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==99:1. RELIGION AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION==
 
==99:1. RELIGION AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION==
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99:1.1 Mechanical inventions and the dissemination of knowledge are modifying civilization; certain economic adjustments and social changes are imperative if cultural disaster is to be avoided. This new and oncoming social order will not settle down complacently for a millennium. The human race must become reconciled to a procession of changes, adjustments, and readjustments. Mankind is on the march toward a new and unrevealed planetary destiny.
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99:1.1 [[Mechanical]] [[inventions]] and the [[dissemination]] of [[knowledge]] are [[modifying]] [[civilization]]; certain [[economic]] [[adjustments]] and [[social]] [[changes]] are imperative if cultural [[disaster]] is to be avoided. This new and oncoming [[social]] order will not settle down complacently for a [[millennium]]. The [[human]] race must become [[reconciled]] to a [[procession]] of [[changes]], [[adjustments]], and readjustments. [[Mankind]] is on the march toward a new and unrevealed [[planetary]] [[destiny]].
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99:1.2 Religion must become a forceful influence for moral stability and spiritual progression functioning dynamically in the midst of these ever-changing conditions and never-ending economic adjustments.
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99:1.2 [[Religion]] must become a forceful [[influence]] for [[moral]] [[stability]] and [[spiritual]] [[progression]] functioning [[dynamically]] in the midst of these ever-changing conditions and never-ending [[economic]] [[adjustments]].
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99:1.3 Urantia society can never hope to settle down as in past ages. The social ship has steamed out of the sheltered bays of established tradition and has begun its cruise upon the high seas of evolutionary destiny; and the soul of man, as never before in the world's history, needs carefully to scrutinize its charts of morality and painstakingly to observe the compass of religious guidance. The paramount mission of religion as a social influence is to stabilize the ideals of mankind during these dangerous times of transition from one phase of civilization to another, from one level of culture to another.
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99:1.3 [[Urantia]] [[society]] can never hope to settle down as in [[past]] ages. The [[social]] ship has steamed out of the [[sheltered]] bays of [[established]] [[tradition]] and has begun its cruise upon the high seas of [[evolutionary]] [[destiny]]; and the [[soul]] of man, as never before in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_history world's history], needs [[carefully]] to scrutinize its charts of [[morality]] and painstakingly to [[observe]] the [[compass]] of [[religious]] [[guidance]]. The [[paramount]] mission of [[religion]] as a [[social]] [[influence]] is to [[stabilize]] the [[ideals]] of mankind during these [[dangerous]] times of [[transition]] from one [[phase]] of [[civilization]] to another, from one level of [[culture]] to another.
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99:1.4 Religion has no new duties to perform, but it is urgently called upon to function as a wise guide and experienced counselor in all of these new and rapidly changing human situations. Society is becoming more mechanical, more compact, more complex, and more critically interdependent. Religion must function to prevent these new and intimate interassociations from becoming mutually retrogressive or even destructive. Religion must act as the cosmic salt which prevents the ferments of progression from destroying the cultural savor of civilization. These new social relations and economic upheavals can result in lasting brotherhood only by the ministry of religion.
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99:1.4 [[Religion]] has no new [[duties]] to [[perform]], but it is urgently called upon to [[function]] as a [[wise]] guide and experienced [[counselor]] in all of these new and rapidly changing [[human]] situations. [[Society]] is becoming more [[mechanical]], more compact, more [[complex]], and more critically [[interdependent]]. [[Religion]] must [[function]] to prevent these new and [[intimate]] interassociations from becoming mutually [[retrogressive]] or even [[destructive]]. [[Religion]] must act as the [[cosmic]] salt which prevents the ferments of [[progression]] from destroying the [[cultural]] savor of [[civilization]]. These new [[social]] relations and [[economic]] upheavals can result in lasting [[brotherhood]] only by the ministry of [[religion]].
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99:1.5 A godless humanitarianism is, humanly speaking, a noble gesture, but true religion is the only power which can lastingly increase the responsiveness of one social group to the needs and sufferings of other groups. In the past, institutional religion could remain passive while the upper strata of society turned a deaf ear to the sufferings and oppression of the helpless lower strata, but in modern times these lower social orders are no longer so abjectly ignorant nor so politically helpless.
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99:1.5 A [[Atheism|godless]] [[humanitarianism]] is, humanly speaking, a [[noble]] [[gesture]], but true [[religion]] is the only [[power]] which can lastingly increase the [[responsiveness]] of one [[social]] [[group]] to the needs and sufferings of [[other]] groups. In the past, [[institutional]] [[religion]] could remain passive while the upper strata of [[society]] turned a deaf ear to the [[sufferings]] and [[oppression]] of the helpless lower strata, but in [[modern]] times these lower [[social]] orders are no longer so abjectly [[ignorant]] nor so politically helpless.
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99:1.6 Religion must not become organically involved in the secular work of social reconstruction and economic reorganization. But it must actively keep pace with all these advances in civilization by making clear-cut and vigorous restatements of its moral mandates and spiritual precepts, its progressive philosophy of human living and transcendent survival. The spirit of religion is eternal, but the form of its expression must be restated every time the dictionary of human language is revised.
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99:1.6 [[Religion]] must not become [[organically]] involved in the [[secular]] [[work]] of [[social]] reconstruction and [[economic]] reorganization. But it must [[actively]] keep [[pace]] with all these advances in [[civilization]] by making clear-cut and [[vigorous]] restatements of its [[moral]] [[mandates]] and [[spiritual]] precepts, its [[progressive]] [[philosophy]] of human living and [[transcendent]] [[survival]]. The [[spirit]] of [[religion]] is [[eternal]], but the [[form]] of its [[expression]] must be restated every time the [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Dictionary dictionary] of [[human]] [[language]] is revised.
    
==99:2. WEAKNESS OF INSTITUTIONAL RELIGION==
 
==99:2. WEAKNESS OF INSTITUTIONAL RELIGION==