1996-02-04-Ringing Truth Bells, Group Schisms
Pittsburgh #12
Contents
• 1 Heading
o 1.1 Topic: Ringing Truth Bells, Group Schisms
o 1.2 Group: Pittsburgh TeaM
• 2 Facilitators
o 2.1 Teacher: Tomas
o 2.2 TR: Gerdean
• 3 Session
o 3.1 Opening
o 3.2 Lesson
3.2.1 Relativity, Human Condition
3.2.2 ACIM, Urantia Book
3.2.3 Truth, Revelation
o 3.3 Dialogue
3.3.1 God Calling
3.3.2 Pornography, Anger
3.3.3 Difference, Urantia Movement
3.3.4 Catastrophism
o 3.4 Closing
Topic: Ringing Truth Bells, Group Schisms
Group: Pittsburgh TeaM
Facilitators
Teacher: Tomas
TR: Gerdean
Session
Opening
TOMAS: Good afternoon,
Group: Good afternoon, Tomas.
TOMAS: Dear students, loyal family, I am again honored to be in your presence and to assist you in your endeavors to attain a reality in yourselves, individually, which will bring peace to your systems and which will harmonize with your fellows, to the end that we will know peace on Urantia in the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual planes.
Lesson
Relativity, Human Condition
TOMAS: My words to you today are a reflection of the bell that you ring in preparation for this teaching format. The clarity of divinity in its purest, as it is known in the Central Isle of Paradise, rings t rue and clear, and as it, diffuses out into the evolving worlds, its resonance is fainter and fainter until it evaporates into infinity. In that tone — not in the beginning and not in the ending — you find yourselves in the reality which prevails on Urantia today.
In other words, you are not in the remote realms of space (which discerns no spiritual light and resonance); neither are you in the heart of the bell (in the Center of Havona), but in your relative position in your local universe. And thus it is in this relative state where we meet, and mingle. My comrades, I would speak a moment on this relative aspect which has caused some consternation among many who have found the concept of perfection to ring true in their deep heart, that the relative condition of their spirituality might be suspect. The sound of the First Source is so pure as to be incomprehensible to the finite beings that you are here; but, again, you are not so remote as to be in total darkness, devoid of music.
How else can you be, but relative? — relative perfection / relative imperfection. The adage to “be perfect even as the Father in Heaven is perfect” infers the perfection attainment capable of finite beings. It is not expected that your perfection levels attain ultimate levels of reality, but relative realities, which will enable you to function within your framework of time and space.
That aspect of divinity which indwells you, that aspect of perfection which is your destiny, is from the Original I AM Perfect Source, but even Its perfection is suspended as it seeks to conjoin with you, and so your reality develops. Let me address this dual nature of the mortal being, for this is the challenge of your experiential existence, your birthright.
You are born into a material existence from the physical realms and so you are of animal origin. And with this origin you inherit all those factors of evolutionary life which have gone before you. And you have a certain vested interest in life as it has evolved on your planet, since this history is the background upon which you stand — the scaffolding, if you will, that has enabled you to stand upright, to reason, to communicate and to feel the pull from Paradise which will generate that growth in you which will enable you to ascend the ladder of divinity attainment to ultimate eventual merging with your Indwelling Spirit and so bring into being a full-fledged spirit personality capable of perfection in Infinity.
The adventure is in the attainment. And so, my friends, it is philosophically replete to say that you are perfect, as long as you understand that this is relative perfection, relative to this moment. In growth there is change, there is, hopefully, evolution and nearer-ness to divinity, and so your relative perfection becomes higher as you grow, as you make those decisions which will enable you to experience the next realm of relative divinity attainment.
