1992-10-02-Tolerance and More
Pittsburgh #1
Contents
• 1 Heading
o 1.1 Topic: Tolerance & More
o 1.2 Group: Pittsburgh TeaM
• 2 Facilitators
o 2.1 Teacher: Andrew
o 2.2 TR: Unknown
• 3 Session 1
o 3.1 Opening
o 3.2 Lesson
3.2.1 Tolerance
3.2.2 Siblinghood
3.2.3 Correcting Time
o 3.3 Closing
• 4 Session 2
o 4.1 Opening
o 4.2 Lesson
4.2.1 Truth
4.2.2 Belief
4.2.3 Judgment
o 4.3 Closing
• 5 Session 3
o 5.1 Opening
o 5.2 Lesson
5.2.1 Fairness
o 5.3 Closing
• 6 Session 5
o 6.1 Opening
o 6.2 Lesson
6.2.1 Silence, Stillness
6.2.2 Technique
o 6.3 Closing
• 7 Session 6
o 7.1 Opening
o 7.2 Lesson
7.2.1 Manifestation, Birth
7.2.2 Stillness
o 7.3 Closing
• 8 Session 7
o 8.1 Opening
o 8.2 Lesson
8.2.1 Correcting Time
o 8.3 Closing
Topic: Tolerance & More
Group: Pittsburgh TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Andrew
TR: Unknown
Session 1
Opening
ANDREW: This is Andrew, and this message is for your group. It is important that each of you take very seriously the mission we have set before you. If you are indeed to help us usher in more light to your planet, you must prepare yourselves to be as fit and prepared as you possibly can be. Make prayer and worship a part of your everyday lives. Turn your thoughts to the Father whenever you have a moment, and bring Him thus more fully into your awareness, into your life.
These classes are not meant to be a diversion, but an education for each of you. There is work to be done and we have come to prepare you for it. Read your text regularly. A paragraph a day, if that’s all you can manage. The more you comprehend, the deeper will be your insight and your attunement to the Father’s will for you. Our work, yours and ours, is the work of service, and with it, the truth that all men and women are our brother and sisters, to be loved as much by each of us as our elder brother, our Father-Brother Michael, loves each of them, and us. If only you knew how true, and deep, and wonderous that love is! And it emanates from the very center of your being, where your Adjuster dwells, wherein lives ultimate harmony and peace among men.
Lesson
Tolerance
ANDREW: Tonight I would speak a few words about Tolerance. Be generous of spirit with your brothers and sisters. Do not be quick to judge them, or to take offense at their words. Their ways, their beliefs, their habits, their culture or race or gender may be different from your own; each has his own unique, Father-given personality; He sees things through an individualized frame of reference. Often you would defend yourselves, or your ideas, as if the expression of another self were capable of doing harm to your own vantage point.
Recognize that all have something to contribute; each has his or her unique understanding of the truth. Each can learn from the sincere expression of an idea by another. If nothing else, you can learn how the speaker’s vantage point differs from your own. You would not enjoy having your own ideas, ideals, and goals contradicted by those of another. And you would not begrudge others their right to say what it is they feel; their words are a portrayal of their own personality as it expresses itself through their words, their acts, their comments and direction.
Do not allow prejudice and ignorance to prevent you from opening your hearts to one another. See in each other a spiritual equal, a faith son of God whose destiny is perfection, just as is your own. Allow him or her to choose their own paths, just as you would choose yours. Look for the beauty within each soul. Allow others the freedom to make their own choices about what they believe to be true and what they believe to be an error or a confusion. Do not criticize one another with an eye to changing each other’s beliefs. Give advice only when asked, and then as sincerely as you can, with a respect for the other’s point of view. We are all a very long way from realizing perfection. None has the right to cast stones at the other.
