Now Is The Time

Now Is The Time

By Richard Omura.

I used to think that the Urantia Book community will just grow and grow until it gets so big that it draws national and even international attention.

However, upon looking at the reality,  I realized that the number of attendees at International Conferences has been steadily getting smaller. Same with the study groups in my area. I don’t have solid figures on this, and it may be that the total number of people who own UBs have increased, but just from looking around at our gatherings, it seems that the number of dedicated interacting UB readers is shrinking. At the conferences middle age and older readers far outnumber the young readers. We have been taking steps such as creating the YaYa group to nurture our younger readers with this in mind, but it is rather apparent that after the boomer generation has passed on, the number of dedicated UB believers will be drastically reduced. Social media has helped in stemming this trend but will it reverse the momentum? We have to face the fact that the next generation of dedicated believers will probably be less in number than presently. How about the generation after that? And after that? Unless we do something, it is quite possible that after a few more generations, the UB will become a very obscure item in the footnote of history.

Before it is too late, I strongly suggest that we take a major step in alleviating this potential problem. The solution is outreach,  but it is how we do outreach that makes a difference. I’ve been thinking about this for a few decades and I now see that we have been at a standstill because we have been mixing the business model (distributing the book) with the social model (spiritual outreach). We need to differentiate the two and let them go their own separate ways. The UB community needs more ministers and spiritual guides, not more book pushers. Let the professional booksellers do the selling.

Publishing and selling the book is a material endeavor. It is a business and should be run like a business; to make a profit. In terms of profit, the way UB publishers have been doing business has been a failure. We have the greatest revelation of the times, why is it not making any money? Because they are confusing business with religion. They should be divorced, it is an unholy and unprofitable marriage. Let the business be run like a business, to sell books and make a profit, like most other books. And let the religion remain personal, a personal relationship with God but with a social agenda that nurtures our UB religionists to disseminate the message by using their own words based on their spiritual experiences, rather than by quoting text and telling people to read the book. Teaching by rote is the old model that is followed by many traditional religions. Please, lets leave that baggage behind.[/wpcol_3quarter_end]

The social agenda would be on studying, understanding, living and exemplifying the concepts in the book without getting into an over-zealous proselytizing mode. We need to have a spiritual community based on TUB wherein we develop our souls by practicing the teachings of the book. We need a spiritual community OF the book, not ABOUT the book. Christianity made the mistake of creating religion about Jesus, not of Jesus. We don’t want to make the same mistake. We need a community that can help us master our selves, to enable us to use the concepts in the book to further our everyday lives; to be healthy, to be wise and happy; a community that supports our struggles with the practical demands of life using spiritual ideas from the book. The community should be geared not toward understanding the complicated minutiae in the book that has little relevance to daily life, but toward creating processes wherein we can return good for evil consistently, toward mastering the wants of our body that makes for obesity, substance abuse, conflict, disease and emotional instability: self-mastery. In other words, a UB community with a self-help approach using the concepts and ideas of the book.

As for marketing the book, the little efforts many of us have been doing, although appreciated, are really “Mickey Mouse”.  I have written a few self-published books and I market them in small scale, similar to what UB readers do with the UB. I talk to people, I try to get on radio shows, have talks, hand out flyers, etc. Then I realized there’s something wrong here. Why are we doing this same small scale marketing with TUB, the world’s greatest revelation? I may not have enough money to do large scale marketing for my books but there are many UB readers with deep pockets who can financially support such a large scale endeavor for The Urantia Book. The current marketing strategy (if there is one) of the Urantia Book publishers really is “Mickey Mouse.” (This is not to disparage any of you who have diligently worked on marketing the book. No offense meant.)

The spiritual outreach should be done personally, one to one, by manifesting high values and teaching by example. And by creating a community of readers who can effectively model the high concepts in the book.
The marketing of the book should be strictly business. Done with a profit motive as we are still not in the era of light and life when the service motive will be the norm. It sounds counter intuitive but the practice of giving away books for free can be counter productive.When the public sees free books, they see a religious movement and the pushing of a new “bible”. In fact, all this hoopla about outreach and how many books were sold and given out sounds just like a zealous religious movement. This is fine if The Urantia Book is your religion, is it?

