© 2023 Marc Belleau
© 2023 Urantia Association of Quebec
Marc Belleau
Montreal
The Parliament of the World’s Religions is an event that brings together followers of different religions in an effort to support interfaith discourse. The first edition was held in Chicago in 1893 and brought together representatives of Eastern, Asian and Western religions. It would be 100 years before another gathering took place, in 1993 in Chicago, to mark the 100th anniversary of the event. Subsequently, several editions followed one another, namely in 1999 in South Africa, 2004 in Barcelona, 2009 in Melbourne in Australia, 2015 in Salt Lake City in the United States, 2018 in Toronto and finally making a return to Chicago in 2023. Reflecting on the fact that the city of Chicago is the instigator of such an avant-garde event, I cannot help but think that one of the reasons why the 5th revelation was born in this city is perhaps its predisposition to interreligious dialogue and a certain open-mindedness.
The event was held from August 14 to 18 and had the theme: the defense of religious freedom and human rights (A Call to Conscience: Defending Freedom & Human Rights). Here is a short 3-minute video that will give you an idea of the event:
¶ First impressions
It was my first time attending such a gathering. I had heard a little about the Parliament of Religions but I didn’t really know what to expect when I arrived on Monday morning, August 14, 2023, the first day of this great and magnificent event. The opening ceremony began with a parade of different religious groups walking up the central aisle of the immense congress hall to the stage, dressed in their robes, ritual paraphernalia in hand. It was all very colorful and noisy. From the percussive rhythms of Chinese drums, we suddenly switched to the melodies of Scottish bagpipes, all juxtaposed in strange amalgams. I felt quite far from the serene calm of the Buddhist monks which corresponds much more to my spiritual nature. But I must say that I loved this lively expression of fervor, this spontaneous explosion of spiritual joy. I was very moved to think that all these people, from different faiths, had come to celebrate God in peace and respect, while on the other side of the world war, with its share of atrocities, was raging. An idea then imposed itself on my mind; during our ascension, we will rub shoulders with beings from other planets, having lived in cultures completely different from those of Urantia and I said to myself, that at this moment, in Chicago, standing there, amazed before this scene, I was perhaps tasting a little of what awaits us on the mansion worlds: one and only God, but a multitude of expressions of love and devotion rendered to our creator.
I had another realization when I lived exclusively, for 4 days, with people who are interested in God and who are passionate about Him. It is the feeling of being part of the community of believers. People greeted me and smiled at me spontaneously, knowing that I was there for the same reasons as them. It was refreshing to experience this simple contact with complete strangers; try doing the same thing in the Montreal metro at rush hour. Also, in this kind of event, people spontaneously talk about God and that was really nice. I realized that in my daily life, in the different environments that I frequent, it is very difficult to talk about God. Many people are afraid to approach the subjects the Quiet Revolution, in Quebec in the 60s really achieved its goal: to build an entirely secular society. Although secularism has allowed the separation of state and religion, which is a good thing, it is unfortunate that it has had the perverse effect of removing God from the public space. Today, few people dare to speak about their faith publicly.
I was surprised to see the variety of people who are interested in the 5th revelation; I did not expect that. I saw people from different backgrounds stop at the Foundation booth. I met a female chaplain who wanted more information about The Urantia Book. Incarcerated people were asking her for information on certain topics in the book that she was unable to answer. She left with a book and the contact information for the PIRT committee. A Buddhist monk came to inquire about the teachings of this 5th revelation; he also got the book. A public school teacher came to inquire about the book in order to present it in his religion classes and that is really good news to see that young minds are going to be put in contact with The Urantia Book. What struck me most about all these people was their enthusiasm for this new vision of God. These are just a few examples, but to me it is clear that a wide variety of individuals are interested in the book and this proves to me, beyond any doubt, that this revelation is truly within everyone’s reach.
The chosen theme, The defense of freedom of religious expression in the face of the rise of authoritarianism of certain governments was topical, but it gave a very political flavor to the whole event. It was a question, among other things, of the oppression of groups like the Uighurs and the farmers of Punjab who were there to claim their rights. Freedom of expression and respect for different confessions is crucial for our society and, without a doubt, we must protect these achievements. This is the breeding ground in which the 5th revelation was able to take root and in which it will continue to grow and develop.
Beyond my first impressions, volunteering at the Urantia Foundation booth was the primary goal of this trip. It allowed me to accomplish two important things: first, to think about how to present The Urantia Book (something I had never seriously considered) and second, to observe other, more experienced volunteers promoting the book and its teachings.
