TO:  William M. Hales, General Councilor, Urantia Brotherhood
FROM:   Chairman, Publications Committee, Urantia Brotherhood
SUBJECT:  Slide-tape Presentation, “A History of the Urantia Movement”
DATE:  April 11^th, 1981

Thank you for your memorandum of November 18^th, 1980, about the slide-tape, “A History of the Urantia Movement”.  Since the beginning of the project in October 1979 when it was first proposed by the Publications Committee, I have solicited and received feedback from Urantia Brotherhood and Urantia Foundation, so I appreciate your taking the time and energy to express your thoughts thoroughly in writing.  The Executive Committee of Urantia Brotherhood served as the test audience during the development of the slide-tape, and many of their ideas were incorporated in the version, which they approved for showing at Urantia Conferences and society meetings.  I feel the presentation itself has benefited from the involvement of many people.  I also feel it is important for all of us to have as clear an understanding of the project as possible.  I would therefore like to respond in detail to your memorandum; perhaps it is an opportunity to further understand the various viewpoints on the project.  While I would not wish to overstate the importance of the project, I do believe the slide-tape is important to the Urantia movement for reasons I will discuss.

First, I view paragraphs 4 through 8 of Page one of your memo as your personal evaluative comments on the production.   These are comparable to other evaluations, which we have received from most viewers at the four showings of this pilot production.  We will include these remarks with the other evaluations and I can assure they are all being read and reflected upon the members of the production committee.  We regard the production as still being in the process of development.  Thank you for these comments.

The balance of your memorandum addresses 1) the worthiness of the project itself; and 2) whether the presentation should include material concerning pre-1950 history.  In support of your position that pre-1950 material should not be included, you quoted from the Declaration of Trust Creating Urantia Foundation, the Constitution of Urantia Brotherhood, the President’s First Triennial Report, and memoranda of William Sadler, Jr.  I do not dispute the ideas or validity of any of this material, but we apparently have different interpretations of some parts of it.

In the course of the project, I have regularly encountered the question of difference between origin and history.  I believe there is a difference.  The Urantia Book itself recognizes such a distinction on page 215, paragraph 3, and a passage, which we selected as the opening for the slide-tape.

“The true perspective of any reality problem – human or divine, terrestrial or cosmic – can be had only by the full and unprejudiced study and correlation of three phases of universe reality:  origin, history and destiny.  The proper understanding of these three experiential realities affords the basis for a wise estimate of the current status.”

In my study of the material about the early days, I have discovered that all oaths and restrictions, including any statements in the material quoted in your memorandum, refer to origin, not to history.  I also believe it is possible to confuse origin and history, especially when one is concerned about safeguarding information about origin which should not be known.  This is understandable.  The loyalty of early readers to their trust not to discuss origin is one of their most valuable gifts to the movement today – we do not have to suffer the consequences of having said too much about origin.  If we slighted history a little in the process of safeguarding origin, it does not concern me much.  It is not too late to provide a little historical perspective, but it would have been an irretrievable error to say too much about origin.  And none of us who have worked with the slide-tape intend to do this now.  In fact, we have taken great care that the slide-tape says about origin only those things, which we have been authorized to say.  Please bear with me as I demonstrate this in the following paragraphs.

It is my understanding that there are two main things, which were never to be discussed by the contact Commission, or the Forum.  These are:

1)       The name of the individual through whom the Urantia Papers came, and

2)       The details associated with the transmission of the papers.

In the case of the first item, I would understand as part of the restriction any speculation on the identity of the individual.  For example, I would regard a Forum member who expressed an opinion on who the subject might have been to be in violation of the intended restriction.  We feel it is important for modern day readers to know that these restrictions exist, so that they do not fall into the error of speculating about origin.  We mention these restrictions explicitly in the slide-tape.

So on both of these items, the subject identity, and details of transmission, which clearly fall under the category origin, we are in full agreement with you.  We agree that only material which is the The Urantia Book itself should be presented.  If you carefully reread our script, (I enclose a copy in case you do not readily have on at hand) you will note this is exactly what was done.  We do not attempt to identify the human contact personality.  We, in fact, say why his identity is to remain unknown.  We say absolutely nothing about details of transmission of the papers, not even what is in The Urantia Book.  We mention two things, which The Urantia Book discloses which are that the language used was English and that Chicago was the city of visitation of the celestial beings that authored the book.  In actual fact, concerning aspects of origin, our production committee was very conservative with the text.  We certainly do not disclose anything new.  No one on our committee has violated an oath or restriction.

On page 2 or your memo, you quote the Declaration of Trust regarding “the Contributors being desirous that their identity remain unknown…” Our presentation does not name any person as being one of these contributors.  In fact, the slide-tape does not even address this aspect of the founding of Urantia Foundation.