It is, however, highly beneficial to Urantians who have been held back by the traditions and fears of your mortal/animal legacy, held back into feelings of inferiority or powerlessness, it is beneficial to understand the angle of perfection possibility. It is indeed part of our work to encourage you to acknowledge that aspect within yourself which hails from divinity and to recognize that spark of divinity in your fellows, for this potential-actual encourages you to become more than what you were. It helps you rise above the legacy of “miserable sinners”, “dust”, etc. — those terms which belittle faith sons and daughters, under which much of your planet still suffers.
And so this concept of “you are perfect” has some merit, but it must not stop there, for in the acknowledgement of your perfection attainment, what is there yet to strive for? And the exciting truth is that the growth process, the adventure of finding God, the challenge of discovering God, the garden of God, is ever-expanding, ever-illuminating, ever-luring you into yet new and unrevealed realities of divinity attainment.
Also problematic in the attitude of having already attained divinity is the unfortunate approach then to your peers who have not attained this pinnacle of enlightenment, for it then subjects you to a superior attitude toward those with whom you might engage in meaningful fellowship. The concept of having already attained perfection diminishes the need/desire/privilege to engage in merciful ministry. It also lacks in humility.
ACIM, Urantia Book
TOMAS: I am not conveying these concepts today to be obstreperous or to undermine beliefs of many. I am hoping to expand upon a concept which is in vogue today and which has tremendous worth, for this concept (and I will testify to its presentation in “A Course in Miracles”) has a way of pulling Christianity into the fourth dimension where it belongs, and so I would join those proponents of the marriage of the concepts in the Course with the revelation of The Urantia Book as being a significant supplemental scaffolding to help bridge the gap between the East and the West.
I need to, however, interweave the philosophies and ideologies of the fifth epochal revelation to this important work, “A Course in Miracles.” It is my hope today, in making these remarks, to inculcate great relative truths — for even the truths in The Urantia Book are relative to your evolution and awareness. In respect to your evolution on Urantia as evolving beings, there will be other, later revelations (and I will add, parenthetically, that it has been garnered that a new planet has been discovered, and this is testimony to the growth of your world even since the publication of this book, “The Urantia Book.” And so you see a forward-moving march of ages is already ongoing and assimilating the major truths of living reality across the globe.
Truth, Revelation
TOMAS: Still much work is required, and herein is the proposition: that those various ideologies which would seem to be different, rather, stand shoulder-to-shoulder in support of those truths which will enable this world to become united in its ascension toward greater perfection. An army of Celestial Overseers are in support of all truth seekers, truth beacons. The competition which seems to betray you is “illusion” which you have taken upon yourself as a “belief”.
The incorporation of the truths of ascending divinity make for enhanced truth revelation, and incorporate then more and more individuals into this advancing army of believers in the living, loving reality of divinity. It is in the experiencing that the truths of old are made real, and which will carry you and us into tomorrow’s realms, not the crystallized and traditionalized truths of yesterday which serve as intellectual fodder for further divisiveness and separation among the children of God.
In concluding my more formal outpouring for the day, I remind you that we are launched on a new era, the tender years of the era of light and life, and in order to attain the greater good, it is desirous that the relative truth of divinity be assimilated over the fossilized truths of the intellect. Our Master, Michael, has requested that all his children be brought together, a circle of friends, a family of man, believers in his mercy and the divine love of the Eternal. The divisiveness of secularism must not be brought into this New Age of Light and Life. Of course it will, because we/you are only relatively perfect, but we do have our goals which unite us and the love of God to sustain us and comfort us in our mutual process of perfection attainment and experiential growth. May I hear from you, my students?
Dialogue
God Calling
Mrs. M: I wanted to thank you for commenting on the Course in Miracles so very much. I also have found great happiness in a little book called “God Calling” and perhaps you have bumped into it in your celestial bumping around. And possibly at a time appropriate to your plan, would you also care to make a comment about it because it is very powerful, I believe, for me, and so I was just wanting to mention it to you, Tomas, because your mentioning A Course in Miracles is just great and I know several of the others here do, too.
