Q: How does The Urantia Book compare with the Aquarian Gospel by Levi H. Dowling. In the Aquarian Gospel Jesus goes to India in his early youth. In The Urantia Book Jesus does not go to India in his early years. Which is true? Are both true?

A: I am going to assume that you are fairly familiar with The Urantia Book—at least familiar enough to know that the life and teachings of Jesus (Part IV) do not include this trip to India when Jesus was in his youth that is taught in the Aquarian Gospel. In fact The Urantia Book does not tell us of any trip to India. Jesus did travel extensively during his two-year tour of the Mediterranean with the Indian merchant and his son, and we are told that Ganid (the son) became a believer and carried Jesus’ gospel to India

(133:9.5) In India, Ganid grew up to become an influential man, a worthy successor of his eminent father, and he spread abroad many of the noble truths which he had learned from Jesus, his beloved teacher.

Reason tells us that both accounts cannot be true. I believe that The Urantia Book is the correct account, which should not surprise you, but I cannot make this determination for you. We are all free to choose what we accept as truth, according to our inner Spirit of Truth, who ever leads us into all truth.

Interestingly, one of the Apostles did spend considerable time in India. Nathaniel probably did a great deal towards spreading the gospel of Jesus throughout that region before his death. It might be that this fact had something to do with these later ideas about Jesus having been in India.

(139:6.9) Nathaniel’s father (Bartholomew) died shortly after Pentecost, after which this apostle went into Mesopotamia and India proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom and baptizing believers. His brethren never knew what became of their onetime philosopher, poet, and humorist. But he also was a great man in the kingdom and did much to spread his Master’s teachings, even though he did not participate in the organization of the subsequent Christian church. Nathaniel died in India.

I am not familiar with the Aquarian Gospel, but I did a little research on Wikipedia…enough to find out that this gospel was written by Levi Dowling in the early 1900s, and that it was supposedly transcribed from the Akashic records. Just on the face of it, it appears to contain several things that run counter to Urantia Book teachings—most glaring is the claim that “Jesus puts on the role of The Christ, but is not automatically Christ by nature.” This seems to imply that Jesus was not God. Another major point is that reincarnation is taught as fact, another glaring difference from Urantia Book teachings.

I find The Urantia Book in general—and the Life and Teachings of Jesus in particular—to be the most believable, the most sensible, and the most inspiring truth that I have ever found—about Jesus, and about our place in God’s universe. Rather than a work written by a single man who claims his source as the Akashic records, The Urantia Book is an epochal revelation authored by a host of celestial personalities under mandate of the Ancients of Days. The Jesus papers were written by the Midwayer Commission—beings who were actual witnesses to all of the events that are written about. The means of delivery, the authorship, the stated mission, and not least—the amazing content of The Urantia Book—speak to me in my Spirit as resounding truth.

During those early years of the 20th century was the very time that The Urantia Book began to be delivered—and this process continued into the 1930s. I suspect that there might have been any number of truth-seeking souls whose spirits may have been stirred by the celestial activity of those days. I feel sure that Levi Dowling was a good man, and a sincere truth-seeker, but I think he did not get the story straight.

Again, no one can tell you what to believe as true. I do hope that you will continue to read and study The Urantia Book in your spiritual search, and may God crown your efforts with a personal revelation in your own spirit as to what really is worthy of your time and attention.

Thanks again for writing to us here at Truthbook. I hope that this reply has been helpful.