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<P>DATE:</B> July 31, 1997<BR><B>LOCATION:</B> Pittsburgh, PA,
USA<BR><B>T/R:</B> Gerdean</P>
<P>Stillness<BR><B>URANTIA BOOK STUDY:<BR></B>Paper 12, THE UNIVERSE OF
UNIVERSES, page 131: <BR>#3, Universal Gravity; #4, Space and Motion<BR>(2)
Paper 53, THE LUCIFER REBELLION, page 601:<BR>#1, Leaders of Rebellion; #2, The
Causes of Rebellion<BR>(3) Paper 102, FOUNDATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FAITH, page
1124<BR>#6, The Certainty of Religious Faith<BR>(4) Paper 171, ON THE WAY TO
JERUSALEM, page 1874, As Jesus Passed By</P>
<P>Stillness and Sharing<BR><B>TEACHER SESSION:</P>
<P>TEACHERS: TOMAS and MERIUM<BR>TOPICS: The Art of Conversation<BR>Intimacy
versus Familiarity<BR>Learning Through Error<BR>Who was Michael's
Archangel?<BR>PGH Women's Evangelical Corps<BR>Who was Thaddeus?</P>
<P></P>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Good evening, my joyous flock.</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Good evening.</P>
<P><B>TOMAS:</B> Merium and I are here and glad of it, glad for your company and
indeed glad for the association. Mary Theresa, how wonderful to feel your
presence once again. It is a delight to have your sparkling personality among
us. How have you been, my child?</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa</B>: Fine, thank you. Still the same old talker, Tomas. I talk
too much. I'm going to listen tonight, to you.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> We have been exercising the art of conversation. It is a difficult
art to master and we have had many challenges on hand. It is a joy that you have
much to share. It is a benefit for those of you who are gifted in that gab, but
for those who are shy and inhibited, it is a strain, and so the community seeks
a balance.</P>
<P>Thus, like the Master gives self respect to those who have lost it and takes
it away from those who have too much, he also seeks to distribute himself in and
through his fellows with equilibrium and balance as well. It is part of the
orchestration, and this orchestra has been tuning its instruments, learning when
to play and when to await the direction from the Conductor.</P>
<P>I would like to say that we have enjoyed your structured sharing this
evening. Forgive the word "structured"; we cannot find the correct descriptive
adjective to relate without offending those of you who disdain words like
discipline and structure, but the tonal quality of your sharing time was rife
with sincerity, integrity, trust, companionship, courage and various other
apparent fruits of the spirit. It is a joy to behold these fruits in action, in
and among yourselves. It promotes confidence in your self and in each other. It
promotes brotherhood/sisterhood. It is a method of communication that employs
intimacy as opposed to familiarity.</P>
<P>Just for fun, this evening I will add to the smorgasbord and tell you briefly
the difference between intimacy and familiarity, on which I have spoken before,
and with which Leah has entertained herself.</P>
<P>You have heard it said, "familiarity breeds contempt" and yet here we are
encouraging you to become conversationalists of an ilk you are unfamiliar with.
