The Fellowship Forum
1993
International Conference
Congres International
OUR TIME HAS INDEED COME - PLAN A
By Joseph Liszka
A few days before the preaching of a sermon on The Kingdom, as Jesus was at work in the boatshop, Peter brought him the news of John's arrest. Jesus laid down his tools once more, removed his apron, and said to Peter: "The Father's hour has come. Let us make ready to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom" (P.1535).
Recognizing that the revelators Of The Urantia Book are aware of time-space considerations, one wonders at the intricacies of their decision-making process going on behind the scenes prior to the publication of The Urantia Book.
That a spot with a large community in mid-continent North America was desirable for the appearance of The Urantia Book is understandable--as was the community of Nazareth an understandable choice for the birthplace of Christ Michael.
What is perhaps outside of our immediate understanding and vision is the timing that is considered for day to day spiritual interaction with humankind, much less epochal revelations, that carry with them consequences of such import that they reverberate to the very gates of Paradise.
In discussing the final bestowal mission of Christ Michael, the book makes the point that Michael's creation and our spirit friends were wholly ignorant of the time, place and manner of this culminating adventure. The announcement of Michael's seventh bestowal to be lived on the rebellion-torn world of Urantia was made shortly after the local universe inhabitants learned about the default of Adam and Eve, and for more than thirty-five thousand years Urantia occupied a very conspicuous place in the councils of the entire universe.
Added to our newly found knowledge of eternity and of the spirits who therein reside, is the startling revelation that Thought Adjusters--actual Father fragments from Paradise--attempt to communicate with us every nanosecond of every day. And to what purpose do these Mystery Monitors attempt this communication? So that we may be "good"? Or that we follow the rules of good behavior--a bit like the rules of the road so that you don't smash into someone else's spirit?
In their attempt to spiritualize human mind and to sort and censor the successive religions of evolution, can you dismiss our Adjusters' roles in the mission of revelation?
The following comments, however, on the human condition give pause. The Urantia Book hardly minces words but these are especially potent: The existing "gulf between the human and the divine, between man and God" is vast. We are so largely electrically and chemically, which is to say, physically, controlled, "so animal-like in [our] common behavior, so emotional," ... that "it becomes extremely difficult for the Monitors to guide [us]." We are so lacking in "courageous decisions and consecrated cooperation" that our "indwelling Adjusters find it next to impossible to communicate directly with [our] human minds."
Even when a Thought Adjuster "flash[es] a gleam of new truth to the evolving mortal soul, this spiritual revelation often so blinds the creature as to precipitate a convulsion of fanaticism or to initiate some other intellectual upheaval which results disastrously." "Many a new religion and strange 'ism' has arisen from the aborted, imperfect, misunderstood .... communications of the Thought Adjusters." For many thousands of years, we are told, the records of Jerusem show that in each generation there have lived fewer and fewer beings who could function safely with self-acting Adjusters. This picture is apparently alarming enough for "the supervising personalities of Satania [to] look with favor upon the proposals of some of [our] more immediate planetary supervisors who advocate the inauguration of measures designed to foster and conserve the higher spiritual types of the Urantia races" (P. 1207).
Surely the early readers of the Urantia Papers, the members of the Forum, and others must have wondered, as we today wonder, by what criteria of time and space and spirit--and I suppose, jolly good fortune--the early receivers happened to be at the right place at the right time. Had their time come?
The final decision to print the Urantia Papers was made. On October 12, 1955, the official publication date, the book simply was--no longer some accumulation of esoteric papers pondered over for more than 16 years by a few who spoke a kind of argot among themselves and who were enjoined to keep their personal and group knowledge within the "family", as it had become constituted.
Clearly some amount of consideration must have been given as to how The Urantia Book was to be revealed to the world. Their time, our time, had come--ready or not--as evidenced by the fact that the book was now in existence.
Having accepted The Urantia Book for its revelation of the truth, beauty and goodness of our loving Father, were these privileged humans now bound by some kind of spoken or unspoken understanding to go forth and teach all nations?
In order to best give some kind of reasonable answer, we might turn to what might well be called PLAN A--an eternal plan that embraces every aspect of living, whether it be on a world in the midst of a rebellion or on one settled in Light and Life --- on Urantia or on Uversa.
