The Urantia Book and Sexist Language
By Judith Mace
Spiritual Fellowship Journal
Fall 1993
Have you looked into The Urantia Book only to put it aside because of the sexist language you found? Sexist language is nearly planetary in scope. Our society is struggling to develop inclusive or genderless words which reflect our increasing awareness of the impact of language on our conceptual reality. The authors of The Urantia Book recognize the limitations of the English language. "It is exceedingly difficult to present enlarged concepts and advanced truth, in our endeavor to expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception, when we are restricted to the use of a circumscribed language of the realm. But our mandate admonishes us to make every effort to convey our meanings by using the word symbols of the English tongue. We have been instructed to introduce new terms only when the concept to be portrayed finds no terminology in English which can be employed to convey such a new concept partially or even with more or less distortion of meaning." *(1:2)
"We are also seriously handicapped in the execution of our assignment by the limitations of language and by the poverty of material which can be utilized for purposes of illustration or comparison in our efforts to portray divine values and to present spiritual meanings to the finite, mortal mind of man." (33:3)
These statements and more than a few additional comments of a similar nature are expressed in the opening pages of The Urantia Book. Our language is not only a major handicap in accurate, loving communication, but is also hindering our spiritual growth. The authors of the book reflect upon our immature concepts of Deity and challenge us to enlarge our language and concepts of Reality.
"All too long has man thought of God as one like himself." (57:7) Heretofore, many on our world have viewed Deity as a stern male God with emphasis on judgment, appeasement, and atonement. Larger numbers of people each year are searching for religious and philosophical sources which include and honor a more feminine and humane view of ourselves and the cosmos. The Urantia Book offers this more mature vision as well as a more complete and authentic description of Reality.
This fresh and inspiring view stemming from evolution and revelation bears witness to the high value of the fruits of the spirit and encourages their practice. These qualities have long been denigrated as feminine and yet sought after as the spiritual ideal. Throughout history women's practice of these virtues has awarded her the honorable status of spiritual leader and moral standardbearer of humankind.(938:8) The Women's Movement has called attention to this feminine aspect of the First Source and Center of all things and beings which has been covertly and overtly suppressed from development on our planet. The old Patriarchal perception of Deity no longer adequately describes our growing concept of God which includes not only the female and male aspects of reality, but vastly more.
The text of The Urantia Book makes it quite clear that a sexist culture is antithetical to spiritual growth."Sex equality prevails on all advanced worlds; male and female are equal in mind endowment and spiritual status. We do not regard a planet as having emerged from barbarism so long as one sex seeks to tyrannize over the other." (564:7)"There is no error greater than that species of self-deception which leads intelligent beings to crave the exercise of power over other beings for the purpose of depriving these persons of their natural liberties." (614:3) Sexual tyranny has been, and still is, seen by many to be normal, good, and in keeping with Gods will. In The Urantia Book we learn that sexism is a stage of planetary growth common to evolutionary creature development that is outgrown, along with militarism, in the ensuing eras when fairness and justice prevail. (594:2) For a variety of reasons, some of the deepest roots of sexism have grown in our religious soil.
Most of our religious traditions were written by and about men. This literature has served as divine authority for men to devalue, oppress and tyrannize women, children, each other and the planet. It has been a grave mistake to teach that these scriptures were sacred. All too often such teachings have resulted in the dimming of divine truths behind veils of prejudice, superstition, bigotry, ignorance, and intolerance. (1767:4, 1769:1) The power behind this grievous heritage is human pridefulness and selfishness; and one of the basic forces which crystallizes and perpetuates this behavior is our language.
"Language molds thought to a much greater extent than is generally appreciated. Every language enshrines its own reality, for the world is organized according to the manner reflected in the language. Hence, the best means to the understanding of the way in which other people think is through their language. Different languages do not merely represent different ways of labeling experience, but each language serves as a guide to reality, in that it is by means of its words and grammatical categories that order and meaning is given to the world of experience." (Montagu, Ashley, Man: His First Two Million Years, p. 131.)
