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Social brotherhood

53 posts · 6 participants · started Aug 10, 2015, 5:15 PM

VernParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 10:20 AM

Sabinatu wrote: …serves as an inspiration…

Yes, it does.

For good reason we now have the first hand account of his life even to the manner and motivation of his thinking.

Sabinatu wrote: …follower iniquitors can hide behind…

Believers are strengthened sufficiently to be immune from sophistry for they are well aware cleverness is no substitute for character. Also there is the valid caution to be gentle as doves yet wise as serpents.

When Jesus commanded Satan to get behind him, he said that in confidence of having once and for all triumphed over rebellious sin and iniquity. The evil one was exposed with nowhere to hide any more and was duly apprehended and is now on trial.

The Son of Man was confident of success, and he knew that his triumph on your world would forever settle the status of his agelong enemies, not only in Satania but also in the other two systems where sin had entered. There was survival for mortals and security for angels when your Master, in reply to the Lucifer proposals, calmly and with divine assurance replied, “Get you behind me, Satan.” That was, in principle, the real end of the Lucifer rebellion. True, the Uversa tribunals have not yet rendered the executive decision regarding the appeal of Gabriel praying for the destruction of the rebels, but such a decree will, no doubt, be forthcoming in the fullness of time since the first step in the hearing of this case has already been taken. ^[Paper^{53:8.4, page 609:7]}

That was the real end of the Lucifer rebellion.

What we are witnessing are the last thrashings of a defeated and deposed former planetary prince Caligastia and his lieutenant Daligastia.

Faith is an effective armor against sin and iniquity. It is true: “He who is born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not.”

…Subsequent to their effort to corrupt Michael when in the bestowal flesh, all sympathy for Lucifer and Satan has perished throughout all Satania, that is, outside the isolated worlds of sin. ^[Paper^{53:8.2, page 609:5]}
MaraParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 2:50 PM
For our mutual edification and to neutralize the Sabinatu sour grapes.

(171:7:1) Jesus spread good cheer everywhere he went. He was full of grace and truth. His associates never ceased to wonder at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. You can cultivate gracefulness, but graciousness is the aroma of friendliness which emanates from a love-saturated soul.

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.( (147:5:7) ) The highest moral choice is the choice of the highest possible value, and always–in any sphere, in all of them–this is to choose to do the will of God. If man thus chooses, he is great, though he be the humblest citizen of Jerusem or even the least of mortals on Urantia.

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MaraParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 3:35 PM

Mara wrote (52:6:7) 5. Spiritual insight. […] The only technique for accelerating the natural trend of social evolution is that of applying spiritual pressure from above, thus augmenting moral insight while enhancing the soul capacity of every mortal to understand and love every other mortal. Mutual understanding and fraternal love are transcendent civilizers and mighty factors in the world-wide realization of the brotherhood of man.

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The world-wide realization of the brotherhood of man, social brotherhood, depends on every mortal to understand and love every other mortal. Reminds me man cannot cause growth. Our sole contribution to growth is the mobilization of the total powers of one’s personality–living faith.

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( 100:3:7) Love thus grows; it cannot be created, manufactured, or purchased; it must grow. Evolution is a cosmic technique of growth. Social growth cannot be secured by legislation, and moral growth is not had by improved administration. Man may manufacture a machine, but its real value must be derived from human culture and personal appreciation. Man’s sole contribution to growth is the mobilization of the total powers of his personality–living faith.

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(106:9:12) Religious living is devoted living, and devoted living is creative living, original and spontaneous. New religious insights arise out of conflicts which initiate the choosing of new and better reaction habits in the place of older and inferior reaction patterns. New meanings only emerge amid conflict; and conflict persists only in the face of refusal to espouse the higher values connoted in superior meanings.

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And doomy-gloomy talk about the world we live in is nothing more than someone’s personal mental screenshot. Such screenshots lack the appreciation of the fact that old religious loyalties are transitioning to emerging new meanings and values. No one can stop this emergence.

