On the Revelatory Status

From , By Neil Francey, QLD on

Past, Present and Future

This essay presents information about the origin of The Urantia Book in an endeavor to substantiate the claim that it is indeed a revelation to the people of this world. It is generally a record of events surrounding the book.

Past revelations are considered for insight into their content, purpose, and contribution. Reasons for the partial acceptance of their message are also recorded. Could the fifth revelation also be only partially successful? Using the historical accounts of four revelations, it is possible to see what steps could be taken to contribute to the effectiveness of The Urantia Book.

These past circumstances and the current challenges are then projected into a future that can be achieved by using the Urantia revelation for direction.

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New Zealand Corner

From , By Marion Steward, NZ on

Winter is well and truly here in our part of the world, and we have been enjoying both sunny days and quite cold nights over the past few weeks. In Auckland, especially, the sunny days have been a welcome change from the seemingly endless round of heavy rain, and storms that have afflicted us since the end of January. There hasn’t been enough time between these weather events to clean up after the flooding and repair roads and so on, and it is very tough for lots of people in different parts of the North Island right now.

I have been reflecting on the Urantia Book’s encouragement to ‘feast upon uncertainty’!  

…long before reaching Havona, these ascendant children of time have learned to feast upon uncertainty, to fatten upon disappointment, to enthuse over apparent defeat, to invigorate in the presence of difficulties, to exhibit indomitable courage in the face of immensity, and to exercise unconquerable faith when confronted with the challenge of the inexplicable. (26:5.3, 291.3).

We are certainly being given many opportunities to put this into practice – the weather is so uncertain, Covid hasn’t gone anywhere, and we are now starting to experience the early phases of our national elections, where the outcome is also quite uncertain, but could bring in a lot of changes.

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Korean Readers’ Conference

From , By ANZURA Admin on

Theme: Spirit, Heart and Soul

20 August 2023 at 10.00am

There is a substantial number of Urantia Book readers in Korea who have been studying the Korean translation for many years. As they are our closest neighbour of readers in the Asia region, we wanted to share with you their latest news about an upcoming conference. This is the second conference held by Korea Urantia Forum (UKF) and will be held 20 August 2023 at the Lotte Tower Sky 31 Auditorium Forum (the tallest building in Seoul Korea) It overlooks the panorama of Seoul and the Han River.

We wish them a very successful conference and pray it will help students deepen their an understanding of Urantia Book’s principles and values in the hope of spreading the revelation in their country.

Here is what is planned:

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The Unfinished Business of the Fourth Epochal Revelation

By Julian McGarry, Hobart, Tasmania on

And men have always tended to venerate the leader, even at the expense of his teachings; to revere his personality, even though losing sight of the truths which he proclaimed. [Paper 92:5.5, page 1008.7] 

The above statement by a Melchizedek is true for both religious and political leaders. The original teachings of the progenitors of the world’s major faith traditions are often quite different from the religious doctrines and dogmas that developed within those traditions following the deaths of their leaders.

In the case of Christianity, this truth has given rise to profound historical and spiritual consequences. The corruption of the original teachings of Jesus has delayed the inauguration of a global age of peace and unity. The Urantia papers contain critical information that has been given to us in order that we may correct the mistakes of the past and enable the fulfilment of the religion of Jesus for our planet. However, the Urantia community could inadvertently be repeating history.
Are we venerating the book while losing sight of the truths which it proclaims?

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President’s Report

From , By Rita Schaad, Newcastle NSW on

The radio was on in my house most days during the Christmas Season – mainly ABC Classic – and Handel’s Messiah rang out ounce again…..

Hallelujah…. The kingdom of this world;
Is become
The kingdom of our Lord – King of kings forever and ever…
And Lord of lords’……… hallelujah ……
And He shall reign forever and ever….

