© 2015 Gilles Brien, Normand Laperle, Joseph Bruny, Réal Demers, Line St-Pierre
© 2015 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ Urantia International Association Conference in Sherbrooke
Gilles Brien
Laval
They say that encounters in life are like the winds. Some caress us, others knock us to the ground. The UAI conference this summer of 2015, in the heart of the Eastern Townships, was marked by a hurricane of unforgettable encounters and new friendships. People from 19 countries were represented. More than 225 people were able to participate in the conference. Unfortunately, dozens of others had their visa applications refused by the Canadian authorities. Here are the countries that were represented: Colombia, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany. Holland, Ukraine, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, England, Senegal, Congo, Haiti, Peru, Greece, Korea, United States, Mexico, China and… Canada. Personally, I was very impressed when, on the first evening of the conference, at the opening of the plenary sessions, the master of ceremonies, Guy Perron, invited people to come to the microphone. Hearing so many different languages, names and accents overwhelmed me. Seeing so many foreign faces, readers from 4 continents (Australia was missing) filled me with joy and surprise. All age groups were represented, and that was what surprised me the most. The oldest participant, a former member of the Forum, was probably much older than 80 years old. And there were nine children, some under 2 years old.
Among my most beautiful encounters during the conference were the two female pianists, the Russian Yulia Lebedeva (left) and the American Rebecca Oswald (right).
Their musical performances, which were much appreciated by all, gave participants a glimpse of what the music of the spheres can sound like! This congress was a success all round.
¶ The Parliament of the World’s Religions
Normand Laperle
Lévis
From October 15 to 19, 2015, an international congress called the “Parliament of World Religions” will take place in “Salt Lake City” (Utah, U.S.A.). 10,000 people from 80 different countries are expected to attend. 50 religions will be represented, including the “Urantia International Association”.
Since 1993, this event has taken place every five years in a major international city: Chicago (USA) in 1993; Cape Town (South Africa) in 1999; Barcelona (Spain) in 2004; Melbourne (Australia) in 2009.
Each time, we discuss current issues on our planet. This year, the chosen themes are: climate and environmental issues, war, violence and hate speech, and economic inequality. The conferences will be followed by discussion workshops.
The entire day of October 15 will be reserved to hear women’s perspectives on these and other topics that particularly affect them.
This is an opportunity to affirm that peace on our planet is still possible through openness to others, listening, dialogue and love for our neighbor; in short, through a real spiritual approach. At the new meeting, attendance is growing.
The Foundation, the Fellowship and the Urantia Association will have a joint booth at this event (as they have done since 1993). And once again, many readers of “The Urantia Book” from all over the world, including Quebec, will converge on this unique event.
In a future Réflectivité, you will have the pleasure of reading, first-hand, our impressions.
See you soon…
[The Father] . . . the universality of his love brings into being a relationship of the whole, the universal brotherhood. (UB 12:7.8)
¶ Letter from Haiti: Promised report on Urantia books received in Haiti
From: Joseph Bruny (Haiti)
(For the Urantia Book Readers Group in Haiti)
A: Line St-Pierre
Dear sister
I must begin by apologizing for taking so long to send you the promised report. But as they say, “better late than never.”
We sincerely thank the Urantia Foundation and the Urantia Association of Quebec for the books they helped us find in Haiti.
These books have helped us enormously and are of great use to us, because before these books came, people would get together and share reading together in one or two books that were available. Now the readers of the study group have the opportunity to own their own book. With the value collected for the books, added to our small contribution, the group was able to pay for a space in a hotel to meet every Sunday from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Nearly twenty Urantia books have been sold, unfortunately the buyers are not all regular readers, however we hope for a favorable impact in the future, given that the people who ask us about The Urantia Book are the elites of organized religions, esotericists and academics.
The books have always arrived safely and the last box brought by our brother Joseph Bruny has arrived safely. We will do our best to make the Fifth Revelation well known in Haiti. Brothers Nelson and Garry particularly thank our brother and friend Gaétan for the new French edition of Urantia that he sent them.
Concerning the congress which took place in Sherbrooke, the good news was received according to the report of our brother Bruny.
The entire group of readers of the Urantia Book of Haiti greets you, is truly grateful to you and expects to meet you at the next congress which will be held.
¶ Humility
Real Demers
Laval
“Where there is humility, there is no more humiliation” (“Speaking of Epictetus”, by Jacques Sénéchal, in Le bonheur philosophe_). Indeed, in the midst of the incomprehension of others, you know that they cannot reach you with their selfish attitude if the goodness in you is more than sufficient to counter their assaults.
If others hurt us by criticizing the image we want others to have of ourselves, it is because we hold on to this image. When we have no pride, we cannot be hurt in our pride, Krishnamurti tells us. It is the same when we have given everything, nothing more can be taken from us. This is an ideal of life; we must not despair if we cannot settle into it completely. It is however good to know that happiness is all the greater the closer we get to this ideal. “When we deprive ourselves of everything, we end up lacking nothing” according to one of my brothers-in-law.
