© 1991 Kathleen Swadling, Trevor Swadling, Matt Neibaur, Patije Mills, Ken Glasziou, Audrey Morris, Ann Bendall, Robert Crickett
© 1991 ANZURA, Australia & New Zealand Urantia Association
2 Salisbury Crt, Glen Waverley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA, 3150.
¶ In This Issue…
SIX-0-SIX
PO BOX 616, Sunnybank, Queensland, AUSTRALLA 4109
Six O-Six is a bi-monthly publication dedicated to the promotion of International goodwill and understanding among readers of The URANTIA Book.
- So They Say — interesting comments found in leading publications
- Letters to the Editor — your thoughts on issues raised by Six-O-Six
- News Around the World — Australian and overseas news on the changing world, and changing the world
- Family of Urantia Students — Everywhere our first cartoon sets the FUSE alight
- Articles:
- What is Spiritual? — Finding the essence of the teachings of the Book.
- Extremes of Believing as a Little Child we’re reading the same words but getting different messages.
- Universal Language Brain-teasers an imaginative de-coding of words now familiar to us. Develop your own ideas.
- The Book, Study and Discussion — our papers for study and discussion on the contents of The URANTIA Book
- The Forum — could this be the story we live to tell?
- Divine Antidotes — interspersing our elevated thinking with levity and brevity
- On Reflection — reflecting on life itself
- When all is said and done — a great way to finish
¶ Editor’s Notebook
After six years working with this newsletter, five of them as editor, I’m taking a break and am very happy to pass the Six-O-Six back into the capable hands of Neil Francey who will no doubt keep you informed on what’s happening in the Urantia family around the world. I have made many friends in that time and have learned a lot, but it is now time to move onto new areas of service. However we will all stay in touch through Six-O-Six. Please note my new mailing address: PO Box 281, Ashburton, Victoria, 3147.
Madeline Noordzy
Vote Of Thanks
Madeline, a sincere thank you from all of us for your superlative efforts over the many years. We guess you realise there’s no such thing as retirement in this business. So we wait with interest to learn of your next endeavour.
If the art of publishing is to print without fear or favour, then we must recognise that you gave all who wished, an opportunity to express their ideas. You have taken us to many interesting places in our mighty quest. May the journey together continue. And once again, our appreciation and best wishes.
Editorial Policies
We trust the essential purpose of Six-O-Six shall continue to be fulfilled, and the interests of readers well served. In particular, readers are invited to voice their opinions about presenting a revelation to a turbulent planet in the new section called THE FORUM. Now there’s a challenge!
In addition there will be the collection of quality articles, the divine antidote of humour, and thoughts on the study of the Book itself.
The slight change in the layout represents a shift to a magazine style format. Whatever significant developments occur in this sagacious and exciting era, we look forward to being there with you. Let’s realise what we have in The URANTIA Book. Let’s read it. Understand what it represents. Talk about it. Live it. And love it.
Translations
The typesetting process has recently begun for the Finnish and Spanish translations. The artwork for the dust jackets for both translations has been completed. With proper funding both translations should be available in 1993-1994.
Urantia Brotherhood Association
The drafting of organizational documents is now being processed by the Trustees. The Trustees would like Friends of the Foundation to be involved during these early stages and they are seeking ways to make this happen. We will keep you informed of further developments
No Reply
We had hoped to publish a response from the Foundation Trustees commenting on allegations made in a letter by Mo Siegel reprinted in the May/June issue. To date, no correspondence has been forthcoming.
¶ So They Say
Omega Science Digest
Science has released many minds from ignorance, prejudice and superstition, revealing an incredible reservoir of inventiveness and creativity. This surely gives us at least a fighting chance to make a better world.
The Economist
Success in this game [major powers vying for national advantage] will now be measured in market share rather than in territory, and that trading blocs will replace alliances, and commerce will be the continuation of warfare by other means.
Australian National University Research
A single person needs to earn $70,000 per annum to be as happy as a married person on a family income of $20,000 and who goes to church regularly.
The Australian
[Australia] has developed an industry in promoting Aboriginal religion, in much the same way as Buddhism has had its upsurge in Western practice, and Hinduism its new wave of devotees years ago in the Vedanta for Western Man.
