© 2020 Olga López
© 2020 Urantia Association of Spain
Presentation made during the Latin American Urantiaton, November 28, 2020
The expression “cosmic citizenship” or “cosmic citizens” appears several times in The Urantia Book. Another expression related to cosmic citizenship is undoubtedly “cosmic consciousness.” We read and understand what these words mean separately, but what exactly do they refer to when used together?
At the current stage of our civilization, with the values that predominate in our Urantian societies today, can we even understand what it means to have cosmic consciousness?
But, before addressing this important concept in our spiritual evolution, let’s look at what each of the words means separately (cosmic consciousness), according to Merriam-Webster Unabridged:
cosmic
: of, from, or relating to the cosmos, the extraterrestrial vastness, or the universe in contrast to the earth alone; sometimes: of, from, or relating to the cosmos as an ordered system or the cosmos outside the solar system “in addition to these general cosmic theories there were particular problems, above all that of the diurnal rotation of the earth — Douglas Bush” “the misty radiance of a setting sun, whose streamers are like the spokes of some gigantic cosmic wheel — JL Lowes”
: characteristic of the cosmos: of a magnitude universally transcending or subsuming : VAST, UNFATHOMED, INFINITE, GRAND, GRANDIOSE “anthropoorphism … making man the central aim or goal of the whole cosmic process — MR Cohen” “an abiding illness of the 20th century democratic man — a cosmic boredom — Albert Hubbell”
So, on the one hand, cosmic means something that comes from or is related to the cosmos, and on the other, it describes something as infinite, vast, and grand. These characteristics are undoubtedly linked to the cosmos.
consciousness
As for the definition of consciousness, we see that it is the awareness or perception of an internal psychological or spiritual fact, but it can also refer to the inner awareness of an internal fact, object, or state.
But as many of you already know, the sterile definition of these words in human dictionaries is one thing, and the concept the Revelators want to convey to us using a word or set of words is quite another. For this reason, we’re going to explore what cosmic citizenship and cosmic consciousness mean, but not before going through the necessary preliminary stages to arrive at these concepts:
The initial organization of human beings was first families, then clans (in which everyone was more or less related), and then tribes. These last two can be considered social units, while families and individuals are family units.
Families became united by blood ties in clans, aggregations of kinsmen; and these subsequently evolved into tribes, territorial communities. Warfare and external pressure forced the tribal organization upon the kinship clans, but it was commerce and trade that held these early and primitive groups together with some degree of internal peace. UB 70:3.3
Tribes are closed social groups, in which others are only recognized as “one of us” if they belong to the same tribe. Anyone else was considered an outsider, a non-person, and lacked the protection afforded by the tribe and the rights enjoyed by its members.
In the early ages each tribe was surrounded by concentric circles of increasing fear and suspicion; hence it was once the custom to kill all strangers, later on, to enslave them. The old idea of friendship meant adoption into the clan; and clan membership was believed to survive death—one of the earliest concepts of eternal life. UB 70:3.6
Before arriving at modern nations and states, we could speak of a previous stage as peoples, understood as a group of people who shared the same culture, spoke the same language, and belonged to the same ethnic group. These peoples could have different, more or less advanced political organizations (confederations of tribes, kingdoms, empires, and even states), but they had many elements in common that made them feel as if they belonged to a whole that went beyond a tribe or clan. Once again, those who did not belong to the people because they were of a different culture or ethnic group were considered distinct, and their rights were different, if they had any at all.
Although not all peoples of the world have developed a more advanced social organization, a natural evolution of peoples would be the state and the nation. These two concepts do not always have a bi-univocal relationship: there are states composed of several nations, and there are nations that do not have an associated state.
Of course, the state can suffer setbacks and regress to a collection of small groups, clans, and tribes. But this is not the case in our current society (at least, not in most states). States tend to be more or less homogeneous entities, although they may contain different cultures and languages (because they may contain different peoples living within the same political border).
The political organization of our planet is composed of nation-states, the number of which is currently difficult to determine because not all states are recognized as such by the others. Currently, there are 193 countries recognized by the UN, sovereign and internationally recognized states.
Who is “one of us” in a state? Well, our fellow countrymen (leaving aside social classes, which have existed and exist in every human and political grouping that can be established). We normally feel we belong to a nation or country and are connected to people who share that country’s culture and language. People from other countries or states see each other as different, and this, while not necessarily leading to animosity, creates a certain distance between us as members of the same country and “them” as foreigners, even when they reside among us.