I take it that it is not. I take it that your true religion is your personal relationship with God. And that The Urantia Book is not your bible, but a source of great spiritual insight among other great books. This needs to be clearly laid out for the world to see. We need to differentiate ourselves from the religions of authority by declaring that The Urantia Book is not our religion nor our authority. We need to declare this truth in any ad or commercial that we use in pursuing the business of marketing the book

And I think it’s time we get down to business. Initially, we should experiment with marketing The Urantia Book professionally on a national basis, beginning with ads in both science and spiritual publications such as Discover Magazine and Spirituality and Health to name two. I feel that high profile ads and commercials in the nation’s biggest media outlets if done correctly might be super, but it might be tricky as I don’t think we want to come across as another Dianetics. The ads and commercials should be varied, with different approaches for different demographics, produced by a reputable company and include an 1-800 phone number. This is important because the public should be informed by readers who have a track record of service and can display the “fruits of the spirit.” Individuals who do outreach on their own may have good motives, but are often not as well versed in the concepts of the book as they should be. And there are individuals who get media attention that I feel are not portraying The Urantia Book accurately or truthfully. If those that are truly qualified to represent the book do not step forward, those who are less qualified will.

We have been avoiding this task, and rightfully so, as many of us felt that we weren’t ready, or the world wasn’t ready. And we assumed that the number of dedicated UB believers would increase naturally without overt commercial outreach. That has not been the case. And as much as I want to believe that the angels will provide books to whomever is deserving, someone human still needs to get the word out and the books on the shelves with whatever resources we can command.

And now is the time. We have a community of UB believers who have been studying the book for decades, who lived in the same century as when the papers were indited, and are in touch with the current meanings of the words (this is important because as time passes, the words will take on different meanings) and is sufficiently knowledgeable, enthused and passionate about the teachings. We have a slew of UB scholars that can answer any questions that the media may pose including the controversial ones on race and eugenics. Will the next generation be able to field such qualified readers?

There is nobody more capable than us of doing this. The chance will be lost if we wait too long. Already we have lost UB readers that would have contributed immensely to this task such as Meredith Sprunger and Duane Faw. We cannot afford to lose more such minds before this work is done. We must act. The time is now.

Best,
Richard Omura
UBLA

Spread the word ❤

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24 thoughts on “Now Is The Time”

  1. I hear you on the minutiae. How much knowledge does one need before realizing knowledge isn’t truth? They give us all the knowledge in the universe, but the joke is on us 🙂

    How do you think we can recognize leaders on the basis of spirit luminosity rather than classical leadership prowess or wealth influence? or do these individuals require both?

    Excellent post, alot of what you say is my personal motivation for working with the YaYA.

    1. You can recognize spiritual leaders by their “fruits of the spirit”. Not their talk but their walk. But not all leaders are inherently good. Their have been many leaders that have lead followers to evil paths. Their is only one true leader that is infallible, that is the divine spark within.

      1. Yes, but functionally, what does that look like for a large organization? That is the challenge we face in building the future of this community.

        1. Well what was thinking about the other day was how we have had many great leaders inside our movement but that they don’t answer to anyone but themselves. Now I’m not suggesting that we need a hierarchy but that maybe we should consider what the original constitution told us to do.

          Section 11.14:
          The committee on Education shall find, prepare, and qualify teachers of the Urantia Book, who shall be persons of high moral character, devoted to the teachings and principles of the Urantia Book; it shall seek to interest such suitable persons in preparing themselves to teach the truths of the Urantia Book and prepare and qualify such persons to teach the Urantia Book.

          If we had been doing this at full steam for the last 50 years what kind of leaders and community do you think we would have at this time?

      2. Due to the many questions and open attacks regarding Our Ministry from people within the Urantia Movement, I would like to make a clear presentation of what we actually DO. This has all evolved very naturally and is simply our “way of life.” We do not ask anyone to “follow us” but we do encourage EVERYONE to “grow” on their progressive journey. Our egos are not inflated, nor our morale deflated by people’s opinions. It is what it is, and it is still a work in evolutionary progress.

