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What is spiritual brotherhood?

234 posts · 7 participants · started Jun 18, 2015, 9:25 PM

VernParticipant
Jul 29, 2015, 8:58 AM
OK, moving right along methodically through the sequential instances of the term “spiritual brotherhood” we take a look at something already mentioned, the evil of the Christian church in almost completely supplanting the Jesus concept of the kingdom. In considering this topic thread “the kingdom” is synonymous with “spiritual brotherhood.”

The ideas and ideals of Jesus, embodied in the teaching of the gospel of the kingdom, nearly failed of realization as his followers progressively distorted his pronouncements. The Master’s concept of the kingdom was notably modified by two great tendencies: ^[Paper^{170:5.4, page 1864:4]}

1. The Jewish believers persisted in regarding him as the Messiah. They believed that Jesus would very soon return actually to establish the world-wide and more or less material kingdom. ^[Paper^{170:5.5, page 1864:5]}

2. The gentile Christians began very early to accept the doctrines of Paul, which led increasingly to the general belief that Jesus was the Redeemer of the children of the church, the new and institutional successor of the earlier concept of the purely spiritual brotherhood of the kingdom. ^[Paper^{170:5.6, page 1864:6]}

The church, as a social outgrowth of the kingdom, would have been wholly natural and even desirable. The evil of the church was not its existence, but rather that it almost completely supplanted the Jesus concept of the kingdom. Paul’s institutionalized church became a virtual substitute for the kingdom of heaven which Jesus had proclaimed. ^[Paper^{170:5.7, page 1864:7]}

But doubt not, this same kingdom of heaven which the Master taught exists within the heart of the believer, will yet be proclaimed to this Christian church, even as to all other religions, races, and nations on earth — even to every individual. ^[Paper^{170:5.8, page 1864:8]}

Even in its almost comatose condition Christianity has capacity for renewal when spiritual brotherhood is rekindled in the hearts of believers.

The essence of Jesus’ teaching is twofold:
1. spiritual ideal of individual righteousness.
2. man’s divine fellowship with God.
The kingdom of Jesus’ teaching, the spiritual ideal of individual righteousness and the concept of man’s divine fellowship with God, became gradually submerged into the mystic conception of the person of Jesus as the Redeemer-Creator and spiritual head of a socialized religious community. In this way a formal and institutional church became the substitute for the individually spirit-led brotherhood of the kingdom. ^[Paper^{170:5.9, page 1864:9]}

The church was an invitable social consequence of believer kinship, the mistake of the church was to make a naked power grab in a futile attempt to equate the spiritual brotherhood with the congregation.

The church was an inevitable and useful social result of Jesus’ life and teachings; the tragedy consisted in the fact that this social reaction to the teachings of the kingdom so fully displaced the spiritual concept of the real kingdom as Jesus taught and lived it. ^[Paper^{170:5.10, page 1864:10]}

As answers have been forthcoming to the question What is spiritual brotherhood?………. the following paragraph has one which most closely matches what Mara wrote earlier on the 22 July that to be in spiritual brotherhood a person must have already declared their faith in the fatherhood of God. I stand corrected.

The kingdom, to the Jews, was the Israelite community; to the gentiles it became the Christian church. To Jesus the kingdom was the sum of those individuals who had confessed their faith in the fatherhood of God, thereby declaring their wholehearted dedication to the doing of the will of God, thus becoming members of the spiritual brotherhood of man.^[Paper^{170:5.11, page 1865:1]}

Mara wrote: To a person who does not want to know God – who says quite frankly God does not exist – his or her experience is devoid of survival values. Such people are not in the spiritual brotherhood.

However, I still maintain that The Thought Adjuster is working constantly to make spiritual counterparts of moral decisions that such an individual makes. Knowing the spiritual realities concerned, the brother or sister in darkness is a lost soul crying to be found.

As Christians sit in prayer saying “thy will be done, thy kingdom come” I wonder if the true meaning is understood? Over time this coming kingdom which Urantia Book readers may consider as the era of Light and Life or the sometime return of Michael (second coming of Christ) is the arrival of peace on earth and goodwill among mean and angels.

