© 1997 Ken Glasziou
© 1997 The Brotherhood of Man Library
For a long time there has been a group of Urantia Book readers who have pondered on the problem of why the book has been written in such a strange manner.
One example is that it names itself the Fifth Epochal Revelation thereby raising the expectancies of the beginning reader. But then it presents a lot of out-of-date science material as if it were revelation, leaving it until page 1109 before informing us that the “laws of revelation hamper us greatly by their proscription of the impartation of unearned knowledge”—which signifies that its science content is pre-mid 1930’s.
Another curiosity is its inclusion of materials that appear to approach the impossible or at least the highly improbable. One of these is the properties ascribed to passenger birds that supposedly can carry two adult passengers a non-stop distance of 500 miles. Taking wing loadings and energy requirements into consideration, are we confronted with the impossible? It appears to be so. A further example is the incredible origins of the secondary midwayers.
The inclusion of these materials certainly did nothing to support the book’s claim to revelatory authenticity. Curiously, they could have been omitted whether true or not, and the book would have lost nothing of importance. However the sheer intellectual brilliance demonstrated by the revelators in so many other parts of the book lead many of us to conclude that the “funny stuff” has been included for a good reason. What could that reason be?
Ann Bendall’s article on intolerance contains some observations that may be relevant. Ann reminds us that the book affirms: “Only with revealed religion did autocratic and intolerant theologic egotism appear.” (UB 92:7.2) Ann also comments that one of the risks with a revealed religion is that it has the tendency to diminish the need for living faith as well as to foster the “chosen few” phenomenon.
Possibly Ann’s observations may throw light on just why The Urantia Book has been written in such a strange manner. The expectations for the Fourth Epochal Revelation were not fulfilled as hoped for. This was largely because of the distortions that occurred to the concept of the kingdom of heaven as taught by Jesus during the early years of Christendom.
Jesus taught that the cardinal features of the gospel of the kingdom were:
None of these features appear in the text of the Nicene Creed to which virtually all Christians subscribe as the encoding of their basic beliefs.
The major break with Jesus’ teaching came when Paul adapted what he knew of them to the needs of interested Jews and later to the gentiles. First Jesus became the expected Messiah then Christ the Redeemer.
Talking is sharing but listening is caring.
In this transition Jesus’ death as signifying salvation from sin became a principal teaching somewhat like a “strange attractor” of chaos theory. Additionally, both Jesus and God became located ‘out-there-somewhere’ and contactable only via the mediation of priest or long-dead saint, rather than being personally-available and indwelling, spirit forces .
In the light of what we humans did to the Fourth Epochal Revelation, is it not logical and natural that the revelators should take precautions to avoid a disaster to the Fifth?
It may be that they considered fundamentalism to be a major threat for it is the very hallmark of fundamentalism that, “autocratic and intolerant theologic egotism appear.” (UB 92:7.2)
It appears to be that fundamentalism invariably transforms its sources into sacred objects—the Bible, the Koran, the Book of Mormon, The Urantia Book, etc,—with their content eventually becoming divine proclamations. One possible way to defeat such a fate for a new revelation could be to include unbelievable material that would permit critics, opponents, and skeptics to ridicule or vilify it.
Could this be a reason why the revelators for the Urantia Papers gave us so much outdated science and similar material as apparent revelation well before explaining the limitations imposed by the laws governing revelation?
It is interesting that The Urantia Book has a readership that includes a very significant proportion of people with either a science or professional background, or with other intellectual interests that permit them to recognize its outdated science and ‘funny stuff’—yet they have not rejected the book on account of it!
On the contrary most of these people are among its staunchest supporters. Apparently the sheer quality of the remainder of the book’s content provides overriding evidence that the book must be taken seriously.
The book of course does contain science material that is revelatory and remarkable. Some of this has been covered in previous issues of Innerface. It is again interesting that many people who have the background knowledge to evaluate this prophetic material nevertheless prefer to give greater weight to the ‘funny stuff’ and thus reject the revelation.
Of course, we well-balanced Urantia Book readers would not be likely to fall into error as did the early Christians. But if that is true why is it that for so long, in print, the book had to be referred to as “The Urantia Book,”—if we are not inclined to treat it as sacred object?
And why do the vast majority of us believe that there was something very special, miraculous even, about the way we ourselves received the book? Likewise, how many of us have indulged in the game of guessing who might or might not be members of the Reserve Corps of Destiny—and even fantasized about our membership?
Is it possible that an updated version of the story of the Pharisee in the temple praying, “I thank you God that I am not like that publican over there. . . ” could become a Urantia Book reader praying, “I thank you God that I am not like that Christian over there.” But, of course, we are forgetting that Urantia Book readers don’t pray—they communicate!
We owe thanks to Ann for reminding us about the “chosen people” syndrome. Jesus extolled the virtue of true humility. He even said, “the first shall be last and the last shall be first.” (UB 163:3.4; Mark 10:31)
The book informs us that, “the ideas and ideals of Jesus, embodied in the teaching of the gospel of the kingdom nearly failed. . . Then it says, “But doubt not, this same kingdom of heaven which the Master taught exists within the heart of the believer, will yet be proclaimed to the Christian church (who has that task?), even as to all other religions, races and nations on earth—even to every individual.” (UB 170:5.4; UB 170:5.8)
So what is it that is to be proclaimed? Here are a few of its components:
The sense of guilt (not the consciousness of sin) comes either from interrupted spiritual communion or from the lowering of one’s moral ideals. . . Jesus swept away all of the ceremonials of sacrifice and atonement. He destroyed the basis of all this fictitious guilt and sense of isolation in the universe by declaring that man is a child of God.
The creature-Creator relationship is placed on a child-parent basis. God becomes a loving Father to his mortal sons and daughters. All ceremonials not a legitimate part of such an intimate family relationship are forever abrogated.
God the Father deals with man, his child, on the basis, not of actual virtue or worthiness, but in recognition of the child’s motivation—the creature purpose and intent. The relationship is one of parent-child relationship and is actuated by divine love.
True worship springs from the practice of the presence of God which eventuates in the emergence of the brotherhood of man.
All non-self desires do actually have their origin in the leadings of the indwelling spirit of God. The impulse stemming from the indwelling spirit forces are realized in human consciousness as the urge to be altruistic, fellow-creature minded.
Always must the desire to do the Father’s will be supreme in the soul and dominant over the mind of an ascending child of God.
The will of God is to know him and to want to be like him.
The only rewards held out to God’s children are, in this world, spiritual joy and divine communion, and in the next—eternal life and progress in the divine spirit realities of the Father.
The will of God is the way of God.
The choosing of the Father’s will is the spiritual finding of the spirit Father. Its choosing is not so much a negation of creature will as the affirmation that, “It is my will that your will be done.”
If your own mind does not serve you well, you can exchange it for the mind of Jesus who always serves you well.
Christianity has dared to lower its ideals before the challenge of human greed and lust for power; but the religion of Jesus stands as the unsullied and transcendent spiritual summons, calling to the best that is in man to rise above the legacies of animal evolution and, by grace, attain the moral heights of true human destiny.
Jesus saw God as being holy, just, and great, as well as being true, beautiful, and good.
All these attributes of divinity he focused in his mind as “the will of the Father in heaven.”
In the face of all the natural difficulties and temporal contradictions of mortal existence, Jesus experienced the tranquillity of supreme and unquestioned trust in God and felt the tremendous thrill of living, by faith, in the very presence of the heavenly Father.
Jesus said: “Love one another as I have loved you.”