        1. Through Musical Ministry, we travel across the USA and the world and:
        a) Spread the Good News during live performances and interviews, while ministering to the real needs of individuals.
        b) Initiate Prayer Circles to allow the Spirit of Thanksgiving, Worship & Spiritual Regeneration.
        c) Promote, disseminate, educate and share the Urantia Book and it’s teachings.
        d) Encourage “sincere truth seekers” to maintain contact with us by phone or email and become a part of our growing Facebook Community, Skype Ministry and Spiritual Family.

        2. Minister Pato Banton Forum: We decided to create this space as an arena where Spiritually Motivated people can come together in loving support and discuss social, religious and personal issues on a daily basis. It also serves as the next step for the people we reach though our OUTREACH efforts.

        3. Urantia Study Group 1: for “New Urantia Book Students Only” to study Spiritual Growth at our HOME or via Skype on Tuesday evenings at 6pm West Coast Time.

        4. Urantia Study Group 2: for Our “International Family” of new and experienced Urantians to study the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ “Via Skype Only” on Wednesdays at 12noon West Coast Time. (8pm UK & West Africa)

        5. Urantia Study Group 3: for “Experienced Readers & Highly Intellectual New Students” to participate in the study of the Advanced Teachings of the Urantia Book at our HOME or via Skype on Wednesday evenings at 6pm West Coast Time.

        6. “Family Reunion & Communion” every Sunday at 11am in our HOME. (Until our HOME is not big enough. LOL!) All Family Members & All Ages are welcome to come and enjoy Fellowship, Music and Praise in a relaxed & loving environment. ♥

        7. Ministers For Christ Michael: This Forum has been created to motivate a global network of Ministry and to provide ongoing support for those who desire to become Ordained and be a part of a Family of Ministers who are willing to share their experiences, encouragement and love! ♥ Formal Ordination gives us the ability to provide Ministerial Services in our local communities with the Legal Credentials to serve in Prisons, Hospitals and Hospices, plus allowing us to legally and “respectfully” perform Marriages, Christenings, Baptisms, etc.

        8. Secret Service……….

  2. I have been reading the UB for 38 years. I went to my first conference when I was seventeen years old. Over the years I became increasing disillusioned with the social organizations of the Urantia Book, especially the Fellowship. Almost eve
    ry conference I attended there were drugs—sometimes openly. Between 9-11 conspiracy theories and channeling Monjoronson and the legalize marijuana zealots I can only conclude my decision to keep my children away from the UB community was a wise choice. They have had the experience of socializing and worshiping with Muslims; I see hateful Islamaphobia regularly in the UB community. They have spent time in Buddhist temples, and understand the best of Buddhism; the UB community offers what, channeling? Thanks, but no thanks.

    1. As many UB readers do, including myself, we tend to forget that the UBook and culture is not a religion. So lumping it together with Islam, Buddhism and other traditional faiths is not really valid. As Jesus said 2000 years ago and again in the UB, the religion of the UB and Jesus is not like those of other religions. In fact, it is not a religion as the world knows it. It is the direct and personal relationship with the Creator. It is a religion of experience, where the importance is in having a personal experience with God. The traditional religions are religions of authority, wherein the scripture says this and that you have to learn it by rote and the authority is unquestioned. So UB gatherings manifest that. Which means everyone is responsible for their own behavior. Self government is the standard along with tolerance, love and compassion.
      The UB relies heavily on science. Science now says that we are all on drugs – internal drugs that give us our sense of reality. Even watching tv produces drugs in our body. Same with sex, relationships, video games, sports, hate, anger, lust, everything. Internal drugs can be just as bad as external drugs. Hate and anger is produced by our internal drugs. The UB suggests that self-control and self-mastery is the solution. Not rules handed down by authority.
      That is the ideal that the UB community is aiming for – a true personal religion with no middleman, only a direct relationship with God, that way, the behavior of each person is only accountable to God, not to scripture or the church.

    2. Stan what is it that caused you to become disillusioned with the social organization? Did it now meet certain need of yours? I highly suggest you plan on coming to IC14′. I promise you it will change your perception greatly.

  3. Thanks Richard! You articulated so well some of sentiments i have about the UB. When material objects(the book) are handed out too freely, people don’t seem to value it as much. I do think however small booklets that would form the cliff notes for the book however should be “freely” available.