TOMAS: “God Calling” is a delightful reference in many respects, a gift to those who would sit at the feet of the Great Friend. And excepting the few references to certain Christian beliefs, it is alive and well and fostering that relationship between the Teacher and the listener which is precisely what our encouragement into Stillness represents today — that discourse with our Father/ Brother Michael which brings the impersonal God into your home, into your life and into your daily trials, giving you strength, comfort, sustenance and so forth. This, too, is a delightful reference, which you may edit to your satisfaction.
Pornography, Anger
Mrs. M: I had a question about — something I talked about a couple weeks ago. I’ve been thinking about it and it’s clarified itself for me and I wanted to further engage you on this subject of this Rob Guccioni, that is his name. I saw him on television this week and he was talking about his Penthouse empire and I realize what I direct against him is not so much anger at him, but the anger that I have towards a force that is militating against our children. It’s not a — certainly it’s not a personal anger against Bob Guccioni. I don’t have to read anything he writes, or prints. And it wouldn’t bother me if I did because my attitudes are fairly well defined through a life-time of living, but …
The Course in Miracles says that anger is a device that creates guilt in somebody else, and so I also heard another definition of anger which is, if you have anger use it. Use it to become active in some positive way, so I guess I want to . .. If 1 have anger against this Bob Guccioni, I think I would like to use my anger to try to work against pornography in our city and on our media and on the Internet which is a very, very blatant view and a very materialistic view of sex that could create limitations in our children, and so I was wondering — on one hand the Course in Miracles tells us that anger is not particularly productive and on the other hand if you can’t get rid of all of it, can you use it? Do you have any comments on that, Tomas?
TOMAS: Of course. It is ascertaining which aspect to comment on that is my challenge! You well know that anger is a spirit poison but since you are confronted with a poison, the poison of pornography as you see it, your anger is something which, yes, can be directed toward improving an intolerable situation as you see it.
But you refer to your children, and when children are exposed to genuine love and understand the expression of genuine love, it is quite apparent to the child’s own understanding of ethics and morals what a sexual expression of love is, and the child which has been impressed by the value-lures and loyalties of its loving parents, has developed that strength of character which understands the intimate and humanly sacred aspects of physical intimacy and is truly not threatened by the crass and largely inartistic presentation, such as riles your sensibility.
The greatest efforts, then, which you can do, that is the most profound and lasting value you can bring to this concern, is to instill in your children and their children the true and genuine aspects of love and affection which you would leave them as a legacy and have faith that their own appreciation for such sensitivity and refinement, of 1ove will be brought to fruit in an appropriate fashion, and that they will not succumb to the more tawdry presentation.
Mrs. M: Well , Tomas, I would just like to pursue this a bit. One of the concerns I suppose that I feel is the one for the presumed latency, the necessity for the latency period in which a child develops his powers, he develops his interest in the world about him, in his knowledge and so on, and that period of latency is being impregnated, is being shattered by children having these visual experiences of blatant sexuality. And so the latency period, which I understand to be from about six to about ten or eleven, is being interfered with by these people, and that is something that I can’t, to a certain extent, stop from happening for my children.
And also, many, many children out there are not going to have the opportunity to have any experience of what sex is like when it’s being used in your relationship … when its not being used in its highest sense. Many, many children today, I think, are just simply not going to have that opportunity, unless I’m being excessively pessimistic about this situation. I don’t know.
Mrs. H: Could I add to that, Tomas?
TOMAS: Yes.
Mrs. H: There is a world of children who have little or no parenting operation going on in their life. They’re sort of just going with the flow. Whatever happens they go this way, they go that way. These children have never had the opportunity to learn about what the beauty of a relationship can be. How do we, as leaders in this field, how do we approach this?
TOMAS: Well, let me respond before someone else jumps in and gives me even more to assimilate and redirect.
