I thought we might start a discussion on the path to paradise. This is from paper 30. I only posted the first, "Planetary Mortals" section. We can discuss it, and then continue, or if you'd rather, we can jump to waking up on mansion world #1.
THE ASCENDING MORTALS
While the mortal survivors of time and space are denominated ascending pilgrims when accredited for the progressive ascent to Paradise, these evolutionary creatures occupy such an important place in these narratives that we here desire to present a synopsis of the following seven stages of the ascending universe career:
1. Planetary Mortals.
2. Sleeping Survivors.
3. Mansion World Students.
4. Morontia Progressors.
5. Superuniverse Wards.
6. Havona Pilgrims.
7. Paradise Arrivals.
The following narrative presents the universe career of an
Adjuster-indwelt mortal. The Son- and Spirit-fused mortals share portions of this career, but we have elected to tell this story as it pertains to the
Adjuster-fused mortals, for such a destiny may be anticipated by all of the
human races of Urantia.
1. Planetary Mortals. Mortals are all animal-origin evolutionary beings of ascendant potential. In origin, nature, and destiny these various groups and types of human beings are not wholly unlike the Urantia peoples. The human races of each world receive the same ministry of the Sons of God and enjoy the presence of the ministering spirits of time. After natural death all types of ascenders fraternize as one morontia family on the mansion worlds.
So basically you are saying that every religion is wrong? Christ is not the only way in your beliefs. Then please, stop quoting him. Christ claimed he was the only way to God. Therefore, to use him to support your side of the coin is acinine.
1Every religion thinks they are right
2. Every religion conflicts with the others in some way
3. They can't all be right
Therefore 4. One of the religions must be right (or they are all wrong).
Amadeus wrote:So basically you are saying that every religion is wrong? Christ is not the only way in your beliefs. Then please, stop quoting him. Christ claimed he was the only way to God. Therefore, to use him to support your side of the coin is acinine.
1Every religion thinks they are right
2. Every religion conflicts with the others in some way
3. They can't all be right
Therefore 4. One of the religions must be right (or they are all wrong).
Seems perfectly logical to me
Amadeus,
Jesus said no one comes to the father except by me, he did not say no one comes to the father except through Christianity. For all intents and purposes Jesus is a perfect representative of the Father his father, our father. Jesus is part of God in the manifestation of the trinity. While some religions may contain more "spiritual" truth or historical truth than others, I believe that anyone who is sincerely looking for God will find him inside or outside of any religion. Some of the most spiritual people I know do not take part in an organized religion, they don't read the UB either and don't know much about the bible but they have made the decision to turn their life and will over to the care of God as they understand God and the spirit that lives within them guides them to an understanding of the will of God.
I don't think in terms of One religion is right and all others are wrong, I think in terms of God being perfection on all absolute levels and I can only be relatively right about anything. I believe that Jesus his Son revealed the living and merciful nature of God in his life while in the flesh. The Christian religion of which I am a part does not hold an exclusive contract on Jesus, his teachings are for all the world and can benefit all religions.
Then you are not in a "Christian" religion that is right with God, my friend.
Remember also that Jesus died for our sins and preached his "christian exclusivism" to everyone.
I just don' see the logic.
If I worship God, who is also Jesus, but someone else denies that Jesus is God, and they worship God, they are NOT worshipping the same god I am!
Matt. 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matt. 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
Amadeus wrote:So basically you are saying that every religion is wrong? Christ is not the only way in your beliefs. Then please, stop quoting him. Christ claimed he was the only way to God. Therefore, to use him to support your side of the coin is acinine.
1Every religion thinks they are right
2. Every religion conflicts with the others in some way
3. They can't all be right
Therefore 4. One of the religions must be right (or they are all wrong).
I'll run with option 4 - or at least the bit in brackets.
Amadeus wrote:Then you are not in a "Christian" religion that is right with God, my friend.
Remember also that Jesus died for our sins and preached his "christian exclusivism" to everyone.
I just don' see the logic.
If I worship God, who is also Jesus, but someone else denies that Jesus is God, and they worship God, they are NOT worshipping the same god I am!
Matt. 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matt. 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
If I worship God, who is also Jesus, but someone else denies that Jesus is God, and they worship God, they are NOT worshipping the same god I am!
God looks into our hearts and judges us by our motives. If someone really knows Jesus then they usually won't deny him but you are correct, if someone knows him and denies him than they are denying also God the father. I have a friend who is Sufis Islam. He is in a group that are currently studying Jesus, I suspect when he's done he will know Jesus.
"christian exclusivism" ? Christianity came after Jesus. The Kingdom of God as established by Jesus was a simple fellowship of those who ( faith gift realized) the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of ALL mankind. "Exclusivism" is the same mistake made by the "chosen people" adopted, then unknowingly perpetuated by the ecclesiastical arrogance of many Christians.
Amadeus wrote:So basically you are saying that every religion is wrong? Christ is not the only way in your beliefs. Then please, stop quoting him. Christ claimed he was the only way to God. Therefore, to use him to support your side of the coin is acinine.
