Consistency Column

     Even for an author writing about recorded facts, consistency is not always easy to maintain for a work as extensive as The Urantia Book. For hypothetical authors seeking to foist a fake revelation upon the world, hence relying upon their imaginations, maintaining consistency would be a nightmare and much more so prior to the availability of computers and modern information technology. This bimonthly column presents information about our investigations on consistency in The Urantia Book. Input from readers would be welcome.

   There are 68 references to "outer space" in The Urantia Book. On page 329 we are told that, "Master Force Organizers withstand temperatures and function under physical conditions which would be intolerable even to versatile Power Centers and Physical Controllers of Orvonton. The only other types of revealed beings capable of functioning in these realms of outer space are the Solitary Messengers and the Inspired Trinity Spirits."

     The Solitary Messengers are a more or less unique group and part of their task is to explore the uncharted regions of outer space. The Inspired Trinity Spirits are a bit of a mystery but have similarities to the Solitary Messengers and are even thought to be likely to supplement or replace them when the work load becomes too large. The Solitary Messengers are finite in number.

     The Master Force Organizers consist of Primary Master Force Organizers who deal with the basic forces of the Unqualified Absolute, transmuting pre-energy into primary or puissant energy which then comes under the control of the Associate Master Force Organizers as the new energy form moves into the gravity grasp of the Isle of Paradise. Both groups are domiciled on Paradise but function throughout the Master Universe.

    All sixty eight references to outer space were checked to see if discrepancies could be located relevant to the statement on p. 329 that only the three types of being could withstand the extreme conditions of outer space.

     Two possible discrepancies were discovered. In one (1182), a Solitary Messenger speculates that Mystery Monitors may penetrate outer space levels but then says that the Solitary Messengers (who are able to sense the presence of an Adjuster) have never been sure of detecting Adjusters in outer space.

     The other possibility is on p. 328 which states that the Frandalanks function in the domains of outer space. The Frandalanks are apparently difficult to classify. They are grouped with the Associate Power Directors but the author of Paper 29 calls them living machines that measure aspects of universe force. They are used extensively in the Grand Universe and presumably are placed in suitable locations in outer space where, essentially, they are recording machines. If we think of them as "instruments" rather than "beings" then their location in outer space is not an inconsistency. So perhaps we'll score 9.5 out of 10 for consistency on this point.

Home Page    Previous Page    Next Page