Religion from A Melchizedek Viewpoint—Part 9: The Real Nature of Religion

Last week we started a new paper in our study of religion, Paper 101. The Real Nature of Religion presented by a Melchizedek. 

Paper 101 dives deeply into religion as a reality in human experience. Last week, Paula, Andre and Chick covered the first two parts of Paper 101, 1.True Religion, 2.The Fact of Religion. This week we'll tackle 3.The Characteristics of Religion and 4.The Limitations of Revelation. In coming weeks will study 5.Religion Expanded by Revelation, 6.Progressive Religious Experience, 7.A Personal Philosophy of Religion, 8.Faith and Belief, 9.Religion and Morality,10.Religion as Man's Liberator. This is certainly one of the longer papers.

Section 3 begins with this intriguing statement: 101:3.1.Religion is so vital that it persists in the absence of learning. It lives in spite of its contamination with erroneous cosmologies and false philosophies; it survives even the confusion of metaphysics. In and through all the historic vicissitudes of religion there ever persists that which is indispensable to human progress and survival: the ethical conscience and the moral consciousness.

Section 4 provides this tidbit: 101:4.3.Truth is always a revelation: autorevelation when it emerges as a result of the work of the indwelling Adjuster; epochal revelation when it is presented by the function of some other celestial agency, group, or personality.

Does religion mean following rigid codes of conduct or fear based doctrines? The Urantia Book refutes that. It tells us what it really means to live a religious life and it's probably not what most people think. Consider this: "True religion is to know God as your Father and man as your brother. Religion is not a slavish belief in threats of punishment or magical promises of future mystical rewards."

Please come and explore with us how The Urantia Book defines true personal religion on The Cosmic Citizen!