71:8.1 The only sacred feature of any human government is the division of statehood into the three domains of executive, legislative, and judicial functions. The universe is administered in accordance with such a plan of segregation of functions and authority. Aside from this divine concept of effective social regulation or civil government, it matters little what form of state a people may elect to have provided the citizenry is ever progressing toward the goal of augmented self-control and increased social service. The intellectual keenness, economic wisdom, social cleverness, and moral stamina of a people are all faithfully reflected in statehood.

“3. In your relations to the social order we advise that you confine your efforts largely to spiritual regeneration and intellectual emancipation. Avoid all entanglements with the economic structure and the political commitments of your day. More especially devote yourself to living the ideal religious life on Urantia.

The ideals of statehood must be attained by evolution, by the slow growth of civic consciousness, the recognition of the obligation and privilege of social service. At first men assume the burdens of government as a duty, following the end of the administration of political spoilsmen, but later on they seek such ministry as a privilege, as the greatest honor. The status of any level of civilization is faithfully portrayed by the caliber of its citizens who volunteer to accept the responsibilities of statehood. ~ The Urantia Book, 71:3.10

99:1.3 Urantia society can never hope to settle down as in past ages. The social ship has steamed out of the sheltered bays of established tradition and has begun its cruise upon the high seas of evolutionary destiny; and the soul of man, as never before in the world's history, needs carefully to scrutinize its charts of morality and painstakingly to observe the compass of religious guidance. The paramount mission of religion as a social influence is to stabilize the ideals of mankind during these dangerous times of transition from one phase of civilization to another, from one level of culture to another.

Pethuel, thanks for noting that word: spoilsmen. I never noticed it before. And I really, really like the whole passage where it is found: That was Riktare's comment but I had never seen that word before and it's a good one.



https://truthbook.com/urantia-book/paper-71-development-of-the-state#U71_3_10

In fact, that whole paper on the development of the state is pretty darn great - especially considering the state of our world right now. I agree with fanofVan that at its most basic, the ideals of statehood will only be achieved through individuals who understand the value of the Golden Rule - its value not only for the one receiving that kind of treatment from another, but the value for the one who practices it, too. Everyone wins, which is so often the case when God's will is realized.

The evolution piece is a little depressing though...evolution is so agonizingly slow, and here we are in the middle of all these changes (quivering on the brink).



From another great section: Religion and social reconstruction https://truthbook.com/urantia-book/pape ... on#U99_1_0

Hard to see much of it from where we sit, but good to know that eventually, it will all come out right, even if we may not be around to see it all. At least that's how I like to see it. I like to see so many younger people becoming interested in civics and politics. Many of them strike me as sincerely interested in true public service rather than self-service. It occurs to me that we need to see such great contrasts in order to inspire better candidates to step up.

mj

Look you are definetly wrong to do an imitation of Jesus as far as political manners are concerned. You must recognise that one of the reasons Jesus refrained from becoming a Roman Engineer, a Legate, or a Rabbi, was because his individual mission prohibited this from his public life. It is terribly unwise to consider this forebearance of his part to imply that all people who are engaged in religion should also forebear from politics.

Let us consider that Jesus gave good and proper direction to the thirsty minds of Rome during his time. I think that there are natural proclivities in every person which must be nurtured according to the divine pattern which they are capable of giving expression. Hence, there is this lengthy quotation "to the soldier, he said...", "to the metalsmith, he said..." always applying a degree of correspondence that makes work seem virtuous.

Therefore, it is incumbent on men, not to reject the duties of the public life, and especially for young women & men to grow up intentionally attempting to be acceptible in the public sphere of society. Of course in the Urantia Papers this is measured according to cosmic citizenship rather than Urantia or state citizenship.

The institutions of our world state, the mish-mash corporate global federation of the fourth industrial estate, are objectively compared to the scaffolding of society rather than its pillars. Although there is not the establishment of a recognised federal democratic world-beaurocracy, it must be assumed that civil progress is actually a goal shared by most human individuals. There is natural yearning that our pubilc reccord be complete and accurate according to the records of individual or trust-type transactions. I believe that many people who receive guardian angel, are also choice the path of public service.

The one thing politically speaking Jesus did for his neighbouring state Judaha, was to eliminate the animals from the innerdwellings of his synagogue, and to uproot the insolent commissions that the traders were allowed to transact in Jerusalem. This is my evaluation. Maybe you can say this, that his actions were not politically motivated but in this case its effect is in my view politically-reaching.

Why use outside organisation to effect democratic bodies because it would be easier to regulate. Then there is also a change from what man knows that he must do, to incessant reminders from technology that somnabulently force citizens to express their franchise. It is also energy in the process or recording information.

The goal of full participatory democracy does not require technology in theory.