Official Urantia thread

MaGZ · 12th July 2012, 02:26 AM

This is the official Urantia thread for the Urantia Book.

Lamuella · 12th July 2012, 02:34 AM

As someone who has written megathreads on various subjects in various forums, I'd recommend putting a bit more effort into your OP. As it is, you haven't even answered the most obvious question people will have, namely "what the heck is Urantia?"

Maybe give us 400 words on what it is and why we should be interested, and you'll get more participants in your official thread.

Marduk · 12th July 2012, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by Lamuella

"what the heck is Urantia?"
.

Its a spiritual and philosophical book that discusses God, Jesus, science, cosmology, religion, history, and destiny. It claims to be divinely inspired, (by celestial beings) much like the bible which it claims is a prequel, however the scientific concepts it puts forward were in many cases outdated by the 1950s, shortly after its first publication.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Urantia_Book

the best thing about the book, is that its copyright has expired, it used to be quite expensive
but now you can download any version in any language you want from here
http://urantiabook.org/downloads.htm

Lamuella · 12th July 2012, 03:14 AM

Great information. Adding this to the OP would be a real boon to first time visitors to the thread.

Marduk · 12th July 2012, 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by Lamuella

Great information. Adding this to the OP would be a real boon to first time visitors to the thread.

well it usually forms part of a chain, with adherents using both the Bible and the works of Zechariah Sitchen as study aids with an occaisonal bit of Von Daniken on the side.
yes, its really that credible

firstly you have to believe that Aliens exist
then that they are in contact with us
then that they have been responsible for some of the major events in human history
and finally that they entered the publishing business around the time of the great depression

Drs_Res · 12th July 2012, 03:47 AM

The author of the book was on Coast to Coast AM last night.... hmmm.

Coincidence?

You decide.

Marduk · 12th July 2012, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by Drs_Res

The author of the book was on Coast to Coast AM last night.... hmmm.

Coincidence?

You decide.

I don't think that was the author, but one of the many current publishers

Lamuella · 12th July 2012, 04:08 AM

yeah, as far as I know the identity of the author has never really been confirmed.

Bell · 12th July 2012, 11:28 AM

Hit and run thread, instead of a hit and run post.

Eta: And what is so "official" about this thread?

Psi Baba · 12th July 2012, 12:07 PM

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that L Ron Hubbard read that book and went "hmmmmm.... Ya know, this gives me an idea . . ."

Careyp74 · 12th July 2012, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by Bell

Hit and run thread, instead of a hit and run post.

Eta: And what is so "official" about this thread?

Because it contains all of the useful information about the subject, right there in the OP.

jakesteele · 12th July 2012, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lamuella

yeah, as far as I know the identity of the author has never really been confirmed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ura...ook#Authorship

LibraryLady · 12th July 2012, 12:43 PM

Martin Gardner wrote a book about Urantia.

LSSBB · 12th July 2012, 12:55 PM

The Church of the SubGenious beats Urantia any day.

Gord_in_Toronto · 12th July 2012, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by LSSBB

The Church of the SubGenious beats Urantia any day.

Bob thanks you for the promotion.

I am Bigfoot · 12th July 2012, 05:21 PM

Urantia sounds pretty stupid. What's there to discuss?

Careyp74 · 13th July 2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by I am Bigfoot

Urantia sounds pretty stupid. What's there to discuss?

As the name of a planet, Urantia does sound stupid. I prefer Jasoom. For one, it is silly to suggest that other races stick to the Sci-Fi format of naming planets with words ending in 'ia' anywhere outside of television. And furthermore, if aliens are going to communicate all of these ideas to us in English, then why not just call it Earth. What, they don't know that word?

Nowhere Man · 14th July 2012, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by MaGZ

This is the official Urantia thread for the Urantia Book.

What makes it official? Are you somehow authorized to make "official" JREF threads?

Fred

Senex · 18th July 2012, 08:11 PM

If Urantia is similar to Uranus I have breaking news...

Klingons have been spotted in the vacinity of Uranus.

poblob14 · 23rd July 2012, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by Senex

If Urantia is similar to Uranus I have breaking news...

Klingons have been spotted in the vacinity of Uranus.

You shouldn't get vaccinated in Urantia; could be very painful.

Oh, damn, we're both in the wrong thread.

UBtheNEWS · 24th July 2012, 06:55 PM

Six years ago I started the UBtheNEWS project to document how new discoveries and scientific advances increasingly support what The Urantia Book says about planetary history. The authors of The Urantia Book assert that "the historic facts . . . will stand on the records of the ages to come." When it was published in 1955, much of what it said about planetary history was either at odds with scholarship or not even being discussed yet. The last ten years have been really good to The Urantia Book, especially with respect to the correlations between genetics research and what is says about the genetic history of humanity.

