Episode:The Urantia Papers on the Reason for Revelation (Part 4)
The pursuit of knowledge constitutes science; the search for wisdom is philosophy; the love for God is religion; the hunger for truth is a revelation. Science is only satisfied with first causes, religion with supreme personality, and philosophy with unity. Revelation affirms that these three are one, and that all are good. In the spiritual experience of all personalities, always is it true that the real is the good and the good is the real.
Keywords: Urantia, Revelation, Knowledge, Wisdom, Insight
Summary by Kermit
with final edits by Ann
102:3. Knowledge, Wisdom, and Insight
This is the final installment of our series on the reason for revelation. This section continues to explore various dimensions of the threefold actuality in the form of science (facts), philosophy (wisdom), and religion (values), and the indispensable role of revelation in arriving at a consciousness of true reality. We are reminded that the intellectual capacity and its cultivation are likewise indispensable to a symmetrical growth of soul. Over or under development of the intellect interferes with the personality’s ability to harmoniously encompass these three elements, facts, values, and their superadditive consequence philosophy. We discussed the paradoxical necessity of making effective use of thought while at the same time discounting the spiritual serviceableness of all thinking. While the spark of a spiritual experience in the inner life initiates you to religion. But it does not move you up. Recognition of this experience and harmonization of the experience with the outer life requires reflective philosophic thought, which CAN move you up (superadditive consequence). And so, by such a series of incremental steps you are lifted up (grow).
We also discussed how the disregard for scientific thought among some current day religionists prevents the elevation of their religion from a fairytale of conscience to the status of true religion.
Religious speculation results in a falsification, humanization, and materialization of its object while it interferes with logical thought. Such speculation indirectly causes religion to appear as a function of the temporal world, when religion should actually stand in contrast to the temporal world. Even the attempt to utilize evolutionary thought and metaphysics to resolve this paradox, fails because of the absence of morontia mota, the superphilosophic sensitivity for truth discernment and unity perception. However, revelation conjoined with philosophic reflective thought is able to somewhat compensate for the absence of mota while we are in the flesh, establishing a bridge between the material and spiritual levels of the universe.
Man’s feelings, human emotions, spawn material, selfish acts. Religious insights, spiritual motivations lead to social service and altruistic acts. Thus, the religious speculation referred to above pulls the religious focus down to the material level where the selfish preoccupation with salvation crowds out the spiritual urge to serve. This lowering of the religious experience to the level of the feelings risks turning the righteousness of true religion into the self-righteousness of primitive religion. Even the atonement theology of Pauline Christianity provides the assurance of salvation in the firm grasp of its adherents.
The remaining eleven paragraphs of this section consist of a masterly treatment by our anonymous Melchizedek author of various elements of existence and experience, as viewed from the 3-D perspective of the threefold actuality of knowledge, wisdom, and insight, in their formal disciplines of science, philosophy, and religion. And for each of these elements, he demonstrates in the harmonization, unification, elevation of this triune approach, by and through revelation. The serious student will do well to consult the archives of this broadcast for an illuminating explication of the dynamics of the manifold application of the threefold actuality with revelation to the following:
- Regarding CONSCIOUSNESS, knowledge leads to fact consciousness, insight leads to value consciousness and wisdom leads to co-ordinate consciousness, while revelation leads to the consciousness of true reality. The elevated unification of these three facets of consciousness further results in consciousness of personality reality, maximum of being. In this elevated state as a truly functional personality, the Adjuster can work to illuminate the existence of the soul and the concomitant apprehension of the possibility of personality survival.
- Regarding the ASSESSMENT OF MAN, science sorts and places men into social classes, religion loves and serves men. Philosophy does justice to differing men and leads to better fellowship of both ideas and one’s fellows. Revelation glorifies man, discloses his capacity for partnership with God, liberates men and starts them on the eternal adventure. Note the utility of philosophy in clarifying the consciousness of equity in contrast to equality.
- Regarding BROTHERHOOD, science attempts to create a brotherhood of culture, and religion establishes the brotherhood of the spirit. Philosophy seeks for the brotherhood of wisdom and revelation portrays the eternal brotherhood, the Paradise Corps of the Finality. Our old friends kindred spirits and kindred minds and their contrast is illuminated in our discussion. Listen in.
- Regarding PERSONALITY, knowledge produces pride in the fact of personality, wisdom is the consciousness of the meaning of personality, religion is the awareness of the value of personality. Revelation is the assurance of personality survival. Note the pride in individuality consciousness of the fact of personality, without it’s harmonization through the dynamics of the threefold actuality this pride can easily lead to self-righteousness.
- Regarding the COSMOS, science deals with the segmented parts of the cosmos (individuality). Religion grasps idea of the cosmos as a whole (unity). Philosophy fails in the attempt to unify these two viewpoints, but revelation (superphilosophy) succeeds in affirming that the cosmic circle is universal, eternal, absolute, and infinite—the Infinite I AM. And our author goes a step further in this revelation to bear testimony that the Infinite I AM is also the Father of Michael of Nebadon and the God of human salvation. A clear reason for revelation here is in providing a cosmic structure in, by and through, which to engage all facets of reality as well as an approach to understanding the Infinite I AM the beginning of the understanding Deity.
- Regarding DEITY, even science indicates deity as a fact; philosophy presents the idea of an Absolute; religion sees God as a loving spiritual personality. Revelation affirms the unity of these and further presents this concept as our Father. In clarification of the initiating role of the Father. Ascending to the Father completes the initiating phase of our cosmic career entering a profound new relationship with Mother Deity and the Eternal Mother-Son, making us ready for our journey into the infinite in quest of the Supreme.
The pursuit of knowledge and search for wisdom constitute science and philosophy respectively. The love for God is religion while the hunger for truth is a revelation. Here is a litmus test for your religion: do your religious experiences leave you hungry for TRUTH or hungry for more experiences?
It is through the faculty of reflective philosophic thought that revelation operates. Thus you can see how the 5th ER is a philosophic text, not a religious or scientific one.
