Hello Friends,
At this parliament, four major Urantia organizations, the Urantia Book Fellowship, the Urantia Foundation, ANZURA (Australia and New Zealand Urantia Readers Association) and the UAI (Urantia Association International) all worked together on presenting and exhibiting the Urantia Book. We put aside differences and worked together. Each group contributed something of great value to the process. It was a blessing to work side by side with our fellow Urantia organizations at this Parliament. Urantia Book readers from New Zealand and Australia did a great of job with logistics in pulling this effort off. I offer heartfelt thanks to them.
For me, the overall tone of this Parliament was that of reevaluation. It gave religionists who attended from around the world a chance to take a hard look at ourselves. At what we are doing and what we can do. We listened to the heart wrenching pleas of the Indigenous People present there as they beseeched the modern world to stop defiling the earth. We learned that they cause only 1 % of the problem and yet are suffering 90 % of the consequences. Leading experts on climate change are calling the catastrophe they face “climate injustice.”
Equally compelling was an address to the Parliament on the first day by President Jimmy Carter, who admonished us to stop the barbaric practice of discrimination and crimes against women and especially to quit using ancient religious texts as justification. He has left his own religious organization in protest of this and is boldly speaking against such practices. What a brave soul. To see his complete address, click on his picture to the right. In fact, if you can, spend some time at the Parliament’s official site. Just click on the picture of the Dalia Lama. There are many interesting videos, images and articles that offer an in depth overview of this important event.
The Parliament offered its participants many lessons on transcending and healing. As I was talking to leaders of other religious movements I realized that schisms among fellow devotees are not uncommon, and in fact, they are typical. I spoke at length to a woman representing the Spiritual Living Centers (formerly Religious Science). She told me that her movement (born in the early 20th Century) had a major schism about 25 years ago, but, in her words, “we are finally coming back together.” It was interesting to me that she thinks 25 years is a long time. Some religious differences are handed down from generation to generation and have gone on for centuries. It always amazes me that people can be so angry in the present over something that happened long ago. I’m reminded of the quote from the UB that says, “…human loyalties, once mobilized, are hard to change.”
The Urantia Book's wisdom admonishes us to get to know each other’s motives and sentiments. To do so is invaluable in helping us create sympathetic understanding for one another. Our sympathetic understanding of our fellows makes it hard to continue hurtful behaviors and it makes it easier to do the right thing. That coupled with true humility is essential to peace within our homes, communities and the world. The Parliament is where the religions of the world are getting to know each other. It takes courage to surrender notions of religious sovereignty and find common ground. It’s evolution happening before our eyes and that’s a very good thing!
While there, I had several occasions to sing and chant with friends. At one point the harmony we achieved was exquisitely beautiful. Later, my friend shared an insight about this with the rest of us. She said, “Isn’t it a wonder that only through real diversity can we ever hope to achieve true harmony?” I had to let that one sink into my heart. It was simple and obvious and yet so profound. If each of us sang the same note, harmony would be impossible. True harmony comes only when diverse notes are blended together. Once achieved, it is entirely worth the effort required to achieve it. But true harmony can only be achieved when we practice singing all together. Harmony is a process of striking balance with others, not too loud, not too soft, but in such a way as to blend one’s own uniqueness with the uniqueness of others.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Hello Friends,
It is late on Monday night here in Melbourne. The last two days here at the Parliament have been extraordinary. Marvin and Francyl played with the Agape International Choir last night at the special Parliament concert. Ricky Byers is the wife of the Rev. Michael Beckwith. She is the musical genius behind their choir. Their performance was superb. The choir looked like a living rainbow on the stage.
The outreach effort here is fantastic. We are placing books with extraordinary people. Marvin was able to place a book with Andrew Cohen. Andrew is a spiritual teacher and founder of EnlightenNext magazine, (formerly What is Enlightenment). He is a visionary thinker who is widely recognized for his original contribution to emerging evolutionary spirituality. He encountered Marvin after his workshop, Exploring the Future of Religion and Spirituality. When Marvin mentioned the Urantia Book to him he was extremely positive about it. He said, “Oh yes, I’m very interested in that book, everyone I know who reads it is of a high caliber.” He mentioned a few readers and asked Marvin if he knew them and of course Marvin did. Marvin offered him the book and he accepted it enthusiastically.
Today two distinguished Iranian men came up to the booth. They engaged Larry in an exchange about the book. At one point someone put a book into their hands. They signed our list and left a note that they were taking the book for a scientific research project in Tehran. They later came back and asked Gard to attend as a guest presenter at a conference on philosophy they are sponsoring in Tehran in 2010.
