© 1992 William Wentworth, Ann Bendall, Ken Glasziou
© 1992 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
- Letters to the Editor
- News Around the World
- Articles
- Environmentalism
- Character Ennoblement
- Forum
- The Message is Spreading
- The Book Study and Discussion
- The Adventures Of Jesus Of Nazareth
- Divine Antidotes
- Quotable Quotes
- Crosswords
- On Reflection
- Love
- Reflecting on Evangelizing
- I Hear It Was Charged Against Me
- When All iS Said and Done
¶ Editor’s Notebook
I constantly wonder if we are all reading the same book, the fifth of only five revelations of epochal significance to the planet.
The enormity of presenting such a project, and the obvious care taken to avoid even the slightest misinterpretation, at times seems of scant regard.
Our mental capacities and experiences cause us to read selectively. It is the only way to explain the different perspectives on facts, as distinct from our collective endeavours to interpret truth, so lovingly offered by the revelators. Is the book a complete statement for its time? Can reincarnation be accommodated within its teachings? Does the superb authority of Jesus’ teachings automatically qualify serious students as fundamentalists? To these and numerous other theories, we have varying degrees of yes, no, and maybe.
I would suggest there can never be any recognized movement of book readers without some basic cohesiveness. Fringe adherents will then be readily identified as such. For today, however, the mainstream has not sufficiently emerged. But it will by its truth content.
And by communication among individual readers, between organizations and across nations. Error of interpretation has to be minimized.
If the cross-fertilization of ideas does not take place on international levels, parochial study groups could get it wrong. So much for the value of study groups or individuals to analyse in isolation.
Furthermore, the book is overlooked as a guide to revelatory and evolutionary progress. It provides insight on dissemination of truth, understanding of human nature, particularly in matters of religion, and a focus to correct us as we promulgate error and half truth.
If we consider that we have an identity crisis now, wait until we enter the unknown land of deregulation. The status of today, for good or bad, becomes irretrievable.
Irrespectively, we will have solved nothing:
- There will never be sufficient funds to develop essential programs.
- We still won’t know what to do with a revelation.
- Organizational structures will complicate and dominate.
- Media, political, religious, educational, and big business influences have yet to be exerted.
There is however, a oneness of identity we find at conferences. In this regard the triennial is the most influential. They prove that, with all our differing ideologies, only the Brotherhood of Man elevates us into context.
As we leave the safe landscape of communication with each other, and enter the clamouring mindscape of an impersonal and electronic future, we’d better be sure of our understanding of that book.
Many will be the distractions to deflect our attention (by some — intentionally) from our task. Teachings will get distorted for wider appeal. Even now, new readers are subjected to claims they wrongly assume originate in, or are sanctioned by, The URANTIA Book.
We are well advised to study, to share insights and experiences, to present clearly and factually to others.
The world wants spiritual nourishment and has not the requisite powers of discrimination.
The prosperity of our planet is not in numbers, but in the quality and value of our labours for truth.
¶ So They Say
Current Affairs Bulletin
In some quarters the very idea of government and opposition, as expressly established by party alignments under a Westminster system of parliament, are seen to detract from the possibility of a mature, co-operative society sensibly arriving at consensual decisions and adopting policies without undue conflict.
BBC Wildlife Magazine
The keynote address made by HRH The Prince of Wales to the World Commission on Environment and Development is one of the clearest summaries of world problems, and refers to the quiet revolution in human philosophy, politics, and economics that the world needs if, in the next century there is going to be a world worth living in.
Third World Bulletin
Most governments are building up their arsenals in the belief that they are buying greater security. But for developing countries, for example, India, they must face the choice of spending $13,500 to create one job in the arms industry compared to $90 in road construction or $80 in agriculture.
Professor Sabry, University of California, Berkeley
From a development and physiological point of view, unless we pay attention to the nutrition, the health, and the education of girls, we are not likely to have women who are able to deliver a healthy child.
Food deprivation is a very naked, very obvious and overt form of child abuse.
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 The Editor
¶ Conference In France
Martin Mcburney, Melbourne
The third international encounter in France for URANTIA Book readers was held from 1st to 8th August. Previous encounters were in 1986 and 1989, with one or two Australians at each. More than 50 people from Europe and North America, and this lone Australian, met at Haguenau in the Alsace region of eastern France. I was delighted to meet again with 10 friends from our conference at Robertson (Australia) in 1988.
For me the encounter was an experience rather than an event. The week had those special qualities that we have experienced at conferences in Australia. It also had special qualities arising from the French influence, the C.E.R.D.H. organizers, and the facilitating interpreters.