    @Stan-I have felt this way too about a lot of “new emerging spirituality” groups. However lets not forget that the UB being barely a century old is in its infancy on the world stage of “religion-spirituality”. Islam, Christianity, Buddhism” have millennia of structure, finances, ritual and tradition. All things are chaotic in their beginning stages. So in that sense a bit of earthly grounding and physical structure are indeed the order of our times for the Book.

  4. Shane Whittington

    Thank you for your post Richard. I think your ideas about marketing would be a great improvement in the UB community. But I disagree about making it a business. I’m a strong advocate in Getting the Book out! There is no wrong way in sharing this revelation to our fellows. We should not limit our self’s to one way to share this book. I feel that if we make this about profits then we loss the entire spiritual side of this movement. I ask myself all the time what would Jesus do? Well he went everywhere freely spreading the good word to anyone who he talked to. Why should we not do the same? I freely give books out to people and also place them any were a book will fit. I am not worried about what people do with this book because that’s part of their own walk with god. Jesus talked about this in The Parable of the Sower: “A sower went forth to sow, and it came to pass as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside to be trodden underfoot and devoured by the birds of heaven. Other seed fell upon the rocky places where there was little earth, and immediately it sprang up because there was no depth to the soil, but as soon as the sun shone, it withered because it had no root whereby to secure moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns, and as the thorns grew up, it was choked so that it yielded no grain. Still other seed fell upon good ground and, growing, yielded, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold.” And when he had finished speaking this parable, he said to the multitude, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Then from the words of Thomas: “My brethren, I did not wish to prolong this discussion, but if you so desire, I will say that I think this parable was spoken to teach us one great truth. And that is that our teaching of the gospel of the kingdom, no matter how faithfully and efficiently we execute our divine commissions, is going to be attended by varying degrees of success; and that all such differences in results are directly due to conditions inherent in the circumstances of our ministry, conditions over which we have little or no control.” We must all find our skills. Remember some people are Apostles and some are disciples. Find a way to spread the word and get to work. If you want to do outreach, preaching, our giving books out DO IT! The only wrong way is doing nothing. I only commented because we are all family hear and I wanted to share my love with you in our mutual efforts on spreading the good news.

    1. Hi Shane,

      Thanks for your zeal!
      As Thomas said, I don’t want to prolong this discussion either but I wonder what you consider as your religion? Is it The UB or a personal relationship with God? Is your personal outreach reflective of your relationship with God or the authority of The UB? If Jesus was here, would he go around saying, “hey, read the Urantia Book!” I doubt it. He went around proclaiming truth, revealing beauty and doing good based on his own spiritual experiences, not derived from a book. And that is what we need to do if we want to evangelize our personal religion. As for the only wrong way being to do nothing, yes, but the other side of the coin is, would you say that to Judas when he was about to betray Jesus? Or to the Crusaders before they massacred women and children? Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing. The key is to gain the wisdom to know when to do what.

  5. A bit of a contradition here; how does one teach/exemply self-help for “substance abuse” while one turns a blind eye to its very existence within the midst of one’s community or worse, accomadates it with excuses like it makes one more spiritual or our bodies contain drugs therefore it is acceptable to abuse drugs recreationally? Is that why those of this minset can all sit around and light up a pipe or joint and study the book and think it is all fine or turn a blind eye to what is happening in the next room. Nice way to introduce children to self control.

    1. No contradiction. Who says turning a blind eye? I don’t remember writing that. I said self-mastery and self-control. Substance abuse includes all substances, in or out of our bodies. Learning self control when our bodies produce anger, lust, hate and intolerance, etc. is just as important as self-control in controlling alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, THC, and other external drugs. The internal drugs are harder to control because they’re inside us. The external drugs are tools to use or not to use depending on your cultural and/or religious mores. Some people’s philosophy make it okay for them to use recreational drugs. Who are you to judge? Even Jesus drank wine – a drug. The key is to master it, and not let it master you. And we can teach kids that by exemplifying it. It is okay to enjoy what God has provided for us as long as it does litte harm to us or others, as long as it doesn’t destroy things or relationships, as long as it doesn’t lead to financial ruin. More dangerous than the external drugs are internal drugs that cause intolerance, hate, condemnation, etc. because we all have them. The one feeling that I don’t think is caused by internal or external drugs is spiritual love. And love is the best teacher.

