Changes

Topping all of this you’re [[blessed]] with an [[individualized]] [[presence]] of [[God]] for company, a [[presence]] that can [[literally]] [[adjust]] your [[thoughts]] towards ever more [[spiritual]], all-[[encompassing]] [[concepts]] and [[realizations]] if you [[choose]] to acknowledge His [[presence]] and [[feel]] His [[love]], and [[listen]].  He is here, not only as the [[encompassing]] within which we live, but also right inside you.  His [[presence]] is capturing your life in a [[spiritual]] construct so amazing, so much more of you, my [[children]], in terms of [[soul]], you have not yet [[developed]] [[concepts]] for--but you will.  As we’ve said a couple of times, part [[humorously]] but also part seriously, your recent [[developments]] in [[science]] and [[technology]], and in your [[wonderful]], [[imaginative]] arts of [[science fiction]] and science [[fantasy]]--all the [[movies]] and TV programs you’ve had delving into [[star]] [[travel]] and all kinds of [[futures]]: these have given us an [[ability]] to convey to you at least somewhat many of the [[different]] [[dimensions]] of [[reality]] that [[actually]] exist.

Topping all of this you’re [[blessed]] with an [[individualized]] [[presence]] of [[God]] for company, a [[presence]] that can [[literally]] [[adjust]] your [[thoughts]] towards ever more [[spiritual]], all-[[encompassing]] [[concepts]] and [[realizations]] if you [[choose]] to acknowledge His [[presence]] and [[feel]] His [[love]], and [[listen]].  He is here, not only as the [[encompassing]] within which we live, but also right inside you.  His [[presence]] is capturing your life in a [[spiritual]] construct so amazing, so much more of you, my [[children]], in terms of [[soul]], you have not yet [[developed]] [[concepts]] for--but you will.  As we’ve said a couple of times, part [[humorously]] but also part seriously, your recent [[developments]] in [[science]] and [[technology]], and in your [[wonderful]], [[imaginative]] arts of [[science fiction]] and science [[fantasy]]--all the [[movies]] and TV programs you’ve had delving into [[star]] [[travel]] and all kinds of [[futures]]: these have given us an [[ability]] to convey to you at least somewhat many of the [[different]] [[dimensions]] of [[reality]] that [[actually]] exist.

===='''''[[Individual]]'''''====

===='''''[[Individual]]''''', '''''[[Character]]'''''====

*(Uniqueness and individuality)

*(Uniqueness and individuality)

   

   

So, my children: you are all of this and you live with this complexity within and without.  You are correct in your introduction.  Your personality is a direct creation of God’s.  Your individuality is what you have slowly earned as a way of expressing all of this complexity I just mentioned.  You are learning how to express yourself.  Every baby, every child, every adolescent grows up in the shadow of greater authority with an automatic acceptance of its realities, and yet too, from questioning these given-at-birth realities, you emerge as individuals by bringing this acceptance into conscious choice.  This is a slow and not always successful development, yet the story of the effort is another kind of soul wealth you possess.

So, my [[children]]: you are all of this and you live with this [[complexity]] within and without.  You are correct in your introduction.  Your [[personality]] is a direct [[creation]] of [[God]]’s.  Your [[individuality]] is what you have slowly [[earned]] as a way of [[expressing]] all of this [[complexity]] I just mentioned.  You are [[learning]] how to [[express]] yourself.  Every baby, every child, every adolescent grows up in the [[shadow]] of greater [[authority]] with an [[automatic]] [[acceptance]] of its [[realities]], and yet too, from questioning these given-at-[[birth]] [[realities]], you [[emerge]] as [[individuals]] by bringing this [[acceptance]] into [[conscious]] [[choice]].  This is a slow and not always [[successful]] [[development]], yet the [[story]] of the [[effort]] is another kind of [[soul]] [[wealth]] you [[possess]].

   

   

This acquirement of yours, this individuality you can perceive in each other, this quality of soul you call character; I think that you’ll agree that there’s nowhere you can go to buy character.  You have to earn it.  And it is earned only through experience.  Today you get so much from your books and reading, from your TV and movies and internet, yet character is mainly based on personal direct experience with other persons and with physical reality itself.  Character also means the abilities you’ve acquired as an individual as you emerged from all the groups in which you were raised.  The spiritual process itself--God ordained--the progress of individual maturity--is universal among all personal beings.

This acquirement of yours, this [[individuality]] you can [[perceive]] in each other, this [[quality]] of [[soul]] you call [[character]]; I think that you’ll [[agree]] that there’s nowhere you can go to buy [[character]].  You have to [[earn]] it.  And it is [[earned]] only through [[experience]].  Today you get so much from your [[books]] and [[reading]], from your TV and [[movies]] and [[internet]], yet [[character]] is mainly based on [[personal]] direct [[experience]] with other [[persons]] and with [[physical]] [[reality]] itself.  [[Character]] also means the [[abilities]] you’ve acquired as an [[individual]] as you [[emerged]] from all the [[groups]] in which you were raised.  The [[spiritual]] [[process]] itself--[[God]] [[ordained]]--the [[progress]] of [[individual]] [[maturity]]--is [[universal]] among all [[personal]] [[beings]].

