man's miseries are not a personal visitation of divine judgment. Man can, and will, do much to lessen his temporal sufferings. But once and for all be delivered from the superstition that God afflicts man at the behest of the evil one. Study the Book of Job just to discover how many wrong ideas of God even good men may honestly entertain; and then note how even the painfully afflicted Job found the God of comfort and salvation in spite of such erroneous teachings. At last his faith pierced the clouds of suffering to discern the light of life pouring forth from the Father as healing mercy and everlasting righteousness." (148:6.11)

Thanks for writing to us, and I hope this answer has been of help to you...

Labels: forgiveness, God, Jesus, sonship, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, November 05, 2009

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

My heart is broken by the wickedness and betrayals of my fellow beings...

Q: My heart is broken by the wickedness and betrayals of my fellow beings, how to heal? and furthermore, to love and trust them?

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

I hear a lot of sorrow in your note. I am sorry to hear that you have experienced such problems in your relationships with others. Regarding betrayal, The Urantia Book says that "of all forms of evil, none are more destructive of personality status than betrayal of trust and disloyalty to one's confiding friends." So, it is little wonder that you have been so affected by this loss of trust.

Jesus once spoke of this very thing in this passage:

(149:6.12) "Well did the Prophet Jeremiah describe many mortals when he said: `You are near God in the mouth but far from him in the heart.' And have you not also read that direful warning of the prophet who said: `The priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money. At the same time they profess piety and proclaim that the Lord is with them.' Have you not been well warned against those who `speak peace to their neighbors when mischief is in their hearts,' those who `flatter with the lips while the heart is given to double-dealing'? Of all the sorrows of a trusting man, none is so terrible as to be `wounded in the house of a trusted friend.'"

And of course, we know that Jesus, too, experienced betrayal in his life from his trusted apostle, Judas.

How to heal from such a thing? Learning to forgive is a vital part of living a happy life. Even when we have every reason to nurse a grudge, or fan the flames of anger against another, it is always better to practice forgiveness towards those who have wronged us. And this practice will bring healing to your soul. It is not always easy to forgive, but as we do it, we will also be forgiven for our own misdeeds. We all crave forgiveness when we have done wrong, so we must also be willing to give it to others. Our heavenly Father is always willing to forgive:

(146:2.4) The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men. God's forgiveness in fact is not conditioned upon your forgiving your fellows, but in experience it is exactly so conditioned. And this fact of the synchrony of divine and human forgiveness was thus recognized and linked together in the prayer which Jesus taught the apostles.

Of course, that prayer is "The Lord's Prayer," which may help you to come to that place where you can forgive. It is worth the effort.

Jesus was fond of using Scripture in his ministry. Here is a passage that he used more than once. I hope it will comfort you:

(126:4.2) "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to set the spiritual prisoners free; to proclaim the year of God's favor and the day of our God's reckoning; to comfort all mourners, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy in the place of mourning, a song of praise instead of the spirit of sorrow, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, wherewith he may be glorified.

As for loving and trusting people who once betrayed you, that will be a process in which the offending parties will have to earn your good graces again. You can love and forgive by an act of the will, and because it is the right thing to do, but learning to trust may take some time, and trust should not be given until it has been earned. In the meantime, you can safely place your trust in God, who is always faithful.

Thanks again for writing to us. Please consider signing up for our free service -Quote of the Day - which will deliver a message of hope and inspiration each day from the matchless teachings of The Urantia Book.

Labels: betrayal, forgiveness, Jesus, Judas, relationship, Sorrow, The Lord's Prayer, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Monday, September 14, 2009

I am facing lots of problems. I need someone who can hear me.

Q: At this phase of life I am facing lots of problems. I need someone who can hear me.

A: Thanks for writing to us here at Truthbook.com.

I am sorry to hear that you are facing so many troubles right now. I think that all of us go through times where it seems that nothing is going right, and we just feel overwhelmed with it all.

And of course, one of the most valuable things to have in this life is someone who will be on our side, who will be with us no matter what, who believes in us, and most of all - someone who will LISTEN to us and actually HEAR what we are saying. The human heart longs for expression.

Ideally, you would be able to find a friend or family member who you would trust with your innermost thought and feelings; maybe that is part of your dilemma these days; maybe you feel misunderstood. Maybe your problems are just so severe, you have a hard time even putting them into words?

When we are having trouble finding what we need most - when our deepest expressions go unheard - when the company of our fellows is just not enough - the teachings of The Urantia Book help us to bridge the gap.

It might comfort you to know that Jesus himself experienced the very human feelings that you expressed in your note. He was in the middle of terrible trouble; he had no one who really understood him, no one to talk to; he felt alone; he suffered, in a very human way, all of these difficulties.

I would like to share a short story from the Life and Teachings of Jesus; this is the scene of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before his arrest:

(182:3.9) Jesus' heart was being crushed; he truly loved his brethren. He was isolated from his family in the flesh; one of his chosen associates was betraying him. His father Joseph's people had rejected him and thereby sealed their doom as a people with a special mission on earth. His soul was tortured by baffled love and rejected mercy. It was just one of those awful human moments when everything seems to bear down with crushing cruelty and terrible agony.

Jesus' humanity was not insensible to this situation of private loneliness, public shame, and the appearance of the failure of his cause. All these sentiments bore down on him with indescribable heaviness. In this great sorrow his mind went back to the days of his childhood in Nazareth and to his early work in Galilee. At the time of this great trial there came up in his mind many of those pleasant scenes of his earthly ministry. And it was from these old memories of Nazareth, Capernaum, Mount Hermon, and of the sunrise and sunset on the shimmering Sea of Galilee, that he soothed himself as he made his human heart strong and ready...

This was how Jesus managed to rise above one the most terrible times anyone could experience, and maybe in it, you'll find a way to help yourself, too, in the short-term. Even the memory of something as ordinary as a beautiful sunset was enough to lift the spirits of the Master. Abandon your cares for a moment; look for some beauty in your life; think on happier times for awhile.

Jesus always practiced communion with God as a way to find all the answers to the problems of life that he encountered; and there were many. He would often go apart by himself and talk to God in prayer. Here is one way for you to begin to solve your problems in the long-term. It is what Jesus taught:

(146:2.4) 3. By opening the human end of the channel of the God-man communication, mortals make immediately available the ever-flowing stream of divine ministry to the creatures of the worlds. When man hears God's spirit speak within the human heart, inherent in such an experience is the fact that God simultaneously hears that man's prayer.

You can read Jesus' entire discourse about prayer HERE

So, even if you lack a human source of the "listening ear," you can still do as Jesus did, and turn to your Father in Heaven. You can be of good cheer, for you are never alone in this life, as you carry God within your mind, so he is always as close as a thought, a longing, a prayer...with continued practice, you'll become more and more able to find him, and he will become your closest confidante. God wants to be your all, and he will eventually supply all that you need to overcome your problems, when you turn to him with an open heart. He knows you better than you know yourself...

Thanks again for writing to us. I hope that you begin feeling better very soon.

Labels: beauty, God within, happiness, Jesus, listening, prayer, problems

Permalink

I am searching for peace everywhere but still, I never get it...

Q: Hello Brother, I am searching for peace everywhere but still, I never get it. How can I and how will I receive it?

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com.

You are not alone in your search for peace. Just look around you - read the news, watch the TV, look into the eyes of your fellow men. All of us long for peace in this world filled with unrest.

Peace in the outer world will come only after the need for war is ended. World peace will only come when mankind stops fighting for power and supremacy over his fellow men. The Urantia Book offers a unique perspective on peace. I invite you to have a look at our topical study on Peace HERE.

But I sense that you are looking for a different kind of peace - inner peace - peace of mind...

Again, The Urantia Book, and most especially the teachings of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, offers any individual the means by which they can secure this kind of peace for themselves. The Urantia Book offers us the assurance of cosmic citizenship in the family of God, and the knowledge that we have a high and noble purpose for living. The religion of Jesus offers inner peace of the highest order.

(194:3.3) To Jesus, mortal life had dealt its hardest, cruelest, and bitterest blows; and this man met these ministrations of despair with faith, courage, and the unswerving determination to do his Father's will. Jesus met life in all its terrible reality and mastered itâ€”even in death. He did not use religion as a release from life. The religion of Jesus does not seek to escape this life in order to enjoy the waiting bliss of another existence. The religion of Jesus provides the joy and peace of another and spiritual existence to enhance and ennoble the life which men now live in the flesh.

When we search for this kind of peace, we have to go no further than our own inner lives.

Here are some practical suggestions for finding inner peace from The Urantia Book:

(111:5.4) Peace in this life, survival in death, perfection in the next life, service in eternityâ€”all these are achieved (in spirit) now when the creature personality consentsâ€”choosesâ€”to subject the creature will to the Father's will.

(100:4.3) Spiritual growth yields lasting joy, peace which passes all understanding.

(100:6.6) One of the most amazing earmarks of religious living is that dynamic and sublime peace, that peace which passes all human understanding, that cosmic poise which betokens the absence of all doubt and turmoil. Such levels of spiritual stability are immune to disappointment. Such religionists are like the Apostle Paul, who said: "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else shall be able to separate us from the love of God."

(101:8.4) Faith vitalizes religion and constrains the religionist heroically to live the golden rule. The zeal of faith is according to knowledge, and its strivings are the preludes to sublime peace.

(160:5.10) ...But are we willing to pay the price of this entrance into the kingdom of heaven? Are we willing to be born again? to be remade? Are we willing to be subject to this terrible and testing process of self-destruction and soul reconstruction? Has not the Master said: "Whoso would save his life must lose it. Think not that I have come to bring peace but rather a soul struggle"? True, after we pay the price of dedication to the Father's will, we do experience great peace provided we continue to walk in these spiritual paths of consecrated living.

You can see that dedicated religious living is the only sure way to secure inner peace; and it is not always easy to find. But the search is well worth the effort. Jesus said:

(157:2.2) "It is not the purpose of true religion merely to bring peace but rather to insure progress. And there can be no peace in the heart or progress in the mind unless you fall wholeheartedly in love with truth, the ideals of eternal realities. The issues of life and death are being set before youâ€”the sinful pleasures of time against the righteous realities of eternity. Even now you should begin to find deliverance from the bondage of fear and doubt as you enter upon the living of the new life of faith and hope. And when the feelings of service for your fellow men arise within your soul, do not stifle them; when the emotions of love for your neighbor well up within your heart, give expression to such urges of affection in intelligent ministry to the real needs of your fellows."

The above quotes are but a tiny part of the revelation that is contained in The Urantia Book. Please click on any of the links to expand the quote and read more. I recommend that you visit our site often, and get to know The Urantia Book. One good way to start is to subscribe to our free service - Quote of the Day - which will deliver to your inbox a daily inspirational quote. In addition, there are many features on our site that will offer you great hope and encouragement to live your best spiritual life. And it is only that inner spiritual life that can ever deliver true and lasting peace. If more of us concentrated our efforts towards this kind of inner peace, outer peace would soon follow.

Finally, HERE is a selection of some of the best practical advice on living in the words of Jesus. Following this advice will contribute mightily to your success in finding the peace you seek.

Thanks again for writing, and best wishes...

Labels: faith, Jesus, peace, religious living, The Urantia Book, world peace

Permalink

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Stop using the Name of Jesus to deceive people...

Q: After browsing through your Urantia website for an hour or so, I feel compelled to write that your organization is merely using highly philosophical, theological, and religious language to cover up what is essentially a liberal approach to Christianity, albeit combined with speculative cosmology about the existence of so-called intelligent cosmic beings.

I believe that you should stop using the historical and revelatory Christian faith to be your launching pad for speculative and fanciful spiritual theologising....say what you really believe...your evolutionary perspective is truly at odds with historical and evangelical Christianity.

...stop using the Name of Jesus, who is the King of kings, and Lord of Lords, and not some Christ Michael incarnate on this earth, to deceive people into believing that you are leading people to the truth. The Bible is very clear in this respect in 1 John 5:12:

"He who has the Son of God (the Second Person of the Trinity, who became both God and Man at his incarnation on this earth as in John 1:14) has the life ('zoe' in Greek); he does not have the Son of God does not have the life."

A: Thank you for your post to Truthbook.com... we always appreciate hearing from those who have discovered our website. I'll reply to your comments as I read down through your note.

You've judged a book by its cover. I'll give you the benefit for having browsed our site for an hour or so; we get many appraisals of what we're all about from people who've spent far less time than that before thinking they've got the full picture and can offer meaningful criticism.

First, we are "merely" nothing, especially not a liberal approach to Christianity. What we are is a website that promotes the teachings found in one specific book and we promote those teachings because, unlike the majority of our critics, individually, without coercion, with an inquiring and open mind, we have actually read the book and made an informed decision regarding its purpose and content and meaningfulness to our lives. Once having started down that path, eventually we may choose to look for like-minded people who have also read this marvelous and tremendous book â€“ that's how this and other Urantia websites were established.

We are not merely using highly philosophical, theological, and religious language; The Urantia Book portrays what are perhaps the highest philosophical, theological, and religious ideals ever expressed in English. To convey those concepts requires exceptional usage and you were at least aware of that aspect in what you read.

You've given us too much credit. No human or organization is responsible for the words of The Urantia Book. A human organization was responsible for getting the Urantia material printed of course but no human is connected with the material itself other than in 1955 being responsible for spelling and punctuation. Because you've spent an hour or so perusing a website rather than the months or so required to actually read the million and a half words of text of the greatest revelation disclosed to the world in over 2,000 years, there's no way you would have recognized that The Urantia Book contains the best in human thought magnified by the wisdom of far greater intelligence than humans exhibit. There is no way we can be responsible for ceasing, as you requested, to use the historical and revelatory Christian faith as a launching pad for speculative and fanciful spiritual theologizing; that's how it's portrayed by the words of the book. If you delve deeper into this material you will understand that The Urantia Book is not promoting any organized religion, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, pagan, or New Age.

You've suggested that we're perpetrating a dishonesty, not being open or declaring in plain language what we really believe. Maybe you can explain yourself better or give an example but that's not so at all; there's no way we could be more up-front in our opinion or the material we promote.

You are absolutely correct in saying that the evolutionary perspective of The Urantia book is truly at odds with historical and evangelical Christianity. We are not proponents of historical or evangelical Christianity nor do we portray ourselves to be. The Urantia Book is not a Christian document in the sense you're thinking of. The Urantia Book clearly teaches us the true nature and purpose of Jesus. Jesus does not belong to Christianity; it is supposed to be the other way around.

Your suggested prohibition against using the name of Jesus because The Urantia Book is not the Bible we've received before. I'll be perfectly clear: The Urantia Book is not the Bible. In stating that Jesus is not some Christ Michael incarnated on this earth you've objected to something for which you have no understanding. Obviously the Bible doesn't contain that information and so you reason that your objection is valid... what if Jesus was known as Michael before incarnating here? What if that was true? What if it is time for new wine to displace that in the old wine skins? How would you know? How will you know Truth? Certainly not by dismissing a book by its cover, or through a cursory glance.

As an example, in our exchange here, if this were 2,000 years ago, what you've essentially done is walked by a gathering at the roadside on your way to some destination and as you passed you've caught the turn of a phrase and the whisper of an unfamiliar idea. Continuing on your way you've mulled over what you heard with a bit of humor and condescension because it didn't correlate with the orthodoxy that you had accepted as Truth. You didn't know and didn't care to know that the speaker you passed by was Jesus; on a spiritual level your brief encounter was meaningless. This is fundamentally what has happened with this one hour critique.

I could give you some masterful quotes from The Urantia Book to back up my reply to you just as you've given some great quotes from the Bible, but I won't. Students of The Urantia Book love and appreciate the Bible for what it is. Most students of The Urantia Book come to have a more profound appreciation of the Bible than they ever had before encountering what you've just stumbled upon and are trying to dismiss.

We're willing to address well thought out and measured criticism regarding the teachings of this little-known book which proclaims itself to be the fifth epochal revelation of truth to the world; it comes to us in book form. Jesus was the fourth epochal revelation of truth to the world; he was a Son of God and the son of man. However, the teachings of The Urantia Book aren't totally devoted to religion or spirituality; those are but two of its numerous revelations. There is no way you, or anyone else can criticize what has been superficially gleaned; howver, reasoned criticism from an in-depth reading will be considered. Are you willing to look deeper? Are you willing to risk discovering truth that may surpass what you already possess?

A study of The Urantia Book takes nothing away from one's knowledge of and love for the Bible, or any other true religious text. There are religious authorities among all the major religious organizations who know, study, and are enthralled by what The Urantia Book discloses. Are you willing to at least dip a few toes in to test the water? You've termed yourself another truth lover; is your love for truth strong enough that you will follow wherever it may lead, whatever may be its apparent source?

There are 197 chapters in The Urantia Book. The first 5 lay the groundwork for an enhanced spiritual connection with God. My suggestion, if you're sincere about a meaningful criticism of The Urantia Book is that you begin by reading Paper 1 and continue on to Paper 5 and then write back from a more informed point of view. I'm not suggesting that you believe anything you read but I do request that you read with an open, inquiring, and critical mind. Take notes as you read if you wish and listen to the text read aloud as you read the words... then come back here and tell me if you've learned anything and what your informed criticism is. I'll be happy to give more attention to your opinion.

Best wishes, and may God be with you.

Labels: Bible, Christianity, God, Jesus, The Urantia Book, truth

Permalink

Saturday, September 05, 2009

GOD or Extraterrestrial?

Q: In every relegion, it is assumed that GOD is in the sky. Whenever believers refer GOD, they point at the sky, Stories of each religion tells that GOD will come from sky to solve our problems. GOD used to come to this earth in our ancient stories in this manner. Now my question is, could GOD could be some ET (extra terrestrial) having more IQ than human on earth, who used to visit earth often in earlier days?.
Hence, whether GOD or ET ?

A: Thank you for your question to Truthbook.com -- we're pleased you discovered our site, a site that focuses on the teachings of The Urantia Book. Your question is not an uncommon one from those who are searching for meaning.

As students of this marvelous book we believe, we're assured, that the universe is filled with intelligent life, the vast majority of it being considerably more intelligent than we human beings. Yet, even so, seldom is there ever contact with those superior physical or spirit beings -- life on this world, as on all others, is designed to develop independently of external influence -- that's why God put it all in motion.

So yes, there are more ET's out there than can be imagined, but no, we don't have contact with them except in a very few rare instances. We have learned from The Urantia Book that beginning about 500,000 years ago the primitive humans of this world did have contact with superior physical and spiritual beings -- we received a planetary prince, a spirit being who was to oversee the continuing evolution and development of the human races, and he and his physical staff did so according to plan for nearly 300,000 years. You can read about (and listen too) the Planetary Prince here. Then, about 200,000 years ago, due to the Lucifer Rebellion, the Planetary Prince defaulted in this mission and was lost to the evolving civilizations, giving rise to many myths, fairy tales, folklore and legends that continue to this day. A little less than 40,000 years ago we received a pair of biologic uplifters, Adam and Eve, whose purpose was to improve human genetics and whose mission was to have continued on for eons into the future, failed after a couple of hundred years, also due to the effects of the Lucifer Rebellion and also giving rise to more of the myths and legends we still encounter. About 4,000 years ago we received another celestial visitor, Machiventa Melchizedek, whose material visitation with Abraham of about 100 years duration is briefly mentioned in the Old Testament and a few other writings. Then 2,000 years ago Jesus was born here, a true celestial visitation that changed the course of world history, as did the previous 3 visitations to a lesser degree. You can read (and listen to) the life and teachings of Jesus, a captivating year by year recitation, beginning here.

God does exist "out there" -- God also exists "in here," inside of you. Partly because of the myths and legends we think mainly of God being "out there" and are prone to substitute ETs for the true and living God the Father. We're a confused and misguided world and the search for truth is a difficult one that is disregarded by so many. God is the first source and center of all things, including all those intelligent ETs -- we just seek to try to make sense of it all and to get our facts straightened out.

May I recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book. To subscribe click on the Quote of the Day link on the left side of our home page and follow the instructions.

Best wishes and may God be with you...

Labels: Adam and Eve, Extra-terrestrials, God, Jesus, Lucifer Rebellion, Melchizedek, planetary prince, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, September 03, 2009

Why was Jesus was born into this world, Urantia, as a 'helpless babe'?

Q: What does it mean when we always read from The Urantia Book that Jesus was born into this world, Urantia, as a 'helpless babe'?

Is it because He was not accompanied by arch-angels and Melchizedeks to help propagate His teachings as Magisterial Son are helped?

Is it because He had to resort to the help of common fishermen and carpenters of His generation to help Him and not on other mighty bestowal Sons who could have upheld His message and teachings in high esteem having a perfect understanding of the kingdom of God themselves?

The brotherhood of men was entrusted to men whom, even after seeing the Morontia Jesus, still dared to entertain thoughts and ideas of a material kingdom. There was certainly going to be a distortion of the good news in the early days since the understanding of these devoted eleven men was not up to expected levels.
The kingdom of course would have been better understood and effectively propagated in the early days if there were other bestowed Divine Sons along with Jesus to help.

A: Jesus bestowed himself seven times in his universe, each time as a citizen of the realm into which he was bestowed. His bestowal on Urantia was certainly to provide a new revelation of the Father to the planet, but as well, it was a necessary thing that he be conceived and born as a normal human being, a "helpless babe," so that he could truly experience the life of that is lived by mortals such as us. If he had come accompanied by celestial helpers, his life would not have been the typical kind of life, and he could not have truly claimed his title of "son of man." No human being has at his or her disposal a vast army of celestial helpers at their instant command...Jesus expressly declined any celestial help. You can read about his bestowals HERE - and specifically about his seventh bestowal (on Urantia ) HERE. Both of these Papers are revealed knowledge that will help any student of Jesus to understand the amazing mission of the Son of God, son of man...when it was finished, Jesus could rightly claim sovereignty over his universe because he had earned that right. And we are the better for it.

Jesus' humanity has long been eclipsed as a result of the evidences of his divinity - the miracles, his dramatic death and resurrection, etc. He was both, but his humanity has never seemed quite as important as his Divinity. This is why The Urantia Book is so important - to show mankind how to live a life dedicated to the will of God, as Jesus' life was. He is truly "one of us." And we can relate to him because of that fact, and identify with him, as he really did live a fully human life.

This is one reason that the apostles may have had problems really getting some of what he said - he was so human, and such a good friend to them. You might imagine how they felt being told that they were in service to a divine Son of God.

(2:0.2) The nature of God can be studied in a revelation of supreme ideas, the divine character can be envisaged as a portrayal of supernal ideals, but the most enlightening and spiritually edifying of all revelations of the divine nature is to be found in the comprehension of the religious life of Jesus of Nazareth, both before and after his attainment of full consciousness of divinity.

This life of Jesus before his full consciousness of divinity comprises quite a lot of years, and is a very important study... how his entire life reflected his one-pointed search for the will of God in all things.

Would the kingdom have been "better understood and effectively propagated in the early days if there were other bestowed Divine Sons along with Jesus to help.?" I am sure it would have, but this was not what a normal human being would have as helpers. Jesus lived the real life of a real human being. And in spite of the fact that his simple message became garbled and confusing, the religion that HAS survived is yet a powerful force on the planet today:

(194:4.6) Christ was about to become the creed of the rapidly forming church. Jesus lives; he died for men; he gave the spirit; he is coming again. Jesus filled all their thoughts and determined all their new concept of God and everything else. They were too much enthused over the new doctrine that "God is the Father of the Lord Jesus" to be concerned with the old message that "God is the loving Father of all men," even of every single individual. True, a marvelous manifestation of brotherly love and unexampled good will did spring up in these early communities of believers. But it was a fellowship of believers in Jesus, not a fellowship of brothers in the family kingdom of the Father in heaven. Their good will arose from the love born of the concept of Jesus' bestowal and not from the recognition of the brotherhood of mortal man. Nevertheless, they were filled with joy, and they lived such new and unique lives that all men were attracted to their teachings about Jesus. They made the great mistake of using the living and illustrative commentary on the gospel of the kingdom for that gospel, but even that represented the greatest religion mankind had ever known.

Thanks for this question!

Labels: apostles, bestowal, Christianity, Jesus, Jesus' humanity, son of man, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

What is your viewpoint about the baptism of Jesus and His Cross? Are you with sin or without sin now? How can you solve the problem of daily and futur

Q: What is your viewpoint about the baptism of Jesus and His Cross? Are you with sin or without sin now? How can you solve the problem of daily and future sins?

A: Thank you for your letter to Truthbook.com. We are always glad to hear from truth-seekers.

You asked: What is your viewpoint about the baptism of Jesus and His Cross?

I think that Jesus death on the cross was the great tragedy of our history; that a divine Son of God - the ambassador and creator of the universe - should be brutally tortured and hung on a cross to die is a spectacle of human depravity and cruelty. Nonetheless, through that decision that Jesus made - to allow his life to play out in the most human way - we are gifted with a shining example of human willingness to follow God's will to the nth degree. He showed us throughout his life how to be a son of God - how to live the spirit-filled and spirit-led life - how to overcome sorrow, disappointment and even death through faith and through willingness to do the Father's will.

You might like to read "Lessons from the Cross" from The Urantia Book

You then asked: Are you with sin or without sin now?

