© 1979 Martin W. Myers, Henry Begemann
© 1979 The Urantia Book Fellowship (formerly Urantia Brotherhood)
| September 1979 Issue — Index | Urantia Brotherhood — The Possibilities For Significant Planetary Service |
The following talk was given in August, 1979. In the opinion of the editors, it is a clear, thoughtful expression of some of the challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities which accompany The URANTIA Book and ifs mission to our planet.
The URANTIA Book tells us:
“Mechanical inventions and the dissemination of knowledge are modifying civilization; certain economic adjustments and social changes are imperative if cultural disaster is to be avoided. This new and oncoming social order will not settle down complacently for a millennium. The human race must become reconciled to a procession of changes, adjustments, and readjustments. Mankind is on the march toward a new a unrevealed planetary destiny.”
“Religion must become a forceful influence for moral stability and spiritual progression functioning dynamically in the midst of these everchanging conditions and never-ending economic adjustments.” (UB 99:1.1)
Martin W. Myers
Chicago, Illinois
The following talk was given on Jesus’ birthday. August 21. 1979, at a meeting of students of The URANTIA BOOK in the author’s home in the Netherlands. Its theme is appropriate to our historical celebration of this momentous event at this time of year.
Christmas time is dear to all of us because we are not insensitive to its romantic atmosphere. But romanticism often is at variance with reality, though reality is wondrous enough already. Many people cannot even accept the reality-fact of Christmas because of its miraculous aspects, the birth of a God-man on our planet. But even if this fact is accepted, romanticism can clothe it in a veil, woven by the imaginative powers of human emotions. Romanticism can easily lead to an escape from reality.
The Jewish people had a romantic conception about the coming of the Messiah. For them he was to be the deliverer, endowed with miraculous power, who would shake off the yoke of Roman dominion and make the chosen Jewish people the ruling power on earth. And for the sake of keeping intact this romantic conception, reality was rejected.
Henry Begemann
Wassenaar, Netherlands
One of the underlying purposes of the URANTIAN Journal of URANTIA Brotherhood is to provide a medium for readers of The URANTIA Book to share the fruits of their continuing experience with The Teachings, fruits which grow progressively in the material, mindal, and spiritual arenas. In keeping with this philosophy, we’d like to explore the following subjects in upcoming issues:
Section 3 (True Worship) of Paper 5 suggests different line of communication with the Father, Son, and Spirit. How are these channels used in our daily lives?
We have a great deal to learn about prayer and worship. Perhaps we should again take up this subject and compare these forms of spiritual communication-both private and group.
We’d like to devote an entire issue to each of the existential deities-Universal Father, Eternal Son, and Infinite Spirit,
What exactly does “sonship” mean? What does it entail? How is it experienced?
Please let us know if you’re interested in any of these topics, or better yet, just write! Use past issues to gauge various article lengths. We can and will adjust our issues to accommodate your work. It is your efforts which will enable the Journal to bear a useful harvest.
Thank you.
—The Editors
“The acid test for any religious philosophy consists in whether or not it distinguishes between the realities of the material and the spiritual worlds while at the same moment recognizing their unification in intellectual striving and in social serving.” (UB 101:7.5)
| September 1979 Issue — Index | Urantia Brotherhood — The Possibilities For Significant Planetary Service |