Pocatello Team

Michael:

Your Culture

6-23-00

Michael(Bill/Isaac): Greetings my children, I am your father/brother Michael.

Ken: Greetings!

Michael: I am here in my Spirit of Truth which is accessible to all of you at any time. You are precious to me as are all of my children, each one unique, totally irreplaceable in my universe.

Your stance with your culture is a trial for you at times inasmuch as you have advanced past the average level of your fellows because of your willingness to take my yoke upon you, learn of me, and follow in my footsteps. This presents you with the dilemma of having greater knowledge, greater appreciation, greater perspective than many whom you encounter. This also carries with it the temptation to be judgmental inasmuch as there is a part of you which disdains your earlier developmental levels and when these are presented to you in the guise of another's behavior, statements and actions, you are in danger of becoming blinded and not seeing through the facade to the true worth and value of this other person. In time and over time you will transcend this limited tendency to be judgmental for you will become aware of the necessity of the step wise character of ascension. At that point you will understand that one should not be faulted for the level of development they have attained and that these levels cannot fairly be compared the one with the other. You have only reached the levels you are on as a result of the stepping stones of the previous ones. You are children of evolution, not Creator Sons. Your job is to live loyally as a tadpole so that you may evolve into the frog. You are much more patient with your own mortal children because it is obvious that their developmental levels are not matters of judgment or condemnation; but when it comes to adults it is easier to restrict your vision and to become tangled in the facade that is presented until you know someone well enough to understand and therefor develop true tolerance.

Your world is evolving and struggling with issues which have not been resolved over centuries: issues of personal worth regardless of cultural norms, cultural mores, the religions of authority, racial prejudice, and a host of other holdovers from your evolutionary past. But your time in history is the most exciting time in Urantia's long struggle forward! This is the Time of Correction, dear children. This is the time of transformation. It is happening everywhere. The old dysfunctional Luciferian legacy is crumbling. The perpetrators are no more and their legacy is under revision. I am the Planetary Prince of this sphere while Machiventa is the Acting Planetary Prince under my assignment. This you know. So I take the reins of leadership to do all that I can to foster this planet and the other rebellion spheres to come quickly out of the shadows of sin and despair and enter the brightness of the heavenly community.

I urge you, when you encounter within yourself a judgmental attitude, to stop your thinking and connect with your Indweller. Turn over the urge to be critical, the urge to find fault, the urge to feel superior. Let it go, for it is an illusion. You are all evolving sons and daughters of God. What I do wish you to do is to take this divine attitude with you consciously as you interact with other people so that you can see clearly your common siblinghood, your brotherhood and your sisterhood.

Each person has unique things to contribute to the Supreme. No one can be replaced Everyone is important who has survival potential so that the Universe of Nebadon can make its fullest contribution to the Superuniverse of Orvonton, while that superuniverse will make its contribution to the Master Universe and the eventual completion of the Supreme Being. The work that you do, you do for the Supreme; you do for me, for our Father, but finally for the Supreme. One day you will be connected, as I am, into the Whole. You will participate in the great moment of culmination Supremacy. In the mean time strive to be united with your Indwelling Fragment, so perfectly united that you shall become one. This is your destiny even as I am the Son of God and the Son of Man.

And now, my dear friends, it has been a while since I have been with you in this manner. I will allow you to interact with me. Do you have questions or comments, concerns. Please feel free to share them at this time.

Gwen: I have a question.

Michael: Yes, Gwen.

Gwen: I have been having a hard time not judging those who judge others. I was wondering if you can give me any insight. For some reason I feel a pain inside when I am in contact with those who judge others and it hurts me very deeply. I was wondering if there is a way to be less judgmental toward those who judge others?

Michael: My dear, your sensitivity is wonderful to behold.


When I incarnated on this planet I experienced pain observing the shortsightedness of men and women. My pain was for the lack of understanding that I saw manifested in others. As I grew older I realized that most intolerance is based on ignorance, lack of knowledge; and that even what manifests as hatred is based n fear, a fear of the unknown. Most people will change their view points when they have new information.

Part of your anxiety over other people's narrow mindedness, as you see it, touches that vulnerability in yourself of which you are aware, though at times only dimly... that vulnerability to fear itself; for it is normal for all humans to be fearful. It is an animal legacy which is only gradually transcended by spiritual progress.

There is no quick solution to your question, but as you grow older in years, assuming that you will make spiritual progress as well, you will discover that you understand more and you can even tolerate the intolerant. You will begin to understand, that with some exceptions, this is a manifestation of lack of knowledge and of fear.

When you find yourself judging others remember you really are judging yourself. That is the core of it and then you need to ask yourself, "Why am I so hard on myself?" "Would Father regard me as deserving of criticism?" "Would Michael become angry with my limitations?" No! "Then who am I to with hold a generous attitude toward myself, which my superiors and spiritual Parents do not have?" Have I given you some assistance with these words, my dear

Gwen: Yes, thank you.

Michael: Do you have other things to say?

Gwen: No, I really heard the answer to my question, that their judgment is based on ignorance. I understand that and helps me to be less judgmental and more sorry for them, to feel sympathy. But, sometimes it is just overwhelming and I just get so angry and it is very hard to keep from being judgmental. I am sure, as you said, as I grow older I will be able to learn how to be less judgmental toward those people and less frustrated with society in what I observe there...ignorance toward certain issues.

