Appendix 1 – The Urantia Book
Validity of the Revelation
A question we frequently hear is how do we know The Urantia Book is valid? Just saying it makes us feel good may not be enough to justify the time and effort required in studying this challenging epistle. Is there anything we can point to suggesting its validity? While there is not a specific sign that says this is truth, there are things indicating there is something meaningful and significant here.
The first such indication is that it is internally consistent. It does not for example say “an eye for an eye” in one place and “turn the other cheek” in another. Such consistency is unusual, especially in something as complex and lengthy as this book. This consistency is important when we strive to follow its teachings in our own lives since there is no conflict as to which part we should follow.
An unusual aspect of this revelation is its structure. Most of our books start from the familiar and simple and proceed to the unfamiliar and complex; for example we study algebra before we tackle calculus so we can have a comfortable starting place. The human mind would ordinarily crave to approach the cosmic philosophy portrayed in these revelations by proceeding from the simple and the finite to the complex and the infinite, from human origins to divine destinies. But that path does not lead to spiritual wisdom. Such a procedure is the easiest path to a certain form of genetic knowledge, but at best it can only reveal man’s origin; it reveals little or nothing about his divine destiny.[1]
This quotation begins with a statement about how we would want to study these teachings; then it gives the reason for starting with the more complex because it leads to spiritual wisdom instead of mere knowledge, therefore we learn about our divine destiny rather than only about our origins. This does not sound like books we are familiar with.
Another of these indicators is this book presents scientific facts that were not generally accepted at the time of its publication in 1955. One of these is continental drift, which was not accepted by science then because they could not explain how this could happen while The Urantia Book describes how the continents moved apart. Our scientists accepted the theory of continental drift only many years after publication of The Urantia Book when the undersea map of the Atlantic Ocean was published showing a mid-ocean ridge which marks the boundary between tectonic plates.[2]
Also the number of galaxies visible from our planet is an issue. More than twenty years after The Urantia Book was published, astronomers thought there were about ten million galaxies to be seen and we would not be able to observe distant ones.[3] In 1955 The Urantia Book stated our astronomers will see more than 375 million new galaxies;[4] today the number much larger. For more examples of science in The Urantia Book but not generally accepted until long after it was published, please visit the “UB the News” website.[5]
Borrowing a technique from statistics gives another strong suggestion of the revelation’s validity (not that we claim to be a statistician). Statistics uses something called the null hypothesis to prove or deny a theorem. The goal is to prove something by determining how likely the opposite is. For example if we want to prove the theorem “old people have grey hair” we examine a sample of old individuals and determine how many do not have grey hair. If a very small (statistically speaking) number of old people do not have grey hair, then the theorem is proven because the opposite was found not to be true.
How does this apply to The Urantia Book? This book states that it was written by nonphysical beings, therefore our null hypothesis would be: “this work was written by human beings.” How likely is this? First, this book is more than two thousand pages long and is internally consistent; could one human or a group of us do this? This work authoritatively presents scientific facts not generally known at the time of publication; could one of us do that? The various papers are authored by different personalities, the language and tone of the writing is unique for each writer. One final point is nobody has stepped forward with evidence stating they were involved in writing this book. Given the attention-seeking nature of human beings is it conceivable any person associated with producing this work, after spending a considerable amount of time and effort on it would remain silent? Would they not seek some kind of recognition?
One more thought on this subject, most of us have trouble even comprehending this work; given the above information it is inconceivable the author or authors are mortal. The most logical conclusion is they are not physical beings, as it claims; there is not a shred of evidence suggesting otherwise.
The most important proof of its validity is the effect it has on our spiritual growth, our own personal experience. It may take a while for these supernal truths to soak into our soul and make lasting changes in us, but it will happen if the seeker is sincere. This revelation is the most important one since Jesus and it will change our lives just as his teachings changed the lives of countless individuals and subsequently changed the world by raising our spiritual awareness to a higher level. In the final analysis this is the definitive way to validate any revelation: personal spiritual experience.
Frequently one of the first questions we are asked when discussing The Urantia Book with those not familiar with it is: How did we receive it? This is a fair question; however the revelation does not give any details on this subject. While they do mention a human being is involved in some manner[6] no process is mentioned. They imply the individual’s Adjuster (the spark of God dwelling within each of us) was in some way involved but they do not say how. While there is some speculation among those familiar with the revelation, there is no clear consensus about the technique used. In the absence of specific information there is nothing to be gained by idle speculation on this subject.
The content of this revelation is more important than the manner in which it was given to us. The Urantia Book has a powerful message that can transform our lives; should we ignore it because something mysterious was involved in its introduction? In Jerusalem at the time of Jesus there was a common saying: “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”[7] We know something significant did indeed come out of Nazareth; similarly, today we must not discount this book because its introduction was a bit unorthodox. The message is vital to our spiritual growth; this revelation is of epochal importance.
In the final analysis any new work must be evaluated on the basis of its content instead of its pedigree. Great writers have been known to produce works of lesser quality. It is a cliché that “You cannot judge a book by its cover,” in this case we must not judge this book by its manner of appearance; we should study this book, seek to grow in our understanding of it, and sincerely strive to apply these teachings in our daily lives. As long as these teachings resonate with us, we should incorporate them into our thought process. We validate this revelation by its impact on our spiritual lives.
As I developed this book I was impressed by how relevant the revelations of The Urantia Book are to the situation we find ourselves in today. These teachings speak to us now, showing the way toward a society in which everyone has value, purpose, and an opportunity at continuing life into all future eternity. Its message is urgently needed by our brothers and sisters as we seek to counteract negative forces in our society.
The Urantia Book has relevance for our personal life and for our collective life. Its teachings will guide us into a continuing life of service, interest, and joy—forever. The Urantia Book is certainly valid as a primary reference for “Light of Truth” and for our daily lives.
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All references are to The Urantia Book unless noted otherwise. The number refers to the single column version in the format page.paragraph, 215.2 ↑
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https://www.thefreedictionary.com/mid-ocean+ridge retrieved 6/8/19 ↑
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“Galaxies Report” http://ubannotated.com/ubthenews/topics/galaxies/ retrieved 6/8/19 ↑
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130.5 ↑
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http://ubannotated.com/ubthenews/reports_list/ ↑
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1208.6 ↑
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1362.8 ↑