After the problems Jesus encountered at Capernaum Jesus encounters problems with his family. With the sole exception of Ruth the family tries to meet with him and talk him out of his ‘madness’. Jesus utters the well known words, “I have no mother; I have no brother. Behold my mother and behold my brethren! For whosoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my mother, my brother, and my sister” (1722.2). His family mistakenly thinks these words are a rebuke and are stunned. The Urantia Book makes the comment that Mary and Jesus’ brothers did not understand him or his mission. It says, “Jesus fully understood how difficult it is for men to break with their past” (1722.5). My friends, this is true today as well as in Jesus’ time. Our movement will always be faced with the challenge of honoring the wisdom of the past while striving to push ourselves and our neighbors ever onward towards God’s wonderful future. At this time our movement is convulsing with the chaos that some call Channeling, and it is time to recognize that this type of response to faith has long since served it’s purpose on this planet and should be put aside. It’s time to disown the past and look to the bright future the Urantia Book reveals.
Shamanism is an ancient form of religious expression that has long since served its purpose on our world. The Urantia Book defines a Shaman as those “who presume to stand between man and God as intermediaries, interpreters and intercessors” (986.3). The further descriptions cover a broad range of activities over a long period of time. But the idea that connects all of these activities is the Shaman as an intermediary between us and the gods, or spirits, or ghosts or whatever. As people begin to develop concepts of a presence beyond that which can be seen, it is natural for people to reach out for superhuman help (987.5). And Shamans become the go betweens. They are the ones who have a special connection, can hear special communications, can do special things through the power of the almighty. A startling statement from the Urantia Book is that Shamanism is still alive and well today in most of our religions (986.2). We like to believe that we are progressive and forward thinking, but there is a tendency in people to still cling tenaciously to old ideas. It has long been expressed on our planet that Shamanism is not the true path to God, and I believe that all of us would not believe in a Medicine Man or a Medium. But Shamanism still exists and within the Urantia movement it has expressed itself as Channeling.
The Urantia Book is very negative towards Shamans, Mediums and the like – but does the book allow for celestial administrators and teachers to speak to humans? The answer is yes, but the direct contacts that have been made over time show that celestial beings do not contact us in the way of Shamans and Mediums. The teachers at the Planetary Prince’s School – called the Prince’s Corporeal Staff – were material beings (575.5). They were visible and very real to the people who met them. All of the subsequent teaching missions that have come to our planet from outside have been in the form of material beings – Adam and Eve, Machiventa Melchizedek, Jesus of Nazareth and even this book though it is a material object and not a being. I believe that this is the case because material representation respects free will. All of these revelations no matter how wonderful can be denied by the people who come into contact with them. But direct contact with a human mind can be manipulative and abusive – as seen in the actions of Rebel Midwayer's towards people with weak minds (863.7). Today, Secondary Midwayer's are the “unperceived personal-liaison associates” of reserve corps members (865.5) The passage goes on to say that they are not associated with “mediumship”. And they do not ordinarily allow people to see what it is they do. My conclusion concerning these beings is that direct contact with people is rare, and they do not teach in any way resembling channeling. The various celestial teaching missions described in the Urantia Book respect us as unique individuals. This is because the “pre-eminence of the individual” and “the will as the determining factor in man’s experiences” are two of the most important features of the kingdom of heaven (1863.3). Celestials do not resort to using manipulative shamanistic practices.
If anything should turn us away from the over the hill practices of shamanism it is the extraordinary life of Jesus. Even though Jesus did speak with his Thought Adjuster and other celestial personalities, this was because he was the creator of a universe. Always did Jesus downplay or avoid mentioning his universe responsibilities and creator prerogatives. He spent the bulk of his time on this planet living as a normal person. The momentous decisions on how he would pursue his earth mission found on pages 1514-1523 were not made with help from celestial personalities. He based them upon past experience, present needs and seeking the Father’s will. All of us can do this. Even in the difficult task of determining God’s will we have our Thought Adjuster, The Spirit of Truth and the Holy Spirit to help us. Therefore like Jesus we can attain consciousness of God’s presence without; “leadings, voices, visions, or extraordinary religious practices” (2089.1). Shamanism is an old way of searching for God. Jesus showed us the new and better way.
Channeling and the Teaching Mission are just new words for the ancient practice of Shamanism. And like Jesus’ family, people have a hard time letting go of the past. The Urantia Book makes it clear that receiving instruction from celestial teachers is not a part of the new revelation of God’s truth. This must be why some Teaching Mission adherents are going to write a new Urantia Book. So be it. If you, like me, believe that the Urantia Book is the most wonderful book on earth, then I urge you to disown the sad practices of past generations. Walk away from the fantasy of contact with celestial teachers. Turn your backs on persons who would claim special status with the almighty. Stride forward with the knowledge that it is faith that will lead us into eternity.
God Bless You,
William Whitehead
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