Ideals are the apex of our intellectual and moral idea-visions. They are the basis of and impetus to individual and collective philosophy and behavior. They are transmitted and perpetuated by language. Our sexist language encourages our unconscious participation in a system of domination. One of the most significant changes we can make to improve our spiritual condition hinges on expanding and improving our language. We must take care in so doing not to throw out the good with the bad. Much of our literary heritage has value and, like The Urantia Book, suffers the misfortune of a sexist nativity. Its message and guidance must be sifted and gleaned out of the ashes of an obsolete language.
"The spread of civilization must wait upon language. Live and growing languages insure the expansion of civilized thinking and planning.... Today, there is great need for further linguistic development to facilitate the expression of evolving thought." (908:6)
The unparalleled revelations of The Urantia Book are afflicted with our sexist language. The acceptance of these papers is seriously threatened by this offensive, inaccurate, and obsolete rhetoric. The book's language clearly addresses males and not females. Doubtless, this is not the intent of the authors, but is the result of the historic patriarchy of our language. The Urantia Book was indited in the 1930's to a world steeped in sexism. The authors used the then generally accepted generic use of male pronouns. The inaccuracy and exclusionism of the language either was not apparent, seemed the correct usage, or did not seem changeable. In all probability, if the revelatory papers has been given in the feminine gender, they would have been ignored, or changed immediately into the "right usage."
The authors probably knew of the impending social evolution away from patriarchal language -- undoubtedly they hoped for it. Yet, even if they knew when it would occur, their mandate required them to use "the language of the realm." They did anticipate that whenever the change occurred, it would endanger the credibility of their work: "Accordingly, future students of such a revelation are tempted to discard any element of genuine religious truth it may contain because they discover errors on the face of the associated cosmologies therein presented." (1109:3) As it now stands The Urantia Book is burdened with sexist language, even though it far surpasses other available cosmological and spiritual literature.
Jesus' Teaching Regarding Women
"The most astonishing and most revolutionary feature of Michaels mission on earth was his attitude toward women.... In one generation Jesus lifted women out of the disrespectful oblivion and the slavish drudgery of the ages. And it is the one shameful thing about the religion which presumed to take Jesus name that it lacked the moral courage to follow this noble example in its subsequent attitude toward women." (1671:4, 5; 1840:4)
The Urantia Book affirms throughout that the First Source and Center blesses each being with unstinting love and eternal potential without qualification of any kind. No individual is favored over another in creation, nor is any location, mind or sexual differentiation more blessed than any other.
Jesus was adamant that women were as important to him, the universe, and The Creator of All as were men. He persistently accorded women respect and honor. (1839:2) He declared in many places and ways that women were treated abominably by men and that this resulted in a severe handicap for both sexes. (1984:7) His earliest experience with sexism left him appalled when he discovered that his mother was not allowed to sit with his father and him on the floor of the synagogue.(1377:2-4) In his public ministry Jesus formed a Womens Corps to assist in the teaching and healing associated with his bestowal. (1679:1-3) Jesus went even further in his efforts to restore womens dignity when, in sharing a few brief moments with Nalda, a battered woman, he told her exactly who and what he was."This was the first direct, positive, and undisguised pronouncement of his divine nature and sonship which Jesus had made on earth; and it was made to a woman." (1614:3)
Such an attitude toward women was extremely unsettling to the men of his day, and these teachings of Jesus were omitted by apostles and others who composed the documents which now make up the New Testament. It is heartening to see The Urantia Book record many events and universal patterns that honor women and the feminine aspects of creation. For instance: (1) The first contact made by the Spirit of Worship with the first two human beings was with the female (709:6). (2) During the nefarious hours of the Crucifixion, when all but one apostle fled, betrayed, or denied Jesus, the women with him were openly loyal to the end (1680:2). (3) When Jesus completed his bestowal mission and earned the title of Sovereign of our universe, he declared a co-rulership with the Universe Mother Spirit (Holy Spirit). He "published to the worlds the fact of the Spirit's equality with him in all endowments of personality and attributes of divine character." (368-369:3)
Balancing the Feminine and Masculine Viewpoints
There follows a passage declaring this act as the definitive pattern for all universe creature pair relationships. In light of this and the many thrilling and insightful discussions of human affairs, we see that the Women's Movement, so recently and tardily initiated, is born of an evolutionary and revelatory imperative: we must balance the feminine and masculine influences in our culture if we are to continue growing socially and spiritually, and avoid catastrophe in human affairs. Any imbalance of these fundamental human viewpoints is incompatible with the outworking of the eternal patterns of development established by our Creator. To achieve this balance necessitates the development and establishment of the Urantian feminine aspects of the First Source and Center. Such reality validation requires linguistic growth and its resultant attitudinal change. No language can be considered universal and serviceable unless it is gender-inclusive or genderless. (807:1#10) It must clearly demonstrate that female and male viewpoints are equally sought after, valued, and acted upon.