Tolerance is, essentially, kindness. It is respect for the dignity of another’s being, an acceptance that he, too, is undoubtedly doing the best he can. To belittle another belittles you. It is immature and quite unloving. Just because someone differs with you, that doesn’t make him wrong. If you listen to the truths, or even to the opinions of others, however confused, at the very least you learn something of the makeup of that other being. Perhaps you can see a knot of pain he or she cannot, and with a kind word dispel the clouds of doubt and confusion.
Do not stand against untruth. Rather stand for that which you know in your own heart to be true. Examine the other’s opinions and beliefs to see what kernels of truth are there that you may learn from. Whenever you feel yourself starting to judge, to find fault, turn to Michael in prayer and put your petition before him for a more generous spirit, for enough faith to erase your insecurities. Ask how more truly you can love.
Be not quick to take offense. Know that a troublesome being is often a troubled one, and extend your healing kindness rather than your righteous indignation. As you continue on, throughout your entire universe career and beyond, you will continue to encounter beings whose viewpoints differ from your own. Learn to enjoy the distinctness of personality, the unique-ness that makes it irreplaceable in the Father’s loving sight. Ask to see your adversaries through Michael’s mind. Open your hearts to the possibility yes, even the inevitability, of seeing past the other’s rigid framework of belief and feeling and into the core of love within him. Speak as if you were speaking to that loving part, for it is the most real of all the layers of each being.
Do not be anxious either for yourself or for another. We are all safely within the Father’s care. Before closing, let me say again to study. Pray. Enter into the quiet communion of worship. And practice the awareness of our loving Parent’s presence in all you do. For tonight, that is all. Peace to each of you. Good night.
Siblinghood
ANDREW: Let us turn now to a message for the group. In your culture, this evening is called Halloween, or Holy Evening, the prelude to All Saints Day. Let us speak, the, about the brotherhood of the kingdom. The brotherhood of the kingdom is composed of all who devote themselves sincerely to finding the Father and to doing His will. It encompasses not only your contemporaries, but all beings who, since time began, have sought, however feebly, to know the Father. It includes all those yet to come who will likewise dedicate themselves. The kingdom, then, spans all pervaded space, and extends to the ends of the universes. You are cherished members of a far-flung empire, and the songs of praise issuing from every living heart fills the universe with joy. What a privilege it is to have self-conscious life, and to begin to perceive our part in the evolution and realization of the Supreme! When you look out on the starry heavens, ponder the reality of your cosmic citizenship. Know one day you will travel beyond the range your eye can see or your imagination begin to grasp. And always you will be enclosed, enveloped, encircuited by the Father’s very personal love. You are at the beginning, my children, of an incredible adventure.
Let your hearts be glad!
Correcting Time
ANDREW: The superstitions of the past will die a natural death, having no reality beyond that of a dream. The traditions which bind you to out-worn beliefs and limited conceptions likewise will fade away as the light of the new morning greets you. No longer is your planet under quarantine. The broadcasts of truth have begun. Not long, and the hearts of all good and God-seeking peoples will begin to feel the impressions of our messages to them. Not all will interpret the experience in the same way. There will be a great diversity of expression, given the diversity of religions and cultures on your planet at this time. But the goal of all will be the same, to know that you are one family, and that each is worthy of love.
The people of Urantia long for planetary brotherhood. The links of communication on the material plane have taught you of your unity. More and more, spokesmen will arise to lead the people to a deeper realization of their inter-connected-ness. More and more will you learn to think as a people concerned for the well being of the whole. Politically, socially, a new ethics will emerge. Separatism will begin to give way to alliances. You will see many changes in your lifetime.
Your work, the work of this group, is to take the message of brother-hood to the common people. Take it with your words, with your smiles, with the glances of love you give to strangers. Know so completely and confidently the love of the Father for each and every one of his children, that it radiates from you as a sweet fragrance wherever you may chance to be. Be gentle in your teachings. Let the waters of life gently wash upon the shores of the souls you encounter. I am not Andrew the hurricane! Nor would we have you be! Be as the rains of springtime that coax the little seeds to sprout. Let the thirstiness of each one you encounter determine the quantity of refreshment you provide. Fro some, a sip is sufficient for the moment. For others, a cup. Study the techniques of the Master as he taught among the people of your realm.
