© 2012 Johanne Séguin, Guy Viau, Éric Martel, Line St-Pierre, Robert Ezri
© 2012 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ Meeting of the women’s committee
ON A BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY, WARM FRIDAY in August, six women had responded to the Women’s Committee meeting to share their ideas and ideals. This fifth meeting proved to be rich in meaning and certainly decisive for the orientations of the women present that day.
A heated discussion of divinity and firm and assured will took a turn… What if we forgot the obstacles, the distances that separate us and dared. Dared to take the time, give ourselves the time to create; create the legacy that we wish to leave to the women of our time?
Each sharing her spiritual journey, we certainly had there a beautiful team of daughters of God who were truly personally living the divine experience. What if we joined forces and went even further through this unified force? We had to find a common meaning to this concept of association to get out of our comfort zones and light the flame of our torchbearer… After all, don’t they say that women are the torchbearers of morality and the spiritual director of humanity? This is a title that is truly worth bearing and of which we should be proud.
In joining forces, it was crucial that we clarify the initial question; what do we want to do together? It was absolutely necessary to make our objective clear and determine the value of our action. We had to find a resonance that would inspire everyone… Here, there is no question of diploma or scientific expertise; each person’s contribution is precious, especially since the person who has this desire to serve women spiritually is worth their weight in gold.
Although the forerunners of this committee are full of ideas and are determined to work and make spiritual teachings accessible, little will be achieved if the whole does not support the part. The committee therefore invites any woman who has faith and lives ardently according to the teachings of the revelation to join them in perfecting our action.
We will continue to keep you informed of our efforts and hope for your prayers to support us. Let us not forget that we are only at the beginning of this spiritual adventure with the revelation, great things await us, let us keep the fervor and hope alive. We are the precursors of divine reality.
And as I like to remember the words of my friend Louise who told me at the end of the meeting; we will get there Johanne, we will light the flame!
Johanne Seguin
¶ Social evolution OR HOW CIVILIZATION MUST PROGRESS ACCORDING TO THE DIVINE PLAN (PART 1)
OUR PLANET, URANTIA, IS the 606th planet on which life has appeared in the local system of Satania. The Life Carriers responsible for the implantation of life on our world have decreed that it is a decimal planet, upon which experiments are permitted.
The Urantia Book provides us with some examples of these experiments attempted on our world and their consequences. Let us note, among others:
- the emergence of certain microorganisms which subsequently degenerated into parasitic viruses and are the source of many current infectious diseases;
- the attempt to make a placental mammal appear much earlier in animal evolution;
- the introduction of a new clotting factor into the blood allowing faster and more efficient healing of wounds;
- the attempt to evolve an animal that is part horse and part elephant;
- the appearance of a human race prior to the six colored races, followed by the sudden appearance of the six colored races, at the same time and from the same parents.
All these factors, and many others, clearly demonstrate that our planet is experimental and that new and unprecedented things have occurred there. But we should not make the mistake of thinking that this is the cause of all our misfortunes. In no case can the fact of being a decimal planet be the cause of dysfunction of the divine plan of evolution?
But the establishment of life on no world is ever experimental in the sense that something untried and unknown is attempted. The evolution of life is a technique ever progressive, differential, and variable, but never haphazard, uncontrolled, nor wholly experimental, in the accidental sense. (UB 65:4.2)
The experimental aspect does not imply that the Life Carriers try things that carry a level of risk to the development of a planet. Experiments conducted on a world are always moderate—conservative—and low-risk.
No, the problems of our planet are rather the consequences of the Lucifer Rebellion. Around 200,000 years BC, Caligastia the Planetary Prince joined the Rebellion and immediately stopped following the divine plan of planetary evolution chosen for our world. This plan has never been followed since that time and we have continued to deviate from it.
The consequences have been felt on every level—social, scientific, political, moral, religious, racial, and more. The authors of the UB tell us that there has been more good than evil as a result of the Rebellion, that we are called to become Agondontars in the House world, that the exploits of human beings like Amadon have done more to inspire the universe than many revelations. I do not doubt this for a moment. Years of meditation on this subject have finally convinced me that this must indeed be the case.
However, in the meantime, we have a planet to manage and a civilization to save from the wreckage. It is our duty as citizens of this planet, and I believe that the authors of UB want it too, they who have left us clues here and there in the pages of the book to guide us in the right direction.
I think we all know what needs to be done to change the world, but how to go about it and, above all, the order in which the different stages of these changes must occur remain to be studied very seriously. We cannot embark on such an adventure blindly, especially since we have lost our extrahuman guides to help us in this task.
