Introducing the Theme

By Presented by Nigel Nunn at the Conference in Canberra on

If any celestial passers-by were to look in upon us this morning, what would they see? As individuals, we are an unspectacular lot. As a group, we have no real claim to fame. In fact, we are remarkably average, and surprisingly normal. So what might catch the interest of those who may be watching?

Those interested watchers – those student observers who happen to be present; the seraphim of progress who have sponsored us in unsuspected ways; the Lanonondek administrators, one of whose concerns we are; the Vorondadek Most Highs to whom we are a very special project; the embrace of seraphic oversight and watchcare that has sustained us all; Michael of Nebadon who holds us closer than we can imagine – all these would be interested in this phenomenon of this group of normal people, interrupting their lives to intensify their collaboration. Why? Why should anybody, let alone our celestial benefactors and local universe administration, care that we have gathered here today?

One reason might be this: for over 2000 years, for the duration of the entire 4th epoch of our world, agents of our administration have teased out from a wild and crude humanity hundreds of millions of baby souls engaged with the Spirit of Truth, young lovers of the king of Nebadon. The sincerity of these millions needs no adjustment. The target of their devotion is already correct.the one who is the source of the Spirit of Truth. Their potential is without measure.as baby Finaliters, these millions will number among the trillions involved in ripening the absonite heart that beats in the bosom of eternity. Grand cultivation has occurred in this lonely distant vineyard. And its vines are heavy with the finest fruit.

Read More

Lures of the Fifth Epoch

By William Wentworth, Towamba, Presented at Canberra Conference on

Disclaimer:

We don’t really know what we are talking about. We know that the 5th Epoch is our own idea. We are in the position of small children trying to form ideas about the big wide world. But bear with us. The URANTIA Book points out that everything the finite mind can think about is more or less erroneous. But the process of learning is one of setting up frames of reference in which to think. When faced with what we do not understand, then we postulate a frame of reference in which to think about what we don’t understand. Such reference frames are always wrong in themselves, but they constitute the bridge to the next frame of reference which is a bit less wrong than the previous one. So does evolution proceed- laboriously erecting scaffolding in the hope of comprehension, – only to have to demolish the scaffolding to reach a still higher level which only becomes apparent from the top of the last construct. So Nigel, Vern and I, when we conceived this conference, decided to ask you to accept our frame of reference as a working hypothesis, for the purpose of erecting some scaffolding to see what we can see when we get to the top. We are not for one minute suggesting that there is any factual basis for our speculation.

* * *

The URANTIA Book is sometimes referred to as the 5th Epochal revelation. This derives from pages 1007,8 where the five religious revelations of epochal significance  are listed – with the Urantia Papers listed as No 5. The book does not call itself the 5th Epochal revelation – but for the purposes of this conference we are assuming that it is. This is a liberty for which we ask your indulgence.

We have gone further. We have dared to postulate and define the 5th Epoch. And I’ll ramble on a bit about that now.

Read More

Report on Kallista Conference

Conference 1999 – Booth Lodge, Kallista, VIC

Think globally act locally—how goes the birth of Urantia’s fifth age?
Are we helping or hindering?

Held at Booth Lodge, conveniently located at Kallista in the Dandenong Ranges, less than an hour’s drive East of the Melbourne CBD. The forest surrounds and the mountain views made it difficult to believe that it was only 45 kms from the heart of the bustling city. Grounds of the complex were simply inspirational and created the perfect environment for a clear thinking conference.

During the conference everyone relaxed in an environment that allowed reflection, socialising, and space to ponder the big picture: how goes the birth of Urantia’s fifth age? Are we helping or hindering?

Photo Gallery

Brochure

Program

Urantia Book Youth

By Merindi Swadling on

Hi there everyone. As you are all most likely aware, my name is Merindi Swadling. I would like to share some of my recent experiences with you today. First of all, some background info:

– I am 25 years old
– My parents – Kathleen and Trevor – have been reading The URANTIA Book for about 20 years
– I have been reading for about 18 months – and no, I have not yet completed this amazingly huge book, but I am getting there.

I just want to ask a few questions of you all: – Who here has children?

– How many of these children are under 30 years of age?
– And how many of these have read or are reading The URANTIA Book?
– So where are they all today?

Read More

The Kingdom of Heaven is still within you

By William Wentworth, Towamba on

 

Beyond 2000

Previous presentations have emphasised the opportunities of a fresh start which the new millennium symbolises. But continuity with the old is just as significant.

The Kingdom of Heaven is still within us; nothing has changed. The adjuster, the spirit of truth, the adjutant mind spirits, the holy spirit and so on are still active as usual.

