The Cosmic Citizen

This week we will begin a study of Adam and Eve and their saga in the Garden of Eden, Paper 74 of The Urantia Book. Legends of gods and goddesses who came down to earth exist all over the globe. In the Book of Genesis there are two creation narratives. In the first, Adam and Eve are created by God and instructed to multiply, God fashions Adam from dust and subsequently Eve is created from one of Adam's ribs. They are innocent and unashamed until a serpent deceives Eve who partakes of forbidden knowledge. God reveals the consequences of their sin and banishes them from the Garden of Eden. The story has undergone extensive elaboration in later Abrahamic traditions and scrutiny by modern biblical scholars. Interpretations and beliefs regarding Adam and Eve and the story revolving around them vary across religions and sects; for example, the Islamic version of the story holds that Adam and Eve were equally responsible for their sins of hubris. The story of the fall of Adam is often understood to be an allegory. The Urantia Book brings amazing depth and detail into these momentous transactions. It states that human life on earth had evolved for hundreds of thousands of years before Adam and Eve were brought to this world with a clear and universal mandate to be "biologic uplifters" for the various races then inhabiting the planet. So who were Adam and Eve and what was their purpose? There is clearly a great deal of curiosity about them and the papers about them, from Part III of the Urantia Book, give a fascinating and detailed account of their mission, their lives on earth, their mistakes and also their redemption. The book tells us, "There has been no "fall of man." The history of the human race is one of progressive evolution, and the Adamic bestowal left the world peoples greatly improved over their previous biologic condition." Join us as we explore this fascinating saga!

This week we finish our study of Paper 81 from The Urantia Book, The Development of Modern Civilization, featuring Stephen Zendt. Last week we finished reading Section 6. The Maintenance of Civilization. There are 15 separate thought provoking points in one section. Stephen Zendt can now take us closer to understanding what it means to be a torchbearer. Stephen Zendt is a remarkable scholar of the Urantia revelation who has served it for decades. In 1994 he helped to professionally read the entire Urantia Book on audio. He is a thoughtful spiritual writer and blogger and we're delighted to have him on the show again. You can read his blog, the Fifth Epochal Power Hour, here: http://www.urantiabook.org/fifth-epochal-power-hour The workshop that Stephen will guide us through, is based on Paper 81. He originally presented this at the Urantia Book Fellowship's Summer Study Session a few years ago. It keys in on the concept of "torchbearers" from Section 6 of Paper 81. As Stephen takes us through this workshop, we'll explore questions like: Who or what is a torchbearer? What does a torchbearer do? Is it a natural ability or an acquired one? Who counts as a torchbearer in your life? What makes a torchbearer effective? How can you be a torchbearer? Consider this quote: "Leadership is vital to progress. Wisdom, insight, and foresight are indispensable to the endurance of nations. Civilization is never really jeopardized until able leadership begins to vanish. And the quantity of such wise leadership has never exceeded one per cent of the population." Please join us as we explore what it means to be a torchbearer with Stephen Zendt. It's a timely and relevant study, so give us a call live 646-716-8158 and/or tune in Saturday at 10am MST, to join the chat! Check out our page on Facebook!

This week we continue our study of Paper 81 from The Urantia Book, The Development of Modern Civilization, and we'll be joined by Stephen Zendt. Last week we covered the last two sections, including: 5. Cultural Society and 6. The Maintenance of Civilization. However, we didn't finish section 6, it's just is so broad and deep, one could spend months on just Section 6 and its 15 separate points. Stephen Zendt was introduced to the UB in 1971. He is a remarkable scholar of the revelation having served in leadership capacities for decades. In 1994 he helped to professionally read and record the entire Urantia Book on audio. The recording is currently available at Audible.com. Stephen has had articles published in notable movement journals and he continues to participate in many ways, including as a blogger at www.urantibook.org. The workshop that Stephen will guide us through, is based on Paper 81. He originally presented this at the Urantia Book Fellowship's Summer Study Session a few years ago. It keys in on the concept of "torchbearers" from Section 6 of Paper 81. As Stephen takes us through this workshop, we'll explore questions like: Who or what is a torchbearer?  What does a torchbearer do? Is it a natural ability or an acquired one? Who counts as a torchbearer in your life? What makes a torchbearer effective? How can you be a torchbearer? Consider this quote: "In civilization much, very much, depends on an enthusiastic and effective load-pulling spirit. Ten men are of little more value than one in lifting a great load unless they lift together—all at the same moment. And such teamwork—social co-operation—is dependent on leadership. Please join us as we explore what it means to be a torchbearer with Stephen Zendt. It's a timely and relevant study, so give us a call live 646-716-8158 and/or tune in to join the chat! Thanks!

