Episode:Purpose and Destiny—Planetary Dispensations (Part 1)

Purpose and Destiny—Planetary Dispensations (Part 1)
Broadcast on	August 24, 2021
Episode #	557
Study of	[Paper 52:0-1, p. 589]

From the inception of life on an evolutionary planet to the time of its final flowering in the era of light and life, there appear upon the stage of world action at least seven epochs of human life. These successive ages are determined by the planetary missions of the divine Sons, and on an average inhabited world these epochs appear in an order aligned with the progress of civilization.

Listen to the broadcast

Keywords: Urantia, Mortal Epochs, Primitive Man, Fear Religion, Progressive Civilization

Opening thought: "Mortal affairs are almost, but not quite, utopian. This truly is a great and glorious age!" This is what the revelators say about the future, not necessarily the present. But what an adventure! What a romance!

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

Time was spent on clarifying Nathaniel’s teachings regarding the differences in the parables of the pounds, intended just for the apostles and the parable of the talents intended for disciples. Listen to the opening conversation following the summary for details, which include consideration of faithfulness, a measure of intention to attain a true cosmic orientation, which is in the free-will hands of each person. And while the creature is not the author of his/her own growth, the creature is responsible for supplying favorable conditions for being grown. Thus is the growth (reward) dependent on the faithfulness of the creature. Albeit, the rewards may be equally bestowed or differentially given depending on the ability (opportunities) demonstrated by the individual.

We also engaged in a brief discussion of the intellectual bankruptcy of atheism. The sincere attempt to find purpose and meaning in the cosmos is a formidable challenge. Garden variety atheism in the main is a relatively shallow fault-finding exercise with many of the absurdities and inconsistencies of the religions of ecclesiastical authority. And yet, we are admonished to not undertake the overthrow of religions of authority in our religious life in the absence of a philosophy of living in its place, lest we become lost, wandering about in confusion among the -isms and cults of our frustrated philosophic era.

Paper 52: Planetary Mortal Epochs

Note the term epoch, in addition to denoting a significantly great span of time, suggests a grand beginning of such a span. Engaging the seven epochs of human life from the perspective of our arc title “Purpose and Destiny” we are encouraged to see each of the seven epochs as a beginning. There are no endings. Taken further we frequently observe that time is not a reality. However, being creatures in time we attempt to view the engagement of eternity with time. As such the engagement is absolute thus eternity interfaces with time, rendering each moment a new beginning.

Concerning “mortal epochs”, each epoch represents or constitutes a set of material, mindal, and spiritual boundary conditions or configurations distinguishing it from the others, such that the seven epochs represent seven different types or orders of humans. In this light, the atypical sequence of epochs on Urantia makes our status “post-bestowal” most curious.

Further concerning dispensations, think in terms of the material, mindal, and spiritual energies and patterns as dispensed to the different types of humans. Also, note another meaning of dispensation being a divine ordering of the affairs of the world. Keep in mind, as the world goes deeper into the dispensational sequence, progress depends more and more on the intentional conscious, creative participation of each type of mortal.

52:1 Primitive Man

This epoch begins with man’s emergence from the animal level and concludes with the arrival of the Planetary Prince. It witnesses the appearance of the colored races in the spectrum colors beginning with red. Some planets have only the red, yellow, and blue races of humans, whereas Urantia had all six colored races.

Primitive man begins to develop a simple language, exercise the creative imagination, having become accustomed to standing erect. Survival of the fittest is the law of this age and government is wholly tribal. These early humans learn to kindle and maintain fire and develop tools. Here we learn of their use of the large birds for transportation.

Along with language comes the acquirement of ethical judgement and moral will, which in turn enables receptivity for the temporary indwelling of Thought Adjusters, such that many may qualify for survival and subsequent Spirit fusion. The early biologic religion of this epoch is animal fear-based, coupled with ignorant awe and tribal superstition. Yet, as we have previously explored, such fear religion is an on ramp for civilization and revealed religion.

This primitive epoch culminates with the appearance of the Planetary Prince, whose arrival along with his visible staff is usually welcomed with awe and reverence, even worshipfulness if not restrained therefrom.

