Arts quotes and references
This is a research document, containing references only to the classic page numbers, which are available at www.urantia.org. The first two sections overlap with "Beauty quotes."
I. Divine art
The discernment of supreme beauty is the discovery and integration of reality: The discernment of the divine goodness in the eternal truth, that is ultimate beauty. Even the charm of human art consists in the harmony of its unity" 43.2
II. Cosmic art
The pursuit of beauty--cosmology--you all too often limit to the study of man's crude artistic endeavors. Beauty, art, is largely a matter of the unification of contrasts. Variety is essential to the concept of beauty. The supreme beauty, the height of finite art, is the drama of the unification of the vastness of the cosmic extremes of Creator and creature. Man finding God and God finding man--the creature becoming perfect as is the Creator--that is the supernal achievement of the supremely beautiful, the attainment of the apex of cosmic art.
Hence materialism, atheism, is the maximation of ugliness, the climax of the finite antithesis of the beautiful. Highest beauty consists in the panorama of the unification of the variations which have been born of pre-existent harmonious reality.
The attainment of cosmologic levels of thought includes:
1. Curiosity. Hunger for harmony and thirst for beauty. Persistent attempts to discover new levels of harmonious cosmic relationships.
2. Aesthetic appreciation. Love of the beautiful and ever-advancing appreciation of the artistic touch of all creative manifestations on all levels of reality.
3. Ethic sensitivity. Through the realization of truth the appreciation of beauty leads to the sense of the eternal fitness of those things which impinge upon the recognition of divine goodness in Deity relations with all beings; and thus even cosmology leads to the pursuit of divine reality values--to God-consciousness. 646.4-6
Note the appreciation of the beauties of nature in the papers on biologic evolution, the description of the natural beauties of Jesus' human experience (e.g., on his first trip to Jerusalem), and the "animistic" writing about the calcium atom, the stars in their courses doing battle for us (1117.2), and the sun that rises to salute us every morning (1437L).
III. The art of discerning the art of creation 637.2
"A local universe is the handiwork of a Creator Son.." 357.1
"No appreciation of art is genuine unless it accords recognition to the artist" (2080.4). "Neither is the universe like the art of the artist, but rather like the striving, dreaming, aspiring, and advancing artist who seeks to transcend the world of material things in an effort to achieve a spiritual goal" (2080.8). "The artist, not art, demonstrates the existence of the transient morontia work intervening between material existence and spiritual liberty" (2080.9).
"Only a poet can discern poetry in the commonplace prose of routing existence." 557#20
creativity and imagination (1220-21)
"Faith is the inspiration of the spiritualized creative imagination" (1459.5).
We are the co-creators of ourselves 1273
Fruits of growth: "power controlled through mind by spirit by virtue of the unifying and creative presence of personality" 1280.1)
From chaos to harmony
IV. The arts of civilization 804#10
Note the original close association of art and science--promoted together in the planetary prince's staff.
"True art is the effective manipulation of the material things of life" (2080.2).
the arts of civilization in Dalmatia 575.4: agriculture 769.8; manufacture 833.4; warfare 883.7; building 894.6; practical 587.2; self-maintenance 768#2; household arts 1349.3; printing 1022.2.
teamwork the art of working with other beings 312.2
the scientist's arrangement of data 554.4
the art of philosophy, harmonizing discrepancies 1135.5
"And this progress in the arts of civilization leads direction to the realization of the highest human and divine goals of mortal endeavor--the social achievement of the brotherhood of man and the personal status of God-consciousness...." 804.4
V. Art in planetary evolution
Humans can appreciate humor, art 772.1
Vanity, the birth of arts 765.1-7; 766,2
A display of specialized skill, however 556#1
Art results from man's attempt to escape the lack of beauty in his environment 2096
Animals, symbols for Andon, later drawn 716.3
The blue race 725.3
Dalamatia temple, works of art 760.3-4
The council on art and science 748
Fostered equally by the Planetary Prince's staff and Adam and Eve 588.4
Adamite skills 850.5
Handicaps to our artistic development
Ghost cult fear--became the fashion to look ugly 963
Rebellion, default
Moses' commandment 969.3
Chinese trained children in the arts 888.3
Greek art 1789.4 and artistic philosophy 1080.1 and worship 1080.7
The arts flourish in cities 770.3
Our neighboring planet graduates artisans, fosters genius, and protects royalties 813.1; 815.2; 816.2
The flowering of the arts in Post Magisterial Son Man 595.4
On one planet in light and life, 3% of taxes were "devoted to beauty--play, social leisure, and art" (625.2).
VI. The high mission of art
"The high mission of any art is, by its illusions, to foreshadow a higher universe reality, to crystallize the emotions of time into the thought of eternity" (557).
"The domains of philosophy and art intervene between the nonreligious and the religious activities of the human self. Through art and philosophy the material-minded man is inveigled into the contemplation of the spiritual realities and universe values of eternal meanings." (67.3).
"Art is mortal morontia, the intervening field between man and the material, and an, the spiritual. Poetry is an effort to escape from material realities to spiritual values" (2079-80).
