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The question says it all. The book came out before the awareness of climate change.

I suppose the idea of embracing science and progress can be a subtle nod to it.

Another subtle nod could be selflessness which is consideration for others by protecting the environment for future generations. I have not reached that part of the book though...(if it's there)

Perhaps love for all of the Universal Father's creations?

Again, those all indirectly point to environmentalism, but is there anything more direct? Specifically about over-population, consumption of finite resources (especially water), protecting forests and oceans, air pollution and more.
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72:3.1 (811.1) On this continent it is against the law for two families to live under the same roof. And since group dwellings have been outlawed, most of the tenement type of buildings have been demolished. But the unmarried still live in clubs, hotels, and other group dwellings. The smallest homesite permitted must provide fifty thousand square feet of land. All land and other property used for home purposes are free from taxation up to ten times the minimum homesite allotment.

Hello William,
Perhaps the banning of large families under one roof has something to do with it...

72:4.2 (812.4) The feeble-minded are trained only in agriculture and animal husbandry, and are committed for life to special custodial colonies where they are segregated by sex to prevent parenthood, which is denied all subnormals.

Heard of such as the above here on earth? No. It is probably meant to curb overpopulation and especially from less progressive minds. The most progressive minds are the ones agitating for the protection of our environment for a better future- for they see far.
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Good questions William. I find the UB to be a model for environmentalism. The Garden of Eden is an ever improving and perfecting reflection of an entire world as template and model for an entire world. All people ideally are agriculturalists to some degree although not limited in educational and occupational pursuits. And we know the ideal model for society is the greater good for the greatest number. The UB also teaches that land to person density ratios are important to manage.

Remember that on a normal world we enjoy the presence, example, and leadership of those who come from archetectural spheres where all the planetary models are examples of beauty and planning and plenty and creative expression. Mortals also design and develop our own worlds in the later mortal epochs according to such models and examples.

Every world is destined to eventually become a symphony of environmental harmony and grandeur and beauty as a reflection and expression of human planetary progress.

Paper 72 is about another world that also lost its celestial leadership and example. They too struggle to find their own way and do not exemplify the normal models for planetary aspirations or development. However the Paper offers important differences and example to consider as improvement for our own planetary progress and priorities. I especially like the family life and education aspects but the entire Paper demonstrates many models superior to our own.
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Good point on the Garden of Eden Bradly! Jesus himself loved and appreciated nature- not once or twice did he seek its calming blessings whenever he had a lot on his mind, but on numerous occasions.
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Plenty is mentioned about overpopulation, but I don't think mankind is currently capable or willing to embrace the solutions.

(770.8 ) 68:6.11 From a world standpoint, overpopulation has never been a serious problem in the past, but if war is lessened and science increasingly controls human diseases, it may become a serious problem in the near future. At such a time the great test of the wisdom of world leadership will present itself. Will Urantia rulers have the insight and courage to foster the multiplication of the average or stabilized human being instead of the extremes of the supernormal and the enormously increasing groups of the subnormal? The normal man should be fostered; he is the backbone of civilization and the source of the mutant geniuses of the race. The subnormal man should be kept under society’s control; no more should be produced than are required to administer the lower levels of industry, those tasks requiring intelligence above the animal level but making such low-grade demands as to prove veritable slavery and bondage for the higher types of mankind.

(769.8 ) 68:6.3 Human society is controlled by a law which decrees that the population must vary directly in accordance with the land arts and inversely with a given standard of living. Throughout these early ages, even more than at present, the law of supply and demand as concerned men and land determined the estimated value of both. During the times of plentiful land — unoccupied territory — the need for men was great, and therefore the value of human life was much enhanced; hence the loss of life was more horrifying. During periods of land scarcity and associated overpopulation, human life became comparatively cheapened so that war, famine, and pestilence were regarded with less concern.

(770.1) 68:6.4 When the land yield is reduced or the population is increased, the inevitable struggle is renewed; the very worst traits of human nature are brought to the surface. The improvement of the land yield, the extension of the mechanical arts, and the reduction of population all tend to foster the development of the better side of human nature.

