Planet Urantia

Is God real? Thoughts to consider....

After facilitating one of our Cosmic Cafe - Interfaith Spirit Quest discussions recently, I thought about an interesting fellow who attended the discussion and who also happens to be a very science-minded (materialist) atheist.  We asked him if we could call him Spock, he didn't seem to mind.  I give him a lot of credit for being open-minded and attending a spiritual discussion group, this is his 2nd visit to our group - and of course we welcome people of all faiths or no faith at all for the purpose of having meaningful and fruitful conversations, and becoming more understanding of each other.

I asked our 'Mr Spock' to consider what I had been thinking earlier:

There is no beginning.  Creation, as the Bible teaches, is only the beginning of their knowledge.  The beginning of evolution is only the beginning of evolution.  Intelligent Design seems to me to be the most logical way of looking at things. 

Matter and energy has always existed and will continue to exist eternally.  The only thing that is changing is the form of matter and energy.   Creation is the act of creating something out of matter and energy.  We do it all the time, and when we do, it is thought that initially causes our mind's creation to manifest itself.

It is said that God created man in His image.  A new female member of the group who was very spiritually minded and just happened to be eavesdropping on our conversation while reading a copy of the Urantia Book in the cafe cafe area of the bookshop we were meeting in (what are the odds?), said last night - 'that God created a mirror image of Himself when He created the universe'.  Of course we know that we can create many things, not just babies.  So just because God created the universe, does not mean the universe looks like Him.  I think it is the personality that is like God.  The pure spirit that is us is the mirror image of God, we look like God when we manifest this pure spirit.  Our purpose is to make progress in this life toward the manifestation or growth and development of our awareness of this pure spirit.  When we look at our parents or our children, we see the likeness, it is automatic/genetic.  Our personality can reflect God in the same way if we allow it to (our free will).

So.... we have evidence that the universe has existed for a very long time, if not forever.  We can either say it existed forever, or we can say it began at a certain time - we're not quite certain on that point, but it doesn't matter, the point is that we know it's there and that it can be manipulated into different forms.  We can fathom the idea of creating something new out of matter and energy.  It is not so crazy to believe that someone or something formed us out of eternally existent matter and energy when one thinks about it this way. 

50 Reasons Why You Should Read the Urantia Book

Urantia Book
 * Religion * Spirituality * Philosophy * Science *

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This post seeks to answer the question: 
Why should I read the Urantia Book? 

Ah, let us count the ways...

The Urantia Book...

1. is one of those rare books that can actually transform your thinking and your life
2. provides new information about God
3. provides new information about the life of Jesus (the Bible provides details for only 28 days)
4. answers the question 'Who was Jesus?'
5. gives us an unprecedented account of Jesus' resurrection
6. will be a blessing in your life
7. is believed to be a new revelation for our time - it's like an update for every religion
8. helps you understand the world better
9. provides spiritual truth and inspiration that resonates with the soul
10. defines personality, soul and spirit
11. defines love, abundance and joy
12. defines ministry and loving service to others
13. teaches respect, honor and integrity
14. may cause creationists to believe in intelligently designed evolution
15. may cause happiness
16. deepens and strengthens your faith
17. defines the supreme purpose of life:  the development of a majestic and well-balanced personality
    
18. increases desire to be loving, generous and kind
19. provides an even greater peace that passeth all understanding
20. answers philosophical questions about life
21. shows us 'there are more things in heaven and earth' (said Hamlet to Horatio)
22. increases tolerance and understanding
23. answers questions about the formation of the universe
24. answers questions about the formation of our galaxy
25. answers questions about the formation of our planet
26. answers questions about the formation of everything on the planet
27. answers the question "Is there life out there?"
28. fills in missing links from history, theology, philosophy and science
29. teaches that there is no hell and that eternal life is yours to accept or reject
30. promotes living in truth, beauty and goodness
31. makes the Good News even better than previously imagined
32. establishes the possibility for us a closer connection with God and Humankind
33. will expand your consciousness
34. increase our awareness of cosmic consciousness
35. increases our ability to understand the cosmic context of our actions
36. through continuous study deepens and enriches our understanding of our role in the universe
37. through continuous study enriches our experiences, our lives, our loving, and our service
38. optimizes our opportunities
39. strengthens the desire to search for  truth in every experience
40. does not replace your current religion
41. enhances even the best religions
42. allows the skeptic, the agnostic, and even the scientific atheist to join believers
43. may have been introduced to you for a reason
44. found you at the right place and the right time in your life
45. provides eternal assurance, peace, and joy
46. provides knowledge and insight about God and his vast and magnificent creation
47. tells you what to do with your money
48. answers more questions than you ever thought to ask
49. will give you brain pain, but it's worth it
50. affirms the truth that God still speaks

