What does it mean to take a “stocktake” of Urantia. In the Collins Dictionary it defines it as “the act of appraising a present situation, condition, degree of progress etc. in terms of accomplishments and ultimate goals.” The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a review and assessment of one’s situation and options.” In relation to The Urantia Book there are three aspects or ‘measures’ 1) Evolution – which is our natural development and maturing over time, 2) Revelation – acknowledging new input, truths and ideas, and 3) Experience – both personal and communal.
By design, and as free will thinkers, we do have a natural curiosity which drives the search for truth. And for we readers of The Urantia Book, by using these revelations, we have actually enhanced our personal experiences according to our own life passage. To subsequently share those experiences, they also can become revealing and educational for others who are not currently in ‘your world of thinking’.
In the spirit of this conference theme, we’ve brought together speakers from various life disciplines to share their views, curiosities, explorations, current technologies and advances in their own fields. There’ll be opportunities to listen in, get ‘a little bit active’, be ‘a little bit’ inquisitive, to ponder and study more, to hopefully ‘laugh a little’, and maybe even contribute to a new future. Coming together like this is an open invitation for learning and advancement. We invite you to do your own stocktake, in assessing our accomplishments and ultimate goals based on your life experiences.
We are all gloriously individual and can take a lead from Jesus’ method of training, where he observed and encouraged his own disciples: Though they all taught the same truth, each apostle presented his own personal interpretation of the Master’s teaching. (148:1.2)
So, this weekend we invite you to do your own stocktake, in assessing our accomplishments and ultimate goals based on your life experiences.
The living experience in the religion of Jesus thus becomes the sure and certain technique whereby the spiritually isolated and cosmically lonely mortals of earth are enabled to escape personality isolation, with all its consequences of fear and associated feelings of helplessness. 184.4.6 (1985.1) emphasis added