Open discussion about the Urantia Book

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Is The Urantia Book a new revelation about God?

Yep!
3
60%
Nope!
1
20%
I'm not sure!
1
20%
 
Total votes: 5

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joer
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Open discussion about the Urantia Book

Post #1

Post by joer »

Zzy has often wanted to debate about context in the Urantia Book and often misrepresents it. Others also have doubts about it.

If anyone would wish to discuss it's contents in this Open Non-competitive dialogue, I believe I have a substantial knowledge about The Urantia Book (TUB), it's contents and the knowledge or perspective knowledge it refers to.

I'd be willing to answer any and all questions about it here in Open Dialogue to any and all who are interested in the REAL MEANINGS contained therein and how they reflect upon the world as we know it.

Thank you One and All. In all of us lies a perspective of Truth that when shared becomes part of the rest of us. :D joer
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Post #21

Post by OnceConvinced »

Seems strange to me that any one in the 20th century can claim to know what Jesus said 2000 years before. Those quotes you were making in the other thread seemed to be of a conversation Jesus had with someone else, one that has not been recorded in the bible. Even though the conversation did sound good, I have to wonder how anyone can seriously believe it actually occurred. Sure if you take into account divine revelation, maybe, but otherwise...

Do you believe it to be divine revelation like some of the writers of the bible claim with their's? (in no way do I intend to ridicule you or anything. Just curious)

This is all starting to sound a little like Ron Hubbard's Dianetics here. :) Religion based on Science Fiction.

Society and its morals evolve and will continue to evolve. The bible however remains the same and just requires more and more apologetics and claims of "metaphors" and "symbolism" to justify it.

Prayer is like rubbing an old bottle and hoping that a genie will pop out and grant you three wishes.

There is much about this world that is mind boggling and impressive, but I see no need whatsoever to put it down to magical super powered beings.


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Post #22

Post by workman34 »

Zzyzx wrote:.

Do you propose discussing the character(s) as fictional or as literal?

It makes a considerable difference whether discussion is hypothetical / fanciful vs. being literal / actual.
For some one that tries so hard to sound intelligent, thats a lame question to ask some one that obviously considers "The Urantia Book" as literal. We all know where joer stands with his belief in the writing contained in the UB. Your just trying to get joer to state that the UB is fact so you can say "Prove It!!"
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Post #23

Post by joer »

OnceConvinced wrote:Seems strange to me that any one in the 20th century can claim to know what Jesus said 2000 years before. Those quotes you were making in the other thread seemed to be of a conversation Jesus had with someone else, one that has not been recorded in the bible. Even though the conversation did sound good, I have to wonder how anyone can seriously believe it actually occurred. Sure if you take into account divine revelation, maybe, but otherwise...

Do you believe it to be divine revelation like some of the writers of the bible claim with their's? (in no way do I intend to ridicule you or anything. Just curious)

This is all starting to sound a little like Ron Hubbard's Dianetics here. :) Religion based on Science Fiction.
Hi Once. Good to hear from you. Hi Workman and Z.

It's not like Dianetics at all. I'm reluctant to express how I believe it is because I'm interested in your own response to the content. So I don't want to tell my beliefs and slant your response one way or another.

For example Once. Remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah? Yeah the Fire and Brimstone stuff that served preachers for ages in putting the fear of God into people. Well about 3 or 4 years ago I saw a PBS broadcast showing archeologists who found the site where historical records place Sodom and Gomorrah. The actual place where they existed. it was covered in Brimstone and volcanic ash. There was a volcano about 25 miles away or so. Remember when Mt. St. Helen’s blew it's top in Washington State USA. Pompeii Krackatoa.

Well Sodom and Gomorrah it was speculated by archaeologists who found this site a few years ago was destroyed by a Volcanic blast that rained down fire and actual brimstone on these two cities completely destroying them.

And for the people of that time that didn't have our knowledge of today. It was a GOD induce event. But now we know better. until this last century I don't think people would have been ready to hear that. Now they are. Here's the purported New Revelation:


P.1021 - §2 Most of the Salem believers had practiced circumcision, though it had never been made obligatory by Melchizedek. Now Abraham had always so opposed circumcision that on this occasion he decided to solemnize the event by formally accepting this rite in token of the ratification of the Salem covenant.

