© 1991 June Wilson
© 1991 ANZURA, Australia & New Zealand Urantia Association
| What Does The Urantia Book Say About Communication With The Spirit World? | Vol 12 No 5 Sept 1991 — Index | When A Problem Gets Us Down, If Only... |
By June Wilson, Brisbane
Only twelve months ago, in its cover story, the Uniting Church magazine, ‘Journey’ asked why so few read the Bible anymore. It stated that most people are moving to easily digestible forms of information like TV and video. When they do turn to the printed word, they want it short, sharp, pictorial and easy to absorb.
Familiarity too, is an obstacle. Those who know the stories all too well, long for something new and invigorating. Modern society has conditioned us all for change.
The publication challenges its readers: How can we possibly be satisfied with something so unashamedly static as the Bible? Where are the latest additions? Hasn’t God said anything new for 2000 years?
Another reason for the change in reading patterns is that we are all so busy with modern living. We have to develop practical techniques to integrate religious study into our daily routine. How much time is spent in family meetings and discussions? From what printed word do we derive our news and concepts of living? The priorities seem still to be for survival (often financial) rather than the exploration of faith.
Another difficulty for religious books is that they belong to the culture of another time. This is compounded by the lifestyle of youth crossing national boundaries. How can one generation communicate to the next when their thinking becomes ‘foreign’?
With so many authorities on salvation, self-esteem, self-realisation, discovering one’s inner potential, who needs a Bible or religious teacher? It is interesting to note that ‘Journey’, the publication previously mentioned, now only exists as a free monthly newsletter which they hope will be more relevant to readers.
Another example of changing times can be found in Melbourne. ‘The Advocate’, the newspaper of the Catholic archdiocese, has closed after 122 years.
So whether it’s the Bible, the Koran or The URANTIA Book, there are important social implications relating to religious teachings in book form. We need to take them into account when looking at ways of disseminating teachings.
| What Does The Urantia Book Say About Communication With The Spirit World? | Vol 12 No 5 Sept 1991 — Index | When A Problem Gets Us Down, If Only... |