There was plenty of free time around the meals, and in the evenings. There was a day excursion to Strasbourg. Each day there was a morning and afternoon study group, for two hours each. Eight subjects were planned initially, each reflecting the encounter theme of “to have — to be to do”. Before each study group we booked our preferred choice. The first eight persons comprised the study group for that subject at that session. Subjects with few bookings required us to choose another. The same subjects were offered again at each session, with deletions and additions during the week. Each of these sessions was a discussion group, with no pre-prepared materials and with only the occasional direct reading from The URANTIA Book.
The encounter was bi-lingual — everything was interpreted in both French and English. This had the interesting effect of slowing down all discussions and announcements, and many conversations. The C.E.R.D.H. organizers are considering the possibility of other encounters in French only.
A wonderful encounter — my best wishes to the old and new friends from Haguenau.
¶ On Channelling
Willi Summers, Perth
I feel compelled to comment on your article under the heading “Editor’s Notebook”. It doesn’t take much to work out that this is mainly aimed at the people in Sedona. In defence, I must say that it is a pity you didn’t do more homework before printing this article as you have made a big error with your statements: “To over-rule the book would claim to have access to a higher authority” and “which group then, is laying claim to be the deliverer of
the sixth epochal revelation? Already so soon! the Fifth supposedly obsolete!”
I hope you will correct these statements in the next issue of Six-O-Six, as no-one has made these claims; they are your own words. The URANTIA Book is most definitely not being “over-ruled” and far from “obsolete”. Some of the people in Sedona have been teachers of the Fifth Epochal Revelation for well over 20 years, long before you ever discovered the book yourself, I would think, and they are still leading many truth seekers to this wonderful book. No-one is calling the recently received transmissions the “sixth epochal revelation”. It is the Continuing Fifth Epochal Revelation.
I know that you cannot accept at this stage what is coming through now and that is your prerogative since we have all been given God’s wonderful gift of free will. I believe it took many members of the original Forum several years to accept the Papers which now make up The URANTIA Book. It took Dr. Sadler himself many years before he believed any of it. But one can never discredit anything before investigating and reading the contents of these transmissions. It is like saying The URANTIA Book is a load of rubbish before you have ever opened the cover. The same goes for the Bible or any other religious book. Just one page or even a whole Paper out of The URANTIA Book would not make a lot of sense without the rest of the contents. The same goes for the transmissions coming through now.
I also don’t believe that when the papers of The URANTIA Book were given that the celestials said, “Well, that’s it, citizens of Urantia; this is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and there is nothing else for you to learn.” We are eternal students! We have been told that The URANTIA Book is only one tenth of The Fifth Epochal Revelation. I’m certain that if we had been given the complete revelation, it would have been too mind boggling and we would have ended up with a severe case of spiritual indigestion. So, maybe they are giving it to us a little at a time. Surely our celestial friends know when we are ready for the next instalment. So let’s not be too judgmental and definitely not twist any facts.
[Your premise about the Sedona was incorrect. Reference was made to the broader interest in channelling. Ed.]
¶ Ignore The Channellers?
Allan Lane, Perth
I draw the readership’s attention to the “Editor’s Notebook” in July/August 1992’s issue of Six-O-Six. I have not the slightest doubt that the editor, in writing this article, was wholly motivated by sincere concern for humanity’s spiritual welfare. However, after reading my complaint, please read or re-read the article to perhaps corroborate my disapproval of its flavour.
Exceptional tolerance of others, even “those who are dabbling in the activity of channelling” should be a hallmark of truly serious students of The URANTIA Book.
Some more quotes from the article: “a sane and sensible readership, who have staunchly chosen to ignore such bewildered souls.” “Don’t even consider this phenomenon. Just ignore it and read the book.”
A major problem arises here from these exhortations to ignore “channelled” communications. For example, imagine that you are a young adult in 1933, searching for answers, trying to understand reality. There will be numerous sources of claimed communications from higher authorities to choose from, including the Bible, but not The URANTIA Book.
Suppose you befriended a Bible-believer who encouraged you to join his or her organization and you accepted their advice to ignore other sources claiming to be communications from higher authorities. You grow towards middle age by 1956 , and it is not unreasonable to expect you to be vocal against the “satanic” Urantia papers, recently published and available to an unsuspecting public.
Exceptional tolerance of others, even “those who are dabbling in the activity of channelling” should be a hallmark of truly serious students of The URANTIA Book.