P.1021 - §3 It was following this real and public surrender of his personal ambitions in behalf of the larger plans of Melchizedek that the three celestial beings appeared to him on the plains of Mamre. This was an appearance of fact, notwithstanding its association with the subsequently fabricated narratives relating to the natural destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. And these legends of the happenings of those days indicate how retarded were the morals and ethics of even so recent a time.

P.1022 - §3 It was shortly after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah that Machiventa decided to end his emergency bestowal on Urantia. Melchizedek's decision to terminate his sojourn in the flesh was influenced by numerous conditions, chief of which was the growing tendency of the surrounding tribes, and even of his immediate associates, to regard him as a demigod, to look upon him as a supernatural being, which indeed he was; but they were beginning to reverence him unduly and with a highly superstitious fear. In addition to these reasons, Melchizedek wanted to leave the scene of his earthly activities a sufficient length of time before Abraham's death to insure that the truth of the one and only God would become strongly established in the minds of his followers. Accordingly Machiventa retired one night to his tent at Salem, having said good night to his human companions, and when they went to call him in the morning, he was not there, for his fellows had taken him.

Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven,

Genesis 19:28
and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the valley, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace.

Jeremiah 50:40
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, said the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

One more of thousands examples of biblical events purportedly described by celestial beings of God's creation, in terms that bear more understanding today. BUT in addition to things cleared up there are many things that are still not even understandable in with today's knowledge. This was Posted: Wed May 13, 2009 5:19 am, Once. I don't whybut it reminded me of you.
jwatkins00 wrote:Forgive my rant, but I wanted to share with my fellows something of a flash that came to be this morning regarding my love for the Urantia Book - i think we may all be able to relate to what I felt today.

Of all of the places one could be living, of all the places and periods over eons of time that a person might chance to be born, to have been born in the 20th Century, in America or other democratic, first world culture, and to be have been shown the Urantia Book – a revelation of truth given to us by our spiritual cousins, revealed truth from beyond this material world, a welcome message from the world we will someday join.

This is what I call winning the spiritual lottery.

When I was young, I used to pray that God would give me a sign that He exists. All I wanted was a small miracle, something simple but clearly miraculous. I always knew that something greater and larger than myself existed, but like most people, felt like I couldn’t quite grasp it. I have learned that it always comes down to faith. Ultimately faith in God is what it comes down to – but then the Urantia Book came into my life and I had it right there – in black and white – a presentation of concepts that clearly and definitively explains the cosmos, top to bottom, from one end to another, and everything in between. It was a miracle. I had never heard of the book, i literally bumped into a stack of them back in 1982,

I have been a reader for over 20 years. I have read, re-read, and thought long and hard about its many concepts and explanations. I am convinced whoever wrote it knew what they were talking about, the claims the book makes are consistently plausible and in most cases verifiable.

I know I am extremely fortunate to have been born in this time and in this place. Notwithstanding there is so much turmoil in the world, and there is so much strife and corruption to overcome – despite our 'confused planet,' I do have the sublime pleasure of having been given something I can carry with me though this life and help me prepare for the next. I have a huge reserve of information that can help me better understand myself and my neighbor, a resource that gives me spiritual comfort as well as insight that inspires me to be a better person – to allow God to live through me and with me as I carve out my own existence.

The Urantia Book has not only helped me have a better relationship with the Father, but I also have a deep and enriching relationship with Jesus – as a elder brother and as an example of how to live the best you can be. Through its teachings I am more tolerant of my neighbor, and I enjoy a sublime love for my wife and children.

The only sadness I have is that so many people seem to resist the Urantia Book. Its either too good to be true, or too weird to be accepted. I truly wish I had more Urantia Friends, I know they are out there, but that’s not the same as having neighbors and long-time friends to share Urantia concepts with (except for the wonderful Truthbook.org site).

I did win the spiritually lottery with the Urantia Book. That’s the only way I can describe it.
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Post #24

Post by joer »

Z wrote:
It is perfectly acceptable to discuss whatever you wish.
Ok Z lets see how our mutual understanding or lack of, works. The proof is in the pudding they say. We’ll see. I posted this on another site. As one with knowledge of geology what do you think of this post?

Matt Neibaur posted this today 9/25/08 on UBRON. I was just wondering if anyone might know WHEN (what year) the age of these rocks were determined and they were found at Hudson Bay?

TUB stated there location and age as the oldest rocks on the surface of the earth by 1946 when there printing plates were locked in the printer's vault until it was published in 1955.