I placed a book with a high school teacher from Singapore. Her Indian parents migrated there before she was born. She is a Christian who attends a Christian Science church. She was in Sri Lanka in 2004, sitting on the balcony of a tiny hotel when the tsunami hit.
Her survival story is extraordinary.
Tonight the Plenary was created and put on by young people. We were inspired by the work they have undertaken around the world by tackling global issues with true leadership and creativity. This was my favorite plenary so far. It was absolutely engaging. Some of the projects that were covered included the work of Hugh Evans, who, in his teens, created a global movement to end extreme poverty. Brief videos on Hugh’s effort, and the story of his work on the Global Poverty Project, can be found at http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/
A theater troup called the Platform Youth Theater did a scene from their play. It's playing in Melbourne all week. The troop features a duo, one Israeli man and one Palestinian man. They engage in a humorous banter on stage and together with their troop explore the function and dysfunction of religion.
Also highlighted were two young people who went across the country interviewing university students on why it’s so hard to talk about religion. Their efforts culminated in a terrific website, http://www.soulpancake.com/. At Soulpancake.com visitors are asked to pose thought provoking questions and answers about God, philosophy and religion. It left us all thinking, “Gee, why didn’t we think of that?”
These amazingly bright young people gave us a great deal of hope for the future.
The Youth Plenary had a memorable mix of concise and thought provoking presentations, short inspirational videos, great music and theater. This one alone was worth the price of admission.
One more day to go.
Upward and onward....Paula
It is late on Monday night here in Melbourne. The last two days here at the Parliament have been extraordinary. Marvin and Francyl played with the Agape International Choir last night at the special Parliament concert. Ricky Byers is the wife of the Rev. Michael Beckwith. She is the musical genius behind their choir. Their performance was superb. The choir looked like a living rainbow on the stage.
The outreach effort here is fantastic. We are placing books with extraordinary people. Marvin was able to place a book with Andrew Cohen. Andrew is a spiritual teacher and founder of EnlightenNext magazine, (formerly What is Enlightenment). He is a visionary thinker who is widely recognized for his original contribution to emerging evolutionary spirituality. He encountered Marvin after his workshop, Exploring the Future of Religion and Spirituality. When Marvin mentioned the Urantia Book to him he was extremely positive about it. He said, “Oh yes, I’m very interested in that book, everyone I know who reads it is of a high caliber.” He mentioned a few readers and asked Marvin if he knew them and of course Marvin did. Marvin offered him the book and he accepted it enthusiastically.
Today two distinguished Iranian men came up to the booth. They engaged Larry in an exchange about the book. At one point someone put a book into their hands. They signed our list and left a note that they were taking the book for a scientific research project in Tehran. They later came back and asked Gard to attend as a guest presenter at a conference on philosophy they are sponsoring in Tehran in 2010.
I placed a book with a high school teacher from Singapore. Her Indian parents migrated there before she was born. She is a Christian who attends a Christian Science church. She was in Sri Lanka in 2004, sitting on the balcony of a tiny hotel when the tsunami hit.
Her survival story is extraordinary.
Tonight the Plenary was created and put on by young people. We were inspired by the work they have undertaken around the world by tackling global issues with true leadership and creativity. This was my favorite plenary so far. It was absolutely engaging. Some of the projects that were covered included the work of Hugh Evans, who, in his teens, created a global movement to end extreme poverty. Brief videos on Hugh’s effort, and the story of his work on the Global Poverty Project, can be found at http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/
A theater troup called the Platform Youth Theater did a scene from their play. It's playing in Melbourne all week. The troop features a duo, one Israeli man and one Palestinian man. They engage in a humorous banter on stage and together with their troop explore the function and dysfunction of religion.
Also highlighted were two young people who went across the country interviewing university students on why it’s so hard to talk about religion. Their efforts culminated in a terrific website, http://www.soulpancake.com/. At Soulpancake.com visitors are asked to pose thought provoking questions and answers about God, philosophy and religion. It left us all thinking, “Gee, why didn’t we think of that?”
These amazingly bright young people gave us a great deal of hope for the future.
The Youth Plenary had a memorable mix of concise and thought provoking presentations, short inspirational videos, great music and theater. This one alone was worth the price of admission.
One more day to go.
Upward and onward....Paula
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Parliament of the World’s Religions – Day 3
Hello Friends,
It’s our third day at the Parliament of the World’s Religions and we are truly in full swing, in a groove as it were.