The point I am trying to make here is that one day, post 1935 , if not already, higher authorities may communicate a small amount of excellent information or advice for public consumption via someone contemporary. “Believers” of The URANTIA Book acknowledge that such a precedent has been set in the receipt of The Urantia papers. That the vast bulk of “channelled” information that many of us have read smacks blatantly of the outworkings of the mind of the “channeller” does not mean that genuine and helpful further advice from higher authorities will not be communicated soon, or sometime in the next million years. By the way, information from purely human sources is often very helpful and uplifting, and it would not worry me if the human author was deceived into believing he or she was not the author — discrimination is the important requisite.
To quote from your article again: “Think carefully and independently.” Excellent advice, but I feel it does not fit comfortably into this article which exhorts us to ignore ideas just because they have been “channelled”. The exposure of one’s mind to a great variety of ideas and viewpoints is surely an aid to careful and independent thought. “Dare to depend solely on Jesus’ teachings, as spelt out in great detail in The URANTIA Book.” There are Bible and Koran believers who say very similar things, elevating their texts to unchallengeable divine status. It saddens me to find this happening with The URANTIA Book.
For the record, I have not found any other information and advice that remotely approaches the honesty and splendour of The URANTIA Book so far. Also, I have been moved more to laughter than inspiration by the “channelled” communications which I have read emanating from the URANTIA movement and elsewhere over the years.
An editor of the Six-O-Six has considerable influence, and rightly so, over the ideas presented to its readership by publishing articles within its aims and guidelines. I have therefore no problems with not allowing the publication of “channelled” communications in Six-O-Six. I do, however, have grave misgivings with editorial guidance firmly advising its readership not to read certain material.
[After reading your complaint, I did re-read the editorial. The challenge was to quote the book not the editor.
My exhortation was to urge URANTIA Book readers to seriously question their current responses to the practice. Ed.]
¶ News Around The World
¶ Foundation’s Australian Office
Since URANTIA Foundation’s Australian office has been up and running, the Foundation has attended the Australian Book Fair, listed The URANTIA Book in Australian and New Zealand “Books in Print”, and is continuing to work closely with bookshops so that they may know where to order the book. It has been reported that the response from bookshops has been encouraging. Several months ago only a few specialized bookshops carried The URANTIA Book, now many more, like Angus and Robertson, are stocking it and placing orders for their customers. People should now be able to purchase or order The URANTIA Book in a more timely fashion from their local bookshop.
¶ Price Of The Urantia Book
The price of The URANTIA Book ($US34) has not increased since 1979. Given the size, quality, and content of the book, it is underpriced, and this is substantial by the traditional methods of pricing in the book industry.
Effective January 1, 1993, The Urantia Foundation trustees intend to increase the price more in line with industry standards.
It is further noted that the Foundation’s Discretionary Discount Program to individuals will be discontinued from October 1, 1992, except in cases where people do not have access to a bookstore.
¶ Lawsuit Information
In July of this year, a review and update of the US lawsuit was distributed to readers worldwide.
It runs to twelve pages and supports the endeavour to place the Urantia papers into public domain.
Kristen Maaherra is quoted: “Until every single person on the planet has had an opportunity to accept or reject the URANTIA Papers, our work…is not yet done.”
¶ Inquiry On Australian Copyright Act
Emerging electronic technology has altered the nature of the publishing industry. At present, publishers are precluded from retaining copyright of published material should it be re-used by computer data base or photocopier. The publishers own the copyright for publication and presentation but journalists have copyright for all other purposes which may include use of material by media monitoring services or storage on electronic data banks. Publishers feel they are restricted from providing better access to information or fully utilizing technology. Special rights will be retained for journalist authors whose work is published in book form.
¶ Articles
¶ Environmentalism
William Wentworth, Towamba, New South Wales
The absence of religious belief among so many of today’s youth has all sorts of results. One of them seems to be the adoption of Environmentalism as a philosophy of life.
It is beginning to look as if Environmentalism will be playing an important part in the philosophy of the twenty-first century, and from some points of view, this is not such a bad thing. It makes sense, after all, to pay attention to the state of our surroundings. Our physical and mental health, our appreciation of beauty, our work and recreational activities, and our material standard of living generally, are dependent on those surroundings.
There are some traps however.
¶ Character Ennoblement
Ann Bendall, Nambour, Queensland
By the time that Urantia is settled in light and life “language is so improved as to be symbolic of concepts as well as to be expressive of ideas” (UB 55:5.6).