Australian Society Magazine
The family is the central image and reference point in the political sales pitch, no less than for the supermarket with family-size everything.
New Statesman
The war between Christendom and Islam may have experienced a long truce, but it is the oldest war of all. Europe’s boundary to the east may be a lot easier to settle than its boundary to the south.
Six-O-Six is published sir times a year, and editorial contributions are welcomed. Subscription rates: Australia - $ 10 per year. Other countries - US $17 per year The material contained in this publication is of general comment only, and not advice on any particular matter. The publisher, authors and editors expressly disclaim all liability in respect of this information and of the consequences of any actions resulting therefrom. Interpretations and opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent those of Six-O-Sir or Urantia Foundation. All quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are front The URANTIA Book © 1955 and used by permission. This publication is copyright with the exception of fair dealings under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without and permission from the publisher.
¶ Letters To Editor
¶ Reply To “Epochal Revolt”
by Kathleen Swadling, Sydney
I would like to comment on the article entitled “Epochal Revolt” by Irene and Wolfgang Borutta in the last issue of Six-O-Six. These writers stated: “The URANTIA Book revelation has been given out ahead of its time and because it is incomplete and partial in itself, additional revelation and information are presently given”. I would first like to qualify what is meant by “partial” and “incomplete”. On UB 92:4.9 of The URANTIA Book it states:
“The papers, of which this is one, constitute the most recent presentation of truth to the mortals of Urantia. These papers differ from all previous revelations, for they are not the work of a single universe personality but a composite presentation by many beings. But no revelation short of the attainment of the Universal Father can ever be complete. All other celestial ministrations are no more than partial, transient and practically adapted to local conditions in time and space.” UB 92:4.9
So “partial” and “incomplete” in this sense is relative to absolute revelation of the Universal Father. For all intents and purposes the Urantia revelation services our needs for our current stage of evolution.
The fact that The URANTIA Book itself states that it is partial and incomplete has been used by the writers of “Epochal Revolt” to justify that anything else which claims to be channelled by well known characters out of The URANTIA Book must be a continuation of this incomplete revelation. This line of thinking states that because The URANTIA Book was given before its time and is incomplete then we should stay in tune for more to come. This provides a convenient “in” for new channellings to be given credibility. I find this form of reasoning and deduction illogical and farcical. The writers have used the statement from the URANTIA Book: “Remember that the order of progressive evolution is subjected to sudden and unexpected periodical changes…” (UB 170:4.14) to give further credit that the recent channellings are part of the major revelation. Are we falling into the trap of being wonder seekers? Is not the Big Blue Book sudden and unexpected enough for us? Is it not spectacular enough to be a revelation of significance which has the power to impact on the spiritual upliftment of our world? Let’s remember that all past revelations were not very spectacular for their time either. The arrival of the Planetary Prince and his staff of one hundred would have proceeded unwitnessed. Adam and Eve’s arrival was likewise unspectacular for that era. Machiventa’s arrival was quiet and unspectacular and he unobtrusively set up a learning centre. Jesus’s appearance was certainly very natural and even his public ministry years were not unusual as the Jews were renowned for having spiritual teachers and preachers addressing crowds of people. The URANTIA Book arrived and was published at a time when works claiming to have extra-terrestrial origin were in fashion. Yet all these major epochal revelations have been “sudden and unexpected” and have had a remarkable impact on the spiritual progression of mankind. Once it has been given to us it takes time for its impact to become apparent. Let’s not become too impatient by expecting a new spiritual breakthrough to deviate from the laws of slow evolution. Surely The URANTIA Book has given us enough to go on with for a long time to come. The life and teachings of Jesus as portrayed in The URANTIA Book is a complete revelation in itself to man’s hungry soul and should give us enough challenges to revolutionise the spiritual evolution of mankind if enough committed individuals become second milers, leaders and teachers — if those who are committed would actively apply the teachings to their lives and live as ambassadors for the Kingdom. Let’s not get side-tracked into looking for easier and quicker methods which might have more immediate appeal to the masses and be beneficial in the short term but could be just as devastating as the Adamic default if we revert to the miraculous rather than the spiritual teachings. Possibly some of the confused philosophies of the “New Age” movement adapted to fit in with The Urantia Book may be the biggest threat to its true spiritual teachings that reveal the methods and the nature and character of God.
