4. Paradise

   

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4. PARADISE

1. Introduction
2. Center and Source of All Things
3. The Divine Residence
4. Nature of Paradise
5. Upper Paradise
6. Peripheral Paradise
7. Nether Paradise
8. Space Functions of Paradise
9. Destiny of Ascendant Creatures

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Proposition. The Father, in eternalizing the Original Son, simultaneously revealed the infinity potential of his nonpersonal self as Paradise.

“In the eternity of the past, when the Universal Father gave infinite personality expression of his spirit self in the being of the Eternal Son, simultaneously he revealed the infinity potential of his nonpersonal self as Paradise. Nonpersonal and nonspiritual Paradise appears to have been the inevitable repercussion to the Father’s will and act which eternalized the Original Son.” (127.1) 11:9.3

2. Proposition. Paradise is not spherical—it is ellipsoid—essentially flat.

“In form Paradise differs from the inhabited space bodies: it is not spherical. It is definitely ellipsoid, being one-sixth longer in the north-south diameter than in the east-west diameter. The central Isle is essentially flat, and the distance from the upper surface to the nether surface is one tenth that of the east-west diameter.” (119.3) 11:2.2

3. Proposition. Time and space are nonexistent on Paradise—absolute.

“The absolute level is beginningless, endless, timeless, and spaceless. For example: On Paradise, time and space are nonexistent; the time-space status of Paradise is absolute. This level is Trinity attained, existentially, by the Paradise Deities, but this third level of unifying Deity expression is not fully unified experientially. Whenever, wherever, and however the absolute level of Deity functions, Paradise-absolute values and meanings are manifest.”(2.13) 0:1.13

4. Proposition. The central Isle consists of three domains.

“The central Isle is geographically divided into three domains of activity:

1. Upper Paradise.
2. Peripheral Paradise.
3. Nether Paradise.”(119.6) 11:2.5

II. CENTER AND SOURCE OF ALL THINGS

1. Proposition. Paradise is the home of Deity and the eternal center of all things.

“PARADISE is the eternal center of the universe of universes and the abiding place of the Universal Father, the Eternal Son, the Infinite Spirit, and their divine co-ordinates and associates. This central Isle is the most gigantic organized body of cosmic reality in all the master universe. Paradise is a material sphere as well as a spiritual abode.” (118.1) 11:0.1

2. Proposition. Paradise is the geographic center of infinity—an eternal and exclusive existence.

“Paradise is the geographic center of infinity; it is not a part of universal creation, not even a real part of the eternal Havona universe. We commonly refer to the central Isle as belonging to the divine universe, but it really does not. Paradise is an eternal and exclusive existence.” (126.7) 11:9.2

3. Proposition. Paradise is headquarters for all personality activities and the source-center of all force-space manifestations.

“Paradise is the universal headquarters of all personality activities and the source-center of all force-space and energy manifestations. Everything which has been, now is, or is yet to be, has come, now comes, or will come forth from this central abiding place of the eternal Gods. Paradise is the center of all creation, the source of all energies, and the place of primal origin of all personalities.” (127.5) 11:9.7

4. Proposition. Space does not exist on Paradise. It is the motionless nucleus of the quiescent zones existing between pervaded and unpervaded space.

“Space does not exist on any of the surfaces of Paradise. If one ‘looked’ directly up from the upper surface of Paradise, one would ‘see’ nothing but unpervaded space going out or coming in, just now coming in. Space does not touch Paradise; only the quiescent midspace zones come in contact with the central Isle.

“Paradise is the actually motionless nucleus of the relatively quiescent zones existing between pervaded and unpervaded space.” (124.2) 11:7.1

III. THE DIVINE RESIDENCE

1. Proposition. Paradise is at the heart of the central universe—the geographic center of infinity and the dwelling place of the eternal God.

“At the heart of this eternal and central universe is the stationary Isle of Paradise, the geographic center of infinity and the dwelling place of the eternal God.” (1.5) 0:0.5

2. Proposition. Paradise serves many purposes, but is primarily the home of Deity.

“Paradise serves many purposes in the administration of the universal realms, but to creature beings it exists primarily as the dwelling place of Deity.”(118.3) 11:1.1

3. Proposition. On Paradise, God is cosmically focalized, spiritually personalized, and geographically resident.

“God dwells, has dwelt, and everlastingly will dwell in this same central and eternal abode. We have always found him there and always will. The Universal Father is cosmically focalized, spiritually personalized, and geographically resident at this center of the universe of universes.” (118.4) 11:1.2

IV. NATURE OF PARADISE

1. Proposition. Paradise is the Absolute of material gravity control. It is motionless and while having a universe location it has no position in space.

