Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Adamu · 01-08-2008, 08:18 AM

The Urantia Book.

Is anyone here familiar with this?
Has it been discussed?

Roger Pearse · 01-08-2008, 10:00 AM

A volume that claims to have been revealed by spacemen? Um.

Quote:

In the early 20th century, a physician practicing in Chicago became the head of a group known as the Contact Commission. This small group was the focal point for the production of, and the primary custodian for, the final text of The Urantia Book. They were sworn not to disclose details about the transactions in order to preclude future generations from venerating the participants. ...

As the contents of book were being transcribed, the papers were read to... The answers to these questions were then incorporated into the papers.

So no manuscript is accessible, and there is total secrecy about origins. These are keynote characteristics of 'modern apocrypha', if you read Goodspeed or Per Beskow.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

cgordon · 01-08-2008, 10:41 AM

Geez, blast from the past. The Urantia folks used to (late 70s) wander around college towns handing out free music (I got a couple of vinyl albums from 'em) and tracts. I thought they were whacky then, and have seen no reason over the years to change that assumption.

Lemme see, mysterious alien contacts, unavailable proof of anything, cult-like structure and practices. Yep, whack.

Toto · 01-08-2008, 10:47 AM

Skeptical Dictionary

Quote:

Martin Gardner is also skeptical of the UBF's claims. He believes the UB has very human authors. Originally, he says, the UB was the "Bible" of a cult of separatist Seventh Day Adventists, allegedly channeled by Wilfred Kellogg and edited by founder William Sadler, a Chicago psychiatrist. According to Gardner, in addition to an array of bizarre claims about planets and names of angels and the like, the UB contains many Adventist doctrines. Sadler died in 1969 at the age of 94 but his spiritual group lives on. Sadler got his start working for Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, Adventist surgeon, health and diet author, and brother of cornflake king William Keith Kellogg. These are the same Kellogg brothers who were featured and lampooned in the movie "The Road to Wellville."

But I'm not sure that even this connection to the Abrahamic faiths is enough to keep this thread here in BCH.

Adamu · 01-08-2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

A volume that claims to have been revealed by spacemen? Um.

Quote:

In the early 20th century, a physician practicing in Chicago became the head of a group known as the Contact Commission. This small group was the focal point for the production of, and the primary custodian for, the final text of The Urantia Book. They were sworn not to disclose details about the transactions in order to preclude future generations from venerating the participants. ...

As the contents of book were being transcribed, the papers were read to... The answers to these questions were then incorporated into the papers.

So no manuscript is accessible, and there is total secrecy about origins. These are keynote characteristics of 'modern apocrypha', if you read Goodspeed or Per Beskow.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Hi Roger.

You can actually read the book on the site I provided; click on the tab "Read The Urantia Book" if you're interested.

Or hell, just try the Forward.

Regards

Adamu · 01-08-2008, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Skeptical Dictionary

Quote:

Martin Gardner is also skeptical of the UBF's claims. He believes the UB has very human authors. Originally, he says, the UB was the "Bible" of a cult of separatist Seventh Day Adventists, allegedly channeled by Wilfred Kellogg and edited by founder William Sadler, a Chicago psychiatrist. According to Gardner, in addition to an array of bizarre claims about planets and names of angels and the like, the UB contains many Adventist doctrines. Sadler died in 1969 at the age of 94 but his spiritual group lives on. Sadler got his start working for Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, Adventist surgeon, health and diet author, and brother of cornflake king William Keith Kellogg. These are the same Kellogg brothers who were featured and lampooned in the movie "The Road to Wellville."

But I'm not sure that even this connection to the Abrahamic faiths is enough to keep this thread here in BCH.

I wondered where would be the most appropriate forum to discuss this book.

Part 3 is entirely about the "Life and Teachings of Jesus" and so I felt here was as good as anywhere.

Adamu · 01-08-2008, 11:09 AM

So I take it no one has read the book, much less discussed here at IIDB?