Never on all the worlds of this universe, in the life of any one mortal, did God ever become such a living reality as in the human experience of Jesus of Nazareth.
[Paper 196:0.3, page 2087.3]

Never on any other world among many systems and constellations – even the entire Universe of Nebadon – did transpire what happened on ours, the first and only lowly planet to have the honour of hosting Christ Michael bestowing himself in the flesh as Jesus. We are known as “the world of the cross” – the sentimental shrine of all Nebadon – we are known throughout the realm for its strife-torn past (and present) and its rebellious mortals. And this still, even after 2000 years of Adjuster indwelling in most inhabitants!

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2023 Annual Conference in Sydney

From , By Conference Committee on

25 – 28 August 2023

Talkin’ Bout a Revelation

We invite you to join us at the 2023 ANZURA Annual Conference that will be held 25 to 28 August at the delightful Peter Canisius House in Pymble on Sydney’s leafy North Shore.

About the Conference Theme

How are we talking about the concepts of The Urantia Book with non-readers and new readers? How can we discuss such universal truths that everyone needs to know without alienating them? How can we convince increasingly secular, sceptical and materially focused people that the spiritual world is just as real? How can we help to transform stagnant traditional religious practice into courageous living and dynamic spiritual growth?

We have in our hands an updated version of revelations presented to our ancestors that over time have become unclear and unappealing to many in our modern world. It is a very big book that requires years of invested time and effort for most of us to even glimpse an understanding. But when we do understand, we realise that we know what the world needs most to hear to help meet present day challenges and improve the lives of everyone on this planet. The book is now widely available in many forms to anyone who may be seeking, thanks to the endeavours of many over the years. But people either aren’t looking for it, don’t know it exists or think they don’t have the time required to read it. How can we, seasoned readers, best demonstrate and discuss what we have learned in ways that attract others to the book and its teachings, and that doesn’t do harm to our message? How can we better identify fertile ground: those who may be seeking and receptive to the seeds of truth we have to offer them? What might be their objections and criticisms and how should we best overcome them?

At this year’s ANZURA conference we hope to tap into and share that huge reservoir of knowledge, understanding and talent that exists within the readership community. Please join us as we workshop the core fundamentals of the books teachings and develop some practical tools and attractive ways of talking about this planet-saving revelation with the people we meet in our everyday lives.

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2022 ANZURA Annual Conference Report

From , By Julian McGarry, Hobart TAS on

It is high time that man had a religious experience so personal and so sublime that it could be realized and expressed only by “feelings that lie too deep for words.” [Paper 99:5.9; page 1091.8]

Annual conferences are always the highlight of the year for ANZURA members, but this year was particularly notable because it was the first time in three years that we’ve had a face-to-face conference due to the pandemic. Comfortably accommodated at the beautiful Stewarts Bay Lodge, which is only a short walk from the Port Arthur historic site, we gathered together to focus on the ultimate personal experience – a personal and intimate relationship with the First Source and Centre of the universe of universes, our Universal Father.

Most of the conference was accessible via Zoom, which enabled visitors who were unable to attend from Australia, the United States, Canada, and Uganda. We were also delighted to be able to welcome a record contingent of our brothers and sisters from New Zealand.

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Walking the R.O.P.E – An Invitation to Intimacy with God

From , By Julian McGarry, Hobart TAS on

Julian was the main organiser of the 2022 ANZURA Conference in Tasmania and opened with this keynote address.

I would like to begin by saying that I believe this theme, this topic, is the most important one in the entire universe. Perhaps this is an overstatement, but I hope that after reading the article, you will understand where I’m coming from, and maybe even agree with me. I believe it is the reason for the universe itself existing and ultimately, why we exist at all.