Although nationalisms are inextricably linked to modern states, they deserve a separate commentary as they are the cause of great divisions within humanity. In The Urantia Book, they are undoubtedly very critical of nationalism as an ideology that separates human beings and prevents them from seeing themselves as brothers and sisters and fellow travelers on the same planet.
The revelators tell us that nationalism arises and flourishes in the time of the Planetary Prince, due to the existence of different tribal and national groupings that speak different languages:
… [T]he Planetary Prince is not “the Prince of Peace.” Racial struggles and tribal wars continue over into this dispensation but with diminishing frequency and severity. This is the great age of racial dispersion, and it culminates in a period of intense nationalism. Color is the basis of tribal and national groupings, and the different races often develop separate languages. Each expanding group of mortals tends to seek isolation. This segregation is favored by the existence of many languages… UB 52:2.5
Although nationalism has evolved (at least in part) into internationalism (leagues of nations), this evolution is clearly insufficient to ensure peace and, above all, to transform into a planetary consciousness:
Urantia will not enjoy lasting peace until the so-called sovereign nations intelligently and fully surrender their sovereign powers into the hands of the brotherhood of men—mankind government. Internationalism—Leagues of Nations—can never bring permanent peace to mankind… UB 134:5.10
There is no doubt that we are in the midst of an era of nationalism combined with a timid internationalism, and that this stance does not help bridge the gap that separates us from “the others.” It seems that we have remained in the stage of the Planetary Prince and that we still see ourselves as distinct: races, languages, and religions separate us rather than unite us. On the other hand, the twentieth-century secularism that still prevails in Western society has not contributed to the necessary unity of humanity:
… because the secularistic revolt went too far and lost sight of God and true religion, there also followed the unlooked-for harvest of world wars and international unsettledness. UB 195:8.7
Without God, without religion, scientific secularism can never co-ordinate its forces, harmonize its divergent and rivalrous interests, races, and nationalisms. This secularistic human society, notwithstanding its unparalleled materialistic achievement, is slowly disintegrating. The chief cohesive force resisting this disintegration of antagonism is nationalism. And nationalism is the chief barrier to world peace. UB 195:8.10
Then we find ourselves in a difficult situation as humanity, which makes it difficult for us to take the next step: planetary consciousness.
In the normal evolution of a planet, the post-Material Sons era witnesses the rise of internationalism and the decline of nationalism:
The post-Adamic epoch is the dispensation of internationalism. With the near completion of the task of race blending, nationalism wanes, and the brotherhood of man really begins to materialize. Representative government begins to take the place of the monarchial or paternal form of rulership. The educational system becomes world-wide, and gradually the languages of the races give way to the tongue of the violet people. Universal peace and co-operation are seldom attained until the races are fairly well blended, and until they speak a common language. UB 52:3.10
And in the era after the bestowal of the Son, international harmony progresses even further:
Throughout this epoch there is a gradual lessening of governmental supervision. True self-government is beginning to function; fewer and fewer restrictive laws are necessary. The military branches of national resistance are passing away; the era of international harmony is really arriving. There are many nations, mostly determined by land distribution, but only one race, one language, and one religion. Mortal affairs are almost, but not quite, utopian. This truly is a great and glorious age! UB 52:5.10
It seems that the planetary problems we face in this century, among which global warming and its consequences undoubtedly stand out, affecting the entire planet without exception, are leading to the awakening of a timid planetary consciousness among “citizens of the world.” Planetary problems can only be addressed from a planetary perspective: it’s useless for a single country or group of countries to take action if the rest continue to worsen the problem or do nothing to solve it. It seems that many people are becoming aware that we are all in the same boat (the Earth) and that we must do everything possible to ensure our planet continues to host all its living beings, since there is no planet B to go to. Once again, the challenges posed by these problems are forcing us to transform our consciousness to embrace as brothers and sisters those beyond our borders, culture, and race.
But how can we finally achieve this planetary consciousness, this perception that we all belong to the same humanity without distinctions of any kind?
Even on normal evolutionary worlds the realization of the world-wide brotherhood of man is not an easy accomplishment. On a confused and disordered planet like Urantia such an achievement requires a much longer time and necessitates far greater effort. Unaided social evolution can hardly achieve such happy results on a spiritually isolated sphere. Religious revelation is essential to the realization of brotherhood on Urantia… UB 52:6.2
We then see that religious revelation (such as the revelation received in The Urantia Book) is fundamental to making the leap humanity so desperately needs to abandon the path of war and self-destruction: the awareness of being all brothers and sisters. And we are also told that “Jesus has shown the way to immediately achieve spiritual brotherhood”: there is our guide, our orientation to abandon the distinction between “I/us” versus “them.”