Social leadership is transformed by spiritual insight; religion prevents all collective movements from losing sight of their true objectives. Together with children, religion is the great unifier of family life, provided it is a living and growing faith. Family life cannot be had without children; it can be lived without religion, but such a handicap enormously multiplies the difficulties of this intimate human association. During the early decades of the twentieth century, family life, next to personal religious experience, suffers most from the decadence consequent upon the transition from old religious loyalties to the emerging new meanings and values.
SabinatuBlocked
Sep 6, 2015, 7:34 PM
Oh, now I get it, Mara. Your “love” for me is conditioned on the quality of the “grapes” I provide you – who cares that there was a drought, a fire, an earthquake, pestilence, and a plaque that wiped out the workers that wrought the sour grapes…
MaraParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 10:47 PM

Mara wrote: (52:6:2) While Jesus has shown the way to the immediate attainment of spiritual brotherhood, the realization of social brotherhood on our world depends much on the achievement of personal transformations and planetary adjustments, as revealed to us in the UB.

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We have 10,000 to 100,000 years of progress ahead of us in achieving increments of planetary adjustments of ethical and spiritual growth resulting in social brotherhood.

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(52:5:8) The postbestowal Son age may extend from ten thousand to a hundred thousand years. There is no arbitrary time allotted to any of these dispensational eras. This is a time of great ethical and spiritual progress. Under the spiritual influence of these ages, human character undergoes tremendous transformations and experiences phenomenal development. It becomes possible to put the golden rule into practical operation. The teachings of Jesus are really applicable to a mortal world which has had the preliminary training of the prebestowal Sons with their dispensations of character ennoblement and culture augmentation.

(140:10:3) It was not apparent to the apostles that their Master was engaged in living a life of spiritual inspiration for every person of every age on every world of a far-flung universe. Notwithstanding what Jesus told them from time to time, the apostles did not grasp the idea that he was doing a work on this world but for all other worlds in his vast creation. Jesus lived his earth life on Urantia, not to set a personal example of mortal living for the men and women of this world, but rather to create a high spiritual and inspirational ideal for all mortal beings on all worlds.

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Social brotherhood on our world depends much on the achievement of personal transformations, character growth, not by wasting time to continually measure the beam or square the cornerstone of the material world. It is the spiritual nature that either helps achieve of helps impede the emergence of social brotherhood.

( 156:5:2) It was during this same sermon that Jesus made use of his first and only parable having to do with his own trade–carpentry. In the course of his admonition to “Build well the foundations for the growth of a noble character of spiritual endowments,” he said: “In order to yield the fruits of the spirit, you must be born of the spirit. You must be taught by the spirit and be led by the spirit if you would live the spirit-filled life among your fellows. But do not make the mistake of the foolish carpenter who wastes valuable time squaring, measuring, and smoothing his worm-eaten and inwardly rotting timber and then, when he has thus bestowed all of his labor upon the unsound beam, must reject it as unfit to enter into the foundations of the building which he would construct to withstand the assaults of time and storm. Let every man make sure that the intellectual and moral foundations of character are such as will adequately support the superstructure of the enlarging and ennobling spiritual nature, which is thus to transform the mortal mind and then, in association with that re-created mind, is to achieve the evolvement of the soul of immortal destiny. Your spirit nature–the jointly created soul–is a living growth, but the mind and morals of the individual are the soil from which these higher manifestations of human development and divine destiny must spring. The soil of the evolving soul is human and material, but the destiny of this combined creature of mind and spirit is spiritual and divine.”

