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Greetings All,
OPAD began July 20, ’09, and ends today. Papers 175-196 appear on this Forum, but OPAD was started on UAI’s original Invision Forum. All 196 Papers appear there. The old Invision Forum remained open even after this new Forum began, so OPAD could be whole and finished where it began. Soon the Invision Forum will be archived and available to public view HERE.
Everyday since OPAD’s inception, an examination of each paragraph was made, each sentence, occasionally even a single word from that day’s page was scrutinized. It is the way I always wished to study this revelation, slow, steady, and thorough. And you must be given the credit. Hosting OPAD would have been impractical and illogical without knowing it was serving another, that someone, somewhere on Urantia, was counting on finding a new page posted everyday. Thank you all!
Even though I had read the book several times before OPAD, my understanding of it improved exponentially over the past five years. So often it improved because someone added their perspective and opened a new avenue for thinking about the item at hand. I do wish there had been more of those additions. OPAD became more a blog than a study group after the long initial period of interest and participation. Blogs have their place, but it was not the intention.
It should be noted several readers said privately they were following and appreciating the daily presentations even if they were not commenting. Still, I’m not certain why active participation fell off so. Maybe the OPAD premise is flawed, it is not practical to have an online text-only study group. More likely the fault is mine. Without intending to I may have over-presented, and somehow made discussion unappealing, not sure. You’re feedback on this or any other aspect of OPAD, positive and/or negative, would be greatly appreciated.
But I am certain of my basic knowledge of the UB now, and happily trying to live these supernal teachings, albeit quite imperfectly. And just as OPAD is ending, my next big project has already begun. After my daughter’s untimely death several weeks ago, I’ve become a caregiver for two bright and beautiful young ones, my grandchildren. Such a rich life indeed!
Much love. Rick/OPAD host.
PS. Urantia Foundation must be thanked for preserving and providing the Standardized Text, the Contents, the maps and topical studies. The synopses for each Paper are from Urantia Fellowship, as is the The Urantia Book Paramony. Thanks most of all to Urantia Association for providing the Forums and its staff of willing helpers, counselors, and friends.
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Richard E Warren