When Jesus’ immediate followers recognized their partial failure to realize his ideal of the establishment of the kingdom in the hearts of men by the spirit’s domination and guidance of the individual believer, they set about to save his teaching from being wholly lost by substituting for the Master’s ideal of the kingdom the gradual creation of a visible social organization, the Christian church. And when they had accomplished this program of substitution, in order to maintain consistency and to provide for the recognition of the Master’s teaching regarding the fact of the kingdom, they proceeded to set the kingdom off into the future. The church, just as soon as it was well established, began to teach that the kingdom was in reality to appear at the culmination of the Christian age, at the second coming of Christ. ^[Paper^{170:5.14, page 1865:4]}

In this way the spiritual brotherhood was projected forward as the concept of an age to come while the immediately tangible Father-and-son idea of the individual’s personal spiritual relationship as an integral family member of the spiritual brotherhood was lost.

In this manner the kingdom became the concept of an age, the idea of a future visitation, and the ideal of the final redemption of the saints of the Most High. The early Christians (and all too many of the later ones) generally lost sight of the Father-and-son idea embodied in Jesus’ teaching of the kingdom, while they substituted therefor the well-organized social fellowship of the church. The church thus became in the main a social brotherhood which effectively displaced Jesus’ concept and ideal of a spiritual brotherhood. ^[Paper^{170:5.15, page 1865:5]}

Paul and his contemporaries struck a deathblow to Jesus’ concept of the divine kingdom in the heart of the individual believer. It dared to lay claim to those mysterious powers and privileges that can only be experienced between Jesus and his spiritual believer brothers and sisters.

The concept of Jesus is still alive in the advanced religions of the world. Paul’s Christian church is the socialized and humanized shadow of what Jesus intended the kingdom of heaven to be — and what it most certainly will yet become. Paul and his successors partly transferred the issues of eternal life from the individual to the church. Christ thus became the head of the church rather than the elder brother of each individual believer in the Father’s family of the kingdom. Paul and his contemporaries applied all of Jesus’ spiritual implications regarding himself and the individual believer to the church as a group of believers; and in doing this, they struck a deathblow to Jesus’ concept of the divine kingdom in the heart of the individual believer. ^[Paper^{170:5.17, page 1865:7]}

And so, for centuries, the Christian church has labored under great embarrassment because it dared to lay claim to those mysterious powers and privileges of the kingdom, powers and privileges which can be exercised and experienced only between Jesus and his spiritual believer brothers. And thus it becomes apparent that membership in the church does not necessarily mean fellowship in the kingdom; one is spiritual, the other mainly social. ^[Paper^{170:5.18, page 1866:1]}

Membership of a group of believers does not necessarily mean membership of the spiritual brotherhood, there is every possibility however, that by evidence of—spiritual unity—fruits of the spirit, it can be both spiritual and social. Believers to qualify as the spiritual brotherhood must evidence fellow feeling—love—one for the other. Not to, would be inexcusable.

It is just because the gospel of Jesus was so many-sided that within a few centuries students of the records of his teachings became divided up into so many cults and sects. This pitiful subdivision of Christian believers results from failure to discern in the Master’s manifold teachings the divine oneness of his matchless life. But someday the true believers in Jesus will not be thus spiritually divided in their attitude before unbelievers. Always we may have diversity of intellectual comprehension and interpretation, even varying degrees of socialization, but lack of spiritual brotherhood is both inexcusable and reprehensible. ^[Paper^{170:5.20, page 1866:3]}

Just as T. S. Eliot wrote “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” We have returned once more to that quote which was referenced at the start of this topic………..”lack of spiritual brotherhood is both inexcusable and reprehensible.”

Squabbles and suspicion on display by professed believers are repugnant to any observer let alone, any genuine truth seeker who is repelled by displays of divisiveness and acrimony where there aught be harmony. A house divided is destined to fall—only love can hold the house together—unite one and all.
MaraParticipant
Jul 29, 2015, 6:30 PM

MidiChlorian wrote: .. .are you proposing that “the Pope” should be teaching from the Urantia Book?