Plan A maintains its fidelity through both time and space. It rings throughout the universe of universes in these few words, so simply stated, so absolutely staggering in their import and consequence: "Be you perfect, even as I am perfect," which command Christ Michael, our Creator Son re-echoed as he spoke to his bewildered followers. That same command is restated by a Mighty Messenger temporarily attached to the Supreme Council of Nebadon and assigned to the mission of presenting the Urantia revelation by Gabriel of Salvington, in these words:
"There is in the mind of God a plan which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress and endless life. And the infinite treasure of such a matchless career are yours for the striving! The goal of eternity is ahead! The adventure of divinity attainment lies before you! The race for perfection is on! Whosoever will may enter, and certain victory will crown the efforts of every human being who will run the race of faith and trust, depending every step of the way on the leading of the indwelling Adjuster and on the guidance of that good spirit of the Universe Son, which so freely has been poured out upon all flesh ."(P. 365)
In James Gilbert's book, Perfect Cities, which is a broad historical treatise on Chicago's Utopias of 1893, Gilbert points out that the religious fervor exhibited by George Pullman with his planned industrial city, the religious revival campaigns of Dwight Moody whose ultimate legacy is the Moody Bible Institute; the Presbyterian ethic of Harlow Higinbotham; Marshall Field and friends who established the world famous retail emporium, Marshall Field and Company--these men and others of equal stature would attempt to bring the different religious and ethnic groups that were pouring into the city, together, into a society in which each person played his appropriate role. It was understood that this society had a culture to maintain and a God to worship --- a culture that was built on solid Protestant Christian ideals and which ultimately would reflect those ideals, with Christian folk, or perhaps would-be Christians building ingenious machines and glorious temples and architectural structures in an emerging city all working together in happy Christian harmony --- a kind of perfect city in which all men could thrive in the glory of the Lord.
There was a small concern however: Whose Lord was to be glorified? In an off-site location of the World's Fair in downtown Chicago, with some 200,000 attendees and over 1200 conferences of international professions meeting, it was intended to spread the idea of ecumenical culture. "Not surprising," points out James Gilbert, "the largest of the conferences was devoted to religion. Speakers representing Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists were represented. There were also evangelicals and charismatics (although Moody declined to participate). Even Inquiry Rooms were set up, where different religions could "explain themselves."
Lucinda H. Stone spoke of this ecumenical union in her remarks on the "Higher Lessons of the World's Fair" before the Congress of Women: "In olden times," she said, "men could have seen in the face of every stranger an enemy, to be met with in armed defense against him, his customs, his thought, and above all, against his religion. Now, thanks to the new spirit of our times, we may see in him a human brotherhood; we may yet agree in broad human sympathies, that he has the same claim to the Fatherhood of God as we have." Lucinda Stone was clearly a lady before her time. But in spite of her, any agreement on fraternal kinship between religions was intended to validate an American, Protestant, Christian view of mankind.
With Harlow Higinbotham leading the way, these Chicagoans, these builders of the World's Fair, these dreamers of greatness were on a mission. To a certain extent they were successful. The Reverend George Boardman, in his closing address to the last session of professionals attending the 1893 Fair, claimed Christ was the only true unifier of mankind. Boardman was and is correct. Unfortunately, the Christ of George Boardman and his fellow Christians is a Christ that represented nationalism, a significant temporal and social power that had all the day-to-day consequences of social inferiority and public disrespect for those who could not quite assent to this particular doctrine.
When one looks at the world from the times of Jesus, to and including the late 20th Century, can an unbeliever in any religion where church and state are joined, be totally comfortable with the so-called brotherhood that is being espoused?
However, with all the differences, we dare not ignore the sameness. Jesus of Nazareth is still the model. In his short life on earth, he understood and loved both man and God. He understood there was a need to have two avenues of approach to his ministry--the individual and personal, but no less the public, the organizational and administrative. The beauty of his personal spirit ministry to individuals was manifested "as he passed by".
His apostolic corps was an efficient operation, drawing on the best of each man and woman according to their abilities. The oneness of spirit did not preclude differences of background, education or belief. As our beloved Urantia Book makes clear, uniformity in spirit does not mean conformity. Jesus went out of his way to respect every individual and to enhance personal self esteem but he did not hesitate to correct errors as they became apparent when the apostles attempted to preach the gospel of the kingdom.