It is important for us to remember that these influences, while being in all of us, are tailored specifically to each of us as individuals. The URANTIA Book offers the best advice we know about how to live our lives—and that advice is to each of us on how to live our OWN lives, and not so much how to concern ourselves with how other people live theirs.

Read More

On Worship

By Ken Glasziou, Maleny QLD on

A talk at the ANZURA Readers Conference, Surfers Paradise 1998

(published in Innerface International  6.1.1999)

The Urantia Book informs us that the quality of our worship is determined by the depth of our perception which, in turn, varies in proportion to the depth of our knowledge of God. It follows that our worship experience may be enhanced in two ways, firstly by increasing our understanding of ourselves and secondly by increasing our knowledge of God. So let’s make a start by attempting to know more about ourselves.
How can we know anything at all? How do we differentiate between dreams and reality, real and false memory, conscious sight and blind sight, a real image from an optical illusion, or a cause and effect kind of mechanical mind from a mind endowed with self-consciousness and freewill choice? How can we know which is which? How can we really know anything? Maybe this is an area where we can learn much more from revelation than we can from an empirical science that assumed, until recently, all things visible and invisible have a mechanistic explanation.

Read More

Surfers Paradise 1998 – Conference Reports

By Conference committee on

Conference information and Updates in Arena

Three days that will change the world…

Whelll …maybe just a little…?

Preparations for this year’s conference are now in full swing. Registrations are tolling in to conference headquarters in Sydney. It promises to be another memorable occasion with people coming from all corners of Australia.

So don’t forget to check your calendar and make your travel plans to sunny Queensland for the 25 to 28th of September this year. It will be our beautiful springtime. And it doesn’t get better than that. We want everyone to treat it as a real holiday as well as a stimulating conference.

The theme of How Jesus Taught is creating a lot of interest. When we look at all the various methods Jesus used it is quite amazing – and inspirational. The book, because of the way it is written, makes us search for the sum total of gems on a particular topic. And so those of us attending this conference can be assured of collecting a magnificent array of jewels.

Read More

Do We Dare to be Godlike?

By Robert Coenraads, Sydney on

Slide show presented at Annual reader Conference in Sydney 3-6 October 1997

The creation of the human Jesus was not an accidental process:

After a study of the special report on the status of segregated worlds prepared by the Melchizedeks, in counsel with Gabriel, Michael finally chose Urantia as the planet whereon to enact his final bestowal. Subsequent to this decision Gabriel made a personal visit to Urantia, and, as a result of his study of human groups and his survey of the spiritual, intellectual, racial, and geographic features of the world and its peoples, he decided that the Hebrews possessed those relative advantages which warranted their selection as the bestowal race. 122:0.2 (1344.2)

Yes! The powers-to-be looked carefully to choose in which race and couple they would install Christ Michael’s mind.

Read More

1997 Sydney – Dare to be Godlike

By Ken Glasziou on

(from Innerface International – Jan/Feb 1998)

Report from the annual conference of ANZURA in Sydney 1997

 The secret of survival is wrapped up in the supreme human desire to be Godlike and in the associated willingness to do and be any and all things essential to the final attainment of that overmastering desire. [Paper 110:3.2, page 1206.0]

The theme for the recent annual meeting of Australian and New Zealand Urantia Book readers in Sydney was “Dare to be Godlike.” During the course of the three day meeting, this theme was to be the catalyst that would give birth to many significant thoughts and comments from participants. Later, these were brought together in a session ably chaired by Neil Francey whose diplomatic skills were instrumental in moderating potential un-Godlike behaviour where apostasy threatened. At this session, Neil asked individuals to voice their ideas on how the principle of daring to be Godlike could be put into effect. Since no notes were kept on who said what, this report will simply attempt to recall some of those ideas with no attempt to attach names to them–for, in any case, many such ideas were a synthesis of group contributions.

Read More

‘Quantum’ Consciousness

By Ken Glasziou, QLD, Australia on

Presentation at Sydney’s ANZURA  Conference, 1997

(From Innerface 4.6 – Nov/Dec 1997)

Consciousness is important because its study has become the focal point for an interdisciplinary co-operation that is slowly undermining determinism and materialism in our society.  Hence the more we know about the basics of the evidence for and against the alternative philosophies, so do we increase our potential to contribute to the renaissance of true religion.
In recent years, concepts of quantum physics that have long been paradoxical and contrary to the expectations from both classical physics and determinist philosophy, have begun to be appreciated by many whose interests are in other disciplines.

The experimental and theoretical results of quantum physicists have now demonstrated that there is much more to our universe than a simple, pre-ordained dance of the molecules. In fact, much of what goes on at base levels is probabilistic rather than being predictable and pre-determined. Read More