We are all without sin, in the sense that we are not born sinful. We may become sinful by our own willful choices that take us away from the Father's will of truth, beauty and goodness. But that is a freewill choice; we also have the choice to walk in God's ways and do our best to live a righteous life, full of the fruits of the spirit. There is no inherent sinfulness in man, no "original sin." Jesus never taught that; instead he taught that we are faith-sons of God, and through that faith we are granted salvation. Referencing your first question: I don't believe that Jesus' death on the cross had any bearing on the question of my being with or without sin. That is a function of freewill choice; always was, and always will be.

And: How can you solve the problem of daily and future sins?

Just so we are clear, the following is a passage from The Urantia Book, and the speaker is Jesus:

"Sin is the conscious, knowing, and deliberate transgression of the divine law, the Father's will. Sin is the measure of unwillingness to be divinely led and spiritually directed."

Turning that around we can say that solving the problem of daily and future sin is to deliberately follow divine law, and be willing to be divinely led and spiritually directed. This becomes more and more a real possibility when we understand that we are indwelt by God himself, in the form of the Thought Adjuster - that spark of God that indwells the mind of each mortal. We can choose to listen and be directed. We can choose to spend time seeking the "still, small voice" within at times of decision, doubt or confusion. We can choose to say "It is my will to do your will," and then actually try do it

It is a responsibility that all truth-seekers, and all spiritual seekers have - to walk the talk; to really put into practice what we say we believe. It is challenging to all who are sincere of heart, and we all falter - we all fail at times - we all choose the wrong thing sometimes...but one thing that I have noticed in my years of spiritual seeking: the closer I get to God, the worse I feel when I take the wrong path, and the quicker I am to try and make amends and get right again. And I know that I am forgiven when I sincerely recognize my error and decide to change. So, as time goes on, we should be able to expect that our own experience will help us to increasingly avoid sin. It feels much better when we do the right thing!

Thank you for this question. I hope the reply has been helpful...

Labels: failure, Jesus, sin, spirituality, the Cross, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, August 13, 2009

This world really needs help...

Q: The Adam and Eve on our world defaulted. From my understanding they were bestowed even as Jesus was bestowed to help progress our world spiritually. Adam and Eves are normally bestowed on all other planets(in Satania) of our order from my understanding. This means that some Adam and Eves did not default on some planets and have contributed their quota to these planets. I was just pondering over how spiritually developed and mortally civilized this planets now have become since if any paradise son visits any of these planets, they will already have the spiritual affinity and strength to easily believe truths and know God.

If this is the case, then this world really needs help. Of course Jesus has brought down the Spirit of Truth but after over 2000 years, 'this' is how far we've come. 'It is horror' in Russia. This is a place where people choose to walk almost naked on the streets especially during these times of much enjoyed sunshine. Naked pictures hang freely on the streets. Television is an eye-saw sometimes. Alcohol is water for some people. Civilization is...............

I just want us all to agree in prayer that Father will shower more of His love over Urantia by sending in more help in any way or form to help save this quarantined planet of our sojourn.

A: I had no idea of the state of your society there in Russia...it sounds pretty free-wheeling and liberal - but maybe not always in a good way. I am old enough to remember a time when Russian society was portrayed to Westerners as very dreary, bleak, and Godless. After the fall of Communism in the 80s, things began to change and it sounds like they have changed pretty dramatically. In my opinion, this is a natural outcome of severe repression being replaced by severe liberality. It is like the swing of a pendulum: when it is swung too far one way, the opposite swing will take it as far the other way. Stabilization will take many more swings before the pendulum rests somewhere in the middle.

It is so very sad about our Adam and Eve - their default (along with the planetary rebellion) really put us back as a global civilization. If things had gone according to God's plan, we would still have our Material Son and Daughter - the Garden of Eden would be known world-wide as the center for spiritual culture and education, and there would be no doubt about the presence of God, or the goodness and reality of spirituality. As you point out, the planets on which Adam and Eve were successful "have the spiritual affinity and strength to easily believe truths and know God." Unfortunately for us, we have to muddle through without these wonderful celestial ambassadors. It is no wonder that mankind feels orphaned and alone in the universe - confused about our place and purpose...

From The Urantia Book:

(51:3.9) Your world has been visited by four orders of sonship: Caligastia, the Planetary Prince; Adam and Eve of the Material Sons of God; Machiventa Melchizedek, the "sage of Salem" in the days of Abraham; and Christ Michael, who came as the Paradise bestowal Son. How much more effective and beautiful it would have been had Michael, the supreme ruler of the universe of Nebadon, been welcomed to your world by a loyal and efficient Planetary Prince and a devoted and successful Material Son, both of whom could have done so much to enhance the lifework and mission of the bestowal Son! But not all worlds have been so unfortunate as Urantia, neither has the mission of the Planetary Adams always been so difficult or so hazardous. When they are successful, they contribute to the development of a great people, continuing as the visible heads of planetary affairs even far into the age when such a world is settled in light and life.

(51:6.3) Think what it would mean on your world if somewhere in the Levant there were a world center of civilization, a great planetary university of culture, which had functioned uninterruptedly for 37,000 years. And again, pause to consider how the moral authority of even such an ancient center would be reinforced were there situated not far distant still another and older headquarters of celestial ministry [the Planetary Prince] whose traditions would exert a cumulative force of 500,000 years of integrated evolutionary influence. It is custom which eventually spreads the ideals of Eden to a whole world.

(51:7.5) ...if Urantians could only observe life on such a planet, they would immediately appreciate the value of those things which their world has lost through embracing evil and participating in rebellion.

For further reading, you might want to go to Paper 52, Planetary Mortal Epochs to compare the ideal with the way things are on Urantia.

But, we have to take heart...we have been blessed by the bestowal of Christ Michael of Nebadon, born as the helpless babe of Bethlehem. Jesus chose our little backward planet as the universe scene of his revelation of God the Father - an amazing bestowal which, while unusual and out of order, has done a tremendous service towards the upstepping of our spiritual consciousness over the past 2000+ years. Even though his message and mission has been adulterated and misunderstood over the centuries, we now have the fifth epochal revelation - The Urantia Book - restating, and renewing Jesus' purpose, to help steer us back on course and further our spiritual regeneration with his pure message of the "good news," the realization of the Fatherhood of God and the resultant development of the planetary brotherhood of man. Those of us who have read and adopted this revelation from our celestial benefactors are equipped to help change our world for the better.

It might seem an almost overwhelming task, given the amount of confusion and strife that still exists here, but it is not meant to happen overnight (even though we might wish for a dramatic spiritual revolution). Just as the example of Russian society shows us, too rapid a change can bring unwelcome results. As Jesus said: "...everything must await the coming of its time." Many people speculate about the appearance of a Magisterial Son...I hope that it happens, of course, and I believe that it WILL happen. But when, is anyone's guess. I think that when it does happen we'll all know about it, but until then...

We who have accepted our sonship, and who dwell in the spiritual kingdom of heaven, must be content to seed our personal world with as much truth, beauty and goodness that we can muster - to effect change first, in our personal lives, and then to exhibit the fruits of the spirit which will draw others to a better way that they themselves would like to adopt. It can be discouraging to see the evidence of our planetary failures, but it can also be tremendously encouraging to experience our own spiritual victories as agondonters and truth-sharers.

I definitely add my prayers to yours that we are given some help - and soon. But even as we are, we have the great gift of The Urantia Book, and the assurance of eternal life. This often-crazy life is a very short sojourn in comparison...

Labels: Adam and Eve, Christ Michael, Jesus, Russia, The Urantia Book, Urantia

Permalink

I am reading Part IV of The Urantia Book. Can you tell me why Jesus is called Michael?

Q; I am reading Part IV of The Urantia Book. Can you tell me why Jesus is called Michael? When I try to tell my Catholic family about Jesus' life & teaching, they are skeptical about the name Michael.

A: Parts I-III of The Urantia Book cover your question in detail, Papers 21 and 33 specifically; also Papers 119 and 120 just prior to the "Times of Michaels's Bestowal" Paper will help you understand these concepts. You can read these Papers on-line beginning here (Paper 21; Paper 33; Paper 119; Paper 120) and can listen to them as you read along from our site.

Jesus had existed as a person for countless ages before being born here but we haven't been given his prior name, Jesus being the English form of the name Joseph and Mary gave their baby. Variations of the name Jesus are what we know him by here on Earth. Michael is not his name, it is a title for an order of celestial beings as it has been coined in the English language. The name Michael is attributed to an archangel in the Bible but that's due to a confusion of the personalities involved.

Perhaps you'd have better success with your family by not discussing Michael and concentrating instead on the similarities between what youâ€™re reading and what your family already knows about Jesus. You'll find out as you go along that it's not just the term Michael that will be a challenge for your family to accept from you. We've all experienced the challenge youâ€™re encountering â€” we want to share the marvelous information we're absorbing but those closest to us either arenâ€™t interested or they think weâ€™re somewhat disturbed...!

Best of luck, and thank you for writing.

Labels: Christ Michael, Jesus, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Sunday, August 09, 2009

A Question About Going Seriously Astray

Q: Do you think that mortal sons of God, after having tasted of the glories and beautiful realities of sonship with Father through faith can ever apostasize or turn iniquitous? Can truly enlightened mortal sons who have accepted son-ship ever reject Father after having known of His sweet will and unending glories? I think that apostasy (iniquity)of such deadly nature can only be exercised by heavenly enlightened creatures and not mortals.

A: It seems that you have made an important distinction between the iniquitous rejection of God by high spirit beings (such as Satan, Lucifer and Caligastia) and mortal beings like us who grasp God through faith. It is hard enough to understand how a high Son of God such as Lucifer, can be subject to rejecting God's love and mercy; it is harder still to understand how a faith-son of God can reject him, having once experienced his love and mercy as a result of that faith-decision. I don't know of anyone who has done that...but...

No matter how committed we are to God, and no matter how convicted we are of the truth of God - and even if we have tasted of the sweetness of his tender mercies, there always remains the possibility of going astray, simply because we have the freewill choice to do so. Until we have made the ultimate decision, and fused with our Thought adjuster, we are always free to decide differently.

I do think, like you, that once having made that leap of faith into acceptance of sonship with God, rejection of that sonship seems highly unlikely. For me, it seems an impossibility - maybe for you, too. But there always remains that possibility, remote as it might be.

In any event, Satan, or any other spirit being does not have any power to make that rejection for another. Even if a person may be somewhat half-hearted in their commitment to sonship with God, Satan does not have any power to affect their decisions unless that person knowingly seeks his influence, or decides to knowingly embrace sin. Again, all created beings retain the power of choice over their own souls; any rejection of God will come from within, not from without. The "devil" is given far more credit for influencing mortals than he deserves. Oftentimes, it is a person's own unwillingness to keep close to God, or to a tendency to fall prey to their own weaknesses that may separate them from God. The love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of mankind, and is available to all.

Jesus said:

"The child, being immature and lacking in the fuller understanding of the depth of the child-father relationship, must frequently feel a sense of guilty separation from a fatherâ€™s full approval, but the true father is never conscious of any such separation. Sin is an experience of creature consciousness; it is not a part of godâ€™s consciousness."(174:1.4)

Labels: evil, God, iniquity, Jesus, Lucifer, mortals, Satan, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, July 31, 2009

Can We Reconcile Biblical Prophecy with The Urantia Book?

Q: How can we connect the prophecy of Isaiah when he said that ".....Truly, it was for their sins that he was killed....." and later said that His soul was made an offering unto death. How do you/we understand these things in relation to the meaning of the atonement in the Urantia book?

A: How do I understand these things? I choose to believe what Jesus taught about his mission, and it had nothing to do with his sacrificing himself as an atonement for the sins and guilt of mankind, regardless of what Isaiah said in these passages. Jesus never presented himself in this way - in the Bible, or in The Urantia Book. Further, The Urantia Book explains to my full satisfaction that our heavenly Father is not a vengeful and strict god who needs to sacrifice his sinless son as some sort of ransom for the sins of mankind. I much prefer - and love - the God who I discovered within its pages. And my personal experience with this loving God validates my belief.

Jesus did not believe in the inerrancy of the Scriptures, and neither do it, so it is not an important issue for me. Jesus picked and chose only those Scripture passages that supported his mission on earth, which was to procliam the loving Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. I don't worry about connecting the Bible with The Urantia Book, except as a point of reference. Since finding The Urantia Book, I have been drawn to the Bible as never before, but simply as a valuable, and often inspirational reference work.

Isaiah is covered quite well in The Urantia Book, and it is explained that there were in actuality, two Isaiahs - the earlier and the later. You can read more about these two Isaiahs and some of their beautiful quotations about God HERE. Even the second Isaiah "never ceased to proclaim this "God of love."

If you choose to believe these isolated passages of Isaiah, rather than what Jesus revealed of himself while on the earth, and now, through the revelation of The Urantia Book, that is up to you. If you think that they have to be connected, I disagree. I regret that can't help you to reconcile this issue.

Labels: atonement, Bible, God, Isaiah, Jesus, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Sunday, July 19, 2009

How to cope with big disappointments in life and related pain and sorrow? Is there an experience I MUST have here?

Q: How to cope with big disappointments in life and related pain and sorrow? Is there an experience here on earth that I must absolutely do because I will not be able to do it after my physical death?

A: You are not alone in asking this question regarding pain and sorrow - these kinds of experiences are part of the human condition, and affect all of us at one time or another. Sometimes, the pain is great, and we wonder "why," or, "why me?" Well, we might also ask "why?" when we are blessed with good experiences...and I am sure you have had those, also. Of course, the pain really gets our attention...

The Urantia Book provides a wonderful perspective on the inevitable changes that we humans go through in this life. Among the nine points of sage advice given, is this:

Is pleasure-the satisfaction of happiness-desirable? Then must man live in a world where the alternative of pain and the likelihood of suffering are ever-present experiential possibilities.(3:5.14)

And there is this:

The greatest affliction of the cosmos is never to have been afflicted. Mortals only learn wisdom by experiencing tribulation.(48:7.14)
You cannot perceive spiritual truth until you feelingly experience it, and many truths are not really felt except in adversity.(48:7.18)

This is taken from a section of The Urantia Book listing "twenty-eight statements of human philosophy" that are used in teaching new arrivals to the Mansion Worlds. You will find many of these very comforting and illuminating.

Sorrowful experiences can make us or break us. On a world that is filled with free-willed beings, error and its resulting pain and sorrow are simply a part of life. At the same time, as free-willed beings, we have the opportunity to use these experiences for our growth, rather than a reason to just give up. It is important to remember that nothing stays the same in this life. All is subject to change. Only God is changeless. It is our job to learn to establish and nurture a relationship with God so that when the hard times come, we are able to weather the changes, knowing that no matter what, we are assured of inevitable victory over all matters of the world on which we live through our free-will identification with our highest Self. The Urantia Book reveals to us a loving heavenly Father, a good God who knows all about our sorrows and pain because he experiences all of it with us. We have an intimate and ever-present friend in the Father. His Spirit actually dwells within our minds. Take heart:

It is literally true: "in all your afflictions he is afflicted." "In all your triumphs he triumphs in and with you."(1:5.16)

A study of the life of Jesus is quite helpful in hard times as well, as Jesus experienced just about the worst times that ever were heaped onto a human being. He emerged victorious over many of the sorrowful times in his life, and even over death, and he showed us how we can do the same, no matter our lot in life.

The experience that we have must have here in our earthly lives is the experience of life itself, and its associated joys, sorrows, spiritual progress and growth. Once we are translated into our next life - our eternal life - we will experience a whole different kind of existence - one in which the earthly kinds of experiences will no longer be possible. There's nothing we experience here that can't be augmented or improved upon in the mansion world experience but nevertheless, the angels are envious of the mortal lives we live so there's a quality to this life that's hard if not impossible to compensate for. While we are here, we have important work to do:

From The Urantia Book:

Very important is the work of preparation for the next higher sphere, but nothing equals the importance of the work of the world in which you are actually living. (48:6.26)

Your short sojourn on Urantia, on this sphere of mortal infancy, is only a single link, the very first in the long chain that is to stretch across universes and through the eternal ages. It is not so much what you learn in this first life; it is the experience of living this life that is important. Even the work of this world, paramount though it is, is not nearly so important as the way in which you do this work. There is no material reward for righteous living, but there is profound satisfaction - consciousness of achievement - and this transcends any conceivable material reward.(39:4.13)

The overcoming of adversity can be seen as a certain source of this "profound satisfaction."

Jesus taught:

"It is the Father's will that mortal man should work persistently and consistently toward the betterment of his estate on earth. Intelligent application would enable man to overcome much of his earthly misery." (148:5.3)

I do hope that this reply has been of some help and comfort to you.

Labels: affliction, disappointment, experience, Jesus, life, pain, Sorrow, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Why do people struggle to believe the noble and enlightening truths in these revealed papers?

Q: Why do people struggle to believe the noble and enlightening truths in these revealed papers? The Bible says that in the end times, the earth shall be filled with knowlegde and the glory of the Lord. I believe that this revelation is just the begining of a series of revelations to flood the world for the sake of the salvation of the souls of men. Our generation must desist from stiff-neckedness and unnecessary prejudice. Otherwise, they will miss Jesus again like the Jews missed him during the Masters sojourn on earth.

A: Why do people struggle with Urantia Book truths? It could be that some people are just not spiritually hungry - it could be that some are frightened by the idea of spiritual freedom - but for many, it is hard to accept a new revelation of a loving God who does not have it in for them. Jesus' message of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man is such a simple and uplifting truth, but it is hard for many to accept that they are ennobled sons of God and not sinful wretches. What if this revelation is wrong, and hell is real? To accept the teachings of The Urantia Book requires faith, and a willingness to hear the truth in one's innermost being, and to trust in the revelation of God that Jesus embodied - a God of love and mercy; it requires a willingness to accept the spiritual mandates of Jesus to "love one another;" a willingness to actually live the religion OF Jesus. AND it requires the willingness to question all the "sacred cows" of the religions of authority. For some, this is more than they can do; they lack the "ears to hear."

Remember the Parables of the Sower? These parables were a powerful truth in Jesus time, and they are true in our times, too.

This revelation has been on the planet for a little over 50 years, and is only now being disseminated over the internet. It is meant to minister to this planet for a long time, but I hope it does not take centuries before we realize as a planet what a gift we have been given. As you say, the Jews missed him - and he ended up losing his life prematurely as a result of fear and suspicion. (As you so aptly put it: "stiff-neckedness and unnecessary prejudice.") As a result, the original message of Jesus became contaminated and adulterated, to everyone's detriment.

The good news about this revelation is that it is in book form, and cannot be killed, so it is up to us who understand what it is to put it into practice in our lives, and spread the good news as we are called to do. It will take time, but I pray that those who are seeking will find these truths before long, so that the kingdom is enlarged, and we begin to see more of the effects of these truths on our tired old world.

Thanks again for writing - great question, and a thoughtful subject...

Labels: Jesus, parables, revelation, struggle, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Please help me understand this...

Q: Please help me understand this, Jesus said "That which you see going on about this temple is the way in which your fathers sought to symbolize the bestowal of the divine spirit upon the children of faith, and you have done well to perpetuate these symbols, even down to this day". It tells me that Jesus did not criticize their symbolising the spirit bestowal on all mankind as the gift of Father. what is the spiritual meaning therefore of their symbolising the forgiveness of sins by the sacrificing of a spotless lamb, upon which all their sins were confessed, and the blood sprinkled on them for the forgiveness of sins. Which part of Jesus' life fulfilled this ceremony of the jews?.Thank you.

A: Thank you for writing to us here at Truthbook. In the quote which you cite, Jesus is speaking to a group of believers who were with him at the Feast of Tabernacles. During the course of the harvest feast, live animal sacrifices were made and water was outpoured to symbolize the divine spirit. Just for clarity, I will quote the entire passage that you cite in your question:

At the conclusion of this early morning service Jesus continued to teach the multitude, saying: "Have you not read in the Scripture: `Behold, as the waters are poured out upon the dry ground and spread over the parched soil, so will I give the spirit of holiness to be poured out upon your children for a blessing even to your children's children'? Why will you thirst for the ministry of the spirit while you seek to water your souls with the traditions of men, poured from the broken pitchers of ceremonial service? That which you see going on about this temple is the way in which your fathers sought to symbolize the bestowal of the divine spirit upon the children of faith, and you have done well to perpetuate these symbols, even down to this day. But now has come to this generation the revelation of the Father of spirits through the bestowal of his Son, and all of this will certainly be followed by the bestowal of the spirit of the Father and the Son upon the children of men. To every one who has faith shall this bestowal of the spirit become the true teacher of the way which leads to life everlasting, to the true waters of life in the kingdom of heaven on earth and in the Father's Paradise over there."(162:6.3)

It is true that Jesus never criticized the religious practices of the sincere religionists of his day - he always respected the honest efforts of those who desired a closer walk with the Father and a deeper understanding of God.

Clearly, in the last sentences of the passage, Jesus foretells of the Spirit of Truth which was bestowed on all mankind on the day of Pentecost; this Spirit of Truth is now a fact in the inner life of all believers.

As to the second part of your question: "what is the spiritual meaning therefore of their symbolising the forgiveness of sins by the sacrificing of a spotless lamb, upon which all their sins were confessed, and the blood sprinkled on them for the forgiveness of sins:"

The people of Jesus' day were practicing their faith and religion in the best way that they knew up to that time. Their religion was evolved through centuries of civilization, and much of it was still tinged with the remnants of the primitive ideas of sacrifice as a necessary part of placating and appeasing a mysterious Deity who inspired dread and awe. The rituals of the sacrificial killing of a spotless animal satisfied this requirement of appeasement - it was the way things had been done for time out of mind, and was the religious standard for generations before Jesus arrived on the scene to proclaim a better way. For individual believers, I am sure that it may have held significant spiritual power for them, and there is no reason to think that God was displeased at the sincere devotion of an individual who believed this was the right thing to do. This belief has even persisted to our 21st century times, in the form of the atonement doctrine, which is one of the cornerstones of the Christian faith - namely, that Jesus is now the embodiment of the olden ritual of blood sacrifice - by his death, he has atoned for all of the sins of mankind, and it means a lot to the people who believe it. But, it is a belief grounded in fear - fear of a punishing god. Even in our supposed superior civilization, the "traditions of men" have presumed to keep mankind in the shackles of unnecessary ritual and belief, lest they be punished by God; but this was not the teaching of Jesus. That is a religion of men - a religion of authority...

You ask: "Which part of Jesus' life fulfilled this ceremony of the jews?"

The Christian church has put Jesus in the role of atoner, the role that once was held by a lamb or a bullock. But is this what Jesus intended? The Urantia Book - and more specifically the Life and Teachings of Jesus restated within its pages - tell us a different story - a story that belongs to ALL people, and not just to the Christian church, who claims to represent him.

Jesus revealed a loving heavenly Father - a Father who does not require sacrifice to gain his love, or for the forgiveness of sins - a Father who forgives his children even before they have need of forgiveness - a Father who does not ask that an innocent child be killed to atone for another child who has sinned. Christianity has long held that man is a sinful creature, in need of redemption, but Jesus' teachings say otherwise. Jesus says that although man may have evil tendencies, he is not inherently sinful. This was a new revelation in Jesus' times, and it is still a shocking truth to modern-day mankind, who remains persistent in believing in a God of retribution and vengeance.

There is no "original sin;" there is no inherent badness in man that has to be washed away through atonement by the taking of an innocent life. And so, Jesus' life was never meant to become a fulfillment of these kinds of ceremonies. Jesus established a new kind of religion. He stated clearly that man is a child of God, and through this shared sonship with the Father, that all people are related in the spiritual sense, and part of the larger brotherhood of mankind. He elevated man to a faith-son of God. He taught that faith is the one and only requirement for entrance into the kingdom of heaven and survival into eternal life. Most importantly, Jesus taught and LIVED a new kind of religion - the religion of personal spiritual experience - which effectively liberates the spiritual captives, and frees the souls of human beings to live lives of originality and freedom before God. No more does mankind have to live in cowering fear of God, but instead, can live in joyous co-creation with God, whose will for man is only goodness. You can read more about this religion of Jesus HERE.

The teachings of The Urantia Book reveal anew that man is indwelt by a fragment of the loving heavenly Father - that this indwelling spirit is there as a guide, and - along with the Spirit of Truth - this indwelling spirit, and the religion of Jesus, can help mankind to reach a new level of spiritual understanding and a new level of spiritual development. This understanding and development is what is sorely needed in the tumultuous times of the 21st century, and is one of the reasons that this amazing revelation has been given to us at this time.

And finally, The Urantia Book states: "One of the most important things in human living is to find out what Jesus believed, to discover his ideals, and to strive for the achievement of his exalted life purpose. Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it." (196:1.3)

Through this knowledge - this amazing revelation of the Master's life - mankind can finally be delivered from the olden ideas of atonement and sacrifice into the new and progressive religion of the Spirit - the religion that Jesus himself lived while on earth.

Thank you so much for this very interesting and thoughful question...!

Labels: atonement, Feast of Tabernacles, forgiveness, God, Jesus, sin, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book, water of life

Permalink

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Four Questions Re: The Urantia Book, The Bible, and Jesus

Following are several questions submitted in one request. Two of our Truthbook team (L) and (M) have given their answers in reply.