Jesus was not afraid to identify himself with business men, laboring men, optimists, pessimists, philosophers, skeptics, publicans, politicians and patriots. In a discussion with Simon the Zealot, Jesus explained that while it was proper to want to see the social, economic and political orders improved, he added that it was not the business of the kingdom of heaven. The business of the kingdom of heaven was clearly an organizational function. In his words and actions Jesus taught that the organization wanted all believers but did not want to become OF any of them.
This joy, this gladness, this more abundant life, is now being offered to you. Is there any question that you are children of God? Or that we are all brothers and sisters, with God as our Universal Father? Or that our Father's will will be done, and that we have, in fact, entered into the kingdom of heaven?
The question now is, have we entered into the kingdom because we believe in The Urantia Book? I quote David Kantor in his excellent paper entitled The Revelatory Process; Perspective and Context:
"Clearly anyone who says that a spiritual experience will result from believing certain things to be true, is wrong. Reality, according to The Urantia Book doesn't work that way. Belief is a repercussion of the spiritual experience; spiritual experience does not occur as a result of belief. Spiritual experience does not follow upon acceptance of a set of underlying principles --- it is a gift freely and graciously given by God. This gift is the gift of faith, of living faith, of our Father's faith in his children."
Having established the fact that you are indeed a child of God, is it not time for you to look beyond your personal and perhaps selfish considerations of salvation and begin to reflect love, the gift of the Father to others, and to love and serve those around us? And further, is there any question that there is need?
Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the man, understood the need in his day as we do in ours. Wars remain, aggressive territorial nationalism and culturism remain, physical and spiritual suffering remain. We still seek miraculous or supernatural phenomena to provide quick cures or perhaps entertainment for our spiritual needs. Crystallized religious dogma still finds a willing home in the spiritually indolent who are happy to mouth emotional but unthinking supplications to a demanding, anthropomorphic god.
As a society we too often seek an enemy in a devil, in an evil spirit, in a Caligastia, in nature, in persons of different color, nationality, creed, gender, sexual preference--in anything or anybody that will give us a framework in which to get angry, to find a reason for living or for dying. Many religious leaders and their followers still seek a god who would be a computerized super accountant, happily listing the debits of an erring and hapless human so that justice and punishment are faithfully carried out. We still glorify ignorance and greed; the first as a small entertainment, the latter as a social virtue.
In the musical Fiddler on the Roof, the main character Tevye sings what we all know:
"Power and intelligence and authority are
automatically accorded to those with wealth."
We can all speculate on how heavily the responsibility of the Fifth Epochal Revelation lay as a sacred trust on the heads of the contact commission. How were they to proceed? Start a religion or start a revolution? Infiltrate the mainstream or wait for the mainstream to catch up--for after all, we now have the Word. God told us so. We humans desire that people come over to "our side" of thinking--to join us, to experience what we experience. We want to shout our joy and good fortune from the housetops so that all may appreciate and admire us--and yes, follow us. Who can deny that having followers gives power to an organization?
Does the Urantia "cult" want followers? Is there a central authority to whom one should go for the proper interpretation of The Urantia Book? In fact, must or should one believe in The Urantia Book?
Having fulfilled the demands of his bestowal mission, Jesus--God and man--faced essentially the same problems that we do today. What was the best approach to achieve the Plan A of that time and that place, of doing the Father's will--helping his children achieve God's command, "be you perfect, even as I am perfect."
We might ask the same question of those who would reveal The Urantia Book to the world. The Fifth Epochal Revelation, however, carries a distinctive difference from the revelation that is Christ Michael, The revelation that we now hold in our hands is no less mystical, no less spiritual. Its authority emanates from the same Paradise Source. For instance, Thought Adjusters are universally given to all mankind with normal functioning minds. The Spirit of Truth has been poured out upon all flesh. Human understanding of good and evil has advanced, if too often ignored. In the main, we live with 20th Century minds along with 20th century means of communication. And obviously, our science and technology, while currently greater than our spiritual receptivity, is helping to displace the abject poverty of superstition and ignorance. Lastly, The Urantia Book is a physical book, not a person.
But how brilliantly, how mindfully, how God-inspired was this revelation conceived to be promulgated. This revelation still requires a person to present God's cause. It takes you and it takes me to be the revealer of this revelation to another person. The Urantia Book is not impersonal after all.
