© 1990 Robert Crickett
© 1990 ANZURA, Australia & New Zealand Urantia Association
The URANTIA Book states:
“In the early days of the struggle Lucifer held forth continuously in the planetary amphitheatre. Gabriel conducted an unceasing exposure of the rebel sophistries from his headquarters taken up near at hand. The various personalities present on the sphere who were in doubt as to their attitude would journey back and forth between these discussions until they arrived at a final decision.” (UB 53:5.6)
It is apparent that URANTIA Book readers and prospective URANTIA Book readers are being divided into two camps: those who believe in the gospel of Mr. Pope and those who through some understanding or contrary evidence of their own refute it outright.
My position is that of the latter. I do not believe that Mr. Pope’s gospel nor his actions in distributing it world wide compare in the least with Lucifer’s rebellion, however, the fact that readers are being provoked into coming to a ‘final decision’ about his mission and ministry one way or the other deserves the exposure of sincere argument from the opposing perspective. Both perspectives, that of Mr. Pope and that of any opponent to his ideas, are just opinions, nothing more than that. Yet it is from the highest spiritual wisdom contained within each of these opinions that readers and prospective readers in need of reaching their ‘final decision’ on the matter shall draw. Ultimately, inevitably, and thankfully, it is the domain of each individual to draw their own conclusions and make their own solemn ‘final decision’.
This author assumes that you are familiar with Mr. Pope’s “salvation message of good news to a distracted world” in that you have perhaps heard the news live from Mr. Pope or have heard his tapes. To refresh you here is a brief synopsis of the salient points:
In the process of anyone acquainted with this ‘message of good news’ coming to a ‘final decision’ they must of necessity approach it via only one of two means, either:
[1] believe it is true and doing so ultimately because they don’t have first hand and direct insight into the truth or fallacy of the matter; such lack of first hand insight forcing them into a position of having to believe in the authority they invest in Mr. Pope; or,
[2] believe it is false and doing so ultimately because they do have first hand and direct insight into the proposition put forward (which means they would have secured some form of genuine prophet-like adeptness themselves), or doing so because they clearly recognize that the structure of the whole proposition simply lacks reasonableness and logic (which means they would have a clear understanding of The URANTIA Book, Biblical and relevant scriptures from which Mr. Pope has drawn his own deductions which amount to the nature of his mission and gospel), or doing so because they clearly recognize that Mr. Pope’s vantage point is lacking in genuine spiritual perspective (which means that they recognize in Mr. Pope psychological and fledgling spiritual thinking which they themselves have long since encountered, spiritized and outgrown … a process which would enable them to see his proposition from a greater sense of realness and God-knowing than he himself).
Obviously there are a tremendous number of people in the first camp: those who will believe in Mr. Pope and his authority, those whose spiritual lives are sufficiently empty of genuine nourishment that they must believe him lest they find nothing in life from which to draw their ‘daily bread’, those for whom spiritual life must somehow engage them in extraordinary and cosmic adventures above and beyond the natural and normal quietly proceeding growth of their morontia values within their earthy and humble surrounds, those who are new to The URANTIA Book and find themselves hanging on every word of their elders without any practical means to discriminate wisely … especially since few newcomers would ever suspect wolves among the flock.
Equally obviously there are people in the other camp also: people who refuse to believe because they refuse to listen to the message from the outset; people who disbelieve because of a deep inner conviction that Mr. Pope is wrong, despite their inability to put their rationale into words; people who wait quietly merged with the superior insight derived from Truth and our indwelling Father’s presence, and who claim their decision to disbelieve Mr. Pope because from such a vantage point he is clearly deluding himself; people who refuse to believe because the issue contains no spiritual value whatsoever.
From the perspective of this author it is clear that any argument against Mr. Pope’s proposition (and it is that he is a third Elijah prophet on a mission from God plus that of his actual gospel) can have two thrusts, both self qualifying and self authorizing. They are:
[1] expose the errors (and they are numerous to say the least) on Mr. Pope’s deductive reasoning by contesting his use of the scriptural and URANTIA Book references and the meanings and conclusions he ascribes them
[2] expose his lack of prophetic authority, his lack of genuine spiritual insight, and the non-spiritual nature of his ideas.
