There is a lot to comment but will look at just a few points. Like Mark, I do think that the ultimate number of survivors, at least at this point in time, could be small. And it could be that many will drop out along the way. We are often told that the eternal journey is a long, long road (5.1.1).
Regarding the 100 Million on Jerusem, Bradly gives the analogy of a ketchup bottle. I like it…I had pictured an hourglass with one side inflated but I think his image is better. The key is that if there are great numbers sleeping or otherwise “pent up”, Jerusem is apparently a significant constriction point for those leaving the system. Why, I don’t know.
Bradly notes:
We are told there are several million Morontia Companions on MW1 (47:3.11) (534.3) and there is one MC per company of 1,000 ascenders (47:3.12) (534.4). And there are billions and billions of Mansion World Teachers in Satania alone!! And there are the Transition Ministers and the Morontia Progressors (unnumbered so far as I can tell but many indeed!).
I see that the quote says, “…there are several million on the morontia worlds of Satania.” Let us assume that “several million” MCs is 5 million. I think most would agree that that is a reasonable estimate. I saw where one online dictionary gave 4 or 5 as specific examples of “several”. And, the MCs do apparently have other duties beyond being associate and guides. If we have 5 million MCs, and we assign every one of them to guide a group of 1,000 unique ascenders, we would have something on the order of 5 billion ascenders under their tutelage/guidance on the Mansion-Morontia worlds of Satania. How long does the sojourn on these worlds last? We don’t know but IMO it could be a few thousand years….or somewhat less (this is quite speculative). For some, e.g. Andon and Fonta, it could be much longer.
Ultimately we get back to the average population at some point of time on each of the 619 inhabited worlds of the system (and then the total for all of the worlds therein). We are deemed a world slightly less than average in size yet our population now exceeds 7 billion. Perhaps on a “normal” world with high-level guidance/communication this number would average out somewhere around 3 billion (but perhaps it would be 10 billion?). We just don’t know. Our world is unique, but obviously the population is increasing in this era. But if 3 billion is a reasonable number, possibly a conservative estimate, we are looking at something on the order of 2 trillion mortals on the 619 (or more now) inhabited worlds of the system. I’ll readily admit, this estimate is very speculative…but at the same time, I believe that there are some jumping off points provided by the book to get this ballpark estimate, or at least to get into the neighborhood.
And then we have the question of how many of those that survive are sleeping? I would argue that it really doesn’t make a lot of difference in the Satania morontia system as a whole – over time. The morontia system is “fed” by the regular input of these persons from various worlds, so that over time, “normal” system conditions (counts) will prevail (and we are dealing with a great amount of time, at least from our mortal prospective). Assume that our local system is like a large university system that receives students. In the Fall, they get students in large groups. In other periods of the year, they will pick up smaller additions. When averaged out over time, the university system maintains a fairly stable student population within any major or college that will rarely exceed…..say 2 standard deviations.
If 200 million persons is an average mansion-morontia world population for Jerusem and this number is extrapolated to each of the 49 worlds, the system typically holds about 10 billion persons in “active process”. The population for the sleeping survivor population at any time is difficult to evaluate. IF this population is 100 billion (10X the 49 morontia world population)….and the total living population of the 619 worlds is on the order of 2 trillion persons, we have an initial survival rate in the ballpark area of 5%.
I will readily admit, all of this is speculation. But even if the survival rate is doubled or tripled, it is still (probably) relatively small. Now all of that will slowly change for the better as our system moves further into Light and Life. Survival numbers will increase. In a manner of speaking, the individual world survival rate history probably roughly mimics the system survival rate (with Urantia exceptions for our special issues). On our planet, most mortals did not receive a TA until after Pentecost and the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth (108.2.3). For most of the past 1 million years, survival rates must have been very small, probably mostly due to the absence of these spiritual influences. Now that is slowly improving. We are told that evolution is a very effective method for achieving true growth.
In closing, I consider myself an “eternal” optimist. I just think that, realistically, the numbers that survive at this early time in the history of Satania (and certainly on our planet) are not large. And we must recognize the reality of that….it is the way the evolutionary plan works – things improve over time. And thus, the numbers will grow as we and other system worlds evolve. At some very distant time, Urantia, and indeed the whole system, will see a survival rate of 100%.
