People who are new to the philosophy of living in truth, beauty, and goodness should discover that this philosophy is accessible. Each of its seven components is accessible. With little effort, we can begin. We observe that, on some level, we are already, naturally, doing some of this. On a beginner’s level, we can readily understand it, and we can easily take a few steps to progress. And it is easy to get a little better and to enjoy the results—and their significance! Positive results motivate us to go a little further as we may have curiosity or need—and opportunity.
The truths of science (along with the truths of philosophy and spiritual experience) enter into the concept of cosmic truth (2:7.7-8/43).
Jesus said that scientific and spiritual living are the two most important components in the philosophy of living--the key to all the rest.
155:1.4 (1726.1) “Consider the Greeks [think of secularists], who have a science without religion, while the Jews [think of uneducated religionists] have a religion without science. And when men become thus misled into accepting a narrow and confused disintegration of truth, their only hope of salvation is to become truth-co-ordinated— converted.
“Let me emphatically state this eternal truth: If you, by truth co-ordination, learn to exemplify in your lives this beautiful wholeness of righteousness, your fellow men will then seek after you that they may gain what you have so acquired. The measure wherewith truth seekers are drawn to you represents the measure of your truth endowment, your righteousness. The extent to which you have to go with your message to the people is, in a way, the measure of your failure to live the whole or righteous life, the truth-co-ordinated life.”
What is your idea of scientific living?
As I see it, scientific living leads us to
develop curiosity for the adventure of discovery;
face material facts squarely
bring scientific knowledge of causes to inform our action . . .
in biology, by healthy habits and ecological awareness
in psychology, by ongoing personal growth
in history, by doing your best as a parent and making a wise contribution to the planet, for example, by raising a child and by sharing The Urantia Book wisely
in cosmology, by developing your concept of cosmic evolution and applying the powerful concept the friendly universe in your life
There. That's plenty to start with. Please enjoy taking your own level of scientific living a little further.
The rest of this document gives examples from Jesus' life and from spiritual teachings that show an important place for scientific living.
How can knowing and honoring the truths of science help our prayer life? Pray a prayer that takes such truths into account.
(1638.3) 146:2.3 2. That prayer which is inconsistent with the known and established laws of God is an abomination to the Paradise Deities. If man will not listen to the Gods as they speak to their creation in the laws ofspirit, mind, and matter, the very act of such deliberate and conscious disdain by the creature turns the ears of spirit personalities away from hearing the personal petitions of such lawless and disobedient mortals.
How does scientific living enhance our capacity to function as spiritual teachers?
(1138.5) 103:7.7 What both developing science and religion need is more searching and fearless self-criticism, a greater awareness of incompleteness in evolutionary status. The teachers of both science and religion are often altogether too self-confident and dogmatic. Science and religion can only be self-critical of their facts. The moment departure is made from the stage of facts, reason abdicates or else rapidly degenerates into a consort of false logic.
How do the truths of science give us a fuller and more balanced concept of God?
(1222.5) 111:6.6 Science is the source of facts, and mind cannot operate without facts.They are the building blocks in the construction of wisdom which are cemented together by life experience. Man can find the love of God without facts, and man can discover the laws of God without love, but man can never begin to appreciate the infinite symmetry, the supernal harmony, the exquisite repleteness of the all-inclusive nature of the First Source and Center until he has found divine law and divine love and has experientially unified these in his own evolving cosmic philosophy.
Studying how Jesus grew up from early childhood to his later adult life gives us a model of how we can develop scientific living and help others to do so. What do we observe of him in childhood?
· Boundless curiosity (wonder + intelligibility, adjutant mind-spirits, especially the spirit of knowledge)
· Keen observer
· Factually grounded
· Inquired into causation
· The term “science” here encompasses the full range of social science disciplines as well as mathematical, natural, and biological sciences.
As a child [Jesus] accumulated a vast body of knowledge; as a youth he sorted, classified, and correlated this information; and now as a man of the realm he begins to organize these mental possessions preparatory to utilization in his subsequent teaching, ministry, and service in behalf of his fellow mortals . . . . (127:6.14/1405.6)
Question. What happens when you attempt to work with this idea—to sort, classify, and organize your knowledge for service?
127:3.15 (1400.7) Jesus possessed the ability effectively to mobilize all his powers of mind, soul, and body on the task immediately in hand. He could concentrate his deep-thinking mind on the one problem which he wished to solve, and this, in connection with his untiring patience, enabled him serenely to endure the trials of a difficult mortal existence — to live as if he were “seeing Him who is invisible.”