One of the attending ramifications of linguistic growth will be the redefinition of every human tradition, institution, and cultural practice. None now embody more than a token of feminine philosophy. Nothing that is now considered great in any field can continue to be so called unless it is considered great by both women and men. Every field of human endeavor must be re-aligned or dismissed as obsolete if it does not reflect the joint creativity of the female and the male aspects of experience. The authors of The Urantia Book state that what women and men do in cooperation is far superior to what is accomplished by either working alone. (932:7)
Women are purposely created to view the world differently than men -- not less valuably, differently. The Urantia Book assures us that the differences we describe as female and male will exist throughout eternity. ((938:1, 939:3) To arbitrarily value one viewpoint more than the other is to ignore the dialectical purposes of creation. Women and men were created as two distinctly different varieties -- not two different values -- of human beings.
Humanity is beginning to understand that changes in what we view as the purposes and goals of life is imperative. Traditional thought sees fulfillment in terms of the domination and possession of people and goods, and this has brought this planet to the brink of environmental, cultural and spiritual destruction. A conscious revision is emerging which is based on an increased valuation of accommodation, collaboration, and the development of human resources. Changing the basis of society from material rewards to mindal, emotional, and spiritual rewards will necessarily cause cataclysmic upheavals in the current system. As culture swings from valuing having goods to valuing being good, intense suffering will result. The shedding of the old world order is causing extensive confusion, pain, withdrawal, and retaliation. The molting of these obsolete traditions allows us to embark on the thrilling pathway to harmony with ourselves, one another, and our planet. (43:4) Our planetary problems stem from many historic misadaptations and mistakes. But an important step in getting us back onto the spiritual path of development lies in supporting the evolution of both varieties of human beings into the divine patterns they were created to follow.
The Unparalleled Spiritual Quality of The Urantia Book
The Urantia Book -- with all of its true, beautiful, and good insights, and its transcendent inspirations -- is undoubtedly meant to be an integral part of the future. Organized religion can be of immense help if it continues to be progressive, flexible, and willing to allow intelligent criticism to guide it toward an active, responsive, spiritual consciousness. The church cannot prosper apart from the totality of human experience.(69:5) In the astute words of Eric Hoffer,"In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who will inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists."
The Urantia Book urges us to follow truth wherever it leads, and to avoid crystallizing our mindal and spiritual environments. The most important function of the book is to improve the spiritual quality of our planet. Freeing women to be spiritual leaders, which is needed so desperately, is an important step in improving our spiritual condition. Freeing men from the energy loss of subjugating over half of the human race will enable them to discover and actualize their true potentials.