On page 5 of your memorandum, you quote Bill Sadler regarding “The Origin of the Book” as recommending that the Brotherhood stand on the statement contained in the Book and blast as unfactual any other statement.  This we have done as indicated above.  We do not go beyond information contained in The Urantia Book.

On page 5 of your memo, you quote Bill Sadler again on the subject of trustworthiness respecting the origin of The Urantia Book and that we are “to remain silent concerning aught we may chance to know.”  I must repeat that with respect to origin, we have said nothing in the slide-tape, which cannot be found in The Urantia Book.

I note that all strictures you presented concerned origin.  Our entire production committee also is only aware of restrictions imposed concerning origin.  The only other oath of which we are aware concerned not discussing the content of the Urantia Papers with anyone outside the Forum prior to publication of the Papers, which was accomplished in 1955.

Let me turn now to the subject of history.

The portion of our test which concerns you begins on page 7, 2^nd full paragraph, and goes through page 9, 2^nd full paragraph.  It relates the organization of the Forum, how they studied, when they studied, how people gained membership in it and so forth.

The only statement, which you had to present in your memorandum regarding history, actually speaks in favor of relating the history of the Forum.  In the portion Discussions About the Forum on page 5 of your memorandum, Bill Sadler states:  “It would seem to me quite fitting and proper to disclose the existence of the past twenty years, during which we studied the papers and during which funds for their publication were accumulated.”  This is precisely what we do in the text of our slide-tape history.  This portion is simple and short and dignified, a worthy explanation of our beginnings.  Our account is simple but adequate to dispel curiosity and therefore to discourage others from discussing less desirable aspects of the past, such as rumors they might have heard, or a few stories which have been circulated.

On page 7, paragraph 2, of your memorandum, you argue against naming Dr. Sadler as the leader of the Forum.  This is apparently your own personal position, as you do not quote any sourced on this subject.

It would be a fruitless attempt to avoid or cover up such a well-known fact, which has been rather freely shared over the past 25 years or so.  The entire Urantia movement is either consciously or semi-consciously aware of Dr. Sadler’s position.  It was even announced publicly at his memorial service.  He received the Brotherhood’s highest award five years after it began without holding any significant Brotherhood position.  The Forum met at his residence from first to last.  I believe it is too obvious to all people who the leader of the Forum was.

An even more important reason for mentioning Dr. Sadler is that not mentioning him has an adverse effect.  Just as beings known as “One Without Name and Number” are translated as being “Above name and number”, the result of Dr. Sadler going without mention has oftentimes created in the minds of newcomers the impression that he is above mention.  The effect is to render him holy.  Frankly stating he was the leader of the Forum dispels such veneration, rather than heightening it.

A final category under the heading of what material should or should not be shared is the memoranda of Bill Sadler.  As you note, this material was “for the Executive Committee Files.”  Therefore, authority to share this information should come only from the Executive Committee itself.  The Executive Committee did indeed vote in favor of including this material before the slide-tape was ever shown outside the Committee.  Therefore, appropriate procedures were employed and proper permission was granted.

However, it may be that you question the Committee’s wisdom in releasing this material.  Although the original source of the material used in the text of the slide-tape was the memoranda of Bill Sadler, and I properly cited this primary source in my memorandum of April 18^th, 1980, every sentence, which was used in the slide-tape, had appeared publicly in secondary sources.

Most of the documents, which include this material, have been distributed to hundreds of people.  These secondary sources include “Considerations of Some Criticisms of The Urantia Book”, “Unity – Not Uniformity”, and The Circles which published the vast majority of this material when the slide-tape was in the process of formation.  So we are using material so well known in the movement as to have been used in primary and secondary sources.  On the basis of this broad usage, they could hardly be regarded as confidential, even if we had chosen not to use them.

The reason we included a few paragraphs of this material in our slide-tape is that it contains very valuable wisdom, which ought to be shared among the more knowledgeable students of The Urantia Book. Many of whom have, or will have positions of leadership and will be guiding the Brotherhood in the future.  Acceptance of the truths of these few paragraphs is vital to enhancing our perspective and guiding the organization with wisdom and foresight.  Were they not of considerable value in this way, they would not have been shared orally so widely down through the years.  It seems proper for the Executive Committee to continue to share this guidance as it has throughout the years.

