Episode:Religion in Depth—Social Problems (Part 7)
From Symmetry of Soul
Someday religionists will get together and actually effect co-operation on the basis of unity of ideals and purposes rather than attempting to do so on the basis of psychological opinions and theological beliefs. Goals rather than creeds should unify religionists.
Keywords: Urantia, Religion, Living Faith, Kingdom Builders, Cosmic Citizens
Note: Brad acted as emcee part of this evening, due to James' technical difficulties.
Highlights of Paper 99
Instead of a summary by Kermit, we each reflected on parts of [Paper 99] that were especially meaningful for us.
- A better definition of religion: bound back to eternity, not bound to church bake sales.
- Get your inner life steady and anchored to eternity. Know you're connected to eternity; don't over-think it. Let that inform everything you do in the outer life and you can develop peace that passes all understanding.
- ZING: Apply zeal to the inner life, not the outer!
- Beauty is the Isle of Paradise shining through from eternity into time. It creates an emotional response.
- If you let go of old religious loyalties, be sure to grab ahold of something better, as prescribed in the 5th epochal revelation.
Notes by Brad
- A religionist: Conserves morals and stabilizes society
- A religionist should not preserve (crystallize) morals, nor should they be a revolutionary.
- How can a religionist engage social media? Start by recognizing that it is social media, not religious media. Don't get confused.
- Fruits of the spirit are not fruits of sentiment or fruits of emotion.
- Spiritualizing is not emotionalizing.
- Being a religionist means being anchored in eternity
- Beauty is not a feeling. It is the recognition of something in eternity shining through the temporal. Beauty may produce a feeling, but beauty is not a feeling.
- Justice is applied law. Mercy is applied love. But in wholeness, law and love are two sides of the same coin, not diametric opposites.
- A religionist will remind any effective religious group that the goal is to get matters more in synchronization with eternity.
- So many people have thought the purpose of a religious group is to do something with respect to time. No. It's about doing something with respect to eternity.
- Even on a deeper level, we have a mistaken notion that God the Father relates to groups. No. He relates to individuals only.
- The religious impulse will help you understand passion, power, zeal, and energy. Genuine religious consciousness can provide insight into patience, insight, sympathy, and ideals.
- Separation of church and state is NOT the same as the separation of God and man. The latter will be the end of a country, even civilization.
- Section 7 is a bit of a summary and restatement of this paper.