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There is no hurry. The achievement of social brotherhood will take a long time. Bound to bump into sour grapes along the way. Bound to bump into a horse with the bit in its teeth along the way. Bound to run into cynically-minded people and naysayers. Bound to run into fanatics and zealots and eccentrics. A few people are addicted to themselves. Bound to run into finger-pointers and flaw-finders. The world is full of them.
BradlyParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 11:02 PM
And yet…..each of us has the ability to personally choose to join the social and the spiritual brotherhoods and also to create a personalized corner of Light and Life, an Edenic isle in the midst of all the social and political ills that may surround us. That is true at least for that portion of the population blessed with some modicum of material stability. But the world is filled with victims of our planetary immaturity and by no fault of their own. Orphans, refugees, victims of quake and flood and natural disaster and famine and disease and war and violent crime, etc. Such opportunities for humanitarianism and collective assistance do provide much for those who wish to serve others.

Blaming, harping, whining, and brimstone preaching does little to lessen the suffering of others or to create some small corner of Light and Life. The contrast here attending us is good to notice and inform us all to choose our priorities and service well…especially given the Papers to help guide and inform us.

"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."
Nigel NunnParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 11:16 PM
Bradly wrote:

“… to personally choose to join the social and the spiritual brotherhoods and also to create a personalized corner of Light and Life, an Edenic isle in the midst of all the social and political ills that may surround us.”

And also to create a personalized corner of Light and Life, an Edenic isle…

Nice one, Bradly. I like that. I like it a lot.

Nigel
MaraParticipant
Sep 6, 2015, 11:17 PM

Bradly wrote: . . .each of us has the ability to personally choose to join the social and the spiritual brotherhoods and also to create a personalized corner of Light and Life, an Edenic isle in the midst of all the social and political ills that may surround us.

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I call this undying hope, one of the fruits of the divine spirit. (193:2:2)
VernParticipant
Sep 7, 2015, 2:31 AM

Mara wrote: The only technique for accelerating the natural trend of social evolution is that of applying spiritual pressure from above…

Our Father has anticipated our needs even before we thought to make the connection. His Divine “hand” is extended for each of his children to take hold and be thereby lifted up. It all comes down to individual freewill choice, the most compelling “proof” of the Father’s presence, plainly evident.

All human progress is effected by a technique of conjoint revelational evolution.

The moral values of the universe become intellectual possessions by the exercise of the three basic judgments, or choices, of the mortal mind:

1. Self-judgment — moral choice.

2. Social-judgment — ethical choice.

3. God-judgment — religious choice. ^[Paper ^{196:3.11–14, page 2094:10–13]}

Thus it appears that all human progress is effected by a technique of conjoint revelational evolution. ^[Paper ^{196:3.15, page 2094:14]}

Only a person can love, this capability to love and be loved in return, is from the Father. Only love will change the world, reveal the Father, as he is revealed in each of us.

Unless a divine lover lived in man, he could not unselfishly and spiritually love. Unless an interpreter lived in the mind, man could not truly realize the unity of the universe. Unless an evaluator dwelt with man, he could not possibly appraise moral values and recognize spiritual meanings. And this lover hails from the very source of infinite love; this interpreter is a part of Universal Unity; this evaluator is the child of the Center and Source of all absolute values of divine and eternal reality. ^[Paper ^{196:3.16, page 2094:15]}
MaraParticipant
Sep 7, 2015, 4:53 AM

Vern wrote: Thus it appears that all human progress is effected by a technique of conjoint revelational evolution. [Paper 196:3.15, page 2094:14]

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Additionally,

(103:0:2) The religious tendencies of the human races are innate; they are universally manifested and have an apparently natural origin; primitive religions are always evolutionary in their genesis. As natural religious experience continues to progress, periodic revelations of truth punctuate the otherwise slow-moving course of planetary evolution.

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In Jesus’ discourse on sonship and citizenship, he said, among other things:

(178:1:12) You must not seek to promulgate truth nor to establish righteousness by the power of civil governments or by the enaction of secular laws. You may always labor to persuade men’s minds, but you must never dare to compel them. You must not forget the great law of human fairness which I have taught you in positive form: Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to them.

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Thanks Vern
MaraParticipant
Sep 7, 2015, 4:25 PM

Vern wrote: Thus it appears that all human progress is effected by a technique of conjoint revelational evolution. [Paper 196:3.15, page 2094:14]

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While divine or spiritual insight is a gift, human wisdom must evolve.