(908.1) 81:6.12 You are sometimes shocked at the ravages of war, but you should recognize the necessity for producing large numbers of mortals so as to afford ample opportunity for social and moral development; with such planetary fertility there soon occurs the serious problem of overpopulation. Most of the inhabited worlds are small. Urantia is average, perhaps a trifle undersized. The optimum stabilization of national population enhances culture and prevents war. And it is a wise nation which knows when to cease growing.
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Another topic that has the potential to degenerate into today’s political cesspool.
I would like to refer to paper 55
The description of the unfolding of light and life is a personal, social and planetary event.
Much growth and personal responsibility is implied. Much instruction from superhumans too.

The book does get into our climate but I don’t recall reading anything that implies that any political leaders have the power to control our climate.
I believe the statement that the most highs rule so with that I believe the era of light and life will eventually happen and we will not choke to death in 12 years.
We certainly will continue to make our mistakes but we will evolve and Urantia will survive.
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no sophist wrote:
The book does get into our climate but I don’t recall reading anything that implies that any political leaders have the power to control our climate.


There is information in the Revelation about the folly of attempting to legislate morality, and there is also plenty written concerning the relationship between science and morality (philosophy & wisdom). Not to mention the numerous times it is written that we are not to worship nature because nature is not God.
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At its core, environmentalism is about stewardship of the earth's resources. My generation and the generations leading up to this have pursued a reckless growth strategy that has placed our planet's non-renewable resources in peril. As a result, our grandchildren will suffer the results of our unwise and short-sighted stewardship of the environment.

Jesus' parable of the shrewd steward in paper 169 speaks pretty directly to the importance of being good stewards.

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169:2.6 (1854.2) “I affirm that he who is faithful in little will also be faithful in much, while he who is unrighteous in little will also be unrighteous in much. If you have not shown foresight and integrity in the affairs of this world, how can you hope to be faithful and prudent when you are trusted with the stewardship of the true riches of the heavenly kingdom? If you are not good stewards and faithful bankers, if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will be foolish enough to give you great treasure in your own name?
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katroofjebus wrote:
no sophist wrote:
The book does get into our climate but I don’t recall reading anything that implies that any political leaders have the power to control our climate.


There is information in the Revelation about the folly of attempting to legislate morality, and there is also plenty written concerning the relationship between science and morality (philosophy & wisdom). Not to mention the numerous times it is written that we are not to worship nature because nature is not God.


Well, that certainly dampens my enthusiasm for the book. Not going to debate anything. Just stating that I'm less of a believer in the book now.
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Wise management of environmental resources is not a moral issue. It is a business issue. If you are a business owner and your expenditures exceed the revenues, year after year after year, eventually the business will be bankrupt. A business owner must be a responsible steward of business resources. Humans are the 'owners' of the global environment; we need to treat our planet's resources as real assets. But instead, our society treats earth's resources as a free for all and he who grabs the segment of ocean and installs an oil refinery there first, wins.

What we are seeing is short-sighted and unwise management of resources. That's not morality; that's just Business 101.
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Paper 81, Development of Modern Civilization, also has a useful reference for this discussion, where it discusses "The civilization which is now evolving on Urantia grew out of, and is predicated on, the following factors: ..."

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81:6.14 (908.3) 5. Effectiveness of material resources. Much depends on the wisdom displayed in the utilization of natural resources, scientific knowledge, capital goods, and human potentials. The chief factor in early civilization was the force exerted by wise social masters; primitive man had civilization literally thrust upon him by his superior contemporaries. Well-organized and superior minorities have largely ruled this world.


Note that, here, the UB says "the civilization which is now evolving ... is predicated on .... the wisdom displayed in the utilization of natural resources ...."

It couldn't be more clear about the importance of managing natural resources in an effective (sustainable) manner. Modern civilization depends on it.
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William S. wrote:
katroofjebus wrote:
no sophist wrote:
The book does get into our climate but I don’t recall reading anything that implies that any political leaders have the power to control our climate.