The case for [1] would entail a mammoth literary work which far outdistances the average person’s needs. For example, to deal with the Old Testament references alone would require the reader to undergo thorough familiarization with much of Hebrew theological thought, the origins of that thought as it evolved over the centuries, insight into the precise circumstances within which period the Testament was experienced and documented by those people native to it … etc. etc. It becomes far simpler for the average enquirer to simply believe or disbelieve based on their emotional response to the matter, ignoring the weighty intellectual evidence: and people do just that. But those people who are thinkers, who will bother to think it all through, who do want to research the facts and who do want to discover the many inconsistencies and misinterpretations of Mr. Pope’s theological resources will be well rewarded. Any URANTIA Book reader who has also pursued Biblical or Rabbinical theological studies at a university level can attest to that.
The case for [2] is a whole different matter from [1] and less easy of providing public evidence to one whose genuine spiritual maturity is still youthful. Invariably someone who is struggling to come to their ‘final decision’ and whose spiritual maturity is still somewhat youthful will look in faith to an authority in this camp or that camp. The only criteria such a person has to call on is often only a faint and seemingly authority-less hunch about the truth in either prospective authority. These are infants trusting in the truth and love of their elder sibling: shall it be to the wolf or the lamb that they entrust their young heart?
A secondary and perhaps more important issue is the “so what” of this whole matter. What’s the difference if Mr. Pope is Elijah 3rd and the world comes to an inglorious end and an elite group are transported to some temporary haven … or if he’s just Mr. Pope, and the oak tree in the garden today will be the same one there when you’re 86 and arthritis ridden?
At a casual glance it might not mean all that much at all. But look more closely. What about the new reader who comes to The URANTIA Book via Mr. Pope’s tapes, and reads the entire book through the tinted glasses of expecting the world to end shortly? What about the anti-URANTIA Book fundamentalist who takes the tapes to press for public exposure to the general and unenlightened masses? What about the young enquirer of good and pure heart who comes upon The URANTIA Book and whose spirit thrives until they come upon the main body of readers who are embroiled in division and diversion and extraordinary claims? What shall become of the sanctity and preservation of this most highly valued (by thousands of people) literary work and its role in the lives of generations yet to come?
Another issue is more personal and focuses upon our spiritual growth itself. There exist people who are so very familiar with The URANTIA Book that it is no longer a support, a crutch, an indispensable part of the spiritual life. Their ministry is no longer to encourage people to read the book, to study the book, to incorporate the book into their spiritual lives. Rather their ministry is to do what it says, to do what Jesus said to do, and to do what they themselves have discovered and claimed as their own to be the only real spiritual life there is: to serve this wonderful and extraordinary family with a truth-liberating love and tireless enthusiasm irrespective of circumstances and the material conditions within which they find themselves.
It is only in the spiritual perspectives of such people that the error and foolishress of Mr. Pope’s proposition is illuminated. These men and women are the spiritual adepts of the URANTIA reading community. In the light of their perspective it is clear that the “so what” of this proposition directly affects the spiritual growth of people. Yet they would say:
“Believe first in your heavenly Father who dwells within…not some mere mortal who establishes himself as an intercessor, for there are no intercessors between you and God: your relationship is direct and immediate, now and eternally.”
“Believe not in those things which you might derive from the kingdom, rather believe in those things which you personally might contribute to it.”
“Believe not that the kingdom of heaven is a worldly and material matter, rather believe that the kingdom is being a God-knowing Son and Daughter and it is that grace-filled fellowship between all such Sons and Daughters.”
“Believe not in the salvation of the body and of those things which shall pass away, rather believe in the eternal life of your soul and its inevitable fusion with our Father.”
“Believe not in the leadings of the deductions and calculations of the mortal mind with all its hopes and its fears and its separation from the One living source of life and truth, rather believe in devoted and divine caring which quietly whispers ‘This is the Way’ and believe in the leading which leads your soul rather than that which leads your fear-prone and short-sighted logical mind.”
“Believe in faith rather than clever deductions and logic.”
“Believe in yourself and your spiritual sovereignty and your own truth and your own sense of goodness and beauty, rather than in authorities which exist outside your own intimate relationship with your divine indwelling Father, and rather that in mortal heroes and those who would wave banners in support of themselves.”
“Believe in Truth: it thunders through your whole being, though your young soul may not yet discern it as much as you might wish.”
This author believes he does not stand alone in this refuting of Mr. Pope and his pseudo-prophetic claims. He doubts that this present document shall stand alone in this quest. He also doubts that others of like mind shall be slow in forthcoming with their own individual perspective to reinforce the support of “good news to a distracted world”. If this author can be of any assistance with your questions as you bring yourself to your own ‘final decision’ please address them to 88 Alma Road St Kilda, Vic. 3182 including a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Robert Crickett, Melbourne