At the end of this same paragraph, the revelators tell us that social brotherhood will give way to spiritual brotherhood:
…spiritual brotherhood, the realization of social brotherhood on your world depends much on the achievement of the following personal transformations and planetary adjustments:
- Social fraternity. Multiplication of international and interracial social contacts and fraternal associations through travel, commerce, and competitive play. Development of a common language and the multiplication of multilinguists. The racial and national interchange of students, teachers, industrialists, and religious philosophers. UB 52:6.2-3
But it’s clear that brotherhood has a corollary: we are all sons and daughters of God. Let’s look at what he tells us a few paragraphs later, where he explains how we can achieve planetary consciousness, which will allow us to see humanity as a great brotherhood:
- Spiritual insight. The brotherhood of man is, after all, predicated on the recognition of the fatherhood of God. The quickest way to realize the brotherhood of man on Urantia is to effect the spiritual transformation of present-day humanity. The only technique for accelerating the natural trend of social evolution is that of applying spiritual pressure from above, thus augmenting moral insight while enhancing the soul capacity of every mortal to understand and love every other mortal. Mutual understanding and fraternal love are transcendent civilizers and mighty factors in the world-wide realization of the brotherhood of man. UB 52:6.7
So planetary consciousness is developing, but we are still far from fully achieving it. However, The Urantia Book goes further and encourages us to have cosmic consciousness. Let’s explore this concept a bit.
Note how important this idea of cosmic consciousness is that the revelators speak of it in one of the first paragraphs of the Prologue:
In our effort to increase cosmic consciousness and elevate spiritual perception… UB 0:0.2
And later in the same Prologue they tell us the following:
Cosmic consciousness involves the recognition of a First Cause, the one and only uncaused reality… UB 0:2.2
Does this mean we can have cosmic consciousness here and now? At least it seems possible for it to be born within us in this world, although Paper 47 tells us it doesn’t emerge until a little later in our ascension career:
A real birth of cosmic consciousness takes place on mansonia number five. You are becoming universe minded. This is indeed a time of expanding horizons. It is beginning to dawn upon the enlarging minds of the ascending mortals that some stupendous and magnificent, some supernal and divine, destiny awaits all who complete the progressive Paradise ascension, which has been so laboriously but so joyfully and auspiciously begun. At about this point the average mortal ascender begins to manifest bona fide experiential enthusiasm for the Havona ascent. Study is becoming voluntary, unselfish service natural, and worship spontaneous. A real morontia character is budding; a real morontia creature is evolving. UB 47:7.5
It is worth pausing to analyze this paragraph, because I think it defines very clearly what it means to have cosmic consciousness:
We no longer have in mind only our planet of origin or citizenship, but the entire universe. The concept of “them,” of “the others,” is disappearing in favor of “us,” which encompasses much more than our country or planet of origin. When cosmic consciousness is attained, we view other mortals (regardless of their planet) as fellow travelers, and other orders of celestial beings of the grand universe (Havona and superuniverses) as friends and companions who accompany and assist us on our ascendant journey to Paradise.
But the expansion of consciousness doesn’t stop there, in the grand universe. Let’s see what they tell us in document 48:
As systems and universes are settled in light and life, the mansion worlds increasingly cease to function as transition spheres of morontia training. More and more the finaliters institute their new training regime, which appears to be designed to translate the cosmic consciousness from the present level of the grand universe to that of the future outer universes… UB 48:3.17
Here in this paragraph, we are being told that our consciousness will expand much further, not limited to the greater universe but to the outer universes. As new beings and new ways of achieving perfection emerge, our consciousness will expand accordingly. Can we even imagine all the quantum leaps we will have to make from where we are now, where “they” are infinitely more numerous than “us”?
