© 2024 Gaétan G. Charland,
© 2024 Urantia Association of Quebec
¶ Summary
- What does The Urantia Book say about democracy? ChatGPT
- Create a study group, Gaétan Charland
- Articles in French on Urantiapedia Claude Flibotte
- Thought, Progress and Destiny Mark Kurtz
- About the seven psychic circles Claude Flibotte
- The family: the fundamental unit of brotherhood Hara Davis
- My point of view on Thought Adjuster André Desjardins
- How can your Réflectivité journal better meet your needs? Claude Flibotte
- Study groups
¶ Word from the President August 2024
Gaetan G. Charland
president@urantiaqc.organique
Dear readers and members of the association,
I hope you are enjoying the summer to the fullest and taking time to rest and travel if that is part of your vacation plans. We are all well informed about current events in the world, and it is possible that some of you are worried about the current situation, whether political, social, religious or spiritual.
As president of the Urantia Association of Quebec, I have never discussed political subjects with you, except to make vague references to the troubling conditions that we observe in the world. I am sure that many of you are informed by the media and, of course, the Internet on the political situation south of our border. Nor do I wish to dictate your political, social, religious, and even less spiritual choices.
¶ Topic — What does The Urantia Book say about democracy?
According to ChatGPT
The Urantia Book presents a critical, yet nuanced perspective on democracy. Here are some key points it raises:
- Inherent Value of Democracy: The Urantia Book recognizes the value of democracy as a system that acknowledges the dignity and worth of individuals. It appreciates the principle of government “by the people, for the people” as a significant step in the social and political evolution of humanity.
- Limitations and challenges: Despite its recognized value, The Urantia Book highlights several limitations and challenges inherent in democratic systems:
- Popularity over competence: He criticizes the tendency of democracies to value popularity over competence, where leaders are elected based on their ability to appeal to the masses rather than their qualifications or short-term: Democracies often focus on short-term goals and immediate benefits to gain votes, sometimes at the expense of long-term planning and stability.
- Potential for mediocrity: There is a concern that democracy can lead to mediocrity, where the lowest common denominator sets the standard, potentially stifling exceptional leadership and innovation.
- Education and Awareness: The book emphasizes the importance of education and awareness for a successful democracy. An informed and educated electorate is considered crucial for making informed decisions and choosing competent leaders.
- Evolutionary Nature: Democracy is viewed as an evolving system that reflects the growing political maturity and social consciousness of humanity. It suggests that over time, as societies evolve and individuals become more spiritually and intellectually advanced, democratic systems will improve and become more effective.
- Spiritual Leadership: The Urantia Book emphasizes the need for spiritual leadership and moral guidance in democracies. It argues that without a foundation of ethical and spiritual values, democratic systems are prone to corruption and ineffectiveness.
In summary, The Urantia Book appreciates the democratic ideal, but emphasizes the need for continuous improvement, education, and moral leadership to address its inherent flaws and realize its full potential.
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (May 30 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
¶ Create a study group
Gaetan G. Charland
Boucherville
You have decided or are considering starting your own study group. In this presentation, we will explore the essential elements to consider for successfully setting up and sustaining your study group.
Before starting a study group, it is important to answer some basic questions:
- Why create a study group?
- What is the goal I want to achieve with this group?
- Am I ready to devote several years to this project?
- Will the group be virtual, in person, or both?
- How many people do I want to accommodate?
- Where will the meetings take place?
- How often will the meetings take place?
- Will my family support my decision?
¶ CHRIST EXPERIMENT’S — The School of Ambassadors
The Ambassadors School offers the opportunity to refine your approach technique with the people you meet or those who cross your path, by bringing them a little more light.
Thanks to this training, The Ministry of the Master, you will be able to experience enlightening and edifying your brothers and sisters as Jesus did while going his way. After your registration, according to your availability, you will be able to choose the time to connect to the internet and follow as many lessons as you wish, depending on the time you have each time. Each lesson varies from 20 to 30 minutes. Dare to register!
Click on the REGISTER link and make a difference in your approach to others.
¶ Articles in French on Urantiapedia
Claude Flibotte
Sainte-Julie
The administrator of the Urantiapedia Website put online, last June, a host of articles in French made from a translation of English publications on the subject of the Urantia Book. Here is the text published on the Urantiapedia Website of the list of these publications and the links to read them in French:
¶ Thought, progress and destiny
Mark Kurtz
UNITED STATES
The mind is a wonderful gift to use! Without the mind, we would have no life to think and dream; no curiosity to seek answers to difficult questions. The mind is for storing, exploring, and deciding. It is given by the higher mind for ever greater adventures in the discovery of truth. The first important question, in my humble opinion, is only three words: What is true? (or replace “true” with “real”). Apply this to all of life’s activities for adventurous curiosity! The mind allows us to dream of possibilities. Thought allows us to become aware of the higher mind that knows our needs and has developed a progressive plan for each person.
