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<DIV><B>
<P>DATE:</B> January 11, 1997<BR><B>LOCATION:</B> Pittsburgh, PA,
USA<BR><B>T/R:</B> Gerdean</P>
<P><STRONG>TEXTUAL STUDY: </STRONG><BR>Urantia Papers: Forward and Paper 1,
Continued</P><B>
<P>ANNOUNCEMENT:</B> Points of Light Coalition, Inc., a spiritual group
dedicated to acquiring the Turtle Building in Niagara Falls as a spiritual,
cultural, educational, and healing center, welcoming all cultures, all
religions, excluding no one, is hosting a gathering to heal Mother Earth on
January 25 at The Turtle in Niagara Falls. </P><B>
<P>TEACHER SESSION:<BR>The Nature of Children</P></B><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Good afternoon, diligent pupils and delightful children. I had
intended to discuss "children" today and I am going to continue with my
intention, but I want you to know from the outset that this is not in response
to your discussions so far today, but rather a way of underlining how
childlikeness and childishness are part of your make-up and perhaps how we can
distinguish between the two.</P>
<P>Before I commence. I would like to greet you in a sincere and even scholarly
fashion for I understand the respect that is brought to this format. It is
appreciated, and we are truly earnest in our desire to serve you in order that
we may serve the Master and the masses, and so it is always helpful and
important to acknowledge your inherent greatness of intent -- your Indwelling
Adjuster's and your desire to follow Its leading. Your integrity is met and
embraced in these sessions and I embrace you now.</P>
<P>I am not alone in this embrace, for there are myriad beings also who watch
with interest your growth and development, not only yours individually here and
as a teacher base, but throughout Urantia. All eyes of the universe are focused
on Urantia, on its exciting and current phase of growth. Correcting Time extends
far and wide. It is an exciting time, one that should cause children of God
great delight for its variety and freshness of approach.</P>
<P>And so I come around now to my theme of "children," for you well understand
that as children of God you are always coming back to the humble position of
being a child, asking the Father to guide and direct you in your life, in your
feelings, in your relationships, in your comings and goings as you pass by.</P>
<P>It has been for hundreds and thousands of years on your world, and even in
your life, that isolation was the norm. Everyone lived in their own little
sphere of reality and many of the expansive realities of this new age were
non-evident because of the closed circuitries, and so people grew accustomed to
their personal isolation. In their personal isolation there was, however, the
connection between each individual and the Father, through the Indwelling
Spirit, which was and is a lifeline to reality and cosmic consciousness.</P>
<P>But today, as the channels are opening, as the circuits are being
reconnected, as Correcting Time floods upon Urantia, all manner of children are
being brought into the light and isolation is ended, and so what we have are a
lot of children coming together to learn to play in the fields of the Lord, and
this is a learning process. This is a situation where all things shall become
new, for you cannot bring into a new global fellowship the old isolationist
techniques and concepts.</P>
<P>I will borrow upon this transmitter's childhood experience to relate an
analogy. When she was about five and essentially an only child, she was invited
to a birthday party of other children in that age range. Perhaps a dozen or more
children were there, and imagine the chagrin of little Karen when, having been
the center of the universe and the darling of the clan, was set in an
environment where the birthday child was receiving all the adulation and
attention. It was a jarring and disturbing experience for this child who had no
idea how to socialize, and so in spite of the fact that there were other
children and there were games played and there were gifts and song and cake and
ice cream, the psyche of this child was clouded and muddled by the confusion of
not understanding that she was not the center of the universe and how to make
that adjustment. That profound experience that day, to that child, is very much
related to what is occurring now on Urantia in terms of the overall
fellowshipping of the many, many paths to the Father. </P>
<P>Before we began our session today there was a discussion about the Turtle
near Niagara Falls, which is designed as a spiritual center for the One God
among his many followers, one world, -- these pacific and reflective qualities
which are the earmark of tomorrow. And the concept of that enterprise is an
enlarged birthday party wherein everyone who attends the larger gathering of
humanity (not just at that center but in concept, <I>en toto</I>) comes from
their comprehension of their life, their belief system and their reality in an
isolated bubble, and it is difficult to bring your bubble into the boiling
cauldron of many, myriad faith backgrounds of others. Yet this is truly what the
brotherhood is all about: it is appreciating and accepting each one's unique
approach to the Father and relationship with the Father, understanding that
there is the added element, albeit a difficult one to adapt to, of the
fraternity of sons and daughters of this wondrous, many-faceted Parent.</P>
<P>It has been said, as you know, that as you put forth the fruits of the spirit
in your life, you mature, you develop character, you go from being a new-born