How can the fullness of self-mobilization—including the level of the body and the physical senses—help you to see God in a task?
127:4.4 (1401.4) While Jesus was most methodical and systematic in everything he did . . . .
Question: How is it that Jesus’ being most methodical and systematic in everything he did was consistent with his liberated spontaneity?
127:6.15 (1405.7) Born into the world a babe of the realm, he has lived his childhood life and passed through the successive stages of youth and young manhood; he now stands on the threshold of full manhood, rich in the experience of human living, replete in the understanding of human nature, and full of sympathy for the frailties of human nature. He is becoming expert in the divine art of revealing his Paradise Father to all ages and stages of mortal creatures.
Question: When you think of how Jesus acquired his practical knowledge of “educational psychology,” can you give an example of how you have revealed truth differently to persons of different ages and stages? Why can we not identify age ranges with stages? Is it possible for someone to be a 60-year-old adolescent? (127:0.3/1395.3)
Jesus’ ability to adjust his ministry to all ages and stages of mortals is a perfect illustration of revealing truth in accord with the receptivity principle (https://sites.google.com/site/ubquestionsandstudies/sharing-the-urantia-book-wisely/getting-the-gospel-movement-back-on-track).
Can you give an example of how you might use the truths of anthropology in sharing the gospel with others as you travel?
191:4.4 (2042.1) “Go, then, into all the world proclaiming this gospel of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of men to all nations and races and ever be wise in your choice of methods for presenting the good news to the different races and tribes of mankind.
Facing life's difficulties, if we allow it, the Father's indwelling spirit strengthens us with "the truths of cosmic power." What are your favorite truths of cosmic power? Here's one that bears on cosmology.
133:1.4 (1469.3) “Ganid, I [Jesus] have absolute confidence in my heavenly Father’s overcare; I am consecrated to doing the will of my Father in heaven. I do not believe that real harm can befall me; I do not believe that my lifework can really be jeopardized by anything my enemies might wish to visit upon me, and surely we have no violence to fear from our friends. I am absolutely assured that the entire universe is friendly to me to me — this all-powerful truth I insist on believing with a wholehearted trust in spite of all appearances to the contrary.”
How can the truths of biology be important for the whole human personality system?
(1209.4) 110:6.4 It is to the mind of perfect poise, housed in a body of clean habits, stabilized neural energies, and balanced chemical function— when the physical, mental, and spiritual powers are in triune harmony of development — that a maximum of light and truth can be imparted with a minimum of temporal danger or risk to the real welfare of such a being. By such a balanced growth does man ascend the circles of planetary progression one by one, from the seventh to the first.
What truths of psychology help us grow and learn to love?
Love is the outworking of the divine and inner urge of life. It is founded upon understanding, nurtured by unselfish service, and perfected in wisdom. (174:1.5/1898.5)
110:3.9 (1206.7) 3. Loving man and sincerely desiring to serve him — wholehearted recognition of the brotherhood of man coupled with an intelligent and wise affection for each of your fellow mortals.
100:4.4 (1098.1) If once you understand your neighbor, you will become tolerant, and this tolerance will grow into friendship and ripen into love.
100:4.6 (1098.3) Love is only born of thoroughgoing understanding of your neighbor’s motives and sentiments.
What can some who wants to share spiritual truth today learn from history?
136:4.5 (1514.6) Rather was this [period of forty days in the wilderness] a season for thinking over the whole eventful and varied career of the Urantia bestowal and for the careful laying of those plans for further ministry which would best serve this world while also contributing something to the betterment of all other rebellion-isolated spheres. Jesus thought over the whole span of human life on Urantia, from the days of Andon and Fonta, down through Adam’s default, and on to the ministry of the Melchizedek ofSalem.
Questions to ponder. In his review of planetary history, what might Jesus have thought about the policy 300,000 years of success achieved by the pre-rebellion Planetary Prince’s staff based on the following policy? “None of the Prince’s staff would present revelation to complicate evolution; they presented revelation only as the climax of their exhaustion of the forces of evolution” (66:5.14/747.4). Imagine what Jesus might have thought of this lesson from the default of Adam and Eve: “Never, in all your ascent to Paradise, will you gain anything by impatiently attempting to circumvent the established and divine plan by short cuts, personal inventions, or other devices for improving on the way of perfection, to perfection, and for eternal perfection” (75:8.5/846.4).
I taught an entire course on truth-coordinated living with a special emphasis on scientific living. The course materials are here: https://sites.google.com/site/ubquestionsandstudies/truth-coordinated-living