"The search for beauty is part of religion only in so far as it is ethical and to the extent that it enriches the concept of the moral. Art is only religious when it becomes diffused with purpose which has been derived from high spiritual motivation" 1115
"The art of time is dangerous only when it becomes blind to the spirit standards of the divine patterns which eternity reflects as the reality shadows of time. True art is the effective manipulation of the material things of life; religion is the ennobling transformation of the material facts of life, and it never ceases in tits spiritual evaluation of art" 2080.2
VII. Symbols
Religions symbol good if and only if not fetish 946.8
The influence of an idea is in proportion to vividness 961.5
New cult needs new symbols 966.2-6
Some need the "grace ministry" of the symbol 999.3
The word God a symbol 1096.8
Adjuster like to dispense with symbols 1193.6
Jesus and the temple rituals 1378.2
Jesus' use of ceremony with Josiah 1813.1
Jesus: let each interpret 1835.4
Remembrance supper 1942
The cross--symbol of service
VIII. Jesus and art
Harp improvisations
Turned to music when tired in mind and body 1402
An artist in harmonizing duties
Jesus' painstaking boat building 1495.5
A master storyteller
Jesus discussed "music and Worship" 1683.4
IX. Art in the wider universe
The angels appreciate our efforts in music, art, and real humor (419.1)
Unimaginable 156, 486.4
Edentia 493.1
Jerusem 521.3; the sea of glass 522.3 and foretastes of higher beauties; pearly gates crystal walls 524; aesthetic cultivation of land 517L
An art for each sense 499
Harmony, the speech of Havona 500D
All arts used to facilitate emotional expression in celestial worship 304.3,4
X. The art of living
Artistic living: Every blue man entertained the ambition of becoming so skillful and artistic as to win the affection of some Adamite woman, and it was the highest aspiration of a superior blue woman to receive the attentions of an Adamite. (80:1, 890.2) Man may elect to live upon the high plane of intelligent art, even that of celestial joy and spiritual ecstasy. Animals make no inquiry into the purposes of life; therefore they never worry, neither do they commit suicide. Suicide among men testifies that such beings have emerged from the purely animal stage of existence, and to the further fact that the exploratory efforts of such human beings have failed to attain the artistic levels of mortal experience. 160:1, 1773.2 [Rodan]) The schools of the Planetary Prince are primarily concerned with philosophy, religion, morals, and the higher intellectual and artistic achievements. (51:6, 587.2)
The integration of TBG 43.4-6; 507.3-5; 646#10; 1175; 2093#3
Primitive 956.3
Augmenting life's fraction 976.5
Compromise 1199.6
Adjusting aspirations 1405.5
The art of measurement 193.7,8
The meaningful rhythms of all human experience 647
Rodan's art of living 1172-79
"Only a poet can discern poetry in the commonplace prose of routing existence" 557#20
XI. Reversion
Midspace zones (11:7, 124)
The complements of rest (26:11, 296-7)
The instigators of rest (27:1, 299) sleep, play, discovery, worship; physical or spiritual energy intake; transit sleep, unconscious slumber; the sleep of metamorphosis; the final sleep.
“The activities of such a world [as Jerusem] are of three distinct varieties: work, progress, and play. Stated otherwise, they are: service, study, and relaxation. The composite activities consist of social intercourse, group entertainment, and divine worship.” (46:5, 526)
The reversion directors (48:4, 547-50).
Paper 44, The Celestial Artisans (497ff)
Jesus
Says the Lord God, the Holy One: ‘In returning to your spiritual rest shall you be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.’ They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint. (131:2, 1444)
Returning from Rome with Gonod and Ganid went to Cyprus for rest and play (133:7, 1479).
“Simon Zelotes was given charge of recreation and play. He managed the Wednesday programs and also sought to provide for a few hours of relaxation and diversion each day” (138:10, 1547). “Simon Zelotes was given charge of the diversions and relaxation of the apostolic group, and he was a very efficient organizer of the pay life and recreational activities of the twelve” (139:10, 1564).
When Jesus saw they were disposed to stay up all night to ask questions, he said to them: “My brethren, you are earthen vessels; it is best for you to go to your rest so as to be ready for the morrow’s work.” (140:6, 1578)
“The entire party was granted a two weeks’ recess to go home to their families, visit their friends, or go fishing” (149:7, 1677).
After the Decapolis tour, Jesus and his associates took a week’s rest (159:6, 1771)
Diversion and relaxation (143:3, 1610)
“You have entered upon this great work of teaching mortal man that he is a son of God. I have shown you the way; go forth to do your duty and be not weary in well doing. To you and to all who shall follow in your steps down through the ages, let me say: I always stand near, and my invitation-call is, and ever shall be, Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am true and loyal, and you shall find spiritual rest for your souls.” (163:6, 1808)
Prayer is self-reminding — sublime thinking; worship is self-forgetting — superthinking. Worship is effortless attention, true and ideal soul rest, a form of restful spiritual exertion. (143:7, 1616).
Self-gratification. As a factor in social progression (68:2, 764-6); in primitive institutions (69:1, 772); Dangers of (84:8, 942-3).
XII. And . . .
I AM . . . 1965.4
"music expresses the tempo of the emotions" 2080.6
harmony, rhythm, meter, symmetry
"The emotional artist sees God as the ideal of beauty, a God of aesthetics" 68.6
"the charm of human art is the harmony of its unity" 646
music and mathematics 141c
the Spirit of Truth is also the Spirit of idealistic beauty
artistic triumphs of truth: new pictures from old facts 555B
divine art of revealing 1406.1
What do we learn about creativity from the Creators—their personalities, designs, acts, energies, and from the Creative whole (647.7)? From the local universe pattern of creative partnership (203; Paper 34; 1089.4)? From the celestial Artisans (Paper 44)? What does the wise philosopher look for (42.6; 646.8)? Love is creative (2018.1). What are the teachings about human creativity? Loyal creativity is limited by what has been established on a higher level (88.2). Study creative imagination (106.10; 135.4; 159.4; 589.11; 891.4; 996.7; 1115.1; 1364.3; 1459.5; 1460.3; 1467.5; 1554.5), and the mind’s creativity (483.9; 737.7; 1463.2; 1965.2; 1471.1; 2080.7); creative living is “original and spontaneous” (1097.5); “worship is divinely creative” (1616.7). Our most important creation? Co-creating the soul (1216.3)!
c. 2012