© 2019 Claire Mylanus
© 2019 French-speaking Association of Readers of the Urantia Book
The World Cultural Symposium was held at Urantia Foundation in Chicago from April 11 to April 15, 2019.
This project began three years ago and our committee formed by Marilynn Kulieke, Marta Elders and myself began to think about ways to bring the Revelation to other cultures and civilizations, taking into account their cultural heritage.
The purpose of this unique Symposium was to better understand the opportunities and challenges inherent in different continents in order to assist Urantia Foundation in introducing and distributing The Urantia Book in these remote parts of the world, often unknown to the Western world.
The Urantia Book is making its way and slowly spreading to other corners of the world because of the increasing number of translations. This is why we need to have a global vision of the current world and its evolutionary context, which is decisive for the dissemination of The Urantia Book.
In order to create a document reflecting the approach of previous revelations about our planet, we drew inspiration from quotes relevant to cultures and civilization.
Here are two quotes that guided us in our work:
“But it is only foolish to attempt the too sudden acceleration of religious growth. A race or nation can only assimilate from any advanced religion that which is reasonably consistent and compatible with its current evolutionary status, plus its genius for adaptation. Social, climatic, political, and economic conditions are all influential in determining the course and progress of religious evolution. Social morality is not determined by religion, that is, by evolutionary religion; rather are the forms of religion dictated by the racial morality.” (UB 92:2.4)
And the second:
“2. Intellectual cross-fertilization. Brotherhood is impossible on a world whose inhabitants are so primitive that they fail to recognize the folly of unmitigated selfishness. There must occur an exchange of national and racial literature. Each race must become familiar with the thought of all races; each nation must know the feelings of all nations. Ignorance breeds suspicion, and suspicion is incompatible with the essential attitude of sympathy and love.” (UB 52:6.4)
To create our document, we gathered quotes on:
Religious development
- Modern religion
- Prevailing religious system
- Attitude towards religion and spirituality
- Personal religion
Current, past and future culture
- Evolution of culture
- Importance of family
- Value of women
- Status of Education (science, philosophy and religion)
- Importance of philosophy
- Hobbies
- Value of the arts
- Political system of the country
- Languages spoken
And finally, Dissemination and possible advancement of The Urantia Book
- Possibilities of making the book available and accepted
- Help and service from the Foundation
- In-country study group options
This document was sent to participants to help them prepare their presentation.
We chose to invite, in general, 2 participants per continent.
- 2 for Africa (Nigeria, Ade Awoyinka and Uganda, Bernard Khatukhira)
- 2 for South America (Peru, Sandra Burga-Ciceros and Brazil, Enrique Traver)
- 2 for Asia (Indonesia, Widi Nugroho and the Philippines, Eugène and Belen Asidao)
- 2 for the Middle East (Israel, Gabriel Rymberg and Lebanon, Mark Khoury)
- Iran (Mahtab Tehrani)
- North America (Canada, Line St Pierre)
- 2 for Europe (Ukraine, Anton Miroshnichenko and Europe, Claire Mylanus)
They represented 4 continents!
¶ The symposium
The Symposium began on the evening of Thursday, April 11, with a dinner at the Urantia Foundation, in the Forum room. This dinner brought together the organizers and all the participants, many of whom were coming for the first time to the Foundation, the historical cradle of the Revelation.
They were all very touched and very impatient to share with us their long months of work, preparation and research, on the culture of their country.
The Symposium was filmed starting on Friday morning the 12th, when presentations began by country. The order of presentations was announced in the Foundation’s Online News in April. The Symposium began with Africa and ended with Europe.
All participants had made a PowerPoint which was projected on screen during their presentations. (Watch on the Urantia Foundation YouTube channel) at link
During the Symposium, we realized how wide the gap was between civilizations on our planet. Some cultures were at the stage of the Third Revelation and others had yet to make the connection between evolutionary religion and the Fifth Revelation. And that connection was the religion of Jesus.
Africa: We learned that in Africa the religion of fear and ghosts is still prevalent. That oral culture is predominant and that teachings could be passed on through educators on the ground and through the creation of study groups.
In Nigeria, the internet connection is very bad. On the other hand, in Uganda, it exists, but people read little. The book could be placed in libraries and universities.