Researchers find oldest rocks on Earth
HERE

Canadian bedrock more than four billion years old may be the oldest known section of the Earth's early crust. Scientists at the Carnegie Institution used geochemical methods to obtain an age of 4.28 billion years for samples of the rock, making it 250 million years more ancient than any previously discovered rocks. The findings, which offer scientists clues to the earliest stages of our planet's evolution, are published in the September 26 issue of Science.

Message: 115048
From: matt neibaur
Subject: Oldest rocks on Earth
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 7:45 PM
Topic: General
Dear Ubron,
HERE

This is an interesting article on the ancient rocks found at the Hudson Bay. Compare to the UB below. This article states that 2001 was the date it was first recognized. Perhaps someone with a historical or geological background could give some insight.

Researchers find oldest rocks on Earth

The Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt is an expanse of bedrock exposed on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in northern Quebec and was first recognized in 2001 as a potential site of very old rocks. Samples of the Nuvvuagittuq rocks were collected by geologists from McGill University in Montreal and analyzed by Jonathan O'Neil, a PhD student at McGill, and Richard Carlson at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism.

By measuring minute variations in the isotopic composition of the rare earth elements neodymium and samarium in the rocks, O'Neil and Carlson determined that the rock samples range from 3.8 to 4.28 billion years old. The oldest dates came from rocks termed "faux amphibolite," which the researchers interpret to be ancient volcanic deposits. "There have been older dates from Western Australia for isolated resistant mineral grains called zircons," says Carlson, "but these are the oldest whole rocks found so far."

The oldest zircon dates are 4.36 billion years. Before this study, the oldest dated rocks were from a body of rock known as the Acasta Gneiss in the Northwest Territories, which are 4.03 billion years old. The Earth is 4.6 billion years old, and remnants of its early crust are extremely rare—most of it has been mashed and recycled into Earth's interior several times over by plate tectonics since the Earth formed.

The rocks are significant not only for their great age but also for their chemical composition, which resembles that of volcanic rocks in geologic settings where tectonic plates are crashing together. "This gives us an unprecedented glimpse of the processes that formed the early crust," says Carlson.

Oldest Rocks on Earth (Phys.org)

From the UB:
P.661 - §4 Shortly after Urantia was first recognized on the universe broadcasts to all Nebadon, it was accorded full universe status. Soon thereafter it was registered in the records of the minor and the major sector headquarters planets of the superuniverse; and before this age was over, Urantia had found entry on the planetary-life registry of Uversa.

P.661 - §5 This entire age was characterized by frequent and violent storms. The early crust of the earth was in a state of continual flux. Surface cooling alternated with immense lava flows. Nowhere can there be found on the surface of the world anything of this original planetary crust. It has all been mixed up too many times with extruding lavas of deep origins and admixed with subsequent deposits of the early world-wide ocean.

P.661 - §6 Nowhere on the surface of the world will there be found more of the modified remnants of these ancient preocean rocks than in northeastern Canada around Hudson Bay. This extensive granite elevation is composed of stone belonging to the preoceanic ages. These rock layers have been heated, bent, twisted, upcrumpled, and again and again have they passed through these distorting metamorphic experiences.
Matt N.
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Post #25

Post by Zzyzx »

.
joer wrote:Ok Z lets see how our mutual understanding or lack of, works. The proof is in the pudding they say.
Interesting. Somewhere in 2000 pages, information presented matches what we know or conclude concerning the Earth.

1. What is significant about an item of truth or accuracy occurring within a text?

2. Can a fictional book contain some factual items?

3. Does presence of accurate information verify the overall accuracy and truth of a text indicate that the work is non-fiction OR that other statements are true and accurate?

4. Kindly identify the SOURCE of this information.

5. Kindly detail the path by which the information came to be known.

6. Which of the following characters or groups identified in the UB can you identify as NON-fictional?

Apostle Andrew
Archangels
Brilliant Evening Stars
Central and Superuniverses
Chief of Archangels
Chief of Evenings Stars.
Chief of Midwayers
Chief of Seraphim
Corps of Local Universe Personalities
Divine Counselors
Eternal and infinite God.
First Source and Center of all things and beings;
Gabriel of Salvington
Life Carriers
Machiventa Melchizedek.
Malavatia
Manovandet Melchizedek
Mantutia
Melchizedek
Midwayer Commission
Mighty Messengers,
Nebadon Corps of Local Universe Personalities
One High in Authority
One Without Name and Number.
Orvonton Ancients of Days
Perfectors of Wisdom
Secondary Lanonandeks
Solitary Messengers
Solonia
Universal Censors
Universal Father"
Uversa Corps of Superuniverse Personalities
Vorondadek Sons

Can you show that ONE of the thirty-three above is non-fictional?

