Exploring Democracy - The Development of the Sate

This week on the Cosmic Citizen, in honor of the upcoming presidential election, we are exploring Paper 71, Development of the State. The Melchizedek who purportedly authored this paper, deals directly with the evolution of the state, democracy and representative government. The paper is fascinating, susinct and insightful.  For instance, consider these intriguing quotations from Paper 71 of the Urantia Book: "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. Social evolution should be encouraged by governmental supervision which exercises a minimum of regulative control. That state is best which co-ordinates most while governing least." "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?" Please join us for a rousing discussion of these thought provoking teachings.      We h