  6. Hi Richard.

    Thanks for your thoughts and concerns regarding the progress of Urantia affairs. You’ve raised a lot of important questions!

    I may be misunderstanding you, but I’ve never thought of the Urantia Book as just another great book offering spiritual insights. In my view, it defines its own category. There is no other book like it, or even close. The authors do speak with authority — divine authority — and I’m glad they do! There’s a big difference between religions of human authority and religions of divine authority. The religion of Jesus opens the door to true reality and unlimited potentials for growth and development.

    The Urantia Book offers far-reaching religious teachings that are not available from any other source. And while the “book” may not be my religion, I would not be having the religious experience that I enjoy today without the guidance of its teachings. I am not a worshipper of paper and ink, but the God that I know and worship in my inner life has been revealed to me through the teachings in the Urantia Book.

    The Life and Teachings of Jesus makes it possible to really know Jesus in a way that would not be possible otherwise. He is brought to life in our minds and imaginations, and ultimately in our direct experience of his spirit. The Urantia Book serves as a unique and powerful link to divine reality.

    I have been turning to the UB for inspiration and instruction for nearly 40 years and the well has not yet run dry. There’s nothing in the book that I would describe as “complicated minutiae… that has little relevance to daily life.” Everything in the book adds something to my concept frame, and it is within my concept frame that I experience and understand daily life.

    I’ve noticed that many of the passages in the book grow in meaning over time. I’m GLAD that some sections are difficult and challenging. That is as it should be. The authors are stretching our minds into new territory and strengthening our grasp of cosmic reality.

    I’m not sure that expensive marketing campaigns are a good idea. Looking for ways to improve the quality of our outreach efforts is always worthwhile, but there’s no need for panic or desperate measures. The book has a life of its own. Our community is growing naturally, and slow, steady growth puts us in a stronger position in the long run.

    Outreach is important, in other words, but it should never eclipse the importance of “in-reach.” Our grasp of the teachings in the Urantia Book and the strength of our relationship to God are two of the most important gifts that we have to offer when we reach out, and both of these can only grow with time and experience.

    Given the special nature of the Urantia Book, its publication and marketing (if possible) should always remain in the hands of people who understand and appreciate its long-term purpose and importance. Making sure the book is widely available is a crucial priority, but profit for its own sake is not. Our efforts should be fiscally responsible and self-sustaining, but personal profit from book sales does not support our higher objectives.

    1. Hi Chuck,

      I pray you are doing well. Thanks for your comments. I agree with them pretty much. Like yourself, the book has been to me the source of many insights on God and universe reality. But just because I think the book is the greatest thing since sliced bread doesn’t make it so for others, nor does it make it sacred. My points still stand. This is an area that is not easily understood as we are at a dearth of words when it concerns explaining intangibles. Non-linear spiritual perspectives tend to be obscured by the verbiage so pardon any unclarity.

      Here are some thoughts regarding your points:

      -The revelators may speak with divine authority but they also say the revelations are not inspired. Which means the info in the UB is basically off-the-shelf knowledge for the rest of the universe. It’s not religion. It’s just basic information like geography, social studies and science. It’s as if Earth was a tiny unknown island in the Pacific Ocean. We don’t know the rest of the planet exists. Then we get a cruise ship come in and the people gives us information about the US, Russia, China, etc., that the world is a sphere, that our island is part of a country with its government, rulers, etc., except in the case of the UB we are given info on increasing
      our spiritual perception and how to contact the First Source and Center. When we connect with the First Source, this, then becomes what we know as true religion. Making a big mystical whoop-de-do about all the other stuff is what the world calls religion.

      -I don’t know what you mean by religions of divine authority. True religion is personal and needs no authority, divine or otherwise. Only organized human religions need to believe they have divine authority. Revealed religions are organized human religions that originated from revelatory truth. It does not necessarily mean that that religion has divine authority.

      -And lets re-think the meaning of “Jesus’ religion.” Is that the same as Melchizedek’s religion? Is it the same as the religion of the Ancients of Days? Yes, I believe so. It’s just a personal and direct relationship with the Father. It’s not a religion as the world knows it. It is merely being aware of and being one with universe reality.