It is apparent that you want to identify items of truth within the UB. I do not doubt that you can find SOME accurate information in two thousand pages of text.

However, let's be honest with readers. Is the book presented as fiction or as non-fiction?

I tend to favor the opinion that the book is fiction and that the characters and groups mentioned above are imaginary. The story about extraterrestrials communicating information to a human in a trance is obviously not verifiable and the information itself is not verifiable (aside from occasional items).

I am willing to consider the possibility that the book is non-fiction IF evidence is presented to show that it is indeed non-fiction. Note: inclusion of items of non-fiction does NOT render a book non-fictional.


Z
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Post #26

Post by joer »

Z wrote:
Interesting. Somewhere in 2000 pages, information presented matches what we know or conclude concerning the Earth.
It’s not just somewhere Z. It’s on Page 661 paragraphs 5 and 6.

Since I consider you somewhat of an expert in this Z,
what information matches?
How the rocks where formed?
Where the were found?
What about the time the information that matches was known?
The article says it was first recognized in 2001 as a potential site of very old rocks. Did anyone in geology even speculate that before 2001?
How could the Urantia Book have predicted it 55 years before 2001?

Some people claim to ask a lot of questions. But I guess that’s only about things they are really interested in. It’s kind of like the theory of evolution it doesn’t care when or how life started. As if that didn’t matter. What’s matters here Z?

The fact that the book possibly upstaged geology by 55 years or the fact that you want to discredit it and don’t care about How it could have predicted that 55 years before the fact?

Just like that spark of Life to the evolutionist, your not interested in this are you? Oh well. Did you check out that Science Page link I gave Once Convinced?

I ask again in hopes of a scientific response, as a person with knowledge of geology does any of this stuff makes sense to you?
And what does it mean?
Can you explain what it’s saying for us to the best of your knowledge?

That would really be a treat, especially since this isn't a debate and we can talk about stuff we are interested in.
The Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt is an expanse of bedrock exposed on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in northern Quebec and was first recognized in 2001 as a potential site of very old rocks.
P.661 - §5 This entire age was characterized by frequent and violent storms. The early crust of the earth was in a state of continual flux. Surface cooling alternated with immense lava flows. Nowhere can there be found on the surface of the world anything of this original planetary crust. It has all been mixed up too many times with extruding lavas of deep origins and admixed with subsequent deposits of the early world-wide ocean.

P.661 - §6 Nowhere on the surface of the world will there be found more of the modified remnants of these ancient preocean rocks than in northeastern Canada around Hudson Bay. This extensive granite elevation is composed of stone belonging to the preoceanic ages. These rock layers have been heated, bent, twisted, upcrumpled, and again and again have they passed through these distorting metamorphic experiences.
You know Z. Most TUB readers are some of the most skeptical people I know. Many are not involved with Organized religion at all, nor have they been for many years. They've tested and searched and researched hundreds and hundreds of claims made by the book. And have found many things that weren’t common knowledge 60 years ago and others that are just being discovered now. They have seen figures that where scientifically way off TUB figures that are getting closer and closer to the TUB figures as time progresses.

I’m telling you the truth Z. That’s why I would really like your honest opinion and better yet geological knowledge as to what’s really going on here. Could the writers of TUB (who ever they were) have known about those rocks on the North eastern shore of Hudson Bay 55 years ago? Your professional opinion please.

Thank you Z.
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Post #27

Post by OnceConvinced »

So claims made in this book are being supported by verifyable facts. Have there been things that have been proven to be incorrect? Like with the bible, many things have been proven to be inaccurate. As a result of that, the divinity of it is highly questionable. It becomes a book that is dubious and can't be trusted. Is the Urantia book shown as being any less fallible in your opinion?

Society and its morals evolve and will continue to evolve. The bible however remains the same and just requires more and more apologetics and claims of "metaphors" and "symbolism" to justify it.

Prayer is like rubbing an old bottle and hoping that a genie will pop out and grant you three wishes.