These 50 reasons are a compilation of my own answers and the answers of other Urantia Book Readers to the question "Why Should I Read the Urantia Book?"

Note:  In case anyone was wondering how I would have answered the question - see answers 1, 9, 12, 14 & 17 (biggies), 18, 20, 29 (another biggie), 49, and 50.

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From UrantiaBook.org: Why You Need to Know About The Urantia Book:

Making good life decisions—the exercise of true wisdom—requires insight into the context in which the decision or choice is being made. 

The Urantia Book provides a comprehensive overview of the context in which we live our daily lives -- historical, social, personal, intellectual, spiritual, and material. It provides important background information that will deepen, enrich, and strengthen your relationship with God, empower you to prevail in your struggles with the difficulties of daily life, and enable you to participate creatively in the much-needed spiritual transformation of our world. 

By integrating science, philosophy, and religion into a coherent world view, the Urantia Book enhances the meanings we derive from our life experience, equipping us to live our lives relative to positive, creative spiritual values in the midst of difficulty, chaos, and uncertainty.

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Resources & Links for the Urantia Book: 

Urantia Book - read online text

Urantia Book - listen to online audio

UrantiaBook.org
Urantia.org
Truthbook.com
PlanetUrantia.com

Purchase the Urantia Book on Amazon

Beyond Urantia, Beyond our Galaxy

These images reveal thousands upon thousands of galaxies and trillions upon trillions of stars.  Images from Nasa.gov and HubbleSite.org.

Scientist reconciles God and Theory of Evolution

  ".......science will soon nail down a definition of consciousness that will make God's intentions more clear."

Karl W. Giberson, a physics professor at Eastern Nazarene College in Massachusetts, a scientist who has gone public with his Christian belief in God and acceptance of evolution.

Full Story:  God and Evolution Can Co-exist, Scientist Says

The Urantia Book on Evolution:

Physical Evolution

The time universes are not perfect; that is their destiny. The struggle for perfection pertains not only to the intellectual and the spiritual levels but also to the physical level of energy and mass. The settlement of the seven superuniverses in light and life presupposes their attainment of physical stability. And it is conjectured that the final attainment of material equilibrium will signify the completed evolution of the physical control of the Almighty.

The Urantia Book, Page 1274; (116:5.5)

Mind Evolution

This Paradise spirit that indwells the minds of the mortals of time and there fosters the evolution of the immortal soul of the surviving creature is of the nature and divinity of the Universal Father. But the minds of such evolutionary creatures originate in the local universes and must gain divine perfection by achieving those experiential transformations of spiritual attainment which are the inevitable result of a creature's choosing to do the will of the Father in heaven.

The Urantia Book, Page 25; (1:3.6)

Spiritual Evolution

The brotherhood of man is, after all, predicated on the recognition of the fatherhood of God. The quickest way to realize the brotherhood of man on Urantia is to effect the spiritual transformation of present-day humanity. The only technique for accelerating the natural trend of social evolution is that of applying spiritual pressure from above, thus augmenting moral insight while enhancing the soul capacity of every mortal to understand and love every other mortal. Mutual understanding and fraternal love are transcendent civilizers and mighty factors in the world-wide realization of the brotherhood of man.

