© 2010 Marc Belleau, Rick Lyon, Gilles Bertrand, Julien Audet, Maurice Migneault
© 2010 Urantia Association of Quebec< /p>
¶ The Head, the Heart, or Both?
FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE ARTICLE “FREE WILL: A DIVINE RIGHT” (RÉFLECTIVITÉ NO. 237, SEPTEMBER 2010), I RECEIVED COMMENTS FROM A FORMER READER OF THE URANTIA BOOK AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU MY THOUGHTS ON THE VARIOUS POINTS RAISED BY THIS PERSON.
1. “…it is true that free will is a gift from God, but when one does the will of God, one no longer uses free will.”
It is true that one day, in the rather distant future, we will be so accustomed to choosing the divine will that we will probably do it without thinking about it. This does not mean that we will no longer use our free will, but rather that we will have developed this healthy habit of choosing the divine way. The universal career that The Urantia Book speaks of, and which begins right now, has the function of training us to choose the will of God. Furthermore, free will is the proof of our freedom. Without free will, we become… mere machines.
2. “… To live our Oneness, we must silence the mind, transcend the emotions and die to our ego. Silencing the mind implies that thought descends into the heart. We think and love with the heart and not with the head… When we read and study The Urantia Book or any book, we mentalize and intellectualize the scriptures, things we should not do. Let the Divine part of us capture what it needs and not dwell on what we do not understand. In the booklet on the new religion in the book, Jesus said something like this; ”Why spend your time reading and studying the ancient scriptures and the prophets, why not spend your time finding God within you. Perhaps he will have something new to say through you.“ For me, this is also true of The Urantia Book.”
I agree on the importance of seeking God with our heart. But since God has also endowed us with a mind, why not use it? If he gave it to us, it is certainly so that we can use it. Thus, it is possible to appreciate God on two levels instead of just one: the mind and the heart. Personally, this seems to me more complete and also more balanced. This is also the case in our relationships with our human brothers and sisters with whom we discuss, we share opinions and visions that are sometimes different; we can also savor the simple pleasure of being in association with them and loving them. The same is true in our relationship with God. Jesus uses the logic of parables to demonstrate spiritual realities. In doing so, he invites us to reflect on the kingdom of God and therefore, to use our mind. In fact, why limit ourselves to the heart? I believe that we can love with our heart and with our head. For me, there are no contradictions between these two levels, but a certain complementarity. The head and the heart must go hand in hand; I love and I know why I love.
As for Jesus, he was well versed in the scriptures (which implies the use of his mind). On several occasions, we see him quoting the prophets; he had therefore studied them. Jesus was able to preserve what was good in the religion of his ancestors while incorporating the elements of a new revelation of God of which he was the incarnation. He was able to reconcile what was best in the traditions of his time while expressing this unique relationship that he lived with God in order to enlighten us on our own relationship with the source of all things. He also encouraged, according to the Urantia Book, the young Ganid, an Indian whom he was the tutor for two years, to make an inventory of all that is right about God in the religions of his time by asking him to study and reflect on the concepts presented by these different religions.
All this requires the involvement of both the heart and the mind. In reality, we are not just a heart, we have a mind, a soul and a spirit. God has given us all the tools possible to reach Him. So let us use all the resources that we have been endowed by God to be able to find Him.
3. … When we live in the here and now, we do not make projections for our future in the Universe, it is the here and now that prepares our future in the Universe.
The concept of the here and now mentioned in my reader’s email is very accurate. We must work at the level we are at now since it is this level that determines what we will become. I believe, however, that it is necessary to define the future directions of our life and this also concerns the spiritual life. The efforts we make in the here and now will always be influenced by the goals we have chosen for our future. It is true that it is preferable not to live in the reverie of a future that does not yet exist, but we must still choose what we want to become. The Urantia Book, through its magnificent demonstration of the goals of the universe and what awaits us after this life, gives a very concrete meaning to the work we accomplish here below since it will continue after the death of our physical body. Let us not forget that thinking about the future allows us to set goals for our development; The past is the accumulated experience on which we rely to choose the best means to achieve our ends. The here-now, on the other hand, is the concrete application of these means in everyday life. Thus, these 3 dimensions of time, past-present-future, are used in a unified whole; again, this seems to me to be a more complete and integrating approach.
I would like to thank you, dear reader, for taking the time to write to me and thus share your inner life with me. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. I wish you a safe journey.
If you have any comments on these thoughts, please feel free to write to me at belleaumarc@hotmail.com. I will be happy to read them.