There is much about this world that is mind boggling and impressive, but I see no need whatsoever to put it down to magical super powered beings.


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Post #28

Post by Zzyzx »

.
Joer,

Let's answer questions in the order they were asked. Refer to post #2 in which I asked five questions. Kindly answer those five questions or tell readers why you are unable or unwilling to answer.

Inability or unwillingness to answer straightforward questions conveys a great deal of information to readers.

To demonstrate to readers that I discuss in good faith, I provide them with answers to the following questions.
joer wrote:How could the Urantia Book have predicted it 55 years before 2001?
I have no idea how anyone could have predicted the presence of old rocks before that was generally recognized by others in the field. I am not practiced in speculation.

I also have no idea how Alfred Wegener predicted that continents move, fifty years before that was generally recognized by others in the field (and became known as Plate Tectonics).

I have no idea how Nicholi Tesla knew about electrical matters long before others (and perhaps knew things that others do not yet understand).

I have no idea how Edward Leedskalnin knew how to move massive rocks to build the Coral Castle. (Those unfamiliar with the Coral Castle can Google the term to find a lot of interesting information).

I have no idea how the Wright Brothers (printers and bicycle mechanics) knew enough about aeronautics to design a working aircraft before others thought it possible.

I do not propose magic or supernaturalism in any of those instances or make up stories to "explain" what I do not know – nor do I feel compelled to accept anyone else's "explanation".

joer wrote:And what does it mean? Can you explain what it’s saying for us to the best of your knowledge?
It means that old rocks were found. I do not speculate about who knew what when or why. I leave speculation to the speculators.

Are you now willing to give me an honest answer to the five questions I asked in post #2?
joer wrote:Many are not involved with Organized religion at all, nor have they been for many years.
What has anyone's religious affiliation to do with whether the UB is fictional or literally true?
joer wrote:I’m telling you the truth Z.
You are telling the truth about WHAT?

Are you telling the truth about whether the UB is fiction or non-fiction?

How can anyone propose to have an intelligent discussion of a book while refusing to state whether the book is presented as fiction or not?

How can anyone claim to have an intelligent discussion if they refuse to answer simple questions about the sources and origin of information to be discussed?
joer wrote:You know Z. Most TUB readers are some of the most skeptical people I know.
Kindly give us an honest estimate the number of UB readers you know personally.

How, exactly, do you evaluate their degree of skepticism?
joer wrote:They've tested and searched and researched hundreds and hundreds of claims made by the book.
Are you speaking from personal knowledge of the testing and research?

Have all the tests and searches and research of "hundreds and hundred of claims made by the book" turned out to be true? How may claims from the book did the tests, searches and research discover were false?

Have you consulted ONLY sources that regard the UB as truthful, accurate and significant – or have you also consulted sources that regard the UB as fraud?
The Urantia Book is a literary hoax, a spiritual fraud, and a false gospel!

Although The UB purports to be a revelation authored by altruistic, supermortal celestial beings hailing from distant planets and alternate time dimensions (14:1.4-6), it is instead a literary hoax perpetuated by one or more humans amidst the bustling hubris of early-to-mid-twentieth-century Chicago, USA. Though its stated purpose is to "expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception" (0:0.2), The UB's apparent intent is to mimic celestial endorsement of a supposedly "new" and "improved" religious construct which is decidedly rooted in archaic ideas that are clearly aberrant and/or heretical from a historical Christian perspective. The primary target for which the UB "authors" claim is in need of "improvement" in the arena of religious thought is none other than the Bible, with all its "misconceptions" regarding the nature of God, who Jesus was, the need for and means of salvation, etc. As with Christianity, Jesus is of central importance to The UB. More than one third of the page count in the book is devoted to a retelling of the life of Jesus by way of a complete overhaul of the four New Testament Gospels. However, the "Jesus" you will meet in The UB is not the same Jesus who, according to the Bible, willingly died on the cross to save you and me from our sins. Ironic though it may seem, The UB interacts with the Bible a great deal and devotes much attention to reinventing the meaning of many concepts and facts presented in Scripture, to the detriment of the very source it so heavily relies on as its primary source of inspiration!
http://ubhoax.org/
Urantia Book
According to The Urantia Book Fellowship (UBF), The Urantia Book (UB) is an anthology of 196 'papers' indited [i.e., dictated] between 1928 and 1935 by superhuman personalities.... The humans into whose hands the papers were delivered are now deceased. The means by which the papers were materialized was unique and is unknown to any living person.