¶ Help!
I have been keenly interested in tapes produced by William Sadler Jnr., so much so that I have been transcribing them. But, lo and behold, some-one told me that this has already been done by some other soul. Is it you or some-one you know? I would appreciate your sending any information you might have to me. Leith Luckett, PO Box 2141, Richmond South, Victoria, Australia 3121.
¶ News Around The World
¶ Scientific Symposium 11
Information is slowly dribbling in on the proceedings of the symposium that took place in May at Oklahoma City. One courageous paper was presented by Dr Phil Calabrese who has had the recklessness to attempt to reconcile some scattered information given in The URANTIA Book on the structure of Paradise, space and non-space, ultimatons, electrons, etc.
Phil has utilised a branch of mathematics known as topology, an art-form that has the strange attribute of being able to convert a doughnut into a milk jug. Both shapes can be formed from a piece of clay with a hole in the middle. With patience and a block of plasticine, you can do it yourself. Having had the practice, take your plasticine, stretch it to infinity, envelop that object, and flatten the resultant into an ellipsoidal, non-spatial Paradise containing infinity. Take a small piece of plasticine, form it into a non-spatial hole, surround it with a spinning soap bubble, and you have an ultimaton, complete with a non-spatial Paradise nucleus.
Next you position yourself in the central hole of your ultimaton along with a bubble pipe and blow 99 spinning bubbles, one inside the other. Now you have an electron. Keep it small however, as an electron appears to have no spatial dimensions — a fitting attribute for something (?) that surrounds a non-spatial hole. Repeat the process, ad infinitum, and you can actually create a universe.
¶ Canberra Conference, October 4 — 71991
The theme for the conference is “What If…?” If you require vegetarian meals, please make your request before September 15, as the caterers require two weeks notice. For details of the venue (YHA Hostel), see map enclosed with this newsletter. For all communications concerning the conference contact:
Vem Verass 21 Storey St Curtin ACT 260.5
¶ Family of Urantia Students Everywhere
¶ England
“The Ascender” is the newsletter servicing British URANTIA Book readers which is put together by Chris and Tina Moseley bi-monthly. This newsletter provides a means of keeping us in touch with developments in the U.K. Chris is an Australian one time study group leader from Sydney with an interesting editorial style. If anyone is interested in receiving this newsletter simply write to Chris Moseley, 344 Gosbrook Rd, Caversham, Berkshire RG48EG, UK.
¶ Planet From A Different Sun Found
At last the first discovery has been made of a planet outside of our own solar system. The find was made by a team from the University of Manchester in England which included an Australian astronomer, Mr Matthew Bailes.
The discovery was made by using the powerful Lovell radio telescope which revealed a neutron star, the pulsar PSR 1829-10, which is accompanied by a planet with an orbit period of approximately six months. The planet is ten times the mass of Earth and in a circular orbit with a radius the same size of Venus’s orbit around the sun.
A new technique was used whereby the planet was detected by the way it slows down and speeds up the usually regular bursts of radiation from the pulsar.
Although it is highly unlikely that the planet sustains life, interestingly enough it has stimulated debate as to the possibility of life on other planets! This discovery really is a major breakthrough for science and another feather in the cap for our Big Blue Book.
¶ Articles
¶ The Art Of Living — What Is Spiritual?
by Trevor Swadling, Sydney
Although out there amongst our fellow men, there is a lot of confusion on just what is spiritual, the way to God consciousness, enlightenment, the path or technique, it seems to me that God as a personality is knowable and therefore God-seeking people should have something in common with their experiences. Throughout the years, contact with my fellow men has personally affirmed that this is true; after all if we had a dear friend that we both knew, according to the degree and length of our relationship with them, surely there would be aspects about their nature and character that we had both come to recognized and admired.