Q: Do you follow the teachings of the Urantia Book only?

L: Basically, students of The Urantia Book are individuals coming from all manner of background; they do their own thing. Some feel they're escaping organized religion and seek refuge in the teachings of TUB. Others are grateful for their religious heritage and continue on in it. Some have no tradition of religious belief before finding TUB. There are Urantia Book readers who are pastors, ministers, priests, nuns, rabbis, preachers of every Christian denomination, Jews, Muslims, Hindus... The teachings of TUB are not "a" religion; they clarify, augment, emphasize and uplift what is best "in" religion. There are no rules for readers/students/believers -- it's a book; it's a superlative education; we read it and are edified and uplifted by it.

M: The Urantia Book is unique in that it contains many, many truths gleaned from many different established religions, and at the same time, encourages us to develop what Jesus called the religion of personal spiritual experience; it is this revealed teaching that inspires me to find the best in any religion, and to nurture and grow that personal experiential relationship with God in whatever I do. So, in that sense, I do follow the teachings of The Urantia Book, but the experience leaves me free to follow the truth wherever I find it.

Q: What is your viewpoint on the King James Bible?

L: Students of The Urantia Book have no orthodox viewpoint. Some readers are Bible scholars. Some readers hardly know the Bible at all. Personally, I like the King James better than any of the more modern versions, but I think you're asking do Urantia Book readers view the Bible as the infallible word of God and the answer to that would be a pretty unanimous no although most Urantia Book readers appreciate and take comfort in the Bible.

M: I personally prefer the New Jerusalem Bible, which is in common, everyday language. To me, other Bibles are difficult to read because the language is so stilted. I never had much interest in the Bible before I found The Urantia Book, but now I use it pretty regularly as a reference work. Jesus quoted scripture quite often in his life, and I have read many of those parts of the Bible. I do not believe it is inerrant, but like Jesus, I do find much in it that is quite valuable and worthwhile.

Q: Who is Jesus to you?

L: Again, a personal reply -- I didn't understand Jesus before I became a student of The Urantia Book and, in fact, it was my desire to know Jesus better that led me to become a reader of the book 35 years ago. To me, Jesus is Lord. He's the maker and administrator of this world. He's my guide as a human being and he's my nearest goal when I become a spirit being. He's who I turn to when I need help or comfort or wisdom or advice. His spirit is here to help me discern and sift truth from error. I trust Jesus.

M: I knew Jesus from my early childhood as a Catholic, and he always seemed to me to be quite real; however, I also found that the Church was full of inconsistencies regarding Jesus and his words, and I had a hard time separating Jesus from the hypocrisy I experienced. I left the church in my 20s, but I never abandoned Jesus completely. Once I freed myself from the authority of the church, I started to see Jesus differently; however, I did not seriouly think about Jesus for awhile after that. When I discovered The Urantia Book many years later, I was thrilled and deeply moved to rediscover the Jesus that I always loved as a child, and SO much more. Today, Jesus is once again my friend, my companion, my brother, and my Divine pathway to the Father. I believe in him and trust him, and I love him.

Q: Do you believe him to be the son of God who died for mankind's sins?

L: I believe Jesus to be a Son of God of a special order -- The Urantia Book guides us away from the tendency to believe that our race or religion, or in this case, world, is the most important one and that its aspects are superior to any others. Jesus came for all the peoples of this world, not just Christians, of which there were none until some time after he died. He also came for all the worlds of his dominion -- we're not the only one but we are nearly the most barbaric and that's partly the reason he chose to come to this place. So yes, "a" Son of God, a divine being, a creator not a creature like us. Did he come to die for mankinds sins? Again, among students of The Urantia Book, the answer to that would be a pretty unanimous no. We hold God the Father in too high regard to relegate him to human purposes and emotions. God is not vindictive, retributive, jealous, or any of the other human-like attibutes he's so often described as having. God is love and does not condemn his children, neither the divine ones nor the mortal ones, to pain and suffering and sacrifice. Jesus understood this and tried to teach it to a world that didn't understand him or his heavenly Father.

M: I do believe Jesus to be a divine Son of God. As pointed out above, The Urantia Book teaches us that Jesus is one of many Sons, just as there are many inhabited worlds, and many universe systems throughout God's vast creation. Jesus did indeed come to our earth - he chose us especially - and he did die here, but I do not believe that he died as a punishment from God, or as a sacrificial lamb to atone for mankind's sins. His mission was to establish the kingdom of God in the hearts of mankind, to proclaim the good news of the Fatherhood of God and the resultant brotherhood of mankind, and to live and die as a true man among men (and women). He was to portray to mortal eyes the love of the infinite and invisible God who is his, and our, Father. The fact that he died in such a cruel way was not the will of God, but as the consequence of the fears and prejudices of the times in which he lived. His new religion of the spirit was terribly threatening to the religions of authority of his day and time. He was killed by men - not by God. But he did die a "natural" death, and as a result, he did complete that part of his mission, to resurrect victoriously on the 3rd day. He showed all mortals of all worlds in his universe how to live as a "son of God."

Labels: atonement, Bible, God, Jesus, King James, kingdom of heaven, religion, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, June 25, 2009

What is GOD's name?

Q: What is GOD's name? According to the bible and the Jehova's Witness, his name is Jehova (YHWH in Hebrew). How important is it that we recognize his name?

A: Perhaps the best way to look at it is this: if you have a wonderful father yourself, one you love deeply and respect and look up to and wanted to please you'll probably call him daddy or dad or father. That's what Jesus did... he called God "Father" and God is our Father just like he is Jesus' Father. So why not think of God as your Father or your heavenly Father?

Yes, I understand the name thing is big with Jehovah's Witnesses and Jehovah is a perfectly fine name, as are Abba and Allah and Yahweh, or any of the other thousand names for God, but personally I don't think any one name carries more weight than any other. What we call God is less important than our attitude toward God in our hearts and the final sentence in The Urantia Book is, "When all is said and done, the Father idea is still the highest human concept of God." That's good enough for me.

Thank you for the question and best wishes. I hope this reply has helped you come to a decision.

Labels: Fatherhood of God, God, Jesus, name of God, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Why are so many religionists caught up in the terrifying "End of time conspiracy theory" at this time on our planet?

Q: Why are so many religionists caught up in the terrifying "end of time conspiracy theory" at this time on our planet?

A: For centuries, the Scriptures have provided mankind with the only written records of God's voice and inspiration, and the Scriptures are full of dire warnings regarding the times when the world will come to an end. The certainty that the end of the world is imminent has been present throughout our history. Many an age has been designated as humanity's last, and it is no different now. Those who place all their faith in these supposedly inerrant writings are naturally filled with the fear that they engender, and those who hold to the belief that God is a punishing deity are diligently on the lookout for evidences of God's displeasure and retribution. And some of these predictions have come to pass in our times...with every fulfillment of these earthly prophecies, more credence is lent to them, part and parcel. But is it real? Does the "end of the world" mean the end of everything? Should we be afraid?

Mankind has long believed in a mysterious god who really has it in for humanity. We are naturally afraid of such a deity, and we feel powerless to survive his awful wrath. Here we are, sitting ducks, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Fear is the enemy here - not God. Unreasoned fear is a trap into which we all can fall, and it is to be studiously avoided with the antidotal balm of faith and trust in the God of Love.

So, why are so many caught up in this cycle of fear? Probably because they do not know a better way. The Urantia Book provides 21st century wisdom with which to navigate the sea of negativity and fear in which we find ourselves. Rather than an inevitable, destructive outcome that we must face, the revelatory teachings of The Urantia Book, and especially the teachings of Jesus, give us great hope and a new way of viewing the panorama of human existence - free of fear, and with the light of reason based on the revelation of a merciful God of Love, and a new religion based on personal spiritual experience. It is man himself who has created the state of the world in which we find ourselves, and it is man, guided by God's love and wisdom, who can, and will, co-create with God a new kind of world - a world based on the Fatherhood of God and the resultant brotherhood of man - a world that will be regenerated by the adoption of the true religion of Jesus. The Urantia Book calls this wonderful time of renewal the Age of Light and Life, the "acme of evolutionary material development." It will take us a long time to reach this stage, but we can, and WILL reach it.

Little in God's creation is set in stone. Humanity may be hurtling into the end of an age, but this does not necessarily mean that the world is coming to an end, or that all are doomed. Ages come and ages go. Man still maintains the power of freewill, and can form his destiny day-to-day in co-creation with God, who is Love. Whether we as a species will turn the present tide of materialism and destruction - or not - depends wholly on the spiritual regeneration of individual religionists. The outcome may seem iffy at times, but we have it within our power to change the outcome from one of death and destruction to one of spiritual regeneration and progress.

Please see The Modern Problem

Jesus promised:

p1608:1(143:1.4) "I have come into this world to do the will of my Father and to reveal his loving character to all mankind. That, my brethren, is my mission. And this one thing I will do, regardless of the misunderstanding of my teachings by Jews or gentiles of this day or of another generation. But you should not overlook the fact that even divine love has its severe disciplines. A father's love for his son oftentimes impels the father to restrain the unwise acts of his thoughtless offspring. The child does not always comprehend the wise and loving motives of the father's restraining discipline. But I declare to you that my Father in Paradise does rule a universe of universes by the compelling power of his love. Love is the greatest of all spirit realities. Truth is a liberating revelation, but love is the supreme relationship. And no matter what blunders your fellow men make in their world management of today, in an age to come the gospel which I declare to you will rule this very world. The ultimate goal of human progress is the reverent recognition of the fatherhood of God and the loving materialization of the brotherhood of man."

p2093:5(196:2.11) Jesus offered no rules for social advancement; his was a religious mission, and religion is an exclusively individual experience. The ultimate goal of society's most advanced achievement can never hope to transcend Jesus' brotherhood of men based on the recognition of the fatherhood of God. The ideal of all social attainment can be realized only in the coming of this divine kingdom.

To Thomas:

p1916:2(176:3.2) "And even you, Thomas, fail to comprehend what I have been saying. Have I not all this time taught you that your connection with the kingdom is spiritual and individual, wholly a matter of personal experience in the spirit by the faith-realization that you are a son of God? What more shall I say? The downfall of nations, the crash of empires, the destruction of the unbelieving Jews, the end of an age, even the end of the world, what have these things to do with one who believes this gospel, and who has hid his life in the surety of the eternal kingdom? You who are God-knowing and gospel-believing have already received the assurances of eternal life. Since your lives have been lived in the spirit and for the Father, nothing can be of serious concern to you . Kingdom builders, the accredited citizens of the heavenly worlds, are not to be disturbed by temporal upheavals or perturbed by terrestrial cataclysms. What does it matter to you who believe this gospel of the kingdom if nations overturn, the age ends, or all things visible crash, since you know that your life is the gift of the Son, and that it is eternally secure in the Father? Having lived the temporal life by faith and having yielded the fruits of the spirit as the righteousness of loving service for your fellows, you can confidently look forward to the next step in the eternal career with the same survival faith that has carried you through your first and earthly adventure in sonship with God.

Associated with end-times prophecy is the promise of the return of the Master to the earth. In this, The Bible and The Urantia Book agree. Jesus WILL one day return here. But does this event signal the end of the world?

Jesus said:

p1915:3(176:2.6) "...concerning the times of the coming again of the Son of Man, no one in heaven or on earth may presume to speak. But you should be wise regarding the ripening of an age; you should be alert to discern the signs of the times. You know when the fig tree shows its tender branches and puts forth its leaves that summer is near. Likewise, when the world has passed through the long winter of material-mindedness and you discern the coming of the spiritual springtime of a new dispensation, should you know that the summertime of a new visitation draws near.

"But what is the significance of this teaching having to do with the coming of the Sons of God? Do you not perceive that, when each of you is called to lay down his life struggle and pass through the portal of death, you stand in the immediate presence of judgment, and that you are face to face with the facts of a new dispensation of service in the eternal plan of the infinite Father? What the whole world must face as a literal fact at the end of an age, you, as individuals, must each most certainly face as a personal experience when you reach the end of your natural life and thereby pass on to be confronted with the conditions and demands inherent in the next revelation of the eternal progression of the Father's kingdom."

Instead of gnawing over the dire predictions of Biblical prophecy, we all might be better served to anticipate this coming "spiritual springtime;" to discern the signs of its advent, and contribute to it by our personal dedication to the ideals of truth, beauty and goodness in our lives. When this season of renewal does come to pass, we may indeed see an end of the world as we now know it (which may not be the worst that could happen, in my opinion!), and the inauguration of a new, and better world to come - a world ruled through the supremacy of God, the Universal Father of Love - and the final realization of the kingdom of heaven.

Thanks for this great question. I hope it has been helpful to you. Be of good cheer!

Labels: end of the world, end times, faith, fear, Jesus, prophecy, The Urantia Book, trust

Permalink

Friday, May 29, 2009

Can you tell me why Jesus is called Michael?

Q: I am reading Part IV of the Urantia Book. Can you tell me why Jesus is called Michael? When I try to tell my Catholic family about Jesus' life & teaching, they are skeptical about the name Michael.

A: Parts I-III of The Urantia Book cover your question in detail, Papers 21 and 33 specifically; also Papers 119 and 120 just prior to the "Times of Michaels's Bestowal" Paper will help you understand these concepts. You can read these Papers on-line beginning here (Paper 21; Paper 33; Paper 119; Paper 120) and can listen to them as you read along from our site.

Jesus had existed as a person for countless ages before being born here but we haven't been given his prior name, Jesus being the English form of the name Joseph and Mary gave their baby. Variations of the name Jesus are what we know him by here on Earth. Michael is not his name, it is a title for an order of celestial beings as it has been coined in the English language. The name Michael is attributed to an archangel in the Bible but thatâ€™s due to a confusion of the personalities involved.

Perhaps you'd have better success with your family by not discussing Michael and concentrating instead on the similarities between what you're reading and what your family already knows about Jesus. You'll find out as you go along that it's not just the term Michael that will be a challenge for your family to accept from you. We've all experienced the challenge you're encountering - we want to share the marvelous information we're absorbing but those closest to us either aren't interested or they think we're somewhat disturbed.

May I also recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book.

Labels: Christ Michael, Jesus, The Urantia Book

Permalink

The Urantia Book says Jesus was not in a physical body after his resurrection - how then did he break bread?

Q: The UB says Jesus was not in a physical body after his resurrection - how then did he break bread? Did he also eat? The Bible says he did.

A:Thanks for writing with this interesting question.

I am going to start with a few passages from Paper 189 The Resurrection. This way, we'll all understand better the nature of the resurrected form of Jesus. However, I suggest a complete reading of this paper for the best understanding of what happened that day:

"...at two minutes past three o'clock, this Sunday morning, April 9, A.D. 30, the resurrected morontia form and personality of Jesus of Nazareth came forth from the tomb."

"...the body of flesh in which he had lived and wrought on earth for almost thirty-six years was still lying there in the sepulchre niche, undisturbed and wrapped in the linen sheet, just as it had been laid to rest by Joseph and his associates on Friday afternoon. ..the body which they were guarding was now a discarded outer covering which had no further connection with the delivered and resurrected morontia personality of Jesus.

(Note: To find out exactly what happened to Jesus' physical body, please go here.)

"...On Friday he laid down his life as a mortal of the realm; on Sunday morning he took it up again as a morontia being of the system of Satania in Norlatiadek.

"...He did come forth from this tomb of Joseph in the very likeness of the morontia personalities of those who, as resurrected morontia ascendant beings, emerge from the resurrection halls of the first mansion world of this local system of Satania.

When Jesus resurrected from the tomb, he was in a physical form, but he was not visible to everyone. His body was made from "morontia" material, which is the next form which all mortals will assume upon resurrection after death. He only made his presence known to certain people, and he could appear and disappear at will. Perhaps you'll remember his meeting with Mary Magdalene at the tomb; she did not at first recognize him, as he was very changed, but as soon as he spoke, she instantly knew it was the Master.

This seems to be a good place to explain why it was that Jesus appeared in this form. This is revealed material that can only be found in The Urantia Book, as far as I know, but it makes perfect sense when you see the whole story.

As part of Jesus' mission to Urantia, he was required to assume the form of all creatures of his vast universe. You can read all about these various bestowals, seven in all, and the reasons for his mission here.

Jesus' seventh and final bestowal was as the babe of Bethlehem, Jesus of Nazareth, who grew up as a mortal of the realm, just as all mortals do. And Jesus died as a mortal of the realm as well, although his death was particularly brutal and violent - not the same as most humans - but still, he did die a "natural" death, as would any mortal. While he was here in physical form, he revealed the Father to mortals and established the kingdom of heaven in the hearts of mankind, which was a most important part of his overall mission to our universe.

After that, he had to experience the natural outcome of human life and death, and that was as a newly resurrected mortal, in the form that all of us mortals will assume when we die - the above-mentioned morontia form. The only difference between what Jesus experienced and what we will experience is that Jesus remained on earth to spend more time with his followers before he finally left the earth for the last time. We will not be doing that - but in all other respects, what happened to Jesus is what will happen to us when we die, except that we will be resurrected on the Mansion Worlds as morontia beings - changed, but with our personalities intact and recognizable by those of our loved ones who went there before us. Our mortal bodies will remain on earth, to turn into the dust from which they came. We learn in The Urantia Book that we will eat food of "a kingdom of living energy unknown on the material worlds"

You can read more about this unique material in Paper 48 -The Morontia Life

p542:4 (48:1.7) Paul learned of the existence of the morontia worlds and of the reality of morontia materials, for he wrote, "They have in heaven a better and more enduring substance." And these morontia materials are real, literal, even as in "the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." And each of these marvelous spheres is "a better country, that is, a heavenly one."

One of the resurrection appearances that Jesus made was to the two brothers at Emmaus, and on this occasion, Jesus did sit down to dinner with these two brothers. Here is a passage from that story:

"By this time they had come near to the village where these brothers dwelt. Not a word had these two men spoken since Jesus began to teach them as they walked along the way. Soon they drew up in front of their humble dwelling place, and Jesus was about to take leave of them, going on down the road, but they constrained him to come in and abide with them. They insisted that it was near nightfall, and that he tarry with them. Finally Jesus consented, and very soon after they went into the house, they sat down to eat. They gave him the bread to bless, and as he began to break and hand to them, their eyes were opened, and Cleopas recognized that their guest was the Master himself. And when he said, "It is the Masterâ€”," the morontia Jesus vanished from their sight.

Again, Jesus appeared to the apostles (his thirteenth resurrection appearance), and again, there was bread. Here is a passage from that section:

"Jesus spoke to them, saying: "Come now, all of you, to breakfast. Even the twins should sit down while I visit with you; John Mark will dress the fish." John Mark brought seven good-sized fish, which the Master put on the fire, and when they were cooked, the lad served them to the ten. Then Jesus broke the bread and handed it to John, who in turn served it to the hungry apostles. When they had all been served, Jesus bade John Mark sit down while he himself served the fish and the bread to the lad. And as they ate, Jesus visited with them and recounted their many experiences in Galilee and by this very lake. "

In this passage, we are left wondering whether Jesus actually ate the fish, but I suspect not, as his new form had no need for food of the earthly kind. But he did sit with them, he prepared the fish, and served the meal of fish and bread to John Mark. And he broke the bread with his hands. Never having had any experience with morontia materials, I cannot say how this was accomplished, but if morontia material is of a "more enduring substance," I suspect that physical material can be easily manipulated with it. So, breaking bread would not be a difficult act.

To me, it is also not a very important detail whether Jesus actually ate anything. The important feature of these stories is the fact of his resurrection, and that he did spend a considerable amount of time with many people before finally leaving Urantia for the last time. During these nineteen appearances, he reiterated his teachings, and said fond farewells to many. His resurrection from the dead after his mortal life is of particular interest to us, as it is what we can anticipate as our experience as well following our death.

Thank you for this most interesting question.

Labels: break bread, Emmaus, Jesus, Mansion Worlds, morontia, resurrection, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Testify to Love

This is a video featuring "Testify to Love" by Avalon. We hope that you will enjoy it.

The refrain:

For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love.
I'll be a witness in the silences
When words are not enough.
With every breath I take,
I will give thanks to God above.
For as long as I shall live,
I will testify to love.

"Devote your life to proving that love is the greatest thing in the world"

Jesus, The Urantia Book p2047:5 192:2.1

Labels: Avalon, Jesus, love, music, video

Permalink

Monday, April 27, 2009

Did Jesus take away the sins of the world?

Q: Did Jesus take away the sins of the world?

A: The belief that Jesus came to earth in order to "take away the sins of the world" is as old as Christianity, but it is not the gospel of Jesus.

The belief in the concept of "original sin" is also an age-old idea, but has no basis in fact.

(194:2.1) Jesus lived on earth and taught a gospel which redeemed man from the superstition that he was a child of the devil and elevated him to the dignity of a faith son of God.

Jesus taught that human nature is not inherently sinful. He taught that sin is the deliberate choosing of a path or an action that is in direct opposition to God's will. We all still have that ability to choose between good and evil, so the possibility of sin is ever-present, even since Jesus came here.

Jesus' real mission on earth was to establish the Kingdom of Heaven in the hearts of mankind - to proclaim the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, which are the cornerstones of this heavenly kingdom. By entering into this kingdom by faith, we are then fortified with a new purpose, and a new motivation to overcome sin through determination and personal responsibility to the ideals of the good, the true and the beautiful.

The whole idea of Jesus' purpose on earth as an atonement for the sins of mankind is set to rest once and for all in the teachings of The Urantia Book, and this is very good news for all of humanity. Please go HERE for a further exploration of the atonement doctrine.

For further study and inspiration about what really happened as a result of the Crucifixion, please see this reference regarding the meaning of Jesus' death on the cross.

And thanks for this very important question.

Labels: atonement, gospel of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus' mission, sin, the Cross

Permalink

Is it wrong to want to acquire material wealth and possessions?

Q: Is it wrong to want to acquire material wealth and possessions?

A: It is not wrong to want material wealth or possessions. Nowhere did Jesus teach that we have to renounce material success in order to be his followers; only to his apostles, and those who would be his apostles, did he counsel a renunciation of material possessions in order to live in spiritual community. It is one's inmost motivation that matters in this regard.

Here are some Urantia Book references that will give you more information about Jesus' attitude towards wealth, and those who possess it. Click on the links to read more:

After Jesus had counseled the rich young man, Matadormus, Jesus and Peter had this exchange:

(163:3.3) As they went off by themselves, Jesus was grieved that Matadormus did not remain with them, for he greatly loved him. And when they had walked down by the lake, they sat there beside the water, and Peter, speaking for the twelve (who were all present by this time), said: "We are troubled by your words to the rich young man. Shall we require those who would follow you to give up all their worldly goods?" And Jesus said: "No, Peter, only those who would become apostles, and who desire to live with me as you do and as one family. But the Father requires that the affections of his children be pure and undivided. Whatever thing or person comes between you and the love of the truths of the kingdom, must be surrendered. If one's wealth does not invade the precincts of the soul, it is of no consequence in the spiritual life of those who would enter the kingdom."

(163:2.10) Riches have nothing directly to do with entrance into the kingdom of heaven, but the love of wealth does. The spiritual loyalties of the kingdom are incompatible with servility to materialistic mammon. Man may not share his supreme loyalty to a spiritual ideal with a material devotion.

Further, Jesus said:

(165:4.5)" ... it is not a sin to have honorable wealth; but it is a sin if you convert the wealth of material possessions into treasures which may absorb your interests and divert your affections from devotion to the spiritual pursuits of the kingdom. There is no sin in having honest possessions on earth provided your treasure is in heaven, for where your treasure is there will your heart be also. "

Jesus spoke further on wealth and its uses and drawbacks in his parable called Dividing the Inheritance .

And, Jesus did offer a good deal of advice to his followers regarding the proper use of material wealth, if we should chance to acquire it.

In the study of the above links, you should be able to clearly see the attitude that a spiritually inclined soul should have towards the desire for material wealth and possessions.

Thank you for this important question.

Labels: Jesus, riches, the rich young man, wealth

Permalink

How can I improve my prayer life?

Q: I am a born again Christian and lately I can't pray, Every time I try to pray there are no words I can say and sometimes I feel so empty inside and I can't even understand what I am saying when I pray. How can I improve my prayer life?

A: When I read your question, this quote from The Urantia Book immediately came to mind:

(91:8.12) Words are irrelevant to prayer; they are merely the intellectual channel in which the river of spiritual supplication may chance to flow...God answers the soul's attitude, not the words.

If you want to improve your prayer life, try to just BE in the presence of God for a while without saying any memorized prayer words. Reach out to God with your inmost soul, and he'll surely help you to know what to do about your concern. Just doing that will possibly help you to feel better connected to God.

I think we all go through dry spells in our spiritual life - at least I do. It is uncomfortable to say the least, when we feel as though we are not able to talk to God as we once could; worse, that perhaps we are not being heard. We feel that emptiness so deeply. Refuse to yield to anxiety over this issue, but know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel that you are in...try to relax. God knows your desire.

Here are a couple of Urantia Book quotes to help you through this time in your life.

Jesus' Discourse on Prayer This link will inspire you to look at prayer as Jesus did.