      – What I mean by complicated minutiae. I love complicated minutiae and can get completely wrapped in it for hours. But I found myself spending too much time at it. It can easily become an addiction and a waste of time. All knowledge everywhere and anytime no matter how trivial can be said to be useful at some time, given infinity. It’s the same with the UB. But the knowledge has to be prioritized. When our house is on fire, we don’t need info on the composition of music. We need to know how to put out the fire. When the world is faced with problems, we don’t need to know quartan integration, we need to understand self-mastery. I, personally, don’t plan to waste my time cogitating on unverifiable, nebulous information of dubious relevancy when I can use that same time on understanding and attaining self-mastery. Just that is ntellectually stimulating and challenge enough.

      – Marketing. My idea to market the book on a professional level has been misunderstood. The purpose is to separate the material book from it’s spiritual content. To divorce it from the idea that it is a bible for a new religion. Maybe you and I don’t have a problem keeping the two separate, but I see that most people do. That’s the trend I see. It seems I’m the only one speaking out about it. By supplanting the bible with the UB, the book becomes another religion of authority. Can’t people see that that defeats the whole purpose of the book? Lucifer would love what we’re doing with the
      book. The personal relationship with God is to know God personally.
      Caligastia doesn’t want that. He wants a middleman, a book that he can misinterpret, clergy that he can corrupt, an organization that he can use.

      – Is our community growing naturally? I think it is naive to think that the spiritual evolution of our planet happens without lots of thought, the right efforts and love. Right now, the tendency I see out there is for people to make the book a religion. I’m the only one speaking out against this monstrous perversion. Jesus himself said to forget the scriptures 2000 years ago and the world ignored him. I’m sure he meant not just the old testament but also his own words and even future “scriptures” like the UB. Are we going to let it happen again? A Buddhist sage said, if you meet the Buddha
      on your path, kill him. A sufi wiseman said to throw all your books into the lake. None of them meant what they said literally. What they meant was that personal spiritual experience with God is the main thing. The UB community is not yet a community of people who all embrace a personal relationship with God or work towards that common goal. I would like to see it head in that direction. Actually, any marketing to that effect would have to bluntly
      say that the book is not a religion and get into the public consciousness that one can actually have a direct and personal relationship with God. Two thousand years in the making! Is Earth going to finally “get it?”

      Best,
      Richard

      1. Hi Richard,

        I think people should be encouraged to relate to the UB in any way they please, as long as they are not attacking it or misrepresenting it. Who are we to pose as critics of the religious motivations of others? If someone loves the Urantia Book and its teachings, I have no doubt that they will progress in their spiritual development.

        The Urantia Book is more than just a catalog of insights about God and universe reality. It REVEALS the realities of which it speaks. Religion is an expression of loyalty, and there’s no good reason why we shouldn’t be loyal to God AND the Urantia Book. Putting this forward as an either/or proposition is a false premise, in my view.

        The issue of the Urantia Book becoming a religious FETISH, on the other hand, has been around for as long as I’ve been aware of the book. This is not a new concern. Most of us have noticed over the years, however, that the book itself usually succeeds in defeating this tendency. The UB doesn’t lend itself to ritual engagement. Those who seek rigid religious beliefs and fixed rules of behavior tend to look elsewhere. The Urantia Book is not just another Bible. They are not interchangeable.

        When you say that the book is not “sacred,” I assume you are referring to the possibility of putting the book on a pedestal while ignoring its contents. That would obviously be a mistake, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t feel a sacred sense of responsibility in relation to its teachings and its purpose.

        In the passage that you are referring to (101:4.2) the revelators say only that the cosmology in the UB is not inspired. They are not referring to the spiritual content. Cosmology pertains to the FACTS of universe reality, so there is no way that it can be “inspired.” But the meanings and values that are revealed in other parts of the book (like the Thought Adjuster papers, for example) are another matter. They are more than just “info.” Many of us derive inspiration from these teachings.

        Here is an example of what I mean by divine authority: When Jesus says, “he who has seen me has seen the Father,” he is speaking with divine authority. Our discovery of the Father is born from the divine authority of his Son. When Lucifer denies the Father’s existence, he is rebelling against Michael’s authority.

