Symmetry of Soul Tuesdays

Warning: Men who prefer optimistic illusions to reality can never become wise. Only those who face facts and adjust them to ideals can achieve wisdom. Those timid souls who can only keep up the struggle of life by the aid of continuous false illusions of success are doomed to suffer failure and experience defeat as they ultimately awaken from the dream world of their own imaginations. The reading encompassed Paper 160:4.12-16, p. 1779

Ability is that which you inherit, while skill is what you acquire. Life is not real to one who cannot do some one thing well, expertly. Skill is one of the real sources of the satisfaction of living. Ability implies the gift of foresight, farseeing vision. Be not deceived by the tempting rewards of dishonest achievement; be willing to toil for the later returns inherent in honest endeavor. The reading encompassed Paper 160:4.1-11, p. 1778

Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom renders a great service to the art of living in that it supplies a new and richer incentive for higher living. It presents a new and exalted goal of destiny, a supreme life purpose. And these new concepts of the eternal and divine goal of existence are in themselves transcendent stimuli, calling forth the reaction of the very best that is resident in man’s higher nature. The reading encompassed Paper 160:3, p. 1777

Association with one’s fellows is essential to the renewal of the zest for life and is indispensable to the maintenance of the courage to fight those battles consequent upon the ascent to the higher levels of human living. Friendship enhances the joys and glorifies the triumphs of life. Loving and intimate human associations tend to rob suffering of its sorrow and hardship of much of its bitterness. The reading encompassed Paper 160:2.7-10, p. 1776

Of all social relations calculated to develop character, the most effective and ideal is the affectionate and understanding friendship of man and woman in the mutual embrace of intelligent wedlock. Marriage, with its manifold relations, is best designed to draw forth those precious impulses and those higher motives which are indispensable to the development of a strong character. The reading encompassed Paper 160:2.1-6, p. 1775

Stability of personality can be experienced only by those who have discovered and embraced the living God as the eternal goal of infinite attainment. And thus to transfer one’s goal from time to eternity, from earth to Paradise, from the human to the divine, requires that man shall become regenerated, converted, be born again; that he shall become the re-created child of the divine spirit. The reading encompassed Paper 160:1.11-15, p. 1774

When men dare to forsake a life of natural craving for one of adventurous art and uncertain logic, they must expect to suffer the consequent hazards of emotional casualties—conflicts, unhappiness, and uncertainties—at least until the time of their attainment of some degree of intellectual and emotional maturity. Discouragement, worry, and indolence are positive evidence of moral immaturity. The reading encompassed Paper 160:1.6-10, p. 1773

The true badge of social maturity is the willingness of a people to surrender the right to live peaceably and contentedly under the ease-promoting standards of the lure of established beliefs and conventional ideas for the disquieting and energy-requiring lure of the pursuit of the unexplored possibilities of the attainment of undiscovered goals of idealistic spiritual realities. The reading encompassed Paper 160:0.1-1.5, p. 1772

Although the continental nation maintains adequate defense against attack by hostile neighbors, it pays far more attention to the training of statesmen, scientists, and philosophers. Military service during peacetime is purely voluntary, and the enlistments in all branches of the service are for four years, during which every man pursues some special line of study in addition to the mastery of military tactics. The reading encompassed Paper 72:11-12, p. 818

The schools of statesmanship have power to start proceedings in the state courts looking toward the disenfranchisement of any defective, idle, indifferent, or criminal individual. The people of the continental nation recognize that, when fifty per cent of a nation is inferior or defective and possesses the ballot, such a nation is doomed. The dominance of mediocrity spells the downfall of any nation. The reading encompassed Paper 72:9-10, p. 817

All imports are subject to a tariff designed to protect the standard of living of the continental nation, which is far above that of any other nation on the planet. These tariffs are set by the highest industrial court after both houses of the industrial congress have ratified the recommendations of the chief executive of economic affairs, who is the joint appointee of these two legislative bodies. The reading encompassed Paper 72:7.6-8.7, p. 815

Competition among the people of the continental nation is most active in social service and governmental loyalty. Public service is rapidly becoming the chief goal of ambition. Next to treason and murder, the heaviest penalties meted out by the courts are attached to betrayal of public trust. Social and political disloyalty are now looked upon as being the most heinous of all crimes. The reading encompassed Paper 72:5.9-7.5, p. 813