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(101:4:2) Mankind should understand that we who participate in the revelation of truth are very rigorously limited by the instructions of our superiors. We are not at liberty to anticipate the scientific discoveries of a thousand years. Revelators must act in accordance with the instructions which form a part of the revelation mandate. We see no way of overcoming this difficulty, either now or at any future time. We full well know that, while the historic facts and religious truths of this series of revelatory presentations will stand on the records of the ages to come, within a few short years many of our statements regarding the physical sciences will stand in need of revision in consequence of additional scientific developments and new discoveries. These new developments we even now foresee, but we are forbidden to include such humanly undiscovered facts in the revelatory records. Let it be made clear that revelations are not necessarily inspired. The cosmology of these revelations is not inspired. It is limited by our permission for the co-ordination and sorting of present-day knowledge. While divine or spiritual insight is a gift, human wisdom must evolve.

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Everywhere across our world can be observed people who seem to lack environments favorable to social advancement, moral progress, and the arts of culture and civilization. But spiritual progress in the ascension career are equal to all. Spiritual insight and cosmic meanings are attained quite independently of all such sociomoral differentials of the diversified material environments

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(5:1:4) The mortals of the realms of time and space may differ greatly in innate abilities and intellectual endowment, they may enjoy environments exceptionally favorable to social advancement and moral progress, or they may suffer from the lack of almost every human aid to culture and supposed advancement in the arts of civilization; but the possibilities for spiritual progress in the ascension career are equal to all; increasing levels of spiritual insight and cosmic meanings are attained quite independently of all such sociomoral differentials of the diversified material environments on the evolutionary worlds.

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(101:2:15) The realization of religion never has been, and never will be, dependent on great learning or clever logic. It is spiritual insight, and that is just the reason why some of the world’s greatest religious teachers, even the prophets, have sometimes possessed so little of the wisdom of the world. Religious faith is available alike to the learned and the unlearned.

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Why is it that some have so much spiritual insight, though they have so little of the wisdom of the world? A clue can be discerned, I think, from considering the gifts each person is given

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(101:3:2) Faith-insight, or spiritual intuition, is the endowment of the cosmic mind in association with the Thought Adjuster, which is the Father’s gift to man. Spiritual reason, soul intelligence, is the endowment of the Holy Spirit, the Creative Spirit’s gift to man. Spiritual philosophy, the wisdom of spirit realities, is the endowment of the Spirit of Truth, the combined gift of the bestowal Sons to the children of men. And the co-ordination and interassociation of these spirit endowments constitute man a spirit personality in potential destiny.

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Do you realize these are gifts? There are other gifts too, cosmic gifts.

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(16:9:4) The social consciousness is not inalienable like the God-consciousness; it is a cultural development and is dependent on knowledge, symbols, and the contributions of the constitutive endowments of man–science, morality, and religion. And these cosmic gifts, socialized, constitute civilization.

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Even your life plasm is a gift.

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( 36:6:3) Animal mind and human mind are gifts of the local universe Mother Spirit, functioning through the seven adjutant mind-spirits, while creature ability to reproduce is the specific and personal impartation of the Universe Spirit to the ancestral life plasm inaugurated by the Life Carriers.

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About all we have of universe reality subject to our use during material lifetime is mind – the human mind. It is not so much what mind comprehends as what mind desires to comprehend that insures survival.

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( 111:1:5) Mortal mind is a temporary intellect system loaned to human beings for use during a material lifetime, and as they use this mind, they are either accepting or rejecting the potential of eternal existence. Mind is about all you have of universe reality that is subject to your will, and the soul–the morontia self–will faithfully portray the harvest of the temporal decisions which the mortal self is making. Human consciousness rests gently upon the electrochemical mechanism below and delicately touches the spirit-morontia energy system above. Of neither of these two systems is the human being ever completely conscious in his mortal life; therefore must he work in mind, of which he is conscious. And it is not so much what mind comprehends as what mind desires to comprehend that insures survival; it is not so much what mind is like as what mind is striving to be like that constitutes spirit identification. It is not so much that man is conscious of God as that man yearns for God that results in universe ascension. What you are today is not so important as what you are becoming day by day and in eternity.