soul, a new-born child in the spirit, to one who barely crawls, to an
adventurous and curious toddler in the spirit realms, in the soul growth, to an
adventurous child who climbs the trees and plays with other children, eventually
to develop sincere and meaningful and lasting eternal relationships, to form
teams of workers in the field, and ultimately to stand as an adult, a spiritual
adult … and this is the growth process.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P>It is the practice for you now, in your finite realm, to presume that
everyone here in your company is already an adult, a mature adult of the realm,
having lived many years establishing yourself in your own eyes and in the eyes
of your society, but I will ask you to set that perception aside, for that
perception is one of this world. I do not see you as you see yourselves. I see
you as children at a birthday party, trying to learn how to relate to each
other, having come from the isolation of your own personal sphere into the
fellowship of other children. I see you literally as children, and I would ask
for you to look at each other as if you were a child of God. Allow yourself to
envision yourselves as children.</P>
<P>I call to your attention the refreshing quality of children that allows for a
fresh approach. Children are not naturally prejudiced. They don't care about
skin coloration or whether their friend has designer a jean or a cast-off,
cut-off jean. Their values do not incorporate those values which your society
teaches you and which become prominent in your assessment of your fellow human
beings. Think about how children play, once they have learned how to play. See
how it is that they share, once they have learned to share. They can have an
argument and the next two minutes later have patched it up and are best friends
again, unlike the "adults" of your realm who can carry a grudge for several
generations, all with due dignity and so forth.</P>
<P>It would be helpful, when you look at each other as children, to remember
that children are precious, particularly when they are someone else's child,
knowing that you do not have to mold them or provide for them or be responsible
for them, that indeed someone else will take them home, feed them supper, give
them a bath and put them to bed. It is far easier to love a child under those
circumstances, and so as you look at each other today as children, remember that
it is not your child that you have to be responsible for molding and living up
to your societal expectations, but rather it is the Father's child that He is
raising up. It is Someone Else's child. Then you can learn to be a child
yourself and go on to play and find out how delightful it is to be a child at
play, even in your socialization here at this table.</P>
<P>On that order also, in approaching each other as children, in viewing your
friends as children, understanding that you are not their parent, it is a
tendency also for humans to look at children and judge their parents because of
the way the children behave. In other words, it is not easy to be angry with a
child, but it is much easier to be angry with the parent, for not controlling
the child, or teaching the child, or reproving the child, or raising it in a way
that would be more compatible to your values, so when you look at your brother
and your sister, and see how they are acting childishly, notice at once what
parent it was that taught that child to behave in such a way.</P>
<P>For our Father in Heaven did not teach that child those things which are less
than perfect. From our Father and Mother we only learn those lessons that will
further make us like Him and Her. Has it been the god Lucifer that has taught
that child? Has it been the god of money that has influenced that child? Or the
god of fear? It is an interesting study; it is an interesting observation. And
as you were all so successful in our recent experiment of observing judgment and
control, carry through now into this next series of days with the augmented look
of the fellow child and you will see the influences which have come to bear upon
that child in order that it reflects what it has been taught, as you do.</P>
<P>Return always to the True Father, the Loving Parent that we know as a living
reality, and embrace your brothers and sisters in that spirit. Be children
together in a loving fashion. Be childlike in your affection, in your ability to
recover from the imperfections of the mortal existence, to patch things up
quickly as best friends, to forgive easily, to accept out of curiosity those
which are new or different. Become as a child — not childish, but childlike.</P>
<P>Well, my loved ones. How are you? Are there questions?</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> Thank you, Tomas, for noticing what happened today, for helping
us understand one another.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> It happens every day! It is appropriate to discuss your childlike
aspects for we are at the start of a New Year. It is a new beginning, and always
in a new beginning we start out fresh with new things to learn and experience.
It seemed a more appropriate subject than "hibernation" which would have led me
into a good reminder to go into stillness, for on these many dark evenings when
there's nothing on television, it is the ideal time to excuse yourself for half
an hour and go in to enjoy a hibernation period with the Father in
stillness.</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> I love new beginnings. And new awareness. And new understanding.