The UB Fellowship was founded in 1955 as the Urantia Brotherhood and is an association of people who say they have been inspired by the "transformative teachings" of the UB. According to the UBF, these "superhuman personalities" are from another world. They synthesized the work of more than 1,000 human authors in a variety of fields, including an "astronomical-cosmological organization of the universe" unknown to modern science and an elaborate extension (700 pages) on the life of Jesus. The UB also reveals that the "Universe is literally teeming with inhabited planets, evolving life, civilizations in various states of development, celestial spheres, and spirit personalities." In short, the UB is over 2,000 pages of "revelations" from superhuman beings which "correct" the errors and omissions of the Bible. "Urantia" is the name these alleged superhumans gave to our planet. According to these supermortal beings, Earth is the 606th planet in Satania which is in Norlatiadek which is in Nebadon which is in Orvonton which revolves around Havona, all of which revolves around the center of infinity where God dwells.

Others aren't so sure of the celestial origin of these writings. Matthew Block, for example, has identified hundreds of passages in the UB that are clearly based on human sources, but which are not given specific attribution. (Some might call this plagiarism, even though William Sadler (the main author) admits on page 1343 that he used many human sources. Others might say that since Sadler didn't lift passages word for word from the many sources he used, what he did isn't, strictly speaking, plagiarism.)

Martin Gardner is also skeptical of the UBF's claims. He believes the UB has very human authors. Originally, he says, the UB was the "Bible" of a cult of separatist Seventh Day Adventists, allegedly channeled by Wilfred Kellogg and edited by founder William Sadler, a Chicago psychiatrist, who is actually the author of most of the work (with the help of his son). According to Gardner, in addition to an array of bizarre claims about planets and names of angels and the like, the UB contains many Adventist doctrines. Sadler died in 1969 at the age of 94 but his spiritual group lives on. Sadler got his start working for Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, Adventist surgeon, health and diet author, and brother of cornflake king William Keith Kellogg. These are the same Kellogg brothers who were featured and lampooned in the movie "The Road to Wellville."

One can easily understand why Gardner suspects that the UB has human rather than superhuman origins. The book has all the traits of humanity upon it. For example, our human philosophers and theologians are mimicked perfectly in passages such as the following:

The philosophers of the universes postulate a Trinity of Trinities, an existential-experiential Trinity Infinite, but they are not able to envisage its personalization; possibly it would equivalate to the person of the Universal Father on the conceptual level of the I AM. But irrespective of all this, the original Paradise Trinity is potentially infinite since the Universal Father actually is infinite. (Foreword XII, The Trinities) http://www.skepdic.com/urantia.html
joer wrote:Your professional opinion please.
My "profession" is not speculation. I leave speculation to those who favor that means of finding "answers".
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Post #29

Post by workman34 »

Hi Zzyzx,
You have allot of great questions. I hope you find your answers. I am a Urantia Book reader like joer. When I started reading the UB, I had many similar questions as you do. Like you, I needed someone to tell me whether it was fact or fiction. I kept getting the same answer. I had to decide for myself. It's not my responsibility to determine if the book contains truth for someone else, nor is it joer's responsibility either. We share the knowledge that we get from the book. Thats our gig. Nothing gives us more joy than to share the UB with others. No one can tell you whether God or Angels exist. Thats up to you. Whether others except it as truth or just to far fetched is a personal matter to each individual. I got my UB from the philosophy section of a book store. There was a different section for fiction and another for non fiction. I found the Bible in the religion section. So, as far as the UB or the Bible being fact or fiction, you have to decide that after reading it for yourself. If you know anything at all about religion and spirituality a persons faith has nothing to do with what can be proved in the physical sense. Thats why it's called faith. Your asking for proof of the existence of the personalities that you have listed is unfair. Joer does not have to prove his faith to you, nore should any one ells need to prove there faith to another person. Joer just wants to share the UB. You have drawn your own conclusion of what the UB is already. I do know that the UB has something for everyone and many people find that one thing and throw the rest out. Some find the UB as a great philosophy to live by. Not necessarily truth to them but a great philosophy non the less.
“The evolving soul is not made divine by what it does, but by what it strives to do.”