This week we continue our study of Paper 81 from The Urantia Book, The Development of Modern Civilization, in preparation for our workshop on the same paper with Stephen Zendt. Two weeks ago we covered the first three sections, including: The Cradle of Civilization, The Tools of Civilization and Cities, Manufacture, and Commerce. We read and discussed how early important events contributed greatly to the growth of human civilization. The taming of fire gave birth to modern science. The domestication of dogs, horses, sheep, goats, cows, camels, fowl, elephants, oxen, and yak lightened the human work load. Through agriculture, animal domestication, and improved architecture, mankind gradually began to seek higher standards of living. This week we will cover the final three sections of this great paper, namely: The Mixed Races, Cultural Society and The Maintenance of Civilization. The socialization of human culture curtails personal liberty but enhances individual survival potential. Civilization protects group rights as well as those of individuals. Some of the following essentials maintain and foster human civilizations: Natural circumstances-Climate and geographic conditions contribute to cultural evolution. Capital goods-Material prosperity and well-earned leisure time afford people the opportunity to think and plan for social progress. Scientific knowledge-Science trains people to think precisely, stabilizes philosophy, and purifies religion. Human resources-The number of intelligent people influences the progress of society. Please join us as we finish reading and discussing Paper 81 - The Development of Modern Civilization in preparation for our workshop with Stephen Zendt. We think this study is timely and relevant and we'd love to hear from you. So give us a call live 646-716-8158 and tune in to join the chat! Thanks!

On this show today, a REPRISE EPISODE, where returning guest Angie Thurston will share her experience at Harvard Divinity School (HDS), where she recently completed a Master of Divinity degree. Angie will describe how she and her colleague, Casper ter Kuile, became Ministry Innovation Fellows at HDS, where they are now working to build support systems for the rapidly changing landscape of American spiritual community. Angie and Casper have authored two reports, 'How We Gather' and 'Something More', which profile surprising new ways that Americans are congregating - from CrossFit and SoulCycle to Muslim small groups and innovative church plants. As religious disaffiliation continues, Angie and Casper are invested in strengthening emerging communities and their leaders across the so-called sacred-secular divide, as well as supporting denominations in adapting to this new context. Angie will talk about how the teachings of the Urantia Book motivate and inform her commitment to this work, and how her discoveries from this emerging landscape might inform us as we seek to foster community among Urantia Book readers. Angie is as lively as she is informative. If you are still searching for a religious or values based community to belong to, or if you wonder how and where young people engage spiritually, this show will, surprise, interest and inspire you.   For more info visit: http://angiethurston.com/ http://howwegather.org/ Comments

This week we begin the study of Paper 81 from The Urantia Book, The Development of Modern Civilization. This is in preparation for our workshop with Stephen Zendt. Paper 81 proposes that the human race is made up of five basic racial stocks-Andonic, primary Sangik, secondary Sangik, Nodite, and Adamic-each of which could at one time be identified by distinct skeletal types. Biologic evolution may advance in the absence of culture, but culture does not flourish without prior racial progression. 37,000 years ago the violet race was introduced and it improved human brain capacity and hastened natural evolution. The infusion of violet blood caused advances in civilization that exceeded the total biologic progress of the previous million years. Early important events contributed greatly to the growth of human civilization. The taming of fire gave birth to modern science. The domestication of dogs, horses, sheep, goats, cows, camels, fowl, elephants, oxen, and yak lightened the human work load. Through agriculture, animal domestication, and improved architecture, mankind gradually began to seek higher standards of living. The socialization of human culture curtails personal liberty but enhances individual survival potential. Civilization protects group rights as well as those of individuals. Some of the following essentials maintain and foster human civilizations: Natural circumstances-Climate and geographic conditions contribute to cultural evolution. Capital goods-Material prosperity and well-earned leisure time afford people the opportunity to think and plan for social progress. Scientific knowledge-Science trains people to think precisely, stabilizes philosophy, and purifies religion. Human resources-The number of intelligent people influences the progress of society. Please join us in the study of another important and relevant paper. Thanks!

Last week we continued our study of Urantia Paper 71, The Development of the State. We have had such a great time studying the thought provoking sociology papers. We've read about the embryonic state and the evolution of representative government. We covered two sections, Section 5 on The Evolution of Competition and Section 6 on The Profit Motive. These sections reiterate that evolved states live according to high moral and ethical ideals, all the while maintaining adequate defense from outside hostility and exploitation. This week we will continue with the last two more sections, Section 7 - Education and Section 8 - The Character of Statehood. We were blessed with the participation of Charles Olivea last week. Charles taught history for more than 30 in public school. His insights and understandings of these papers always adds a great deal to the conversation and he may join us again this week.  Paper 71 provides us with an uncanny look at how the state evolves and gives us practical next steps to it's continued evolution. It helps us, as students of these teachings, to make sense of our global culture and how we might evolve beyond the turmoil we so often find ourselves in. In the final two sections we will explore the ideals and importance of education, consider this statement: "The enduring state is founded on culture, dominated by ideals, and motivated by service. The purpose of education should be acquirement of skill, pursuit of wisdom, realization of selfhood, and attainment of spiritual values. Section 8 illuminates "the world-wide vogue of the pursuit of wisdom—the exaltation of philosophy" as one of the essential levels of progress to the highly evolved state we seek.  The phones will be open, please give us a call and share your understanding of this terrific paper and help us conclude our study of Paper 71 - The Development of the State.