Closing
ANDREW: Do not be anxious where you are to go, or what to do. Commune with your Father in worship and silence; talk to our Father-Brother Michael in intimate, personal prayer. Your angels are quite capable of guiding you. And your faithful, devoted Adjusters work unceasingly to show you the Father’s will. We do not expect you to have attained great skill yet, in receiving the available guidance. But as your practice increases, so will your faith, and with your increase in faith will come a clearer perception and recognition of the way. Choose with the will to do the Father’s will; that is sufficient. Be sincere. And then trust. It is that simple. This concludes our lesson for today. Go now, and be glad. Let your hearts be filled with joy and peace. Good evening.
Session 2
Opening
ANDREW: Good evening, class. This is Andrew. The session will focus on the idea of Truth.
Lesson
Truth
ANDREW: Truth is a value transcending material fact. Truth partakes of universal spiritual values. That is why, when you encounter the truth, you experience it not only in your mind, but in your heart as well. Truth has a harmony about it; a ring to it. It may be experienced deeply, honestly, sincerely, as if you were experiencing a reality as sure as any you have known.
Much confusion fills your minds. The teachings of your planet, of your culture, of your time, are evolved wisdom. Truth lies beneath them, and may or may not correlate with your beliefs. A belief is a formulation of your human mind. It may or may not be based in fact. It may or may not be true. In fact, your beliefs are frequently more of a hindrance to your seeing and finding truth than a help. It is essential for you, then, to become as aware as possible of the beliefs that you hold in your mind, to examine them, one by one, as you become aware of them, and hold them up to the mirror of truth. We would have you learn to break through the vale of self-deception to see reality in a clear light. It is our mission to bring you light. Many of the beliefs that you hold, you hold as self-protective devices to give pseudo-meaning to your ex-perience of material reality. You fear that to give up your beliefs would leave you with nothing. But to surrender them to the truth will give you more peace and light than you can imagine.
Belief
Primarily examine the beliefs that you hold in your mind regarding your brothers and sisters. Hold them up to the light of love and see if they stand. All beliefs not based in love are false beliefs. We would have you examine your prejudices. Do not separate yourselves into groups of “us” and “them,” for all creatures were made by the same Father. And all mortals possess a fragment of the Father within themselves. Each being you encounter presents you with an avenue for seeing the Father. All are loved equally by him. All have access to his grace. Each of us may look upon one another as if we were looking through Michael’s eyes. So search your hearts and see whether you judge one another by appear-ance, by categories, by status, by class, by gender, by race, by achievement. These are not worthy standards. They are screens that prevent you from seeing the reality of the being before you. “Love one another as I have loved you,” our Master teaches. Pray for this gift.
Judgment
Do not hold on to God, but allow him to flow freely through you in his outreach to your fellows. Attempt to let go of judgement. For judge-ment will surely lead you into error and a narrowness of perception. As you begin to look at one another with eyes of love and forgiveness, compassion and kindness, your hearts will more freely receive the blessings of love that the Father bestows on each of you, on each of us. Truth is that which is in alignment with universal law. Righteousness consists of using the law rightly, that is to say, using it with the motivation of love for one another. “As you have done it,” said the Master, “to the least of these, my brethren, so have you done it unto me.” Celebrate that within each being there is the fragment of the Father. There is an evolving soul. Seek to recognize this part of one another. And judge not another being by his system of ego-beliefs or his degree of temporal attainment in any matter. There is more to say, and we will meet regularly, class. Study the life of the Master. Pay attention to the way he interacted with the beings of this planet.
Closing
Your sincerity, your striving to know and to practice the will of God in your lives is touching. We appreciate you. Dedicate your lives more fully to cooperation with your Thought Adjusters, for they seek to lead you in paths of goodness and beauty and truth far surpassing your current ability to understand. Continue to learn and to share and to grow and to worship with one another. Each of you has much to give the others. Each of you is individually strengthened by your participation in this group. That is all for this evening. Goodnight, my children, my brothers, my sisters. I wish you peace.