Some of the issues of having two groups and two publisher’s books at the same booth have been challenging but not insurmountable. It’s awkward at times but the spirit of cooperation and a desire to understand and create good will are clearly present. Trevor and Kathleen Swadling have done a splendid job getting the booth and the exhibitor aspect of this Parliament organized. The local UAI group ANZURA has completely managed this aspect of the Parliament and as the one who would normally be responsible for it I am deeply appreciative of their efforts.
Today we placed books with some amazing people and many young (twenty-something) people. For instance, we placed the book with a young Israeli man, a young Scientologist, a young couple from Latvia, a young woman from New York, a man from Germany, as well as several local people and these represent just what I have knowledge of. We have placed the book with Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs and Christians and we are just getting started.
The Parliament features amazing artists and musicians. Today I went to a concert called Om Shanti Om. It was in honor and tribute to the great poet Rumi. The only word that comes to mind is “sublime.”
Urantia Book reader, Sheila Keene Lund, has launched her new book, Heaven Is Not the Last Stop, at this Parliament. She presented her workshop last night and it was very well attended. At one point she incorporates a creative writing segment for which Cristina and Francyl provided a musical backdrop. Right after the workshop let out, the booth was inundated with people. Larry had the fantastic idea of setting up a table with some books and literature just outside of Sheila’s workshop. When the workshop let out he quickly became swamped with opportunities to share the book.
Marvin learned that the amazing International Agape Choir (directed by Rickie Beckwith, the wife of the Rev. Michael Beckwith) will be performing on the main stage at the Plenary. Marvin learned that their drums and some of their other instruments were lost in transit and since Marvin has his congas, he will be performing with them tonight, along with Cristina on violin and Francyl on guitar. To have these gifted and talented readers on the main stage to perform for everyone at the Parliament will be a dream come true for the rest of us here.
Steve Rorhbach is taking amazing pictures and each night he uploads them to the official Parliament image gallery. Please go here to see Steve’s amazing gallery www.pbase.com/steverohrbach and for more amazing information and images check out the main web site www.cpwr.org and click on photos or just explore.
Believe me when I say, we really wish you all were here.
In awe of the opportunity…..Paula
Hello Friends,
It’s our third day at the Parliament of the World’s Religions and we are truly in full swing, in a groove as it were.
Some of the issues of having two groups and two publisher’s books at the same booth have been challenging but not insurmountable. It’s awkward at times but the spirit of cooperation and a desire to understand and create good will are clearly present. Trevor and Kathleen Swadling have done a splendid job getting the booth and the exhibitor aspect of this Parliament organized. The local UAI group ANZURA has completely managed this aspect of the Parliament and as the one who would normally be responsible for it I am deeply appreciative of their efforts.
Today we placed books with some amazing people and many young (twenty-something) people. For instance, we placed the book with a young Israeli man, a young Scientologist, a young couple from Latvia, a young woman from New York, a man from Germany, as well as several local people and these represent just what I have knowledge of. We have placed the book with Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs and Christians and we are just getting started.
The Parliament features amazing artists and musicians. Today I went to a concert called Om Shanti Om. It was in honor and tribute to the great poet Rumi. The only word that comes to mind is “sublime.”
Urantia Book reader, Sheila Keene Lund, has launched her new book, Heaven Is Not the Last Stop, at this Parliament. She presented her workshop last night and it was very well attended. At one point she incorporates a creative writing segment for which Cristina and Francyl provided a musical backdrop. Right after the workshop let out, the booth was inundated with people. Larry had the fantastic idea of setting up a table with some books and literature just outside of Sheila’s workshop. When the workshop let out he quickly became swamped with opportunities to share the book.
Marvin learned that the amazing International Agape Choir (directed by Rickie Beckwith, the wife of the Rev. Michael Beckwith) will be performing on the main stage at the Plenary. Marvin learned that their drums and some of their other instruments were lost in transit and since Marvin has his congas, he will be performing with them tonight, along with Cristina on violin and Francyl on guitar. To have these gifted and talented readers on the main stage to perform for everyone at the Parliament will be a dream come true for the rest of us here.
Steve Rorhbach is taking amazing pictures and each night he uploads them to the official Parliament image gallery. Please go here to see Steve’s amazing gallery www.pbase.com/steverohrbach and for more amazing information and images check out the main web site www.cpwr.org and click on photos or just explore.
Believe me when I say, we really wish you all were here.
In awe of the opportunity…..Paula
Friday, December 4, 2009
Urantia at the Parliament of Religions – Day 2
This was the first full day of the Parliament. The program officially opened last night. The opening ceremony included a moving tribute to the indigenous people of Australia.
The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra created the musical backdrop for it all.