You speak of this period of latency. Prior to this period of latency is the period in the child’s life — and I speak now about that child which has a relatively normal home life — it is during this period of time that the personality foundation has been laid, and so even though the curious child, pre-adolescent, will perhaps be exposed to the sexual nature, if the foundation is well laid, then their proclivities will be founded in that value bed of affection and intimacy which they have learned from their relatively healthy home life.
The fact that individuals investigate their sexual nature is certainly not cause for alarm, for in the years wherein the identity of an individual is developing, primary is the need for understanding its own sexual identity. You will recall that you are animal origin beings, and the propagation of the race — of the existence of humanity in the most fundamental of factors — involves the coming together of the sexes to keep the race alive and evolving. This is natural.
Even investigations to what you, from your adult frame of reference might regard as inappropriate development, is not to be ruled out as the intelligent and healthy young animal will investigate what it will allow itself, whether that be presented on a program featuring pornography or whether it is found in the back room of your own home. These investigations into understandings of identity are part of a normal development and, with maturity, the individual will settle down to a lifestyle and appetite which relatively conforms to its society. Now we address also the unfortunate child who has not been exposed to a healthy home life. Indeed, indeed. I refer at once back to my lesson of today, for how much can we presume to say that we are perfect, when Urantia has much correcting to do before we can breathe easy and say that all things are on course?
There are truly many social ills, many miscarriages of justice and so forth which are resultant from the on-going darkness and dysfunction of this decimal planet, much work which can be done either by individuals or by like-minded individuals who opt to wave a banner of some truth or clarity in your political arenas or through your churches or through some organization equally concerned about these matters which indeed we concern ourselves with on an on-going basis.
These ills are our assignment. This is Correcting Time. Indeed, many, many of the teachers have been discoursing at great length on such things as human character or anger or emotion and the like, for these are what constitutes you as a human being, and much of your conditioning has been done without a spiritual frame of reference and many of us teachers have been asking you to review your rudimentary understanding of yourself in the light of spiritual rediscovery, that you might then reflect upon your reactions to life and correct your own approach. In, then, having a renewed understanding of yourself and your capacities, we would embark upon the power of the group en masse, the orchestration of the community.
The community of believers as we see it today is growing, and yet still very diffracted in its foundation, so we intend to continue in our efforts in these teaching sessions precisely to change the flavor of the future so that as the more positive community becomes pivotal, becomes stronger, then the darkened aspects of Urantia evolutionary life will be revolutionized in the process.
It is certainly not my intent to discourage anyone’s personal or group cause, for your involvement at any level in improving a situation which is fraught with disease and dysfunction, distress and despair will be helpful, but I point out that as you begin to feel yourself part of the ever-enlarging, ever-expanding, ever-strengthening community of the Love Organism of the Father, then you are no longer fighting those overwhelming battles alone, or against such great odds as you outlined in your preamble. That is all.
Group: Thank you very much. Good. Very good. Thank you.
Mrs. M: You covered it well.
Leah: Would you kindly define the word “diffracted”?
TOMAS: I will analogize, in the face of the possibility that the word is incorrect. When you hear the bell ring, it is a pure tone. With light, as it diminishes, as it goes out, it diffracts, it dissipates.
Difference, Urantia Movement
Mrs. L: I wanted to ask about a guide for study groups. In a recent study group happening, one part of the study group went in one direction and one went in a definitely different direction. There was no attempt to bring that study group into cohesiveness. It was a question of separating people from other people, and I just would like to have you comment on the necessity to seek unity within the group. I think you probably know the situation to which I am referring.
TOMAS: I will discuss generally that situation wherein factions will develop. Recall I said earlier that this is testimony to relative perfection and not ultimate perfection, for in ultimate perfection we are all One and act in Oneness.
The fact that divisiveness occurs in and of itself is not necessarily a misfortune, for this is part of the growth process, part of the evolution. I think vaguely of the poem (by Robert Frost, was it?) wherein it is said, “Two roads diverged into a wood”[1] and he has taken the one that has made the difference, and so certain groups may diverge and one may make a greater difference in the long run, in the greater picture, but who is to say that the one that took the other path was permanently in error? No.
