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Morality, Motive, and Virtue
Using wisdom per word as the measure of meaningful content, Section 7 of Paper 16 must rate among the most powerful sections of The Urantia Book. It is packed with incredibly precise and decisive snippets of information for we Urantians that are worthy of close and continued study. Among other things, Section 7 instructs about how to spread the principal message of our Revelation--and also how not to attempt to spread it. Maybe the following quote deserves a 10 out of 10 wisdom per word rating:
"Morality can never be advanced by law or by force. It is a personal and freewill matter and must be disseminated by the contagion of the contact of morally fragrant persons with those who are less morally responsive, but who are also in some measure desirous of doing the Father's will." (193)
The book tells us that, for all intents and purposes, a Michael Son is God to his universe. Jesus rated the two most important commandments as being: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your Spirit." and "Love one another as I have loved you." If we comply with these instructions, obviously we will qualify as "morally fragrant persons."
Since we are instructed that morality must be disseminated through the personal example of morally fragrant persons, and since moral fragrance equivalates to loving God and loving as Jesus loved, it follows that effectiveness of the Fifth Epochal Revelation in advancing our planet towards 'Light and Life' will be in proportion to the number of Urantians who effectively reflect the life of Jesus in their own lives. Hence our personal endeavors will be as nothing except that others observe Jesus to come alive in us. If he does not, then having, knowing, or preaching the 5th Epochal Revelation is as dust in the wind.
Section 7, Paper 16 highlights a problem that has plagued our planet. The idea that "the morality of any act is determined by the motive" (1585) can be taken to denote that the end justifies the means, even though the means may reflect dubious morality. That is an error. Section 7 states: "Moral acts are those human performances which are characterized by the highest intelligence, directed by selective discrimination in the choice of superior ends as well as in the selection of moral means to attain these ends." (193)
To conclude on positive note, let us examine what is said about virtue: "Virtue is righteousness-- conformity with the cosmos. To name virtues is not to define them, but to live them is to know them. Virtue is not mere knowledge nor yet wisdom but rather the reality of progressive experience in the attainment of ascending levels of cosmic achievement. In the day-by-day life of mortal man virtue is realized by the consistent choosing of good rather than evil, and such choosing ability is evidence of the possession of a moral nature." And in selecting moral means to attain superior ends, "such conduct is virtuous. Supreme virtue, then, is wholeheartedly to choose to do the will of the Father in heaven." (193)
Is choosing morality and virtue difficult? It should not be so for we have the Spirit of Truth and the indwelling Thought Adjusters to guide us, and both morality and virtue are indigenous qualities of our God-given personalities. Moreover, if we consistently choose the good, then we are choosing the will of God for the book tells us that, "All goodness takes its origin in the Father." (381) God leads. We only have to choose.
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