I heard from a credible reader who lives in Argentina that the Pope does have a copy of the book. Jesus never stopped revealing God to humanity, back then, right now, and forever. He IS the revelation of God to humanity. As you say, he never deviated from revealing God to humanity. It’s up to us to discover, recognize, interpret and choose which way to go. You choose your interpretation. I choose mine. And the Pope has equal opportunity to choose his interpretations. Humans are designed that way. Midi, I know you already know this.
SabinatuBlocked
Jul 29, 2015, 7:03 PM
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/have-no-fear-the-life-of-pope-john-paul-ii/ – “The eventful life of a humble Polish priest who once decried the pomp of the Catholic Church “a circus” and labeled the Pope a “prisoner of the Vatican” before ascending to the papal throne is explored as actor Thomas Kretschmann takes on the role of Pope John Paul II in director Jeff Bleckner’s cinematic tribute to the man who would usher Catholicism into the 21st century. ”

EXPERIENCE matters. JPII had direct and personal contact with the “fruits” of atheism and he managed to stay focused on the revelation that Jesus brought about a God who is Love. Because JPII was fiery in his condemnation of USA’s pre-emptive strike in Iraq and other “greed is good” global political machinations, this recent POSITIVE epoch of the Catholic Church is being IGNORED. If the current Pope continues to ALSO harken back centuries to the Dark Ages in Europe and blame God for the acts of free will men in that era, then he is assisting those who wish to turn JPII’s efforts into “never happened”. The Pope’s job – and his MASSIVE bully pulpit – secular and powerful – is to continue to reveal “God is Love”! Who wants a personal relationship with a God that is unloving, cruel and autocratic?! What kind of “spiritual brotherhood” would THAT be?! That is MY bottom line – the POPE’s job is not to let SPIRITUAL TRUTH – God is Love – be jerked on a chain back from the bully pulpit and the advertisement of evil take its place – sex and financial scandals and compromise with atheism, of all things….only God is 100% good, even Jesus said that when he was called “good. So where is your baseline for “good” if you do not even know where it comes from….? Rhetorical question….

The problems on our plate – TODAY, in our short and intense life of experience in the ETERNAL NOW – have never been experienced before – so, yes, indeedy, let’s hope enough human animal brains still have the biology in place for connection with 6th and 7th Adjutant Mind Spirits without which Thought Adjusters have no way to connect with Personality (UB definition of personality).

We are going to have to marshall a trinity of “social” approaches to the agriculture issues because the issue of overpopulation is due to the fact that billions of people do not BELIEVE that “immortality” is a personal achievement. They believe that without progeny it will be as if they never existed. So the thirst for immortality is universal…and in constant need of origin, purpose, destiny revelations from our Father.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-k-bourne-jr/farming-ourselves-out-of-food_b_7738744.html?utm_hp_ref=world

TUB makes note of the fact that overpopulation dose not bring out the best in humanity – not a time of “grace and charm” – and we can already see how compromises are being made by the “greed is good” globalists:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/malaysia-human-trafficking-tpp_55b66521e4b0224d8832fe28?utm_hp_ref=world&ir=World&section=world

It is FAIR to remind the Pope what his bully pulpit is about and have him stick to the God is Love message. OBVIOUSLY, no one else is going to do it. And without that orientation to the material problems of life (the “spiritual brotherhood”) plus erroneous beliefs about personal immortality, there is no hope for proper genetic maintenance of the HEALTH of the human species and all of life forms on Nebadon – the Shrine, imho
MaraParticipant
Jul 29, 2015, 7:26 PM

Sabinatu wrote: OBVIOUSLY, no one else is going to do it.

I disagree. The conclusion you have reached is neither obvious, nor is your belief correct that no one else is going to do it. Let the Pope do his thing. Let science do its thing. I don’t understand why you are all wigged out about the Pope and our “biology” and the 6th and 7th adjutant mind-spirits. We are in a era of religion becoming a private matter. It is my opinion that private individuals like you and me who are motivated by the will to loving service are the ones who are going to do it and be it – the tide that lifts all boats.

( 99:4:7) There is no danger in religion’s becoming more and more of a private matter–a personal experience–provided it does not lose its motivation for unselfish and loving social service. Religion has suffered from many secondary influences: sudden mixing of cultures, intermingling of creeds, diminution of ecclesiastical authority, changing of family life, together with urbanization and mechanization.

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( 99:2:1 ) Only the real religion of personal spiritual experience can function helpfully and creatively in the present crisis of civilization.

