2020-04-24. The Good Place is within?
I saw an article in the newspaper about a television show called The Good Place. It is a comedy that stars Ted Danson, whose character’s name is Michael, and whose job is to “construct neighborhoods for people to live in. But these neighborhoods are only available for those after they leave this world––the “afterlife.” Apparently, this Michael character is a “Bad Place architect who runs the Good Place Neighborhood.”
(I know what you are thinking: there are plenty of bad places of suburbia and exurbia and bad architecture to ship all ships. Do we really need another one?)
Why the article appeared in today’s newspaper is not so curious, in light of our current situation with the virus and all of its manifestations. The writer wants to make a point. Here is what the writer says:
“…[T]his quote … comes from him [Michael character], toward the end of the series.
“‘What matters isn’t if people are good or bad. What matters is if they are trying to be better today than they were yesterday. You asked me where my hope comes from? That’s my answer.’”
This of us who are Urantia Book readers know that this is the way of the mansion worlds. Each person that is resurrected takes his or her place in one of the seven mansion worlds of Mansonia One. And each person brings along with their resurrection the same biases, prejudices, unhealthy attachments, addictions, you might even say the urges of the seven deadly sins. This last point I do know; just speculating. And speculation always registers as being false on this world, perhaps others also.
Be that as it may, we, as ascending mortals of our realm, arrive with a couple of other very important “things.” One is our true being-ness of our personality, our gift from God that is always connected to our Father in the personality circuit. Next, we also have our long-time partner, the indwelling spirit of God, our Thought Adjuster, who brings with him the memories and remembered experiences of value to us as we move on. All the other stuff is left behind as it has no reality in truth. The third is the return of the individual’s guardian angels.
But as we read into the story of the Mansion Worlds, we can see this is exactly the way life on those worlds works. If, at our arrival in the Resurrection Hall of Monsonia One, we find ourselves in the same place as when we left relative to our mental and spiritual levels of advancement that we attained in our earthly life, then what are to think? “Nope, not an angel, am I?” New body, no disease, but “where the hell am I?”
It is these biases, prejudices, unhealthy attachments, addictions, and so on that are still present. And we are surrounded by other folks that also have similar unhealthy…, you know.
The good news, If one calls it good (I can) is that each day from that time forward each person will truly be trying and doing better than they did the day before. That is the nature of the mansion worlds.
This little bit of trivia from the journalist was to say to us all, “_Thank you –– for all the work you do to make our community a community, even when we’re apart. And thank you, too, for trying to better today. That’s all we can do.” Here-here!
Note, I have not seen the program, not even once. Maybe I will if I ever get some free time. It might be like getting a glimpse of the mansion worlds. You think?
Footnote:
The article is by journalist Andrew Atkins, Naples Daily News, USA Today Network – Florida and appears in the April 24, 2020 edition of The News-Press, page A3.
James Leese
April 24, 2020