Session 3
Opening
ANDREW: Our lesson this evening is on fairness. What does it mean to be fair?
Lesson
Fairness
Fairness is a willingness to compromise, a willingness to put another’s well-being and happiness on a plane with your own. Fairness means holding your brother in equal value to yourself. Fairness is a form of justice, tempered with love. Fairness is a harmonious adjustment of interpersonal differences. Fairness is a striving to treat each person in a situation with equal respect. To be fair is to be tolerant and accepting of the fact that differences will arise among you. And in recognizing these differences, being willing to abandon some of your demands and wishes to accommodate the demands and wishes of another. Each person gives, and each person receives. Fairness is a balancing. The desires of your heart are as important as the desires of the other: not more, not less — as long as both have in mind a goal which is beneficial to each or to the greater good. Seek to agree in spirit. Give to another unbegrudgingly. Receive with a glad heart, in humility, that which the other concedes to you.
There is a nobility to fairness. A willingness to transcend pettiness and selfishness while still recognizing the validity of each individual’s personal needs. Again it is a balance. Bring kindness to your interactions with others, but neglect not to be kind to yourself as well. Do not compromise your true ideals. Humility is one thing; self-debasement is another.
In all your dealings with others, remember that each of you, not just the other, is a child of God. Hold up a standard which would give to each of you the most possible benefit. And bear in mind your goal of doing the will of the Father. Should a question arise between you as to which is the better way, which is the fairer way, ask for the mind of Christ. The mind of Michael is available to you if you will but open your mind to receiving his wisdom. Your Thought Adjuster cares about the decisions you make and will make every attempt to align your thinking in a way that is most divine. You are not expected to be free from error.
But once perceiving that you are on an erroneous course, have the grace to change direction. Do not stay an erroneous course out of the pride of the material self. When a situation is truly fair, it will leave you feeling the beauty and peace and joy that one feels on a day when the weather is fair, when there are no clouds in the sky, and the air is filled with the gentle singing of birds, when it is neither hot nor cold, but comfortable, when the breathing is easy and the spirits are high. Fairness will elevate you. Fairness will give you happiness.
Closing
ANDREW: Strive for fairness in all your dealings with your fellow man. That is sufficient for this evening. Thank you, and good night.
Session 5
Opening
ANDREW: Good evening, this is Andrew. Our lesson tonight is on visiting the silence, on holding in our thoughts the presence of God, fastening our minds on his sharing our lives with us, his indwelling of our very minds, his seeking to lead us to him.
Lesson
Silence, Stillness
ANDREW: That which mortals call thought is hardly more than a stream of electro-chemical energy, ripples on the surface of a lake. And we are blown hither and thither by our thoughts and their attendant emotions, much like the wind-tossed waters of a lake. But beneath the surface, the Thought Adjuster dwells in the deep and hidden currents, ever sending forth his light and his truth, watchful for any opportunity to bring your consciousness more closely in connection with his. In fact, it is the same consciousness; mortals just tend to focus on the material, or surface, level.
If you were riding in a boat and the waves were splashing about you, it would not be possible for you to see beneath the surface of the waters. If, however, you were in a boat on a calm, clear lake, you would be able to see beneath the surface. What we need for you to do, then, is to make of your mind a calm, clear surface, unruffled by the concerns of your everyday activities, relationships, and plans. That is why we ask you to enter the stillness, to calm yourselves, so that you may more clearly perceive what lies beneath the surface of your lives.
Technique
ANDREW: Calmness, stillness, is attained by practice. Hold an image in your mind. Perhaps the three concentric circles of Michael’s banner, perhaps a flame of truth. Or hold a sound in mind. Not a sound so much, as the silence that lies beneath all sounds. You can hear the silence. Between each sound you perceive it is there, much as a blackboard is there, beneath the white letters that we mark upon it, or as a page is there, beneath the print. Perhaps you will best find the stillness through concentrating on a feeling–a feeling of warmth, centering in your heart, a feeling of love. Choose one of these modalities and focus on it.
