Planet Urantia

Jesus: Light Of The World

In him there is life, and his life shall become the light of mankind.  Enjoy this flash video about Jesus, the Light of the World, produced by Truthbook.

Produced by Truthbook.com

Urantia Book Study Outline Paper 3: The Attributes of God

Urantia Book - Paper 3 – The Attributes of God: (A partial synopsis from The Story of Everything by Michelle Klimesh) God is omnipresent; he alone can be in numberless places simultaneously. He rules in the local universes through his Creator Sons who are discernible to lower orders of beings and can compensate for God's invisibility. God is greater than all of his combined creations. Although he exists throughout the universes, the universes can never encompass his infinity. God pervades the physical universes of the past, present, and future. He is the primordial foundation of material creation.

Individually, humans are indwelt by Father fragments, and the effective presence of God within each person is conditioned by the degree of cooperation provided. Fluctuations of God's presence are not due to whims of the Father but are directly determined by the mortal's choice to receive him. God has freely bestowed himself without limit or favor.

God is energy. He is the cause of all physical phenomena; he controls all power. The power of God does not function blindly, but it is nearly impossible to explain the nature of his laws. From the limitations of our mortal perspective, many actions of the Creator may seem arbitrary and cruel, but God's actions are always purposeful, intelligent, kind, and wise.

(...finish reading synopsis here) (Read the entire paper directly from the Urantia Book here)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Selected Questions for Discussion on Paper 3 – The Attributes of God

Meredith Sprunger Synopsis & Discussion Questions - entire list here)

1. Is the prologue of the Gospel of John designating Christ as the creator of our universe compatible with the idea of God the Father as creator?

2. How do we harmonize the concept of an all-good, all-wise, all-powerful God with the evil and suffering in the world?

3. What comfort do some people get from believing in the doctrine of foreordination—God determines everything?

4. If our "nearest and dearest approach to God is by and through love," how do we help people who are angry & bitter about life?

5. Are the "inevitabilities" of evil necessary in our world?

6. What do you think of the distinction between evil (mistaken judgment) and sin (knowingly disobeying the will of God)?

7. What are the advantages of beings who grow toward perfection by conscious choice over those who are created perfect?

Planet Urantia - Urantia Books & Related Books

This is the Way

Having started out on the way of life everlasting, having accepted the assignment and received your orders to advance, do not fear the dangers of human forgetfulness and mortal inconstancy, do not be troubled with doubts of failure or by perplexing confusion, do not falter and question your status and standing, for in every dark hour, at every crossroad in the forward struggle, the Spirit of Truth will always speak, saying, "This is the way."

Urantia Book - Paper 34:7.8

The Nature of God - A Prayer

A Prayer based on Paper 2 of the Urantia Book.  Paper 2 is entitled 'The Nature of God'. 

~ ~ ~

Spiritual Father,

in your infinite and eternal wisdom,

which we seek a glimpse of,

embrace us, your children,

in your loving ways.

In your changeless and eternal purpose,

in the goodness of your divine nature,

teach us your ways of mercy and justice,

teach us to love others as you love us.

God, you are love,

therefore,we know that your attitude toward us

can only be one of love.

Your love follows us now and throughout eternity,

may we never lose sight of the reality of this love.

Amen

Urantia Book Study Outline Paper 2: The Nature of God

Urantia Book - Paper 2 - The Nature of God:  (A partial synopsis from The Story of Everything by Michelle Klimesh)

Our understanding of God is handicapped because our minds are limited. Humans can best understand the nature of God as it has been revealed through the life and teachings of Jesus.

God the Father unfailingly meets the ever-changing demand for himself all over the universe. He knows everything. Universe Sovereigns may engage in adventure; the Constellation Fathers may experiment; the system heads may practice; but the Universal Father sees the end from the beginning. To God, all time is present, there is no past or future. He is infinite in all of his attributes.

