© 1997 Jean Barr
© 1997 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
I was raised in the Church of Christ, my father was a minister, and until I was in my forties, I did not realize how many fears organized religion contributes to the lives of its adherents. I had all of those associated with orthodox theology, plus some that most certainly came from my environment and experience. Fortunately, I had long before decided that I could talk to God just as well as the preacher could, and I discussed these fears with Him on a regular basis. I felt that He heard me most of the time and I did feel that I had answers at times.
The first 44 years of my life were lived in the shadow of the Bible and its teachings. I was extremely well versed in its contents, as I was my father’s assistant in the early years of my life, translating from the original text and finding strange discrepancies that did not make sense. For instance, the word “messiah” really means “perfected or enlightened or the ideal form of humanity,” yet it was translated as “anointed.”
The word “repent” (metanoia) has also been mistranslated and misunderstood causing a distortion of Jesus’ teachings, suggesting simply feeling sorry for our sins, whereas it really means “to go beyond or to go higher than.” I began to realize that we could achieve high spiritual goals in our lives here but I could not find any clear steps, nor could I find anyone who could help me to do this. And so I discovered that the Bible, in essence, presents the story of Jesus’ enlightenment, but it has been largely ignored for nearly 2000 years in favor of control and various attenuated, misdirected objectives.
I began to realize that we could achieve high spiritual goals in our lives here but I could not find any clear steps, nor could I find anyone who could help me to do this. And so I discovered that the Bible, in essence, presents the story of Jesus’ enlightenment, but it has been largely ignored for nearly 2000 years in favor of control and various attenuated, misdirected objectives.
In the back of my mind, I held to the hope that someday I would find a clear, defined way to achieve the “transcendence of self” that I knew existed, but I lost sight of this goal during the child-raising years. Over time my children married, and since I had divorced, I found myself painfully alone for the first time in my life. I began to search the churches of Dallas for something more than I had been exposed to and found that everyone was searching for something. However, they either were not finding it, or were finding a comfort zone and, whatever the zone was, not moving one way or another regardless of the things occurring around them.
I could not stay in the “comfort zone” that others had made for themselves; I had to know more and find ways to experience God. I made an irrevocable commitment to my Heavenly Father in 1973, and thus began the journey that led me to_The Urantia Book_. During the next four years, I began to experience things that I still cannot explain. But I knew that I was headed in the right direction because each turn in the path was followed by confirmation in some manner that “this was the way.” Even so, it was very difficult for me to be open to anything other than organized religion.
Frustrated, I prayed and pleaded with God to teach me more and show me how to be closer to Him. When all seemed closed, one Sunday afternoon, feeling adrift, I experienced what I now know to be illumination. That event forever changed my life. And from that time forward, with the help of a teacher who also came into my life that same day, I found the truth revealed in The Urantia Book.
…I prayed and pleaded with God to teach me more and show me how to be closer to Him. When all seemed closed, one Sunday afternoon, feeling adrift, I experienced what I now know to be illumination.
At first I was very skeptical, but the truth literally resounded within me and I felt an excitation — I knew that even if I could not understand all of it initially that I would persevere until I reached for every drop of truth available.
I am now an ordained minister and teacher. The story of all of my journey is too long to tell, but each step was “presented” to me, not forced by me. Day by day I experienced validation of this enlarged truth, and I knew I was headed in the right direction. Miracles of life, changes that seemed to me impossible, happenings that could not happen, all began like a march to a goal.
I had found the way to achieve “Self Transcendence” or “Cosmic Consciousness.” And I did achieve it! Every step of the way I had help, and I worked diligently to learn the things necessary to accomplish this as fast as I could. Then, five years later, I was asked to teach this wonderful book by my first student and I began to teach.
I was determined to find ways to make it easier for others to understand this method of growth and, with guidance, now have a system that works. I have thirty students that are working to become teachers, and three of these have achieved Self Transcendence or Cosmic Consciousness. The majority of the rest are very close. These three now have their own students and we are moving forward.