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joer
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Post #30

Post by joer »

Hi Once! Thanks for the post. Hope everything is as well as can be for you my friend. You write
So claims made in this book are being supported by verifyable facts.
Yes.
Have there been things that have been proven to be incorrect?
There are things that appear to be incorrect But over time many have become correct as science advances. The revelation itself speaks to it’s limitations

P.1109 - §3 Mankind should understand that we who participate in the revelation of truth are very rigorously limited by the instructions of our superiors. We are not at liberty to anticipate the scientific discoveries of a thousand years. Revelators must act in accordance with the instructions which form a part of the revelation mandate. We see no way of overcoming this difficulty, either now or at any future time. We full well know that, while the historic facts and religious truths of this series of revelatory presentations will stand on the records of the ages to come, within a few short years many of our statements regarding the physical sciences will stand in need of revision in consequence of additional scientific developments and new discoveries. These new developments we even now foresee, but we are forbidden to include such humanly undiscovered facts in the revelatory records. Let it be made clear that revelations are not necessarily inspired. The cosmology of these revelations is not inspired. It is limited by our permission for the co-ordination and sorting of present-day knowledge. While divine or spiritual insight is a gift, human wisdom must evolve.
Like with the bible, many things have been proven to be inaccurate. As a result of that, the divinity of it is highly questionable
.
It’s not claiming to be divine. Remember this part:

P.1768 - §4 "Mark you well my words, Nathaniel, nothing which human nature has touched can be regarded as infallible. Through the mind of man divine truth may indeed shine forth, but always of relative purity and partial divinity. The creature may crave infallibility, but only the Creators possess it.
It becomes a book that is dubious and can't be trusted. Is the Urantia book shown as being any less fallible in your opinion?
I don’t know if it’s less fallible. It speaks about many things that won’t be verifiable until the worlds beyond this lifetime. So I wouldn’t classify that as fallible or truthful until I experience it. All I can say that based on the things that I have found truthful in the book. It gives possible veracity to the unknown things. Remember what Jesus purportedly said about finding truth in the “bible�? he doesn’t worry about the false stuff just says to look for the truth.

James interrupted the Master, asking: "Would you be good enough, Master, to suggest to us how we may choose the better passages from the Scriptures for our personal edification?" And Jesus replied: "Yes, James, when you read the Scriptures look for those eternally true and divinely beautiful teachings, such as:

P.1769 - §4 "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord.

P.1769 - §5 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

P.1769 - §6 "You should love your neighbor as yourself.

P.1769 - §7 "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying, fear not; I will help you.

P.1769 - §8 "Neither shall the nations learn war any more."

And then those who claim responsibility for Part IV The life and Teachings of Jesus say this about their project:

P.1343 - §1 [Acknowledgment: In carrying out my commission to restate the teachings and retell the doings of Jesus of Nazareth, I have drawn freely upon all sources of record and planetary information. My ruling motive has been to prepare a record which will not only be enlightening to the generation of men now living, but which may also be helpful to all future generations. From the vast store of information made available to me, I have chosen that which is best suited to the accomplishment of this purpose. As far as possible I have derived my information from purely human sources. Only when such sources failed, have I resorted to those records which are superhuman. When ideas and concepts of Jesus' life and teachings have been acceptably expressed by a human mind, I invariably gave preference to such apparently human thought patterns. Although I have sought to adjust the verbal expression the better to conform to our concept of the real meaning and the true import of the Master's life and teachings, as far as possible, I have adhered to the actual human concept and thought pattern in all my narratives. I well know that those concepts which have had origin in the human mind will prove more acceptable and helpful to all other human minds. When unable to find the necessary concepts in the human records or in human expressions, I have next resorted to the memory resources of my own order of earth creatures, the midwayers. And when that secondary source of information proved inadequate, I have unhesitatingly resorted to the superplanetary sources of information.

P.1343 - §2 The memoranda which I have collected, and from which I have prepared this narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus--aside from the memory of the record of the Apostle Andrew--embrace thought gems and superior concepts of Jesus' teachings assembled from more than two thousand human beings who have lived on earth from the days of Jesus down to the time of the inditing of these revelations, more correctly restatements. The revelatory permission has been utilized only when the human record and human concepts failed to supply an adequate thought pattern. My revelatory commission forbade me to resort to extrahuman sources of either information or expression until such a time as I could testify that I had failed in my efforts to find the required conceptual expression in purely human sources.
The more you discover you are Loved By God. The more you want to do God''s Will

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