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99:5.1 While [[religion]] is exclusively a [[personal]] [[spiritual]] [[experience]]—knowing [[God]] as a [[Father]]—the corollary of this [[experience]]—knowing man as a [[brother]]—entails the [[adjustment]] of the [[self]] to [[other]] selves, and that involves the [[social]] or [[group]] aspect of religious life. [[Religion]] is first an [[Inner Life|inner] or [[personal]] [[adjustment]], and then it becomes a matter of [[social]] [[service]] or [[group]] adjustment. The [[fact]] of man's gregariousness perforce determines that religious [[groups]] will come into [[existence]]. What happens to these religious [[groups]] depends very much on [[intelligent]] [[leadership]]. In [[primitive]] [[society]] the religious group is not always very [[different]] from [[economic]] or [[political]] groups. [[Religion]] has always been a [[conservator]] of [[morals]] and a [[stabilizer]] of [[society]]. And this is still true, notwithstanding the contrary teaching of many [[modern]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism socialists] and [[humanists]].
99:5.2 Always keep in [[mind]]: 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.
99:5.3 The [[religion]] of [[Jesus]] is the most [[dynamic]] [[influence]] ever to [[activate]] the [[human]] race. Jesus shattered [[tradition]], destroyed [[dogma]], and called [[mankind]] to the achievement of its highest [[ideals]] in [[time]] and [[eternity]]—to be [[perfect]], even as [[the Father]] in [[heaven]] is perfect.
99:5.4 [[Religion]] has little [[chance]] to [[function]] until the religious group becomes separated from all other groups—the [[social]] [[association]] of the [[spiritual]] membership of the kingdom of [[heaven]].
99:5.5 The [[doctrine]] of the total [[depravity]] of man destroyed much of the [[potential]] of [[religion]] for effecting [[social]] [[repercussions]] of an uplifting [[nature]] and of [[inspirational]] [[value]]. Jesus sought to restore [[man]]'s [[dignity]] when he declared that all men are the [[children]] of [[God]].
99:5.6 Any religious [[belief]] which is effective in spiritualizing the believer is certain to have [[powerful]] [[repercussions]] in the [[social]] life of such a religionist. [[Religious]] [[experience]] unfailingly yields the "[[fruits of the spirit]]" in the daily life of the spirit-led [[mortal]].
99:5.7 Just as [[certainly]] as men [[share]] their [[religious]] [[beliefs]], they create a religious [[group]] of some sort which [[eventually]] creates common goals. Someday religionists will get [[together]] and actually effect [[co-operation]] on the basis of [[unity]] of [[ideals]] and [[purposes]] rather than attempting to do so on the basis of [[psychological]] [[opinions]] and [[theological]] [[beliefs]]. Goals rather than [[creeds]] should unify religionists. Since true [[religion]] is a matter of [[personal]] [[spiritual]] [[experience]], it is [[inevitable]] that each [[individual]] religionist must have his own and personal [[interpretation]] of the [[realization]] of that spiritual [[experience]]. Let the term " [[faith]] " stand for the [[individual]]'s [[relation]] to [[God]] rather than for the creedal [[formulation]] of what some [[group]] of [[mortals]] have been able to [[agree]] upon as a common [[religious]] [[attitude]]. "Have you faith? Then have it to yourself."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans#The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans.2C_XIV]
99:5.8 That [[faith]] is concerned only with the grasp of [[ideal]] [[values]] is shown by the [[New Testament]] definition which [[declares]] that [[faith]] is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Letter_to_the_Hebrews#The_Letter_to_the_Hebrews.2C_XI]
99:5.9 [[Primitive]] man made little [[effort]] to put his religious [[convictions]] into [[words]]. His [[religion]] was [[danced]] out rather than [[thought]] out. [[Modern]] men have [[thought]] out many [[creeds]] and created many tests of [[religious]] [[faith]]. [[Future]] religionists must live out their [[religion]], [[dedicate]] themselves to the wholehearted [[service]] of the [[brotherhood]] of man. It is high time that man had a religious [[experience]] so [[personal]] and so [[sublime]] that it could be realized and [[expressed]] only by "[[feelings]] that lie too deep for [[words]]."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans#The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans.2C_VIII]
99:5.10 [[Jesus]] did not require of his followers that they should periodically assemble and [[recite]] a [[form]] of [[words]] indicative of their common [[beliefs]]. He only [[ordained]] that they should gather together to actually do something —partake of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_179 communal supper of the remembrance] of his [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_120 bestowal life] on [[Urantia]].
99:5.11 What a mistake for [[Christians]] to make when, in presenting [[Christ]] as the [[supreme]] [[ideal]] of [[spiritual]] [[leadership]], they dare to require [[God-conscious]] men and women to reject the historic [[leadership]] of the [[God]]-knowing men who have [[contributed]] to their particular [[national]] or [[racial]] [[illumination]] during [[past]] ages.