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( 155:6:12 ) Those who are born of the spirit of God shall henceforth discern the word of God regardless of whence it appears to take origin.
SabinatuBlocked
Jul 30, 2015, 12:01 AM
“^196:2.2 ^(2091.11) Jesus’ life in the flesh portrays a transcendent religious growth from the early ideas of primitive awe and human reverence up through years of personal spiritual communion until he finally arrived at that advanced and exalted status of the consciousness of his oneness with the Father. And thus, in one short life, did Jesus traverse that experience of religious spiritual progression which man begins on earth and ordinarily achieves only at the conclusion of his long sojourn in the spirit training schools of the successive levels of the pre-Paradise career. Jesus progressed from a purely human consciousness of the faith certainties of personal religious experience to the sublime spiritual heights of the positive realization of his divine nature and to the consciousness of his close association with the Universal Father in the management of a universe. He progressed from the humble status of mortal dependence which prompted him spontaneously to say to the one who called him Good Teacher, “Why do you call me good? None is good but God,” to that sublime consciousness of achieved divinity which led him to exclaim, “Which one of you convicts me of sin?” And this progressing ascent from the human to the divine was an exclusively mortal achievement. And when he had thus attained divinity, he was still the same human Jesus, the Son of Man as well as the Son of God.”

@ Vern – If Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? None is good but God”, then it is FAIR to ask the question of the Pope as to what makes an atheist a good person if the source of absolute goodness, if you will, is God and the atheist holds a Nihilistic stance in regards to God. I’m not even sure that the translation to English of what he said is 100% correct because the English sentences are pure USA media PC talking points. Atheism has FAILED, spectacularly, any place it took the reigns of secular power, by brute revolutionary force, away from experientially earned cultures, norms and laws in the 20th century. The remnants of the failed ideas and ideals of the 20th century that everyone keeps entertaining as being “good” are actually Nihilism, Hedonism and Anarchy and the only personal spiritual revelation from that kind of thinking ended up in the epiphany that “Greed is good”. So what, we can’t even ask, “Is it?!”

Besides, I am talking about the JOB – “the work is important, the ego is not”. As long as the JOB of “Pope” exists, the Pope should do the job that Jesus started. Look at the damage Paul did by replacing the religion OF Jesus with his own opinions about his own personal religious experience.

@Mara – you seem to be following some new TUB inspired “Paul”, or maybe it is all your own belief, when you opine that “We are in a era of religion becoming a private matter.”

I respectfully disagree. The baton was handed to us after Paper 196 which has opinions like this one, “One of the most important things in human living is to find out what Jesus believed, to discover his ideals, and to strive for the achievement of his exalted life purpose. Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it.”

Please consider that the respectful continuation of this topic in conversation among us that YOU started about a “spiritual brotherhood” would benefit by refreshing your memory with a re-read of Paper 196.
MaraParticipant
Jul 30, 2015, 3:04 AM

Mara wrote: It is my opinion that private individuals like you and me who are motivated by the will to loving service are the ones who are going to do it and be it – the tide that lifts all boats.

The world needs to see Jesus living in each of us. The ever-growing collective of Jesus-livers is the spiritual brotherhood, the body of inspired believers and spirit-filled lovers of God and Jesus.

(195:10:1 ) Christianity has indeed done a great service for this world, but what is now most needed is Jesus. The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men. It is futile to talk about a revival of primitive Christianity; you must go forward from where you find yourselves. Modern culture must become spiritually baptized with a new revelation of Jesus’ life and illuminated with a new understanding of his gospel of eternal salvation. And when Jesus becomes thus lifted up, he will draw all men to himself. Jesus’ disciples should be more than conquerors, even overflowing sources of inspiration and enhanced living to all men. Religion is only an exalted humanism until it is made divine by the discovery of the reality of the presence of God in personal experience.

The baptism of modern culture with the new revelation of Jesus’ life occurs as a result of the spiritual baptism of each individual and, and it seems to me this is what they talk about when they say, “And when Jesus becomes thus lifted up, he will draw all men to himself. ” With Him we are helping to lift all men to Him. He’s doing the heavy lifting. His religion is a new and higher type based on . . .

.