¶ Get ready
It seemed important to me to prepare myself for the work I had to do for the Foundation’s kiosk. I had to think about a way to present the book that I felt comfortable with. It was out of the question to reinvent the wheel, so after consulting the various official websites of the movement, I came to the conclusion that it is preferable, during a first approach, in front of a person who does not know the book, to talk about its content. What is the book about? Our relationship with God, our humble origins, our luminous destiny, the organization and structure of the universe, the spiritual history of our planet and the incarnate life of Jesus as a divine but above all human being. Subsequently, and depending on the interest and curiosity of the interlocutor, the questions raised allow the book to be presented in a more personal and detailed manner. I also believe that one must be prepared to answer difficult questions such as the one concerning the authors of the book; You have to be comfortable with this idea and not be afraid of people’s reactions. Preparation is really important, and personally I don’t believe in improvisation.
¶ Observe
When I was asked to represent the Urantia Association of Quebec at the Urantia Foundation kiosk, I saw the opportunity to meet readers who have a certain know-how in promoting the Urantia Book and its teachings; so I took the opportunity to look at the work of these enthusiasts of the big blue book. I would like to share one of my conclusions with you.
One morning, on our way to the McCormick Center where the event was being held, the Urantia Foundation volunteer group decided to take a taxi, since the convention center was an hour away by public transportation from where we lived. The driver was a very friendly and cheerful young Spanish-speaking man who began to talk to us about his life, his relationship with his partner, his desire to start a family, and moral values in general. The foundation booth manager who was with us began to discuss with him some of the teachings in the book, without naming the book. The discussion was really interesting and the driver seemed very enthusiastic. When we arrived at the front door of the convention center, the booth manager gave the young man a flyer advertising the book, who, after being paid for his ride, continued on his way. When he arrived at the booth, the manager realized that he had left his coffee canteen in the taxi. That’s where things ended, but 30 minutes later the taxi driver came back and approached the kiosk table to return the water bottle to its owner. This man had turned around and taken time out of his work to return a simple water bottle that had no value! He spent 45 minutes talking to the volunteers at the kiosk and left with a book and boundless enthusiasm. I was really very impressed with how things turned out. The kiosk manager had seized the opportunity to sow the seeds of revelation and it had borne fruit. But that’s not always the case.
Another volunteer, while walking among the various exhibition booths, stopped to talk about the book The Untold Story of Jesus to a woman pastor (I think she was of Protestant denomination). So he told her about this magnificent book that tells the human life of Jesus and left it with her so that she could consult it. I thought it would be wise to present to this Christian woman, a book talking about the life of the Master. After a few hours, she returned to the Foundation booth and, with a slightly pinched air, mentioned to us an error in the story of Jesus’ meeting with the disciples of Emmaus shortly after his resurrection. According to her, it was not about 2 disciples as the book specifies, but rather Emmaus and his wife (this fact has never been confirmed, by the way). So she handed us the book and left without further ado. Based on unverified information, she simply rejected the book.
Two situations and two different results that bring to mind this parable taught by Jesus, that of the sower. In the first case, the seed fell on good soil and in the second, the soil was not suitable for the teachings of The Urantia Book. In the propagation of the teachings, I perhaps tend to worry about the result and to create expectations for myself. When I sow, it is not up to me to know what happens to this seed. That is up to God and it is He who will make it germinate in due time. Too often, I want to see the result of my efforts and this prevents me from seizing opportunities to speak about the 5th revelation for fear of the result, for fear of feeling like I am failing. Our mission is to sow, so let us seize every opportunity to propagate the teachings of The Urantia Book and sow without worrying about the rest.
In closing, I would say that this experience has been very enriching. First, the awareness of the importance of being well prepared; improvisation is only possible when we know the subject we are talking about. There is information available on the web; there is no point in reinventing the wheel, it is better to start with what already exists and modify what is no longer up to date. Second, contact with other readers; nothing can beat lived experience. Readers share their experiences by writing texts or recording seminars on the web. Third, learning to recognize the opportunities that arise in our daily lives. They are numerous, but we must open our eyes and seize them; in the hubbub of life, this is not always easy. But, for me, the greatest achievement was to see the variety of individuals interested in The Urantia Book. I am convinced that this revelation is universal and accessible to all human beings regardless of their origin and the nature of their spirituality, as long as they are curious and have a certain open-mindedness.