Michael: You see, in the evolution of a world, such as Urantia, worldwide understanding grows out of certain facts of existence. One is a universal language, another is a universal religion, another is cultural exchange, and another is economic interdependence. It is impossible for people who are different from each other to meet for the first time without preconceived attitudes throwing up barriers and walls. I had the great advantage as a child to visit in my father's carpenter shop with travelers from all over the Near East, Far East, and the Mediterranean, for we lived very close to the crossroads. This gave me opportunity to meet all sorts of different people and this definitely assisted me in my human progress long before I knew that I was Michael of Nebadon. I was able to become comfortable with great diversity.

When I mentioned to you to look within and see if you are being judgmental toward yourself, Gwen, I really am inviting you to explore this as one of the mechanisms of the human mind, the tendency to express outwardly criticism and anger that is really self directed.

Gwen: Are you saying that because I judge those who judge, I am really angry at myself for having judgment within myself? I really don't understand that. I am afraid of being judgmental?

Michael: Yes, possibly in different ways and in a different manner. Perhaps being self judgmental for having human frailties which are yours uniquely. Perhaps being hard on yourself for not living up to all your ideals. I am not going to diagnose you, as such, but say that when, as a general rule, mortals are critical of others you need to see that this is a way of avoiding internally directed criticism by throwing it outside on to others. It keeps you from looking at your inadequacies. I am not recommending that you become bogged down in self criticism. What I am saying is, that in order to get rid of criticism toward others, one must learn to accept oneself, including all limitations and all past errors and even past sins, accept these and understand that they are forgiven, that they are understood by a wiser and higher Source, who dwells, as I do, within your mind and within your soul.

Self love is the response to the understanding and the feel of love from your true Parents, myself and Nebadonia, and our common God and Father of all. Well, my dear, I am not asking you to figure this all out at the moment but to consider this as an aspect of your question.

Gwen: Thank you very much.

Michael: You are welcome.

Virginia: Michael, first of all, thank you so much for coming tonight. I really appreciate hearing from you. Michael, as I heard the answer you gave Gwen...I am older already and I still have that same issue. I know that it is an issue of shortsightedness when we can look at people and not understand where they come from or why they think that way. I realize that their position is certainly one of fear. The unknown to them is a real threat. I do believe that and I hear that. But I also find it very difficult to understand in our world today where diversity is becoming more commonplace, every culture, every country, every group of people. Some people open their arms and say, "What can I learn from this diversity?" while another individual would close it off. I know that is short sided and I will get to the point...I read recently that understanding is for eternity and forgiveness is for time. So my question is, "Can we fully understand and accept and not judge or can we just try to forgive this person and move on with our life?" To understand, I don't think, is within my ability at this time.

Michael. Yes. It is not within your ability at this time or perhaps within any time prior to the completion of the Supreme. At that time you will understand. We will all know even as we are known. Therefor judgment is the province of groups, never individuals and varies in degree of accuracy, from the least accurate at the evolutionary mortal stage through the supremacy of perfection at the level of the Ancients of Days. They are Sons of God from Paradise, as I am. They judge in perfection. So, no, you will not have full understanding and therefor it is not really your job, or any of your jobs, to be passing judgment on either yourself or others. That is not your job. You do not have the qualifications. You cannot do it. (Giggle from group)

So in response to both of your questions I add, then, this thought. One way to let go of being judgmental is to realize that you are trying to do the impossible. Forgiveness is a word that has more personal connotations toward the interaction between two people where one has been wronged by the other. Tolerance is an understanding that you are all limited in understanding, even as I prayed to my Father on the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing." My Father didn't need to be entreated to forgive. Our Father understands fully.

I became angry, and still become angry with iniquity, with persistent rebellion against God, for this is different. I do not tolerate iniquity. I do not condone it. I seek with love to transform it, to turn the iniquitous one toward the light. But my son, Lucifer, would not accept my mercy. He persisted until he ceased to exist by his own choice. But this is not your concern, to make judgments upon iniquity. I counsel you all to be merciful. Having received mercy freely, freely give it. With hold judgment, for it is not your job. You do not have the ability. Let those who are responsible for judgment shoulder that job. If you become angry then go inward. Seek my presence. Talk to me within and I shall hold your hands I shall sooth your tempers and I shall share my wounded hands, not now wounded, but wounded by the intolerance of the very thing you are talking about. Then you shall know that you are really all brothers and sisters and all infinitely loved.


My friends, is there one more question?

Ken: Thank you, Michael. You addressed my question on tolerance. I was putting tolerance as a form of judgment for somebody else.

Michael: Thank you, Ken, for your words. Ah, my friends, it is like the old days around the campfire. You are my new apostles, you who have self consciously chosen to follow me. We shall preach the gospel, the Good News, that we are all sons and daughters of God. And now please stand and join hands.

My Father, these little ones are ours. You have given them to me and I rejoice to be in their presence. May our Spirit so fill them with love and with that peace that passes understanding that their minds will transcend all the petty and merely materialistic concerns and rise like cream to the surface of their souls, filled with joy, forgiveness, tolerance, patience and desire above all things to do Your Will. Even so, my Father, your universe will be completed. Your glory will be manifested.

Go with these now as they go their separate ways. Help them to accept their humanity, to rejoice in their indwelling divinity and to learn to love each other as I have loved them. Amen.