The soldiers of the circles, the army of on-going apostles of truth and life are on the high road to destiny. Whether one or two fall away, whether the group splits in the middle, matters little in the long range view, for the earnestness of effort on behalf of truth, beauty, and goodness will ultimately prevail. Our Father in Heaven is not a failure. Although we may see a dismal failure in a certain situation, it may be, as we say, only the temporary scaffolding which will be torn down in order for the greater structure to be built later on.
Mrs. Ml: It’s so hard to believe that anybody reading the Urantia Book together could ever have to split in that way.
TOMAS: Indeed.
Mrs. Ml: It’s so perfect.
TOMAS: Then one wonders what book they are reading, for in appreciating it as a gift to this planet, as a revelation to a world in darkness and despair, to read the sublime words and concepts presented which thrill the truth-seeker in the depths of his or her soul, and to walk those steps with Jesus on his earthly path ~ with the conditions of his time and in his own faith to be able to overcome and master his own personality and be in complete alignment with His Father in Heaven and in so doing to inspire his followers, his children, his co-workers by his matchless courage ~ is an inspiration which ought to move the very soul of even the hardest heart and thickest skull, yet oddly enough there are those who have not opened their hearts to the actual love experience which is at the actual heart of the revelation and the revelators. It is not a mere exercise in discoursing a theology and cosmology. It is a way of life, and this way of life is bred and fostered by and through living love. Living love is the answer. It is the only question, the only solution. Perhaps what we have here is an interpretation of love.
Mrs. Ml: Yes, thank you. Thank you very much.
Student: Since you bore me ears to hear with, a voice to speak with, my eyes to see with, I want you to understand the words that I say, though verbal, I want to thank you for bringing so much love with you when you come.
TOMAS: Thank you, my daughter, for your acknowledgement of your own reflection of your own reality, for without your desire for infinite affection, your heart would not be availed for that love which I connect to and with in my presence here. Yes.
Student: May I ask if it is in any way possible that I don’t understand, that I be opened even more?
TOMAS: Indeed. It is an exercise in faith that all of us may take upon ourselves, and that is to be ever eager and willing in our heart of hearts to be open to that which would be given to us on our next step of understanding and enlightenment. It is possible always to ask for greater faith, to pray for deeper understanding. It is also true that as you seek, you will find, and without going into a lengthy lesson on “decisions” (which I had thought to do today but opted otherwise), it is by your own decisions that you open yourself to your own growth.
Student: Tomas, in addition to the warmth and love that we feel for Robert is there some way that we can warm up his abode? He’s — it’s a very cold winter!
TOMAS: You can take him home with you if you like.
Student: There you are.
Student: There you go.
TOMAS: Providing, of course, he is amenable to such a solution.
Student: I believe Karen has a little bit of the same problem with heat.
TOMAS: Gerdean’s furnace has been repaired, but it is certainly true that this is an uncommonly cold winter, not only here but throughout, and these are a natural part of earth changes and evolution of your world. I am not making light of those who are cold, understand. I will use that, in fact, to refer again back to my message earlier regarding relative perfection for, although the lack of heat equals cold, one cannot in faith say that the one who is freezing to death has not attained the perfection of heat.
Catastrophism
Student: Well, it does bring up the point that our teachers have said that, ‘Now don’t start worrying about storing up food and don’t worry about these things.’ But then, you know, along come these earth changes and some people are finding themselves in rather uncomfortable circumstances, which does raise the question again, why not take certain kinds of precautions about extreme changes in temperature that we feel we might experience? Why not take precautions against the kind of changes that happen when climate changes radically?
Student: Like turn on the furnace. Things like that?