¶ THE STAGES OF PLANETARY LIFE
In order to better understand the succession of stages that a civilization must go through to finally reach the stage of Light and Life, let us quickly review the different stages of planetary evolution and see how they follow one after the other.
THE PRIMITIVE STADIUM
This is the stage of the initial appearance of life on earth. The stage during which humanity learns to control fire and to make crude tools. The clan is the social grouping par excellence of this stage and humanity has not yet learned to live in a complex society, with all that this implies.
THE PLANETARY PRINCE STADIUM
After the arrival of the Planetary Prince, a new era is inaugurated, during which humanity learns to live in society. This is the era of social development. Great civilizations can develop during this stage, although technological innovations remain modest.
THE ADAMIC STADIUM
The arrival of the Material Son and Daughter inaugurates the stage of biological evolution on earth. During this age, democratic governments appear and science completely changes the way of life of humanity.
THE AVONAL SON STADIUM
Once a world has been visited by an Avonal Son, an era begins in which art and philosophy triumph. It is also the time that inaugurates a great religious development. The races are completely mixed and national states tend to disappear in favor of a growing internationalism.
THE STAGE OF THE SON OF EFFUSION
The fifth planetary stage is the stage of spiritual development of a world. Human beings in such a world regard their fellow man as their brother and sister. An increasing number of individuals reach the third psychic circle and devote themselves to doing the will of God in their lives.
THE STADIUM OF THE INSTRUCTOR SONS
This stage is that of wisdom. Humanity is now illuminated by a new light which brings it an expanded cosmic clairvoyance.
THE STAGE OF LIGHT AND LIFE
When humanity is anchored in light and life, it realizes on earth the morontia ideal of life. More and more human beings attain the first psychic circle and fuse with their Adjuster.
The divine plan foresees the succession of steps that must lead us towards this ideal. It has been proven that the order in which these steps must follow is perfect and cannot be changed. However, this is precisely where we have gone wrong.
Now let’s see in what order these steps should be taken and why.
¶ STAGES OF EVOUBTION OF A CIVILIZATION
How do we assess the progress of a given civilization? There are several factors that serve to measure the progress of a civilization. Let’s look at the main ones.
Politics: The political institutions of any society are a good indicator of its progress. A democratic society—or one with representative government—is obviously more advanced.
Civic: The degree to which the citizens of a society identify with it and understand their duties towards it. The sense of civic duty that makes us responsible and involved citizens, that gives us a scale of values in which the collective good comes before the personal good. The sense of civic duty is more advanced in an advanced society.
Economic: Economic prosperity is another factor used to measure the progress of a civilization. Economic prosperity is both stimulated and enabled by a favorable set of other factors, including the political institutions in place.
Scientific: The degree of evolution of science allows us to measure the progress of a civilization.
Technological: We should not make the mistake of measuring the progress of a society solely by its technological advancement or scientific development. Science and technology are factors in measuring civilization, but there are others.
Artistic: The development of the arts and the place that artists occupy in society.
Intellectual: The evolution of thought, philosophy.
Religious: The religious concepts held by a society are a very good measure of civilization. A primitive society will have an anthropomorphic conception of God and a negative religious view, based on punishment and retribution, while a more evolved society will have a more mature conception of God and the place of humans in the cosmos.
These are some of the key factors that measure the progress of a civilization. The Divine Plan provides that these different factors will evolve in a certain way and in a specific order. However, on our world, this order has not been followed. And this has serious consequences for the state of our world. The Divine Plan has provided a specific order in which these different factors must evolve and it is imperative that this order be followed. As soon as a Planetary Prince arrives on a world, the Plan is put into execution and is continued until the world is anchored in Light and Life.
For a world to achieve this utopian ideal, all of the above factors must have reached their full fruition, but this must not be done haphazardly. Let us now examine the order in which a civilization should progress and why.
Guy Viau
Gatineau
¶ Study Group Hosts Meet
ON AUGUST 11, I ATTENDED the study group hosts meeting at the Best Western Hotel in St-Jérôme.
What an inspiring day it was, meeting the founders or leaders of these study groups, all people committed to their fellow human beings and who never tire of studying The Urantia Book and trying to put its teachings into practice.
Gaétan Charland gave us a portrait of the study groups to date. We were happy to note that Quebec has the most groups, all things considered. But it is clear that there are very few worldwide. He presented us with a project for study groups that will replace the themes for the time being.
This project consists of preparing, within the study groups, a presentation on a given subject and going to give this presentation to another group. Chantal Chartier shared her experience with us and gave us a 101 course on the construction and preparation of a presentation. Finally, Gaétan gave us a definition of what a goal, an objective and a strategy are. This was followed by a round table discussion on the subject.