Marc Belleau
¶ French-speaking discussion forum
HELLO EVERYONE! WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE NOW HAVE A FRENCH LANGUAGE DISCUSSION FORUM AVAILABLE AT www.urantia-uai.org.
This forum was created and is hosted by our national association AUI — Association Francophone des Lecteurs du Livre d’Urantia. You can find the French forum at www.urantia-uai.org by clicking on “forum” in the upper left corner of the page. You may need to refresh your screen when pages change.
We greatly appreciate the support of our Urantia family in France for our mission and thus providing this important study tool for all French speakers around the world.
We now have study forums in English, French and Spanish!
With love and friendship,
Rick Lyon
Executive Director of the AUI
¶ Thirteen Seminars after the study of Progressive Divine Wisdom
READER OF THE URANTIA BOOK SINCE 1977, THIRTY-THREE YEARS OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN STUDY GROUPS, SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE URANTIA MOVEMENT IN QUEBEC, VOLUNTEERING IN ALMOST ALL THE BOOK FAIRS IN QUEBEC FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE L.U., ARTICLES IN DIFFERENT URANTIAN MAGAZINES, ETC.
I wish to give here my testimony on the benefits that have been brought to me by the almost ten years of courses received by Moussa NDiaye on this profound study directly linked to the teachings of the Urantia Book of which these three words speak volumes, Progressive Divine Wisdom.
Here is an individual, a black African, who wants to come to Quebec to offer us in-depth seminars on consciousness and more. Teachings based on the Urantia Book. STOP! ALERT! BEWARE OF THE GURU! These were my first thoughts, as I usually do when it comes to carrying out an initial investigative analysis on what is close to my heart. Very wary of this man who was a complete stranger to me, I decided to register for the first seminar anyway, even if it meant discovering him and denouncing this unwanted manipulator.
Always on my guard, I still gave the runner a chance at the beginning. After a sincere request to the sky, overwhelming, brilliant, emotional and extraordinary answers came from all sides and necessarily my prejudices were erased and I could finally peacefully enjoy all these enlightening seminars.
I cannot reveal and put on paper everything good that has arisen in my consciousness and in my environment, because this is the story of a life, of a new life, but I will rather retain for you only the main thing or the principles and decisions that have actually changed my life.
Yes, these seminars describe the connection between God and us, but the beginning is completely brilliant. It is not the first time that we have heard of this saying from ancient times, wisely telling us: “know yourself and you will know the universe and the gods”, but it is the first time that I have really had the sincere experience of knowing myself.
These courses bring me into the presence of facts and this does not clash with science, philosophy or religion. Logically and reasonably, these teachings have led me, through small steps of reflection, to undertake a personal adventure and to want to know more about a better and more genuine approach to reaching the Truth and ultimately I discovered the art of living. That is to say all these values that I consider important for my personal development with regard to God and the Universe. And I learn all this through my own being, whether it is made of matter, mind and spirit. I realize that the path to follow is as important and exciting as the goal sought.
Obviously, Moussa divided us up and ordered the areas of learning of the courses into very specific fields for the needs of our human brain and that is good, because our mind works well like that, but in addition, he attracted our consciousness towards the Spirit of God. How could he give us that? I would answer that only those who possess can give. I consider that he had experimented with it in his own consciousness and in his soul and for him it is a fact, period.
From here begins the universality of the teachings of the seminars of the Progressive Divine Wisdom. They are in fact the study of my being, of beings and this continues until the complement of the increasingly conscious discovery of this Divine Source in me.
I also learned that with the study of these wonderful seminars, this progression is done smoothly. Moussa, thank you for asking us to experience the fact, because now I can talk about it and as you often say, I know what I am talking about.
What is the learning of true life? We are often told that we become more and more real as we get closer to the divine, to love, goodness and mercy. The method of these seminars is to integrate our entire being into the plan of normal and natural progression of the order of all things. And always respect, gentleness and our entire being is taken into consideration, there is never any violence or pressure that could harm our free will stated as priority in the decrees of the deities.
The desire to perfect myself as a son of God by faith is legitimate. The injunction to become perfect as Our Heavenly Father is perfect has been well established. But let us not be frightened by this immense task to be completed. Our Creator Father has given us very sharp tools. These thirteen seminars describe to us well how to use all these tools. Moussa has always insisted on describing to us and demonstrating to us that Our Heavenly Father has put in us human, everything we need to easily reach Him. We are well equipped.