When we know that life is not truly fulfilled only by the gift of self, we no longer waste time looking elsewhere for fleeting satisfactions. Indeed, seeking consolation from the people around us often risks only bringing disappointments, because true consolation in us only comes when we console others. We can then compare our states of mind to an overflowing well, because to overflow, a well must first be full, and only this fullness makes water abundant, enough to give to whoever wants it without risking running out.
While we console others, we feel the consolation that settles in us, coming from the divine Spirit that floods us with its love and through us, overflows towards others who are not yet aware of this inner wealth that is found in each of them. This divine Spirit, feeling temporarily incapable of invading others from the inside, passes through us to fly towards them that it cannot reach otherwise and leaves us this sweet feeling of doing good around us.
Indeed, it is the awareness of the greatness of one’s soul that allows us to accept the most humble tasks of service without complaining about not obtaining notoriety or recognition from others.
¶ Change in the vice-presidency of the AUQ
The management
Normand Laperle was elected vice-president on an interim basis (until the 2016 general meeting), following the resignation of Luciano Camellini (for personal reasons).
The four current members of the AUQ Board of Directors are: Maurice Mignault as president, Normand Laperle as vice-president (interim), Robert Cadieux as secretary and Marc Belleau as treasurer.
The executive positions on the AUQ Board of Directors are elected positions. They each last for two years, with a maximum of two successive terms. Each year, two new positions are renewed by election at the annual general meeting. In 2016, the positions of vice-president and secretary will be renewed. The current position of vice-president is considered interim and does not count as a term.
“Religious faith is available alike to the learned and the unlearned.” (UB 101:2.15)
¶ Union of religions through pure spirituality
Normand Laperle
Lévis
The Current Dead End in World Religions
The Larousse dictionary defines religion as a “determined set of beliefs and dogmas defining the relationship between man and the sacred. A set of specific practices and rites specific to each of these beliefs.” When reading this definition, we are confronted with an obvious fact. If we start with beliefs, dogmas and practices, it is not tomorrow that we will see all the religions of the world unite into one.
Another obvious fact immediately appears to me: it is not by trying to flatten beliefs, dogmas and practices that religions will be able to come together to form a single one. It is an impossible mission. We would have to start from somewhere else.
By saying “elsewhere,” I am not necessarily pointing to “The Urantia Book.”
The Urantia Book uses a very interesting subtlety to facilitate this union: it redefines the word “religion.” It proposes that religion be seen as a personal rather than an institutional endeavor. Which fits oddly with my definition of “spirituality.”
This similarity could be part of another article later. For the particular purpose of this article, I will stick to presenting “pure spirituality.”
Let’s talk about spirituality
What can unite everyone around a single religion is not necessarily something higher: another belief system or religion. It could also be something lower: something more fundamental to everything that already exists in our religions. The key word here is “fundamental.”
I propose to examine the possibility that this something is the notion of “pure spirituality.” Pure, in the sense of “base.” Pure in the sense of “essence.” Pure, also, in the sense of “simplicity.”
Research to define spirituality
As I rummage through the spiritual and theological books in religious bookstores, I discover that there is no book that defines spirituality in its pure state. The specialists who live in this environment, priests, religious and theologians, sometimes seem to take the word spirituality and spiritual for granted; as if everyone would know what it is about. In fact, it is quite otherwise.
As I dug deeper into my research, I made a surprising discovery. Everyone who has tried to define spirituality readily admits that it is not easy. Many admit directly that it is not definable. Others attempt definitions that differ from one person to another. In the end, everyone has their own definition. In other words, no one knows for sure.
I present to you the following quote where theologians themselves admit their dismay: “Because it is inhabited by the Living, spirituality is itself alive. This is perhaps what makes it so difficult to grasp. Everything tries to define [spirituality] closely and to bring out an adequate ‘operational definition’ can only guarantee one thing: a false representation of the complexity, depth and fluidity of spirituality._” (Title of the book: “Recognizing the spirituality of toddlers”, Éliane Champagne [doctor of practical theology], Éd. Novalis, (2005) p.22.) (The bold is mine).
A First Realization: While everyone has their own definition of spirituality, mine may be as good as anyone else’s.
After digging through a good fifteen religious books in order to understand spirituality, I made another observation. There are several books of the following style: “The History of Christian Spirituality” (Author: Bernard Peyrous [Priest, theologian and author of several books in this field], Edition: de l’Émmanuel). In my opinion, this book should have been called “The Historical Evolution of Christian Beliefs”. The author seems to confuse “spirituality” and “beliefs”.
After all this research, I finally came back to the “Urantia Book” to continue my research. Unfortunately, it does not contain any specific definition of the word “spirituality” or “spiritual”. So we have to dig…and make our own discoveries.
Why am I telling all this?