“Paradise not otherwise qualified—is the Absolute of the material-gravity control of the First Source and Center. Paradise is motionless, being the only stationary thing in the universe of universes. The Isle of Paradise has a universe location but no position in space.” (7.10) 0:4.12

2. Proposition. Paradise is not a creator—it is a unique controller. It influences the reactions of all who have to do with force, energy, and power.

“Paradise is not a creator; it is a unique controller of many universe activities, far more of a controller than a reactor. Throughout the material universes Paradise influences the reactions and conduct of all beings having to do with force, energy, and power, but Paradise itself is unique, exclusive, and isolated in the universes. Paradise represents nothing and nothing represents Paradise. It is neither a force nor a presence; it is just Paradise.” (7.11) 0:4.13

3. Proposition. The magnificence of Paradise is material, mindal, and spiritual—the infinite endowment of divine personality.

“The material beauty of Paradise consists in the magnificence of its physical perfection; the grandeur of the Isle of God is exhibited in the superb intellectual accomplishments and mind development of its inhabitants; the glory of the central Isle is shown forth in the infinite endowment of divine spirit personality—the light of life.” (118.2) 11:0.2

4. Proposition. Paradise is composed of absolution, stationary reality of space potency not found elsewhere in the universe of universes.

“The eternal Isle is composed of a single form of materialization— stationary systems of reality. This literal substance of Paradise is a homogeneous organization of space potency not to be found elsewhere in all the wide universe of universes. It has received many names in different universes, and the Melchizedeks of Nebadon long since named it absolutum. This Paradise source material is neither dead nor alive; it is the original nonspiritual expression of the First Source and Center; it is Paradise, and Paradise is without duplicate.” (120.1) 11:2.9

5. Proposition. We cannot visualize the glories of Paradise. We must await our ascendant arrival.

“But a further attempt to visualize to you the glories of Paradise would be futile. You must wait, and ascend while you wait, for truly, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the mind of mortal man, the things which the Universal Father has prepared for those who survive the life in the flesh on the worlds of time and space.” (121.6) 11:4.5

6. Proposition. God is spirit, but Paradise is not, Spirit beings live on spheres of reality.

“God is spirit,” but Paradise is not. The material universe is always the arena wherein take place all spiritual activities; spirit beings and spirit ascenders live and work on physical spheres of material reality.” (139.4) 12:8.1

7. Proposition. Paradise is not Deity—it is not conscious.

“Deity may cause much that is not Deity, and Paradise is not Deity; neither is it conscious as mortal man could ever possibly understand such a term.(127.2) 11:9.4

8. Proposition. Paradise is the absolute of patterns. Mind and spirit relationships are transmissible—patterns are not.

“Paradise is not ancestral to any being or living entity; it is not a creator. Personality and mind-spirit relationships are transmissible, but pattern is not. Patterns are never reflections; they are duplications—reproductions. Paradise is the absolute of patterns; Havona is an exhibit of these potentials in actuality,” (127.3) 11:9.5

V. UPPER PARADISE

1. Proposition. Of the three spheres of Paradise, the most Holy Area is reserved for worhsip, trinitization, and spiritual attainment.

“On upper Paradise there are three grand spheres of activity, the Deity presence, the Most Holy Sphere, and the Holy Area. The vast region immediately surrounding the presence of the Deities is set aside as the Most Holy Sphere and is reserved for the functions of worship, trinitization, and high spiritual attainment. There are no material structures nor purely intellectual creations in this zone; they could not exist there.” (120.4) 11:3.1

2. Proposition. Paradise sectors are divided into residential units for one billion working groups.

“Each of the seven sectors of Paradise is subdivided into residential units suitable for the lodgment headquarters of one billion glorified individual working groups. One thousand of these units constitute a division. One hundred thousand divisions equal one congregation. Ten million congregations constitute an assembly. One billion assemblies make one grand unit. And this ascending series continues through the second grand unit, the third, and so on to the seventh grand unit. And seven of the grand units make up the master units, and seven of the master units constitute a superior unit; and thus by sevens the ascending series expands through the superior, supersuperior, celestial, supercelestial, to the supreme units. But even this does not utilize all the space available.” (121.1) 11:3.4