And cosmic consciousness not only influences our appreciation for our fellow human beings, but also helps integrate all human knowledge into a coherent and harmonious whole. But we must be clear about one thing: even if it’s difficult, we can begin to acquire cosmic consciousness here and now:
Mortal man is passing through a great age of expanding horizons and enlarging concepts on Urantia, and his cosmic philosophy must accelerate in evolution to keep pace with the expansion of the intellectual arena of human thought. As the cosmic consciousness of mortal man expands, he perceives the interrelatedness of all that he finds in his material science, intellectual philosophy, and spiritual insight. Still, with all this belief in the unity of the cosmos, man perceives the diversity of all existence. In spite of all concepts concerning the immutability of Deity, man perceives that he lives in a universe of constant change and experiential growth. Regardless of the realization of the survival of spiritual values, man has ever to reckon with the mathematics and premathematics of force, energy, and power. UB 104:3.2
Therefore, opening our consciousness to the cosmic level makes us realize that we cannot rely solely on material science to understand the universe and the meaning of our existence: we must create a cosmic philosophy that allows us to integrate material phenomena with our inner spiritual vision. Let us remember that we can transcend matter right now, as our minds have the tools to do so:
… The very fact that a mortal materialist can deny the existence of supermaterial realities in and of itself demonstrates the presence, and indicates the working, of spirit synthesis and cosmic consciousness in his human mind. UB 112:2.9
Expanding our cosmic consciousness means seeing the whole and not just the part, so that the perspective shifts from encompassing our existence as individuals in a more or less small society to seeing ourselves as citizens of the cosmos belonging to that greater whole, citizens with responsibilities toward our Creator and toward his creation, the universe. Let us remember that the command of the Universal Father, supported by the other two persons of the Trinity, is: “Be ye perfect even as I am perfect” UB 1:0.3
Being endowed with personhood by the Father gives us the status of cosmic citizens. Let’s consider these illuminating teachings from Document 16:
… The bestowal of the divine gift of personality upon that minded mortal mechanism confers upon it the dignity of cosmic citizenship and enables that mortal creature to react immediately to the constitutive recognition of the three fundamental mental realities of the cosmos:
- The mathematical or logical recognition of the uniformity of physical causality.
- The reasoned recognition of the obligation to have moral conduct.
- The faith-based understanding of Deity communion worship, associated with loving service to humanity. UB 16:8.15-18
I believe these paragraphs deserve a little more time, as they indicate that personality, the quality bestowed upon us by the Father that makes us individual and unique beings, automatically grants us cosmic citizenship and entails recognizing three fundamental mental realities:
Personality is a gift bestowed not only on humans on this planet, but also on all other mortals living on the planets of time and space, and also on many orders of personal celestial beings (remember, not all are). This seal, this gift, enables us to contact and fellowship with other personal beings, regardless of whether they are other human beings on our planet, on other planets, or nonhuman celestial beings.
But being endowed with personality, and therefore with free will, can also lead us to sin and to not recognizing the duties that are associated with cosmic citizenship:
Sin in time-conditioned space clearly proves the temporal liberty—even license—of the finite will. Sin depicts immaturity dazzled by the freedom of the relatively sovereign will of personality while failing to perceive the supreme obligations and duties of cosmic citizenship. UB 118:7.4
Note how important the concept of cosmic citizenship is, that there are seraphim in the capitals of the systems especially dedicated to helping us understand what it is and what its implications are:
The seraphic interpreters of cosmic citizenship guide the new citizens of the system capitals and quicken their appreciation of the responsibilities of universe government. These seraphim are also closely associated with the Material Sons in the system administration, while they portray the responsibility and morality of cosmic citizenship to the material mortals on the inhabited worlds. UB 39:4.9
But we don’t have to wait until we reach the capital of our system to begin to realize our cosmic citizenship. As we’ve seen before, being endowed with personhood gives us the dignity of cosmic citizens, and we can cultivate that dignity right now. In the book, the revelators make a very illuminating observation when they talk about the new role of religion (true religion) within the institution of marriage and the home:
- The new role of religion—the teaching that parental experience is essential, the idea of procreating cosmic citizens, the enlarged understanding of the privilege of procreation—giving sons to the Father. UB 84:7.4
As fathers and mothers, we must raise our children to be cosmic citizens, all children of the same loving God and therefore united by bonds of brotherhood. What a great undertaking and privilege it is to give children to the Father who share cosmic citizenship with us!
Fraternity is not yet a reality; we still cling, to a greater or lesser extent, to the idea of “our own” versus “the others,” but sooner or later it will be achieved, thanks to science, philosophy, and, above all, religion.