In Asia, as in Indonesia, the religious culture has many influences (Chinese, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian) and 85% Muslim. Widi’s advice was to show the “human Jesus”. The Christian religion being considered a Western religion. The main readers at the moment are Christians. Even if the English language is mandatory, we are eagerly awaiting the Indonesian translation, printed or online. Widi is the translator of the Urantia Book into Indonesian.
In the Philippines, 85% of people are Christian and very religious. The faith is a mix of Spanish Catholicism and American and Asian values. The Asidao are doing a great job of disseminating the live and want to train more students of the book to become study group educators. They have their own method, to be discovered in their presentation.
Iran was a discovery, this country had remained aside until now. However, the population is very educated (men and women), with a high level of education, almost 83%.
They are also learning English. The origin of their religion is Zoroastrianism, but religion is rather personal among the younger generation. The ground is fertile for the teachings of the book, says Mahtab. But the book can only be distributed through the internet.
Lebanon, is a fusion point of cultures. The languages taught are English, French and Arabic. This country has the highest education system in the Middle East.
Philosophy is mandatory. 97% of people believe in God. 50% are Christians and 45% Muslims. Lebanon could be the gateway to the Middle East. Mark suggests starting with the Fourth Revelation to reach people. We could distribute the book in French and English to start.
Israel: Gabriel taught us that being Jewish is not a religion but a tradition. In Israel, we should start with the religion of Jesus and his teachings, because the Jewish people have a lot of difficulty with Jesus and the Cross.
People speak and read in English, Hebrew and Russian. The Hebrew translation is underway and eagerly awaited. Gabriel is the translator of the Urantia Book into Hebrew.
In Canada, people are very religious, 65% say they have a religion. There is currently a quest for harmony, balance and a search for the purpose of existence. And also a growing interest in philosophy. The book is available. But there seems to be a lack of quality leaders and study groups.
In Brazil, the beliefs are spiritualism, reincarnation, superstition and celestial beings. But people, in general, do not read much, they watch television. 65% are Christians, they belong to religious groups. They are difficult says Enrique. The approach would be to train educators, and also to use visual means because the majority of the population does not read.
In Peru, 76% are Catholic. The faith is a mixture of the Inca religion and the Catholic faith. The Catholic Church is subsidized by the government. 72 languages or dialects are spoken in Peru, but Spanish is the official language. Dissemination will have to be done by word of mouth in the provinces. There is a lack of commitment, in general, to the book. Peru has little financial means, but there are study groups.
In Ukraine, the religion is Catholic Orthodox or Russian Orthodox. 72% of people say they are religious. 97% are Christian. Philosophy is not taught. There is a certain audience looking for meanings. The book is available in esoteric bookstores and on the internet in Russian. There is a lack of leadership for readers.
Europe has Christian roots and a rich religious past with more than 100,000 religious buildings in France. People are still attached to this religious heritage, believers or not.
Europe, through the Greeks, brought democracy, philosophy, the arts etc. then human rights and other major advances in civilization to the entire world.
In the South, as in Spain and Portugal, people say they are religious, more than 80% in Poland.
In the Nordic countries, some countries are up to 70% atheist.
France is in the middle.
Traditional religion is no longer appreciated but personal research is developing. Many people read books of all kinds on personal development.
In Europe, philosophy is still taught in certain countries, in college, then in university.
And people still read a lot and appreciate beautiful books. The approach will be based more on individual contact and the emphasis on personal religion. The book is available on the internet and in bookstores.
¶ Conclusion
All this is just a tiny summary to give an overview and the desire to go and see the presentations on the Net.
All these cultural differences are important because they will allow the Foundation to help and support these pioneering book readers in their country.
They told us that the Revelation had already performed a miracle, that of bringing together at the same table and in the same room, a person from Lebanon and another from Israel, unthinkable in their own country!
These dedicated readers and initiators in their country left full of projects and enthusiasm to do their work of propagating the Urantia Book.
They now know that they can count on their large Urantian family and on the support of the Foundation in their program of sowing the teachings of The Urantia Book!
Claire Mylanus, (France)
President of the World Cultural Symposium