Notes by Brad

• A new arc. Some opening thoughts
  • "The more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless" --Steven Weinberg
    • It's a shame to see a giant intellect reach the 3rd of four phases of religious philosophy and then see what juvenile concepts they entertain.
    • "Because kindergartners don't know calculus, calculus does not exist" is not far off from some of their foolish notions.
    • Even if the atheists have a point, often their point is childish in its implications. Their observation that some beliefs are superstitious is accurate, but they throw the baby (all religion and all notions of reality) out with the bathwater.

• Beings from on high descend to our world and deliberately foster religions of fear and superstition.
  • They are a start. But even a full flower had to start from a seed.
  • It's illogical to make something from nothing.
    • You must have something to start with in the lower domain of the hourglass analogy of mind.

• It would be best to face facts while still in this life.
  • Less to have to remediate in the lives to come on the mansion worlds.
  • There's no time like the present to ask yourself some serious questions:
    • "What am I unquestioningly loyal to?" "What IS my religion?"
    • "And does that religion have some red thread that leads into the upper domain, to God?"
    • "Or is it wholly secular?"
    • If it's wholly secular, then you're an example of someone who is not upliftable--you are wholly secular.
  • But your ignorance is not counted against you. Just avoid becoming insincere--when you know better, do better.

• You need civilization (either in potential or actual) for a planet to be worthy of superhuman uplift ministry.
  • The individuals must take care of themselves, for they are sovereign in their inner lives.
  • The superhumans are not here to help YOU, but help the world. You must take care of yourself.

• Planetary mortal epochs... which are we talking about here?
  • The word epoch suggests a long span of time with a grand beginning.
    • Of course, every moment is potentially a new beginning.
    • No matter how astray your life has gone astray, now is always the best time to start now. The eternity you seek knows no different between past and present. Stop regretting the past...
  • The word mortal here reminds us there are 7 different types of humans.
    • Easier to understand this if you stop thinking of us as just collections of matter. We are involved in a triune energy system.
    • The change in the entire mindal and spiritual economy changes between these epochs.
  • There are 7 epochs of humans on a world
    • And our planet is peculiar and always will be, because it was out of order.
    • Kindof like a freshman in university who starts out at the sophomore level. They will always miss some freshman-ness in their life, but their life will go on.
  • The more advanced the epoch, the more advanced the man. And the higher the expectations, the more each individual must be consciously in the game.

• But what about Planetary dispensations?
  • Dispensation = The ordering of events under a divine authority.
    • The theologians weren't so far off at all, were they?
  • The flavor of man (the 7 epochs) comes first. And the divine downreach has to change every time the human change.

• On our experimental world, we had 12 Melchizedek observer to aid the Life Carriers in the oversight of the pre-planetary prince man
  • But Life Carriers are fully capable of administering this first planetary mortal epoch.
    • "Imagine our joy...We were alive with expectation; we realized that the long-waited-for hour was approaching; we knew we were upon the threshold of the realization of our protracted effort to evolve will creatures on Urantia." [62:6]

• Pre-planetary prince men are called primitive men.
  • It is their nature. It is what they are supposed to be.
  • There will never again be human on a planet that are so pregnant with potential. "Splendid" "Even heroic"
    • From here on it's all about actualizing potential.
    • This is also true of us, and why our conception is likewise to thrilling.
    • At conception, our actuality is nothing but our potential is infinite. That's thrilling.
  • Judge all men by their potentiality, not the actuality. The meaning and value of life is the potentiality, not the actuality.

• Pre-humans can stand erect. But only humans have true language (it takes the Holy Spirit).
  • And creators give you creativity in the upper domain of mind. Which casts a shadow down as augmented inventiveness and cleverness.
  • And morality begin to tricle down from the u0per domain. But in the context of the primeval forest, so don't get your hope too high
  • It's sad to record... so few exercise true creativity. The inclination that is creator-like.

• Wholly tribal is wholly natural. Without superhuman assistance, you get tribal government.
  • You only have folkways. What comes naturally from the clans and subsequent tribes.
  • Add in some top-down influence, and folkways can evolve to mores. Tribes evolve to nations.