Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:23 am +0000 Posts: 818
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Greetings nod,
nodAmanaV wrote: The Urantia Book is one thing to read, study and discuss. What it says, doesn't need to be discussed.
Obviously it does. There are many misconceptions concerning what is actually said in the book and what is not. For instance, it does not say that Havona is the nucleus of the ultimaton. Despite that fact being pointed out numerous times, there persists an effort to "read into" the text in order to come up with that conclusion. There is nothing wrong with "reading into" what is written, but it must be described as personal opinion and nothing more. If it's not in the Revelation, it is opinion. Is it proper to demand that one's personal opinion concerning what one "reads into" the text is henceforth and always will be the truth?
nodAmanaV wrote: If you read it you know what it says.
Clearly not. How many people have misread it, missed entire pieces of it, used the wrong definition for a word, or failed to tie parts of it together? Too many to mention. In addition, there are many times when a second or third read uncovers previously unnoticed material. Even after almost sixty years of reading, I continue to find new material I had overlooked. So no, there is no way anyone can say that if they read it they know it.
nodAmanaV wrote: What it means is an entirely different matter. Because what it says is that God is very interested in us personally. It reveals he indwells us in a very specific way.
Yes, meanings are all going to be different because meanings are discovered within the mind and soul of each individual. Yes, it is written (in words) that God is interested in us. However, the words tell us many, many other things about God which are also worth studying.
nodAmanaV wrote: Why not join in on the discussion of how to determine personally what to do with this great revelation?
The issue is not what to do with the book, but what you personally will do once you discover meaning? The book is well taken care of by the various institutions established for its safekeeping and dissemination. If you are interested in evangelism, then perhaps you could start a forum dedicated to evangelism. However, this is supposed to be a study forum. At least that is what it says, but I don't believe it is anymore.
nodAmanaV wrote: How to actually do the heavy lifting of personally growing in relation to God, and his indwelling Thought Adjuster?
Oddly enough, how to do the heavy lifting is covered in the words of the Revelation. You say you have read it and know it. If so, then there should be no reason to ask. Perhaps a reread of Papers 100-103 will refresh your memory of how to do the heavy lifting.
nodAmanaV wrote: This is what the book doesn't say how to do in other than general non-personal ways. The book's comments in regard to this are platitudes and repeating them to others who have read them is a bit inane.
I don't get it nod. You said the Revelation is full of platitudes. Do you truly mean that? If you think such a thing, then I cannot believe you have taken the words into your mind and soul and reflected deeply on them. Furthermore, what makes you think any discussion here from your fellow mortals will help you personally do the heavy lifting. Heavy lifting is something you must discover and do on your own. What I think you are searching for is church fellowship, a confessor, a group therapy session, a benevolent society or fraternity house, none of which you will find here. Because, this is a Study Forum. It's a school, especially the subforms titled: General Urantia Book Discussion and Questions and Answers.
There is something like a church section of the forum which publishes requests for prayers. There is also the subforum called Spiritual Experiences: A place to discuss how faith experiences have changed your life. There is also a subforum called Service With a Smile: A place to connect people, projects, experience and ideas and share service formulas. Actually, that last subforum would be the best for you to find ideas for service.
Personally, I find most of what is offered here by some posters to be nothing but platitudes and inanity, yet you seem to find great wisdom there. Why not in the Papers? Your comments are very confusing to me.
nodAmanaV wrote: New readers should have questions but if you've read the Urantia Book, you should want to become aware of what it doesn't say. That's what's being discussed here by some.
Yes, and that is very important. There is no reason to rewrite the Revelation or make claims that certain ideas are contained within it which simply are not there. This is important for new readers and old readers alike. It is a very important aspect of study, which is what I had hoped was going on here when I joined. But, I see that it has become a venue for voicing one's personal religion, which may or may not have anything at all to do with the Revelation, which makes it a sad day.
Here's an platitude expressed inanely just for you:
While religion produces growth of meanings and enhancement of values, evil always results when purely personal evaluations are elevated to the levels of absolutes. 100:1:1
Regards, Rexford
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