You presume, perhaps, that we would have you give your deep dark secrets to each
other in this structured communication. No, we are not asking you to divulge the
skeletons in your family closet. Familiarity is a crude second place to what we
are fostering, which is intimacy.</P>
<P>There are those of you who misconstrue my use of the word intimacy to be
related to intercourse of a different ilk also than I intend to convey. This
social intercourse, the art of communication, is based upon your
sonship/daughtership. That you are each indwelt by The Father, that you
recognize that you are brothers and sisters in the spirit, affords you an
understanding of that comforting presence of The Father within that would allow
for intimacy of expression without lapsing into familiarity.</P>
<P>"Familiarity breeds contempt." It is like sibling rivalry -- and there are
always opportunities for you to lapse into sibling rivalries, even among
yourselves -- but if you have practiced communicating intimately, as a dignified
son and daughter of the Most Highs, as a well-rounded, well-balanced
personality, you refrain from the smallness inherent in familiarity. Your level
of communication has been elevated to a new plateau. It affords The Father
opportunity to include Himself in your rapport.</P>
<P>For instance, in a marriage, many of you have seen or known couples --
perhaps you are party to one -- where the husband and wife have known each other
for so long, part of their communication is this affectionate bickering that
goes on between them, and that they are comfortable with, but that is irksome to
strangers, although it is understood by strangers, for they themselves are
guilty of that practice.</P>
<P>The husband and wife, after many, many years of association, have become
familiar. They have seen each other at their worst and tripped over the
children's toys and bungled life's opportunities and the other has been there to
witness each other's failings. This would demean the nobility of the association
except for the understanding that you are ascension candidates reaching towards
perfection, that you are not fools but humans, attempting to elevate your
<I>modus operandi</I> from an animal level to a human level, even to a
superhuman level of functioning and cooperation and communication.</P>
<P>It is fostered in your churches that Christ be the true head of the family,
and herein truly is the secret of the happy home, for if Christ is the head of
the family, the marriage is met by and through The Father and He is involved in
every conversation, He is a party to all of life's circumstances, all of life's
foibles, challenges, failures, successes, struggles, pains, rejoicing, growth,
ad infinitum. When The Father is with you, you are not belittle-able. You have
been elevated.</P>
<P>And when we hear you sharing as you shared this evening -- quietly, calmly,
sincerely -- we hear you speak intimately, for you are aware that The Father is
hearing you; indeed, it is possible that The Father may be speaking through you,
and so we pay closer attention. We honor your words, for you are His child.</P>
<P>It puts it in a different light than the familiarity of your culture and your
society - which is not to be disdained! Familiarity is indeed a viable method of
communication -- but we have been working on this new understanding of sharing
amongst each other. In that intimacy you may promote an aspect of association
that is rich in ethics and humor and affection.</P>
<P>There were other things I had hoped to discuss this evening, and Merium, of
course, is eager also to spend some time with you. Your evening, once again, has
already been full. I, however, will persevere, since we are all together. One
moment.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> I am Merium. I am glad to be here and to be called up to address
you.</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Nice to have you with us.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> I have come forth primarily this evening to greet you, Mary
Theresa, my little pumpkin. How are you? I am not as familiar with you as I
shall be. Oops! Did I say "familiar"? (Group laughter)</P><B>
<P>Mary Theresa:</B> It's okay with me!</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> It is okay with me, too. I am joking for I am lightness
personified, you see. I am a counter-balance to our Tomas, and I josh more
readily. Perhaps I am the answer to the exaltation of the ego! I do not say that
to disparage Tomas or to make unflattering innuendo, but to be joyous and to
proclaim my understanding of your thought processes, your feelings and, indeed,
your human condition. I am well versed in the human condition, having "been
there, done that."</P>
<P>Since last week, we have discussed your session of last week, and in
particular the question that Elizabeth asked, and Tomas did not feel that he had
answered Elizabeth's question in fullness. I am not sure that I can rise to the
occasion to attempt to further elucidate her concern, but I would like to
try.</P>
<P>You recall, Elizabeth, that you had asked a question in which you had
suggested that someone had suggested that individuals volunteer to do "dumb
things" so that lessons can be learned. I have paraphrased that for the sake of
simplification. Do you recall, Elizabeth?</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Yes.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> For example, it was suggested by someone that Judas had --
perhaps as a spirit prior to entering into the life of Judas; perhaps his
Thought Adjuster, before he assigned himself into this personage -- saw in
advance that this is the role that he would play as he indwelt the human being,
the mortal, and volunteered to play that role for the outworking of the Paradise
plan.</P>
<P>It was also suggested that perhaps the young man who had killed himself after
also killing his associate (which has been in your news broadcasts of late) may
also have put himself voluntarily in such a life circumstance as to bring about
an opportunity for people to question and ponder a greater reality.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I remember it was based on a statement in Allene Vick's letter
about one of the Teachers about the value of contrasts, that we learn from
contrasts.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> This is true. There is no argument there. But there was a train
of thought in the question you asked that inferred there was an understanding
somewhere that Thought Adjusters, when they volunteer to indwell the human
being, know the end from the beginning. Now neither Tomas nor I can presume to
speak for a Thought Adjuster, but this is truly the answer to the
question:</P><B><I>
<P>No one</B></I> can presume to speak for a Thought Adjuster. And when an
individual would suggest that a person did something dumb in order to teach a
lesson, this is precisely because we cannot second guess and know what God's