(196:0:4 ) In the Master’s life on Urantia, this and all other worlds of the local creation discover a new and higher type of religion, religion based on personal spiritual relations with the Universal Father and wholly validated by the supreme authority of genuine personal experience. This living faith of Jesus was more than an intellectual reflection, and it was not a mystic meditation.
VernParticipant
Jul 30, 2015, 3:30 AM

Mara wrote: The world needs to see Jesus living in each of us.

That’s the truth Mara.

The great lesson I’ve gained in delving into this topic which I’m most grateful you were motivated to initiate, is unity between believers as constitutional to spiritual brotherhood.
VernParticipant
Jul 30, 2015, 4:04 AM

Sabinatu wrote: Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it.”

This is true Sabinatu.

How I value this, is to live wholeheartedly a religious life doing as he did, consecrating my will to the doing of the Father’s will.

Living by faith, knowing that love is the desire to do good to others, learning tact, practicing that creatively, wisely, with tolerance and understanding of the value of the person I meet. To appeal to spirit when sharing truth, mindful of how important it is to uphold the self respect of a brother or sister.

Spiritual living mightily increases true self-respect. But self-respect is not self-admiration. Self-respect is always co-ordinate with the love and service of one’s fellows. It is not possible to respect yourself more than you love your neighbor; the one is the measure of the capacity for the other. ^[Paper ^{156:5.14, page 1740.1]}
VernParticipant
Jul 30, 2015, 4:28 AM

Sabinatu wrote: Please consider that the respectful continuation of this topic in conversation among us that YOU started…

Sabinatu in light of knowing unity is to be the cohesive identifier of spiritual brotherhood I am perplexed why you would address such a challenging quote at Mara as I see nothing that would warrant this. We are all simply sharing ideas between friends, it’s not an audition.

Believers by virtue of the fact of acceptance of sonship with our Father have no need to justify themselves to each other.

Yes, positively love and be kind to each other, openly be confident with each other as those who have mutual trust without suspicion do.

Each person is as far along the soul growth journey as they can be, according to innermost desires, for our Father knows us better than we know ourselves. Where we wish to be is far more important than where we happen to be now.

…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. ^[Paper ^{111:1.5, page 1216:6]}
VernParticipant
Jul 30, 2015, 5:07 AM

Sabinatu wrote: As long as the JOB of “Pope” exists, the Pope should do the job that Jesus started.

Yes, I would love to see him make the simple statement “God is your loving father he is already living inside you, we are family, I’m here to make clear what Jesus taught, not only for Catholics but all of us who live on earth. BTW there is no hell, virgin birth, original sin or need for a celibate priesthood and forget everything written about atonement, it’s a croc of crap.”

We can pray that the Pope becomes increasingly concerned with the more important task of winning lasting spiritual converts for the truly religious brotherhood of mankind.
MaraParticipant
Jul 30, 2015, 3:18 PM

Vern wrote:

The great lesson I’ve gained . . . is unity between believers as constitutional to spiritual brotherhood.

Yes, it’s unity between and among believers. There is additional information to be gleaned from the book. And I think the reference below further supports the idea and ideal of Jesus’ religion, as pertains to the individual believer in association with all other believers. This is the definition of spiritual unity.

( 195:10:11 ) […] Spiritual unity is the fruit of faith union with the living Jesus.

.

It is a fruit of faith union with Jesus. And like all the fruits of the divine spirit this faith union with the living Jesus must grow more abundant to overflowing in the hearts and lives of the peoples of our world, and such growth, it seems to me, is bound to effect the enlargement of the spiritual brotherhood and human brotherhood as well, under the fatherhood of God.

( 143:1:4 ) […] “The ultimate goal of human progress is the reverent recognition of the fatherhood of God and the loving materialization of the brotherhood of man.”

.

Here they refer to the spiritual rebirth of Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom!

( 195:10:6 ) The call to the adventure of building a new and transformed human society by means of the spiritual rebirth of Jesus’ brotherhood of the kingdom should thrill all who believe in him as men have not been stirred since the days when they walked about on earth as his companions in the flesh.

All heads, hands, hearts on deck!
SabinatuBlocked
Jul 30, 2015, 5:59 PM

Vern wrote:

Sabinatu wrote: Please consider that the respectful continuation of this topic in conversation among us that YOU started…

Sabinatu in light of knowing unity is to be the cohesive identifier of spiritual brotherhood I am perplexed why you would address such a challenging quote at Mara as I see nothing that would warrant this. We are all simply sharing ideas between friends, it’s not an audition.