The educational system of the continental nation is compulsory and coeducational in the precollege schools that the student attends from the ages of five to eighteen. These schools are vastly different from those of Urantia. There are no classrooms, only one study is pursued at a time, and after the first three years all pupils become assistant teachers, instructing those below them. The reading encompassed Paper 72:3.7-5.8, p. 811

The people of the continental nation regard the home as the basic institution of their civilization. It is expected that the most valuable part of a child’s education and character training will be secured from his parents and at home, and fathers devote almost as much attention to child culture as do mothers. In particular, religious training is deemed to be the exclusive privilege of parents. The reading encompassed Paper 72:2.9-3.6, p. 810

The reserve corps of destiny consists of living men and women who have been admitted to the special service of the superhuman administration of world affairs. This corps is made up of the men and women of each generation who are chosen by the spirit directors of the realm to assist in the conduct of the ministry of mercy and wisdom to the children of time on the evolutionary worlds. The reading encompassed Paper 72:0.1-2.8, p. 808

The reserve corps of destiny consists of living men and women who have been admitted to the special service of the superhuman administration of world affairs. This corps is made up of the men and women of each generation who are chosen by the spirit directors of the realm to assist in the conduct of the ministry of mercy and wisdom to the children of time on the evolutionary worlds. The reading encompassed Paper 114:7, p. 1257

When the first governor general arrived on Urantia, concurrent with the outpouring of the Spirit of Truth, he was accompanied by twelve corps of special seraphim, Seraphington graduates, who were immediately assigned to certain special planetary services. These exalted angels are known as the master seraphim of planetary supervision, and they function under the general supervision of the resident governor general. The reading encompassed Paper 114:6, p. 1254

Each administrative day on Urantia begins with a consultative conference, which is attended by the governor general, the planetary chief of archangels, the Most High observer, the supervising supernaphim, the chief of resident Life Carriers, and invited guests from among the high Sons of the universe or from among certain of the student visitors who may chance to be sojourning on the planet. The reading encompassed Paper 114:3-5, p. 1252

What are readers of ''The Urantia Book'' to make of Christmas? Knowing that revelation is both evolutionary and progressive, are there ways to engage in this multifaceted holiday that embrace the wholeness of the human adventure to find and know God? Join us as we explore the origin, history, and possible destiny of this unique holiday—including the roles each of us can play in its ongoing development.

The Most Highs rule in the kingdoms of men through many celestial forces and agencies but chiefly through the ministry of billions of seraphim and their associated cherubim. Urantia is not without proper and effective supervision from the system, constellation, and universe rulers. But the planetary government is unlike that of any other world in the Satania system, even in all Nebadon. The reading encompassed Paper 114:0-2, p. 1250

Our local universe has been unfortunate in that over seven hundred Sons of the Lanonandek order have rebelled against the universe government, thus precipitating confusion in several systems and on numerous planets. Of this entire number of failures only three were System Sovereigns; practically all of these Sons belonged to the second and third orders, Planetary Princes and tertiary Lanonandeks. The reading encompassed Paper 35:8.7-10.6, p. 392

On worlds such as ours, which are segregated in spiritual darkness, those spheres which have, through rebellion and default, suffered planetary isolation, an observer Vorondadek is usually present pending the restoration of normal status. In certain emergencies this Most High observer could exercise absolute and arbitrary authority over every celestial being assigned to that planet. The reading encompassed Paper 35:5.1-8.6, p. 389

All evolutionary mortals who graduate from their constellation training are destined to land on the Melchizedek home world, where they are initiated into the regime of the disciplines and spirit progression of the Salvington educational system. And never will you forget your reactions to the first day of life on this unique world, not even after you have reached your Paradise destination. The reading encompassed Paper 35:3-4, p. 387

The Melchizedeks of our universe were all created within one millennial period of standard time by the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit in liaison with the Father Melchizedek. Being an order of sonship wherein one of their own number functioned as co-ordinate creator, Melchizedeks are in constitution partly of self-origin and therefore candidates for the realization of a supernal type of self-government. The reading encompassed Paper 35:0-2, p. 384

Jesus put the spirit of positive action into the passive doctrines of the Jewish religion. In the place of negative compliance with ceremonial requirements, Jesus enjoined the positive doing of that which his new religion required of those who accepted it. Jesus’ religion consisted not merely in ''believing'', but in actually ''doing'', those things which the gospel required. The reading encompassed Paper 159:5-6, p. 1769

