© 2006 Luis Coll
© 2006 Urantia Association of Spain
Religious peace today is a utopia in this world. Until the different religions are willing to shed all their supposed “truth,” that kind of “glamour” they all boast about, and their superiority over one another, there is no guarantee that they will ever understand each other; this has been historically proven. Religious peace—brotherhood—can never exist unless all religions are willing to completely divest themselves of all ecclesiastical authority and fully surrender all concept of spiritual sovereignty. God alone is spirit sovereign. (UB 134:4.4)
The officially established religions, as they are understood in this age in which we live—be it Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Evangelicalism, and a long etcetera of names and titles—need a profound restructuring of their ideas and concepts vis-à-vis other religions and the ordinary believer. Their supposed “truth” and authority in believing that “ours is the best” is a mistake. God alone is the spiritual sovereign. (UB 134:4.4)
What religions and these religious people should do is shed all their facades, pomp, dresses, luxurious temples and riches, and all their presumption and supposed authority of believing themselves somehow superior to others, whether due to their antiquity, their beliefs, or the cult of some ancient prophet who founded that “truth” or religion.
If different religions recognize the spirit sovereignty of God the Father, then will all such religions remain at peace. Only when one religion assumes that it is in some way superior to all others, and that it possesses exclusive authority over other religions, will such a religion presume to be intolerant of other religions or dare to persecute other religious believers. (UB 134:4.3)
Religious leaders should look into the human heart and understand that a fragment of God resides there. God is spirit, and God gives a fragment of his spirit self to dwell in the heart of man. Spiritually, all men are equal. The kingdom of heaven is free from castes, classes, social levels, and economic groups. You are all brethren. (UB 134:4.7)
What has caused the most conflict, intolerance, fanaticism, and bloodshed has been religious conflict—a setback for humanity—a bad example, and a pathetic and distorted image of God’s loving character. One day, these bitter religious conflicts will have to face the “Judgment of History” of this world.
Spiritually, all men are equal. The kingdom of heaven is free from castes, classes, social levels, and economic groups. You are all brethren. (UB 134:4.7)
The religions of authority can only divide men and set them in conscientious array against each other; the religion of the spirit will progressively draw men together and cause them to become understandingly sympathetic with one another. (UB 155:6.9)
¶ Sit at the feet of Jesus
What the world today needs more than anything is to sit at the feet of Jesus again and learn from Him again the greatest truths the world has ever heard.
To sit at the feet of Jesus means to let go of any presumption one may have of being “religious” and to accept as the faith of a child, and the sufficient maturity of an adult, the new and dynamic teachings adapted to the times in which we currently live. A new and better path, free of religious dogmas and superstitions.
The common people heard Jesus gladly, and they will again respond to the presentation of his sincere human life of consecrated religious motivation if such truths shall again be proclaimed to the world. The people heard him gladly because he was one of them, an unpretentious layman; the world’s greatest religious teacher was indeed a layman. (UB 196:1.4)
The greatest religious teacher of all time was “an unassuming layman,” a living example of humility, and showed a new and better way of searching for and following God.
The problem today in achieving religious peace is that we live in a time of great confusion, with countless religions, each defending its own particular point of view: “their truth,” their “Holy Book,” or their particular “Prophet.” This generates great confusion and religious conflict regarding the path to and the search for God.
Religious peace will hardly be achieved until there is sufficient common sense to surrender everything to a “Higher Authority.” God alone is the spiritual sovereign. (UB 134:4.4).
Religions continue to drag the crushing weight of traditions: the “Laws,” the cults, the suffocating ceremonies, the worship of the “Prophet” or founder of said religion, their endless theological discussions, and often this becomes a spiritual slavery for the people.
The time is ripe to witness the figurative resurrection of the human Jesus from his burial tomb amidst the theological traditions and the religious dogmas of nineteen centuries. Jesus of Nazareth must not be longer sacrificed to even the splendid concept of the glorified Christ. What a transcendent service if, through this revelation, the Son of Man should be recovered from the tomb of traditional theology and be presented as the living Jesus to the church that bears his name, and to all other religions! (UB 196:1.2)
The great religions, if they wish to live in peace, need new leaders—spiritual men and women—who are willing to relinquish all authority, who accept no personal cult, and who dedicate themselves exclusively to the spiritual enlightenment of people.
The modern age will refuse to accept a religion which is inconsistent with facts and out of harmony with its highest conceptions of truth, beauty, and goodness. (UB 195:9.5)
Comment: Blue letters (in the original PDF, italics in this document) –The Urantia Book– text for further study:
Sovereignty – Divine and Human UB 134:3.6 to UB 134:5.2 The Discourse on True Religion UB 155:4.1 to UB 155:6.18
The Faith of Jesus UB 196:0.1 to UB 196:2.2