3. Proposition. The seven residential zones of the Holy Area are occupied by numerous groups of Paradise so journers.

“The Holy Area, the outlying or residential region, is divided into seven concentric zones. Paradise is sometimes called the Father’s House’ since it is his eternal residence, and these seven zones are often designated ‘the Father’s Paradise mansions. The inner or first zone is occupied by Paradise Citizens and the natives of Havona who may chance to be dwelling on Paradise. The next or second zone is the residential area of the natives of the seven superuniverses of time and space. This second zone is in part subdivided into seven immense divisions, the Paradise home of the spirit beings and ascendant creatures who hail from the universes of evolutionary progression. Each of these sectors is exclusively dedicated to the welfare and advancement of the personalities of a single superuniverse, but these facilities are almost infinitely beyond the requirements of the present seven superuniverses.” (120.6) 11:3.3

4. Proposition. On Paradise, there is always more of worship than has been formally provided for.

“There are appointed times and places for worship on Paradise, but these are not adequate to accommodate the ever-increasing overflow of the spiritual emotions of the growing intelligence and expanding divinity recognition of the brilliant beings of experiential ascension to the eternal Isle. Never since the times of Grandfanda have the supernaphim been able fully to accommodate the spirit of worship on Paradise. Always is there an excess of worshipfulness as gauged by the preparation therefor. And this is because personalities of inherent perfection never can fully appreciate the tremendous reactions of the spiritual emotions of beings who have slowly and laboriously made their way upward to Paradise glory from the depths of the spiritual darkness of the lower worlds of time and space. When such angels and mortals of time attain the presence of the Powers of Paradise, there occurs the expression of the accumulated emotions of the ages, a spectacle astounding to the angels of Paradise and productive of the supreme joy of divine satisfaction in the Paradise Deities.” (304.4) 27:7.6

5. Proposition. Paradise is subject to seasons of dominating worship.

“Sometimes all Paradise becomes engulfed in a dominating tide of spiritual and worshipful expression. Often the conductors of worship cannot control such phenomena until the appearance of the threefold fluctuation of the light of the Deity abode, signifying that the divine heart of the Gods has been fully and completely satisfied by the sincere worship of the residents of Paradise, the perfect citizens of glory and the ascendant creatures of time. What a triumph of technique! What a fruition of the eternal plan and purpose of the Gods that the intelligent love of the creature child should give full satisfaction to the infinite love of the Creator Father!” (304.5) 27:7.7

VI. PERIPHERAL PARADISE

1. Proposition. The periphery of Paradise is partly occupied by the landing and dispatching fields—the impinging nonpervaded space zones.

“The peripheral surface of Paradise is occupied, in part, by the landing and dispatching fields for various groups of spirit personalities. Since the nonpervaded-space zones nearly impinge upon the periphery, all personality transports destined to Paradise land in these regions. Neither upper nor nether Paradise is approachable by transport supernaphim or other types of space traversers.” (121.2) 11:4.1

2. Proposition. While the Seven Master Spirits have their seats of authority on the seven worlds of the Infinite Spirit, they maintain force-focal centers on the periphery of Paradise.

“The Seven Master Spirits have their personal seats of power and authority on the seven spheres of the Spirit, which circle about Paradise in the space between the shining orbs of the Son and the inner circuit of the Havona worlds, but they maintain force-focal headquarters on the Paradise periphery.”(121.3) 11:4.2

3. Proposition. On peripheral Paradise are found seven trillion historic and prophetic exhibits of the Creator Sons.

“Here on peripheral Paradise are the enormous historic and prophetic exhibit areas assigned to the Creator Sons, dedicated to the local universes of time and space. There are just seven trillion of these historic reservations now set up or in reserve, but these arrangements all together occupy only about four per cent of that portion of the peripheral area thus assigned.” (121.4) 11:4.3

VII. NETHER PARADISE

1. Proposition. On nether Paradise is found the Zone of Infinity and all physical-energy and cosmic-force originate there.

“We are informed that all physical-energy and cosmic-force circuits have their origin on nether Paradise, and that it is constituted as follows:

1. Directly underneath the location of the Trinity, in the central portion of nether Paradise, is the unknown and unrevealed Zone of Infinity.
2. This Zone is immediately surrounded by an unnamed area.
3. Occupying the outer margins of the under surface is a region having mainly to do with space potency and force-energy.” (122.1) 11:5.1

2. Proposition. Energies circulating through the universes pass in and out of this nether zone of the Unqualified Absolute.