With regard to the worthiness of the project in and of itself, that is, why have a history, I would like to quote an entire list of objectives of the multi-media presentation which were presented to the Executive Committee last spring:

“Intended audience:  Urantia Book readers, people who have been reading the book for sometime or who are seriously studying it for the fist time and have indicated some interest in the social aspects of the movement – the organizations, the fellowship of other readers, study groups, and service in the dissemination of the teachings, etc.  This definition makes it appropriate to show the presentation at local and regional conferences, society meetings, and study group meetings, since most of the persons who attend such meetings have the qualities cited above.  The presentation is not intended for people who have not been involved in activities of the Urantia movement; it is not be used as an introduction to the book or the Urantia movement; it is for experienced readers only.

“The presentation will:

1. Stress principles and teachings, not personalities; will not focus on ourselves, but our mission; attempt to present truth, not mere fact.

2. General philosophy of the presentation is summarized by quotations on page 1,109, the reduction of confusion by the authoritative elimination of error; and on page 215, “The true perspective of any reality problem…can be had only by the full and unprejudiced study and correlation of three phases of universe reality:  origin, history, and destiny.”

3. Convey the message that this has been a long-standing group, didn’t just start with the publication of the book.

4. That the Fifth Epochal Revelation is a cooperative relationship between man and God (as have been the other revelations).  It’s a revelation, but it took a lot of dedicated people to make it happen.

5. Stress the principles of epochal revelation reflected in this one – average people, patience, etc.

6. Convey message that we are all working for the same goals – unified by them.

7. Show cross-section of people, countries, locations, etc.

8. Communicate meaningful historical data; use wisdom in dates, specificity about early days, will be chronological in organization.

9. Give history of the organizations we now have.

10. Present long-standing policies, procedures, and guidelines.

11. Include general, but not specific, advice and injunctions given in early days, such as the phrases and wording, which have often been used in letters, and speeches.  Make general passive voice reference to these bits of advice.

12. Convey that the emphasis, leadership, and authority have always been on groups and group processes, not on individuals.

13. Touch on major pursuits of the organization today.

14. Focus interest of viewers constructively; lead people away from unhealthy curiosity about origin, etc.

15. Give the flavor of activities of the Urantia movement.

16. Be as timeless as possible so that constant revision will not be necessary.

17. Use quotation from the book, but sparingly – a few that really hit the mark.

18. Convey message that the history of the movement has a legitimate place in our knowledge of the movement; history is different from origin of the book.

19. Portray a balanced history in a balanced context, rather than rely and let dominate the poor quality, unbalanced histories which will undoubtedly appear, and already have.”

Other publications regarding history and origin have been written; for example Harold Sherman’s book “How to Know What to Believe.  Although students in the field generally remain quiet about it, this book is being read and circulated slowly but widely throughout the country.  Vacuums are going to be filled.  If we ignore our responsibility to provide a history, then we will have to expect that material like Sherman’s will predominate.

In actual fact, by presenting the slide-tape, rather than creating more interest and curiosity about history, it will have the opposite effect.  One of the evaluations submitted to us said, “…facts such as are presented in this presentation dispel confusion so that our energies can be directed Godward. Not wasted in speculating about things which in the long range view are unimportant.”  Dozens of other comments of a similar nature were made.  All viewers recognized the importance of a history.  We have collected 285 evaluations.  Only one or two people out of this number question the idea of having a history.  A great many people feel it fills an important need and can allow us to satisfy curiosity and focus better on studying The Urantia Book.

You ask, “Does a ‘history’ contribute to the dissemination of the teachings of the Urantia Book…?”  I believe it does for reasons stated above; it gets us by obstacles so that we can devote more attention to dissemination of the teachings.  In addition, the history is interwoven with the teachings of The Urantia Book, so it represents a direct reinforcement of the teachings in and of itself.  Quite a number of people have expressed the view that when coming to headquarters, they have been made to feel outside the Urantia movement, not a part of it at all.  They ask about early days and are often told little or nothing is known and later hear a detailed account from someone out in the own vicinity.  These people start with a basic distrust of our organizations.  I believe we have a serous problem in this regard and releasing the slide-tape history will have, and already has had, a very beneficial effect in making people feel a part of the movement and more minded to actively support it.  I am talking about the few hundred to few thousand current students of the book that we know.  They represent the strength of Urantia Brotherhood for the future.  We are going to need their support and we will do well to encourage them.

I hope this has reassured you regarding the importance of safeguarding origin.  And while you may not agree concerning the value of a history, I hope it has given you a fuller picture of the thinking of the many who apparently value the history.  If at any time we receive feedback which indicates that the history is not valuable – either in fact or manner of presentation – I believe the slide-tape production committee and the Publications Committee of Urantia Brotherhood would be the first to do something to correct it.  But, as it is, the slide-tape has been very well received, and the majority of those who have been involved in the project believe it is providing a service to our young and growing Urantia movement.