intention was, and so we make up elaborate tales in the attempt to justify dumb
behavior. It is a high form of rationalization and justification.</P>
<P>The fact of the matter is Judas decided to act the way he did. It was not his
Thought Adjuster's decision. It was Judas' decision to betray the Master. It was
not God's decision to commit suicide in and through that young man. That was the
young man's decision. I am not saying that they are "dumb" but I am saying that
imperfect beings often err, and rather than accept responsibility for their
error or have the perspicacity to recognize error in others without passing
judgment, they give it to God in such a way as to say, "God did it" and God
<B><I>didn't</B></I> do it. He gave us all free will. It is our free will
decision that furthers us or curtails us.</P>
<P>Again, I am not certain that I have fully responded to the question.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Yes, you have, because I've been wondering about that for a
lot of years.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> We rather suspected that there was a much deeper question than
the one that was addressed and so <I>we</I> were "dumb" but we're getting
smarter. Thank you for your patience with your teachers, Elizabeth. Thank you
all for your patience with your teachers, whether they be in the spirit realms
or in the human realms, for those of you and those of us who can appreciate our
teachers, we have the joy of learning, the joy of having teachers, the joy of
acknowledging that we have yet more to learn and the soul satisfaction in
accepting the growth that comes from learning these lessons. </P>
<P>It encourages us when we acknowledge the assistance of our teachers. It
encourages us to not rationalize and justify our behaviors and our errors, but
to say, "I have erred. I should have done it this way, and next time I will! I
see now how I was thinking, but I can see clearly now ... the rain has gone.
There are no obstacles in the way." Yes, it is a song. It is a song to
learn.</P>
<P>We had a wonderful song on Tuesday when we met in Butler. It has been an
inactive assemblage there, but it is summer, you see, and we do appreciate the
steadfastness of you here in this anchor, that you so well adapt yourselves to
accommodate the comings and goings of each other in order to maintain the
singular solidarity of this teacher base, this devotion to The Father and to His
work and His world. We thank you, our teachers, for you teach us also.</P>
<P>I have played my part for the evening. I embrace you, my little birds.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Tomas? Tonight we have a real question we're very excited
about.<BR><B>MERIUM:</B> One moment.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Merium too, certainly.<BR><B>TOMAS:</B> We are both here. I am
Tomas. I have the mike, so to speak.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Well, we happen to have such a lot of joy in the fact that we
have a question!<BR><B>TOMAS:</B> I am so eager to hear it! May I hear
it?</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> We have never really bumped into this character that is
referred to as the archangel of Michael, and we didn't know that he had an
archangel. What does that actually mean, from the reading tonight, "Michael's
archangel"? Is it just one of his many archangels that follow him? Or is it a
special archangel that Michael has attending him?</P><B>
<P>Hester:</B> It was singular. <BR><B>Elizabeth:</B> Urn-hum. It was.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Indeed he has thousands of angels and he may claim them as his,
one and all. "His" archangel, his angel, his universe, his child. He is the
Creator of the universe in which his creations reside, and so it is "his
archangel." You might imagine that if it were a particular personality, it would
be identified by name, by number or, in your language, a capital letter
...</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Yes.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> ... but in-as-much as it is only "an" archangel, it is likely
unspecific and not, for example, his Personalized Adjuster, which is truly
specific.</P><B>
<P>Hester:</B> It was capitalized. The word archangel was capitalized.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I don't think so.</P><B>
<P>Hester:</B> I remember that specifically.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> I don't remember that.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I don't remember that, either.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> We'll go back to that section and then next week we'll have it
exactly right.<BR><B>TOMAS:</B> Well I am intrigued. Have I failed to answer
your question?<B><BR>Elizabeth:</B> No!</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I am ready for the next question. I feel like I am getting ready
for a quiz now. (Group laughter) I am ready! I have my hand up!</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Well, the Fellowship is now — it's governing body has many,
many women in it, which was a startling development.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Why is it so startling?</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Because it wasn't that way before.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Well, perhaps the women are getting it together. It is your
conditioning, remember, that has kept you from taking those challenges that are
wide open to you. It does not happen until it occurs to you to do it, and for
centuries you have not had the opportunity to think that you might, and now,
with the liberation and with the Master's pronouncement that men and women are
equal and particularly in the realms of the spirit. There are more and more
women who are becoming empowered to step out and accept their place in the
service of the kingdom. It's wonderful.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> As witness our very own group.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Our very own group is a capital example of a Women's Evangelical
Corps. It worries me that we have no menfolk.</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> Me, too.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I have no solution.</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> Do you think as women become the majority in a group, men start
to back off? It seems that way.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I cannot answer that as a blanket response, for it depends
entirely upon the constitution of the individuals involved. There are some men
who have the kind of personality who would take great delight in having this
association of many women, even social and spiritually, and not necessarily
physically or romantically. There are some who would be quite comfortable, who
would indeed assume a jovial and fraternal place among them. There are some
however that are bored with women and have been bored with women's ways forever.
