This past year has been a happy and exciting time for those of us who share the joyous challenge of serving here at “533”. We are privileged to receive and respond to a steadily increasing stream of inquiries from those who are discovering the supernal teachings of The Urantia Book, This year has witnessed hundreds of visitors, hundreds of telephone calls, and thousands of letters.
There is no way to typify the person who comes to us. They may be a child or a grandparent. They may be rich or poor. They may have a doctorate or have never graduated from grade school. They may be excited or calm. But, they all have one thing in common--they are all seekers after the Father. We wish we had the space, time, and ability to share all the marvelous experiences we have had with these people, but, unfortunately, we don't. However, to give you a sense of the flavor of these communications, we are once again including, a little farther along in this newsletter, some of the portions of letters we have received in recent months.
We are happy to again share with you excerpts from among the many letters we have recently received from readers of The Urantia Book:
“I felt such closeness to The Urantia Book when I saw it, I sold some towels and sheets to buy the book.”
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“Saturday I purchased The Urantia Book, and I have spent each spare moment since reading it. I cannot express the joy I have at having found it, and, of course, it came exactly at the time I was ready for it.”
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“The joy that I have experienced through The Urantia Book and its message is hard for me to express. I am a believer and I would welcome the opportunity for fellowship/service/study.”
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“I have recently completed a labor of love and adventure through The Urantia Book, Fortunately you had included in the volume a little about yourselves and where you could be reached.
''One does not come out on the other side of this material quite the same person as he went in. I've concluded that even with my untrained eye that there could be so much power and joy discerned, how much more I could benefit from those who are better trained in the complexities of the revelation than I.”
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“Knowing that you appreciate testimonials about The Urantia Book, I thought I would submit this essay on my own personal thoughts and feelings concerning the Fifth Epochal Revelation to earth.
I have studied the book now for a year's time. Each time I open it and commence to reading, it never fails to inspire me, no matter what kind of day I'm experiencing.
“Jesus Christ certainly becomes somehow more real as a personality in the narrative of his dramatic life on our privileged world. Thanks to this amazing Revelation, the Word of Christ Michael truly takes on a new dimension of force and meaning in our times and for future generations on this planet. It is an eternal comfort to know that His teachings are clarified and accurately transmitted via The Urantia Book, Throughout the book, one always gets a sense of knowing which tends to dissolve the slightest skepticism one might have about the authority of this revelation. When I first started reading the book, I naturally said to myself, 'This can't be for real! How could this be a direct revelation from heavenly spheres?' But the more I read, the more it dawned on me that the book is too precise with the most incredible amounts of data that could not have come from human beings. I actually KNEW that, somehow! And now it seems logical to me that the Superuniverse government of Orvonton would want to fill us in on gaps in our information about the Deity adventure, the organization of the local universe, and the teachings of Christ.
“...Also, I am pleasantly surprised when I reread a passage and perceive something there that I missed before. It could be very subtle. There is always a freshness or a newness to passages within the book, no matter how often I read them. Most importantly, I know the book prepares people spiritually to go forward with renewed faith and love--strengthened confidence in the Purpose of God on this planet and also the worlds to come.”
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In addition to the above sampling of letters, we are also offering the following letter for your consideration. We think you will find its content thought provoking. Probably, at one time or another, all of us have been guilty of the misuse of the term “Urantian” as discussed in this letter, but as in the manner of Jesus' teaching, the letter takes a positive and insightful response to the problem.
“On page 1038 paragraph 7, The Urantia Book reads as follows: '...the Jesusonian Gospel: sonship with God, Brotherhood with man, and ever ascending citizenship in the eternal universe.'
“On page 1051 paragraph 1, it states: '...There were numerous centers that might have responded to the Jesusonian Gospel, but the Christian missionaries of the desert lands were an austere and unyielding group...'
“Again on page 2084 paragraph 4 under Section No. 10 'The Future': 'In winning souls for the master, it is not the first mile of compulsion, duty, or convention that will transform man and his world, but rather the second mile of free service and liberty-loving devotion that betokens the Jesusonian reaching forth to grasp his brother in love and sweep him on under spiritual guidance toward the higher and divine goal of mortal existence...'
“I bring these quotes to your attention simply because I find it disturbing when the people who read and believe in the Urantia Book's message refer to themselves as 'Urantians' as one might use the term 'Catholic' or 'Methodist'.
“Personally, I'm not overly fond of the use of labels, however they seem to be needed to some extent at this point. Therefore, I feel that in seeking a term we should turn to the book that carries our beliefs.
“When using the term 'Urantian', the revelators, I believe, used it only in the sense of citizens of the planet Urantia as on page 983 paragraph last and page 1229 paragraph 6.
“I feel the term 'Urantian' could put off many people who could otherwise benefit from the teachings we have been given, closing their ears to any apparently out of the usual 'sect'...
“Wouldn't it be a shame if the number of people we shared these glorious teachings with was severely limited by the indiscriminate use of a single word?
“I think the revelators used the term 'Jesusonian' for a purpose, and that we should try to examine that purpose more closely.
“We are all born Urantians, some of us chose to be Jesusonians.”
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When the chaos and confusion of our present world situation overwhelm you, recall Jesus' admonition to the runaway lad: “Remember, there are two things you cannot run away from--God and yourself. Wherever you may go, you take with you yourself and the spirit of the heavenly Father which lives within your heart. My son, stop trying to deceive yourself; settle down to the courageous practice of facing the facts of life; lay firm hold on the assurance of sonship with God and the certainty of eternal life, as I have instructed you. From this day on purpose to be a real man, a man determined to face life bravely and intelligently."