And THIS is a link to a section of The Urantia Book which has always been of help to me with my prayer life. It deals with praying and the "alter ego," that part of us that comes into play when we "talk to ourselves..." Maybe it will be helpful to you right now.

In addition, you might go to our topical study on Prayer for more advice and inspiration from The Urantia Book.

Don't give up. I will agree with you right now in prayer that you'll turn the corner soon.

Thanks for this great question...

Labels: alter ego, God, Jesus, prayer, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, April 10, 2009

There is at this time a man in Brazil INRI CHRISTO...There is at this time a man in Brazil INRI CHRISTO ...

Q: There is at this time a man in Brazil INRI CHRISTO. He has founded the new church of Christ SOUST. What can you tell of him, is he the Christ among us of the second coming?

A: Just to be sure, I googled the name that you gave me, and came across a YouTube video of this man. Within a few seconds, I knew he could not be Jesus, as he was talking about demonic possession. From the time of Pentecost, there has been no such thing as demonic possession, and the devil is not an "energetic body," as this man claims; instead, the devil is the fallen one-time Prince of this planet. Jesus, when he walked the earth, vanquished this deceiver, and has taken his place.

Jesus did promise to someday return to the earth, and we can rest on that promise. But as to the hour or the day, no one can say.

Jesus said: "But the times of the reappearing of the Son of Man are known only in the councils of Paradise; not even the angels of heaven know when this will occur. However, you should understand that, when this gospel of the kingdom shall have been proclaimed to all the world for the salvation of all peoples, and when the fullness of the age has come to pass, the Father will send you another dispensational bestowal, or else the Son of Man will return to adjudge the age. p1915:2 (176:2.5)

I think you can be quite sure that this man is not who he claims to be.

As to your second question: who is inri cristo?

I think this is simply a mortal man who has delusions of being Jesus. I would not put any faith in such a person; instead, you would do well to visit our site and read about the REAL Jesus. Please go HERE for much more information about Jesus. Or go HERE to read the complete life and teachings of Jesus as presented in The Urantia Book, a Revelation of truth, beauty and goodness for the entire planet. This will serve you far better than putting your faith in pretenders

Labels: demons, Inri Cristo, Jesus, Jesus' return, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, April 04, 2009

When did Catholicism begin?

Q: When did Catholicism begin and where can I find a book to read about the beginnings of Catholicism

A: I am not sure that you are aware that you have asked your question at a site dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book...? The Urantia Book is the most recent revelation of God to mankind - the previous revelation of this magnitude was the mortal incarnation, life, and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, over 2000 years ago. The Urantia Book includes in Part IV a complete restatement of the life and teachings of Jesus - perhaps that is how you came to believe that you could get your questioned answered, since our site is also dedicated to spreading the good news of Jesus' gospel...? I just want you to be aware that The Urantia Book is not connected to either the Catholic Church, or any other church. It is not a religion, in and of itself, but promotes the religion of personal experience, which is the religion that Jesus established when he was on earth. This religion differs in some fundamental ways from traditional Christian, or Catholic beliefs. But The Urantia Book is quite clear on Jesus' Divinity, so it is consistent in belief with all traditional churches in that regard.

The Catholic Church dates its beginnings to the confession of Peter - the occasion upon which Jesus asked the Apostles "Who say you that I am?" to which Peter replied, "You are the Deliverer, the Son of the living God." Following this declaration by Peter, the other eleven apostles agreed that Peter had spoken for all of them.

It was supposedly said by Jesus that "Upon this rock [Peter] I will build my church," making Peter the first "Pope," according to Catholic dogma. And so, throughout all of these centuries, every pope of the Catholic Church is said to be the representative of Peter, and the leader of the Church.

Since you have asked this question about the Catholic church at our site, I feel it might be of interest to you to know the differences between the Catholic Church, which is a religion ABOUT Jesus, and the actual religion OF Jesus, as presented in The Urantia Book. Please bear with me, if you will. I hope your mind is open enough to entertain some new information.

In The Urantia Book, we are given a detailed, almost day-by-day account of the life of Jesus. And this account includes the story of this conversation with Peter and the apostles. It was a very important occasion, as it was the first time that the apostles finally understood, and openly declared, that Jesus was not only a great teacher and a holy man (the Son of man), but that he was in truth, the actual Son of God as well, God-made-flesh.

I am providing a link HERE, so that you can read for yourself the account of this momentous occasion in The Urantia Book. Jesus established that day, not a church, but a living spiritual reality called the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Urantia Book teaches us that Jesus did not come to earth to establish a formalized church, even though many churches did spring up in his name following his death and resurrection. Instead, Jesus came to proclaim the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man; he came to establish the Kingdom of Heaven in the very hearts of mankind, so that man could know for certain that God is his Father, and so that every human being can have personal spiritual relations with that loving Father, as Jesus himself did.

Many churches claim that theirs is the "one, true church." Catholicism is one of them. One feature of any such church is dogma - theological teachings that must be embraced and rules that must be adhered to, lest a person suffer damnation, supposedly at the hands of a judgmental and jealous God. Jesus himself was raised in orthodox Judaism, and was also taught that he must adhere to Jewish dogma, principles and rituals so that he would stand in favor with God. As you know, he rebelled against that very strict upbringing.

Jesus preached against the establishment of any religion that would try to imprison the Truth and he became a great threat to the authority of the church leaders, who had him killed for his original and life-saving ideas. Jesus taught us that there is a true freedom of religious expression that can only be found through personal relations with God, who dwells within every man. It is through progressive and willing identification with this indwelling Spirit that man is able to achieve communion with the Father. Jesus was not in favor of any priest, rabbi, or other supposed "holy men" standing between man and God. He taught that we can live lives of spiritual freedom and originality with only our inner Spirit as our infallible guide.

Since you came upon our site, and took the time to ask a question of us, I hope that you will stay awhile, and read a bit more from The Urantia Book.

The Urantia Book clearly states that:

One of the most important things in human living is to find out what Jesus believed, to discover his ideals, and to strive for the achievement of his exalted life purpose. Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it. p2090:4(196:1.3)

Please go HERE to our web page dedicated to Jesus, which contains many Urantia Book links, including a link to the story of Jesus' life and teachings (at the top of the page), as well as beautiful videos that you might enjoy.

And HERE to read about the beginnings of the Christian church, which bears Jesus' name.

As for books about the beginnings of Catholicism, I am sure you could find a wealth of selections at Amazon.com. They frequently have second-hand books at a great savings.

Thanks for hanging in with me this far. I don't know why you chose to ask your question of us, but I am glad that you did. Please write back any time...I hope you will take this gentle nudge, given in the spirit of brotherhood, to expand your knowledge and understanding of Jesus as presented in The Urantia Book. It is a book like no other, and a Revelation of God whose only equal is that of the Master, Jesus of Nazareth himself.

Labels: Catholicism, Jesus, Peter, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Who is this spirit that came to Lourdes, and many other places?

Q: Mother Mary has had many visitations to the Earth since her "Assumption". Who is this spirit that came to Lourdes, and many other places? Was Mary a disciple of Jesus?

A: Marian visitations and apparitions have been going on for decades. I remember as a child in Catholic school, Fatima and Lourdes were very hot topics, and they were always quite a mystery to me...still are! As late as the 1960s, apparitions - supposedly of Mary - were seen for many months by some young girls in Garabandal, Spain and caused quite a stir in the Catholic community. These apparitions are often accompanied by warnings, many very dire, about coming disasters, chastisements, and so forth. I remember in the Fatima visitations, there was supposedly a miracle, where the sun seemed to descend upon many thousands of people. This is pretty well documented through eyewitness reports, but seems to have been somewhat subjective, as many - even believers - saw nothing at all.

Over the centuries since Jesus walked the earth, Mary has been elevated to the status of a virtual deity among Catholics. She is seen as an intercessor, pleading with mortals to mend their ways, lest her son wreak some sort of disaster upon humanity for its wicked ways. She is seen as almost begging us, implying that she cannot stay her son's hand forever, meaning that Jesus will punish us severely if we don't repent. It is interesting to note that all of these apparitions occurred to Catholic youngsters, primarily adolescent girls.

The Urantia Book offers no information that I can find about this sort of thing, although I wish that it did. Were these phenomenon purely subjective? Were they a case of mass hysteria? Was there really a good spirit communicating with young children, offering clues to the future? If so, who could it be? As far as I know, there are no documented corrobortions of the predictions of any of these visitations. Many, many people experienced healing of ailments, as at Lourdes, but was this a real case of miraculous healing, or was it the faith of the ailing person that cured them? We have evidence of this happening during Jesus' life, as in the case of the woman with the spirit of infirmity. Faith is a powerful adjunct to healing.

Unfortunately, I can offer no explanation for these events, and while I find them very interesting - even amazing - I have a hard time believing that they are Divine visitations. Our heavenly Father does not deal in fear and warnings, but in love and salvation. God works from within the individual heart and soul, and I think he would not need to use such dramatic means to call attention to himself. He waits for his children to come to him, and dwells as the "still, small voice," leading the way to his will. Having said that, I sometimes wish that there could be some kind of world-wide Divine event that would get the attention of people who need some proof of God, but so far, that has not happened. The truth is that we humans are engaged in a life that requires rugged faith and the religion of personal spiritual experience to produce any real spiritual progress - not apparitions and visitations by supposedly supernatural beings. Consider this Urantia Book quote:

Religion lives and prospers, then, not by sight and feeling, but rather by faith and insight. It consists not in the discovery of new facts or in the finding of a unique experience, but rather in the discovery of new and spiritual meanings in facts already well known to mankind. The highest religious experience is not dependent on prior acts of belief, tradition, and authority; neither is religion the offspring of sublime feelings and purely mystical emotions. It is, rather, a profoundly deep and actual experience of spiritual communion with the spirit influences resident within the human mind, and as far as such an experience is definable in terms of psychology, it is simply the experience of experiencing the reality of believing in God as the reality of such a purely personal experience.
p1105:1(101:1.4)

As to the second part of your question: Mary, the mother of Jesus was not strictly a disciple of Jesus. She was his mother; and throughout Jesus life, Mary was at various times loving, proud, perplexed, hopeful, and also bitterly disappointed as to the course that her son's life took. She was quite a normal human mother, with a normal mother's care and concern for her child's welfare. You can read more about Mary HERE

The "Marys" who were disciples of Jesus were Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the sister of Lazarus.

I wish I could have given you a better answer, but I hope this has been of some help to you...

Labels: apparitions, Jesus, Lourdes, Mary, Mary Magdalene, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, March 26, 2009

I read in FAQ that people go to the Mansion Worlds or "they go to sleep, to await a dispensational resurrection". What kind of living/life leads to on

Q: I read in FAQ that people go to the Mansion Worlds or "they go to sleep, to await a dispensational resurrection". What kind of living/life leads to one or the other?

A: Thanks for writing to us with this question. Here is a Urantia Book description of sleeping survivors - those who are awaiting dispensational resurrection:

Sleeping Survivors. All mortals of survival status, in the custody of personal guardians of destiny, pass through the portals of natural death and, on the third period, personalize on the mansion worlds. Those accredited beings who have, for any reason, been unable to attain that level of intelligence mastery and endowment of spirituality which would entitle them to personal guardians, cannot thus immediately and directly go to the mansion worlds. Such surviving souls must rest in unconscious sleep until the judgment day of a new epoch, a new dispensation, the coming of a Son of God to call the rolls of the age and adjudicate the realm, and this is the general practice throughout all Nebadon. It was said of Christ Michael that, when he ascended on high at the conclusion of his work on earth, "He led a great multitude of captives." And these captives were the sleeping survivors from the days of Adam to the day of the Master's resurrection on Urantia.p341:1(30:4.4)

As you can see, the key here is whether one has been entitled to a personal guardian. From The Urantia Book: "since the bestowal of Michael, they [personal guardians] are assigned in accordance with human intelligence, spirituality, and destiny. "

This attainment of a personal guardian has much to do with the seven cosmic circles of attainment. I suggest you give this a careful read.

Another Urantia Book passage on this subject:

Mortals of the individual orders of ascension. The individual progress of human beings is measured by their successive attainment and traversal (mastery) of the seven cosmic circles. These circles of mortal progression are levels of associated intellectual, social, spiritual, and cosmic-insight values. Starting out in the seventh circle, mortals strive for the first, and all who have attained the third immediately have personal guardians of destiny assigned to them. These mortals may be repersonalized in the morontia life independent of dispensational or other adjudications.p569:3(49:6.8)

These circles are a spiritual kind of benchmark by which human progress is measured. There are no precise definitions given - in fact only a few of these circles are described at all, but this following passage does shed some light on the subject, and offers clues as to the kind of behavior and attitude one should cultivate in order to successfully navigate them:

It is to the mind of perfect poise, housed in a body of clean habits, stabilized neural energies, and balanced chemical functionâ€”when the physical, mental, and spiritual powers are in triune harmony of developmentâ€”that a maximum of light and truth can be imparted with a minimum of temporal danger or risk to the real welfare of such a being. By such a balanced growth does man ascend the circles of planetary progression one by one, from the seventh to the first. p1209:4(110:6.4)

It is not necessarily a bad thing to be a sleeping survivor - it could be that many of us will be in that group - it simply means that the growth needed for attaining that third circles was not attained before death. This could be due to any number of factors - some may be beyond one's control; nonetheless, all sleeping survivors are still counted among the saved, as they are resurrected in groups at the end of divine dispensations, such as that of Jesus, when he finally departed from Earth. They go on to progress in eternity just as do all others.

Thanks for this interesting question!

Labels: ascension, dispensational resurrection, Jesus, seven cosmic circles, sleeping survivors, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, March 20, 2009

Since the Adam and Eve failure why not simply scrap the project and do it over?

Q: Since the Adam and Eve failure why not simply scrap the project and do it over? And as to the Calagastia upheaval why not simply send a new resident planetary prince in the old one's stead?

A: It's hard to answer for the decisions of the administrators of life development on this world; we have limited and short sighted vision while they understand the outworkings of events far beyond our understanding. So I'll have to guess.

By scrapping the project and doing it over I'm assuming you mean send Adam and Eve back to clean up after themselves. That does seem to be a possibility, although an unlikely one. It may be that more good will come from allowing us to work our own way through this predicament by ourselves, if possible. Also, having a highly advanced culture imposed on us from the outside now presents its own set of problems. I don't expect the vast majority of humanity would take kindly to being invaded by aliens and having their will imposed upon us. UB readers like the prospects... most everyone else would resist I imagine.

As for the Planetary Prince -- I believe Jesus fills that function for now and he some day will return, whether invisible or in person we don't know. It just doesn't look like we're in line for outside help beyond whatever's already being provided. It would be great if the plan had been carried out, if we had a visible and invisible 500,000 year old seat of planetary administration and a 38,000 year old Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve running worldly affairs but it looks like the life on this experimental world will continue to unfold along the lines of the predominantly material driven promptings of our own doing, leaving it up to ourselves to discover the spiritual underpinnings of reality.

Thank you for your question. Hope the answer was of some help.

Labels: Adam and Eve, Caligastia, Jesus, planetary prince, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, March 13, 2009

Are the teachings of Jesus practicable?

Q: Are the teachings of Jesus practicable?

A: Jesus' teachings are certainly practicable - even after 2000 years, the life and teachings of Jesus provide the best source of knowledge that any child of God needs to lead a successful spiritual life. Jesus was a Divine being, and yet he was also a true human who lived a normal life, just as we do. Even though we will not live life in exactly the same way, still, the life that Jesus lived and the teachings that he gave are ever fresh, ever relevant to any mortal who wishes to know how to live as a son or daughter of God. Jesus was, and is, truly one of us.

What are the teachings of Jesus? Jesus taught us that we are children of a loving God, and that as such we are all connected in one great family - we are all brothers and sisters because we share the same Father. Jesus taught that by faith, we become sharers with him in the Kingdom of Heaven, and we become true universe citizens.This truth of Jesus' teaching has not changed. We are still called to seek God through faith, to love God as our Father and to love one another - to serve one another, and to treat others with love and tolerance. Jesus lived as he taught, and so the study of his life is vital to an understanding of what it means to be a child of God

This is one of the greatest gifts that we receive when we read The Urantia Book - we are gifted with Jesus' entire life story - not just the few years of his public ministry that are in the Bible. We see his life as he lived it in his day and time, but in that life are to be found all of the kinds of challenges, joys and discoveries that all normal humans experience; not in exactly the same way, but human nature is not so different today than it was in his time. Emotions are the same - the search for truth, beauty and goodness is the same today as it was then, and the God that Jesus revealed through his life is still the same God - today and evermore.

From The Urantia Book:

To "follow Jesus" means to personally share his religious faith and to enter into the spirit of the Master's life of unselfish service for man. One of the most important things in human living is to find out what Jesus believed, to discover his ideals, and to strive for the achievement of his exalted life purpose. Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it. p2090:4(196:1.3)

And:

The nature of God can be studied in a revelation of supreme ideas, the divine character can be envisaged as a portrayal of supernal ideals, but the most enlightening and spiritually edifying of all revelations of the divine nature is to be found in the comprehension of the religious life of Jesus of Nazareth, both before and after his attainment of full consciousness of divinity.p33:2(2:0.2)

In Part IV of The Urantia Book is to be found this complete life story. I hope you will be inspired to read it, and through reading it, to be assured that in Jesus' life - both before and after his realization of his Divinity - is to be found solid guidance and wisdom for our 21st century lives.

Thank you for writing to us with this important question.

Labels: God, Jesus, teachings of Jesus, The Urantia Book

Permalink

How did you get your information? That is, about Jesus, God, Yahweh , Melchizedek, etc.

Q: I am quite intrigued about your facts about Jesus. I have been searching for the life style of Jesus before he started his ministry. But I have a question: How did you get your information? That is, about Jesus, God, Yahweh , Melchizedek, etc.

A: Thank you for your note and we're glad to hear that you're intrigued by the material we offer about Jesus. May I suggest that the more you read and know and understand the life and teachings of Jesus the more real he will become and the stronger the connection you will experience. You can begin the story as it is related in The Urantia Book from our site HERE where you can also listen to the text as you read along.

To understand how this information has become available you have to have an understanding of The Urantia Book; the recounting of Jesus' life and teachings is but one of the four parts that comprise this masterful book, first printed in 1955. The purpose of the book is not only to lift Jesus' life and teachings up from the Christian dogma that has surrounded it for the past 2,000 years but also to place it in context with the most recent revelation of spiritual truth to our world, the Urantia revelation, which is sometimes described as a handbook for acquiring cosmic citizenry.

We have a number of study aids available on our site to help with understanding The Urantia Book -- if you'll view our home page at www.truthbook.com in the blue links section at the left side you'll see "Jesus and The Urantia Book," "Urantia Book Video," "Answers to Life's Toughest Questions," "How The Urantia Book Changed My Life," "Spiritual Studies," and "FAQ" -- each of these sections will each provide a wealth of information about the book and about some of the people who study it. As informative and interesting as these materials are however, nothing substitutes for reading the book for oneself and making a personal decision regarding its authenticity, truth content, and value.

May I also recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book. To subscribe click on the Quote of the Day link on the left side of our home page and follow the instructions.

Best wishes in your search and please feel free to write any time.

Labels: God, Jesus, Melchizedek, study aids, The Urantia Book, Yahweh

Permalink

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

I've been checking out your website and The Urantia Book passages...

Q: I've been checking out your website and The Urantia Book passages.
I'm very interested in your religion, its beliefs, references, etc. I'm currently a Lutheran and I'm finding out more about them that I don't like. I'm tired of mainstream Christianity. Do you have churches like other churches?

A: Urantia Book readers come from all manner of beliefs or lack thereof -- Catholic priests and nuns, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Mormons, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Moslems, atheists and agnostics and everything in between, even Lutherans.

There have been attempts in the past to establish a Urantia Church but the concept isn't particularly well received among Urantians -- you see, most of us believe that the teachings of The Urantia Book do not denote a new religion as much as they provide an umbrella under which all world religions can function. The Urantia Book is here, in part, to elevate and uplift the religious thought in the world, whether it be Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, or pagan, not to impose another form of religion.

The Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus introduced is what The Urantia Book calls the "invisible brotherhood."

The true churchâ€”the Jesus brotherhoodâ€”is invisible, spiritual, and is characterized by unity...(195:10.11)

Labels: churches, invisible church, Jesus, kingdom of heaven, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Does The Urantia Book have a Golden Rule?

While TUB has quite a few references for the Golden Rule, there is no new description of it - it remains "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you," but the teachings of the Urantia Book, and more especially, the teachings of Jesus elevate the Golden Rule and add a new dimension to it. Jesus referred to the Golden Rule as the Rule of Living.

Here are a few more passages which speak of this age-old "rule of living:"

From the Sermon on the Mount to the discourse of the Last Supper, Jesus taught his followers to manifest fatherly love rather than brotherly love. Brotherly love would love your neighbor as you love yourself, and that would be adequate fulfillment of the "golden rule." But fatherly affection would require that you should love your fellow mortals as Jesus loves you. p1573:3(140:5.1)

... Jesus' morality was always positive. The golden rule as restated by Jesus demands active social contact; the older negative rule could be obeyed in isolation. Jesus stripped morality of all rules and ceremonies and elevated it to majestic levels of spiritual thinking and truly righteous living. p1585:3(140:10.5)

In the kingdom of the believing brotherhood of God-knowing truth lovers, this golden rule takes on living qualities of spiritual realization on those higher levels of interpretation which cause the mortal sons of God to view this injunction of the Master as requiring them so to relate themselves to their fellows that they will receive the highest possible good as a result of the believer's contact with them. This is the essence of true religion: that you love your neighbor as yourself.
p1950:2(180:5.7)

This Truthbook page reveals the Golden Rule as taught by many earth religions, including Christianity.

Labels: brotherhhod of man, golden rule, Jesus, neighbor, religion, rule of living, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, February 14, 2009

When does the soul enter the human body?

Q: When does the soul enter the human body?

A: There has long been speculation about the soul - what it is, where it resides, how it is nurtured...but it is a fairly common belief that the soul is the non-material component of a human being, a component that possesses immortality. And this belief is true. Only the details have been missing.

The Urantia Book dispels all doubt as to the soul's origin and purpose. We learn that the soul is the spiritual counterpart of a human being which is born at the moment of the person's first moral choice - usually at about age five. Coincident with the first moral choosing, this occasion also marks the arrival of the indwelling Spirit of God into the mind of a human being. At this time, this brand new entity is created, and its evolution and growth is continued throughout a lifetime by every new choice towards the good, true and beautiful.

Rather than something that enters a human from without, the immortal soul is born from within, and is nurtured by continued identification with the indwelling Spirit of God. And at the end of life, it is this entity which survives the death experience and goes on to eternal life.

Please see Jesus' Discourse on the Soul for a far more inspiring explanation than I can give...

Thank you for this important question...

Labels: God within, Jesus, soul, The Urantia Book, Thought Adjuster

Permalink

What is the first step that I should do that will lead me in forgiving someone?

Q: Forgiving is one of the hardest thing to do to be able to fully submit yourself to God. What is the first step that I should do that will lead me in forgiving someone?

A: You are right that forgiving can be the hardest thing to do. All of us can relate to this...I guess the first thing you must do is to decide whether your un-forgiveness is helping you to achieve the kind of relationship you desire with God - your desire to willingly submit to his will. Is your unwillingness to forgive helping you in your search for peace and happiness in your inner life? Is your anger doing anything to right the situation? Is carrying the burdens of hurt and anger worth the effort?

When we have been sinned against by another - when our sense of right and wrong has been violated by another's words or actions, we recognize it, and we feel anger or indignation against that person - often rightly so. It is a very human response. Sometimes, we dream of revenge or retaliation - our anger burns bright, and we can fan the flames by harboring these feelings - sometimes for long periods of time. But is that helpful? The feelings of anger and hurt are heavy burdens to the heart, and usually do not in any way affect the offender, only the one who harbors them.

The Urantia Book tells us that "anger is like a stone hurled into a hornet's nest." It is a "mental poison" that can "interfere with the spiritual progress of the evolving soul."

So, what is one to do? Jesus was one of the most sinned-against persons we know. He was betrayed, he was deserted by his friends, he was wrongly put to death. And yet, through all of his trials, he remained loving, tolerant and forgiving. He said: "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."

We must learn to forgive in this life. The first step is to realize the harm that unforgiveness can do to YOU, and that may lead you to make a decision to forgive. Ask God to show you the way to achieve it in your heart. Accept the fact that you are also in need of forgiveness, and pray to realize it. As you learn to forgive everyone who has ever wronged you, you will in turn start to experience forgiveness of your own misdeeds as well. This can be a very liberating experience.

From The Urantia Book:

The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men. God's forgiveness in fact is not conditioned upon your forgiving your fellows, but in experience it is exactly so conditioned. And this fact of the synchrony of divine and human forgiveness was thus recognized and linked together in the prayer which Jesus taught the apostles.p1638:4(146:2.4)

And that prayer is, of course, the "Lord's Prayer," which asks God to "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

When you can make that mental and spiritual decision to forgive another, you will feel a lifting of your burdens. Leave the offender to God, and remember that "forgiving tolerance" is one of the fruits of the spirit that we are called upon to produce in our lives. Forgiveness can be difficult, but making the effort is well worth it.