And I am flabbergasted that you continue to believe that you have some kind of “duty” to not mind your own business when it comes to what two people are doing to forge a relationship with each other.

There is not going to be a new “Paul” leading the direction of the FER by the nose hairs…too much going on in this “revelation”…
VernParticipant
Jul 31, 2015, 7:06 AM

Sabinatu wrote: …not mind your own business when it comes to what two people are doing to forge a relationship with each other.

Sabinatu I would like to compliment you on your tolerance, I’m seeking your indulgence please.

This forum is meant for a group exchange of ideas and concepts arising from personal experience with the teachings of The Urantia Book. My understanding is, as such, all are welcome to participate on any of the exchanges as they develop. In this way diversity of what is expressed can be thoroughly socialised by all who actively participate for the benefit, not only for the participants, but for those interested who are looking on at the way the topic develops. As you yourself were doing before you chose to add your thoughts.

As a participant on this forum topic, I was curious to know your thinking regarding the comment you made to Mara as I could not fathom it. We are friends here after all and it’s perfectly reasonable for one friend to ask another “what did you mean by that” regarding another and mutual friend. It’s what families do.

Seeing Mara is mentioned, as part of this group dynamic I’m sure she will make her own thoughts known.
MaraParticipant
Jul 31, 2015, 3:24 PM
Let’s stay on the higher road and away from the weeds and all the bugs.

I ran across a very cool truth that says:

( 117:4:6 ) And so, as we strive for self-expression, the Supreme is striving in us, and with us, for deity expression. As we find the Father, so has the Supreme again found the Paradise Creator of all things. As we master the problems of self-realization, so is the God of experience achieving almighty supremacy in the universes of time and space.

Imagine that! The Supreme is striving in us and with us for deity expression! Awesome!
SabinatuBlocked
Jul 31, 2015, 5:56 PM

Vern wrote:

Sabinatu wrote:…not mind your own business when it comes to what two people are doing to forge a relationship with each other.

Sabinatu I would like to compliment you on your tolerance, I’m seeking your indulgence please.

This forum is meant for a group exchange of ideas and concepts arising from personal experience with the teachings of The Urantia Book. ……As you yourself were doing before you chose to add your thoughts.

Okay, Brother, can you clarify how sharing personal experience with the REVELATIONS in TUB should

NOT

include adding personal thoughts??!!

Who’s “thoughts” are allowed expression if not your own personal thoughts about your own personal experience (in the “private” closet?) with the REVELATIONS that comprise the FER – those being ORIGIN, PURPOSE, DESTINY of the human species???!!!
SabinatuBlocked
Jul 31, 2015, 6:12 PM
@Mara – can’t get away from the Son of Man and the “spiritual brotherhood”, even by pivoting to the Supreme (Paper 117)

“^117:1.5 ^(1279.3) In the Supreme Being, Creator and creature are united in one Deity whose will is expressive of one divine personality. And this will of the Supreme is something more than the will of either creature or Creator, even as the sovereign will of the Master Son of Nebadon is now something more than a combination of the will of divinity and humanity. The union of Paradise perfection and time-space experience yields a new meaning value on deity levels of reality.”

Jesus was also the Revelation of The Supreme Being (to the rest of Nebadon) – everything he did as the Son of Man is now part of how the Supreme Being will function as a Deity…
MaraParticipant
Jul 31, 2015, 7:26 PM

Sabinatu wrote: 117:1.5 (1279.3) In the Supreme Being, Creator and creature. . . .

Yes, I was just looking at “The Finite God” (117:4:0 ) today, once again. God is so trusting and loving, and so is Jesus. I referred to the Supreme to enlarge our view (as you say – can’t get away from him/them, if that is what you meant, is that what you meant?) to beyond the borders of our local universe as regards the ideal of spiritual brotherhood encompassing our superuniverse and others. I was hoping to direct the conversation to higher ground. Whatever off-putting things are going on (which I would like to close my eyes to) demonstrate how hard it is to say clearly or as clearly as possible what I think, and it is sometimes hard to be clear.