The definition of spiritual from the dictionary is: “relating to the spirit and not to physical nature or matter” also the definition given to spirituality is: “the state or quality of being dedicated to God, religion, or spiritual things or values, especially as contrasted with material or temporal ones.” The URANTIA Book tells us that “God is spirit” “the first source and centre of all things and beings”. It tells us that God is perfect, eternal, an infinite pure spirit personality. From this we could deduce that our personal concepts of what is spiritual is our understanding of our relationship with God, and through the sincere attempts that we endeavour to live these values is the true standing of the reality of that relationship. The URANTIA Book implies that this is the technique whereby man, in his personal spiritual evolution, transfers his seat of identity from the temporal to the eternal. So what is spiritual?
¶ Science And Religion — Extremes Of Believing As A Little Child
By Matt Neibaur
“No holy Bible offered to the Western world in the past few centuries is thicker, heavier, or stranger than The Urantia Book. This 2,097 page, 4.3 lb. volume purports to be written entirely by extra-terrestrials and channelled through an unknown earthling. To members of the Urantia Brotherhood, a quietly growing cult headquartered in Chicago, the book supposedly contains the earth’s fifth revelation from God, superior to mainline Christianity and destined to transform the world.”
“Nothing could persuade me to read every line of this monstrous mishmash of claptrap interspersed with puddles of pious platitudes, but I have perused it carefully enough to get the drift of its wild science-fiction, themes. In a way, the book is more amusing than the Book of Mormon, translated from hieroglyphics by Joseph Smith with the aid of a pair of magic spectacles called the Urim and the Thummim. It is almost as funny as the ravings of L. Ron Hubbard or Sun Moon, the channelled fiddlefaddle of Jane Roberts or J. Zebra Knight, or the work of such earlier mountebanks as Mary Baker Eddy and Madame Blavatsky. Indeed it may be the largest, most fantastic chunk of channelled moonshine ever to be bound in one volume.”
So says Martin Gardner in “The Great Urantia Mystery”, Sceptical Inquirer magazine, Winter 1990.
¶ Linguistics — Universal Language Brain-Teasers
By Patije Mills, Sarasota, Florida
A few months ago, Connie Lester (Englewood, Florida) tickled my imagination by mentioning a possibility of “de-coding” the meaning of “Orvonton”. Since then I’ve had many such possibilities “pop into” my intrigued imagination. We have lots of fun speculating and I want to share the following information to see if any of you might have also uncovered these possibilities.
Is there a rhythm or pattern in words introduced to us by the Revelators? Is it possible that we are being introduced to the Universe, or System Language by the means of The URANTIA Book?
First it was suggested that many, if not most, of the nouns are pronounced with the accent on the second syllable. For instance:
Or-von’-ton, U-ran’-tia, Mon-ma’tia, U-ver’-sa, Norlat’-ia-dek, Sol-ar’-ing-ton, Fin-al’-it-ers, E-den’-tia, Havon’-a, Sa-tan’-ia.
¶ The Book, Study And Discussion
Article from a computer-interactive program in the Brotherhood of Man Library
¶ What Does The Urantia Book Say About The Will Of God?
Speaking to Nicodemus, Jesus said:
“If you would be led by this spirit from above, very soon would you begin to see with the eyes of the spirit, and then by the wholehearted choice of spirit guidance would you be born of the spirit since your only purpose in living would be to do the will of your Father who is Heaven. And so finding yourself born of the spirit and happily in the kingdom of God, you would begin to bear in your daily life the abundant fruits of the spirit.” (UB 142:6.7)
That does not leave you humans much room to manoeuvre. But what is implied by ‘doing the will of God?’ I am going to let the Book do all the answering, at least most of it. The first thing is to get this earth life of yours into its right perspective. You must know by now that the book uses some pretty strange names for various celestial beings and groups thereof. Maybe that is because they have been translated from another language and culture. Whatever, there is a group of seraphim called the Quickeners of Morality who have this to say:
¶ He Seemed Possessed
by The Sunshine Coast Study Group, Queensland
Reading in the URANTIA Book in an unfamiliar foreign language (French) may cause one to ponder about things that are passed over thoughtlessly in one’s native tongue. These words had that effect. “Jesus montrait tant d’audace et d’energie dans ces annonces que meme Pierre, Jacques, et Jean furent tentes de croire qu’il ne se possedait plus.” Literal translation gives: “Jesus was showing so much audacity and energy in these announcements that even Peter, James and John were tempted to believe that he was no more possessing himself.” After consulting a French/English dictionary this became “he was no longer in control of himself.”