To obtain an increase of the fruits of the spirit, greater service to humankind, and a more intelligent worship of God, one of the first and most significant improvements we can make is in our language. Language is the most powerful exclusionary aspect of patriarchyit created, and continues to create the images that are the patterns of our current behaviors and entrenches these patterns by teaching them to our children. The authors of The Urantia Book constantly lament, with varying degrees of frustration, the inadequacy and inappropriateness of our language. It is vital to improve our word-meanings, add to our vocabulary, and consciously create accurate and loving images with our words. Language is the major key to our transcendence of spiritual barbarism. Truly, the pen is mightier than the sword.
The Need to Revise our Language
"The spirit of religion is eternal, but the form of its expression must be restated every time the dictionary of human language is revised." (1087:3) Currently we seek a new word to call God, one which is designative of our new vision. In The Urantia Book we learn that the names of the Creator are many and varied throughout the universe and that the First Source and Center is never revealed by name. (22:4-23:4)
Changes of language are difficult to make."Jesus sought to substitute many terms for the kingdom but always without success. Among others, he used: the family of God, the Fathers will, the friends of God, the fellowship of believers, the brotherhood of man, the Fathers fold, the children of God, the fellowship of the faithful, the Father's service, and the liberated sons of God." (1861:6) In the last sentence of The Urantia Book, the authors write that at that time the Father concept was the highest available imagery to describe God to us. This is not to say that it is the only, nor the best description for every person. They are acutely aware, and we are learning to be, of the progressive nature of our religious growth. In the 60 plus years since the book was transmitted, radical changes have occurred in our culture and one can justifiably suggest the authors might now choose another concept.
The history of theology has progressed, via the joint ministry of revelation and evolution, from worship of natural phenomena, through worship of idols and even humans, into a concept of familial relationships with various divine personalities. We are once again embarking on a metamorphosis to a more accurate and enlarged vision of our Creator and the cosmos. The"watchword of the universe is progress." (54:5) As we mature spiritually our conceptual framework and theology must mature with us. The crystallization of physical, mindal, and spiritual concepts is the equivalent of death. (1120:5)
The linguistic scholars of the world can be of great assistance to humankind by providing us with new words to embrace our new concepts. One such scholar, Professor Probal Dasgupta of the University of Hyderabad in India, has responded to this need by offering the word Primum for God, Secundum for the Eternal Son, and Tertium for the Infinite Spirit. These word-titles are fresh and gender-free.
Gender-free words for titles and terms of endearment which allow people to access a closer and more loving contact with the Creator of All would be a helpful development. If and when a word is a deterrent to the spiritual growth of any person, there is no intelligent or loving justification for insisting that this individual use that word. Professor Dasgupta has further suggested the following use of gender-free pronouns: te for she/he; ter for his/her; and tem for her/him. Uncapitalized, even in reference to Deity, such words are not hierarchical and, if in constant use, would change our gender imagery. It is an interesting suggestion to start us thinking about healing our gender problem.
It should go without saying that change and its accompanying move out of comfort zones is not a hallmark of humankind. Yet, such discomfiture is no excuse for rejecting a trial of a viable system of improvement for those who are motivated. All growth involves discomfort and is evolutionary in nature. Our personal communication with divinity is extremely powerful in effecting change in us, and, with an acute perception of the caliber of the problem facing us, perhaps we can generate the courage to try new words and thereby open new vistas of conceptual growth. Remembering that what we call Primum is more important to us than to them, can we meet the challenge?" The act is ours, the consequences" Primum's. (556:2#11)
*Numbers in parenthesis in text indicates page and paragraph in The Urantia Book.
(The following list of passages from The Urantia Book (page:paragraph) will aid a true seeker to turn the stumbling blocks of sexist language into stepping stones leading to enlightenment: 9:5; 40:4; 58:1; 60:3-61:1; 501:1; 746:8 - 749:3; 744:1 - 778:8; 835:5 - 836:7; 1220:2 - 1221:8; 1288:2 -1289:2; 1471:2; 1546:3; 1580:9 - 1581:5; 1603:6 - 1605:2; 1730:7 - 1733:5; 1916:2 - 1917:3; 1921:6 - 1923:2; 2065:2)
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