Toto · 01-08-2008, 11:22 AM

Adamu - life is short. Jesus is a figure in American pop culture and fantasy, and you could spend a lifetime reading stuff that just popped out of some modern person's fertile imagination, and learn nothing about the historical period.

Is there some reason anyone should read this book?

For example, I find this:

Quote:

PAPER 122 - BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS

It will hardly be possible fully to explain the many reasons which led to the selection of Palestine as the land for Michael's bestowal, and especially as to just why the family of Joseph and Mary should have been chosen as the immediate setting for the appearance of this Son of God on Urantia.

After a study of the special report on the status of segregated worlds prepared by the Melchizedeks, in counsel with Gabriel, Michael finally chose Urantia as the planet whereon to enact his final bestowal. Subsequent to this decision Gabriel made a personal visit to Urantia, and, as a result of his study of human groups and his survey of the spiritual, intellectual, racial, and geographic features of the world and its peoples, he decided that the Hebrews possessed those relative advantages which warranted their selection as the bestowal race. Upon Michael's approval of this decision, Gabriel appointed and dispatched to Urantia the Family Commission of Twelve—selected from among the higher orders of universe personalities—which was intrusted with the task of making an investigation of Jewish family life. When this commission ended its labors, Gabriel was present on Urantia and received the report nominating three prospective unions as being, in the opinion of the commission, equally favorable as bestowal families for Michael's projected incarnation.

From the three couples nominated, Gabriel made the personal choice of Joseph and Mary, subsequently making his personal appearance to Mary, at which time he imparted to her the glad tidings that she had been selected to become the earth mother of the bestowal child.

1. JOSEPH AND MARY

Joseph, the human father of Jesus (Joshua ben Joseph), was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, albeit he carried many non-Jewish racial strains which had been added to his ancestral tree from time to time by the female lines of his progenitors. The ancestry of the father of Jesus went back to the days of Abraham and through this venerable patriarch to the earlier lines of inheritance leading to the Sumerians and Nodites and, through the southern tribes of the ancient blue man, to Andon and Fonta. David and Solomon were not in the direct line of Joseph's ancestry, neither did Joseph's lineage go directly back to Adam. Joseph's immediate ancestors were mechanics—builders, carpenters, masons, and smiths. Joseph himself was a carpenter and later a contractor. His family belonged to a long and illustrious line of the nobility of the common people, accentuated ever and anon by the appearance of unusual individuals who had distinguished themselves in connection with the evolution of religion on Urantia.

This might be relevant if I wanted to psychoanalize the sexual and racial and class hangups of 19th century American, but this really has nothing to do with anything else I might be interested in.

Adamu · 01-08-2008, 11:29 AM

The only reason I could give, Toto, would simply be one of curiosity.

Adamu · 01-08-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Skeptical Dictionary

But I'm not sure that even this connection to the Abrahamic faiths is enough to keep this thread here in BCH.

I wondered where would be the most appropriate forum to discuss this book.

Part 3 is entirely about the "Life and Teachings of Jesus" and so I felt here was as good as anywhere.

I was wrong.

Part 4 is about Jesus.

01-08-2008, 08:18 AM	#1
Adamu Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kentucky Posts: 126	The Urantia Book The Urantia Book. Is anyone here familiar with this? Has it been discussed?

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01-08-2008, 10:41 AM	#3
cgordon Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,402	Geez, blast from the past. The Urantia folks used to (late 70s) wander around college towns handing out free music (I got a couple of vinyl albums from 'em) and tracts. I thought they were whacky then, and have seen no reason over the years to change that assumption. Lemme see, mysterious alien contacts, unavailable proof of anything, cult-like structure and practices. Yep, whack.

01-08-2008, 11:09 AM	#7
Adamu Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kentucky Posts: 126	So I take it no one has read the book, much less discussed here at IIDB?

01-08-2008, 11:29 AM	#9
Adamu Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kentucky Posts: 126	The only reason I could give, Toto, would simply be one of curiosity.

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