© 2004 Chris Ragetly
© 2004 Association Francophone des Lecteurs du Livre d'Urantia
How many times have we heard this reflection: “I am very disappointed, I talk about the Urantia Book, about my spiritual experiences, I give away Urantia Books, and all this to no avail, all these people are simply not interested.” This is the complaint heard over and over again from new readers of The Urantia Book. Who among us has not experienced it? Who has not wanted to challenge the whole world?
It might be helpful for new readers to consider the following quote from the Book: “The man who knows God describes his spiritual experiences not to convince unbelievers, but to edify and mutually satisfy believers.” (UB 1:6.6)
Trying to know God the Father is a personal experience. As long as a person does not seek the Father of his own free will, he will not have the slightest curiosity about the spiritual experiences of other people, who have made the spiritual and intellectual effort to seek God. A person cannot be forced to know God. In favorable circumstances, which it is up to each of us to discern, we can try to whet a person’s spiritual appetite: “Stimulate the appetite of your associates for the truth. Do not give advice unless you are asked for it” (UB 48:7.16). A certain spiritual clairvoyance is required, but this is only perceptible to the soul: “…But the man with the material mind is naturally more accustomed to material manifestations of a physical nature than to the equally real and powerful operations of a spiritual nature, which the spiritual clairvoyance of the soul alone can discern…” (UB 12:8.4)
After the birth of the soul, which takes place in conjunction with the arrival of the Thought Adjuster and in cooperation with the material mind, the soul must grow or die. Soul growth is essential to spiritual insight. But for this to be manifested, man must have the opportunity to choose: “…it is now up to man himself to will or to inhibit the creation of that surviving and eternal self which he has the opportunity to choose. No other being, no force, no creator or agent in the vast universe of universes can interfere to any degree in the absolute sovereignty of human free will…_” (UB 5:6.8) And it is this supreme guarantee that when we address a person with spiritual clairvoyance, we are certain that it is by his personal free will that he has chosen to begin this eternal search for God the Father, no one has influenced him, not even the Father, because: “Having thus provided for the growth of the immortal soul and freed the inner self of man from the chains which made him absolutely dependent on previous causes, the Father stands aside…” (UB 5:6.8) This is a certainty that rests on solid foundations, and we can therefore speak with this person about our spiritual experiences to edify him and thus satisfy each other.
(The quotes from the Urantia Book are in italics, in bold, are the passages that I highlight)
Chris M. Ragetly