God is perfect. In the universes, perfection is relative, but on Paradise, perfection is undiluted. He is perfect in beauty and goodness; there is nothing lacking in his divine character. His justice is tempered with mercy. God is inherently kind, compassionate and merciful. It is never necessary to persuade him to love us; our need is wholly sufficient to insure the flow of his grace.         (...finish reading synopsis here)

(Read the entire paper directly from the Urantia Book here.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Selected Questions for Discussion on Paper 2 – The Nature of God:  

(Meredith Sprunger Synopsis & Discussion Questions - entire list here)

1. Can we imagine a being who perceives the past, present and future at once? What is the fallacy of abstraction?

2. Why do people plead for mercy when they know that God is merciful and loving beyond human comprehension?

3. Why did Biblical writers talk of God "repenting and changing his mind?"

4. Why do people try to bargain with God and ask him to change universe laws for their benefit?

5. How does the atonement doctrine view God's basic nature?

6. Is the self-destruction of iniquity a more reasonable result of dedicated sinfulness than an eternal hell?

7. Does contemporary religion overstress morality at the expense of other aspects of truth?

Planet Urantia - Urantia Books & Related Books

A new Revelation of Love from Jesus - Smile

My heart fills with joy when I think about the day Jesus was born, revealing once again God's love for his creation and creating a new way for us to reach that pure spirit within.  According to the Urantia Book, Jesus was born on August 21, 7 B.C.   Christmas in August?  That's right.  

    From 'When is Jesus' Birthday':  "The Urantia Book says that Jesus was born “at noon, August 21, 7 B.C.” (122:8.1, Paper:section.paragraph). However, the authors do not say if this is a Julian Calendar date or a proleptic Gregorian Calendar date. That is, does the date refer to the calendar that was in use at that time; or does it refer to the current calendar, extended backward in time? More to the point, if Jesus’ birthday is celebrated on August 21 of the current calendar, is that really the anniversary of his birth?"

For more information about this date - see Truthbook.com's essay When is Jesus' Birthday?

On this very special and momentous occasion, may I speak this wish for you:

May his love overshadow us, may his spirit dwell within us, and may his peace abide upon us.  (paraphrasing the Urantia Book - Paper 193.5.2) .... and may we seek to love and nurture each other in the same way that he loves and nurtures us still, for he speaks still. 

The Urantia (Earth) Chorus sings... in one voice:

We Love You Jesus 

        Happy Birthday to You and Merry Christmas to all. :)

There is a song called 'The Millenium Prayer", sung by Cliff Richard - and whenever I listen to it I visualize the entire population of Urantia (Earth) singing one song in one voice to God, even the angels join in. ...and God, Jesus and the entire host of celestial beings ...smile.  Of course I like the "Drummer Boy" Christmas song too, because the message it gives is that it's not really about what you do, it's about where your heart is.   

Some of the lyrics from "'The Millenium Prayer" (link to the song on YouTube).  The song starts out with the Lord's Prayer and then adds to it. 

Let all the people say Amen
In every tribe and tongue
Let every heart's desire be joined
To see the kingdom come
Let every hope and every dream
Be born in love again
Let all the world sing with one voice
Let the people say Amen

We will be celebrating Jesus' birthday this Saturday in Sheboygan Falls, WI with our fellow First Wisconsin Society of Urantia Book Readers - Our program for Saturday is entitled 'The Urantia Comedy'.  We will be discussing the "Lucifer Rebellion and the Caligastia Betrayal", the "Adamic Default and Aftermath", and the "Long Rehabilitation Process".  Most importantly, we will be enjoying a time of fellowship and celebration at this special time.   I'm not quite sure what's so funny or comedic about all of this, but it will be fun, I do know that. 

Smiles & Joy.

  ....Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

About the 'Come to Jesus' image above.  Bruce Marchiano played the role of Jesus in a very special film series created by The Visual Bible, called "Matthew".  This film was based on the Gospel of Matthew, following the book word for word. 

In my humble opinion, Bruce Marchiano played the part of Jesus better and more true to form than any other actor I've seen to date.  Why?  Because in this film, Jesus smiles.  A lot.  It's as if Jesus is speaking directly to you through the actor.  It's quite possible the actor was 'coming to Jesus' or being born again in love, on the movie set and this shone through his performance!  The ending shows a victorious Jesus - Jesus came to establish his Kingdom on Earth, to reveal God to man - and His mission was accomplished!  The rest is up to us! 

You can watch the last 10 minutes of the movie here - (it's the very, very end I like, and it's where you see the image above) don't worry, it won't spoil anything - we all know how it ends anyway, right? 

The Urantia Book 

Wisconsin Urantia Book Conference - Aug 22 2009 - The Urantia Comedy

What:  The First Society of Wisconsin Urantia Book Readers - Annual Fall Conference 2009!