.

I am incubating another topic to go along with this one hand-in-hand, so to speak, on the subject of social brotherhood. To me spiritual brotherhood and social brotherhood go along together and I’d like to discuss it with others who are interested.
SabinatuBlocked
Jul 31, 2015, 10:58 PM
@Mara – yes that is what I meant….I doubt a Urantian “savage”, by universal brotherhood status, will ever be able to ascend out of Nebadon by creating a puerile diversion for Michael of Nebadon so that he takes his eye off the exit door. Just my opinion…

Eyes wide shut, eh?

Origin, purpose, destiny.

Context matters when choosing the next foot hole in scaling that cliff….I TRY to keep it about the REVELATION – the human species’ origin, purpose and destiny ala TUB….my latest material/scientific test is whether I can “take it with me” into Morontia World One, and if not, I ain’t buying it – LOL
VernParticipant
Aug 1, 2015, 1:31 AM

Sabinatu wrote: Who’s “thoughts” are allowed expression if not your own personal thoughts about your own personal experience (in the “private” closet?) with the REVELATIONS that comprise the FER – those being ORIGIN, PURPOSE, DESTINY of the human species???!!!

Sabinatu I’m puzzled again, what motivates you to think in terms of regulation? You are the master of your own subjective experience and sovereign over what you say. Ethics informs us that each peron is doing exactly the same, and we do well to take that into consideration whenever we share ideas with each other. It’s the ideas we are discussing, …truth never suffers from honest examination, it is the message, not the person who presented it, that is being discussed.

In relation to the topic of spiritual brotherhood we are in the schoolroom of life learning how best to achieve unity while exhibiting maximum diversity—the experiences, combined wisdom, of each unique subjective personality.

BTW in case you want to know an easy way to display a quote from someone’s post as Mara and I have been doing, is to highlight the Forum text box quote (highlight any text) you want to reply to—look the top RH of the box the whole message appears in, and “click” the orange text…..word “quote,” the quote you selected will automatically appear in a new response text box and you can type your reply as usual there. Hope this is useful.
VernParticipant
Aug 1, 2015, 11:31 AM
Mara wrote: Let’s stay on the higher road and away from the weeds and all the bugs.

Best way to do that Mara is to stay on the topic of this thread, I agree.

While the social brotherhood may be hammered out with rougher tools, spiritual brotherhood is crafted by proximity to love.

The kingdoms of this world, being material, may often find it necessary to employ physical force in the execution of their laws and for the maintenance of order. In the kingdom of heaven true believers will not resort to the employment of physical force. The kingdom of heaven, being a spiritual brotherhood of the spirit-born sons of God, may be promulgated only by the power of the spirit. This distinction of procedure refers to the relations of the kingdom of believers to the kingdoms of secular government and does not nullify the right of social groups of believers to maintain order in their ranks and administer discipline upon unruly and unworthy members. ^[Paper ^{178:1.2, page 1929:3]}

Sonship enables the respective service manifestations, to the needs of a material existence and the fulfilment of the worshipful response to the Father and expression of spiritual fraternity. Advancing citizens are law abiding, socially and ethically responsible individuals. Responding to the the love call from the Divine lover who lives within, is the effective destroyer of the hate urge of unbelieving and war-minded individuals and groups of individuals.
Sonship in the kingdom, from the standpoint of advancing civilization, should assist you in becoming the ideal citizens of the kingdoms of this world since brotherhood and service are the cornerstones of the gospel of the kingdom. The love call of the spiritual kingdom should prove to be the effective destroyer of the hate urge of the unbelieving and war-minded citizens of the earthly kingdoms. But these material-minded sons in darkness will never know of your spiritual light of truth unless you draw very near them with that unselfish social service which is the natural outgrowth of the bearing of the fruits of the spirit in the life experience of each individual believer. ^[Paper^{178:1.4, page 1930:1]}

To be effective—a good example—believers must draw near to unbelievers that their unselfishness which is the natural outgrowth of bearing fruits of the spirit can all the better inspire and show the better way. Faith-enlightened men and women have a threefold privilege of service from the practical day-to-day responsibilities to the spiritual eternal destinies:
1. to the society in which they live,
2. to God; and
3. to the spiritual brotherhood—brotherhood of God-knowing believers.
As mortal and material men, you are indeed citizens of the earthly kingdoms, and you should be good citizens, all the better for having become reborn spirit sons of the heavenly kingdom. As faith-enlightened and spirit-liberated sons of the kingdom of heaven, you face a double responsibility of duty to man and duty to God while you voluntarily assume a third and sacred obligation: service to the brotherhood of God-knowing believers. ^[Paper^{178:1.5, page 1930:2]}

In daily tasks among believers and unbelievers alike, The Spirit of Truth is the power-multiplying fulcrum of the spiritual brotherhood.