   

   

You think of a fully mature person as an individual and so Mother Spirit touched briefly upon an ideal society which sees this orientation as a culmination of each person’s education and experience.  Such a society not only makes allowance for individuality but actually welcomes and encourages it.  In a roundabout way, my children, you can see how the institutions of society need to mature in order to have this courage--collectively--to encourage individuality, even dissent.

You [[think]] of a fully [[mature]] [[person]] as an [[individual]] and so [[Mother Spirit]] [[touched]] briefly upon an [[ideal]] [[society]] which sees this [[orientation]] as a culmination of each [[person]]’s [[education]] and [[experience]].  Such a [[society]] not only makes allowance for [[individuality]] but [[actually]] [[welcomes]] and [[encourages]] it.  In a roundabout way, my [[children]], you can see how the [[institutions]] of [[society]] need to [[mature]] in order to have this [[courage]]--[[collectively]]--to [[encourage]] [[individuality]], even [[dissent]].

   

   

In the more primitive tribal societies, surrounded by other tribes like bubbles in foam, and being intrinsically ferocious, and territorial, and involved in near incessant warfare: at that stage of immature social culture very little individuality can--literally--be afforded.  In a way it’s just too expensive.  The whole tribe has to be, and throughout history has been locked down into a thousand and one taboos that control almost every waking moment of their members’ lives.  As your Urantia Book notes: the tribal marks upon individuals often involved a lot of very painful cutting, yet this identification was considered absolute for security.  These tribal marks signified to the other tribes that if any harm was done to you, you had your whole tribe’s backing for revenge, to avenge your death.

In the more [[primitive]] [[tribal]] [[societies]], [[surrounded]] by other tribes like [[bubbles]] in foam, and [[being]] [[intrinsically]] ferocious, and territorial, and involved in near incessant [[warfare]]: at that [[stage]] of immature [[social]] [[culture]] very little [[individuality]] can--[[literally]]--be afforded.  In a way it’s just too expensive.  The whole [[tribe]] has to be, and throughout [[history]] has been locked down into a thousand and one [[taboos]] that [[control]] almost every [[waking]] [[moment]] of their members’ lives.  As your [[Urantia Book]] notes: the [[tribal]] marks upon [[individuals]] often involved a lot of very [[painful]] cutting, yet this [[identification]] was considered [[absolute]] ([[necessity]]) for [[security]].  These [[tribal]] marks [[signified]] to the other tribes that if any harm was done to you, you had your whole tribe’s backing for revenge, to avenge your [[death]].

   

   

Only bit by bit by living experience, gradually, as tribes became city states, then nation states and empires, right up to the present day; more and more are societies able to afford greater individuality.  As you look around your world today, still, here in 2010, you can see almost this entire spectrum on the planet, from primitive near-stone-age tribes, up through autocratic societies in which only a small amount of individuality is tolerated; up to the point where, in some of the more technologically developed, democratic cultures, you have what you might call a blossoming--I could even say--a flamboyance (Michael chuckles)--a flamboyance of individuality in all aspects of peoples’ lives: homes and furnishings, personal possessions, social class and standing, physical presentation through dress and style, mind and creative spirit presentation through invention and art; on and on…

Only bit by bit by living [[experience]], [[gradually]], as tribes became [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_state city states], then [[Nationalism|nation states]] and [[empire]]s, right up to the [[present]] day; more and more are [[societies]] able to afford greater [[individuality]].  As you look around your world today, still, here in 2010, you can see almost this entire [[spectrum]] on the [[planet]], from [[primitive]] near-[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic stone-age] [[tribes]], up through [[autocratic]] [[societies]] in which only a small amount of [[individuality]] is [[tolerated]]; up to the point where, in some of the more [[technologically]] developed, [[democratic]] [[cultures]], you have what you might call a blossoming--I could even say--a [[flamboyance]] (Michael chuckles)--a flamboyance of [[individuality]] in all aspects of peoples’ lives: [[homes]] and furnishings, [[personal]] [[possessions]], [[social]] class and standing, [[physical]] presentation through [[dress]] and [[style]], [[mind]] and [[creative]] [[spirit]] presentation through [[invention]] and [[art]]; on and on…

 

===='''''[[Maturity]]''''', '''''[[Character]]'''''====

===='''''[[Maturity]]''''', '''''[[Character]]'''''====

*(Soulful maturity and character)

*(Soulful maturity and character)