© 1999 Ken Glasziou
© 1999 The Brotherhood of Man Library
| Space and Time and Seven Dimensions | Volume 6 - No. 6 — Index | Continental Drift. The Gardner Critique Demolished |
Coming up to five decades ago, the Urantia Papers were published in book form. What do we have to show for it?
On the surface of things, not very much. But it may be that our progress is exactly in accord with the revelators’ expectations.
The Papers have not swept over the world nor reformed it. But that was never the revelators’ intention, as is now obvious. They took the appropriate steps to ensure that outcome.
One problem they had was the virtual certainty that many readers would accept and promote the book as an infallible replacement for an outdated bible.
To combat this they included statements such as, “But no revelation short of the attainment of the Universal Father can ever be complete. All other celestial ministrations are no more than partial, transient, and practically adapted to local conditions in time and space. While such admissions as this may possibly detract from the immediate force and authority of all revelations, the time has arrived on Urantia when it is advisable to make such frank statements, even at the risk of weakening the future influence and authority of this, the most recent of the revelations of truth to the mortal races of Urantia.” (UB 92:4.9)
The first real scholar to see the Urantia Papers noted the implication of this statement and discussed it in regard to errors in the book with Dr. Sadler—but without effect on early readers.
A further safeguard against the accreditation of infallibility to the Papers was the inclusion of:
Partial, incomplete, and evolving intellects would be helpless in the master universe, would be unable to form the first rational thought pattern, were it not for the innate ability of all mind, high or low, to form a universe frame in which to think. . . .And while such universe frames for creature thought are indispensable to rational intellectual operations, they are, without exception, erroneous to a greater or lesser degree. (UB 115:1.1)
Certain aspects of the “thinking frame” provided in the Papers are undoubtedly both revelatory and have an essential function. They supply the missing detailed knowledge of our “eternal destiny.” (UB 19:1.5) Almost all of this detail is lacking in previous revelation.
Other aspects of the “frame in which to think” were simply in line with human knowledge at the time the Papers were received. Much of the cosmology presented would soon be “outgrown.” (UB 101:4.10) However, although the included errors really have no deleterious effect upon the adequacy of the universe frame the Papers present, they certainly contribute to the revelators intentions of disallowing any lasting possibility of crediting the Papers with infallibility.
By this and other parallel means, the revelators ensured that a “divine truth” status for the Papers could not long persist. We must work for our personal salvation. And we must succeed through faith alone—an essential for any mortal being to have true “free will.”
So this is where nearly five decades later we have landed, a few thousand dedicated members of an unorganized, discordant and floundering group who are slowly and painfully being prepared for the tasks ahead. But what are these tasks? One appears to be of major importance—over the next millennium, to foster an institutionalized religion then to foster a replacement as each succeeding group inevitably stagnates.
The spring edition of the Spiritual Fellowship Journal has highlighted inclusions such as: “It is a fact that no religion has thus far succeeded in surviving without the aid of an institutionalized organization of some degree” (UB 98:6.1); “the Urantia movement at present is lacking a religious organization dedicated to the disseminating of the teachings of the Fifth Epochal revelation throughout the world;” and, “History demonstrates that only religious organizations, institutional religion, is effective in infusing spiritual teachings into civilzation and culture.”
In the first instance it may be counterproductive to commence this effort with an organization that utilizes the book itself in any authoritative manner. There is a paragraph on UB 2:7.10 starting, “The religious challenge of this age. . . ” which implies that getting the teachings across to the world at large is of more importance that fostering acceptance of the book itself.
It will not be easy to convince some readers of this truth. Rather than making the attempt, it may be better for “forward-looking men and women of spiritual insight” to get on with forming an organization using those teachings of the Papers that meld with advanced Christian thought, and thereby fill a gap that already exists waiting for a “religion of Jesus” that appeals.
The revelators have laid out for us some of their recommendations—and their warnings:
“It is the purpose of group religious activities to dramatize the loyalties of religion; to magnify the lures of truth, beauty, and goodness; to foster the attractions of supreme values; to enhance the service of unselfish fellowship; to glorify the potentials of family life; to promote religious education; to provide wise counsel and spiritual guidance; and to encourage group worship. And all live religions encourage human friendship, conserve morality, promote neighborhood welfare, and facilitate the spread of the essential gospel of their respective messages of eternal salvation.” (UB 99:6.2)
“Dangers of formalized religion are: fixation of beliefs and crystallization of sentiments; accumulation of vested interests with increase of secularization; tendency to standardize and fossilize truth; diversion of religion from the service of God to the service of the church; inclination of leaders to become administrators instead of ministers; tendency to form sects and competitive divisions; establishment of oppressive ecclesiastical authority; creation of the aristocratic “chosen-people” attitude; fostering of false and exaggerated ideas of sacredness; the routinizing of religion and the petrification of worship; tendency to venerate the past while ignoring present demands; failure to make up-to-date interpretations of religion; entanglement with functions of secular institutions; it creates the evil discrimination of religious castes; it becomes an intolerant judge of orthodoxy; it fails to hold the interest of adventurous youth and gradually loses the saving message of the gospel of eternal salvation.” (UB 99:6.3)
To succeed, a new religion must be service orientated. Any attempt to foster a religion as some kind of intellectual discussion group will not get off the ground. That is the present status of the Urantia movement. It may even be of great value to study the beginnings of successful service organizations such as the Salvation Army.
Jesus set the pattern for us. During the years of his public teaching mission, most of his own time was spent in direct personal service to the needy. It was these people who accepted him. The intellectuals, the rich, and the privileged first rejected, then crucified him.
“The essence of his teaching was love and service, the loving worship which a creature son voluntarily gives in recognition of, and response to, the loving ministry of God his Father; the freewill service which such creature sons bestow upon their brethren in the joyous realization that in this service they are likewise serving God the Father.” (UB 92:4.8)
Jesus was also forthright when necessary. As a result, five thousand became five hundred. Jesus accepted that.
It is a fallacy for any group of religionists to conceive of their creed as THE TRUTH. (UB 92:7.3)
| Space and Time and Seven Dimensions | Volume 6 - No. 6 — Index | Continental Drift. The Gardner Critique Demolished |