Episode:Marriage and Family—The Institutions (Part 4)
From Symmetry of Soul
In the early evolution of the marital mores, marriage was a loose union which could be terminated at will; among primitive peoples only about one half the marriages proved satisfactory. The ideals of marriage have made great progress in recent times, but young men and women should be taught something of the realities of marriage before they are plunged into the demands of family life.
Keywords: Urantia, Marriage, Divorce, Mores, Ideals
Roundtable review of this episode
Note: this discussion took place in the succeeding episode, but is summarized here.
- Kermit observed that serious struggles and issues in Western marriage are occurring because of changes in mores.
- Brad was struck by the list of what make a quality marriage and wondered how closely his relationships have hewed to them in them past. He thinks he swung wide of the mark.
- Chris offered sympathy to Brad's confession of not doing well in relationship, given that there is no form of societal training or education these days. Young men and women should be taught something about the demands of marriage—they need to be disillusioned!
- James appreciated the "define by dash" of marriage in this reading as well.
- Chris noted that continuous intimacy is a double-edged sword. The idealistic romantic might only see one side of this. On the other side, being intimate in mind and spirit, between men and women, is quite a challenge.
- How can one be illusioned and disillusioned at the same time? To have any hope of understanding such things, one needs a more cosmic perspective, up and out of the flatlander plane of our routine existence. Face facts and adjust them to ideals to achieve wisdom.
- Kermit remembered our discussion about incorrectly making human associations equivalent to divine associations. In this life, ideals must first be downstepped to ideas.
- James noted that in [140:6] James Zebedee asked about divorce. Jesus explained his mission was spiritual, but called back to the ways of Adam and Eve in the garden.
- Chris explained that translating ideals into ideas varies over time and into the society into which you are born. "Once we figure this idea out we never have to think again," is a flawed approach in a universe of evolution.
- The Apostles wanted material advice, but Jesus explained that "cookbook items" he might offer would be useless in the long-term, because times constantly change. He could offer spiritual advice.
- That said, Jesus did urge the people of his time to live up to the social practices of their times described in their written laws and customs.
- "Marriage is honorable and is to be desired by all men," said Jesus, despite he himself not being able to be married during his bestowal.
- Kermit observed that just as Jesus wanted his followers to distinguish between the spiritual and material, students of the 5th ER are called to distinguish between the cosmic and the spiritual. Ensure you figure out the 4TH ER before you attempt the 5th ER.
- Must we have a full understanding of the 4th ER before embarking on the 5th ER? Not necessarily, but watch out for the tendency to "bliss out" and be stuck in a simplistic mentality the predates the 4th ER!
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