There is information in the Revelation about the folly of attempting to legislate morality, and there is also plenty written concerning the relationship between science and morality (philosophy & wisdom). Not to mention the numerous times it is written that we are not to worship nature because nature is not God.


Well, that certainly dampens my enthusiasm for the book. Not going to debate anything. Just stating that I'm less of a believer in the book now.


What a curious post William. It has been said here that environmentalism and resource stewardship and natural beauty and enhanced beauty and abundance are all ideals of all planetary leadership and management. Are you anti-environment then? Perhaps more time in study would lead to less disappointment in the answers to your questions by your fellow students....although I found the responses both accurate and encouraging regarding the question asked.

We are advised to enjoy our thunder and lightening and wind and wave and surf and snow and ice and freeze and thaw and many other elements that are inherent on material, evolutionary worlds but lacking on the architectural spheres. All worlds have unique plants and animals so we should enjoy what we have while we are yet here to enjoy it all!

43:1.1 (485.5) Edentia abounds in fascinating highlands, extensive elevations of physical matter crowned with morontia life and overspread with spiritual glory, but there are no rugged mountain ranges such as appear on Urantia. There are tens of thousands of sparkling lakes and thousands upon thousands of interconnecting streams, but there are no great oceans nor torrential rivers. Only the highlands are devoid of these surface streams.

43:1.2 (486.1) The water of Edentia and similar architectural spheres is no different from the water of the evolutionary planets. The water systems of such spheres are both surface and subterranean, and the moisture is in constant circulation. Edentia can be circumnavigated via these various water routes, though the chief channel of transportation is the atmosphere. Spirit beings would naturally travel above the surface of the sphere, while the morontia and material beings make use of material and semimaterial means to negotiate atmospheric passage.

43:1.3 (486.2) Edentia and its associated worlds have a true atmosphere, the usual three-gas mixture which is characteristic of such architectural creations, and which embodies the two elements of Urantian atmosphere plus that morontia gas suitable for the respiration of morontia creatures. But while this atmosphere is both material and morontial, there are no storms or hurricanes; neither is there summer nor winter. This absence of atmospheric disturbances and of seasonal variation makes it possible to embellish all outdoors on these especially created worlds.

43:1.4 (486.3) The Edentia highlands are magnificent physical features, and their beauty is enhanced by the endless profusion of life which abounds throughout their length and breadth. Excepting a few rather isolated structures, these highlands contain no work of creature hands. Material and morontial ornamentations are limited to the dwelling areas. The lesser elevations are the sites of special residences and are beautifully embellished with both biologic and morontia art.

43:1.5 (486.4) Situated on the summit of the seventh highland range are the resurrection halls of Edentia, wherein awaken the ascending mortals of the secondary modified order of ascension. These chambers of creature reassembly are under the supervision of the Melchizedeks. The first of the receiving spheres of Edentia (like the planet Melchizedek near Salvington) also has special resurrection halls, wherein the mortals of the modified orders of ascension are reassembled.

6. The Gardens of God

43:6.1 (492.1) The system capitals are particularly beautified with material and mineral constructions, while the universe headquarters is more reflective of spiritual glory, but the capitals of the constellations are the acme of morontia activities and living embellishments. On the constellation headquarters worlds living embellishment is more generally utilized, and it is this preponderance of life—botanic artistry—that causes these worlds to be called “the gardens of God.”

43:6.2 (492.2) About one half of Edentia is devoted to the exquisite gardens of the Most Highs, and these gardens are among the most entrancing morontia creations of the local universe. This explains why the extraordinarily beautiful places on the inhabited worlds of Norlatiadek are so often called “the garden of Eden.”

43:6.3 (492.3) Centrally located in this magnificent garden is the worship shrine of the Most Highs. The Psalmist must have known something about these things, for he wrote: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Most Highs? Who shall stand in this holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully.” At this shrine the Most Highs, on every tenth day of relaxation, lead all Edentia in the worshipful contemplation of God the Supreme.