It's wonderful.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> All children love surprises. It is when routine becomes rut and
the spirit dies in the mundane that life becomes burdensome and God becomes a
far-off fantasy understanding, but in keeping yourself fresh, in giving yourself
the opportunity to approach each day as a new opportunity, in and through and
for the Father, your life is enriched and indeed made fresh.</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa:</B> I like Celeste's idea of new beginnings. As much as I knew
January was a new beginning, this December I was fearing January because after
our many activities and baking and preparing for the holidays, I'm usually sick
in January and I feared January coming this time, but I tried to tell myself
it's the beginning of a new year and it's not going to happen to me this year!
I'm going to get lots of rest and I think the great way to look at it is it's a
new beginning, a new year, another time in our life, and there is so much to
look forward to. I still thank God I'm here every year, closer to the year
2,000. I wanted to be here for the year 2,000 to see what's going to happen, and
I feel grateful for you and the other entities that are here trying to help our
earth and I feel that it should be something wonderful, and we appreciate your
help.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I appreciate your appreciation. But let me say that that arbitrary
date of A.D. 2,000 is a construction of mortal time. As we observe our
interpretation of calendar, there are no momentous dates to make note of in that
same context. Therefore, this year could be the greatest time ever, as next year
can be the greatest year ever. It is a peculiar set of expectations set up by
mortals that within certain timeframes, certain things should happen; if they
don't, there is a disappointment or perhaps a relief, but you set yourself up,
based on time and space, and seem to think that the entire cosmic preview is the
same.</P>
<P>I understand that you are time/space creations, but how you perceive things
in the future based upon a calendar is a curiosity worth mentioning. 2000 is not
any different than 1997 or 2002 insofar as events are concerned. Just because
you reach a millennium on your calendar is no indication that the world is
scheduled to tip on its axis come midnight. You see what I am saying. And so any
day can be a new day, and any hour can be a peak hour. I am, of course, glad
that you are here and trust that you will still be working in his vineyard here
at the turn of the century.</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa:</B> Tomas, there have been many prophesies made … that have
many of us are kind of looking forward to the year 2000 or around that time
because of the many prophesies that have been made about different things that
were to occur at that time. That's where many of us get the idea, I think, where
many of us -- I don't know how valid they are, but some ancient time prophesies
to more modern day ones that -- that's where I had come up with it
anyway.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> There is a certain appreciation for what you say, but it is based
more upon the collective consciousness than on anything real. That is, as I
indicated, you have a tendency to place great importance on, say, turning 21, or
turning 65, or turning 100 based upon their obvious effects upon your societal
responses, and as a century rolls around on the calendar many changes take place
and eras come into being and motivations are brought into play.</P>
<P align=justify></P>
<P>When you approach a millennia anniversary, which doesn't happen that often in
your time, of course it begins to gain great momentum. Even now we are
witnessing the swell of momentum because of the up-coming calendar millennium.
But a great percentage of the effects of that are brought about by yourselves,
by your mass motivation to be here for it, or to (as your President says) "build
a bridge" regarding it, and so forth. It is powerful what minds together can
do.</P>
<P>As for the predictions of the ancient ones, I will not dabble there. I, for
one, am proscribed against making predictions, and although I will not disparage
some brilliant minds and messages of those of old, I will not confirm them
either, although they are fascinating. And if they are fascinating to me, I can
imagine how overwhelmingly poignant they must be to you.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> Brother Tomas, you are like one of the ancient ones to us here!
