George….thank you for your patience with me and your persistence in seeking moderation of my rhetoric/tone and your pursuit of understanding the Revelation and your kindness/friendship in constructing a bridge in our discussion to gain the other side of this specific issue.
Just to be clear….I truly don’t know how many or what ratio of mortals survive….I only apply what empirical evidence I find in the UB where I have discovered plenty of support for a ‘generous’ estimation. Children do it, barbarians do it, the very first humans did it (lots of them). We are clearly told ignorance, doubt, confusion, false belief, evil/error, materialism, self importance, immaturity, and even sin itself cannot prevent it. We are taught that soul grows (or can) independent of mind and knowledge and belief and that faith is an auto-reflex condition inherent in the circuitry of mortal mind ministry and that the inner yearn and the urge to find gods to explain the self awareness and the awe and wonder we have of life and the inner AND outer worlds. We are taught of the nearly endless mercy credits and the abiding love and adoration of our Creators for their created children and their love for one another and the patience and gentleness and kindness employed to deliver the ascension experience and eternal adventure to all beings in this friendly universe. We are told that even that slightest flicker is all that is required to survive this material life and that is clearly contrasted with the far more rigorous tests for eternal fusion to come….an articulation and distinction of profound meaning and value I think.
So you see….I have found plenty of evidence within the UB for my optimism regarding the soul’s chance for survival from this world. The question of greater interest to me is whether the mortal born soul that arrives on the Mansion Worlds with but a flicker can successfully penetrate the Circles of Progress required for fusion. What is that struggle like? Wouldn’t it be easier there than here to learn and grow and shed the tadpole’s tail and gills for the legs and lungs of frogdom? Or not?
Another ponderment of mine is how is the survival ratio changed over time and through the mortal epochs? And especially, what’s the difference between normal worlds with Prince and Staff and the Material Son and Daughter and the Garden and the knowledge of the universe and the examples of celestials on-planet and those worlds darkened by the loss of such material ministry? It would seem logical that the difference in survivor ratios between the earlier and the later epochs would be great, especially as life expectancy grows into centuries and on-world fusion/translation becomes more and more common. And that difference (if any) between worlds cursed by rebellion and those not would likewise be great. But I wonder.
I notice that Urantia’s story seems to be one of great forces of compensational effect to overcome such obvious disparities….what is lacking in this way is overcome in that way…..a real and deliberate agency and acts of equilibrium ministry and resulting ministry of effect. While not specifically told to us in the UB, I surmise those ministries of equilibrium and adjustment to guide each world through the mortal epochs of time to the inevitable certainties of Light and Life for each mortal world are similar throughout the universes of time and space…and that Urantia is no exception to this rule.
So….NO…..I do not claim any knowledge or firm belief in THE ratio of survivors to mortal borns who manage to self-destruct in this short life and I don’t know how that might change through the epochs or as affected by rebellion….all a mystery to me.
But I will say this: The more I know God and discover truth, beauty, and goodness….the more confident I am of his great love and tender mercy and the more of him and his love I see and find in his children around me and the more certain I am of our shared destiny in this friendly universe.
I would also say that THIS is the good news and gospel of Jesus and of the UB – we are God’s children and we are safe in God’s love and patience and mercy and kindness and care in this friendly universe.
And further….that those who say and teach and preach otherwise are no friends to the gospel or our world or God’s children in their voices of doubt, fear, angst, suspicion, paranoia, creed, doctrines, false beliefs, warnings, and mistrust of God’s love for his children.
I grew up amongst such voices. I find them abhorrent and diabolical…..whether their intent is mean or not in no way differentiates their message and their effects upon others. And ANY who raise the Fifth Epochal Revelation as ANY form of such drivel of doubt and dire warning of doom is a mighty poor student and no friend or believer in the Revelation we share.
Thanks again George. It’s been an interesting detour in our study of Religion In Human Experience. A very relevant one. I have learned and am still learning in the UB how very different religious experience is from my understanding prior to the UB. There are so many elements that are inherently hard wired into our very being. So many agents and agencies of ministry. How faith expressions can be so reflexive and profoundly effective without knowledge and even with false belief as faith’s companions. How soul can grow and worship occur even without the awareness of mortal mind.
In the church of my youth….one had to KNOW very specific things and DO very specific things or be damned to eternal suffering. And if we knew and did those specific things then we were ‘saved’ from damnation and awoke in heaven perfected in the angelic state for an eternity of……I have no idea. There was no progressive adventure taught to me. This I think is the fable and falsehood that some UB students simply cannot divorce themselves from….they cannot distinguish between the perfected state and the tadpole survival. We know that even fusion itself is not yet perfected but merely a metamorphic and progressive stage of development and that perfecting takes so much more time and growth yet and that our destiny includes endless experience and wisdom improvement forevermore.
This is key I think….religious experience is endless. The universe of universes now and those still to come are all designed and developed for this endless experience for those of us born in time and those of us born upon the lowliest estate of being, the material worlds. And God provides great time and opportunity for the children of time to gain adequate experience and knowledge and wisdom and skill to enjoy and participate in this endless adventure. And the adventure begins with our first breath!! Religion In Human Experience begins then too!!
God does not judge us or condemn us….he loves us and cherishes each of us as a new and unique expression of Religion In Human Experience. I doubt God fails in his love and ministry to his children in great numbers….no matter the world or the mortal epoch or rebellion or not or child or barbarian or fool or error prone or self important or material focused dummy. I think such harsh judgments of others is a very human behavior…..one we are undoubtedly forgiven for as well.
So…is the UB good news or not? Is it good news to declare and proclaim and defend that few are worthy in Father’s Kingdom of the Father’s love and mercy? Definitely not. For myself, I will remain optimistic for myself and my fellows – all – without imposing my meaures of worthiness upon others. And I will continue to speak out in opposition to those I consider fear mongers and purveyors of doubt….especially those who try and use the Revelation for such dastardly designs. Perhaps I’ll lose my edge in time to come. For now, perhaps a little passion and righteous indignation is not so misplaced. We shall see.
"Live loyally today—grow—and tomorrow will attend to itself. The quickest way for a tadpole to become a frog is to live loyally each moment as a tadpole."