Jesus warned about false sympathy, in truth saying: “Extend sympathy to the brave and courageous while you withhold overmuch pity from those cowardly souls who only halfheartedly stand up before the trials of living. Offer not consolation to those who lie down before their troubles without a struggle. Sympathize not with your fellows merely that they may sympathize with you in return.” The reading encompassed Paper 159:3.10-4.11, p. 1766

As restated in truth, Jesus said: “Tell my children that I am not only tender of their feelings and patient with their frailties, but that I am also ruthless with sin and intolerant of iniquity. I am indeed meek and humble in the presence of my Father, but I am equally and relentlessly inexorable where there is deliberate evil-doing and sinful rebellion against the will of my Father in heaven.” The reading encompassed Paper 159:2.1-3.9, p. 1764

Referring to one of Peter’s children, Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say to you, except you turn about and become more like this child, you will make little progress in the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever shall humble himself and become as this little one, the same shall become greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso receives such a little one receives me. And they who receive me receive also Him who sent me.” The reading encompassed Paper 158:8-159:1, p. 1758

In rebuke of Peter’s protest, Jesus turned upon him and the other apostles, saying: “Get you behind me. You savor of the spirit of the adversary, the tempter. When you talk in this manner, you are not on my side but rather on the side of our enemy. In this way do you make your love for me a stumbling block to my doing the Father’s will. Mind not the ways of men but rather the will of God.” The reading encompassed Paper 158:6-7, p. 1758

Jesus declared: “I will do this in accordance with my Father’s will and in honor of living faith. My son, arise! Come out of him, disobedient spirit, and go not back into him.” And placing the hand of the lad in the hand of the father, Jesus said: “Go your way. The Father has granted the desire of your soul.” And all who were present, even the enemies of Jesus, were astonished at what they saw. The reading encompassed Paper 158:3-5, p. 1755

When the three apostles had been fast asleep for about half an hour, they were suddenly awakened by a near-by crackling sound, and much to their amazement and consternation, on looking about them, they beheld Jesus in intimate converse with two brilliant beings clothed in the habiliments of the light of the celestial world. And Jesus’ face and form shone with the luminosity of a heavenly light. The reading encompassed Paper 158:0-2, p. 1752

Jesus charged his apostles, saying: “And now have I brought you apart with me and by yourselves for a little while that you may comprehend the glory, and grasp the grandeur, of the life to which I have called you: the faith-adventure of the establishment of my Father’s kingdom in the hearts of mankind, the building of my fellowship of living association with the souls of all who believe this gospel.” The reading encompassed Paper 157:6.5-7.5, p. 1749

Jesus declared: “Upon the foundation of the spirit of my Father which dwells within you, will I build the brotherhood of the kingdom of heaven. Upon this rock of spiritual reality will I build the living temple of spiritual fellowship in the eternal realities of my Father’s kingdom. All the forces of evil and the hosts of sin shall not prevail against this human fraternity of the divine spirit.” The reading encompassed Paper 157:4.4-6.4, p. 1747

Said Jesus to his followers: “It is not the purpose of true religion merely to bring peace but rather to insure progress. And there can be no peace in the heart or progress in the mind unless you fall wholeheartedly in love with truth, the ideals of eternal realities. The issues of life and death are being set before you—the sinful pleasures of time against the righteous realities of eternity.” The reading encompassed Paper 157:2.1-4.3, p. 1744

The mandate to close the synagogues of all Jewry to the teachings of Jesus and all his followers had worked adversely upon the scribes and Pharisees. Immediately upon Jesus’ removing himself (from Galilee) as an object of controversy, there occurred a reaction among the entire Jewish people; there was general resentment against the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin leaders at Jerusalem. The reading encompassed Paper 156:6-157:1, p. 1741

As the days pass, every true believer becomes more skillful in alluring his fellows into the love of eternal truth. Are you more resourceful in revealing goodness to humanity today than you were yesterday? Are you a better righteousness recommender this year than you were last year? Are you becoming increasingly artistic in your technique of leading hungry souls into the spiritual kingdom? The reading encompassed Paper 156:5.14-23, p. 1740

God-knowing individuals are not discouraged by misfortune or downcast by disappointment. Believers are immune to the depression consequent upon purely material upheavals; spirit livers are not perturbed by the episodes of the material world. Candidates for eternal life are practitioners of an invigorating and constructive technique for meeting all of the vicissitudes and harassments of mortal living. The reading encompassed Paper 156:5.6-13, p. 1739