When you find that your attention has been led away from the image on which you set out to focus, simply let go of the thought or the emotion, and return once again to the image. Practice this. Try a period of ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes in the morning if you can, or in the evening. You may choose to precede this practice of stillness, of worship, with prayer, in which you bring your personal petitions to Michael. Then bring your praises, and enter from there into the worshipful stillness.
It is difficult for your Thought Adjusters to speak with you, to contact your consciousness when your mind is racing, when it is cluttered with material thoughts, when your emotions are stirred or troubled. Through-out your day, take time, a moment, to pause, breath deeply, and realize that you are in the heart of God as surely as he is in your heart and in your mind.
Closing
ANDREW: This ends our lesson for this evening. Good night, and Peace to you.
Session 6
Opening
ANDREW: To my dearly students, Good Evening. Thank you, each of you, for the commitment you have made over the last little while to attend so fully to the growth of your souls.
Lesson
Manifestation, Birth
ANDREW: There is a moment when the tiny sparrow must choose to begin the arduous task of breaking away the shell that encases it in order that it may emerge into the light where one day it will spread its wings and fly. Think of the delicacy of that little being, of the hardness and brittle sharpness of that shell. Think of the courage it must take, to leave behind the familiar comfort, to shatter everything that seemed its security and home! That is what we see you doing now: daring to leave the hard shell of mortal thoughts and concerns, the dreams that have encased you, to push beyond the soft membrane of familiar, accustomed emotions, to struggle and wriggle, en-during the sharp shards falling all about you, motivated only by your faith in the light and freedom you sensed beyond the illusion of your limitations.
We cheer you, and welcome you to the springtime, the dawning. Come join in our joyous songs of praise! On your world, when one who has been blind is suddenly given the gift of sight, at first his mind is unable to interpret the signals his eyes send him. When a human infant is born, it takes time for him to attach meaning to the sights and sounds his senses bring him. You are like the baby bird, the newly sighted man, the human infant. It will take a time of adjustment for you to know the meaning of the new sensations you are beginning now to perceive.
But we are here, filled with glad-ness at your entrance into the kingdom, and we will comfort and guide you, protecting your steps as you go. Much of your mind is still filled with the remnants of dreams from your long slumber. But as you rest in the stillness and absorb the immense love poured out to you from your divine Creator, as you sense the tenderness of the divine Mother Spirit enfolding you and hear the glad songs of the angels in your heart, you will begin to blossom as a glorious flower. Feel the power of the new life penetrating your consciousness, your emotions, the very cells and atoms of your body. Feel the wondrousness of the wisdom that calls you to the true reality of the God-conscious life. Be filled with happiness, young soul, and with joy. You are richly blessed. More than you can even begin to know.
Stillness
ANDREW: Each time you enter the stillness and feel the immeasurable love of your divine Father filling your being, supporting it, enlivening it, surrounding it, you gain more experience of his goodness, his wisdom, his power. And more and more He begins to pour himself into your consciousness, calling you to recognize his divine will, his divine power, his divine love, as your own.
Little ones, we your teachers come to assure you of the reality of your of your awakening, of the truth of the experiences unfolding now on the deepest levels of your being. We come to help you translate your newfound knowledge into actions of love in your everyday life. We reach out to steady you as you take your first steps in the Father’s kingdom, to balance you.
The shell your faith has cracked and broken was the shell of belief in your limitations. Our beloved Michael lived on this very planet as the image of man that God created and pronounced good. Follow his pattern. Appropriate his faith. Take joy in the knowledge that he himself shows us the Way.