Regarding the unusual terminology that is sometimes used in The Urantia Book. The etymology of these words is a "field of study" that just got started in the last five years or so. I've done some work on this recently myself. Many of the etymological roots of these words are now explained in the Glossary/Etymology section of the UBtheNEWS website. Urantia, for instance, means something like "this heavenly place" or "(y)our place in the heavens." The "uran," of course, has the same root as the planet Uranus and the word "uranology," which means the study of the heavens.

In many ways, the authors of The Urantia Book "take liberties" with the English language by coining new terms and redefining existing terms. That's simply part of the way that it's here to help us get things straightened out on this planet. Sometimes new ideas and descriptions of new things require new terms. For the most part these have Latin, Old English, or Germanic roots. But they use other languages as well when constructing new terms.

When at the UBtheNEWS website, click on the "Urantia Book" button to go to the glossary/etymology section and/or read the text.

I know I haven't addressed all the issues brought up in this thread. If anyone has any questions or wants to re-focus the conversation on things brought up earlier, please do. I'm happy to answer questions.

In harmony,
Halbert

gabeygoat · 26th July 2012, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by LibraryLady

Martin Gardner wrote a book about Urantia.

Thanks for the heads up. I've now just ordered it through my library

12th July 2012, 02:26 AM	#1
MaGZ Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6,335	Official Urantia thread This is the official Urantia thread for the Urantia Book.
MaGZ Philosopher Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6,335

12th July 2012, 02:34 AM	#2
Lamuella Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,480	As someone who has written megathreads on various subjects in various forums, I'd recommend putting a bit more effort into your OP. As it is, you haven't even answered the most obvious question people will have, namely "what the heck is Urantia?" Maybe give us 400 words on what it is and why we should be interested, and you'll get more participants in your official thread.
Lamuella Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,480

12th July 2012, 02:45 AM	#3
Marduk Banned Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newbury, Berkshire Posts: 10,242	Originally Posted by Lamuella "what the heck is Urantia?" . Its a spiritual and philosophical book that discusses God, Jesus, science, cosmology, religion, history, and destiny. It claims to be divinely inspired, (by celestial beings) much like the bible which it claims is a prequel, however the scientific concepts it puts forward were in many cases outdated by the 1950s, shortly after its first publication. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Urantia_Book the best thing about the book, is that its copyright has expired, it used to be quite expensive but now you can download any version in any language you want from here http://urantiabook.org/downloads.htm
	Last edited by Marduk; 12th July 2012 at 03:10 AM.

12th July 2012, 03:14 AM	#4
Lamuella Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,480	Great information. Adding this to the OP would be a real boon to first time visitors to the thread.
Lamuella Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,480

12th July 2012, 03:24 AM	#5
Marduk Banned Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newbury, Berkshire Posts: 10,242	Originally Posted by Lamuella Great information. Adding this to the OP would be a real boon to first time visitors to the thread. well it usually forms part of a chain, with adherents using both the Bible and the works of Zechariah Sitchen as study aids with an occaisonal bit of Von Daniken on the side. yes, its really that credible firstly you have to believe that Aliens exist then that they are in contact with us then that they have been responsible for some of the major events in human history and finally that they entered the publishing business around the time of the great depression
	Last edited by Marduk; 12th July 2012 at 03:27 AM.

12th July 2012, 03:47 AM	#6
Drs_Res NWO Acorn Hoarder Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: N 34 3 8 / W 118 14 33 Posts: 1,850	The author of the book was on Coast to Coast AM last night.... hmmm. Coincidence? You decide.
	__________________ Vote Bunk and vote often. If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. "Yes, well, I'm polymerized tree sap and you're an inorganic adhesive, so whatever verbal projectile you launch in my direction is reflected off of me, returns on its original trajectory and adheres to you." - Sheldon - TBBT

12th July 2012, 04:03 AM	#7
Marduk Banned Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newbury, Berkshire Posts: 10,242	Originally Posted by Drs_Res The author of the book was on Coast to Coast AM last night.... hmmm. Coincidence? You decide. I don't think that was the author, but one of the many current publishers

12th July 2012, 04:08 AM	#8
Lamuella Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,480	yeah, as far as I know the identity of the author has never really been confirmed.
Lamuella Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,480

12th July 2012, 11:28 AM	#9
Bell beautiful freak Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 20,593	Hit and run thread, instead of a hit and run post. Eta: And what is so "official" about this thread?
	__________________ Every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life. I♥NY You gotta love cops.

12th July 2012, 12:07 PM	#10
Psi Baba Homo Skepticalis Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Occupying my barstool Posts: 3,209	It wouldn't surprise me to learn that L Ron Hubbard read that book and went "hmmmmm.... Ya know, this gives me an idea . . ."
	__________________ Save Caribbean Rum! (seriously)

12th July 2012, 12:08 PM	#11
Careyp74 Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Trevose, PA Posts: 3,407	Originally Posted by Bell Hit and run thread, instead of a hit and run post. Eta: And what is so "official" about this thread? Because it contains all of the useful information about the subject, right there in the OP.