Instant recall brought these words to mind: “Never became fanatical, well- balanced intellectual judgements, perfectly endowed, magnificently co- ordinated,” etc. (UB 196:0.7), and on the same page where the strange words were observed, “Il n’etait jamais agite, vexe, ou deconcerte” — he was never agitated, vexed or disconcerted.
It was study group day, so the problem was turned over to the group — what was so important as to bring our master to the point of appearing to be mentally disturbed? These are the points the study group came up with:
- Jesus is telling them that he desires that his disciples so live in the world that men, by ‘seeing’ their lives, will become kingdom conscious and hence be led to inquire of believers concerning the ways of the kingdom.
- Their only business is to reveal God to the individual man as his Father, to lead him to become son-conscious and to present him to God as his faith son.
- The religion of Jesus is wholly based on the living of his bestowal life on earth. His life is our pattern for becoming ‘like God’.
- He left behind no books, laws, or other forms of human organization affecting the religious life of the individual.
- The only reward Jesus holds out is: in this world spiritual joy and divine communion; in the next — eternal life in the progress of the divine spirit realities of the Father.
- Salvation by faith alone and attainment of human liberty through sincere recognition of revealed truth.
- Jesus promises to send his Spirit of Truth to all men after his return to the Father.
- He is projecting to them a plan for a new age.
No wonder he was excited. This was the core of his teachings for the Fourth Epochal Revelation.
We failed the plan. So, almost 2,000 years later, the secondary midwayers managed to induce our celestial supervisors to give us another go. The result — the Fifth Epochal Revelation. What will we do with it? Or to it?
¶ The Forum
¶ Into Our Hands…
We know how the Book came to be. We’d like to believe we know what’s in it. We think we know why it has been given to us.
But now that we have it:
What do we do with it?
How do we do it?
More importantly, once we’ve had that flash of inspiration, or a ponderous analysis over a decade, where do we say it?
In THE FORUM.
Let’s focus our attention on URANTIA Book directions beyond a circumscribed viewpoint. Hard to believe, but we are guiding an epochal revelation in a well-ordered universal system.
When our free will can pull rank on every celestial authority, we had better realise the responsibility that we take on.
In this springtime of our spiritual destinies, let’s see what we can achieve; not forgetting that it is also the springtime of another destiny — that of this Fifth Epochal Revelation to this planet.
Take a moment to reflect upon the destiny of revelations one, two, three and four.
The summer of the fifth is now linked with each and every one of us.
THE FORUM offers scope for lively debate, intellectual theorising, good old common sense, and, above all else, honest reasoning.
It is time we created the future in a constructive manner. Let’s give some structured planning, some practical coordinated administration, to support the untiring efforts of the Spirit of Truth.
Where is this epochal revelation going? Does anybody really know? If we are independent and edified thinkers then surely we should be able to outline diverse and brilliant ways to proceed.
And should our concepts be elevated so as to contain unerring wisdom, then perhaps they may be embraced by the many, thus unifying our energies.
Apart from giving the midwayers a mild heart attack, and making the Revelatory Commission rush for their pens, wanting to write for THE FORUM, surely our efforts would be celebrated. Let’s just settle for making Michael proud of us.
¶ An Analysis Of The Kristen Maaherra Case
by Ken Glasziou, Maleny, Queensland
An analysis ‘at a distance’ has both advantages and disadvantages. It may be more objective but contain less fact than when made as an ‘inside job’. The case appears to have its roots in far distant days of the Urantia movements, well before the date of the Book’s publication in 1955.
The core of the problem is a divergence of opinion on how the Book should be disseminated. On the one side are those who would use modern communication and sales techniques to spread the Book relatively quickly. On the other, are those who believe the Book was given to us well before its time in order to be studied intensively for perhaps one hundred years. This would be a period of preparation for a more intensive campaign at a much later date.