Student: Well, I’m thinking about being prepared for certain rather extreme eventualities which we feel are possibly on the horizon, but will we bring them in if we think about them? Some people do suggest that possibility.
TOMAS: I respond only conversationally, for it is not revelation. And why not, indeed, prepare for what you can see is right around the corner in terms of your corporeal existence, your temporal environment, your goods and needs in the physical realm? Why not amass fresh water and an abundant supply of food, preservative-type food? Indeed, culture, games and those things which will enhance and expand your enjoyment of life should life as you know it alter suddenly, radically or painfully? I am not predicting or projecting here. I am only conversationally suggesting that these are things that the human animal has an interest in and “Mother Earth News” has been promoting for years.
I am reminded, too, however, that when it is known that you have largess, those who have not planned ahead may attack. And that is not a solution, but also I am reminded that in war time, when there is national distress or in times of disaster such as floods or earthquake, the human being extends himself in friendship to his peers in the tragedy and that is not an outlook to be overlooked, either, for although preparation will give you perhaps some sense of well-being and material peace of mind, it is the actual working out of the brotherhood in time of need which is the true earmark of a civilized people.
Student: That’s right.
TOMAS: And remember too that as you are a civilized far-reaching individual who has remembered to amass your securities for hard times, there is on you some responsibility then toward your less far-seeing brothers and sisters in their distress – in their immaturity, but in their humanness also.
Student: So the bringing together of the brothers and sisters in Christ we are each a commodity, basically, for each other, of love and support and . ..
TOMAS: I will use the word dependent, although that word has a bad reputation these days. It has been fostered as a result of a negative condition, and dependence on God and that which weaves us together as faith sons and daughters is a rightful dependence. Not that you may look to your brothers and sisters with expectation of their being able to be there for you under any circumstances, but be assured the strength which is provided by your brothers and sisters in the reality of truth, faith and joy of the Kingdom ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ will help to sustain you and inspire you to then do your own best part in holding up your end, that you also may be depended on in the long range and for the greater good.
Student: That’s what I was meaning, like in a time of disaster, if there’s nothing else physically left, the support of your brothers and sisters being there and knowing that they’re there is a very strengthening thing.
TOMAS: Truly. Let me then remind you again of one of my primary purposes here and that is to cement within your own faith realms that understanding of your own reality which will grow and develop to become whole and sound and well-balanced with and within your community, and your community ultimately will touch your neighboring community and your hands will reach around the world to change the face of this planet forever. This is serious stuff. (Group chortle)
Mrs. M: Well, to go into something a little lighter, perhaps. It looks like this Flagstaff conference is going to be as magnificent as Montreal was, and maybe you were around for the triennial conference at Montreal, Tomas. I don’t know how long you’ve been around here, but it was so wonderful and I just wanted to tell you that it would be really nice if you could put it on your agenda.
TOMAS: I assure you I have my agenda well planned for me. (Group laughter) Perhaps now we can savor a moment of undiffused perfection that will remind us of that inner bastion of strength, that indwelling fragment of perfection which we aspire to attain and become one with for all eternity. As we find strength and harmony in our lives, as a result of having this divine spark to go to, and attend us, we are renewed in our resolve and determination and strength to then go out into our arena and serve and praise.
Closing
TOMAS: My friends, my loyal students and my companions in truth, I have again appreciated the opportunity to come and be with you, to discourse with you, and to share our ideals and aspirations. In affection I am your loving teacher, Tomas.
Mrs. Ml: It is our good fortune that you are here, Tomas.
Mrs. H: Thank you.
Mrs. M: Thank you so much for coming.
TOMAS: Perhaps soon I can prevail upon a “student visitor” or a “visiting teacher” to come and grace us with his or her presence. In the meantime, I am appreciative, again, of the developing rapport which we are gaining and building and, in light of our priceless scaffolding, let me bid you then a fond farewell.
Mrs. M: Farewell, Tomas.
Group: Thank you.