12th July 2012, 12:34 PM	#12
jakesteele Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,237	Originally Posted by Lamuella yeah, as far as I know the identity of the author has never really been confirmed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ura...ook#Authorship
	__________________ Occam’s Beard – The simplest solution isn’t always the best

12th July 2012, 12:43 PM	#13
LibraryLady ...but not JUST a LibraryLady Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Building a house in the common ground Posts: 13,125	Martin Gardner wrote a book about Urantia.
	__________________ What would Hüsker Dü? I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about. Mildred Loving

12th July 2012, 12:55 PM	#14
LSSBB Devilish Dictionarian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: An elusive house at Bachelor's Grove Cemetery Posts: 4,731	The Church of the SubGenious beats Urantia any day.
	__________________ "Things that never happened before happen all the time." (Scott Sagan, 1993) "Put down the Wite-Out and step away from the dictionary." (000063, 2012) "Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof." (John Kenneth Galbraith, 1971)

12th July 2012, 04:38 PM	#15
Gord_in_Toronto Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 13,422	Originally Posted by LSSBB The Church of the SubGenious beats Urantia any day. Bob thanks you for the promotion.
	__________________ "Reality is what's left when you cease to believe." Philip K. Dick

12th July 2012, 05:21 PM	#16
I am Bigfoot Critical Thinker Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 307	Urantia sounds pretty stupid. What's there to discuss?

13th July 2012, 05:47 AM	#17
Careyp74 Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Trevose, PA Posts: 3,407	Originally Posted by I am Bigfoot Urantia sounds pretty stupid. What's there to discuss? As the name of a planet, Urantia does sound stupid. I prefer Jasoom. For one, it is silly to suggest that other races stick to the Sci-Fi format of naming planets with words ending in 'ia' anywhere outside of television. And furthermore, if aliens are going to communicate all of these ideas to us in English, then why not just call it Earth. What, they don't know that word?

14th July 2012, 07:43 PM	#18
Nowhere Man Scholar Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 110	Originally Posted by MaGZ This is the official Urantia thread for the Urantia Book. What makes it official? Are you somehow authorized to make "official" JREF threads? Fred
Nowhere Man Scholar Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 110

18th July 2012, 08:11 PM	#19
Senex Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: An autobody repair shop in Connecticut Posts: 3,573	If Urantia is similar to Uranus I have breaking news... Klingons have been spotted in the vacinity of Uranus.
	__________________ I am the one who knocks! Walter White

23rd July 2012, 06:58 AM	#20
poblob14 Thinker Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 229	Originally Posted by Senex If Urantia is similar to Uranus I have breaking news... Klingons have been spotted in the vacinity of Uranus. You shouldn't get vaccinated in Urantia; could be very painful. Oh, damn, we're both in the wrong thread.
poblob14 Thinker Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 229

24th July 2012, 06:55 PM	#21
UBtheNEWS New Blood Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1	Urantia Book's Unique Quality of Credibility Six years ago I started the UBtheNEWS project to document how new discoveries and scientific advances increasingly support what The Urantia Book says about planetary history. The authors of The Urantia Book assert that "the historic facts . . . will stand on the records of the ages to come." When it was published in 1955, much of what it said about planetary history was either at odds with scholarship or not even being discussed yet. The last ten years have been really good to The Urantia Book, especially with respect to the correlations between genetics research and what is says about the genetic history of humanity. Regarding the unusual terminology that is sometimes used in The Urantia Book. The etymology of these words is a "field of study" that just got started in the last five years or so. I've done some work on this recently myself. Many of the etymological roots of these words are now explained in the Glossary/Etymology section of the UBtheNEWS website. Urantia, for instance, means something like "this heavenly place" or "(y)our place in the heavens." The "uran," of course, has the same root as the planet Uranus and the word "uranology," which means the study of the heavens. In many ways, the authors of The Urantia Book "take liberties" with the English language by coining new terms and redefining existing terms. That's simply part of the way that it's here to help us get things straightened out on this planet. Sometimes new ideas and descriptions of new things require new terms. For the most part these have Latin, Old English, or Germanic roots. But they use other languages as well when constructing new terms. When at the UBtheNEWS website, click on the "Urantia Book" button to go to the glossary/etymology section and/or read the text. I know I haven't addressed all the issues brought up in this thread. If anyone has any questions or wants to re-focus the conversation on things brought up earlier, please do. I'm happy to answer questions. In harmony, Halbert
UBtheNEWS New Blood Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1

26th July 2012, 09:37 AM	#22
gabeygoat Muse Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Hard Corvallis, Oregon Posts: 672	Originally Posted by LibraryLady Martin Gardner wrote a book about Urantia. Thanks for the heads up. I've now just ordered it through my library