In respect of today’s civilization, we are told that “there is a great need for further linguistic development to facilitate the expression of evolving thought” (UB 81:6.16).
The revelators explained the great difficulty they had in compiling the Urantia papers due to the paucity of our language, and consequently I forgive them for utilizing language that embraced concepts as well as being expressive of ideas. They would have had an impossible job had they not. And so I read the beautiful blue book, am struck with awe at its wisdom; my mind pulsates with the truth of it all, but when I sit down and ask myself what exactly they said, I have not a clue.
I reach for the dictionary, dissecting every word in a sentence and then try to piece it back together, but it results in something less than the revelators’ concept. It is as if each pearl of wisdom is beyond my grasp. I recognize this, and it is so darned frustrating.
“Religion is man’s supreme experience in the mortal nature, but finite language makes it forever impossible for theology ever adequately to depict real religious experience.” (UB 196:3.28)
¶ The Forum
¶ The Message is Spreading
Ken Glasziou, Maleny, Queensland
A recently published book entitled “Jesus, A New Vision” by Marcus J. Borg (Harper Collins) may be an indication that the message of The URANTIA Book is having a considerable direct or indirect influence in academic circles. It may also portend that great things are about to happen in the Christian churches.
Borg is a professor of religious studies at Oregon State University and the author of several academic studies relating to Jesus. This book is written for a wider readership and has some quite startling revelations. In it Borg announces that the risen Christ who came to die for the sins of the world was an invention of the early church and was never preached by Jesus himself. He calls this the popular image of Jesus, as still preached in the mainstream churches, and states that it is seriously misleading.
That this image is inaccurate, Borg says, is a bedrock conclusion arrived at by mainstream New Testament scholarship that commenced as far back as the seventeenth century, accelerating in the nineteenth and twentieth. “Mainstream biblical scholarship,” he states, “is the approach to Scripture taught in the seminaries of the mainstream churches. It is the product of using an historical method on the books of the New Testament, treating them as human documents rather than as divine documents guaranteed to be infallible by God.”
¶ The Book Study & Discussion
¶ The Adventures Of Jesus Of Nazareth
[In the previous issue of Six-O-Six, it was announced that our editorial panel is attempting to put together a work having the aim of bringing the teachings of Jesus, as revealed in The URANTIA Book, to non-readers. Contributions were solicited, perhaps a chapter, but even a plot to go along with your favorite teaching could be a help. The story should be “fictional” but the teachings are expected to have a firm foundation in the book itself.
In the review of Borg’s book, “Jesus: A New Vision” in the previous article, you will appreciate that the Christian laity is in desperate need of the true teachings of Jesus. Although Borg has done a marvelous job in presenting the human Jesus in a persuasive but non-confrontational manner, his book is unlikely to reach many of the laity. The purpose of our “Adventures” is gap-filling — to bring The URANTIA Book teachings of and about Jesus to the Christian laity now.
The story that follows is part of a potential chapter of our “Adventures” and is presented to act as a guide to what we hope to accomplish. Jesus is accompanying Jayant, a merchant, on a journey in the Mediterranean area, acting as an interpreter for Jayant and also a tutor to his son, Sardri. The departure of their boat to Alexandria has been delayed.]
¶ Divine Antidotes
Do you realize how many economic advisers the President has? Talk about excess prophets.
First reader: If you’re a soldier of the circles, why do you rarely attend Study groups?
Second reader: I’m in the Secret Service.
Our legal deadlock is like a bagel. The longer it lasts, the harder it is to break!
Intuition is a matter of mind over data.
Racial prejudice is a pigment of the imagination.
Teacher: Johnnie, I want you to spell “Seconaphim”. Johnnie (stalling): Is that for the Primary or Secondary Seconaphim?
The art of government is not letting men grow old in their jobs. Napoleon, 1810
Happiness is biodegradable. Spiritual joy is indestructible
When men cease to believe in God the problem is not that they will believe in nothing, but rather they will believe in anything. G.K. Chesterton
Dalagastia: Boss, we could cripple Christianity if we got rid of all the priests.
Caligastia: No!