This Parliament is clearly focused on the issues effecting humanity. The theme is Hearing Each Other, Healing the Earth. I attended two workshops today. The first one was about President Jimmy Carter’s decision to step down from his life long association with the Southern Baptist Church, citing as his reason, their unjust treatment of women. The workshop featured three women speakers, a Muslim, a Hindu and a Sikh. They expounded on the oppression of women based on religious and cultural bias. They noted that certain cruel practices against women are not necessarily religious, but are in fact cultural and practiced regardless of religion. Religion can be manipulated to justify the practice but the practice is more a function of the culture and can be common in several religions in a given region. They all reiterated that education of girls is the key to change. I found myself wishing that Free Schools could be presenting to the many prominent Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims from India in attendance at the Parliament.
I went to a sobering panel discussion on climate change which was presented by a distinguished group of experts. They called global warming the “silent crisis” and depicted over and over again the dire and tragic consequences it is having on the poorest people in the world. They showed us many slides of statistics but the one that stays with me is that the world’s poor, who contributed only 1% to the problem, are the ones who are suffering 90% of the consequences. As always, the Parliament and the world’s religionists are concerned about the human condition and the panel addressed what they believe religionists can do to help create an awareness of the problem and work for its solutions.
Meredith Tenney is a member of a global organization known as Gather the Women.
She and her colleagues put together a workshop called A Creative Exploration of the Sacred Feminine. It was a packed room of mostly women. Meredith asked Francyl, Cristina and I to present from the “Urantia Tradition.” Francyl sang the most beautiful song dedicated to the Mother Spirit, Cristina played an impromptu mediation in which she expressed to the audience, “I’m going to take you off the earth for a while, but I promise to bring you back.” She and Francyl strolled around the audience in the acoustically perfect room. When they finished playing, the participants willingly lingered in the worshipful sweetness of the Mother Spirit. I spoke on the nature of the Mother as depicted in the UB. Our part was very well received.
There was a workshop at the Parliament called The Life of Jesus: Non-Christian Perspectives. Several of us very much wanted to attend it, but the room was overly packed and we were not admitted. Larry, Buck and Arlene, encountered in the hall, an Australian nun who was also denied. Buck gave her a Jesus book from his backpack. She maintains a library of religious texts for her students and was thrilled to receive it. She said she will read it and then place it in the library for her students. As we ate our communal meal last night we pondered that perhaps we Urantians are missing some wonderful opportunities to introduce the Jesus of the Urantia Book out of the context of Christianity. Perhaps there is more interest in him than we imagine.
The exhibit hall opened at 9:00 AM. The Urantia booth is located right inside the front doors and is one of the first to be seen. We couldn’t ask for a better location. Over the years, Urantians have given devoted support to the Parliament and to the Interfaith Movement in general. This has created invaluable inroads and amazing outreach opportunities for us within this blossoming global religious community. We have plenty of books from both publishers and great volunteers from Australia and North America. Marvin was the superstar at the booth today. He placed at least 8 books and got donations for nearly all of them.
All in all, we are having an experience that is rich beyond measure. We are all deeply grateful to our Fellowship for being committed to this work.
Humbly submitted by Paula, with help from Larry and Cristina.
This was the first full day of the Parliament. The program officially opened last night. The opening ceremony included a moving tribute to the indigenous people of Australia.
The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra created the musical backdrop for it all.
This Parliament is clearly focused on the issues effecting humanity. The theme is Hearing Each Other, Healing the Earth. I attended two workshops today. The first one was about President Jimmy Carter’s decision to step down from his life long association with the Southern Baptist Church, citing as his reason, their unjust treatment of women. The workshop featured three women speakers, a Muslim, a Hindu and a Sikh. They expounded on the oppression of women based on religious and cultural bias. They noted that certain cruel practices against women are not necessarily religious, but are in fact cultural and practiced regardless of religion. Religion can be manipulated to justify the practice but the practice is more a function of the culture and can be common in several religions in a given region. They all reiterated that education of girls is the key to change. I found myself wishing that Free Schools could be presenting to the many prominent Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims from India in attendance at the Parliament.
I went to a sobering panel discussion on climate change which was presented by a distinguished group of experts. They called global warming the “silent crisis” and depicted over and over again the dire and tragic consequences it is having on the poorest people in the world. They showed us many slides of statistics but the one that stays with me is that the world’s poor, who contributed only 1% to the problem, are the ones who are suffering 90% of the consequences. As always, the Parliament and the world’s religionists are concerned about the human condition and the panel addressed what they believe religionists can do to help create an awareness of the problem and work for its solutions.