“All forms of force and all phases of energy seem to be encircuited; they circulate throughout the universes and return by definite routes. But with the emanations of the activated zone of the Unqualified Absolute there appears to be either an outgoing or an incoming—never both simultaneously. This outer zone pulsates in agelong cycles of gigantic proportions. For a little more than one billion Urantia years the space-force of this center is outgoing; then for a similar length of time it will be incoming. And the space-force manifestations of this center are universal; they extend throughout all pervadable space.” (123.1) 11:5.8

3. Proposition. The inner zone of the force center acts as a gigantic heart whose pulsations direct currents to the outermost borders of space.

“The inner zone of this force center seems to act as a gigantic heart whose pulsations direct currents to the outermost borders of physical space. It directs and modifies force-energies but hardly drives them.” (122.5) 11:5.5

4. Proposition. The outer zone is the largest and most active of the three concentric belts of unidentified space potential. This space presence is responsive to the Trinity.

“The outer zone is the largest and most active of the three concentric and elliptical belts of unidentified space potential. This area is the site of unimagined activities, the central circuit point of emanations which proceed spaceward in every direction to the outermost borders of the seven superuniverses and on beyond to overspread the enormous and incomprehensible domains of all outer space. This space presence is entirely impersonal notwithstanding that in some undisclosed manner it seems to be indirectly responsive to the will and mandates of the infinite Deities when acting as the Trinity. This is believed to be the central focalization, the Paradise center, of the space presence of the Unqualified Absolute.” (122.7) 11:5.7

VIII. SPACE FUNCTIONS OF PARADISE

1. Proposition. All absolute potential for cosmic reality is concentrated in Paradise. Paradise exists without time and has no location in space.

“It appears to us that the First Source and Center has concentrated all absolute potential for cosmic reality in Paradise as a part of his technique of self-liberation from infinity limitations, as a means of making possible subinfinite, even time-space, creation. But it does not follow that Paradise is time-space limited just because the universe of universes discloses these qualities. Paradise exists without time and has no location in space.” (120.2) 11:2.10

2. Proposition. Space seemingly originates just below Paradise—time just above. Motion is not inherent on Paradise—it is volitional.

“Roughly: space seemingly originates just below nether Paradise; time just above upper Paradise. Time, as you understand it, is not a feature of Paradise existence, though the citizens of the central Isle are fully conscious of nontime sequence of events. Motion is not inherent on Paradise; it is volitional.”(120.3) 11:2.11

3. Proposition. Space is not a condition within, nor is it the presence of, the Unqualified Absolute. Space is a bestowal of Paradise.

“Space is neither a subabsolute condition within, nor the presence of, the Unqualified Absolute, neither is it a function of the Ultimate. It is a bestowal of Paradise, and the space of the grand universe and that of all outer regions is believed to be actually pervaded by the ancestral space potency of the Unqualified Absolute.” (124.5) 11:7.4

4. Proposition. There are upper and lower limits to horizontal space. These limits draw farther apart at greater distances from Paradise.

“There is an upper and lower limit to horizontal space with reference to any given location in the universes. If one could move far enough at right angles to the plane of Orvonton, either up or down, eventually the upper or lower limit of pervaded space would be encountered. Within the known dimensions of the master universe these limits draw farther and farther apart at greater and greater distances from Paradise; space thickens, and it thickens somewhat faster than does the plane of creation, the universes.” (124.7) 11:7.6

IX. DESTINY OF ASCENDANT CREATURES

1. Proposition. Paradise is the goal of desire for all supermaterial personalities.

“Although it is true that not all of the lower spirit beings of the local universes are immediately destined to Paradise, Paradise still remains the goal of desire for all supermaterial personalities.” (126.6) 11:9.1

2. Proposition. God-knowing mortals who espouse the Father’s will are embarked on the long Paradise trail of the pursuit of perfection attainment.

“Every God-knowing mortal who has espoused the career of doing the Father’s will has already embarked upon the long, long Paradise trail of divinity pursuit and perfection attainment. And when such an animal-origin being does stand, as countless numbers now do, before the Gods on Paradise, having ascended from the lowly spheres of space, such an achievement represents the reality of a spiritual transformation bordering on the limits of supremacy.”(127.6) 11:9.8

Note: Paradise finds frequent mention in the Koran—but is only found three times in the Bible.

1. Luke 23:43 Jesus promises the thief on the cross that they shall meet on Paradise.
2. 2 Cor 12:3 Paul tells about being caught up in Paradise for a revelation.
3. Rev 2:7 John tells’ about the tree of life being in the Paradise of God.