¶ About the Seven Psychic Circles
Claude Flibotte
Sainte-Julie
Following my reading about the seven psychic circles described in The Urantia Book, I often wondered how I could identify which circle I was in at the time of these questions. Is it even possible to know? What can I base myself on to get an idea in my investigation? Knowing that mastering these circles is not the equivalent of merging with my Adjuster (UB 110:6.1), if I could recognize the stages, perhaps I could facilitate the moment of fusion! My first instinct is to refer to the book!
¶ The family: the fundamental unit of fraternity
Hara Davis
England
(Here is the most recent work to help you study the Urantia Book produced by Hara Davis and translated by Lucas Perier, available on amazon.ca)
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
The Urantia Book emphasizes the family as the fundamental social unit and as a crucial factor in the development of individuals and society. In this study aid, we examine the family as the basic building block of human civilization.
¶ My take on the Thought Adjuster
André Desjardins
St-Alexis-des-Monts
Foreword
The Urantia Book is probably the only book in which the designation “Thought Adjuster” is used, and few equivalents exist in religious or philosophical literature. From the spiritual standpoint, it is represented as the essence of the highest level of divinity bestowed upon personalities at the lowest hierarchy of will-living beings. Will-mortals are the only personality type in which the Thought Adjuster can dwell in their minds and amalgamate into a single entity. Several variations of its designation are described and used in The Urantia Book, such as Mystery Monitors, Presence of God, Bestowal of the Universal Father, Image of God, Spiritual Presence of the Universal Father. UB 108:6.3. All of these designations represent the Thought Adjuster to the will-mortals of time and space according to their own conception. Although their origin is a perfect reflection of the divine personality of God, they are prepersonal and can manifest and express themselves only through a mortal volition personality, and only through them can they experience living perfection. The bestowal of personality by the Universal Father decreed that the self-will of volition beings predominates over the prepersonal origin of the Thought Adjuster.
¶ How can your Réflectivité journal better meet your needs?
Claude Flibotte
Sainte-Julie
Hello dear readers of your journal Réflectivité! There are nearly two hundred of us on your journal’s mailing list who benefit from news and opinions from readers of The Urantia Book. As editor-in-chief of your monthly, I wonder if this publication exactly meets your expectations. What more could the journal team do to motivate your interest in this fifth epochal revelation? I expect you to share your ideas with me by writing to me at the following email address: c_flibotte@videotron.ca.
¶ Study groups
This activity allows several readers of different levels of understanding to exchange 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 approach allows us to keep a broad point of view on the 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.
The team of your opinion journal Réflectivité would like to give you a voice, so please send us your texts and photos!
Group: “The United Family of Urantia”
Region: Montreal
Mondays, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Diane Labrecque (514) 774-7733
Group: “Découverte”
Region: Montérégie (Boucherville)
Mondays, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Gaétan Charland and Line St-Pierre Tel.: (450) 565-3323
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Group: “Uni-Earth”
Region: Joliette
Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Eric Martel (450) 756-9387
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Group : “Le Pont”
Region: Montérégie (Sainte-Julie)
Wednesdays, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Claude Flibotte (438) 404-6399
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Sherbrooke Group
Region: Sherbrooke
Every 2 weeks: Tuesday or Wednesday, (to be confirmed) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Helene Boisvenue and Denis Gravelle
Tel.: (819) 569-6416
Study and sharing group: “La chapelle-Maisonnia”
Region: Quebec
Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Gilles Bertrand & Louise Renaud
(418) 871-4564
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
Group: “Urantian Universalists”
Every Monday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Eastern Time (Montreal)
Responsible: Claude Flibotte (438) 404-6399
Subject: Appendices of W. S. Sadler Jr.
Zoom virtual group. (Find out more)
We would like to get to know you! Study group facilitator, do not hesitate to send us your text and a photo of the group!
To see the official list of study groups in Quebec and elsewhere in the world:
Click directly on the following link: http://urantia-quebec.ca/activites_liste_des_groupes.php
For even more Urantian reading in French, you can follow this link: http://lien.urantia.fr
¶ Journal Réflectivité
| Responsible: | Claude Flibotte, editor-in-chief |
| Assisted by: | Robert Cadieux, proofreader Gilles Bertrand, printing and shipping |
(438) 404-6399 Claude Flibotte
(514) 237-3616 Robert Cadieux
(418) 871-4564 Gilles Bertrand
Monthly publication:
Published on the first day of each month.
To submit your articles:
Send them to: c_flibotte@videotron.ca
Add: your name, city of residence, a photo of you, thank you!
Warning :
Any submission of articles or other becomes the property of the Journal Réflectivité and none will be returned.
We do not guarantee that all articles in our possession will be published in the next Réflectivité Journal.
The opinions expressed by the various participants and presenters are personal and do not reflect any policy or ideology of the Journal Réflectivité.