Economic interdependence and social fraternity will ultimately conduce to brotherhood. Man is naturally a dreamer, but science is sobering him so that religion can presently activate him with far less danger of precipitating fanatical reactions. Economic necessities tie man up with reality, and personal religious experience brings this same man face to face with the eternal realities of an ever-expanding and progressing cosmic citizenship. UB 99:7.5
Science, philosophy, and religion, together and integrated, will distance us from all fanaticism and fantasies of exclusivity and feeling superior as part of a people or humanity, leading us to the conclusion that we are all part of a great cosmic family: the family of God, and that the universe is our home. We are not islands of personality, but rather a dense network of creatures who live and serve the greater glory of God.
Religion effectually cures man’s sense of idealistic isolation or spiritual loneliness; it enfranchises the believer as a son of God, a citizen of a new and meaningful universe. Religion assures man that, in following the gleam of righteousness discernible in his soul, he is thereby identifying himself with the plan of the Infinite and the purpose of the Eternal. Such a liberated soul immediately begins to feel at home in this new universe, his universe. UB 101:10.7
When we identify with God’s plan, with the divine mandate to continually progress in perfection, our horizons and inner vision inevitably broaden: we free ourselves from all those prejudices and preconceived ideas that diminish our souls and become citizens of the universe.
We know we are just passing through this world: we still have many dwelling places in the universe to inhabit and learn things we cannot imagine today. In all of them, we will meet many beings, to a greater or lesser extent, different from us, beings we will love as they are, because they too are citizens of the cosmos and children of the same loving God.
But these are not the only implications of cosmic citizenship, which we must one day joyfully accept and act upon. Let’s look at what the revelators tell us in Paper 110 about how to increasingly harmonize with our Adjuster:
- Joyful acceptance of cosmic citizenship—honest recognition of your progressive obligations to the Supreme Being, awareness of the interdependence of evolutionary man and evolving Deity. This is the birth of cosmic morality and the dawning realization of universal duty. UB 110:3.10
Because being cosmic citizens implies having a responsibility to the Supreme. We are not merely isolated individuals who must concern themselves with their own personal growth and perfection, but we must also be aware that our growth and perfection redounds to the benefit of the Supreme, contributing to its completion and to the realization (actualization) of the potentials of the finite level. Human beings and the Deity are interdependent in the Supreme Being. We all row in the same boat and in the same direction (although we may take different paths); we are valuable participants in this enterprise, which is the perfection of the finite level, in which, as mortals of time and space, we are immersed and in which we follow the divine mandate to “Be perfect as I am perfect.”
This is the process in which all finite creation is now engaged: perfection, the exhaustion of finite potentials to arrive at the perfection of the finite level of existence, that moment when the Supreme Being is finally complete and can begin another act of the great play of Creation: perfection on the absonite level.
Perfection at the finite level takes us on a long journey through the grand universe to Paradise. Knowing that we will embark on that journey is part of realizing that we are citizens of the cosmos:
To recognize Deity omnipotence is to enjoy security in your experience of cosmic citizenship, to possess assurance of safety in the long journey to Paradise. But to accept the fallacy of omnificence is to embrace the colossal error of pantheism… UB 118:6.8
Consider carefully the journey we have made as human beings and as humanity! As humanity, we have moved from the family to the clans, from there to the tribes and villages, then to the modern states and to the consciousness of belonging to a particular territorial and cultural organization. We have not yet attained planetary consciousness (at least, not all humans on the planet), much less cosmic consciousness, although the revelators also tell us that the members of the reserve corps of destiny (who at the time the papers were revealed numbered “more than a thousand mortals”) are “conscious citizens of the universe… whose insight into cosmic citizenship far transcends the sphere of their earthly residence.” UB 114:7.13
In this process of expanding consciousness, which increasingly includes “others” within the “we,” we see that at first only purely material or biological considerations intervene (the individual, the biological family, the clan, the tribe), and later ethical considerations (the people, the State, the planet) are included. But only the religious vision, this understanding that we are children of God and therefore brothers and sisters, leads us to brotherhood based on solid values and access to citizenship and cosmic consciousness: that we are citizens of the universe, and all of God’s children, from any part of creation, are our brothers and sisters and companions on our ascending path to Paradise.
On an individual level, we can do much to expand our consciousness and reach not only planetary consciousness but cosmic consciousness. In this, it is important to be aware of our divine filiation on the one hand, and of our interdependence with the evolving Deity of the Supreme Being on the other. As we progress spiritually, our horizons will expand further, and we will be more capable of seeing the bigger picture and acting accordingly.
Let us go, then, towards cosmic consciousness!
Thank you very much for your attention.