You may not worship your temporal rulers, and you should not employ temporal power in the furtherance of the spiritual kingdom; but you should manifest the righteous ministry of loving service to believers and unbelievers alike. In the gospel of the kingdom there resides the mighty Spirit of Truth,…. The fruits of the spirit, your sincere and loving service, are the mighty social lever to uplift the races of darkness, and this Spirit of Truth will become your power-multiplying fulcrum. ^[Paper^{178:1.6, page 1930:3]}

All are encouraged to become expert in ironing out minor disagreements and in adjusting trifling misunderstandings. To be at peace with all men and women.

Display wisdom and exhibit sagacity in your dealings with unbelieving civil rulers. By discretion show yourselves to be expert in ironing out minor disagreements and in adjusting trifling misunderstandings. In every possible way — in everything short of your spiritual allegiance to the rulers of the universe — seek to live peaceably with all men. Be you always as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves. ^[Paper^{178:1.7, page 1930:4]}

Fairness demands living the golden rule, do to others, that which you wish done to you. Never force or compel.

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. ^[Paper^{178:1.12, page 1931:3]}

If an unbeliever can qualify as a superior civil servant than a believer, the believer should reflect on how deep is their consciousness of sonship with God that his/her life be quickened.

When a kingdom believer is called upon to serve the civil government, let him render such service as a temporal citizen of such a government, albeit such a believer should display in his civil service all of the ordinary traits of citizenship as these have been enhanced by the spiritual enlightenment of the ennobling association of the mind of mortal man with the indwelling spirit of the eternal God. If the unbeliever can qualify as a superior civil servant, you should seriously question whether the roots of truth in your heart have not died from the lack of the living waters of combined spiritual communion and social service. The consciousness of sonship with God should quicken the entire life service of every man, woman, and child who has become the possessor of such a mighty stimulus to all the inherent powers of a human personality. ^[Paper^{178:1.13, page 1931:4]}

Consider the unusual use of the word “aggressive” in the following paragraph to drive home the importance of proclaiming the Fatherhood of God far and wide. Also the need to be non-threatening, kind, considerate, patient, in dealings with our fellows. But courageous and valiant in doing right.

You are not to be passive mystics or colorless ascetics; you should not become dreamers and drifters, supinely trusting in a fictitious Providence to provide even the necessities of life. You are indeed to be gentle in your dealings with erring mortals, patient in your intercourse with ignorant men, and forbearing under provocation; but you are also to be valiant in defense of righteousness, mighty in the promulgation of truth, and aggressive in the preaching of this gospel of the kingdom, even to the ends of the earth. ^[Paper^{178:1.14, page 1931:5]}

Proclamation of the gospel is certain to transform the world int a better place, in these pioneering days of the 5th Epochal Revelation, the tasks are many and the members of the spiritual brotherhood few. From small beginnings greatness ensues. When man goes into partnership with God, great things can, and do happen. This is a living revelation may it live through you.

This gospel of the kingdom is a living truth. I have told you it is like the leaven in the dough, like the grain of mustard seed; and now I declare that it is like the seed of the living being, which, from generation to generation, while it remains the same living seed, unfailingly unfolds itself in new manifestations and grows acceptably in channels of new adaptation to the peculiar needs and conditions of each successive generation. The revelation I have made to you is a living revelation, and I desire that it shall bear appropriate fruits in each individual and in each generation in accordance with the laws of spiritual growth, increase, and adaptative development. From generation to generation this gospel must show increasing vitality and exhibit greater depth of spiritual power. It must not be permitted to become merely a sacred memory, a mere tradition about me and the times in which we now live. ^[Paper^{178:1.15, page 1931:6]}

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