Labels: anger, forgiveness, fruits of the spirit, God, God's Will, Jesus, The Lord's Prayer

Permalink

How can you know whether you are just human or if you are a divinely bestowed personality?

Q: With such a focus on bestowal missions in TUB, how can you know whether you are just human or if you are a divinely bestowed personality?

A: Are you thinking that maybe because of the focus more people will be claiming to be divine? That's possible -- because of TUB more people are claiming to have special connections to spirit beings since any time that attention is given to something out of the ordinary people with unstable tendencies rush to use it to their advantage. We all like to think we're special -- and we are, but not in a worldly fashion and it's the worldly that exerts such a strong pull on the ego.

Divinely bestowed personalities know who they are -- Caligastia, Adam and Eve, Melchizedek, Jesus. They understood where they'd come from and what it was they intended to do while here so there was no doubt in their minds. Jesus, as a child, faced some confusion, but as he grew up and matured the knowledge came back to him. So, if you're a divinely bestowed personality you know your past and your future. If you're a self-deluding person you'll make yourself believe there's something divine and extra special about you, but deep down you'll know it's a deception.

It's my guess that there are no divinely bestowed personalities in human form on the planet at this time and that there won't be any for some time to come. We're pretty much left to our own devices by deity since it's important that we evolve naturally and solve our own problems. But at some point we'll have evolved to the point where we're ready for a new teacher and one will come. However, TUB has been here for 50 years and is still unknown -- it's going to take a while for it to have its intended effect and we'll need to absorb the fifth in order to be ready for something additional.

Labels: Adam and Eve, bestowal, Caligastia, ego, Jesus, Melchizedek, personality, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Do we have to pay for the misdeeds and sufferings of our ancestors?

Q: I have a query. Do the departed souls affect us? If they are not happy do they cause us suffering? Do we have to pay for the misdeeds and sufferings of our ancestors? What does one do to bring peace to the departed souls? I do not understand that when we are good why we have to suffer for someone else's misdeeds and sins. Its unfair.

A: Thank you for your question to Truthbook.com. Yes, what you've related would be unfair if it were true. I know many people suffer from the burden they believe the departed have placed upon them. In some cultures people die because of their belief that those who've departed can influence them so profoundly, so it's not a problem to be dismissed lightly.

Our minds are powerful influences and can perform amazing things, some hard to believe. Having powerful minds and the free will to direct them however we choose is a birthright we all are endowed with. Some people are willing to turn over the control and function of their minds to others -- the others don't have the capacity to control a healthy mind without the willful consent of the person being controlled. So, yes, some people can and do suffer from someone else's misdeeds, but it is a choice they've made, perhaps unconsciously, to do.

The Urantia Book has the most complete and factual information about the birth of the soul, how it functions, what it does, where it and we go upon death, and what the life hereafter will be like. There's a short presentation on our site titled After You Die that should be of comfort to you and help answer your question. Briefly though, the answer to your question is no, departed souls do not physically or mentally affect us -- they leave earth and are involved in activity that's meaningful to their own development and are not involved in any further activity here on earth; they do not return. Energy patterns and mindal energy systems that had been part of that person's makeup while alive may still exist once the individual is gone -- sensitive people can tap into those energies or even those not so sensitive can as well if they choose to. It's a matter of free will choice whether one wants to indulge in these undertakings or not; they can as easily be dismissed and disregarded, whether they're real or not.

Do we pay for the misdeeds and sufferings of our ancestors? Only if we choose to aim our minds in those directions -- yes, some people do suffer from such perceived burdens, but again, it's their choice to do so, whether the choice has been made consciously or unconsciously; such choices can be reversed by refusing to entertain thoughts along those lines. Our Father in heaven does not burden his mortal children; we are not held accountable for another individual's actions -- it's only our own actions that matter. Just as the Father did not require an innocent sacrifice in order to appease wrath, neither does the Father require that we pay for the sins of others -- it's our choice if that's what we choose to do. Jesus has exhorted us to fear not; trust Jesus.

May I recommend that you spend time at our site to help you understand these answers better and if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book, The Urantia Book, with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book. To subscribe click on the Quote of the Day link on the left side of our home page and follow the instructions.

Labels: Jesus, life after death, soul, suffering, the departed, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Monday, January 26, 2009

"Joseph of Nazareth" - A story you made up?

Q: I am much surprised to read so many details about Joseph of Nazareth on your website. Where would you find sources to claim things e.g. "Joseph was employed by Maryâ€™s father", "Mary brought him a cup of waterâ€¦" "Joseph had 8 brothers and sistersâ€¦." Many more claims about specifics that I have not encountered in biblical publications. Could you enlighten me as to your actual source or are you just creating a story?

A: Thank you for stopping at our site and for asking your question. Truthbook.com is a site dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book, a book which claims to be a revelation. Is it? The only reliable way to accept or refute its claim is to read the book and decide for oneself. I expect that nearly everyone comes to the book with some measure of skepticism -- it's a pretty audacious claim isn't it, especially at this time when there are so many books claiming to be conversing with God and all manner of spirit entities. There is, however, no other book like The Urantia Book.

You asked about the details given regarding Jesus' life. The Urantia Book consists of four parts, the fourth part being devoted exclusively to the life and teachings of Jesus. This is the caveat given at the beginning of Part Four:

PART IV

THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS

This group of papers was sponsored by a commission of twelve Urantia Midwayers acting under the supervision of a Melchizedek Revelatory Director. The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary Midwayer who was onetime assigned to the superhuman watchcare of the Apostle Andrew.

Basically, what this is saying is the 76 chapters in Part Four that detail Jesus' life from before conception through resurrection and ascension are taken from the angelic records that were recorded as these events transpired. This record is not based on the Bible although there are of course a lot of similarities and we did not just create a story. All told, there are just a few more than 70 pages in the Bible that chronicle Jesus' life and teachings -- enough material to have changed the course of history. The Urantia Book depiction of his life is over 700 pages in length -- there are no missing years.

If you have an interest in Jesus spend a bit more time with our site and with The Urantia Book. The links on the left side of our home page offer such great topics as "Joseph of Nazareth" which may be what caused your initial question. Take a look at our short videos. You can go directly to Part IV if you wish with this link to begin reading.

Feel free to ask questions... that's what we're here for. We're not trying to sell anything or to convert or coerce anyone -- we'd just like to encourage you to read (and listen... each paper has a "Listen" button at the top so you can listen as you read along).

Labels: Jesus, Joseph, The Urantia Book

Permalink

I am concerned about the use of the term 'surviving mortal.'

Q: I am concerned about the use of the term 'surviving mortal.' How do I know if I am destined to survive, and is there any chance I will not survive between my planet of origin and the first Mansion world?

A: I guess there is always a chance, but it seems to me that the overwhelming feeling that one gets from reading the Revelation is that the vast majority of human beings WILL survive in eternity. And that includes you.

My understanding is that one must simply CHOOSE to survive, and then have FAITH that that survival is inevitable. Doubt is the one thing that the believer has to resist, and so Jesus always exhorted us to develop a living faith - one that leaves no room for doubt. Unless you deliberately choose otherwise, your survival is assured.

"The door of eternal life is wide open to all; "whosoever will may come"; there are no restrictions or qualifications save the faith of the one who comes."139:12.7

Even if you may fear that your own faith might be somewhat lacking, The Urantia Book says this:

... it is the nature of the Sons of God to give every created being a full and equal chance for salvation and survival. Jesus wanted not only the mortals of this world but the onlookers of innumerable other worlds to know that, when doubts exist as to the sincerity and wholeheartedness of a creature's devotion to the kingdom, it is the invariable practice of the Judges of men fully to receive the doubtful candidate. p1566:6 139:12.7

The Master looked upon men as the sons of God and foresaw a magnificent and eternal future for those who chose survival. He was not a moral skeptic; he viewed man positively, not negatively. He saw most men as weak rather than wicked, more distraught than depraved. But no matter what their status, they were all God's children and his brethren. p2093:3 196:2.9

I think you can rest assured that you will also be given every opportunity to survive, if that is your desire. Your faith and your own choice in this matter are the keys to eternal life.

I hope you will take a look at two of our short flash presentations regarding this issue. One is: You Can Live Forever and the other one is After You Die. Both of these presentation are beautiful condensations of Urantia Book truth regarding the surety of survival, and eternal life.

Labels: eternal life, faith, Jesus, Mansion Worlds, survival

Permalink

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Jesus in The Urantia Book, the whole story

Readers of The Urantia Book describe why these teachings stand unique, packed with new Jesus stories, his lost years, and fresh insights. This detailed portrayal of Jesus emphasizes the religion of Jesus rather than the religion about Jesus. If you love Jesus as portrayed in the Bible, you will gain an even greater admiration and understanding of his life and teachings from Part IV of The Urantia Book.

Labels: Bible, enlightenment, God, inspiration, Jesus, lost years, new insight, religion, religious experience, spiritual, spirituality, truth, urantia book

Permalink

Are Reptilians real?

Q: Are Reptilians real?

A: Have you personally had contact with Reptilians? Our human nature contains not only the vestiges of our long evolutionary origin, up through ghost fear, worship of plants, stones and nature, the concepts of chance, good and bad luck, ancestor worship, fetishes, totems, charms, magic, shamans, medicine men, and primitive forms of prayer but also higher forms of logical thinking, genuine prayer, communion and worship; we've carried a lot of baggage in our minds to reach this point in our long evolutionary struggle.

Just as there are those who delight in fear and fearful thoughts, there are those who delight in digging into the inexplicable and the seemingly strange and weird happenings reported about the globe; they make careers of it. We still hang onto notions that there's an underpinning of magic in reality and that "anything's possible." And for those who seek out strangeness, it's there.

Do you understand who Jesus was, why he came, what he did, what he taught, who he is now? If so then the fear of the unknown will have little influence on your thoughts and behavior. The retelling of Jesus' life and teachings, devoid of religious doctrines, is one of the purposes of the gift to humanity of The Urantia Book, a book that sets straight the troubled history of our world and reestablishes a logical and meaningful foundation to reality.

Jesus' watchword was "Fear not." He said: "I am absolutely assured that the entire universe is friendly to me--this all-powerful truth I insist on believing with a wholehearted trust in spite of all appearances to the contrary." and "Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Genuine meekness has no relation to fear. It is rather an attitude of man co-operating with God--"Your will be done." Only the spirit-indwelt mind can comprehend that the universe is friendly to the individual.

The religious impulse does serve a necessary function for human well being; among other benefits it offers peace and release from unfounded fear.

May I recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of The Urantia Book. To subscribe click on the Quote of the Day link on the left side of our home page and follow the instructions.

Labels: fear, Jesus, Reptilians, The Urantia Book

Permalink

If A police officer kills someone is s/he judged by the Ancients of Days?

Q: If someone works as a police officer, and sometimes has to resort to killing criminals, how would the Ancients of Days evaluate such a personality?

A: I certainly cannot speak for the Ancients of Days, but I do know that the state has the right to protect its citizens; that is why we have laws and law-enforcement, such as the police force. If, in the execution of their duties, a "criminal" is killed by a police officer, it is often a case of perceived defense against harm to the individual officer, or to society-at-large. Until society has evolved to such a degree that its citizenry is governed by individual self-control, such unfortunate occurrences are inevitable.

In his Discourse on Sonship and Citizenship, Jesus said:

"The kingdoms of this world, being material, may often find it necessary to employ physical force in the execution of their laws and for the maintenance of order."

In our society, much scrutiny is usually attached to street killings by police officers - investigations are made, and judgments rendered right here on earth as to the guilt or innocence of the officer. As for the eternal consequences, that is impossible for any of us to rightly determine.

Thank you for this question...

Labels: citizenship, Jesus, police, protection, self-control, state, The Urantia Book

Permalink

What does The Urantia Book say about Judgment?

Q: Regarding dispensational resurrection, what does it mean when it refers to sleeping souls "who had not already gone onto judgment"? What does the Urantia Book say about judgment - what exactly does that mean? What happens? And does the short life of a Urantian constitute spiritual judgment?

A: The quote that you referenced is from a section titled The Dispensational Resurrection, which describes the mass resurrection that took place following Jesus' resurrection from the tomb. The specific quote is here:

The circuit of the archangels then operated for the first time from Urantia. Gabriel and the archangel hosts moved to the place of the spiritual polarity of the planet; and when Gabriel gave the signal, there flashed to the first of the system mansion worlds the voice of Gabriel, saying: "By the mandate of Michael, let the dead of a Urantia dispensation rise!" Then all the survivors of the human races of Urantia who had fallen asleep since the days of Adam, and who had not already gone on to judgment, appeared in the resurrection halls of mansonia in readiness for morontia investiture. p2024:4(189:3.2)

When Gabriel referred to "the dead of a Urantia dispensation," he was referring to these very souls who were now being resurrected - those who had died, but who had been asleep since the days of Adam - a long time for some of them - over 35,000 years. When some people die, they are not resurrected in three days' time, but instead, they stay peacefully asleep, awaiting just such a time as this one described, a dispensational resurrection, in order to move forward.

You can read more about sleeping survivors HERE

Whether a person was resurrected in three days, or whether they may sleep for thousands of years, they still eventually are resurrected on Mansonia, there to begin their "real life, the ascending life."

As for "judgment," here are a couple of quotes from Jesus:

"... Do you not perceive that, when each of you is called to lay down his life struggle and pass through the portal of death, you stand in the immediate presence of judgment, and that you are face to face with the facts of a new dispensation of service in the eternal plan of the infinite Father? What the whole world must face as a literal fact at the end of an age, you, as individuals, must each most certainly face as a personal experience when you reach the end of your natural life and thereby pass on to be confronted with the conditions and demands inherent in the next revelation of the eternal progression of the Father's kingdom." p1915:4(176:2.7)

"Mankind can appropriately be divided into many classes in accordance with differing qualifications, as they may be viewed physically, mentally, socially, vocationally, or morally, but as these different classes of mortals appear before the judgment bar of God, they stand on an equal footing; God is truly no respecter of persons." p1468:3 (133:0.3)

I am not aware of any place in The Urantia Book that describes an actual process by which mortals are judged. Perhaps the judgment is inherent in the fact of survival itself. The Urantia Book says that we gain nothing from resurrection, save the experience of survival...

It could be that your idea of this mortal life being itself a "judgment," is on the right track. One can, in this life, decide to survive. One can have only a "faint flicker of faith" in such a resurrection, and we are told that this is the only requirement for survival after death. "All who will may come."

There may possibly be circumstances where a resurrected mortal may be in conflict about survival, or perhaps their dedication is lacking, or for some other reason, their life is reviewed and judgment is made as to whether they are fit to continue. But I would imagine that the majority of mortals are adjudged to be "fit," to survive the death experience.

We have such a limited understanding of the meaning of life and what's in store for us during the Paradise adventure while we're here that it seems unlikely that we are able to make a knowledgeable decision whether to continue or not, so that decision will most likely occur on the mansion worlds. But, if during this earth life, the person has not exhibited even the smallest flicker of faith and has not produced a soul that can be resurrected then there is no "person" to be resurrected and their existence would cease at mortal death.

Thanks for this really good question ...

Labels: dispensational resurrection, Jesus, judgment, mortal life, resurrection, The Urantia Book

Permalink

How do I know if I am destined to survive...?

I am concerned about the use of the term 'surviving mortal.' How do I know if I am destined to survive, and is there any chance I will not survive between my planet of origin and the first Mansion world?

I guess there is always a chance, but it seems to me that the overwhelming feeling that one gets from reading the Revelation is that the vast majority of human beings WILL survive in eternity. And that includes you.

My understanding is that one must simply CHOOSE to survive, and then have FAITH that that survival is inevitable. Doubt is the one thing that the believer has to resist, and so Jesus always exhorted us to develop a living faith - one that leaves no room for doubt. Unless you deliberately choose otherwise, your survival is assured.

"The door of eternal life is wide open to all; "whosoever will may come"; there are no restrictions or qualifications save the faith of the one who comes."(139:12.7)

Even if you may fear that your own faith might be somewhat lacking, The Urantia Book says this:

... it is the nature of the Sons of God to give every created being a full and equal chance for salvation and survival. Jesus wanted not only the mortals of this world but the onlookers of innumerable other worlds to know that, when doubts exist as to the sincerity and wholeheartedness of a creature's devotion to the kingdom, it is the invariable practice of the Judges of men fully to receive the doubtful candidate. p1566:6 (139:12.7)

The Master looked upon men as the sons of God and foresaw a magnificent and eternal future for those who chose survival. He was not a moral skeptic; he viewed man positively, not negatively. He saw most men as weak rather than wicked, more distraught than depraved. But no matter what their status, they were all God's children and his brethren. p2093:3 (196:2.9)

I think you can rest assured that you will also be given every opportunity to survive, if that is your desire. Your faith and your own choice in this matter are the keys to eternal life.

I hope you will take a look at two of our short flash presentations regarding this issue. One is: You Can Live Forever and the other one is After You Die. Both of these presentation are beautiful condensations of Urantia Book truth regarding the surety of survival, and eternal life.

Labels: choice, death, faith, God, Jesus, survival, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Can I Heal Others, and Bring Them To God?

Q: My best friend's son was born blind. Is there anyway I can learn to heal so that maybe I can help others to believe?

A: In a more perfect world we would each be born healthy and with five good senses fully functioning. But the world is not perfect. Your desire to be of help to others is compassionate but it would be well to examine your reason for wanting to be a healer. Consider that one of the decisions Jesus made before he entered into his public ministry was that he would not employ any superhuman powers.((136:8.1)

Although miracles occurred during his ministry they were not pursued purposefully, with rare exceptions. Jesus counseled many times about the futility of employing "signs and wonders" to entice people into the Kingdom. You may remember that, many times, even those who received healing from Jesus refused to follow after him, and many times, did not even thank him. Healing is not a reliable way of bringing others to God.

Sometimes we can heal ourselves of psychosomatic infirmities and sometimes we can appear to heal others by engaging them to heal themselves, but most displays of healing are fraudulent. It's not one of the "powers" humans use to better their lives. Rather than wishing to heal your friend's child of blindness your influence might be more valuable by compassionately enriching this child's life.

Labels: blindness, healing, Jesus, signs and wonders

Permalink

Is Our Family Pre-Determined?

Q: Are the parents you receive on Earth pre-planned according to some kind of guideplan? Some children grow up under very spiritually dry environments e.g. the son and daughter of Anthony Lavey, compared to the children of Martin Luther King, Jr.

A: As far as we know from the teachings of The Urantia Book, the only pre-planning of parents that has transpired over the million year course of human history was the selection of Jesus' earth parents -- the three most promising sets of parents were identified and Joseph and Mary were chosen from among them to provide the incarnation of the Creator Son the best opportunity for fulfilling his pre-ordained mission. Normal human beings don't have pre-ordained missions that require fulfilling.

The purpose of the mansion worlds is to provide the remedial environment for whatever is lacking in this material life. People brought up in non-spiritual environments, such as in the Satanic church, can still develop spiritualized thinking -- they still have guardian angels, the ministry of the Spirit of Truth, Thought Adjusters -- just as those raised under the best of conditions can disavow the spiritual reality of life. Environment has a strong impact but it can be overcome through choice.

At conception our personality, the potential for the person we're to become, most likely gravitates toward parents who might provide the kind of environment suitable for our development. But, through the vicissitudes of life, there's no insurance that life will unfold as might have been projected. So, in answer to this question, it would appear that basically no, parents are not pre-ordained; it's the luck of the draw and we learn to make the best of the circumstances into which we're born.

Labels: Anthony Lavey, choice, Jesus, Jr, Mansion Worlds, Martin Luther King, parenting, personality, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Patience and Impatience

Q: The Urantia Book gives specific examples of the dangers of being impatient. Where does the line go between being inactive or impatient?

A: That is a good question, and thanks for writing...

As you observed, The Urantia Book does give several examples of the dangers of impatience. I will list them here, for the benefit of other readers:

Impatience is a spirit poison; anger is like a stone hurled into a hornet's nest. 48:7.10

Most of the liberties which Lucifer sought he already had; others he was to receive in the future. All these precious endowments were lost by giving way to impatience and yielding to a desire to possess what one craves now and to possess it in defiance of all obligation to respect the rights and liberties of all other beings composing the universe of universes. Ethical obligations are innate, divine, and universal. 54:4.4

The "golden age" is a myth, but Eden was a fact, and the Garden civilization was actually overthrown. Adam and Eve carried on in the Garden for one hundred and seventeen years when, through the impatience of Eve and the errors of judgment of Adam, they presumed to turn aside from the ordained way, speedily bringing disaster upon themselves and ruinous retardation upon the developmental progression of all Urantia. 74:8.14

Probably no Material Sons of Nebadon were ever faced with such a difficult and seemingly hopeless task as confronted Adam and Eve in the sorry plight of Urantia. But they would have sometime met with success had they been more farseeing and patient. Both of them, especially Eve, were altogether too impatient; they were not willing to settle down to the long, long endurance test. They wanted to see some immediate results, and they did, but the results thus secured proved most disastrous both to themselves and to their world. 75:1.6

Serapatatia [associate chairman of the Edenic commission on tribal relations] was entirely loyal to the plan of building up a strong reserve of the violet race before attempting the world-wide upstepping of the confused peoples of Urantia. But this would require hundreds of years to consummate, and he was impatient; he wanted to see some immediate resultsâ€”something in his own lifetime. He made it clear to Eve that Adam was oftentimes discouraged by the little that had been accomplished toward uplifting the world. 75:3.6

One day when Ganid asked Jesus why he had not devoted himself to the work of a public teacher, he said: "My son, everything must await the coming of its time. You are born into the world, but no amount of anxiety and no manifestation of impatience will help you to grow up. You must, in all such matters, wait upon time. Time alone will ripen the green fruit upon the tree. Season follows season and sundown follows sunrise only with the passing of time. 130:5.3

It is easy to see that most of these references have to do with either the default of Adam and Eve or with the Lucifer Rebellion. Both of these vital missions of spiritual truth to our planet were irreparably harmed because of the impatience of those who wanted results, and they wanted them NOW.

It is a fine line that has to be drawn between taking action, and displaying impatience. In the case of these high spirit beings, upon whom so much depended, that line was crossed, to the detriment of the whole planet - even the whole of our planetary system. In our daily lives, we will likely not have those kinds of dire consequences to face if we jump the gun in our efforts to see results, but still, impatience can harm us, and mar our future lives.

We are creatures of time - and time is a vital element in the unfolding of our lives. As Jesus says, "...everything must await the coming of its time." One of the challenges that we face is this idea of allowing our lives to unfold - of cherishing the present time and living in the now, which is all we can experience of eternity. We can envision the future, we can work for it, but the most important work we can do is to live right here, right now, doing the next best thing. In this way, we create a future that is good. We can certainly make things happen by precipitous action, but is it the right thing to do? Unfortunately, as in the case of Adam and Eve, the consequences of actions are not felt or realized until after the actions are taken. So, it would seem that thoughtful deliberation and prayer must be employed before we decide to "make it so." Sometimes, the future that we envision, a future that could be forced by our action, might not be the future that is the best one for us, and then we must suffer because of our impatience. If we "wait upon time," we might even gain even more than we thought possible.

I think that one of the best things we can do in this regard is to follow the example of Jesus, who spent quiet times of meditation and prayerful receptivity. He was fond of communing with the Father in this way, and as we know, his life unfolded according to God's will always. Many times he said: "My hour has not yet come," while awaiting the right time to begin his ministry to the world. One has to wonder what might have happened if he had decided on his own to begin his public work before the time was right...

In my opinion, impatience seems to have its roots in pride - a childish pride that demands a result that, while it may be a good thing, could prove disastrous when not allowed to flower on its own, with the patience and endurance of time. Again, Jesus says it all: "Time alone will ripen the green fruit upon the tree." That idea of an end result may be good, but it is unripe until the passage of time allows it to ripen. Unripe fruit can be very bitter...

I think that when we sincerely determine to live our lives in the eternal "now," that we are prompted, or otherwise receive some inner wisdom to act when necessary. With prayer and sincerity, following the example of the Master, we can act with assurance when the time is right. With practice, and by experiencing the fruits of our actions, we may eventually learn to toe that line between right action and impatience. This is a benefit of growing older, I have found - although I still suffer from impatient action, much to my own dismay. Youth is notoriously impetuous, and many times acts on impulse or out of impatience and inexperience. The wisdom of age shows us the value of being still and waiting upon time, and even the young can learn this lesson.

Thanks again for this great question!

Labels: activity, Adam and Eve, impatience, Jesus, Lucifer, patience

Permalink

Thursday, December 18, 2008

What kind of attitude should we Urantians have regarding problems like pornography, alcohol and drugs?

Q: What kind of attitude should we Urantians have regarding problems like pornography, alcohol and drugs?

A: Jesus strove for a superb balance in his life. His first priority was to seek and find the Father's will, and to establish the kingdom on Earth. As his followers, that is also our mandate. Whatever may interfere with that high purpose should be discarded.

While I may have strong attitudes towards one or more of the things you mentioned, I cannot presume to say what your, or anyone else's attitude should be. It is the responsibility of each person to develop their conscience and their life according to what they consider to be important and of high value.

