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The
Story of Everything
An
abridged edition of The Urantia Book
Paper
100: Religion in Human Experience
Spiritual growth is stimulated by intimate association with other religionists; love is the soil for religious growth. A person cannot cause growth, but he can supply favorable conditions. Religious growth is inhibited by prejudice and ignorance. Habits which contribute to religious growth include meditation, sensitivity to divine values, worshipful problem solving, sharing the spiritual life, and avoidance of selfishness. Religious growth requires self-realization, the coordination of natural talents, curiosity, a sense of adventure, awareness, and humility.
Initial awareness of God-spiritual birth-may occur either suddenly or gradually. A spirit-born individual becomes so remotivated in life that he can calmly stand by while his fondest ambitions perish, knowing that the experience will lead to a more noble and enduring universe reality. Genuine religion takes nothing away from life, but adds new meaning, enthusiasm, and courage. A religious outlook elevates the drudgery of daily living.
Spiritual growth yields lasting joy. One of the earmarks of religious living is a peace which passes all human understanding, that peace which Paul spoke of when he said, "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else shall be able to separate us from the love of God."
Ideals worth striving for are those that are divine, spiritual, and eternal. The struggle for cosmic ideals is characterized by increasing patience, forbearance, fortitude, and tolerance. Spiritual development depends on maintaining a connection with spiritual forces and in ministering to others. Relationships between religionists stimulate spiritual growth. Understanding others leads us to tolerance, which leads to friendship, which leads ultimately to love. If one could only fathom the motives of others, he would eventually learn to love them.
Jesus was the perfectly unified human personality. Jesus was sincere, reasonable, approachable, unafraid, considerate, and cheerful. He taught the truth, he lived the truth, he was the truth. Jesus continues to unify mortal experience and transform the human mind. He unifies life, ennobles character, and simplifies experience.