Both these groups have become secretive and elitist. The total numbers for both sides who are ‘inner circle’ members may be less than twenty. Many have close links with relatives and friends from the days of the ‘Seventy’ and the ‘Forum’. Effective power in both the ex-Brotherhood and the Foundation has always resided with these two groups. Outsiders are occasionally admitted, and made to feel that they are a part of a privileged class. The operations of the group pay scant attention to the needs or opinions of ‘outsiders’ — the bulk of the devotees. This is the norm for human organizations of all types.
¶ Divine Antidotes
Q: Why do we have Thought Adjusters?
A: God so loved the world that he won’t leave it in the hands of a committee.
Lord, Lord use me in your work — especially in an advisory capacity.
Abraham Lincoln was once taken to task by an associate for his attitude towards his enemies. ‘Why’ he was asked, ‘do you try to make friends with them? You should try to destroy them.’ To which Lincoln replied: ‘Am I not destroying my enemies when I make them my friends?’
A young man asked Socrates if he should get married. ‘By all means, young man, get married. If you find a good wife you’ll be happy. If you find a poor one, you’ll be a philosopher.’
To some, it seems their only commandment is the eleventh — ‘ignore the preceding ten’.
About that URANTIA Book media interview:
Be honest now. Don’t you think that superman is a little unbelievable? I don’t mean the jumping over tall buildings, seeing through walls, running faster than express trains. But when have you ever seen a mild-mannered reporter?
They’re out there Somewhere:
Acknowledgement is hereby given to all those dedicated and earnest URANTIA Book adherents no one ever hears about. Known to be the world’s largest reader group, they ought to be referred to, collectively as ‘The Club’. This name is given in honour of Groucho Marx who said: ‘I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.’ All non-members of ‘The Club’ are invited to the next AGM which will not be held on August 21, where all would have been re-elected to the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sub-committee liaison officer … The Club. The group you’re in when not in a group.
¶ Crossword
by Audrey Morris, Tewantin, Queensland
Across:
1. Divine overseers
5. Town of symbolic water ceremony
7. A rebellious Lanonadek son.
9. Used on Jesus’ feet
11. Sage
13. Lower world
14. Birch etc.
15. Lament
16. Address
Down:
1. Mother of adventure
2. Caring
3. Son of David & Bethsheba
4. Evolved from swim bladder
5. Prayer
6. Struggled
8. Serfage
10. People
12. Main
Solution to previous crossword.
Across: 1. Elevation 3. Corinth 4. Ecology 6. Synagogue 7. Resurrection 9. Ascender
Down: 2. Noah 3. Caste 5. Yoke 6. Star 8. Near
¶ On Reflection
¶ Fools Rush In — And Angels Have To Follow
by Ann Bendall
As I view my day in retrospect I suspect being my seraphim must be a real chore. I am somewhat relieved that seraphim always work in pairs. At least they have someone to cheer them up, someone’s shoulder to cry on when, exhausted, they heave a sigh of relief that another day is over.
How much laughter do they share with me, as I with Shakespearian stance dramatically view the minor obstacles of daily living? How many songs of joy do I compose so they can hum along? Do I, the fool, rush in whilst seraphim sit on the side-line shaking their heads, rolling up their celestial sleeves to pick up the pieces at the end of my risk taking?
No doubt the guardians have to square their shoulders, and with prayers for strength, resist hitting me over the head, have to run along behind screaming into my ears — “When will you start taking a modicum of responsibility? Why is it always up to us?”
¶ The More We Give, The More We’re Given
By Robert Crickett
Of all the great disappointments which traverse the mortal heart, a terribly frustrating one must surely be that of desiring to serve in the kingdom of heaven according to the will of God, and having trouble getting off the starting block: “Woman of Sychar” stuff, in a sense.
Suzie is twenty one, a prostitute, grossly over weight, courting problems with heroin, alcohol and heart disease. She casts a tragic figure: essentially friendless, homeless and unable to return to her family nest because her father beats her when he’s drunk and the other family members are prone to locking her out of sight in a room and forgetting about her: at least that’s her story… but then, anyone who is set on doing nothing about their situation has their story, and they treasure it far above making a move for the better.
¶ When All Is Said And Done…
“While religion is exclusively a personal spiritual experience — knowing God as a Father — the corollary of this experience — knowing man as a brother — entails the adjustment of the self to other selves, and that involves the social or group aspect of religious life.” (UB 99:5.1)