The Urantia Book gives us a very positive view of life. It has few "thou shall not" rules. Likewise, Jesus was very positive in his teachings:

Jesus had little to say about the social vices of his day; seldom did he make reference to moral delinquency. He was a positive teacher of true virtue. He studiously avoided the negative method of imparting instruction; he refused to advertise evil. He was not even a moral reformer. He well knew, and so taught his apostles, that the sensual urges of mankind are not suppressed by either religious rebuke or legal prohibitions. His few denunciations were largely directed against pride, cruelty, oppression, and hypocrisy. p1582:2 (140:8.21)

In the very first service that he conducted in the Nazareth synagogue, at age fifteen, he chose verses from Scripture. Among the other things he said, this passage pretty much says it all for me: He said:

"Seek good and not evil that you may live, and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you. Hate the evil and love the good...Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil and learn to do good..."
p1392:1 (126:4.3)

It is our job to discern what is evil and what is good. We have the perfect teacher in Jesus, and we have a perfect pilot in our minds - the Thought Adjuster. When we follow the leadings of our spiritual models, we will surely make the right decisions for ourselves.

Thank you for this important question.

Labels: alcohol, balance, drugs, evil, goodness, Jesus, pornography, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, December 11, 2008

How Can I Share The Urantia Book? And What is "Satania?"

Q: How is one to proceed when trying to discuss Urantia with a Christian, and why, of all names, is our local system named Satania?

A: I think all devoted Urantia Book readers want to share our beloved revelation with others. Sometimes we're successful and sometimes we're not. I have been a reader/student for 25 years, and I still have spotty success, so first of all, don't be discouraged.

I have discovered that when trying to share any spiritual truth, it is important to understand where the other person is, spiritually speaking. Is s/he searching? Is s/he a truth-seeker? Or is s/he secure and content with the spirituality s/he already has? If it is the latter, you may have a more difficult time showing this person the truth that you have found. Many times, new spiritual truth is only perceived when a person is in some amount of spiritual turmoil, or is actively seeking a different way.

However you proceed, try to direct your conversation to the Spirit that indwells the mind of your friend. Follow the lead of Jesus, as in this passage from The Urantia Book:

Always the burden of his message was: the fact of the heavenly Father's love and the truth of his mercy, coupled with the good news that man is a faith-son of this same God of love. Jesus' usual technique of social contact was to draw people out and into talking with him by asking them questions. The interview would usually begin by his asking them questions and end by their asking him questions. He was equally adept in teaching by either asking or answering questions. As a rule, to those he taught the most, he said the least. Those who derived most benefit from his personal ministry were overburdened, anxious, and dejected mortals who gained much relief because of the opportunity to unburden their souls to a sympathetic and understanding listener, and he was all that and more. And when these maladjusted human beings had told Jesus about their troubles, always was he able to offer practical and immediately helpful suggestions looking toward the correction of their real difficulties, albeit he did not neglect to speak words of present comfort and immediate consolation. And invariably would he tell these distressed mortals about the love of God and impart the information, by various and sundry methods, that they were the children of this loving Father in heaven.
p1460:6 (132:4.2)

Everybody has problems and concerns - and everyone loves to talk about themselves. Learn, as Jesus demonstrated, how to ask questions that are meaningful, and then be a good listener. Practice the Golden Rule always in dealing with others. Really listen, and try to put yourself in their shoes, so you understand how they feel. Practice non-judgmental listening, and try to develop real compassion for those with whom you speak. You can then address the problems as Jesus did, with the Truth that you understand it to be. Always go into a conversation with prayer beforehand, asking for inspiration from your own indwelling Spirit; ask this good Spirit to speak for you if you get confused. Remember to put your small "self" aside...and then relax.

As for the second part of your question about the name of our local system: I will quote from an answer given to another reader's question about Lucifer in our FAQ section of Truthbook.com, which you can read HERE. This answer was written by one of our Truthbook team. The passage I want to share is this one:

"Because Lucifer was such a high spirit being, he delegated authority, as do all executives. In Lucifer's case, he delegated much of his authority on this planet to a very familiar figure: Satan. In fact, this system, of which our planet is a part, was given the name Satania, in honor of this selfsame Satan. This name was given before the rebellion, however, when Satan was still loyal to the Father. Thus, the name "Satania" has no sinister meaning, once this fact is understood."

It is unfortunate that the name "Satania" is still attached to our universe, but once you understand the circumstances, it becomes far less charged. You can share this with others by explaining the Lucifer Rebellion, and you'll find that the link I have given you above is a pretty comprehensive explanation. I find this story to be a really good one to share with Christians, as they are familiar with it; they know of Lucifer, and of course, Satan, but they are always amazed at the depth and the real facts of the story, as told to us in The Urantia Book. This story puts so many things into perspective, and sets the stage for explaining more about the true mission of Jesus of Nazareth.

Thank you very much for your questions, and I wish you all the best in your efforts to share The Urantia Book with your Christian friends. But more important than getting someone to read the book itself, is to share the amazing truths of the book; namely the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Also, do your best to actually LIVE the truths you have discovered, and as people see these truths demonstrated in your life, as they experience the fruits of the spirit in your dealings with them, they will inevitably be drawn to your spiritual fragrance.

Labels: Christian, fruits of the spirit, Jesus, Lucifer, sharing, spirituality, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Sunday, December 07, 2008

I am so small, how can I ever be accepted in God's world?

Q: I am so small, how can I ever be accepted in God's world?

A: Thank you for this important question.

It is a good thing to have a sense of your own smallness in the larger scheme of things. In The Urantia Book, we learn that "The soil essential for religious growth presupposes ...a normal consciousness of smallness, humility." (read more about humility here">)

But humility is in no way self-abasement, and should not produce feelings of insignificance. Your smallness doesn't mean that you are not needed, or not valued in God's creation. Do you know that you are a completely unique personality? God knows you and loves you dearly, personally, and eternally.

From The Urantia Book: "The love of the Father absolutely individualizes each personality as a unique child of the Universal Father, a child without duplicate in infinity, a will creature irreplaceable in all eternity. ...The love of God ... unmistakably reveals the high value which the Universal Father has placed upon each and every one of his children from the highest creator personality of Paradise status to the lowest personality of will dignity ..." p138:4 (12:7.9)">

You are no smaller than any of God's other mortal children. In God's creation, you stand on an equal footing with everyone else, and you possess the same potentials for eternal life that all God's children enjoy. Knowing this should help you to gain a new self-respect, and to use your unique life to make a difference.

Again, from The Urantia Book: "The door of eternal life is wide open to all; "whosoever will may come"; there are no restrictions or qualifications save the faith of the one who comes. '

Your job is to make the best of whatever life has handed you - to become the best person that you can be - where you are and as you are. Faith in God, faith in your status as a beloved child of God, and service in the brotherhood of man will help you understand that you are a valuable part of God's world, which is also YOUR world, made for you, and for all of us. We all need God, and we all need each other. You are part of a grand family, and you belong, no matter how small you may sometimes feel. Accept your smallness, but also know that you are accepted by God, and needed in his creation; otherwise, you would not be here!

Jesus can offer you some great advice on the business of living HERE. His advice is always practical. Jesus was a truly humble man, and yet he is still the most influential religious person to ever have walked the earth.

Finally, I offer this wonderful quote for your consideration:

Do not allow the magnitude of the infinity, the immensity of the eternity, and the grandeur and glory of the matchless character of God to overawe, stagger, or discourage you; for the Father is not very far from any one of you; he dwells within you, and in him do we all literally move, actually live, and veritably have our being.
p139:1(12:7.12)">

Labels: brotherhhod of man, God, humility, Jesus, service, smallness, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, November 14, 2008

Ten years ago I had an abortion, and now regret it. Will I ever see my child?

10 years ago I had an abortion. I really regret what I did and I wonder what has happened to the soul of the child. How can I come to terms with what I did and will I meet my child after death?

I am so sorry...regret is a terrible thing to bear, and I can sympathise. I don't share your same experience, but I have wrestled with overwhelming regret, and it can be debilitating.

First of all, let me try to put your mind to rest regarding the fate of your child. According the the teachings of The Urantia Book, your child is safe. While your child was not old enough to have possessed a soul (and this is true of any child under the general age of five years), it does have a potential soul, and a potential identity. Your child is located at the probationary nursery , and is being lovingly cared for by the cherubim until such time as either of its parents arrive on the Mansion Worlds.

Here's a wonderful quote from The Urantia Book regarding your possible future experience with your child:

But irrespective of parental experience, mansion world parents who have growing children in the probation nursery are given every opportunity to collaborate with the morontia custodians of such children regarding their instruction and training. These parents are permitted to journey there for visits as often as four times a year. And it is one of the most touchingly beautiful scenes of all the ascending career to observe the mansion world parents embrace their material offspring on the occasions of their periodic pilgrimages to the finaliter world. While one or both parents may leave a mansion world ahead of the child, they are quite often contemporary for a season. p531:3

In any event, your child is not lost, so please try to take heart from this information. Our Father is not willing that any should perish, and knowing that, we have to trust that even unborn mortals are given the same opportunity for eternal life that all mortals enjoy. I like to think that there are special places in the nursery where the unborn are nurtured and grown in safety and love. That is my own imagining, since this specific circumstance is not covered in The Urantia Book, but I feel sure that some provision is made, so that eventually, he or she will be able to choose to advance...and that you will sometime be able to meet. There is nowhere in The Urantia Book that teaches otherwise.

And, just in case you have questions about your own survival, please see our featured page on Life After Death>

As for coming to terms with your actions, let me quote a favorite passage from The Urantia Book that has been of great solace to me:

Do not become discouraged by the discovery that you are human. Human nature may tend toward evil, but it is not inherently sinful. Be not downcast by your failure wholly to forget some of your regrettable experiences. The mistakes which you fail to forget in time will be forgotten in eternity. Lighten your burdens of soul by speedily acquiring a long-distance view of your destiny, a universe expansion of your career. p1739:3(156:5.8)

It is important that you learn to forgive yourself, and move forward. I am sure that, at the time, you did this for what may have seemed to be good and sufficient reasons. Ten years is a long time to carry this burden on your heart, and for your own well-being, you must release it. Maybe the knowledge that your child is not really lost will help you to do that.

Said Jesus: "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." p1736:4(156:2.7)

So, you can see from this comforting passage from Jesus that the first step in your renewal is to confess your wrongdoing, which you likely have already done, and receive God's forgiveness for it. And one of the surest ways to receive that forgiveness is to practice the forgiveness of others in your life who may have wronged you.

Again, from The Urantia Book:

The Father in heaven has forgiven you even before you have thought to ask him, but such forgiveness is not available in your personal religious experience until such a time as you forgive your fellow men. God's forgiveness in fact is not conditioned upon your forgiving your fellows, but in experience it is exactly so conditioned. P1638,(146:2.4)

So, while you are already forgiven, you will actually experience the fullness of that forgiveness as you, in turn, forgive others.

Yours is not the first case that I have heard of where there is regret following this decision. I am adding your letter to our site (minus any identifying information, of course) in hopes that others may see your experience and think twice before making this life-changing choice.

Maybe you could look for an opportunity to personally minister to women who are facing this dilemma; in this way, you could see some real good come from your experience.

Labels: abortion, forgiveness, Jesus, life after death, probationary nursery, regret, The Urantia Book, unborn

Permalink

Friday, November 07, 2008

When I die and go to Heaven, how can I be happy when I realize that someone I love is not in Heaven with me?

Q: When I die and go to Heaven, how can I be happy when I realize that someone I love is not in Heaven with me?

A: Your question reminds me of a similar question I asked myself some 34 years ago when I was just 16 and studying the Bible with a group of religionists. While these folks did not believe in Hell, they did believe in Armageddon. Their doctrine was that at Armageddon, God would destroy everyone on earth who was not a part of their church.

At the time, I met a woman (whom I'd never seen before nor since) and I was talking to her about the teachings of this group. She told me something I never forgot. She said, "You have the ability to know the truth in your own heart. If something grinds against your own natural and logical beliefs don't except it as being true." I felt then that this made a great deal of sense, in fact it actually rang as truth to me, so I took it to heart.

Shortly after that, I went to study with the woman who was helping me learn the church's doctrines, which adherents of this church simply called "The Truth." I had been studying with her for about 6 months at the time. She told me, "My Dear, if you don't convert your parents to 'The Truth' God will have to kill them at Armageddon and it will be your fault."

Well, here was a perfect example of something posed as "truth" that most certainly did "grind against my own natural and logical beliefs." I unequivocally balked at her audacious statement, and replied, "Are you saying that God is going to kill my parents?!"

To which she replied, "Well, yes, he will have to dispose of anyone who is not in The Truth."

I thought for a moment and then said, "My parents are the most loving people I know. They are kind and loyal and trusting and sincere. They are truly good, even wonderful people and you say that God is going to kill people like them just because they don't belong to your religious group?"

Again, she vainly tried to explain to me how God would have no choice but to do such a thing.

I then told her, "You may think it would be Heaven to live forever on earth in peace, where the lion lays down with the lamb, etc., knowing that God had killed your loving parents. But that wouldn't be Heaven for me, that would be Hell."

At this point she was aghast, and she exclaimed, "Oh you can't feel that way!"

I simply said, "I'm sorry but I do feel that way and I can't study with you anymore."

I left her standing there with her mouth open. As I walked alone the twelve blocks to my house, I talked to God. I said, "God, you may just as harsh and unforgiving as they say you are. Perhaps you are willing to kill good people because they don't follow one religion or another and if you are that way, I'm sorry but I can't worship you." Then, after a moment's reflection I thought, "Somehow God, I just can't believe that you are that way.

But if you want me to know who you really are, you are going to have to reveal yourself to me because I'm not getting involved with anymore religions." I felt good in my heart about that declaration and I left it at that.

Four years later, during the worst crisis of my life, The Urantia Book came into my life. It claims to be a revelation of God to humankind. Well, I asked God to reveal himself so my mind was open to such a thing. Imagine my joy when I found the God that was so loving, so merciful, so just, so perfect that I joyfully worship him with every fiber of my being.

Here are three great quotes from that wonderful book that I hope will reassure you that God, our truly loving Heavenly Father, takes no delight in causing any harm to any of his children.

P.39 -(2:5.2) It is wrong to think of God as being coaxed into loving his children because of the sacrifices of his Sons or the intercession of his subordinate creatures, "for the Father himself loves you." It is in response to this paternal affection that God sends the marvelous Adjusters to indwell the minds of men. God's love is universal; "whosoever will may come." He would "have all men be saved by coming into the knowledge of the truth." He is "not willing that any should perish."

P.2017 -(188:4.8) When once you grasp the idea of God as a true and loving Father, the only concept which Jesus ever taught, you must forthwith, in all consistency, utterly abandon all those primitive notions about God as an offended monarch, a stern and all-powerful ruler whose chief delight is to detect his subjects in wrongdoing and to see that they are adequately punished, unless some being almost equal to himself should volunteer to suffer for them, to die as a substitute and in their stead. The whole idea of ransom and atonement is incompatible with the concept of God as it was taught and exemplified by Jesus of Nazareth. The infinite love of God is not secondary to anything in the divine nature.

P.60 -(4:5.4) The barbarous idea of appeasing an angry God, of propitiating an offended Lord, of winning the favor of Deity through sacrifices and penance and even by the shedding of blood, represents a religion wholly puerile and primitive, a philosophy unworthy of an enlightened age of science and truth. Such beliefs are utterly repulsive to the celestial beings and the divine rulers who serve and reign in the universes. It is an affront to God to believe, hold, or teach that innocent blood must be shed in order to win his favor or to divert the fictitious divine wrath.

I hope this helps.

And another view:

There would probably be no way in heaven that you could be happy if that were the case. I suspect that you are a Christian -- you may be interested to know that not all Christian sects promote a belief in hell. And, as you put it, if there were a hell wouldn't it seem contradictory for you to be happy in heaven?

The Urantia Book provides an exalted vision of God, that God is as Jesus saw him and described him, a loving heavenly Father even so much better than an earthly parent. And Jesus asked, if a loving earthly father would not exhibit wrath and retribution toward his own children why do we choose to believe that the heavenly Father of us all would treat us even worse than a human parent? That seems contradictory too, doesn't it?

If you've not already done so, may I recommend subscribing to our Quote of the Day. It offers daily inspirational and meaningful quotes from The Urantia Book along with a great picture. It's an easy way to become familiar with the teachings of this marvelous book.

And please, I invite you to take a look at our web page dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book regarding Life After Death

Labels: fear of God, God, hell, Jesus, life after death, mercy, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, October 17, 2008

Is God a Fantasy? Is The Urantia Book?

Q: How can I be sure of God's existence and also, as a UB reader and follower, that I'm not living some kind of fantasy or mistake?

A: Probably
the best way to be assured is through sincere prayer. Ask for God's
guidance. Ask for help from the Spirit of Truth in discerning truth
from error. Ask for the peace of the Comforter.

Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote that "More things are wrought by prayer than
this world dreams of."

If we had visible proof, say in the form of an Adam and Eve who had a personal
presence on this world for over 38,000 years, or a
Planetary Prince's center for world culture that had been in existence
for over 500,000 years, it would be easier to recognize truth from
error. But we don't. What we do have is the gift of a logical mind --
it's there for a purpose and one of those purposes is to help you sift
truth from error, fact from fancy.

As a UB reader you have not only the best source for factual
information relating to the origin, purpose, and destiny of your
existence but you also have access to transforming spiritual truths
that most people are still searching for. Does your logical mind
believe this to be true? If so, what does it matter what those around
you, who have less on which to base their beliefs and decisions, think
is true? It would be they who are living in a mistaken fantasy. Accept
Jesus' exhortation to "fear not!"

Labels: Alfred Lord Tennyson, God, Jesus, proof. logic, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man in the Bible?

Q: If Jesus preached so consistently about the universal fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man why is there so little record of it in the NT. What references are there?

A: Thank you for writing to us at Truthbook.com

I am including a reference which you might find interesting here. In this article, entitled "Theism: The Fatherhood of God," the author, Robert L. Waggoner, cites many instances of the Fatherhood of God contained in the New Testament. I found this article with a Google search, and there may be others.

I also did a search for "brotherhood of man," but I was not able to find specific Biblical references using those particular words; however, the concept of the brotherhood of man is well-illuminated in these important references which definitely carry the essence of the Master's teachings regarding the brotherhood of man:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:36-39)

"He said to him, 'What is written in the law? How do you read?' The lawyer answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."' Then Jesus told him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live" (Luke 10:26-28).

Finally, the story of The Good Samaritan is an excellent reference to this topic and it is found in Luke 10:29-37

Another resource that you might find useful is The Paramony, which is a comparison of specific books of the Bible with corresponding information in The Urantia Book.

As you may know from reading The Urantia Book and the Life and Teachings of Jesus, the religion OF Jesus was quickly transformed into the religion ABOUT Jesus after his death and resurrection. Following the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth at Pentecost, a whole new direction was taken.

Here is a passage from The Urantia Book which details this:

p2066:4 (194:4.4) What has happened to these men whom Jesus had ordained to go forth preaching the gospel of the kingdom, the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man? They have a new gospel; they are on fire with a new experience; they are filled with a new spiritual energy. Their message has suddenly shifted to the proclamation of the risen Christ: "Jesus of Nazareth, a man God approved by mighty works and wonders; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you did crucify and slay. The things which God foreshadowed by the mouth of all the prophets, he thus fulfilled. This Jesus did God raise up. God has made him both Lord and Christ. Being by the right hand of God, exalted, and having received from the Father the promise of the spirit, he has poured forth this which you see and hear. Repent, that your sins may be blotted out; that the Father may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you, even Jesus, whom the heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things."

The gospel of the kingdom, the message of Jesus, had been suddenly changed into the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They now proclaimed the facts of his life, death, and resurrection and preached the hope of his speedy return to this world to finish the work he began. Thus the message of the early believers had to do with preaching about the facts of his first coming and with teaching the hope of his second coming, an event which they deemed to be very near at hand.

Christ was about to become the creed of the rapidly forming church. Jesus lives; he died for men; he gave the spirit; he is coming again. Jesus filled all their thoughts and determined all their new concept of God and everything else. They were too much enthused over the new doctrine that "God is the Father of the Lord Jesus" to be concerned with the old message that "God is the loving Father of all men," even of every single individual. True, a marvelous manifestation of brotherly love and unexampled good will did spring up in these early communities of believers. But it was a fellowship of believers in Jesus, not a fellowship of brothers in the family kingdom of the Father in heaven. Their good will arose from the love born of the concept of Jesus' bestowal and not from the recognition of the brotherhood of mortal man. Nevertheless, they were filled with joy, and they lived such new and unique lives that all men were attracted to their teachings about Jesus. They made the great mistake of using the living and illustrative commentary on the gospel of the kingdom for that gospel, but even that represented the greatest religion mankind had ever known.

Earlier in the Jesus Papers, we find this description of the written records of the four evangelists -Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - and this is an interesting commentary on these most quoted sources of Biblical information regarding Jesus and his teachings, and maybe a further explanation why Jesus' orginal teachings are conspicuously absent.

Thank you for this most interesting question.

Labels: Bible, brotherhhod of man, Fatherhood of God, Good Samaritan, Jesus, New testament, Pentecost, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, September 13, 2008

I Want To Come To Peace With My Past

Q: Please help me out. How can I come to peace with my past? I will be very thankful to you.

A: We all do things that we regret, and many of us have experienced things in our past that were not pleasant. Oftentimes, bad experiences, or bad choices can stay with us for a long time and can get in the way of living in the present, and can keep us from being happy.

If you have bad memories of something you did, I would advise that you ask God's forgiveness, and allow his forgiveness to sink into your soul. If your conscience is bothering you, please see our topical study on Conscience here. One of the most important lessons that Jesus gave about conscience us is this:

(156:2.7) "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."

Jesus is saying that we must not have feelings of guilt, once we have confessed, because God forgives us. If we continue to feel guilty, we are throwing his gift of forgiveness away.

If it is some bad experience that you have not been able to forget or forgive, please see our study on Forgiveness here.

Forgiveness is a two-way street. We must forgive others for any offense, and in turn, we are then forgiven for offenses that we may have done to others. Remember the Lord's Prayer, where Jesus taught us to say "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Forgiveness is not always easy, but it is a very important step to take in order to put our past behind us and start fresh.

What would you think of a mountain climber who stops her climb after every stumble, after every rock in the road, and sits down and cries about her mis-step? You would probably think her very silly! It is likewise with us - we are all on a journey, climbing ever higher to reach God. We cannot afford to stop in our journey to cry over every bump in the road - instead, we get up, brush ourselves off, and figure out how to avoid those bumps in the future. Then we can carry on with a light heart.

Finally, I hope you will be cheered by this additional lesson from Jesus:

(156:5.8) Do not become discouraged by the discovery that you are human. Human nature may tend toward evil, but it is not inherently sinful. Be not downcast by your failure wholly to forget some of your regrettable experiences. The mistakes which you fail to forget in time will be forgotten in eternity. Lighten your burdens of soul by speedily acquiring a long-distance view of your destiny, a universe expansion of your career.

Staying close to God will be the most help to you, no matter what it is in your past that is troubling to you - his very Presence exists within you, and he is as close as a thought. He wants to commune with you. He loves you and wants you to be happy and to have a joyous life of love and service in his spiritual Kingdom on earth. Speak to him in your heart, and he will answer.

If you have not already done so, please feel free to subscribe to our free service - Quote of the Day .
You will receive a daily inspiration from The Urantia Book, which will help you to maintain a spiritual perspective on life and which will cheer and uplift you on your journey.

Labels: conscience, forgiveness, God, Jesus, peace, The Lord's Prayer, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

My life is a mess. Everything I do fails.

Q: My life is a mess. Everything I do fails. I'm tired of all this failure. They say I attract negative spirits...what are they and how do I overcome them? Please help...

A: I am so sorry to hear that you feel like a failure. That's a hard place to be. I can relate, as there have been long stretches of time in my life when I felt that way, too.

I seriously doubt whether you are attracting negative spirit personalities, but you may be attracting negative energies, as that is where your mind seems to be. You appear to have an attitude of defeat in your question, and your attitude really does affect your reality.

Jesus once met a woman who harbored what he called the "spirit of infirmity." Here's the story:

p1835:5 (167:3.1) Abner had arranged for the Master to teach in the synagogue on this Sabbath day, the first time Jesus had appeared in a synagogue since they had all been closed to his teachings by order of the Sanhedrin. At the conclusion of the service Jesus looked down before him upon an elderly woman who wore a downcast expression, and who was much bent in form. This woman had long been fear-ridden, and all joy had passed out of her life. As Jesus stepped down from the pulpit, he went over to her and, touching her bowed-over form on the shoulder, said: "Woman, if you would only believe, you could be wholly loosed from your spirit of infirmity." And this woman, who had been bowed down and bound up by the depressions of fear for more than eighteen years, believed the words of the Master and by faith straightened up immediately. When this woman saw that she had been made straight, she lifted up her voice and glorified God.

Everybody thought it was a miracle, but it really wasn't; this woman needed to hear that she had the power within her to feel better just by changing her mind, and having faith! And that is what she did.