There are at least two things that I took away from that day. I had known for a long time that, as an individual reader of The Urantia Book, I should not be alone and that I should be in contact with other readers. We all remember the joy we felt the first time we met someone with whom we could talk about it. I realized and understood that the same was true for study groups and that the project of going to make presentations to the groups was the ideal tool to build bonds between the groups and create a much greater sense of unity. Furthermore, preparing a presentation involves an in-depth study of a topic in the book and going to present it will develop teaching skills.
In the afternoon Gaétan spoke to us about goal, objective and strategy. I admit that at the time I asked myself, why this particular theme? After the round table work, it became obvious that we all had a rather vague understanding of these three simple words.
In summary, the goal is a direction, a general project whose deadline is not fixed in time. Objectives are temporal, tangible and achievable markers to achieve the goal. Strategies consist of defining coherent actions according to a sequential logic to achieve the objectives.
I have come to understand that whether as an individual, as a study group or as a larger association, having a good understanding of what a goal, an objective, a strategy is allows you to progress much more quickly. It is so elementary, even secular associations proceed in this way.
The revelators tell us: “you must form thousands of study groups…” If the YOU in this sentence is not US, who is it?
I believe that the celestial beings assisting us want us to do everything in our power to energize and make the study groups even more alive. The healthier and more numerous the groups are, the more readers will be interested in joining or even forming one.
Our Master Son and the planetary government of Urantia need human beings like us to, as Gaetan said, “build the foundations of the next planetary age.” Can we really do only half of what we are capable of? Are we ready to walk the second mile?
In recent years, the most important factor in my desire to become involved in a study group and in the A.U.Q. is the understanding that there is no separation between life here and morontia life. However, it is probably not until we reach the mansion worlds that we will realize the importance and value of our actions.
Yours sincerely,
Eric Martel
¶ Leather Cases for Little Urantia Book
A few months ago, the Foundation got rid of some 120 cases for the Little Urantia Books. AUQ only had to pay the shipping costs and therefore can sell them to you for $5 plus postage.
Let me know if you are interested in receiving one, either by email at line.stpierre@gmail.com or by phone at 450-565-3323.
Line St-Pierre
¶ Michael’s Birthday, Joshua Ben Joseph (Jesus)
ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2012, A picnic gathering readers and their spouses took place at Angrignon Park in Montreal. As every year, this meeting is organized by the Urantia Association of Quebec. The weather was most favorable to us. About thirty beautiful personalities were present. The harmony and joy of the reunion were palpable. This day is an opportunity to remember the coming of our creator. There was indeed an atmosphere of beautiful sweetness. This event is indeed an opportunity to meet certain personalities that one would not otherwise meet.
Before cutting the cake for Jesus’ birth, Gaétan Charland read us from The Urantia Book the circumstances of this birth 2018 years ago.
It’s a date for next year.
Robert Ezri
¶ AUQ 2012 ACTIVITY CALENDAR
Holiday Brunch
Sunday December 2nd
Best Western Hotel St-Jérôme
¶ STUDY GROUPS
THIS ACTIVITY ALLOWS MULTIPLE READERS OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING to share and study together the teachings of The Urantia Book. It promotes spiritual progress by allowing its participants to find practical applications to the teachings of The Urantia Book in their daily lives. This important practice helps to maintain a broad perspective on 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: 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
The Partners of the Supreme
Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Richard Lachance
Tel: (418) 614-2520 or (418) 933-0244 (cell)
At Maisonia
Every two weeks on Monday from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Quebec region
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud
Tel: 418-871-4564
Group: Uni-Terre
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Lanaudière region
Eric Martel
Tel: 450-756-9387
Group: Laurantia
Every Sunday from 9:00 a.m.
Petite Nation region in Outaouais
Denise Charron & Jean-Claude Lafreniere
Tel: 819-983-2113
Group: The Precursors of Divine Reality
Every two weeks on Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Laurentides region
Mrs. Johanne Séguin
Tel: 819-327-3237
Group: Sans Frontiére
Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Hawkesbury region
Yvon and Irene Belle-Isle
Tel: 613-632-5706
Group: from Outaouais
Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Ottawa Region
Maurice Migneault
Tel: 613-789-6833
Group: The Alphée Brothers
Sunday
Thetford Mines region
Sylvère Marcoux
Tel: 418-332-3560
Group: The South Shore Lighthouse
Every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
South Shore region of Montreal
Luciano Camellini and Dominique Marchessault
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.