Thank you Moussa for having succeeded in bringing my consciousness closer to its Divine Source. These thirteen seminars have allowed me to meet many people and it is thanks to you too my friends, I can call you my friends, can’t I? that I was able to look with another eye, the eye of faith, the eye of spiritual vision at the whole universe that surrounds me and supports me.
Gilles Bertrand,
Quebec
¶ The Creator
NO ONE COULD CLAIM TO DESCRIBE AND KNOW THE CREATOR IN HIS TOTALITY. BEGINNING WITH THE HUMAN-DIVINE EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS IN ETERNITY, WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM OUR HEAVENLY CREATOR.
I would like to share with you my point of view, my current thoughts regarding the Creator.
The Big Bang theory is a way like any other to explain the shower of stars that I see and that you see when the Sun is well set. Astronomy can only observe the facts and science only seeks to explain them without always being able to reproduce them to verify the theories from partial observations. So, many theories are called to change and certainly this one.
At one time, people believed firmly that the Earth was indeed flat and that it was the center of the entire universe. Our scientists have proven the opposite by observations and by logic based on facts. Perhaps men have confused the Earth with the island of Paradise which is particularly flat, but which is not an established fact.
Creation obeys laws. The Earth obeys laws. It is in space, in a stable position, rotating on itself and around a star whose name: the Sun, was given to it by the human race. By analogy, without wanting to compare man to God, HE decreed laws that allow the Universe to exist and be stable in what seems unstable, the universe being in perpetual motion. Our solar system is constantly moving. Scientists only observe and discover laws that govern our universe.
By similarity, thinking of men and women who write laws, so that we can function in different cultural frameworks in respect of one another, God in his perfection can only decree immutable laws which allow creation to take place and progress towards the goals set by the Creator himself.
So, God cannot be less than a PERSON, since HE is the Creator. The artist creates a creation, he is no less a person or the group of individuals who have made it. It is up to me as well as to you if you wish to discover him, to know him. You and I have a personal contact with HIM.
But who is HE? Many peoples, groups or persons call him God, THE SOURCE, THE LIVING FORCE, THE PRIMORDIAL, THE SPIRIT, THE ALMIGHTY, THE FATHER, THE CREATOR, THE PARENT, THE ESSENCE OF LIFE, THE ALL IN ALL, THE ONE, JEHOVAH, YAHWEH, ALLAH. By the name they give HIM, the surname has a meaning and an identification establishing a link of relationship with HIM. Even if you know someone’s name, but you do not enter into a relationship with him, you are not in a relationship with him. But as far as the God of all, the FATHER of creation, HE is accessible to each of us and through each of us. It is enough to enter into direct contact with HIM by opening the door of the house of our heart so that he fills it with his Love, Love that we can give back in turn. What a joy to be filled with an inexhaustible source of Love. This Love must not stagnate or rot, even if it is well preserved. It must, in my opinion, be freed by us, if we want to be like HIM, become the expression of his nature in Love, in beauty and truth.
God is spirit, God is Love. I am not the first to have read or heard it. For some of us who go or have gone to church, or if you prefer, to a place of communion, have heard these words. What do these words mean to me?
Among the definitions of the Maxi dictio, it is written for spirit: “Immaterial, incorporeal being, Breath of God, beneficent Creator.”
In Wikipedia, Love in part is defined as “Love designates a feeling of affection and attachment towards a being or a thing, which pushes those who feel it to seek a proximity, which can be physical, spiritual or even imaginary, with the object of this love, and to adopt a particular behavior (more or less rational) as a result.”
In this concept that at the dawn of creation God holding the totality of perfection decides to create and does so. HE creates a variety of universes so that we his creatures can participate in the experience of perfection by becoming perfect as HIMSELF is perfect. He creates the world that we know, our environment so that we can live there. HE supports the universe so that it does not collapse. HE controls the universe so that it is stable in movement. The world that he created is for us, so that we can live there. HE breathes life by organizing it so that we can appear there in the current form. HE gives us the essential tools to develop and especially to become aware of our existence and His. HE organizes us so that we can function admirably well despite what we may think. What a mistake to believe that God is not a benefactor despite our imperfection. He sends his Spirit to indwell us to guide us and teach us in the Spirit of God’s Love. So that we can experience perfection step by step, moving from imperfection to perfection to join him and go towards our destiny.
God is not fooled. In His infinite love, He allows us to progress infinitely. And we do it with HIM from now on. How wonderful that is!
His Love is so great that He personally comes with affection in human free will to live with us through His Spirit. In the parental experience of a loving human, this is the closest I as a human can get to the love of God, knowing that His love is beyond the boundaries of my understanding.