Last week we continued our study of Urantia Paper 71, The Development of the State, yet another of a series of thought provoking sociology papers. We started with the embryonic state and the evolution of representative government. Last week we read two sections on the ideals of statehood and the features of progressive civilization. These sections reveal that evolved states live according to high moral and ethical ideals, all the while maintaining adequate defense from outside hostility and exploitation. This week we will continue with at least two more sections, Section 5 on The Evolution of Competition and Section 6 on The Profit Motive. Section 5 opens with this, "Competition is essential to social progress, but competition, unregulated, breeds violence. In current society, competition is slowly displacing war in that it determines the individual's place in industry, as well as decreeing the survival of the industries themselves."  Section 6 makes this bold statement, "Present-day profit-motivated economics is doomed unless profit motives can be augmented by service motives. Ruthless competition based on narrow-minded self-interest is ultimately destructive of even those things which it seeks to maintain." So far, we have pondered the balancing act that must be achieved to promote the evolved state, i.e., finding peace and protection, idealism and practicality as well as rights and responsibilities. This paper admonishes us to love loyalty derived from the realization of human brotherhood, have intelligent patriotism based on wise ideals, and develop cosmic insight interpreted in terms of planetary facts, needs, and goals. We hope you can tune in and join in the study and discussion of this great paper. We love hearing from our listeners to gain their insights and understanding of these terrific teachings. The lines are open so please call in and help us explore The Development of the State.

Last week we began our study of Urantia Paper 71, The Development of the State. It is another of a series of thought provoking sociology papers. We read about the embryonic state and the evolution of representative government. We discussed how the state evolves and what makes it strong and functional. We read that the enduring state must have a common language, mores, and institutions. Strong states are held together by several factors, including private property, cities, agriculture, domestication of animals, strong family units, a clearly defined territory, and strong rulers. We read about Democracy and its inherent dangers, such as the glorification of mediocrity. We read how the ideal state should provide for liberty, security, education, and social coordination. That society will not progress well if it permits idleness and poverty and that government must evolve to survive. This week we'll read about the ideals of statehood and progressive civilization. These sections point out that a "moral society should aim to preserve the self-respect of its citizenry and afford every normal individual adequate opportunity for self-realization. Such a plan of social achievement would yield a cultural society of the highest order." Evolved states live according to ideals and maintain adequate defense from exploitation. The test of the idealism of a government is the maintenance of military preparedness for defense but never for offense. Consider this: "And here is the great test of idealism: Can an advanced society maintain that military preparedness which renders it secure from all attack by its war-loving neighbors without yielding to the temptation to employ this military strength in offensive operations against other peoples for purposes of selfish gain or national aggrandizement?" We hope you can tune in and join in the study and discussion of this great paper. The lines are open!

This week we start our study of Paper 71, The Development of the State. This paper is as thought provoking and the other sociology papers we've studied lately. It provide amazing insights into how the state evolves and what makes the state strong and highly functional. It says, for instance, that the enduring state must have a common language, mores, and institutions. Strong states are held together by several factors, including private property, cities, agriculture, domestication of animals, strong family units, a clearly defined territory, and strong rulers. Democracy is an ideal but has inherent dangers, one of which is the glorification of mediocrity. Democracy is a product of civilization rather than of evolution. The ideal state is guided by the realization of human brotherhood, intelligent patriotism, and cosmic insight. It  should provide for liberty, security, education, and social coordination. Society will not progress well if it permits idleness and poverty. A government must evolve if it is to survive. The members of an ideal society must live according to their ideals while maintaining adequate defense against those who may seek to exploit them. The test of the idealism of a government is the maintenance of military preparedness for defense but never for offense. Profit motives are necessary to keep people at work, but profit motives must be augmented by service motives. In the ideal state, education continues throughout life. Philosophy, the search for wisdom, may become the chief pursuit of citizens. The only sacred feature of government is its division into executive, legislative and judicial domains; the universe is administered in accordance with such a plan. The citizenry of the evolved state is ever progressing toward the goal of augmented self-control and increased social service. These are just some of the ideas we will be discussing as we ponder together this amazing paper.