The Urantia Book tells us that billions of years ago, our Creator Son, Michael of Nebadon, who later incarnated on our planet as Jesus of Nazareth, was given his ‘patch of turf’ by the Universal Father on which to create his own personal universe. Moreover, he was given the mandate to bring forth millions upon millions of children for the Father, sentient mortal beings of evolutionary origin who would be capable of having a personal, intimate relationship with an indwelling  fragment of the Universal Father….our Thought Adjuster. These evolutionary, animal-origin children made from the dust of the earth would be created according to divine mandate “in the image of God” and would be required to be perfect as the Universal Father is perfect. (1:0.3, 21.3)

An extraordinary challenge, to say the least! We are further told that Michael, together with his universe consort, the Divine Minister or Universe Mother Spirit, appointed power directors and energy controllers to build a physical universe consisting of constellations, solar systems, and individual planets. (32:2.2, 358.4) Once these planets developed conditions conducive to the formation of life, Life Carriers were dispatched with the task of initiating and overseeing the evolution of living, biological systems. (58:1.1, 664.2) In collaboration with the seven adjutant mind spirits, the Life Carriers worked tirelessly to bring about animal-origin creatures having minds that were capable of interacting with absolute deity, the indwelling Father fragment. But before this could happen, these first human creatures were immediately encircuited within the protective and nurturing embrace of the Holy Spirit, the personal spirit of the Divine Minister. Nevertheless, due to the deleterious effects of the Lucifer rebellion and the Adamic default, initially only exceptional humans were indwelt by Thought Adjusters. In general, humans were not capable of experiencing personal and intimate communion with Thought Adusters. (108:2.2-3, 1187.1-2)

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The Religion of Jesus

From , By Daniel Swadling, Sydney NSW on

(Presented at the 2022 ANZURA Conference in Tasmania)

The great goal of human existence is to attune to the divinity of the indwelling Adjuster; the great achievement of mortal life is the attainment of a true and understanding consecration to the eternal aims of the divine spirit who waits and works within your mind. [Paper 110:3.4, page 1206.2]

We see this very attunement and consecration be demonstrated, actually occur, in the life of Jesus, which I’d like to explore with you today.

Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it. [Paper 196:1.3, page 2090.4]

Religion is an experience. ‘Religion is an exclusively individual experience.’ (196:2.11) To understand the religion of Jesus, we have to see how it was revealed through his life and how he lived it, as it is a lived experience.

The creator of our universe bestowed himself on our planet with a twofold mission: to live the life of one of his human creatures, and to reveal God to us to help us understand him better. (128:0.2)

Jesus came to liberate us from stagnant nationalistic and spiritually impoverishing institutions, to remove the mediators between people and God, and demonstrate that religion is that relationship between the individual and God. Between you and God. He taught that “you are not alone,” you and every individual person on the planet is important, is valuable, can live on after death and potentially into eternity, in a universe that is full of other life, is friendly and supportive, and with unlimited opportunity and adventure.

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The Ultimate Human Experience

From , By Neville Twist, Auckland NZ on

(Presented at the 2022 ANZURA Conference in Tasmania)

Coming through customs the other day, the custom’s officer asked me if I had any criminal convictions? “What, is it still a requirement to enter Australia” I replied? “Trying to be a smart arse, are we?” “No, not at all officer” I replied. “It’s just that I’ll be staying at Port Arthur, and I wanted to make doubly sure.” ☺

Apologies for there being no power point presentation, white boards, charts etc. I’m afraid you are just going to have to listen to me ramble on for the next 20 minutes or so – so let’s get on with it.

Before we get underway, I’d like to start with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. QE2 was an amazing woman. To me she was an exemplar of service to her subjects around the world. Something about her that most people overlook is the fact that she was a deeply religious person. She had a deep personal faith in God. She was after all the head of the Church of England and this was a role she took very seriously. Her life was devoted to service and bringing people together. What a privilege it was living under her reign and the consistency, devotion, and loyalty she brought to our lives during 70 years of turbulence, upheaval, and constant change. In a BBC radio presentation recently, they spoke about how she was so impressed with the evangelist Billy Graham when he held crusades in Britain back in the 1960’s & 70’s, that she invited him for an audience at Buckingham palace. Two great people of faith who left an indelible impression on our world for good, and for God himself.  

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