Meredith Tenney is a member of a global organization known as Gather the Women.
She and her colleagues put together a workshop called A Creative Exploration of the Sacred Feminine. It was a packed room of mostly women. Meredith asked Francyl, Cristina and I to present from the “Urantia Tradition.” Francyl sang the most beautiful song dedicated to the Mother Spirit, Cristina played an impromptu mediation in which she expressed to the audience, “I’m going to take you off the earth for a while, but I promise to bring you back.” She and Francyl strolled around the audience in the acoustically perfect room. When they finished playing, the participants willingly lingered in the worshipful sweetness of the Mother Spirit. I spoke on the nature of the Mother as depicted in the UB. Our part was very well received.
There was a workshop at the Parliament called The Life of Jesus: Non-Christian Perspectives. Several of us very much wanted to attend it, but the room was overly packed and we were not admitted. Larry, Buck and Arlene, encountered in the hall, an Australian nun who was also denied. Buck gave her a Jesus book from his backpack. She maintains a library of religious texts for her students and was thrilled to receive it. She said she will read it and then place it in the library for her students. As we ate our communal meal last night we pondered that perhaps we Urantians are missing some wonderful opportunities to introduce the Jesus of the Urantia Book out of the context of Christianity. Perhaps there is more interest in him than we imagine.
The exhibit hall opened at 9:00 AM. The Urantia booth is located right inside the front doors and is one of the first to be seen. We couldn’t ask for a better location. Over the years, Urantians have given devoted support to the Parliament and to the Interfaith Movement in general. This has created invaluable inroads and amazing outreach opportunities for us within this blossoming global religious community. We have plenty of books from both publishers and great volunteers from Australia and North America. Marvin was the superstar at the booth today. He placed at least 8 books and got donations for nearly all of them.
All in all, we are having an experience that is rich beyond measure. We are all deeply grateful to our Fellowship for being committed to this work.
Humbly submitted by Paula, with help from Larry and Cristina.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Urantia at the Parliament of the World's Religions
I left for Melbourne on November 30th at 6:48 PM, and 26 hours later I arrived at our apartment just blocks away from the convention center where the Parliament is being held. Our Fellowship tribe has secured a three bedroom apartment on the 14th floor with a commanding view of this amazing and beautiful city.
Currently, our apartment is housing Steve Rohrbach, Larry Geis, Buck Weimer, Arlene Weimer, Cristina Seaborn and me. We’ve dubbed ourselves the Urantian God Squad. The apartment has a kitchen which we have stocked well with the intent of cooking most of our meals and eating them communally. We are all settled in now and very comfortable here. In addition, Meredith Tenney is staying in a room on the floor below us and Gard Jameson, Marvin and Francyl Gawryn, and others are staying at the Hilton about a half mile away.
Last night, a local reader, Steve Shanahan, hosted a wonderful party and served us all gourmet traditional Australian food. A good many of the local readers attended along with 12 of us from the US. It was a wonderful event and we discussed our plans and the various outreach efforts going on here, including 4 official presentations by Urantia Book Readers.
The Parliament program contains almost 400 pages of wonderful workshops, lectures, worships, meditations, plenary events, concerts, and more. Melbourne has rolled out the red carpet for the world’s religionists. Larry remarked that it probably takes all of 5 years just for them to create the program.
As of today, Thursday afternoon, we are all registered. Walking through the registration area is like walking through a promenade of world religious cultures. The air is electric with anticipation.
Currently, our apartment is housing Steve Rohrbach, Larry Geis, Buck Weimer, Arlene Weimer, Cristina Seaborn and me. We’ve dubbed ourselves the Urantian God Squad. The apartment has a kitchen which we have stocked well with the intent of cooking most of our meals and eating them communally. We are all settled in now and very comfortable here. In addition, Meredith Tenney is staying in a room on the floor below us and Gard Jameson, Marvin and Francyl Gawryn, and others are staying at the Hilton about a half mile away.
Last night, a local reader, Steve Shanahan, hosted a wonderful party and served us all gourmet traditional Australian food. A good many of the local readers attended along with 12 of us from the US. It was a wonderful event and we discussed our plans and the various outreach efforts going on here, including 4 official presentations by Urantia Book Readers.
The Parliament program contains almost 400 pages of wonderful workshops, lectures, worships, meditations, plenary events, concerts, and more. Melbourne has rolled out the red carpet for the world’s religionists. Larry remarked that it probably takes all of 5 years just for them to create the program.
As of today, Thursday afternoon, we are all registered. Walking through the registration area is like walking through a promenade of world religious cultures. The air is electric with anticipation.
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