1Every religion thinks they are right
2. Every religion conflicts with the others in some way
3. They can't all be right
Therefore 4. One of the religions must be right (or they are all wrong).
I'll run with option 4 - or at least the bit in brackets.
Amadeus wrote:
Seems perfectly logical to me
Me Too.
Hi Bernee, welcome to the conversation, are you really in India?
Getting back to Bro Daves topic my morning reading was on the Havona worlds that encircle Paradise. The I billion worlds that comprise the Havona circuit are just conceptually splendid.
LIFE IN HAVONA
On Urantia you pass through a short and intense test during your initial life of material existence. On the mansion worlds and up through your system, constellation, and local universe, you traverse the morontia phases of ascension. On the training worlds of the superuniverse you pass through the true spirit stages of progression and are prepared for eventual transit to Havona. On the seven circuits of Havona your attainment is intellectual, spiritual, and experiential. And there is a definite task to be achieved on each of the worlds of each of these circuits.
Life on the divine worlds of the central universe is so rich and full, so complete and replete, that it wholly transcends the human concept of anything a created being could possibly experience. The social and economic activities of this eternal creation are entirely dissimilar to the occupations of material creatures living on evolutionary worlds like Urantia. Even the technique of Havona thought is unlike the process of thinking on Urantia.
The regulations of the central universe are fittingly and inherently natural; the rules of conduct are not arbitrary. In every requirement of Havona there is disclosed the reason of righteousness and the rule of justice. And these two factors, combined, equal what on Urantia would be denominated fairness. When you arrive in Havona, you will naturally enjoy doing things the way they should be done.
When intelligent beings first attain the central universe, they are received and domiciled on the pilot world of the seventh Havona circuit. As the new arrivals progress spiritually, attain identity comprehension of their superuniverse Master Spirit, they are transferred to the sixth circle. (It is from these arrangements in the central universe that the circles of progress in the human mind have been
designated.) After ascenders have attained a realization of Supremacy and are thereby prepared for the Deity adventure, they are taken to the fifth circuit; and after attaining the Infinite Spirit, they are transferred to the fourth. Following the attainment of the Eternal Son, they are removed to the third; and when they have recognized the Universal Father, they go to sojourn on the second circuit of worlds, where they become more familiar with the Paradise hosts. Arrival on the first circuit of Havona signifies the acceptance of the candidates of time into the service of Paradise. Indefinitely, according to the length and nature of the creature ascension, they will tarry on the inner circuit of progressive spiritual attainment. From this inner circuit the ascending pilgrims pass inward to Paradise residence and admission to the Corps of the Finality.
During your sojourn in Havona as a pilgrim of ascent, you will be allowed to visit freely among the worlds of the circuit of your assignment. You will also be permitted to go back to the planets of those circuits you have previously traversed. And all this is possible to those who sojourn on the circles of Havona without the necessity of being ensupernaphimed. The pilgrims of time are able to equip themselves to traverse "achieved" space but must depend on the ordained technique to negotiate "unachieved" space; a pilgrim cannot leave Havona nor go forward beyond his assigned circuit without the aid of a transport supernaphim.
There is a refreshing originality about this vast central creation. Aside from the physical organization of matter and the fundamental constitution of the basic orders of intelligent beings and other living things, there is nothing in common between the worlds of Havona. Every one of these planets is an original, unique, and exclusive creation; each planet is a matchless, superb, and perfect production. And this diversity of individuality extends to all features of the physical, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of planetary existence. Each of these billion perfection spheres has been developed and embellished in accordance with the plans of the resident Eternal of Days. And this is just why no two of them are alike.
Not until you traverse the last of the Havona circuits and visit the last of the Havona worlds, will the tonic of adventure and the stimulus of curiosity disappear from your career. And then will the urge, the forward impulse of eternity, replace its forerunner, the adventure lure of time.
Monotony is indicative of immaturity of the creative imagination and inactivity of intellectual co-ordination with the spiritual endowment. By the time an ascendant mortal begins the exploration of these heavenly worlds, he has already attained emotional, intellectual, and social, if not spiritual, maturity.
Not only will you find undreamed-of changes confronting you as you advance from circuit to circuit in Havona, but your astonishment will be inexpressible as you progress from planet to planet within each circuit. Each of these billion study worlds is a veritable university of surprises. Continuing astonishment, unending wonder, is the experience of those who traverse these circuits and tour these gigantic spheres. Monotony is not a part of the Havona career.
Love of adventure, curiosity, and dread of monotony--these traits inherent in evolving human nature--were not put there just to aggravate and annoy you during your short sojourn on earth, but rather to suggest to you that death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery.
Curiosity--the spirit of investigation, the urge of discovery, the drive of exploration--is a part of the inborn and divine endowment of evolutionary space creatures. These natural impulses were not given you merely to be frustrated and repressed. True, these ambitious urges must frequently be restrained during your short life on earth, disappointment must be often experienced, but they are to be fully realized and gloriously gratified during the long ages to come.