With your age. And that's respectfully.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I am an ancient one, indeed, my dear, but I have not been part of
the history of this planet, and somehow that colors my antiquity, for I am not
Nostradamas nor am I Amadon, but I am an old guy from another part of the
universe.</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> Well, Tomas, I<I> </I>think with your personality, I think you
are a beautiful child.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I needed that. (group laughter)</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> You are savor to the soul, like coffee to one who is hooked on
it.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> And you are a poet. I am glad to have the opportunity to witness
your camaraderie among one another, perhaps to begin to observe your fellow
siblings in their profoundly delightful childlike aspects. And so if there are
no growth-related questions, I will leave you for the afternoon.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I have a question.<BR><B>TOMAS:</B> Very well.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I just want to talk about how it is for somebody who found the
Urantia Book to try to be accepting of other people's concepts. I'm talking for
myself. I<I> </I>certainly pray that I can be open minded, like Leah said. I
hope I can have an open mind. But remembering the struggles of my own growth, I
jealously, perhaps, guard some of my concepts which I won with such difficulty,
and I'm so entranced by when you are an evolutionary creature and you struggle
to find something that's wonderful and reasonable and you look around and you
see some of the problems that arise from what you view as being the limiting
concepts that you entertained previously. You have to -- you do have reluctance,
perhaps, to let this become important.</P>
<P>For instance we had so many people who have come with wonderful teachings. I
mean, everybody at this table, I dare say, has engaged in other configurations,
philosophies, which are wonderful. They are absolutely wonderful, and yet we do,
I<I> </I>think, appreciate here that we have to guard our focus to a certain
extent. And so from that point of view, so many of our people love the Indian
philosophies and some people love that of the Far East India, and some love the
Course in Miracles ~ I for one ~ and some love the Unity concepts, and some love
the ... and Edgar Casey. I mean we just have a plethora of wonderful
philosophies, and yet it is good for us to remember that our focus is the Book
and the Teaching Mission -- well, not for all of us, but for many of us the
Teaching Mission -- but for all of us the Book.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Let me respond, for I truly do appreciate your question and the
soul depth of understanding inherent in the question, and also understanding the
dangers of having and holding a spiritually egotistical standpoint of being one
of those fortunate enough to have discovered and acknowledged the importance of
the Fifth Epochal Revelation, and to some extent this dynamic Teaching Mission,
which underlines the teachings of the Book and of the actualization of the
spiritual brotherhood, the gospel, if you will, of Jesus. But yes, there are as
we discussed earlier in reference to children, there are as many paths to the
Father as those who take the path, and they take many diversions through many
woods and meadows.</P>
<P>Let me tell you this, those of you who have attained to the appreciation of,
shall we say, opera or Mozart -- fine music. You understand how it is that you
can be carried into a new realm, a living reality through this highly refined
and disciplined art form of music, and you look around you and you see people
thoroughly enjoying rap or polka or rock & roll or country western, and you
can understand that they love their music, but you can also understand that if
they were to allow themselves to expand their appreciation, they too could
understand not only their fundamental cultural appreciation, but could attain to
the high art of opera and symphony as well.</P>
<P>And so those who understand a facet of enjoyment and spiritual reality, be it
through an analogy of music or the different scaffolding of spiritual building
blocks, are not to be disdained but are to be appreciated for themselves in
their own right, in the full understanding that in time the impact and import of
the truths of the Urantia Book will prevail, will filter through some of the
misconceptions, helping to clarify truth. But there are so many delightful
things about these many pathways, these many scaffoldings that are colorful and
entertaining, that it is not necessary for you to spend overmuch time correcting
them. It would do very little good, indeed, for you to even try to do so.</P>
<P>Rather, think of them as Monopoly or Scrabble or Pictionary, and although you
might prefer Bridge, you can certainly appreciate why some people could spend
hours at a Monopoly board, and some people even prefer Solitaire. There is
nothing wrong with embracing a fellow as well as their faulty beliefs, for as
you embrace your fellow in the light of truth, beauty and goodness, as that
reality grows, their, as well as your, imperfections will fall away.</P>
<P>Because you read the Fifth Epochal Revelation and study under the Teaching
Corps does not mean that you have graduated, either. You still have many nuances
of the Caligastian regime on your shoulders. Appreciate your spiritual source
and the gift of the revelation and its massive retinue of revelatory
information, but be gracious in allowing others their enthusiasm for their path
to the Father. All are headed in that direction. As has been said by the Master,
He who is not against us is for us, and those who are for us and for Him are our
brothers indeed, and so let us learn to play together as children.</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa:</B> In the broader sense of the word, Tomas, are we any better
off, here in this room, knowing about the Urantia Book than say a very dedicated
Catholic, Protestant or Jewish person who is strictly into their own
faith?</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Better off in terms of what?</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa:</B> Reaching our Maker sooner? Are we — In the next world, when
we leave this earth, are we better off knowing about Urantia, knowing...?
Because those people are really dedicated to God. I mean, we're all going to the
same place. That's what we're all working for, striving for.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Indeed, you cannot set yourself above another man of faith. By
their fruits they shall be known anyway, so what difference what theology you
adopt?</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Well, Tomas, you're there, and you know, and you're so happy
on your wonderful spot, but let me say that I feel a certain reaction when I
know some of my dear Roman Catholic friends are dear and wonderful and haven't
found the release that the Urantia Book has given us in knowing that we're not
going to be condemned for an ordinary life of peccadilloes.</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa:</B> That's here on earth.</P>
<P align=justify></P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I know, but isn't that important? I mean, it's great that we
can talk about what's beyond, but I'm talking about right here and now. Does it
make your life freer? Of course it does! And that's what I'm trying to say.