Let me give you an example one of the many occurrences that announces to us that this enlarged vision of spiritual reality is true. Some four or five years ago, one of my business associates died of a heart attack at the young age of 45 . I met his family at the funeral; and his wife, two daughters, and a son later became my students. I was not able to go to their home in St. Louis often, but when I did the young son (around 14) would lie on the floor and listen. He grew up and went off to college, and a couple of weeks ago, while still in college, he and his girl friend began a discussion on religion.
He tried to explain his beliefs and she backed off, being thoroughly grounded in the Baptist faith, and yet as the discussion continued she began to see that there was no real conflict-just an enlargement and correction of concepts she knew and accepted. From past experience she knew him to be a young man of integrity and strength, and as they talked he showed her materials that I had provided. Finally, when she appeared to be open-minded, he showed her The Urantia Book.
She got up and started to go down the hall for a minute, and turning said, “I am so confused, but I can see that there is not much difference in our concepts, I just wish I knew what to believe!”
At that moment, she said with alarm, “You’re fuzzy-I cannot see you clearly, now you are full of brilliant lightwhat is happening?” He was also experiencing the identical experience while looking at her! They were both radiating brilliant light and with tears streaming down both faces, they experienced identical feelings of being permeated by incredible love!
I have no explanation for this, other than that the Spirit of Truth literally manifested itself to them in this manner, but they both felt that it was confirmation of the truth of the Revelation. These happenings are occurring all over the world as sincere individuals look for greater truth and ways to find happiness and peace. Many of my students experience things similar to this.
Most people have no idea how many fears they have and how much the fear influences their health, family, work, and all relationships-in other words, their life!
Most people have no idea how many fears they have and how much the fear influences their health, family, work, and all relationships — in other words, their life! If humanity understood that ego is the outward manifestation of fear and insecurity and creates the majority of the problems of today either directly or indirectly, then we would see vast improvement in all relationships and the world in general. As yet this has not happened, and if we are to succeed in eliminating drugs, violence and associated vices, then we must face up to this and modify our fears into positives which will result in stable, consistent, balanced individuals who can and will change the world!
These changes can only be implemented by the individual, not the church, not government, not organizations, but each individual becoming aware of the incredible goals available that can be achieved now, not just in the hereafter! Humanity as a whole has no spiritual goals for today — and really not for the future. Puerile visions of flying on a cloud with a harp, or equally unrealistic views of the spiritual cosmos, do not appeal to the intelligent person. Searching people throughout the world are hungering for the inspiring vision of infinite reality found in The Urantia Book.
_Humanity as a whole has no spiritual goals for today-and really not for the future. Puerile visions offlying on a cloud with a harp, or equally unrealistic views of the spiritual cosmos, do not appeal to the intelligent person. Searching people throughout the world are hungering for the inspiring vision of infinite reality found in The Urantia Book.
The Urantia Book says that “Goals rather than creeds should unify religionists” (UB 99:5.7) and that is what I and my students teach — the goal of Cosmic Consciousness or SelfTranscendence. It transcends all religious doctrines and dogmas. Any religion that is based on a belief in God must agree that we are supposed to make this a better world, and unless the individual changes dramatically, the world will not change for the better.
“Nineteen hundred years ago, unlearned Galileans surveyed Jesus giving his life as a spiritual contribution to man’s inner experience and then went out and turned the whole Roman Empire upside down.” (UB 195:6.9) We are not “unlearned Galileans;” therefore we must teach the world the goals that are attainable here — in this lifetime — not just a vague “hope of heaven.” We must inspire humankind with: (1) the reality of Self Transcendence or Cosmic Consciousness, (2) the reality of life without fear and a closer relationship with God, and (3) the actuality of the modification of any person who is willing to change their habit patterns and transform their fears into the positive reactions of living faith. And this discipline alone, inspired by the indwelling Spirit of God, will produce the happiness engendered by the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God on this planet!
Jean Barr, in addition to having a successful business career, is now a minister, lecturer, and teacher of Urantia Book concepts. She is founder and president of The Michaels Foundation, Inc.