Doubt not these experiences, my class. Walk humbly. Open your hearts in thanksgiving. Be steadfast in your worship and in your prayer. We, your teachers, have beautiful nursery tales to tell, tales of the truth and beauty and goodness of the kingdom you have chosen to enter, tales of great friendliness of all the universes, of the mighty wisdom that designed them, the grandeur and splendor of the adventure that awaits you. And when you are acclimated, when you begin truly to know the reality of this new dimension, we will go with you as you begin to reach out to your brothers and sisters to share with them this good news. Do not be dismayed. Give thanks. Praise is the antidote to all anxiety and doubt. Let your hearts be filled, as are ours, with praise.
Closing
ANDREW: We love you, class. We thank you for your courage, and your faith, and your commitment. Be at peace. Your devoted teacher, Andrew.
Session 7
Opening
MACHIVENTA: Good Evening. We have been waiting for you. Our message this evening is not for you alone.
Lesson
Correcting Time
MACHIVENTA: This is Machiventa Melchizedek. These teachings are to be made known to all the children of the earth. Your planet, Urantia, is about to undergo the most dramatic changes in its human history as the Son of God and brother of man, Christ Michael, prepares to make his re-appearance. Daily life, as you know it, will never be the same. It will be lifted up. Enlightened. The spirit of love will begin to dominate human motivations as the kingdom of heaven descends to the planet in the hearts of all who are willing to embrace its reality. Your institutions will change. Your national boundaries will have not the same meaning as nation after nation enters into shared sovereignty with larger and larger units for commercial and cultural exchange. People will begin to believe in the possibility of peace and universal brotherhood.
Fear will diminish. Individuals will see each other as valuable, beloved brothers and sisters, reaching out to those in need with hands of help and comfort and education. The race will finally have its opportunity to begin realizing its potential. It will be a flowering, a renaissance, on a scale unknown before in the planet’s history. The time of correcting will see all these things. You who are open to the leadership of us teachers will receive individual assignments as the time comes for you to assist in the unfolding of the plan. Think now about the role you would most enjoy playing, and we will match your assignments to your preferences as nearly as possible. This will be your finest opportunity for service. A grand adventure in faith and love.
Meanwhile, practice the stillness daily. Pray for the coming of the kingdom. Pray for the opening of the hearts and minds of your fellows. Practice loving one another, greeting every brother and sister you meet with a heart full of love and kindness. Be tolerant of those whose belief systems differ from your own. The mental framework of their ideas matters not; judge each by the fruits his beliefs produce. See that truth produces goodness and beauty. Be patient and kind with one another. Do not criticize another’s path; you have not the wisdom to do so. Be a light to those who are searching. Lead them gently. Do not offer advice unless invited. Do not judge. Yet be discerning in the acceptance of new ideas yourself.
Test them for their quality, for their adherence to your knowledge of the qualities of Godliness. The Spirit of Truth will lead you. Have faith. Do not let your doubts or your inability to comprehend all that is unfolding unsettle you. Take each day as the gift that it is. Expect to see the way that is being laid out for you. Follow the leading of your most sincere heart, the voice of your heavenly guide, the urgings of your angels. You are children of high destiny. You are beloved and respected. Have courage. Do not fear. Mistakes will be made; it is to be expected. When you see you have been in error, simply let it go and adjust your path accordingly. Ask for guidance.
Forgive others who make mis-judgments in their courses, too. You are beginners, just learning to walk by the light of the spirit. You will stumble, but simply rise up and begin again. It is no matter. Do not take yourself too seriously. Enjoy the adventure. Do not be overawed. Give freely of your praise, to our Father, and to your fellows for the work they do on his behalf. Avoid dogma and doctrine, save the doctrine of the Father’s love, and word your messages so they may be acceptable to the ears of those to whom you speak. Let this be a time of joy and gladness. It is significant work we are doing together, but be at ease as you attend to the tasks before you. Let your hearts be filled with certainty and love.
Closing
MACHIVENTA: Know that we are with you, ready to support and guide. Spend time in prayer often, a communion of your heart with your Father within; and listen in the stillness for the melody of his loving, personal embrace. You are beloved children. It is our privilege to serve with you at this dawning of the glorious new age. Be at peace. Peace. That is all. Good night.