The Urantia Book, Page 598, (52:6.7)

Free Article: Cultivation of Universal Intelligence

Excerpt (intro) from Cultivation of Universal Intelligence: 

How many of us have done a little retrospective thinking and picked up a self-help book about some philosophy of living or a method to change some quirk in our attitude?  Being knowledgeable about a problem is important because it is a step towards better behavioral balance and it can inspire us to a greater good.  The Urantia Book is a book that inspires, answering many questions about our origin, history and destiny not provided anywhere else.  We may even expound about some newfound knowledge to anyone who might listen, but a major question arises: How many of us truly assimilate the knowledge we have gained and allow our newfound insights to influence the choices we make?

1. Improve the quality of thinking
2. Explore beliefs
3. Develop emotional maturity
4. Cultivate moral awareness and consistency
5. Attune to spirit guidance
6. Cultivate sound taste
7. Develop a consecrated attitude

Science, Philosophy, and Religion Work Together

Purpose of Life Article
The truth about God is and has been realized by humankind in a myriad of ways, such as through:    

• Personal experience
     
  Revelation
     
  Philosophical meandering
     
  Historical record
     
  Scientific examination   
  
  Primitive Fear-Based conclusions
     

In truth, our main goal in life, a purpose of life, is to find the eternal God, to understand to the best of our abilities who he divinely is, and to know him personally.  after this initial discovery and realization, we are then directed toward achieving our supreme purpose of life - that of developing a majestic and well-balanced personality.

Planet Earth: Origin of the name Urantia

Urantia is the name of our world, Planet Earth.  So how did the name Urantia originate anyway?

In Greek mythology, Urania means heavenly, specifically it means 'heavenly one'.  A personal example is Urania the Muse of Astronomy.  See image, Urania is on the left (Calliope, on the right, is the Muse of Epic Poetry).  Urania is usually associated with universal love and the Spirit of Truth, or Holy Spirt.  In fact, during the renaissance, Urania became known as the Muse for Christian poets.  She is often associated with Universal Love and the Holy Spirit.

Painted image "The Muses Urania and Calliope", here, Urania the Muse appears to be showing something to her subject, or perhaps pondering what she will say next; while little angels busy themselves with the decor on the Greek columns in the background.  Oil on panel circa 1634, by Simon Vouet, French Painter, 1590 - 1649.  (Public domain image)  Urania is usually seen with a halo of stars and a globe of the earth.

....continued......

Urantia Radio Program

New - Urantia Radio Program

The Cosmic Citizen Radio Show - Saturdays at Noon (11 AM CST - USA)
A radio program that focuses primarily on the study and discussion of the teachings of the Urantia Book.  Broadcast on Blog Talk Radio ONLINE only:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cosmiccitizen

7/12/08 First Show:  Featured guest, James Woodward, former executive director of the UAI (Urantia Association International), will address with host Andre and co-host Paula a general introduction to The Urantia Book. This first in a series of programs is intended for both readers and non-readers of this amazing book.

7/19/08 Planned Topic & Guest:  Part I of the Urantia Book, as well as the Foreword, with our distinguished guest, Chris Halvorson. 

Martyrs: Not just the religious, but philosophers too!

Hippasus of Metapontum (cca. 500-450 B.C.) was thrown overboard by the frustrated Pythagoreans after he proved the horribly undeniable irrationality of √2, with which he actually discovered a whole class of numbers that cannot be expressed as the quotient of two integers and whose decimal expansions never repeat and never terminate. This was too much for the Pythagoreans, who attributed mystic significance and much else to integers and whose ignorant and arrogant dogmatism could not tolerate ‘heresy’. Who knows, perhaps the Pythagoreans deluded themselves by thinking that they were  the ‘custodians’ of the secrets of cosmic beauty and harmony, and as irrational numbers pricked their inflated egos, they thought they could suppress such offensive ugliness by drowning poor Hippasus.   Read about other Philosopher/Scientist Martyrs here:  Reason & Rhyme -  Frank Luger

Scientists often blame religious authorities for making martyrs out of scientists, but in fact, before science was called modern science, it belonged in the realm of philosophy. As you can see by this one example, Hippasus of Metapontum became a martyr, not of philosophy, but of science.  This has been going on since human civilization began, if not sooner.  Christians and other religious adherents have been martyred for their views as well.  Anytime a practice, from religion to gardening to the mystic practices described above, becomes the status quo, there will be opposition and there will always be someone or some group who thinks it should remain the status quo.  Those who choose to dissent will always be vilified, ostracized, criticized, and perhaps even martyred for their cause. 