There are some that simply find you to be members of a foreign planet and cannot
relate and so go home.</P>
<P>I find you a charming bunch of women, myself. I am delighted to be among you.
It is too bad that I can't find an associate to pal around with -- I mean a
mortal male associate. I could use one, I'll tell you, and an astute male could
certainly use me! We could set this community afire! The thinking of a
"God-fearing" believer could magnify the message of Michael ten-fold and send
some real powerful juice into the circuits. How could he fail with the support
of all you lovely ladies? I am not, however, going to try to entice one only to
play a role for you or me or the Teaching Mission, for unless and until the
genuine article shows up, it doesn't pay to fantasize, and I know that all
ladies can identify with that. [Silence] Can't you?</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> Yes, we can.</P><B>
<P>Celeste:</B> And we know a real man when we ... hear one! (Group laughter) We
know you are!</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Bless you, my dear. I appreciate that. Merium is fidgeting. One
moment.</P><B>
<P>MERIUM:</B> I do wish I had my own set of vocal chords. It seems you are
having such fun and Gerdean only has one mouth we can utilize, but I must put in
my two cents somehow. I don't even particularly have anything to say! I just
wanted to be part of the fun. I sense you are having fun and this is indeed one
of the things that is possible when you learn how to have a high level
intercourse. Well, I guess I've stuck my foot in it. I'll leave now.</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> (Laughing) Thank you, Merium.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Tomas or Merium, either of you, would you help us to see who
Thaddeus was at the Last Supper? There's a statement in The Book where Jesus
takes the cup from Thaddeus.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> I am well aware of the inquest. Gerdean has enjoyed chewing on
this gristle and I am not going to deprive her of the challenge of continuing
her research, and I hope you are not disappointed. I am going to follow up,
however, and say that I admire Gerdean's tenacity, for it is understood that it
is in many cases entirely too easy to ask a teacher to answer the question, and
it then relieves you of the challenge and the sense of accomplishment at finding
it out by your own devices. I like that in a student. I hope you don't think
that's a cop out, but I'm not going to tell you who Thaddeus was, although it is
a good question.</P><B>
<P>Leah:</B> Well, perhaps I'll tell you next week.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Perhaps it is a good exercise for all of us, even our readers.
Remember in the upper room on the evening of the Last Supper, the 12 apostles
went into the room and Jesus stayed behind to visit with John Mark's parents.
And so, as the 12 apostles were without servants in the room, they neglected to
do the foot washing and, instead, scrambled for their chairs, vying for
position, at which time Jesus entered the room. And so there is only Jesus and
the 12 apostles and yet, when "he accepted the cup from Thaddeus" ... now who is
Thaddeus? That is the question. That is the assignment. It is an academic and
fun assignment. One that will get your nose into your textbook and out of that
meddling, self-contemplating, (group giggling) time-consuming, ego-justifying
behavior that we are so well known for in this Teaching Mission.</P><B>
<P>Elizabeth:</B> We have a reputation, evidently.</P><B>
<P>TOMAS:</B> Several. You are not surprised. </P><B></B>
<P>It is time. It is time, my children. It is late. We have had another
bountiful repast. Our minds are dizzy from all the miscellaneous readings and
miscellaneous forms of communication. We have strummed the harp from top to
bottom and from bottom to top. Go hit the books and hit the hay. We'll see you
soon. We love you. Good night.</P><B>
<P>Group:</B> Good night, Tomas and Merium.</P><FONT face="Courier New" size=2>
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