I think you could substitute the word "failure" for "infirmity," and the advice would still be the same. Jesus told her that she had only to believe and that her spirit would be revived. Sometimes, all it takes to really get a new and fresh start is to talk it over with God. I hope you have discovered God as the loving Father that he is. He is always ready to hear you and advise you.

It is my experience that being born of the Spirit, and living life in the service of the Kingdom is a sure cure for depression, for fear, and for that feeling of uselessness and hopelessness that can sometimes afflict our minds - and our very lives. As we think, so we are. Continued failure usually accompanies that sense of inner uselessness and defeat. Change that, and the rest of our lives change. It is inevitable.

It is a fact that ALL of us, at one time or another, WILL experience failure and defeat. It is a normal part of life, and cannot be escaped. But defeat is a great teacher, and here are a few quotes from Jesus to help you when you find yourself in that position. See When You're Discouraged

It might help you to realize also, that Jesus himself was considered a failure by some. His mission of establishing the Kingdom was in total ruins after the crucifixion, and even when he was spreading his gospel of salvation, people laughed at him and called him names. He remained unmoved, and now - 2000+ years later - the whole world knows of him, and his gospel of the Kingdom is once again restated with power and majesty in the pages of The Urantia Book to inspire a whole new generation of believers. Become friends with the Master through the pages of The Urantia Book, which is freely available online, and through the many special features of Truthbook.com . He will always lift you up

So, failure is not always what it seems. It is your attitude that is important here. Stay close to God, love yourself and your fellow travelers on this earth, and do good for others. And then no one can call you a failure because you will stop thinking of yourself that way...

Labels: attitude, defeat, failure, Jesus, Negativity, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I Know What Love IS

This article was written by a member of the Truthbook Chat Room, which you can find on the left-side menu. Anyone may join. It is such a lovely tribute to the Master that we at Truthbook felt it should be shared.
Thank you to Mr Shakita
__________________
Do you ever feel struck by loneliness? Are you like an island amidst a sea of man-eating predators? Does there exist in the heart of man goodness, kindness, sympathy and love? Would not these very things be the cure for what ails us?

Sometimes in this lonely world we may feel that there is no hope for changing human hearts of stone to ones that are as malleable as clay. But what we perceive to be impossible becomes possible through sheer force of will.

Can we be rescued by someone that points out our faults and condemns us as a result? Are we not already our own worst critics? Do we not already chafe and wither at the insults and criticisms of others?

The actions of one man though perceived as insignificant can cause mountains to rise, deserts to bloom and the hearts of men to burst open with new life.

A man named love alit upon this earth with a golden glow that melted the hearts of men, women and children. He came, not to criticize, condemn or insult. He came not to harshly judge. He came to tell us about our inheritance. Little did we know that we were, all of us, richer than we could possibly imagine.

Love showed us that we were like gleaming emeralds of high value. Would any of us ever toss away a precious gem of high value because it had become soiled? Suppose we searched high and low for our lost gem. Then we find it, hidden away in a lonely place, covered in dirt and grime. Would we not cry out with rejoicing and gladness? We would be reunited and our hearts would once again be at peace.

When we find our heads bowed low, jostled about by the heartlessness of men, we find solace in a love that will neither leave us or betray us. We are not loved because of something that we did or because of having adhered rigidly to some hard and fast rule. We are loved simply because we exist. Even before we took our first breath. Even eons ago when we were just an idea, potential was loved. An idea that was loved became a vibrant, radiant being of life .

In my darkest hours, I see, in my minds eye, the Lord of a universe descending to a small rock in space to become a man. His actions did just not effect this small sphere in Orion's arm. I feel his love touching my heart and radiating out beyond our earth and beyond our solar system.

His love begins like a ripple in our hearts and travels across the cosmos. It is like a powerful tidal force that overpowers everything in its path. It is an irresistible and compelling force that gathers all within reach into its wake.

In my darkest hours when the pain and anxiety of this world buries me, I feel a tidal swell surge within my heart. Is it possible that one solitary man can change the course of human affairs? Like a streak of golden light that penetrates the darkness, a swirling beacon lands at my feet. There once was a man, descended from on high, that showed us without doubt that we could rise above our angst and develop the beauty and creativity which is our birthright. Thank you to the man called love, for because of you, I know what love is.

Love,
Mr. Shakita

Labels: Jesus, loneliness, love

Permalink

I Can't Find a Reason To Live. Why Am I Alive?

Q: I have heard that emptiness is the ultimate peak of consciousness. I feel a sort of emptiness in me. I can't find a reason to live. The only thing that is haunting my mind is why am I alive. I wanna die or wanna do something purposeful in life. Please guide.

A: This shouldnâ€™t be too difficult for you to correct â€” your basic assumption just needs some tweaking. The ultimate peak of consciousness is to be fully aware, open, loving, giving and not at all to be empty. Perhaps youâ€™re confusing emptiness with begin unattached to material things â€” material things wonâ€™t bring happiness. A fulfilling job that gives you the wherewithal to live comfortably and to enjoy the good things of life is a worthy goal where simply accumulating things is not.

You may not yet understand why youâ€™re here â€” getting a grasp on that is often a life-long pursuit â€” but any thinking person will easily recognize that there is a purpose to existence, that the scheme of things is too grand to be meaningless therefore the pursuit of meaning is a true spiritual adventure to be experienced now during this life.

With that in mind, dying prematurely will only subvert your purpose for being here now and will merely postpone your struggles, not remove them.

There is no better guide for living than to know and to understand the life Jesus led while here â€” thatâ€™s one of the great messages provided by The Urantia Book. Jesus came to the world for everyone, not just for Christians, and itâ€™s up to us to learn about him, who he was, why he came, what his message was â€” thatâ€™s hard to do when filtered through Christianity but is a wonderful, inspiring story when told as the angels tell us through the words in The Urantia Book. The life and teachings of Jesus in The Urantia Book gives Jesus to us before the Christian Church got ahold of him. So to get a good handle on your own life, where you are, why you are, where youâ€™re headed you owe it to yourself to read just this enthralling portion of the book. You can read the life and teachings of Jesus on-line from our site or from the book which can be ordered from Amazon. For the on-line version, take the left hand link "The Urantia Book" on our home page at www.truthbook.com and then the link "Urantia Book Introduction." Scroll clear to the bottom of the page and take the "Go to Part IV of the Urantia Book" link â€” you may want to skip Paper 120 which ties Part IV with the preceding 3 Parts and go right to Paper 121 to begin your reading. I think you'll soon find your spirits lifting and life beginning to look more promising to you.
____________________

I hope you will not mind a second answer to your searching question...Larry gave you some great advice, and I agree completely. Knowing the life of Jesus is the ideal place to find answers, as Jesus was our great teacher and the highest example of how to live and why to persevere, even when life is hard. He was the original Son of God, and he showed us how we can also live as sons of God, which we are, in truth. He is your spiritual brother and is with you always. Reading of his matchless life as a real human man, while also a true God, is endlessly inspiring. Even though his life was lived over 2000 years ago, his words ring clear and relevant to our present lives. Please follow this advice. Take advantage of our Truthbook.com site. We are here for YOU!

This emptiness you speak of is part of the human condition. It has been called "existential loneliness," among other things. Many people have experienced this, and so you must not feel as if you are alone, even though it does feel that way sometimes.

Why do we feel so lonely? We learn in The Urantia Book that this planet earth (Urantia) that we live on is a very disordered kind of world. We have been in spiritual isolation for a very long time, and because of this, we have to discover on our own the reality of the spiritual life. This discovery will change your life, as it puts all of the sorrows and hardships of our lives into a larger perspective, and gives us a solid, indestructible foundation from which to deal with everyday problems and moods of the mind.

You hold within yourself a "pilot light -" a spark of God himself. He has been inside you for a long time, and waits patiently for you to recognize his presence, so that he can share your life, your sorrows, your confusion - and your joys and spiritual victories, too. When you get quiet and ask for him, he will answer you in a "still, small voice." It is hard to hear this voice sometimes, but when you really desire it, you will hear. You are never alone, but God does not call attention to himself. He waits for you to turn to him, and then he can truly commune with you. Far from "emptiness," the consciousness of God is the highest consciousness that there is, and worth every effort to achieve.

Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. He taught us that all you have to do to enter this holy kingdom is to believe that you are a son of God. Very simple. And after that, the best way to experience the joys of the Kingdom is to do something for someone else. Do some kind of service for another. This will take you out of your own problems, if even for a little while, and will help you to see what even a small kindness to another can do for your self-esteem and your own sense of self-worth. I am sure that you know someone right now in your life who could benefit from a service offered by you in love.

It is a difficult world we live in, and I know that sometimes, it is very discouraging to keep on, when we see so much emptiness - not only in ourselves, but in the world around us. The only thing that can fill that emptiness is God. Once you have found God within yourself, you will become energized once more, and will have a new reason to live. God intends that we live lives of joy and originality, and you have within you all that you need to make this a reality.

As Larry pointed out, you cannot escape the business of living and spiritual growth. Even if you leave the earth by your own hand, you will still have to make progress in the next world. It is just the way it is. We will always have to make progress, for "progress" is the watchword of the universe. When you decide to enter the Kingdom by faith now, you are making a great step towards improving your life - and the lives of all who will benefit from your love, understanding, tolerance, and brotherhood. And that is real, here-and-now progress...

As Jesus was fond of saying, "Fear not."
And he also said "the kingdom of Heaven is within you."
Open up your life, instead of ending it. The best is yet to be!!!

Labels: consciousness, God, Jesus, kingdom of heaven, loneliness, service, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Is The Urantia Book Account of Jesus' Life True?

Q: My question is, although what I've read on the website so far about the Urantia Book seems to make a lot of sense, even the historical events attributed to the life of Jesus, how do we know for sure that these attributed historical events actually happened the way the UB says they did? It's easy to see the philosophical truths in the book, but how can we accept on blind faith that all of these events took place exactly this way? It's easy to understand how the gospels could accurately record historical events because they were supposedly written by human eye witnesses, but the humans that documented the UB, as far as my understanding thus far, were not eye witnesses and thus could only receive this information through very accurate divine revelation, which, unfortunately, is always highly suspect.

A: Thank you for your note to Truthbook.com. You ask the same question Pilate asked Jesus, "What is Truth?" Fortunately, we have a lot of help in discerning truth through spirit agencies, primarily the Spirit of Truth, an unerring guide to direct the hungry truth-seeker toward the truth most valuable, useful, meaningful specifically for them. The truth I am led to may differ from the truth youâ€™re led to. Although there is absolute Truth, truth for an ascending mortal is relative and we have to learn to listen and to be guided when we're unsure.

Back to your question. How do you know that anything is true? What measure would you use to know whether what the UB says is true or not? Many people get around such decisions by relying on the judgment of someone else, friends, relatives, priests, ministers, anyone who professes to know something. Yet, your spiritual development is yours alone. No one elseâ€™s judgment can be a substitute for your own judgment. Youâ€™re required to use your own mind, to taste the logic and spiritual fragrance of a new idea and to decide for yourself. My choices canâ€™t be of any spiritual benefit to you.

About Jesus, you can decide for yourself if the scant information contained in the Bible is adequate for your needs or if you prefer the rendition provided by The Urantia Book. Is it true? Does it make sense logically and spiritually as far as you can discern? If you believe it does, but you choose to reject it because no one in a position of authority whom you admire backs you up, then youâ€™ve turned your back on your own ability to discern truth. If you believe it doesnâ€™t make logical sense or isn't spiritually fragrant and you intend to continue your search for something more meaningful then youâ€™ve chosen wisely. Your faith hasnâ€™t been blind, itâ€™s been used to guide your search. You don't have to believe The Urantia Book to be on a track of spiritual discernment.

Youâ€™ve misunderstood who the true authors of the life and teachings of Jesus portion of The Urantia Book are. The page that immediately precedes Paper 120, the first Paper of Part IV, says:

"PART IV

THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS

This group of papers was sponsored by a commission of twelve Urantia Midwayers acting under the supervision of a Melchizedek Revelatory Director. The basis of this narrative was supplied by a secondary Midwayer who was onetime assigned to the superhuman watchcare of the Apostle Andrew."

The authors of Part IV are not human beings and they actually were eye witnesses â€” a much better source for truth than is the fallible human mind.

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

Permalink

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Do we need to be baptized to be saved?

Q: Some Christian churches believe a person has to be baptized to be saved. What does the Urantia Book say?

A: The Urantia Book says it takes the tiniest flicker of faith to be saved -- "faith" in the sense of recognizing there is something greater than oneself -- "saved" in the sense that one can continue to participate in the adventure of finding Paradise.
p1733:5 (155:6.17))

Every religion has its own set of "church beliefs," rituals or dogma -- that's what sets one church apart from another and makes them unique. Baptism is a symbolic act, it's not magic. Baptism isn't mentioned in the Old Testament. John the Baptist used baptism as a new symbol for washing away the old beliefs and taking on the new that was to come. Jesus offered himself to John's baptism as a symbol of fulfilling John's proclamations and as a symbol for his heralding of the new message of God the Father and the brotherhood of man. Rituals and symbols are meaningful ways of making statements about one's choices in life.

Labels: baptism, faith, Jesus, salvation, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Does God Forgive Adultery?

Q: Does God forgive adultery? I was truly in love with this man, still am, although I am no longer in the relationaship. I know it was wrong, regardless of my love for him, and am profoundly sorry and overwhelmingly ashamed and terribly guilt ridden.

A: Let me put your mind at rest, if I can. God forgives ANYTHING, from what I understand of his loving and merciful nature. God has forgiven you even before you know you need forgiveness. What a great Dad he is!!!

I am not going to presume that your experiences with adultery constitute sin - it sounds as if you might have already made that judgment upon yourself. But adultery is certainly a violation of accepted mores. You say that you felt great affection for this man, and those feelings seemingly justified your, and his, actions. Even though you may have known that it was wrong, you did it anyway because it felt so right to love as you did. Of course, there are far-reaching consequences to such actions, and maybe you also experienced some of those, or saw them in the other people whose lives were affected by your decisions.

Love in its purest sense is the desire to do good to others - but real love must encompass all of our brothers and sisters, not just a special one here or there. Real, honest love will never be consciously selfish or hurtful to another - and that includes the spouse and family of the married man.

Maybe you'll be comforted by this quote of Jesus from The Urantia Book:

p1861:5(170:2.19) "Jesus taught that sin is not the child of a defective nature but rather the offspring of a knowing mind dominated by an unsubmissive will. Regarding sin, he taught that God has forgiven; that we make such forgiveness personally available by the act of forgiving our fellows. When you forgive your brother in the flesh, you thereby create the capacity in your own soul for the reception of the reality of God's forgiveness of your own misdeeds."

In order for you to feel forgiven you must now proceed with the business of forgiving all of those in your life who may have wronged YOU. This is no small task for most people, but it can be easily accomplished with the right frame of mind. It may include forgiving your former partner, as well.

Learn to look for God's will in all of this, and try to see a bigger picture. Get your mind off of yourself, and try to see in others the same kinds of personality foibles that created your own misdeeds, be they pride, greed, arrogance, or selfishness. Remember how easy it was for you to fall prey to these, and it may be much easier to see how another could err in the same way you did - maybe not by doing what you did, but in other ways. Then, forgiveness becomes easier. Eventually, you will find God's forgiveness in your own heart, if you open that heart to real sympathy with others and the trials they experience. Set everyone free from your own judgment.

The fact that you are remorseful is a good sign that you may now think more carefully about it if you are ever again faced with such a possibility. You know by its consequences in your, and other's lives, that what you did was not good, not Godly, and you can amend your life in accordance with that knowledge - and also, maybe help others who may be tempted to fall into the same trap. And I think you'll agree that it was a big trap.

We all make mistakes, and we all fall short of our highest ideals. It is the human condition. But the important thing to remember is that in every moment, we can make a new start, and we can change our ways of looking at things so that we don't repeat those mistakes again. The consciousness of guilt and remorse is the way we know we have done the wrong thing, and it speaks well of you that you are taking that to heart, rather than continuing to justify your actions.

But also I would add that you must forgive yourself. Stop dwelling on those feelings of regret, stop beating up on yourself, wipe the slate clean and start fresh with your life. This might be a good time to re-assess what love really means to you...? With God's help, fearlessly address the personal shortcomings that created the mental atmosphere in you in which you felt justified to proceed with your acts, and ask him for healing in those areas. It may not happen ovenight, but it will happen if you remain sincere of heart.

Most importantly, remember you are a beloved child of God - stand firmly on that solid truth - and he will never forsake you when you ask him for his help and mercy.

Labels: adultery, forgiveness, Jesus, love, remorse, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, April 11, 2008

Matthew 27:52-53

Q: In Matthew 27: 52-53, it is written that many bodies of the saints were raised from the dead after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Where are these bodies now and what really happened?

A: Thanks for this question.
Here are some quotes discussing sleeping survivors, and what it means to be a sleeping survivor:

p341:1 (30:4.4) Sleeping Survivors. All mortals of survival status, in the custody of personal guardians of destiny, pass through the portals of natural death and, on the third period, personalize on the mansion worlds. Those accredited beings who have, for any reason, been unable to attain that level of intelligence mastery and endowment of spirituality which would entitle them to personal guardians, cannot thus immediately and directly go to the mansion worlds. Such surviving souls must rest in unconscious sleep until the judgment day of a new epoch, a new dispensation, the coming of a Son of God to call the rolls of the age and adjudicate the realm, and this is the general practice throughout all Nebadon. It was said of Christ Michael that, when he ascended on high at the conclusion of his work on earth, "He led a great multitude of captives." And these captives were the sleeping survivors from the days of Adam to the day of the Master's resurrection on Urantia.

There have only been a few of these dispensational resurrections of the sleeping survivors, and the one following Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the last one. There will not be another one until another celestial bestowal is made on this planet, which could be hundreds, or thousands of years from now. Here is a quote describing this amazing event:

The Dispensational Resurrection
p2024:3 (189:3.1) A little after half past four o'clock this Sunday morning, Gabriel summoned the archangels to his side and made ready to inaugurate the general resurrection of the termination of the Adamic dispensation on Urantia. When the vast host of the seraphim and the cherubim concerned in this great event had been marshaled in proper formation, the morontia Michael appeared before Gabriel, saying: "As my Father has life in himself, so has he given it to the Son to have life in himself. Although I have not yet fully resumed the exercise of universe jurisdiction, this self-imposed limitation does not in any manner restrict the bestowal of life upon my sleeping sons; let the roll call of the planetary resurrection begin."

The circuit of the archangels then operated for the first time from Urantia. Gabriel and the archangel hosts moved to the place of the spiritual polarity of the planet; and when Gabriel gave the signal, there flashed to the first of the system mansion worlds the voice of Gabriel, saying: "By the mandate of Michael, let the dead of a Urantia dispensation rise!" Then all the survivors of the human races of Urantia who had fallen asleep since the days of Adam, and who had not already gone on to judgment, appeared in the resurrection halls of mansonia in readiness for morontia investiture. And in an instant of time the seraphim and their associates made ready to depart for the mansion worlds. Ordinarily these seraphic guardians, onetime assigned to the group custody of these surviving mortals, would have been present at the moment of their awaking in the resurrection halls of mansonia, but they were on this world itself at this time because of the necessity of Gabriel's presence here in connection with the morontia resurrection of Jesus.

Notwithstanding that countless individuals having personal seraphic guardians and those achieving the requisite attainment of spiritual personality progress had gone on to mansonia during the ages subsequent to the times of Adam and Eve, and though there had been many special and millennial resurrections of Urantia sons, this was the third of the planetary roll calls, or complete dispensational resurrections. The first occurred at the time of the arrival of the Planetary Prince, the second during the time of Adam, and this, the third, signalized the morontia resurrection, the mortal transit, of Jesus of Nazareth.

All of these survivors who were resurrected at this, or any other dispensational resurrection, resume their ascension careers as if no time had passed at all. They are treated the same as a survivor who awakens after three days.

Labels: dispensational resurrection, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, sleeping survivors, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Monday, March 24, 2008

Are we sure that Jesus had black hair?

Q: "I find all the pictures of Jesus to be sombody's fantasy of what he would look like. He was middle eastern and they just don't look like that. I find it hard to believe that all the comments give such high ratings. I would much rather see some form that would more correctly represent the people of that time and region of the country and not some model-like depiction. This could not even be close!"

A: Thanks for taking the time to send in feedback about the QOD. I am sorry to hear that you are disappointed in the images that we choose for the quotes of the day that deal with Jesus.

Jesus was, of course, a Middle Eastern Jewish man - probably darker-complected, maybe even swarthy, with black hair. The Urantia Book tells us that he was a maginificent specimen of manhood, and I know he must have been a knockout!!! But, in this passage of The Urantia Book, we see that perhaps he could have even been a red-heard or even blonde: (122:5.5) "The families of both Joseph and Mary were well educated for their time. Joseph and Mary were educated far above the average for their day and station in life. He was a thinker; she was a planner, expert in adaptation and practical in immediate execution. Joseph was a black-eyed brunet; Mary, a brown-eyed well-nigh blond type."

Any chance that you are an artist? Or do you know a good artist who can paint portaits? You may not know this, but it is extremely difficult to find ethnically correct depictions of the Master, or even contemporary artists who attempt picturing the Master. There is a real dearth of newer materials out there from which to choose an image - And to use just any man's picture would surely not be appreciated either.

The images that we have chosen, such as the recent one from Palm Sunday, and through this Holy Week, are contemporary, fresh, not over-used, and painted by people who love Jesus. We think that shows in the image, even if the image may not be correct in all points. The attitude and demeanor of the image is what counts for us.

The image that you chose to write about is one of the beautiful flower pictures, and we often use beautiful landscape images as well. We find that these are always pretty well received - but we can't please everyone, unfortunately...

Maybe it seems foolish to you to use a painting to try and depict a man whose true image can never be known, but some find the pictures comforting and beautiful. Sorry that you do not, but I hope that won't keep you from coming back and enjoying the QOD every day.

We love putting this feature together, and we also very much appreciate the feedback. Even though we wish we could please everyone, that is also a fantasy, alas...!

Labels: feedback, Jesus, middle eastern, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, March 20, 2008

How could Jesus have been born in 7 BC?

Q: The Urantia book says that jesus was born 7 B.C. how can this be?

A: I'm sure you understand that calendars begin at any arbitrary point in time that the people who use them choose -- which would most likely be some significant event occurring in their culture. For example, Google tells us that the beginning of the Chinese calendar officially began on the Yellow Emperorâ€™s 61st year on the throne (2637 B.C.) making this approximately year 4706 in the Chinese calendar and that this is the year 5769 in the Jewish calendar which began with the creation of Adam and Eve on the sixth day of Creation according to their Hebrew texts. Muslims begin their calendar at July 16, 622, (by the Gregorian calendar) when Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina.

The Gregorian calendar assigns its beginning to the presumed year Jesus was born, that being the year 1. The Gregorian calendar is based on calculations made by Dionysus Exegines, a Roman abbot who lived over 500 years after the time of Jesus. Because of insufficient historical data the monk erred in fixing the time of birth and this error persists in our calendar to this day. The Urantia Book corrects this error by giving us the exact date of Jesus' birth which occurred 7 years earlier than the abbot had calculated. Other sources have also determined that the assumed Gregorian date for Jesus' birth is inaccurate, (you can do a Google on 7 b.c. for other examples) but The Urantia Book provides accuracy no other source can.

Labels: Birth, Dionysus Exegines, Gregorian calendar, Jesus, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Hold Me Jesus

Video of Rich Mullins singing "Hold Me Jesus." This prayerful plea to the Prince of Peace will inspire and comfort.

Labels: Jesus, peace, prayer, Rich Mullins, video

Permalink

Monday, March 03, 2008

A Few Questions

Q: Is God more like male or female? If neither, then is God like a universal being for all worlds?

A: Male and female are the two expressions of material beings, similar to positive and negative being the two expressions of electricity. It takes both for completeness. God is neither male nor female -- those terms apply to material beings and not spirit -- God is complete. And yes, there is one God for all of creation and that God has a presence within you. The only gift you can offer to God is your will to do God's will.

Q: What does this quote mean? "When the end of mortal life comes, hesitate not to forsake this body for a more fit and beautiful form and to awake in the realms of the Supreme and Immortal, where there is no fear, sorrow, hunger, thirst, or death. To know God is to cut the cords of death"

A: This quote comes from the section in The Urantia Book (131:4.7) describing the religious doctrines about God and his relations with us as they were expressed during Jesus' time and this quote is from the Hindu religion. It means that when one knows that a higher power exists in the universe than oneself that one has the opportunity to participate in eternity.

Q: Why are we not allowed to see God or Jesus?

A: The evidence of God is all around us -- which you can see any time you desire. But as material beings we're so far spiritually removed from the actual presence of God that we will have to wait until we've become pure spirit beings in the far distant future to stand before him. Until that time, you'll still be able to see the evidence of God's existence any time you desire.

Why can't you see Jesus? Like God, the evidence of Jesus is all around us and you can see or experience it any time you desire. Jesus doesn't live here now, except as the indwelling Spirit of Truth. Jesus is a spirit being but you can make contact with Jesus through prayer and through the desires of your mind.