It seems to me that there is no one, outside of “The Urantia Book”, who takes into account a very precise reality of spirituality: “Spiritual gravity” which the “Urantia Book” speaks about abundantly. This new notion changes everything…
Pure Spirituality
Andon and Fonta, who lived 1 million years ago (500,000 years before the arrival of the Planetary Prince) were spiritual enough to wake up on the morontia worlds. How can this be explained?
One thing is certain: no need for theology courses to arrive at the same result. No need even to know how to read or write. Even less to belong to a religion or to perform specific rites. No need to adhere to dogmatic beliefs.
Spirituality is something super simple. It is inherent to who we are. Humans are naturally built to be spiritual. Kind of like a sixth sense. We don’t have to struggle to become spiritual. We just have to let ourselves go like a child and grasp what manifests within us.
The Pull-Push
There is a “Spiritual Gravity” that originates in the eternal Son: “The pure and universal spirit gravity [spiritual gravity] _of all creation, this exclusively spiritual circuit, leads directly back to the person of the Second Source and Center in Paradise.” UB 1:1.1.
Every person feels this gravity within himself. It prompts a person to spiritualize himself. The person feels a pull [“pull”] by a [subtle] force that comes to seek him from without. One day the child makes a gesture that has spiritual value. On our world, it is then that the Adjuster arrives. After which the person feels a new force: the push [“push”], which emanates from within to without.
You can’t get any purer than that in terms of spirituality. You feel drawn and/or pushed towards this universal source. It’s the basis of the basis.
Andon and Fonta felt it. Young children feel it. Atheists feel it. At first it is unconscious in a person. By focusing one’s self-consciousness on one’s inner self, it can easily become conscious.
To feel the pull of spiritual gravity. To feel the push of the Adjuster. And follow. That is living pure spirituality.
¶ Upcoming AUQ activities
Holiday Brunch 2015
Sunday, December 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. readers and their spouses are invited to come socialize and have a meal together during this period of rejoicing at the Best Western Hotel at 420 boul. Monseigneur Dubois in St-Jérôme.
Places are limited and we ask that you reserve before December 6th at association.urantia.quebec@gmail.com or by calling 450-565-3323
Line St-Pierre
Responsible for the Communications Committee
¶ 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.
Outaouais Group
Gatineau Region
Tuesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Maurice Migneault:
(613) 789-6833
Group : “Sans Frontière”
Hawkesbury Region
Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Yvon and Irene Belle-Isle: (613) 632-5706
Group : “Laurantia”
Petite Nation region in Outaouais
Sundays from 9:00 a.m.
Denise Charron & Jean-Claude Lafrenière Tel: (819) 983-2113
Group: “Découverte”
Laurentides Region
Mondays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre
Tel.: (450) 565-3323
Group : “Étoile du Soir”
Laurentides Region
Wednesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Carmen Charland: (450) 553-3601
Group : “Vers les Sommets”
Ormstown & Valleyfield Regions
Fridays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Louise Sauvé: (450) 829-3631
Group: “Fraternité-Urantia”
Lanaudière region
Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Richard Landry & Gisèle Boisjoly Tel: (450) 589-6922
Group: “The United Family of Urantia”
Montreal Region
Tuesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Ms. Diane Labrecque: (514) 277-2308
Group : “Le Pont”
South Shore region of Montreal
Thursdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Guy Vachon: (450) 465-7049
Group: “At Maisonia”
Quebec region
Every 2 weeks: Sundays from 1:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud:
(418) 871-4564
Group: “The Ascendants”
South Shore region of Quebec
Every 2 weeks: Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Guy Le Blanc: (418) 886-2366
Sherbrooke Group
Sherbrooke region
Every 2 weeks: Tuesdays or Wednesdays (to be confirmed) from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Hélène Boisvenue and Denis Gravelle Tel.: (819) 569-6416
Group: “Readers of Mauricie”
Three Rivers Region
Mondays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Roger Périgny: (819) 379-5768
Group : “Les Débonnaires”
Terrebonne region
Every 2 weeks: Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Julien Audet: (514) 315-9871
Group: “The Agondontarians”
Quebec region
Every 2 weeks: Sundays from 13 h 00 to 4:00 p.m.
Guy & Rolande L. Martin: (418) 651-3851
¶ Réflectivité
Responsible: Normand Laperle
Assisted by: Gilles Bertrand.
(418) 835-1809 (Normand Laperle)
(418) 871-4564 (Gilles Bertrand)
Publication (monthly)
In the first week of the month.
To send us your articles and/or contact us:
reflectivite.auq@gmail.com
Add: Your name And city of residence .
Warning :
All submissions of articles or otherwise become the property of the journal and none will be returned.
We do not guarantee that all articles in our possession will be published in the next Réflectivité.
For the sake of fairness, we operate on a first-come, first-published basis. There is one exception to this rule: if I receive an article that discusses recent, past, or future events, it will be given priority over all others.
We reserve the right to edit articles for the benefit of the readership. However, in certain specific cases, these changes will be submitted to the author concerned for final approval before publication.
Any interpretation, opinion, conclusion or artistic representation, stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion and views of the UAI or national and local level associations.