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And there are other gifts as well.
SabinatuBlocked
Sep 7, 2015, 7:58 PM
@Mara – some inspiration for you as you go about being the Lady of Goodness, but only to those who entertain you with good grapes. You and Bradley really need to stop playing the “you are not jesus-enough for our taste” game because there are no two bigger failures in being inspired by Jesus than you two “managers” of TUB readers:

7. “As Jesus Passed By”

^171:7.1 ^(1874.4) Jesus spread good cheer everywhere he went. He was full of grace and truth. His associates never ceased to wonder at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. You can cultivate gracefulness, but graciousness is the aroma of friendliness which emanates from a love-saturated soul.

^171:7.2 ^(1874.5) Goodness always compels respect, but when it is devoid of grace, it often repels affection. Goodness is universally attractive only when it is gracious. Goodness is effective only when it is attractive.

^171:7.3 ^(1874.6) Jesus really understood men; therefore could he manifest genuine sympathy and show sincere compassion. But he seldom indulged in pity. While his compassion was boundless, his sympathy was practical, personal, and constructive. Never did his familiarity with suffering breed indifference, and he was able to minister to distressed souls without increasing their self-pity.

^171:7.4 ^(1874.7) Jesus could help men so much because he loved them so sincerely. He truly loved each man, each woman, and each child. He could be such a true friend because of his remarkable insight — he knew so fully what was in the heart and in the mind of man. He was an interested and keen observer. He was an expert in the comprehension of human need, clever in detecting human longings.

^171:7.5 ^(1874.8) Jesus was never in a hurry. He had time to comfort his fellow men “as he passed by.” And he always made his friends feel at ease. He was a charming listener. He never engaged in the meddlesome probing of the souls of his associates. As he comforted hungry minds and ministered to thirsty souls, the recipients of his mercy did not so much feel that they were confessing to him as that they were conferring with him. They had unbounded confidence in him because they saw he had so much faith in them.

^171:7.6 ^(1875.1) He never seemed to be curious about people, and he never manifested a desire to direct, manage, or follow them up. He inspired profound self-confidence and robust courage in all who enjoyed his association. When he smiled on a man, that mortal experienced increased capacity for solving his manifold problems.

^171:7.7 ^(1875.2) Jesus loved men so much and so wisely that he never hesitated to be severe with them when the occasion demanded such discipline. He frequently set out to help a person by asking for help. In this way he elicited interest, appealed to the better things in human nature.

^171:7.8 ^(1875.3) The Master could discern saving faith in the gross superstition of the woman who sought healing by touching the hem of his garment. He was always ready and willing to stop a sermon or detain a multitude while he ministered to the needs of a single person, even to a little child. Great things happened not only because people had faith in Jesus, but also because Jesus had so much faith in them.

^171:7.9 ^(1875.4) Most of the really important things which Jesus said or did seemed to happen casually, “as he passed by.” There was so little of the professional, the well-planned, or the premeditated in the Master’s earthly ministry. He dispensed health and scattered happiness naturally and gracefully as he journeyed through life. It was literally true, “He went about doing good.”

^171:7.10 ^(1875.5) And it behooves the Master’s followers in all ages to learn to minister as “they pass by” — to do unselfish good as they go about their daily duties.

What success you have had with the internet! Impressive how well that “gift” of the genius of others (virtual reality) continues to pay out dividends. Wonder how Jesus would manage the censorship of TUB readers….?

Now back to the code-talking…
MaraParticipant
Sep 8, 2015, 3:43 AM
Thanks for the good grapes references S – “As Jesus Passed By”. (171:7:0). Very uplifting words to ponder.

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Social brotherhood

All human progress is effected by a technique of conjoint revelational evolution.