Labels: God, Jesus, life after death, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Just What Is Your Belief? Is The Urantia Book A Reference Work?

Q: I look at parts of your site and couldnâ€™t find any reference to the Bible. The part that I read is speaking more or less toward Jesus being who we believe he is but not being into your book any deeper that I am I wonder just what your belief is based on?

I do believe that if a person is Born Again By Jesus Blood he can pretty much understand (being led by the Holy Spirit) the ole fashion word of God.

There is nothing wrong with reference books that provide help for believers and I trust that your book is nothing more that just that (a Help) for believers.

I do like the name of your book TRUTHBOOK because we know that the truth shall set you free but in this day and age there are wolves walking about in sheepâ€™s clothing seeking whom they may devour turning the Truth into a lie.

A: Our site is dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book, which does contain over a thousand references to and quotes from the Bible. The Urantia Book is not intended to substitute for the Bible, the foundation upon which Western culture rests, nor to substitute for any particular religion. What it does do is provide insight into the Bibleâ€™s unique position in history and most students of The Urantia Book come to a deeper appreciation of the Bible through their study of the UB. So if youâ€™re comfortable with and confident in your understanding and interpretation of the Bible then there may perhaps be nothing for The Urantia Book to offer you since it speaks to those who did not find the answers afforded by science, religion, or philosophy sufficient to satisfy their inquiring nature.

One significant difference between the Bible and The Urantia Book is that the Bible contains but a brief account of the life and teachings of Jesus â€” although brief it has been sufficient to float the Christian religion for two thousand years and to give an understanding of Jesus to countless seekers. But, all told, there are fewer than 100 pages in the Bible relating to Jesus. The fourth section of The Urantia Book is about 700 pages in length; it recounts his matchless life and teachings from before birth through his death and resurrection â€” no missing years. Students of this book rely upon Jesusâ€™ spirit, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, to lead and guide them as they follow Jesusâ€™ admonition to "Fear not!"

Your impression that The Urantia Book is a reference book is quite accurate â€” itâ€™s an unsurpassed reference to Jesus, the meaning of his life and teachings to all of humanity. It is also considered to be a reference book for cosmic citizenship since it recounts in great detail the nature of God, the nature of creation, the history of the world, and our place in it and how we fit into the grand scheme of it all. But rather than being more than "a help for believers" The Urantia Book is a help for non-believers, those who lacked belief, those who were searching for God but didnâ€™t seem to find Him. Believers have already found God â€” The Urantia Book is a living handbook for those who are seeking.

Labels: Bible, God, Jesus, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book, truth

Permalink

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Where was and what was Jesus doing during the 13 years of his life that seem to always be in question?

A: Are there only 13 years in question? It seems to me that there are a lot more years than that which are unaccounted for. The Urantia Book more than makes up for any missing years in the Master's life. The final section of The Urantia Book is devoted entirely to the life and teachings of Jesus, from his birth, through his babyhood, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and into his ministry, including Holy Week, and culminating with Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and all of his resurrection appearances. We see Jesus as he interacts with his parents, his friends, the Jewish authorities, and his apostles and disciples. For the most complete accounting of Jesus' life, Part IV of The Urantia Book will answer all of your questions. It is a most satisfying and edifying read, unparalleled anywhere.

In addition, Truthbook has put together a wonderful new feature called "Great Jesus Stories," which you can find on the right-hand side of the front page, or in the section on the left called "Jesus and The Urantia Book." In Great Jesus Stories, we have isolated just the stories from Part IV. There are more than 350 stories of Jesus' life: his daily activities, his childhood friends, his sorrows, joys and adventures as a boy, and his eventual dawning consciousness of who he was and what he was meant to do on this earth. In these stories, we see Jesus in his appealing humanness, and his inspiring Divinity. All of these stories were taken verbatim from Part IV of The Urantia Book, arranged for easy reading, and illlustrated with the best of world-class fine art. I hope you'll have a look. All the Great Jesus Stories are also contained in Part IV; reading either one will help you understand where Jesus was and what he was doing through ALL the years of his life in Earth.

In a short time, we will be expanding Great Jesus Stories to encompass Holy Week as well; for now, all of these matchless stories can be found in Part IV.

"Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it." (196:1.3)

If you have not yet done so, I would invite you to subscribe to Truthbook's free service - Quote of the Day. Many of Jesus' teachings find their way into this daily inspirational service, as well as other inspirational quotes from The Urantia Book.

Thank you for writing. I hope this reply is helpful to you. Please visit Truthbook often, and write again anytime.

Labels: Jesus, Jesus' "lost years, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Urantia Book Questions

Q: Who wrote the Urantia Book? How do we know what you say is true? The Bible has been re-written so many times that it becomes questionable, but how can we believe or trust the writings of The Urantia Book? Where are you getting your facts?

A: Thank you for your questions about The Urantia Book.

The authors of the Urantia Book are celestial personalities. Some are ascended mortals, some are angels, some are high Sons of God - all were mandated by The Ancients of Days to deliver the Urantia Papers to humanity. This delivery took place during the early years of the 20th century, and was completed in 1934. The final section of The Urantia Book - the Life and Teachings of Jesus - were delivered in toto a short time later, and the entire book was first published in final form in 1955 in Chicago. Many of the concepts (over 1000) in the book were already here on the planet in those days, in already published works, and the Revelators re-worded and re-worked many of these high human concepts and incorporated them into the text. So, in that sense, there was also a fair amount of worthwhile human thought involved - in a peripheral way. But the main bulk of the information in The Urantia Book is a brilliantly crafted treatise of celestial origin - completely unique.

I am not an author of the book, and I have no way to convince you that what is contained in its covers is true. The only way that one can discern the truth of The Urantia Book is by opening it up and reading it. Many people who have done just that are completely convinced of its truth, and have allowed that truth to expand their worldview, inform their spiritual lives, and improve their understanding of, and communion with, God. Others read some of it, and decide that they are not interested, or they decide to leave it alone for any number of reasons. The Truthbook.com site is dedicated to making the Urantia Book available and accessible to people on the internet. We exist for that purpose, and are not in the business of proselytising or trying to convince anyone of anything. The Urantia Book stands alone, on its own merits. Again, the only way to know of its truth is to read it for yourself and judge for yourself whether or not it is, indeed, true.

Having said that, I wish to expand a little bit on one or two things, just by way of further explanation, so you can make an informed decision about it. One of the concepts of The Urantia Book that is very attractive is the concept of the Spirit of Truth. The Spirit of Truth is that "good spirit" that was promised by Jesus to take his place after his ascension into heaven, and which was delivered to humanity at Pentecost. This Spirit is in every way like Jesus, except for the fact that it is a spiritual reality, not a material reality, as Jesus was in the flesh. The Spirit of Truth indwells each person and assists us to discern truth, wherever it is found. You possess this Spirit as well as anyone else, and I invite you to keep that in mind, and keep an open mind, when you approach The Urantia Book.

The Urantia Book does parallel the Bible in many respects, and explains to us why the Bible and all ancient Scripture must also be read with discernment - just because of the human element that was involved in all of that re-writing and such...and you should also read The Urantia Book with that same discernment. Jesus himself was very selective in his use of Scripture. The Urantia Book does not claim to be inerrant, or the "word of God." It is a gift of Revelation to Earth, and is meant to fill in the gaps in our understanding of earth history, of universe cosmology, of Divinity, and of the life and teachings of Jesus. I am sure you would agree that there do exist many, many gaps in our knowledge of these things. The Urantia Book answers all of these many questions in a way that is satisfying both intellectually and spiritually. Part IV - The Life and Teachings of Jesus - is one superb example of this kind of filling in the gaps, as it narrates the life of Jesus as a whole - from his birth, through his childhood, his adolescence, and into his manhood and his mission of proclaiming the good news as we have only known it from the New Testament. The difference is that in The Urantia Book, ALL the missing years and missing events are, for the first time, given to us to enjoy and as sublime inspiration for our modern times.

You can come to trust the writings of The Urantia Book, but not because I say so, because Truthbook says so, or because IT says so. Your own Spirit within will bear witness to you if you are a sincere seeker for the truth. Doubt is the human condition, and nothing bad will happen to you if you decide not to seriously read The Urantia Book. The most important thing is to keep searching for God, to stay on the road to righteousness, follow Jesus, love God, and be a good sister to others.

Thanks again for writing. I hope this reply has been helpful to you. Please feel free to subscribe to the Quote of the Day, a free service of Truthbook.com, and also please look over our site. You might find some of the Urantia Book history helpful (click on The Urantia Book in the left hand menu, and choose a topic) and also you might like to read some of the personal stories of people who feel that The Urantia Book changed their lives for the better (on the left-side menu).

Labels: authorship, Bible, Jesus, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book, trust, Truthbook

Permalink

Saturday, January 19, 2008

What did Jesus teach his disciples about setting up churches?

Q: What did Jesus teach his disciples about setting up churches?

A: In the Urantia Book, we learn that Jesus' mission on Earth was one of revelation -revelation to mankind of the loving character of God, the goodness of God, and the love and mercy of God as spiritual Father. Jesus proclaimed the good news that man is a child of God, and the resultant truth that all men are brethren.

Jesus did not incarnate in order to establish a church, and he did not counsel his disciples to establish churches. His mission was to proclaim the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the hearts of mankind, and to free mankind from the bondage of churches of authority. He himself, a child of Jewish parents, raised in the churches and synagogues of his day, later was murdered for his refusal to conform to the authority of that very belief system in which he was raised. Jesus was not wholly opposed to churches; he worked with members of churches, and honored and encouraged church members, but, as the Urantia Book so well points out:

p1098:4(100:5.1) The world is filled with lost souls, not lost in the theologic sense but lost in the directional meaning, wandering about in confusion among the isms and cults of a frustrated philosophic era. Too few have learned how to install a philosophy of living in the place of religious authority. (The symbols of socialized religion are not to be despised as channels of growth, albeit the river bed is not the river.)
(Bolding of text is mine)

Jesus' message was one of spiritual liberation - liberation from set dogmas, creeds, and established tenets - into a new way of realizing and finding God, who, he taught, indwells every human mind. This new way of discovering God and recognizing Truth had nothing to do with setting up churches. Instead, it proclaimed that the Kingdom is within each of us, discoverable by each individual.
There was a church established, of course, and the following quote outlines for us how this occurred:

p1865:4(170:5.14) When Jesus' immediate followers recognized their partial failure to realize his ideal of the establishment of the kingdom in the hearts of men by the spirit's domination and guidance of the individual believer, they set about to save his teaching from being wholly lost by substituting for the Master's ideal of the kingdom the gradual creation of a visible social organization, the Christian church. And when they had accomplished this program of substitution, in order to maintain consistency and to provide for the recognition of the Master's teaching regarding the fact of the kingdom, they proceeded to set the kingdom off into the future. The church, just as soon as it was well established, began to teach that the kingdom was in reality to appear at the culmination of the Christian age, at the second coming of Christ.

This Christian church and its many offshoots, while good in many respects, still maintains many of the unfavorable aspects of all established churches, in that it demands a loyalty to dogma, to rules and regulations, that have little to do with the reality of the Kingdom as Jesus taught it. Jesus taught that the Kingdom is within - right now - and that one enters its gates simply by faith that one is, in fact, a child of God. No creedal pressure was brought to bear by Jesus on any of his followers. The new gospel of Jesus proclaimed that man is a child of God, and that faith is the only price of entry into the Father's kingdom. It is this very simplicity, I believe, that is sometimes very hard to grasp by human minds.

The idea of making a church that packages "the truth" for its followers is directly opposed to the actual teachings of Jesus. A church as a social organization, or as a place where believers can share their faith is a good idea, but churches as they are now operate on the planet, largely run counter to the idea of spiritual freedom, as Jesus taught it.

Consider this quote from The Urantia Book:
p1135:2(103:5.12) When a member of a social religious group has complied with the requirements of such a group, he should be encouraged to enjoy religious liberty in the full expression of his own personal interpretation of the truths of religious belief and the facts of religious experience. The security of a religious group depends on spiritual unity, not on theological uniformity. A religious group should be able to enjoy the liberty of freethinking without having to become "freethinkers." There is great hope for any church that worships the living God, validates the brotherhood of man, and dares to remove all creedal pressure from its members.

Labels: Christianity, churches, Jesus, kingdom of heaven, spiritual freedom, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Who Am I?

No matter how insignificant we may feel at times, this musical reminder of the fact of our sonship with God can give us an inspirational boost. Enjoy!!!

Labels: Casting Crowns, God, Jesus, sonship, video, worship

Permalink

Friday, December 14, 2007

The Serenity Prayer

The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr on July 1, 1943. Early in World War II, the prayer was printed on cards and distributed to the troops by the U.S.O.
Music by Enya (May It Be).

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Labels: Enya, Jesus, peace, prayer, serenity, video

Permalink

Monday, October 08, 2007

Is Jesus The Son Of God? Did He Die For Our Sins?

Q: Do you believe that Jesus was the
son of God? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross to save us from
our sins? If not, then this is not Christianity.

A: Yes, students of The Urantia Book do recognize that Jesus was the Son
of God as well as being the Son of Man. Which of these two
qualifications is more meaningful? Each of us is a son of God -- that was one of
Jesus' primary teachings, the value of the individual, and that while God
is no respecter of persons, we're each equally important to our Father
in heaven. Christianity tends to emphasize the teaching that Jesus was
a Son of God, neglecting the equally valuable realization that Jesus
was also a Son of Man and neglecting to emphasize that we too are sons of
God, not in the same sense that Jesus was but in a sense that is
equally as cherished and loved by God the father.

By Jesus taking on the role of Son of Man he acknowledged that he would
live a life in the flesh just as we mortals do. Although having a
pre-existent divine existence before becoming a mortal, he accepted status
as a mortal of the realm, was subject to the same vicissitudes of life
that mortals are subject to, lived life as we do. Jesus was human as
well as divine.

Students of The Urantia Book do not believe that Jesus died on the
cross to save us from our sins; we do not accept the Christian atonement
dogma that proposes that God required a human/divine sacrifice in order
to be appeased. We hold the Father in heaven in much higher regard than
such a primitive anthropomorphized opinion casts. As the Son of Man,
Jesus submitted to torture and a barbaric death, not because God willed
it but as a way of making the continuity of life after death undeniable.
Not only did he teach that death was not the end of existence, that in
his Father's house are many mansions where he has prepared a place for
us, but he manifested this teaching by returning from death. This, and
not that he died for sins, is the great gift Jesus has given to
humanity for all time that has been lost to much of Christian theology.

You concluded by saying "If not, then this is not Christianity."
Exactly. The Urantia Book is a new revelation of truth, not an amplification
of Christianity nor of any other religion on earth. The Urantia Book
does not claim to be Christian; it does claim to be Jesusonian â€” to be
an accurate restatement of Jesus' life and teachings devoid of
religious dogma.

Labels: atonement, Christianity, divinity, God, humanity, Jesus, the Cross, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Saturday, September 08, 2007

How May I Come To Trust The Urantia Book As Truth?

Q: How may I come to trust the Urantia way as truth? In what ways can I know this truth?

A: That's a good question and one we each have to face, whether it's in regard to The Urantia Book or any other scientific finding, philosophical ideal, or religious belief. How do you know what's real or true versus what's a figment or false? Happily God has provided all we need in this regard.

First, we're endowed with a mind and with free will. These allow us to consider the things that come into our consciousness, to think them over, try them out, see how they feel. We have an in-born conscience that helps us decipher right from wrong. We're also endowed with an ability to think logically and to make deductions from what we already know or understand. If something doesn't make logical sense then either you need more knowledge before making your decision or the thought is erroneous.

The next test is, do you believe that Jesus lived here and taught what is important for us to know? If so then you'll recall that Jesus has said for us to "fear not" -- that can also be applied to concerns about what's true and what's not. You can ask Jesus for guidance in helping you make right decisions and choices. Also recall that Jesus left us his spirit, the Comforter or the Spirit of Truth. This is an actual spirit presence for your benefit to help you know right from wrong, good from evil, truth from error. Ask for guidance -- while humans may lead you astray, Jesus won't. Trust Jesus. If you don't believe in Jesus then making right decisions and knowing the truth can be more difficult -- reading The Life and Teachings of Jesus as found in the fourth part of The Urantia Book will be a blessing to you.

Our main problem is that too many of us are timid about relying upon our own decisions. We look for authority to come from outside. We seek religions of authority, clergy of authority, traditions of authority, teachers of authority -- none of these can substitute for the authority of your own mind and your own thoughts and decisions. You ultimately answer for all of your choices and decisions and beliefs -- the responsibility for them rests with you and no one else can substitute.

It's not necessary to trust and believe The Urantia Book -- some people read it and decide it's not for them. But if you're a truth seeking person, looking for deeper answers then you owe it to yourself to read and to study this amazing book. It's a gift to humanity from deity -- if you're sensitive to truth then its teachings will ring true to you.

May I also recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book.

Best wishes,
Larry Watkins

Labels: God, Jesus, Larry Watkins, Spirit of Truth, The Urantia Book, truth

Permalink

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Adultery

Q: What says The Urantia Book about adultery? Is it a mistake to love a married man?

A#1: Adultery is not treated very extensively in The Urantia Book. It is mentioned only a handful of times, and then, mainly only in the context of evolution, where it had to to with ownership of women and property. There are a few mentions in the later portions of the book, and then, there is this event from Jesus' life:

Jesus was confronted by an angry crowd who had a woman in custody for being an adultress. They wanted Jesus to approve stoning her to death, which was the custom of the day, but it was a situation where the woman had been ill-treated by the husband, and coerced into selling her body for money for the husband. Jesus knew, of course, the whole story, and through his superb discernment, de-fused the entire situation, and the woman was set free. Jesus had no words of condemnation for this woman.

In another event, Jesus mentions adultery in this vignette involving a young man who wanted assurance of eternal salvation:

...as Jesus was going for a walk, [a] young man accosted him and said: "Master, I would know from you the assurances of eternal life. Seeing that I have observed all the commandments from my youth, I would like to know what more I must do to gain eternal life?" In answer to this question Jesus said: "If you keep all the commandments--do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your parents--you do well, but salvation is the reward of faith, not merely of works.

Since there is such a scarcity of real advice on this subject in The Urantia Book, I am going to try to answer your quesiton, but from my own perspective, tempered by my years of study with The Urantia Book, and with life...

It is never a mistake to love another person - but we must make the distinction here between love and sex. They are not necessarily connected, nor should they be, if in doing so, you cause harm to another. That is what adultery is - not just LOVING a married man, but allowing that love to cross the line into a sexual connection. And such an act CAN cause harm, and almost always DOES cause harm.

Fortunately, adultery is no longer treated as a capital crime, warranting death. But, I believe that any thinking and feeling person can discern that there is something not right about it - in priciple, if not in fact. There may be factors which contribute to a person's thinking that they are justified in having sex with another person's spouse. But in the final analysis, it is not a physically healthy, or morally correct thing to do.

We can certainly love whomever we please, but that love should not cross the line into adultery. Aside from the health aspect, there are the other spouse's feelings to consider. In its simplest form, adultery appears to me to be motivated by selfishness. And since true love is not selfish, it would also seem that adultery is neither loving nor uplifting for either party - certainly not for the betrayed spouse. And this does not even address the issue of children who may be involved, should this behavior jeopardize their relationship to either of their parents.

Here are a few Urantia Book quotes regarding love:

"Love is the outworking of the divine and inner urge of life. It is founded on understanding, nurtured by unselfish service, and perfected in wisdom."

"Love is the secret of beneficial association between personalities."

"Love is the desire to do good to others."

It appears to me that a person who is thinking about a liaison with a married man is thinking less about real, heartfelt, and honest love, and more about a selfish need for this person's affection, or attention. It bespeaks an ulterior motive that may not be healthy. And that is not love, but something else entirely, and not entirely good.

Again, this is my opinion, but I would think that since the taboo against adultery is one of the original ten commandments, one might be wise to avoid it.

Sincerely,

MaryJo
Truthbook.com

A#2: MaryJo has already provided an excellent reply from her perspective; I've made presumptions but I hope that you will find my reply providing additional insight.

Is it a mistake to love a married man? Certainly not, if you're his wife; most assuredly so if you're not, particularly if he has a family.

Even more than adultery The Urantia Book speaks forcefully for the importance of devotion to the family. So the focus for you would be not the love, but do you or does he have a family?

Consider Jesus' words relating to adult/child relationships:

"...But whosoever causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea." Children require stability, peace, and a loving home environment in order to develop their potential.

"We know that any child can best relate himself to reality by first mastering the relationships of the child-parent situation and then by enlarging this concept to embrace the family as a whole. Subsequently the growing mind of the child will be able to adjust to the concept of family relations, to relationships of the community, the race, and the world, and then to those of the universe, the superuniverse, even the universe of universes." (8:1.11)

"Society itself is the aggregated structure of family units. Individuals are very temporary as planetary factors--only families are continuing agencies in social evolution. The family is the channel through which the river of culture and knowledge flows from one generation to another." (84:0.2)

"Marriage is not just an individualistic ideal; it is the evolving social partnership of a man and a woman, existing and functioning under the current mores, restricted by the taboos, and enforced by the laws and regulations of society." (83:8.8)

Character issues: Did this man profess vows when he married? If so is he not breaking some of them now? What could that indicate about his character and his sincerity? Can anyone really admire and respect someone who exhibits such character flaws? What does this indicate of your own character if you're willing to disrupt the lives of a man and his wife for personal gratification?

One of the attributes that distinguishes humans from animals is that animals only learn through experience, they have no ability for discrimination. Humans don't need experience in order to learn or to discover consequences -- we can determine beforehand what the consequences will be. Over time you will find this fruit to be bitter indeed.

Consider both the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments. Whether these are actually God's laws or not may not be so meaningful as the fact that they are proven essential laws of civilization and society. The Golden Rule exhorts us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Are you doing to this man's wife as you would wish another would do to you if you were in her place? For what reason would you think that the Ten Commandments contains the commandment that applies equally to men and women "Thou shall not commit adultery" ?

Thank you for your question and best wishes ...

Larry Watkins
Truthbook.Com

Labels: adultery, character, family, Jesus, Larry Watkins, love, marriage, Mary Jo, Ten Commandments, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Who is Jesus Christ Michael?

Q: Who is Jesus Christ Michael?

A: Thank you for your post to Truthbook.Com. Our site is dedicated to the teachings of The Urantia Book and particularly to promoting the life and teachings of Jesus. The term "Jesus Christ Michael" is not a term used by The Urantia Book; it's more an all inclusive collection of the names of Jesus used in our mission statement.

Jesus had an existence before his earth life began and he has an existence now that he's gone -- his title then and now was that of Michael, an order of creative divine beings. More specifically he is called Michael of Nebadon, Nebadon being that portion of the cosmos in which we reside and over which he has supreme authority. His name here during his earth life was Jesus (in its English translation), his title before and after his earth experience is Michael (The Urantia Book does not give his before and after name, only his title). The Christ aspect is a Christian designation that's intended to elevate Jesus above the human to emphasize his divine aspects. As Urantians we tend to downplay the Christ concept in our thinking because Jesus was entirely human at the same time that he was entirely divine (Son of Man and Son of God); we tend to think of Jesus in very personal terms instead of in the more unapproachable Christ designation -- as The Urantia Book says "Christianity has elevated the concept of anthropomorphism from the ideal of the human to the transcendent and divine concept of the person of the glorified Christ. And this is the highest anthropomorphism that man can ever conceive."

May I recommend that if you're not already signed up that you consider subscribing to the Quote of the Day. It's a free service from our site that offers a daily quote from the incomparable teachings of this marvelous book with an audio clip and a beautiful and inspiring image, a great way to start one's day as well as to begin to understand the teachings of the book. To subscribe go to the upper right corner of our home page, click on Quote of the Day and follow the instructions.

Thank you for your question.

Larry Watkins
Truthbook.com

Labels: Christ Michael, Christian, Jesus, Larry Watkins, The Urantia Book

Permalink

Friday, July 20, 2007

Dates In The Urantia Book, And Women Who Followed Jesus

Q: Thank you for the information found on your website. It is quite surprising with regard to the specific dates of certain occurences. Can you please tell me how you came up with these dates? What/who are your sources?

I am researching these subject women in the Bible in an effort to "chronicle" their lives according to what I've read in The Bible and certain other articles. I am really curious to know if anyone can share with me the approximate ages of these women at the time of The Ascension, as well as any other information, e.g., the persecution of Lazarus and his sisters after the Crucifixion.

A: Thank you for your question to Truthbook.Com. We always appreciate hearing from someone who's just come across the teachings of The Urantia Book for the first time.

Yes, the information on our website is quite surprising and startling when first encountered. The Urantia Book is unique; one of its purposes is to provide (when necessary) information heretofore unknown or otherwise unavailable -- the specific dates of Jesus' life being one example. Another startling bit of information is that there is no "we" in coming up with information such as these dates presented by this marvelous book -- the book is a divine gift to humanity -- we read it and accept or disregard it as we choose. To our way of thinking there is no more definitive work on Jesus' life and teachings extant than can be learned through study of The Urantia Book.

You asked about the source. Do you believe in angels? If not you may have a challenge with accepting the ca