Julien Audet,
Montreal
¶ “OCCULT” PHENOMENA
PEOPLE ARE OFTEN INTRIGUED, EVEN ATTRACTED, BY THE MARVELOUS, THE UNUSUAL, THE “MAGIC” AND THE “COMMUNICATIONS” WITH THE BEYOND.
Most of us know at least one person who has told us about having had one or more “mystical experiences” of different kinds.
Man is by nature both material and spiritual. He oscillates, to varying degrees, according to his level of spiritual growth, between the physical world and the morontia world. It is therefore normal that from time to time such phenomena occur. We can speculate endlessly about their authenticity, and that does no harm to anyone, but where it becomes perilous is when the disclosure of these experiences becomes public.
If we witness some extraordinary phenomena, it may be because we personally need to witness them. The same experience could be harmful to other people, and also harmful to the Urantia community.
Some manipulators or gurus skillfully use this propensity that man has to believe in these phenomena. They will, for example, let it be understood, openly or half-heartedly, that they can, at will, enter into contact with the Midwayers or allow others to see them. This is only one example of the unfortunate consequences of publicizing what should be kept private. There are always a few “predators” who are waiting for their chance; it is up to us not to give it to them.
There is a reason why the Revelators have recommended that we avoid all efforts to achieve hasty and spectacular recognition. And that reason is that; it is through the harmonious resolution of our little daily struggles that we must demonstrate our spiritual and social maturity, and thus become ambassadors of this great revelation.
To understand cosmic situations, cosmic wisdom is essential. The Urantia Book UB 54:6.9 — §
Maurice Migneault
2010-08-29
¶ 2010 Activities Calendar
Trip to Saguenay by council members
October 9-10 and 11, 2010
Various presentations and meeting with readers
Sunday October 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
At the Holiday Inn Saguenay Hotel, in Jonquière
Theme Day
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Best Western Hotel St-Jérôme
Theme: To love is to serve
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Entrance fee $10
Christmas Dinner 2010
Saturday December 4, 2010
Restaurant the Academy
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
1730 Pierre Peladeau, Laval
Confirm your presence at 450-565-3323
¶ STUDY GROUPS
THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS MULTIPLE READERS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING TO SHARE AND STUDY THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK TOGETHER. IT PROMOTES SPIRITUAL PROGRESS BY ENABLING PARTICIPANTS TO FIND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE URANTIA BOOK IN THEIR DAILY LIVES. THIS IMPORTANT PRACTICE MAINTAINS A BROADER VIEW OF CONCEPTS OF TRUTH.
You wish to participate or form a study group; we will be happy to assist you. If you wish to have your study group appear in this list, contact the person in charge, via email association.urantia.quebec@gmail.com or at 450-565-3323.
Group: Découverte
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Laurentians Region Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre
Tel.: 450-565-3323
Group: Étoile du Soir
Every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Laurentides region
Carmen Charland
Tel.: 450-553-3601
Group: Le Pont
Every Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore of Montreal
Guy Vachon
Tel.: 450-465-7049
Group: Basses Laurentides
Every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Yvon or Irene Belle-Isle
Tel: 819-423-1240
Group: Mauricie Readers
Every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Three Rivers Region
Madeleine Boisvert and
Tel: 819-376-8850
Roger Perigny
819-379-5768
Group: Veritas
Every Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Montreal area, near the Church metro station
Lise and Pierre Routhier
Tel.: 514-761-2378
Sherbrooke Group
Every two weeks, Tuesday or Wednesday (to be confirmed)
From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Helene Boisvenue or Denis Gravelle
Tel.: 819 569-6416
Group: The Ascendants
Every two weeks on Sunday from 13 h 00 to 3:30 p.m.
South Shore of Quebec
Guy LeBlanc
Tel: 418-835-1809
Group: The Agondontarians
Every two weeks on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. North Shore of Quebec
Guy & Rolande L. Martin
Tel: 418-651-3851
Group: Les Débonnaires
Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Julien Audet
Tel: 514-315-9871
Group: Urantia Fraternity
Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Lanaudière region
Richard Landry & Gisèle Boisjoly
Tel: 450-589-6922
Group: Vers les Sommets
Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Regions Ormstown & Valleyfield
Louise Sauve
Tel: 450-829-3631
Group: The United Urantia Family
Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Montreal region
Mrs. Diane Labrecque
Tel: 514-277-2308
Disclaimer: Any interpretations, opinions, conclusions or artistic representations, stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Urantia Association International or local and national level associations.