Episode:The Fifth Epochal Revelation to Urantia (Part 5)
In their mandate to reveal truth and coordinate essential knowledge for the enlightenment of our world, the revelatory commissions were granted access to all sources of information, including superhuman and extraplanetary. Nevertheless, the majority of the ideas and even some of the effective expressions which were thus utilized had their origin in the minds of men, both ancient and modern. In many ways, our unseen friends served more as collectors and editors than as original narrators.
Keywords: Urantia, Revelation, Paradise Deities, Celestial Beings, Planetary Citizens
Summary by Kermit
We finished the last two paragraphs of the midwayer acknowledgement for their restatement of the Life and Teachings of Jesus, the end note of Paper 1 written by the Divine Counselor who knows whereof he speaks, and the beginning and ending notes for Parts I, II, and III.
With regard to Part IV, the midwayers go to great lengths to emphasize how they were under a stringent mandate to refrain from the use of superhuman sources of information OR expression until they could prove to their superiors that they were unable to find the required conceptual expression in purely human sources.
Likewise do the midwayers reiterate that this revelation is more correctly a restatement. Such statements present a formidable challenge to those seekers looking for a sacred text. Another point made during our discussion was that the human sources used were not necessarily written down or published works, but include “gems of mentation”. Citing Paper 44:4 on The Celestial Artisans, we find that such treasures of mortal thought on evolutionary worlds are recorded and preserved in the tongue of Uversa, and we might speculate that they could be made available to our midwayer authors for their work.
With all of the different ways these acknowledgements point to the revelators’ reliance on human sources for their information and expression, the issue of plagiarism should be put to rest.
Concerning the words of Jesus, it was mentioned that a “red letter” version of TUB has been produced, wherein the words of Jesus are printed in red. Aside from the utility of quickly finding passages in the revelation where Jesus is speaking, the idea that these English words are a direct translation of his very words only serves to reinforce the idea of a sacred text.
We therefore find ourselves back with the issues of FACT and TRUTH. As has been said, facts leading to knowledge represent knowingness that can be shared, but truth must be experienced. From the top down perspective, truth illuminates facts. We are all encouraged to be truth seekers first, and fact finders second.
Regarding the difference between a sacred or religious text and a philosophic text, the former leads to an enhanced relationship with GOODNESS, while the latter leads to an enhanced discernment of TRUTH.
ENDNOTE PAPER 1
With this endnote we have a window into why certain authors were chosen to present certain papers. It is because for various reasons, the particular author in question is the best equipped and most appropriate being to present the specific material at hand.
We discussed the role of revelation as the authoritative elimination of error. The widespread reluctance to submit to authority on our world presents a great challenge to those who would engage the 5th ER. Those with an aversion of authority are seeking affirmation for their own views rather than an authoritative elimination of error.
The truth of revelation as has been mentioned is experiential, and is not derived from intellectual assent, credulity, or established authority. This experience leads to a genuine certitude, such that when we read the words of the Divine Counselor, “I know whereof I speak”, we too can know whereof we speak. The 5th ER is trying to move us forward and “call the question” regarding truth and untruth. The resolution of the residue of rebellion on our world is accomplished as each individual makes the choice to follow truth in eternity or identify with “nothing”. We are reminded that the Creative Mother Spirit instructed her angels to do everything possible to bring everyone to the binary decision point (eternity or oblivion) as quickly as possible.
BEGINNING AND ENDING OF PARTS I, II, AND III
Next we read and compared the brief statements of introduction and concluding comments of Parts I, II, and III. The introductory statements identify the sponsors and authorizing superiors for each part. The concluding comments for each of the first three parts give more information about two of the three revelatory commissions, along with some additional details including the year of their execution. In each case it is clear that the papers were put into English by the revelatory commissions themselves.
Also of interest, when comparing these elements of each part of the papers, beginning with Part I and moving to Parts II, and III, we discern a pattern of increasing delegation by the commissioners and greater participation of numerous personalities in the sponsorship and formulation of the papers.
In these readings we are further impressed with the literal and matter of fact disclosures of the authors of the revelation serving to further disabuse the reader of notions of mystical methods of bringing the revelation into English and ideas that The Urantia Book is a sacred text.