While teaching in Tyre, Jesus clarified that: “Your spirit nature—the jointly created soul—is a living growth, but the mind and morals of the individual are the soil from which these higher manifestations of human development and divine destiny must spring. The soil of the evolving soul is human and material, but the destiny of this combined creature of mind and spirit is spiritual and divine.” The reading encompassed Paper 156:2.8-5.5, p. 1736

While teaching in Sidon, Jesus declared to his apostles: “And so it has been all the way along; you see for yourselves how the gentiles are able to exercise saving faith in the teachings of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. Verily, verily, I tell you that the Father’s kingdom shall be taken by the gentiles if the children of Abraham are not minded to show faith enough to enter therein.” The reading encompassed Paper 156:0.1-2.7, p. 1734

On an average evolutionary world the seven adjutant spirits are far better synchronized with the advancing stages of animal development than they were on Urantia. With but a single exception, the adjutants experienced the greatest difficulty in contacting with the evolving minds of Urantia organisms that they had ever had in all their functioning throughout the local universe of Nebadon. The reading encompassed Paper 65:7-8, p. 738

In every ''living'' plant or animal cell, in every ''living'' organism—material or spiritual—there is an insatiable craving for the attainment of ever-increasing perfection of environmental adjustment, organismal adaptation, and augmented life realization. These interminable efforts of all living things evidence the existence within them of an innate striving for perfection. The reading encompassed Paper 65:5-6, p. 736

Do not overlook the fact that Urantia was designated—prelife—as a life-experiment world. But the establishment of life on no world is ever experimental in the sense that something untried and unknown is attempted. The evolution of life is a technique ever progressive, differential, and variable, but never haphazard, uncontrolled, nor wholly experimental, in the accidental sense. The reading encompassed Paper 65:4, p. 734

Mankind on Urantia must solve its problems of mortal development with the human stocks it has—no more races will evolve from prehuman sources throughout all future time. But this fact does not preclude the possibility of the attainment of vastly higher levels of human development through the intelligent fostering of the evolutionary potentials still resident in the mortal races. The reading encompassed Paper 65:2.12-3.7, p. 733

The frog is one of the earliest of surviving human-race ancestors, and also one of the stationary types of early and lower animals, branches of the tree of life which failed to progress, persisting today much as in those remote times. The frog is the only species ancestor of the early dawn races now living on the face of the earth. The human race has no surviving ancestry between the frog and the Eskimo. The reading encompassed Paper 65:2.2-11, p. 731

The story of man’s ascent from seaweed to the lordship of earthly creation is indeed a romance of biologic struggle and mind survival. Man’s primordial ancestors were literally the slime and ooze of the ocean bed in the sluggish and warm-water bays and lagoons of the vast shore lines of the ancient inland seas, those very waters in which the Life Carriers implanted evolutionary material life. The reading encompassed Paper 65:0.1-2.1, p. 730

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, European culture experienced a newfound opportunity for blending in the cosmopolitan population of North America; and the future of this continent will be determined by the quality of the racial factors which subsequently have been, and in the future will be, permitted to enter into its populations, as well as by the level of the social culture which is maintained. The reading encompassed Paper 80:9, p. 897

The Andites who finally settled in Greece consisted of three hundred and seventy-five of the selected and superior people comprising the end of the second civilization of the Adamsonites. These later sons of Adamson carried the then most valuable strains of the emerging white races. They were of a high intellectual order and, physically regarded, the most beautiful of men since the days of the first Eden. The reading encompassed Paper 80:7.3-8.5, p. 895

The Cro-Magnoid blue man constituted the biologic foundation for the modern European races, but they have survived only as absorbed by the later and virile conquerors of their homelands. The blue strain contributed many sturdy traits and much physical vigor to the white races of Europe, but the humor and imagination of the blended European peoples were derived from the Andites. The reading encompassed Paper 80:5.1-7.2, p. 893

The European civilization of the early post-Adamic period was a unique blend of the vigor and art of the racially diverse blue men with the creative imagination of the Adamites. The blue men were perfectly honest in all their dealings and were wholly free from the sexual vices of the mixed Adamites. They respected maidenhood, only practicing polygamy when war produced a shortage of males. The reading encompassed Paper 80:3-4, p. 891

Although the European blue man did not of himself achieve a great cultural civilization, he did supply the biologic foundation which, when its Adamized strains were blended with the later Andite invaders, produced one of the most potent stocks for the attainment of aggressive civilization ever to appear on Urantia since the times of the violet race and their Andite successors. The reading encompassed Paper 80:0-2, p. 889