        Human pretensions to divine authority are obviously bogus, but the authority of divine beings is inherent in their nature. Revealed truth about the nature of God is a gift of divine authority.

        Regarding your comparison of the religion of Jesus with the teachings of Melchizedek, they are both telling us about the same God, but the Father is revealed to us by Jesus in a way that cannot be duplicated by any other being. He speaks to our hearts with unique compassion and spiritual power, not only because he created us, but because he IS one of us — he has lived a human lifetime, from birth to death.

        I am baffled by your insistence that study of the Urantia Book can be an “addictive waste of time.” The content of the Urantia Book is not just “any” knowledge. It is carefully conceived to serve the present and future needs of this planet. I am grateful that we have such a gift. I always receive benefit from the study of its teachings.

        If you are not interested in quartan integration, or other matters of cosmic philosophy, that is a decision that you are free to make, but why impose your negative bias on the rest of us? Why should we not be free to decide for ourselves which teachings in the Urantia Book serve our needs and interests at any given time? Developing an expanded concept of reality is an important aspect of self-mastery. Your claim that the Urantia Book offers “unverifiable, nebulous information of dubious relevancy” is an insult to the revelatory commission and their efforts in our behalf.

        When I said that our community is growing naturally, I wasn’t suggesting that love and effort are unnecessary. I was referring to the contagious spiritual enthusiasm that grows naturally from the study of the Urantia Book.

        Chuck

        1. Hi Chuck,

          Thank you for taking the time to explain your thoughts. I know where you are coming from and although I agree with much of what you say, I think the points in contention have much to do with semantics.

          I am not Christian and do not have a Christian conceptual framework. I assume you have a frame of reference that is Christian. I have a Japanese-American background and was raised non-religiously. I don’t have much of an affinity with Christian concepts and practices that many UB readers do.

          Also, you mis-read my words, I asked what you meant by religion of divine authority, not divine authority. Also, anybody can criticize anyone, this is a free country. You are in effect critizing me. You ask why am I imposing my negative bias on others. Isn’t that criticism? I do not consider anything I said negative. That is how you took it. Even the idea that I am insulting the revelators is criticism and kind of silly.

          You also completely misunderstood my opinion of minutiae as well many other points. You twisted my words. It would take too long to explain all these things as you don’t seem to quite get what I am saying. Many other UB readers understand me and agree with me quite well.

          Maybe the text is getting in the way. I don’t think I can communicate with you in this fashion, via the written word because there is so much that need to explained. But I would be happy to talk on the phone if you would like to continue this conversation. Please email me directly and I will give you my phone number. Otherwise, have a great week.

          Richard

  7. I have been helping at the Urantia Book table that we have set up at a number of summer fairs, mostly aimed at the metaphysical community. What I have found is that so many people have books, but not connected to other readers, not even aware that there is a community. The other thing I have noticed, is that once they hear about it, a few questions answered, that they are very interested. There is an awakening going on all over, and there is a desire for more info from many different perspectives, ie, the paranormal and e.t. communities. If, as individuals, we continue to do our best to let everyone we come into contact with know about the love and connection that we can offer, they will be attracted to what we know. I carry pamplets with me, flyers with the basic websites, and a personal contact number. I’ll give it to the next person in line at the movies, if they engage in a conversation with me on just about any subject. I’ll say “oh, by the way, this might speak to your spirit, check it out….”

    I guess my point is, be talkative, be approachable, and be connected. The world can be a very friendly, curious place, and we’ve got THE BEST INFO AVAILABLE…..
    P>S> We sold 30 books in 2 days and are planning a followup intro to the book.

  8. I don’t worry much about conference attendance and book sales. If the book is even close to what it claims to be, there are wiser minds than ours, with capabilities unimagined by ourselves, who will see it through. That’s not to say do nothing. But I do believe that the text will have an effect far beyond sales numbers. It will never be 50 shades of Azure Blue and White. Not many of us have read Plato or Einstein, but their texts continue in print, and their work continues to move us forward. I expect something similar from the UB.

  9. Tommie Clendening

    My daughter, Miranda, is a YAYA and directed me to read several articles on this website. After reading them, I made some comments to her & she requested that I post them here.