The take away lesson here is that no one is innocent.  We are all guilty of opinions or beliefs that contradict some of the established teachings and practices of others.  But you know what?  It’s OK if we disagree, but it’s not OK to become bellicose, vilify and ostracize or martyr those with whom we disagree.  If we live with the attitude that others may know something that we do not, we’ll all be better off.  It’s called mutual respect.  All the issues we face are not one-sided issues; each side has a point worth hearing and discussing, we must not shut other people out just because we disagree with them, we must get along with them and realize the valuable role they play in our lives:  they make life interesting for one, and two, they make us think – and there ain nuthin’ wrong wit dat!

Here are four key areas where mutual respect needs to be developed:

• Religion
• Spirituality
• Science
• Philosophy

I for one have grown tremendously in these four areas since reading the Urantia Book; it has really opened my eyes to a lot of long held beliefs that simply aren’t true.  At some point, we’re all going to have to sit down and have a reasonable discussion about some of these issues; we might even have to change our practices.  We might even have to agree to disagree.  Being open-minded is bad if it means you’re easily convinced, but if you believe it means the possibility exists that one might find some good information in a particular pursuit; then being open-mind is good.

God and the Universe

Part I - The Central and Superuniverses

Part I begins by telling us what we already know - that God is the Father of all creation - he is the "First Source and Center of all things and beings".  But then it goes on to reveal a more personal and loving God.  We learn that a fragment of the Universal Father God dwells within each person who displays the following characteristics:

The intellectual capacity for knowing God - God consciousness.

The spiritual urge to find God - God seeking.

The personality craving to be like God - the wholehearted desire to do the Father's will.  (While we cannot be God - we can be like him by doing his will.)

Part I goes on to describe for us in great detail, the nature of God and God's relation to the universe as well as the individual.  the remaining sections in Part I describe a well organized universe just bustling with activity.  Most of us know of Angels - but there is much, much more:  Divine Counselors, Universal Censors, Perfecter of Wisdom, Mighty Messengers, Archangels, Bright Evening Star, Melchizedeks, Vorondadek Sons, "those without Name & Number", and the Ancient of Days - just to name a few.

Following is our synopsis and dissemination of the Papers in Part I of the Urantia Book.

The Universal Father is the God of all creation, the First Source and Center of all things and beings.

Urantia Paper 1:1

Part 1 - Paper 1 - Section 1:

1. The Universal Father is the God of all creation, the First Source and Center of all things and beings. 
2. The gradual development of religion has brought us to this knowledge of the Fatherhood of God and our relationship to the universe.
3. The whole grand universe was created through God's desire to express his love and to receive our love in return.
4. We are not alone.  Not only is God with us, and not only are a fine assortment of heavenly hosts with us; but there are other free-will creatures similar to us, living on other planets in other universe systems.  We are all involved in a fascinating journey toward Paradise.  The heavenly hosts, the messengers of Paradise, exhort us God knowing and seeking free-will creatures to use this journey to be perfected - to develop a well-balanced majestic personality.  Fear not, you will have eternity to reach your destiny.
5. Attaining divine perfection should be your primary purpose and supreme desire. 'Eternal spiritual progress' is how you'll do it. 
6. Urantia is the ancient name given to Planet Earth.  Finite perfection (limited) and eternal life are man's first destiny.  God is infinitely perfect (unlimited).  So while we cannot hope to become infinitely perfect like God, we can become divinely perfect in every other sense of the word.
7. The exhortation to Urantia mortals and other world free-will creatures to be perfect as God is perfect, presents us with the supreme and extreme adventure. 

The entire universe system shares the goal of perfection attainment and the search for the Universal Father.  We can take great comfort and joy in the knowledge that the free-will creatures of the universe are unified in these majestic pursuits.