© 1998 Meredith Sprunger
© 1998 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
As the third millennium nears, pocalyptic visions are everywhere. “End time” prophecies abound at the close of every century. Art Bell joins this parade in his recent book, The Quickening (Paper Chase Press, New Orleans, 1997). A more accurate title for Bell’s book would be “Portents of Catastrophe.” His encyclopedic survey of possible dooms day scenarios covers the waterfront. Bell observes that we are living in a global economy and predicts that world government is “just around the corner.” He then reviews our deteriorating social fabric, the confusion of our religious and spiritual aspirations, our worsening environmental problems, the threat of disease and famine, and the imminent possibility of natural disasters.
Bell periodically reminds the reader “…America’s national debt is spinning completely out of control,” (p. 55) “…it is difficult to devise hope for this world,” (p. 119) “… the survival of our species is at stake,“ (p. 236) ”…we are not in control,“ (p. 274) ”…you are very, very helpless,“ (p. 290) ”…we are standing on a world which is quickly becoming an increasingly dangerous place to live,“ (p.302) and ”…the world will become increasingly unstable and our very existence as a species will be in great jeopardy." (p. 148, 308)
Art Bell refers to Hal Lindsey’s book The Final Battle. Lindsey popularized the theory of premillennial dispensationalism that projects a period when the world will be ruled by the Anti-Christ, followed by a Middle East war and the battle of Armageddon. Consciously or unconsciously, Bell lays the foundation for this dooms-day scenario, and here and there he suggests the possibility of a world dictator.
We are obviously living in one of the great transition periods of history. During these transition periods there is always a breakdown of the older value paradigm and a great deal of confusion and disruption in society. Along with this turmoil there is widespread spiritual searching. The conditions for the emergence of a new philosophic age are coalescing in our society. The Most Highs, in my judgment, are preparing our planet for the Fifth Epochal Revelation. Our world is, indeed, on the “brink of one of its most amazing and enthralling epochs of social readjustment, moral quickening, and spiritual enlightenment.”(UB 195:9.2) The evolutionary process bringing this to fruition, however, will no doubt take considerable time.