Jesus explained that while John the Baptist preached repentance and sorrow for those who stood in need of such teaching, for those who already sought sincere entrance to the kingdom, his followers were to "open the door wide and bid them enter into the joyous fellowship of the sons of God" (P. 1584).
As we view the panoply of our local universe--as we extend our mind's vision to the farthest reaches of mind in time and space--we discern unimagined organization. God's plan of perfection attainment is ubiquitous.
The mind-bending revelation that is The Urantia Book is not simply that God loves his children but that the Father has given us every means of body, mind and spirit~ every personality, every eventuation to achieve that perfection of spirit to be like him!
Many of us have come to this place and at this time from other disciplines, other organizations, other philosophies and religions. Some of us, frankly, have been burned, wary of the do's and don'ts that were demanded of us as adherents to that particular organization. As a result, we have the feeling that any formally organized religious grouping is to be avoided--that an association with God is solely a personal affair--and so it is, on a strictly personal level. But we humans are not alone and replete in ourselves. We were created to be social animals, gregarious souls.
We are a community and MUST depend on one another. One of the reasons for the breakdown of society occurs when individual families break down--when there is no head, no leadership, no sense of obligation to the good of the whole.
Once again it is not conformity that is required but a unanimity of purpose and goal. Why am I here? Why was I born? These are questions often asked by people who have lost the sense of family, of community, with little self-esteem. If these questions were to be asked in a group, the answers would come quickly and be surprisingly diverse. And the answers would most certainly have a final goal or destiny as a purpose for living.
How wise was the Master when he usually sent out his apostles two by two so that an individual would not feel alone--that he could depend on a helper and partner to complete an assignment.
Looking to our own efforts to communicate with our fellow man, to offer mindful and spiritual service, we look to the wisdom of organization as a means to those ends. We look to the increased energy that organization provides, the wider perspective, the greater understanding the cleaner focus, the sincere cooperation, and to the effectiveness and efficiency that organization provides. Allow me to read to you the Purpose of the Fellowship as stated in our Constitution. It states clearly what would take me a long time to restate. But it also brings a renewal of understanding to these proceedings:
The purposes of THE FELLOWSHIP are the study and dissemination of the teachings of The Urantia Book; the promotion, improvement, and expansion among the peoples of the world of the comprehension and understanding of Cosmology and the relation of the planet on which we live to the Universe, of the genesis and destiny of Man and his relation to God, and of the life and teachings of Jesus; and the inculcation and encouragement of the realization and appreciation of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man--in order to increase and enhance the comfort, happiness and well-being of Man, as an individual and as a member of society, by fostering a religion, a philosophy, and a cosmology which are commensurate with Man's intellectual and cultural development, through the medium of fraternal association, ever obedient and subservient to the laws of this country and of all countries wherein THE FELLOWSHIP may extend.
As an organization with the Urantia teachings in hand, we begin to recognize the humanity of each of us. We recognize the destiny of each of us, the spiritual endowments that have been given to all of us, the responsibility each of us has and the trust that has been given to us by our Father to complete our assignments; that we are all part of God's plan. That service to one's fellows has universal value. Would we be great? Do we seek the shores of Paradise? Indeed we do. Service is the key to those golden gates. Would you touch the world? Then help someone. Gentle Jesus is your model. Give someone your personal ministry to help them read if they cannot, to understand if they do not, to use their God-given talents if they have forgotten they were given them.
In your public ministry, surely the best challenge to all that is good, beautiful and true in you is to begin a Urantia Book study group. Is there any question that there are among you, individuals who will fill necessary positions of leadership in this organization, or perhaps others who will seek your help in their assignments? Have you ever noticed how differently some people of considerable means walk and talk, their body language proclaiming their self-esteem, their wealth? Certainly, you might say, I could take on that tough assignment if I had that kind of money, that kind of power.
My friends, you are rich beyond measure. You have the wealth of the universe of universes to sustain you. You have the power and majesty of the Deities at your beck and call. You have the very loving spark of eternal life residing with you, walking and moving with you as you traverse the road to Paradise.
My friends, my brothers and sisters, with God's help you will, we will reach the perfection that the Father has prepared for us. I wish you good journey.
A Service of
The Urantia Book Fellowship