When:   Aug 22 - Saturday - from 9:30 am to about 4-5pm

Where:  Sheboygan Falls, WI

Registration Fee:  $10 per person - includes sub sandwich lunch

The program for the day is called "The Urantia Comedy"
(times are approximate)

9:30am Registration, coffee, morning social

10-11am Subject:  Overview of the Lucifer Rebellion and the Caligastia Betrayal

11:15am-12:15pm Subject:  Overview of the Adamic Default and Aftermath

12:15-2pm  Lunch Break:  Sub sandwiches to be brought in by hosts (fee $10 per person)

2-3pm Subject:  The Long Rehabilitation Process:  Revelation numbers three to five and beyond

3:15-4pm Business:  A report on the elections and resolutions of the Triennial Delegate Assembly will be heard

Other Show and Tell items can be presented at this time.  Please keep any presentations brief and to the point.  Please no solicitations.  This is a study conference.  Other types of business can be conducted at separate venues. 

Who should attend?  This conference is for those who are interested in studying the Urantia Book as well as long time readers.  It is not necessary to have read the entire book, just have an open mind and a good sense of curiosity.  

Do I need to live in Wisconsin or be a member?  No - absolutely not - if you can get there you can come!

To RSVP:  Please leave a comment on this blog post with your email address and/or phone number. 

The Harmony of Truth, Beauty and Goodness

Where does the hunger for goodness, the search for beauty and the thirst for truth come from? Is it the revelation of God and the instillation of divine reality? Or is it simply the evolution of the mind, desiring to have for itself some sense of pleasure, peace and comfort as a reward for simply being born?

Let's consider truth, beauty and goodness to see if they are born out of human will or whether they are the gift of God, seeking to be revealed from the heart of the human being.

Goodness: What is the standard of perfection? Is it to be found in the churches, synagogues, mosques, or other religious institutions? Is it something you can learn or does it occur naturally? Certainly we can learn the difference between right and wrong or good and evil; but who sets the standard? What if the standard of goodness is truth? How would you test this idea? Experience – having an experience of goodness in your own personal life leads to a revelation of truth.

Truth: What is truth, how do we know it's true? What if we only know part of the story? Is it still true? Or is it only true insofar as your personal experience has revealed? If your definition of truth is based on what your mind sees, what happens if you have new information? Is the old truth still true, or might we now say truth is relevant, relevant to personal experience? Perhaps truth is flexible, allowing for the evolution (or gradual development) of our unique personalities with the unique personal experiences, thus giving us the opportunity to thrive in a particular situation at any given time and place; leaving room for adjustment. Where does this beautiful grace come from? Is it possible you would not survive without this flexibility? Uniform and universal truth is divine truth.

Beauty: Why is something truly beautiful? Beauty is spiritually true and good. Beauty is the recognition of harmony and unification. Beauty is the activity of service upon the recognition of need, beauty is the rhythm of human experience.

The harmony of truth, beauty and goodness:

Truth is the basis of science and philosophy, presenting the intellectual foundation of religion. Beauty sponsors art, music, and the meaningful rhythms of all human experience. Goodness embraces the sense of ethics, morality, and religion -- experiential perfection-hunger.

The existence of beauty implies the presence of appreciative creature mind just as certainly as the fact of progressive evolution indicates the dominance of the Supreme Mind. Beauty is the intellectual recognition of the harmonious time-space synthesis of the far-flung diversification of phenomenal reality, all of which stems from pre-existent and eternal oneness.

Goodness is the mental recognition of the relative values of the diverse levels of divine perfection. The recognition of goodness implies a mind of moral status, a personal mind with ability to discriminate between good and evil. But the possession of goodness, greatness, is the measure of real divinity attainment.

Urantia Paper 56:10.10-12

Urantia Book

Why it's OK if our Religious Practices Change from Time to Time

Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous. New religious insights arise out of conflicts which initiate the choosing of new and better reaction habits in the place of older and inferior reaction patterns. New meanings only emerge amid conflict; and conflict persists only in the face of refusal to espouse the higher values connoted in superior meanings.

Urantia Book - Paper 100:4.1

What God Does For and With Us

The great God makes direct contact with mortal man and gives a part of his infinite and eternal and incomprehensible self to live and dwell within him. God has embarked upon the eternal adventure with man. If you yield to the leadings of the spiritual forces in you and around you, you cannot fail to attain the high destiny established by a loving God as the universe goal of his ascendant creatures from the evolutionary worlds of space.

Urantia Book, Paper 5:1.12