    First, an individual was making the point that we need to have a much more “professional” marketing of The URANTIA Book. I agree.

    And I agree with Richard Omura on several fronts. First, it is not the Ubook which is important, but the truths contained therein. For me, it is not so important that I present the book, but that I live the truths of the book in my life. I always remember the line in Paper 155, the end of section 1, where it says, “Let me emphatically state this eternal truth: If you, by truth co-ordination, learn to exemplify in your lives this beautiful wholeness of righteousness, your fellow men will then seek after you that they may gain what you have so acquired. The measure wherewith truth seekers are drawn to you represents the measure of your truth endowment, your righteousness. The extent to which you have to go with your message to the people is, in a way, the measure of your failure to live the whole or righteous life, the truth-coordinated life.” Many of Jesus’ teachings were in parables & open to interpretation, only a few times was he this explicit. This statement is like a mathematical equation: If you do this, this will happen. If you fail to do this, others will not be drawn to you.

    Pretty simple in theory.

    Then I remember the time the apostles were complaining about a man who was evangelizing about Jesus in a neighboring town, but teaching in a way they (the apostles) felt was wrong. (Paper 159:2) They felt this other teacher’s facts were not always accurate, after all he had not traveled & lived with Jesus, as they had… And, Jesus told his apostles to leave the other teacher alone. That it was not their job to judge or censor another. Only to live their own lives as a reflection of their Father’s will as best they could discern that will. I believe this applies to all of us. What is a good way for one to present THE UB will not be suitable for another. We are different, individuals, each with our own strengths, talents, etc.

    In one of the articles here it was stated that we “don’t want to come across as another DIANETICS.” And I would ask, “Why not?” Please be more explicit. What is it about that organization that “we don’t want to be like?” To me, DIANETICS, the Mormons, the Red Cross are all examples of organizations who do a good job of getting the observer’s attention. And, often, you can’t tell who the sponsoring organization is, until the very end of their advertisement, but their message caught your attention. I know we have an 800# that is not used much – I would speculate it doesn’t get many calls because it is not publicized well. Why not? And who answers this #? How are they trained? Someone mentioned that THE URANTIA BOOK must be “portrayed truthfully & accurately.” Who decides how this is done? How are people to be “truly qualified?” Is there training? A certification? I have always felt that it is not up to us to decide if the world is ready… But, as an organization, we certainly could come up with levels & means of qualification for those who are interested. Another writer on this site noted that we certainly have “teachers so well-versed in race, eugenics, etc.” within our readership that could answer questions. But do these same individuals have good people skills? Do they have good public speaking/presentation skills, plus the inclination & desire to present THE UB in this way? Are they friendly & personable to kindly answer a seeker’s questions (without trying to convert or condemn)?

    One statement in an Interfaith article of Geoff Theiss on this site can be used as an example: He is speaking loosely about evangelizing & makes the statement “if one gets irked in response to another’s partial understanding/teaching…” “Getting irked” is a personal issue, and a perfect example. How one feels & responds/reacts to another is a very personal matter and one that depends very much on one’s maturity level. And maturity level can be increased by teaching, learning from experience, even enhanced and sped along with pertinent observation & guidance (just as Jesus did with His apostles). The way someone understands, accepts (or doesn’t!), a teaching or book is not up to anyone but that individual. And that should not be perceived as a personal affront. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

    I really like and agree with Geoff’s suggestion of the general disclaimer. This would allow participants to maintain their individual creativity without the organization having to OK, police, or edit each member’s input. It could save a lot of grief! And he stated, “Everyone is of their own personal religion. What better way…” YES! Very well said.

    In all of this I like the term “interfaith” and the purpose of “social good” and tolerance (non-judgment) must be fundamental. There was also mention of “forbidding evangelism.” This would be unnecessary with a blanket disclaimer in place!

    Such fruitful, thought-provoking discussions!! I agree it is past time to be doing more, reaching more. But carefully structuring and defining our organizations (and their services, members responsibilities, liabilities, etc.) will make the way this happens so much easier.

    It is not up to me what another does or believes. The only one I have any control over is me.

    “Have you faith? Then have it to yourself.” UB 99:5.7

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