43:6.4 (492.4) The architectural worlds enjoy ten forms of life of the material order. On Urantia there is plant and animal life, but on such a world as Edentia there are ten divisions of the material orders of life. Were you to view these ten divisions of Edentia life, you would quickly classify the first three as vegetable and the last three as animal, but you would be utterly unable to comprehend the nature of the intervening four groups of prolific and fascinating forms of life.

43:6.5 (492.5) Even the distinctively animal life is very different from that of the evolutionary worlds, so different that it is quite impossible to portray to mortal minds the unique character and affectionate nature of these nonspeaking creatures. There are thousands upon thousands of living creatures which your imagination could not possibly picture. The whole animal creation is of an entirely different order from the gross animal species of the evolutionary planets. But all this animal life is most intelligent and exquisitely serviceable, and all the various species are surprisingly gentle and touchingly companionable. There are no carnivorous creatures on such architectural worlds; there is nothing in all Edentia to make any living being afraid.

43:6.6 (492.6) The vegetable life is also very different from that of Urantia, consisting of both material and morontia varieties. The material growths have a characteristic green coloration, but the morontia equivalents of vegetative life have a violet or orchid tinge of varying hue and reflection. Such morontia vegetation is purely an energy growth; when eaten there is no residual portion.

43:6.7 (492.7) Being endowed with ten divisions of physical life, not to mention the morontia variations, these architectural worlds provide tremendous possibilities for the biologic beautification of the landscape and of the material and the morontia structures. The celestial artisans direct the native spornagia in this extensive work of botanic decoration and biologic embellishment. Whereas your artists must resort to inert paint and lifeless marble to portray their concepts, the celestial artisans and the univitatia more frequently utilize living materials to represent their ideas and to capture their ideals.

43:6.8 (493.1) If you enjoy the flowers, shrubs, and trees of Urantia, then will you feast your eyes upon the botanical beauty and the floral grandeur of the supernal gardens of Edentia. But it is beyond my powers of description to undertake to convey to the mortal mind an adequate concept of these beauties of the heavenly worlds. Truly, eye has not seen such glories as await your arrival on these worlds of the mortal-ascension adventure.
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Agon D. Onter wrote:
Note that, here, the UB says "the civilization which is now evolving ... is predicated on .... the wisdom displayed in the utilization of natural resources ...."


I can see where climate can be construed as a natural resource amenable to business enterprises, such as wine making and pineapple growing. But effective utilization of a natural resource, such as climate, is one thing, and power and control over a natural resource is another. I think the reference offered is about the use or harnessing of natural resources. We have little power over the actual existence of natural resources. I think that's a job for the physical controllers and other energy manipulators, especially of cosmic clouds. I'm not sure man can do much about land elevation either.

(662.9) 57:8.22 Land elevation, cosmic clouds, and oceanic influences are the chief factors in climatic fluctuation.
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I don't think climate is a natural resource. Nor do I think humans can have power and control over climate; other than creating conditions which impact the climate.

Natural resources are water, air, soil, sunlight, and flora and fauna.

I agree with kat that the quote I used is about the 'utililzation' of natural resources, not the control of them. We cannot create natural resources, of course; that's why it's so important that we manage these resources effectively and sustainably, so our children and grandchildren can benefit from all our planet has to offer.
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William S. wrote:
katroofjebus wrote:
no sophist wrote:
The book does get into our climate but I don’t recall reading anything that implies that any political leaders have the power to control our climate.


There is information in the Revelation about the folly of attempting to legislate morality, and there is also plenty written concerning the relationship between science and morality (philosophy & wisdom). Not to mention the numerous times it is written that we are not to worship nature because nature is not God.


Well, that certainly dampens my enthusiasm for the book. Not going to debate anything. Just stating that I'm less of a believer in the book now.


I find this response to the text in various forms and for different reasons. It is common for many people to desire the revelation to confirm their established beliefs otherwise they have no use for it.
Its not for everyone.
But I encourage you to continue to study the text.
I believe that the answers to all of our individual, social and political problems lies in the 5th epochal revelation.

I like the paper that describes evolution on a normal world that is free from rebellion setbacks - we are told that Urantia is more than a dispensation behind. In many ways we are primitive human beings.
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