© 2006 Santiago Rodríguez
© 2006 Urantia Association of Spain
| How to publicize The Urantia Book | Luz y Vida — No. 5 — May 2006 — Index | How to live the teachings of The Urantia Book |
Introduction by Santiago Rodriguez
We could start by saying that more than two individuals form a “group”, and if we talk about “study”, in principle I think we would also agree in establishing that a “study” implies an approach on which one learns, it deepens, it tries to draw conclusions, etc., and also if we are not merely theoretical, we will try to find some application utility.
We are often recommended to form “study groups” regarding the UB (Urantia Book) teachings; And it happens that when an activity is proposed to us, sooner or later we tend to question the why and the inevitable why of that activity.
This introduction, in which I will write down answers to the two previous questions, is part of my own personal experience in participating in a study group, as well as what I have been able to understand in the study of UB.
To the why of the study groups? I’m sure there could be an endless number of reasons, I will now expose some of those that seem interesting to me.
It often happens to us that, at one point in our lives, we run into UB, and you have to face him alone; after the first readings you receive a strong impact, and the need to discuss its contents with someone arises; you are looking for someone who has also read it, to be able to exchange impressions, and although the Internet offered possibilities, personal presence seemed irreplaceable to me; I suppose that our strong herd instinct pushes us to look for support, understanding, support; sometimes we seek confirmation of our suspicions, or perhaps our lack of confidence leads us to seek conformity and complicity in other people… what did seem evident to me was that just reading it in private was not enough. Many new concepts appeared, many characters, many places, and I couldn’t keep them in my memory, I always lost the thread of the explanations and I missed someone to teach me, to redirect my thoughts… A study group seems ideal to me to meet these personal needs.
In UB itself you also have numerous answers to these questions; throughout the entire work you quickly discover that very few tasks are entrusted to solo personalities. The idea is insisted on that the sum of the effort of various personalities far exceeds the sum of what each one could do separately; even in the elaboration of the UB itself we observe that a very large work team was involved.
The same Universal Father, as soon as it was conceptually possible, formed a group; “at the moment” - to put it in some way - that there were three, the minimum requirement for a group, that is: the Universal Father, the Eternal Son and the Infinite Spirit, formed the first work group that, like them, is existential , that is, it had no beginning, it has always existed and it is none other than The Trinity of Paradise.
Jesus himself worked as a team. It is evident that it is a constant in the revelation that, as soon as there is an opportunity, a group is formed. The group is more efficient for work than solo personalities.
Since the Lucifer rebellion, and after the absence of Adam and Eve, when the planetary Adams disappeared from our environment, we have been left without authentic leaders, who have sufficient moral stature to serve as guides, although of course, even unaware the motivations of the revelators to use the printed method in the Revelation, it is clear that without having a personal “guiding beacon” to guide us, they have thought that dissemination through a text would be more effective, so that it is not lend itself to the interpretation of a single person, not even a single group.
The “group” is not a parasite of the individual. On the contrary, it contributes, and a lot, to it, it allows you to know and learn from the teachings from tolerance, from the diversity of opinions. It allows you the possibility of debating without necessarily arguing; prevent self-exaltation and mitigate the ego, and all without giving up your individuality; In view of what awaits us after this world, it is clear that one of the first things we have to learn is teamwork.
And if this group is “study”, it seems to me an ideal scenario to develop the three goals to which we aspire: Truth as understanding and knowledge of the facts, Beauty< /ins> in integration and the achievement of harmony through tolerance and respect, and Kindness, that capacity for service, dedication to other members and to the Group itself.
¶ Why study?
Study, because given our specific situation of isolation, we have been disoriented for a long time, so we have to focus our course, clarify our situation and understand things that until now have gone unnoticed, and for this we must first learn and understand. .so it is inevitable to study.
In paper 160, “Rodan of Alexandria”, we find a clear and very interesting example of the usefulness of the study group, which also illustrates their behavior.
Rodán raises his philosophy on life and the way of living it. Curiously, Jesus decides to stay on the sidelines and have his disciples talk and debate with Rodan about it. The Master’s intention seems clear that in each age it is the beings who live in it who reach the conclusions that their intellectual and spiritual maturity allow them. Let us remember that it was not his intention to create a doctrine.
Rodán enumerates an interesting list of advantages of group work. This document also highlights the double task that awaits us as individuals, already from this same planet, on the one hand an individual work, not alone, of each one of us.
Never alone because the work for one’s own growth is either done with the cooperation of your peers (group work), or through adoration and meditation that allows you to isolate yourself from your immediate environment, to allow you to get in touch as much as possible. intimate as possible with divinity.
Here I want to insist on another aspect that seems relevant to me, and that is that both people individually and groups are elements of a plan of growth, of evolution, that is, the study group, like everything we find on the other side of Paradise, it must be willing and prepared to evolve and grow, and I am not referring only to the number of its members. It is clear that the group will evolve depending on how its members do…
We have given several answers to the “why of the study groups”, and some to the “why”.
Without intending to be “visionary” or to speculate gratuitously, I would like us to present precisely our vision of the possible evolution of the “study groups”.
I would only like to consider that, from my point of view, evolution has to be balanced, so that if there is growth in Truth, in the knowledge of the facts, a growth in Beauty, in the harmonization of its elements and in the search for harmony with the rest of the social fabric. Kindness as another achievement, another milestone in balanced growth; Life is learning, it is knowing, it is integrating and harmonizing, seeking wisdom, but above all, for it to be full, it must be SERVICE, dedication, generosity… to the members of the group, and of course in some way project it to the rest of the community… with a view to making the group truly universal in the future.
Only the passage of time, the effort of each one of us and that of all of us as a whole, will allow us to continue with this immense and wonderful adventure that they have given us, that we have just begun to glimpse, that we call LIFE and that if we want, because it depends on our will, it will be ETERNAL.
¶ Comments from attendees
Are the study groups intended to have a social projection? We agree that improvement should always start at the personal level. Study groups are intended to be the source of future leaders and teachers.
The group can have a function similar to what each individual can contribute, but different from that of the individual. The group not only has an internal projection (the study of the Book and the learning of the members that compose it) but also an external one (to make the teachings known), but without falling into institutionalization. Service to others should be as individuals, not as a group.
It would be a good idea to unite groups within the Urantia movement, so that there is more contact between them. That would be a way to avoid institutionalization. Rather than leaders, we should perhaps speak of “coordinators”, who are part of a grassroots organization where there are no hierarchies or “old-fashioned” leaders who demand unquestioning obedience to their directives. Today, an association like ours can serve as a cohesive element for study groups.
Leaders are needed, but not like the ones we have known so far in the history of humanity. These new leaders must have very different characteristics: they must be able to extract the best from people without considering themselves superior to others. These leaders should not seek blind obedience but drive readers to action with equal authority.
Leaders are like kefir: if a twig is placed in a container with milk, all the milk it contains curdles, and this fermentation can also spread to other containers.
We have to be the leaven that makes God’s people grow.
¶ References
- Light and Life Magazine (all old issues): https://aue.urantia-association.org/numeros-antiguos-del-lyv/
| How to publicize The Urantia Book | Luz y Vida — No. 5 — May 2006 — Index | How to live the teachings of The Urantia Book |