<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_99 Go to Paper 99]</center>
<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center>
[[Category:Paper 99 - The Social Problems of Religion]]
99:5.1 While [[religion]] is exclusively a [[personal]] [[spiritual]] [[experience]]—knowing [[God]] as a [[Father]]—the corollary of this [[experience]]—knowing man as a [[brother]]—entails the [[adjustment]] of the [[self]] to [[other]] selves, and that involves the [[social]] or [[group]] aspect of religious life. [[Religion]] is first an [[Inner Life|inner] or [[personal]] [[adjustment]], and then it becomes a matter of [[social]] [[service]] or [[group]] adjustment. The [[fact]] of man's gregariousness perforce determines that religious [[groups]] will come into [[existence]]. What happens to these religious [[groups]] depends very much on [[intelligent]] [[leadership]]. In [[primitive]] [[society]] the religious group is not always very [[different]] from [[economic]] or [[political]] groups. [[Religion]] has always been a [[conservator]] of [[morals]] and a [[stabilizer]] of [[society]]. And this is still true, notwithstanding the contrary teaching of many [[modern]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism socialists] and [[humanists]].
99:5.2 Always keep in [[mind]]: 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.
99:5.3 The [[religion]] of [[Jesus]] is the most [[dynamic]] [[influence]] ever to [[activate]] the [[human]] race. Jesus shattered [[tradition]], destroyed [[dogma]], and called [[mankind]] to the achievement of its highest [[ideals]] in [[time]] and [[eternity]]—to be [[perfect]], even as [[the Father]] in [[heaven]] is perfect.
99:5.4 [[Religion]] has little [[chance]] to [[function]] until the religious group becomes separated from all other groups—the [[social]] [[association]] of the [[spiritual]] membership of the kingdom of [[heaven]].
99:5.5 The [[doctrine]] of the total [[depravity]] of man destroyed much of the [[potential]] of [[religion]] for effecting [[social]] [[repercussions]] of an uplifting [[nature]] and of [[inspirational]] [[value]]. Jesus sought to restore [[man]]'s [[dignity]] when he declared that all men are the [[children]] of [[God]].
99:5.6 Any religious [[belief]] which is effective in spiritualizing the believer is certain to have [[powerful]] [[repercussions]] in the [[social]] life of such a religionist. [[Religious]] [[experience]] unfailingly yields the "[[fruits of the spirit]]" in the daily life of the spirit-led [[mortal]].
99:5.7 Just as [[certainly]] as men [[share]] their [[religious]] [[beliefs]], they create a religious [[group]] of some sort which [[eventually]] creates common goals. Someday religionists will get [[together]] and actually effect [[co-operation]] on the basis of [[unity]] of [[ideals]] and [[purposes]] rather than attempting to do so on the basis of [[psychological]] [[opinions]] and [[theological]] [[beliefs]]. Goals rather than [[creeds]] should unify religionists. Since true [[religion]] is a matter of [[personal]] [[spiritual]] [[experience]], it is [[inevitable]] that each [[individual]] religionist must have his own and personal [[interpretation]] of the [[realization]] of that spiritual [[experience]]. Let the term " [[faith]] " stand for the [[individual]]'s [[relation]] to [[God]] rather than for the creedal [[formulation]] of what some [[group]] of [[mortals]] have been able to [[agree]] upon as a common [[religious]] [[attitude]]. "Have you faith? Then have it to yourself."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans#The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans.2C_XIV]
99:5.8 That [[faith]] is concerned only with the grasp of [[ideal]] [[values]] is shown by the [[New Testament]] definition which [[declares]] that [[faith]] is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Letter_to_the_Hebrews#The_Letter_to_the_Hebrews.2C_XI]
99:5.9 [[Primitive]] man made little [[effort]] to put his religious [[convictions]] into [[words]]. His [[religion]] was [[danced]] out rather than [[thought]] out. [[Modern]] men have [[thought]] out many [[creeds]] and created many tests of [[religious]] [[faith]]. [[Future]] religionists must live out their [[religion]], [[dedicate]] themselves to the wholehearted [[service]] of the [[brotherhood]] of man. It is high time that man had a religious [[experience]] so [[personal]] and so [[sublime]] that it could be realized and [[expressed]] only by "[[feelings]] that lie too deep for [[words]]."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans#The_Letter_of_Paul_to_the_Romans.2C_VIII]
99:5.10 [[Jesus]] did not require of his followers that they should periodically assemble and [[recite]] a [[form]] of [[words]] indicative of their common [[beliefs]]. He only [[ordained]] that they should gather together to actually do something —partake of the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_179 communal supper of the remembrance] of his [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_120 bestowal life] on [[Urantia]].
99:5.11 What a mistake for [[Christians]] to make when, in presenting [[Christ]] as the [[supreme]] [[ideal]] of [[spiritual]] [[leadership]], they dare to require [[God-conscious]] men and women to reject the historic [[leadership]] of the [[God]]-knowing men who have [[contributed]] to their particular [[national]] or [[racial]] [[illumination]] during [[past]] ages.
<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_99 Go to Paper 99]</center>
<center>[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Urantia_Text_-_Contents Go to Table of Contents]</center>
[[Category:Paper 99 - The Social Problems of Religion]]