¶ Crosswords
by Audrey Morris, Tewantin, Queensland
Across
3. Sister of Jesus 6. Control Self 8. Diligence 9. Mighty tree of old 11. Spirit 14. Lofty poem 15. Soon 16. Brilliant candidates 19. Arise 21. Part of his gown 23. Was a depression 24. River 25. Yield
Down
1. Netherlands of Heaven 2. Arrest 3. Frantic 4. Elevate 5. Roman Chief 7. Reaps 10. Atmosphere 12. Necessary for life 13. Heavenly bliss 15 . Prophet of Ur 17 . Slain by son of Eve 18. Spiritual longing 20. The Eternal 21. Our Lord 22. Self
Solution To Previous Crossword
Across: 9. Christian 10. Urantia 12. UNCF 13. Relate 14. Intense 15. Inflame 17. Trail 18. Dexters 19. Adapts 20. Scot 23. Sport 25. Heartless 26. Cusp 27. Wisdom 29. Tenet 32. Nathaniel 34. Games 34A. RET 35. Palonia 36. Andrew 37. Asia 38. Israelite 39. Ant 40. Dance
Down: 1. Occupied 2. Crucifixion 3. Likeness 4. Onward 5. Lutentia 6. Caligastia 7. Stately 8. Satellites 11. Annas 16. Alert 19. All 21. Creature Sons 22. Atones 23. Seconaphim 24. Univitatia 25. HIM 28. Delta 29. Tempests 30. Betrayer 31. Painter 33. Talar 34. Gadiah 38A. EN
¶ On Reflection
¶ Love
Oswald Astor
_To be loved for the truth of me, _
Ah, that is true love.
To be loved in my poverty
Is to be rich beyond reckoning.
To be loved in my anger
Is acceptance unbounded.
To be loved in my fear,
Ah, that arms my authority.
_To be loved in my defences _
Is the key to liberty.
To be loved in my caution
Spurs me to dare.
To be loved in my stinginess
Opens me to share.
To be loved in my brokenness
Is the touch that heals.
To be loved in my sadness
Ah, gladdens my heart.
To be loved in my dying
Ah, frees me to live.
¶ Reflecting On Evangelizing
As a young man, Vincent J. Donovan burned with a desire to spread the gospel of Jesus. He was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church and sent to the Masai people of Tanzania as a missionary. The one hundred year old mission station consisted of a church, a school, and a hospital. It did a fine job in bringing education and medicine to those who attended. Some even went to church services. But it made no progress in evangelizing the nomadic herdsman of the Masai tribe.
Fr. Donovan was an unusual priest. He was a great admirer of St. Paul’s missionary endeavors. The Masai people live in small tightly-structured communities with their cattle. They build a kraal , a circular village of mud huts, then burn everything and move on when the pastures run out. Fr. Donovan soon realized that to convert an individual to Christianity would make him an outcast from his community. But Fr. Donovan found that the people were willing to listen to him as a community.
Though they were illiterate pagans, these people had a well-developed culture that was highly adapted to their way of life. They even believed in a far away God. Fr. Donovan realized that the doctrines and dogma of westernized Christianity would make no sense to the Masai. So he taught them what Jesus had taught his disciples about God. He taught them about the nature of God, using parables like the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son, the good Samaritan, and quotations from the Sermon on the Mount. That was all he taught them. Like Paul, he left it to them to formulate their own prayers, their own ways of worship, their own liturgies. With no ordained priests!
Fr. Donovan was remarkably successful. He tells his story in a book entitled “Christianity Re-discovered. An Epistle from the Masai.” (SCM Press, London). It is a text book of common sense in the art of evangelizing.
How do we spread the message of The URANTIA Book? Jesus did not tell us to give people the book. What he said was:
“Go, then, into all the world proclaiming the gospel of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men to all nations and races and ever be wise in your choice of methods for presenting the good news to the different races and tribes of mankind.” (UB 191:4.4)
Perhaps Fr. Donovan’s book might inspire some of us to figure out ways of taking the simple gospel of Jesus, as it is presented in The URANTIA Book, to the non-Christian countries of the world. Most of these peoples could not read The URANTIA Book anyway. And also to the many semi-pagan sub-cultures that have sprung up in the Western world. Most of these people could read the book, but would not, even if it was given to them. Neither would the Masai. But something worked for them.
¶ I Hear It Was Charged Against Me
Walt Whitman, 1860
I hear it was charged against me
that I want to destroy institutions,
But really I am neither for nor against institutions.
What indeed have I in common with them?
or what with the destruction of them?
Only I will establish in the Mannahatta
and in every city of these States
inland and seaboard
And in the fields and woods,
and above every keel little or large
that dents the water,
Without edifices or rules or trustees
or any argument,
The institution of the dear love of comrades.
¶ When all is said and done
“The greatest affliction of the cosmos is never to have been afflicted. Mortals only learn wisdom by experiencing tribulation.” (UB 48:7.14)