Great. Wonderful. I embrace these Roman Catholics. I love some of them quite a
lot, but I also feel, "Oh, my gosh, I wish you could have found the freedom from
limitation that our teachings in the Urantia Book have given us."</P>
<P>(Several people talking at once)</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Let me respond and get out of here so that you can talk. I
understand, you get into socializing and it extends into the day, but consider
-- If you were one who had walked with Jesus and had been in his company, do you
not feel that you would have benefited by that far more than one who had heard
of his deeds and goodness in another country or in another village? Those of you
who have found, discovered, the values and the truths within the Fifth Epochal
Revelation to mankind, the Urantia Book, are as fortunate as those who sat at
the feet of the Master, who followed him and heard him speak fully and
freely.</P>
<P>The privilege, the honor, the joy in having had the experience of knowing
Jesus as a mortal and in knowing the Urantia Book as another monumental gift to
humanity from the heavens is something that will be with you forever, and so
there is wondrous benefit in being a believer in the Book in-so-far as it is
what it says it is, for truly the intellectual peace that it provides is
profound beyond words and the challenge to the continents of Urantia and the
cultures here, the various and sundry religions and sects, the governments and
the peoples, is so mighty and challenging as to stimulate this world for aeons
to come.</P>
<P>It is a marvelous gift to Urantia, as was Jesus of Nazareth, as was
Machiventa Melchizedek, the teacher of Abraham. Those of you who have had
contact, living mortal experience with a revelation, have had a cherished
experience. And so, yes, it does matter, but in terms only of your personal
experience and what you can do with your personal experience. But those who have
sincere and devout faith are as close to the Father as those who have never read
a word of the Book.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I have some friends who have never read the Book but who are
humble before God.</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> All truth will eventually meet with all people who reach for the
Lord.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> Brother Tomas, as you were talking, I<I> </I>kept seeing a
great temple being built, and each stone and each colored piece of glass, each
trinket that went into that temple was different, and the stone may look at the
glass and say, "Thou art frivolous" or a trinket that makes the altar, "Thou art
frivolous." But each individual piece is precious for that temple, and has its
own spot, and if it doesn't fit there, it can be used in another place, and
that's the way I see the sons and daughters of God. They are fitting into a
temple, into a piece-knit section, and neither of them is frivolous.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> And who is to judge to say...</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> That's just it! We can't do it for each other.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I'm only doing it for our study group. I'm not saying don't do
it in your life.</P><B>
<P>Loreenia:</B> I wasn't talking about you, Elizabeth. I<I> </I>was talking
about what I saw as Tomas spoke.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I know you weren't talking about me, but I'm just saying that
on the subject, for us, we have to maintain a certain focus, and we should
maintain a certain openness toward others and their faith, we absolutely must, I
know that, and yet I am reiterating it's well for us to remember why we come
together. That's what I'm trying to say.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I find no conflict in the understanding. We come to study the
Fifth Epochal Revelation and learn to live it, and part of that is to embrace
our fellow brothers and sisters. This is the gospel that can be extended far out
into your realms on Urantia and far out into the realms of time and space, all
the way to Paradise. There is no quibbling about what we come together for; it
is, however, a vast and varied enterprise and certain interpretations may
conflict or compete occasionally but that is part of the human condition; that
is part of how it is that children will get into a squabble over a marble or a
doll and as soon as the opportunity avails itself, the wind will blow, a noise
will be made, and off we skip into tomorrow -- best friends in the Father. Let
it pass.</P>
<P>Let me make my way out of your conscious environment, but do think about our
lesson. Don't wait until you get the transcript to find out what it is that you
are to be doing this week. Proceed, my children, my delightful, delightful
darlings. I will tiptoe through the next few weeks with you in the tumult of
hostess situations and through the spring exposure, which we will discuss later.
Learn to love each other and see each other as children.</P>
<P>Allow yourself to envision each other in short frocks and short pants. Allow
yourself to see each other with large freckles or pigtails, so that you can
enhance your vision. Indeed, show your broken tooth and your skinned knee and
slough it off. Learn to be children. Until we meet again, I am your old kid
buddy, Tomas. Farewell.</P>
<P>GROUP: Farewell.</P>
<P> </P>
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