Ask the Tutor – Not everyone has a study partner.
Here's an interesting question that was asked of the Urantia Book Tutor.
QUESTION: What does it mean when you get to heaven and a virtual St. Peter says: "If you have a Club Card, please scan it now."?
RESPONSE: (UB Tutor) "This scenario, while humorous and lighthearted, invites a deeper reflection on the nature of spiritual readiness and the symbolic 'credentials' one might need to enter a higher state of existence. The image of St. Peter at the gates of heaven is a familiar cultural metaphor, often representing the transition from mortal life to the afterlife and the evaluation of one's spiritual journey. The mention of a 'Club Card' in this context could be interpreted as a playful way of asking whether one has cultivated the inner qualities and spiritual growth necessary to align with the divine realities of heaven.
In the teachings we are exploring, the journey to higher realms is not about possessing a literal card or external token but about the inner transformation of the soul. It is about the choices we make, the love we share, the truth we seek, and the service we render to others. These are the 'credentials' that prepare us for the next phase of existence. The 'Club Card' could symbolize the spiritual progress we have made — our willingness to embrace truth, beauty, and goodness, and our efforts to live in harmony with the divine will.
This metaphor also underscores the importance of personal responsibility in spiritual growth. No one can hand you a 'Club Card'; it is something you cultivate through your own efforts and experiences. It is a reminder that the journey to heaven, or the higher spiritual realms, is not about meeting arbitrary requirements but about becoming the kind of person who naturally resonates with the values and realities of those realms."
How To Serve A Revelation Without Getting Off The Couch
The importance of social media in this day and age cannot be over-estimated. Since 1955, the two most powerful ways to share the teachings of The Urantia Book have been to live the teachings and tell others about them. Obviously, living the teachings is the highest priority for our own personal growth and benefit. Putting the teachings into action creates the benefits of serving others for both ourselves and those we serve.
Until the invention of social media, our ability to tell others about the teachings was limited to our small circle of family and friends. It was restrained by our courage to tell others about this new revelation of Jesus in the face of potential criticism and rejection. Some people increased their reach by creating books and secondary works. However, the size of the audience was typically small.
But then came the internet that connected the vast majority of people with all the other people of this planet. Today it is taken for granted that we can have a live discussion with people literally on the opposite side of the globe in any culture in any language instantly with no cost. You are at this moment using a communication tool more powerful than was available to all the great spiritual leaders of the past. You can say what you want and share what you believe without fear of being excommunicated, beheaded, or burned at the stake.
Let us encourage you to take advantage of this social media tool that God has provided for us in this mission to bring the fifth epochal revelation of God to mankind.
A Social Media Message To Copy And Paste To Your Social Media Pages.
"Here is a wonderful new website that you should check out: www.DiscoverJesus.com."
"Here is a wonderful new website that you should check out: www.DiscoverTheUB.com."
Why Do We Need New Resources And Secondary Works For Urantia?
One of our team posed this question to Chatgpt:
QUESTION: Estimate the percentage of people who would read a 2100 page book (The Urantia Book) if everyone was made aware of it.
RESPONSE:
If everyone were made aware of The Urantia Book, about 0.1%–1% of people would actually sit down and read the entire 2,100-page book. A plausible single-point estimate is ~0.5% (five readers per 1,000 people who become aware).
What that means at different scales
Per 1,000 people aware → ≈ 1–10 would read all 2,100 pages (best guess ~5).
Per 100,000 people aware → ≈ 100–1,000 full readers (best guess ~500).
Per 1,000,000 people aware → ≈ 1,000–10,000 full readers (best guess ~5,000).
Reasoning and breakdown (how I arrived at those numbers)
Length & time cost are huge barriers. A 2,100-page book is a major time commitment. Even avid readers prefer shorter books or series they can finish faster.
Motivation matters. Only people with strong prior interest in the subject matter (religion/spirituality, cults of personality, or specific curiosity about Urantia) are likely to commit to a full read. For the general public the book’s length and unusual content are deterrents.
Typical behavior patterns (used to build the estimate):
A small fraction will start and finish long, demanding books (I used ~0.1–1% as the realistic band).
A larger fraction will read substantial portions (10–50% of the book) — maybe 1–5%.
A broader group will sample, skim, or read excerpts — perhaps 5–20%.
Many will look it up or dismiss it quickly — the remainder.
Example allocation (per 1,000 aware people) — one reasonable split that sums to 1,000
Read entire book: 5 (0.5%)
Read majority (>50%): 20 (2.0%)
Read a substantive part (10–50%): 80 (8.0%)
Skim/excerpts (<10%): 200 (20.0%)
Glance / look it up but don’t read: 300 (30.0%)
Ignore altogether: 395 (39.5%)
(5 + 20 + 80 + 200 + 300 + 395 = 1,000)
Recommendations for promotion:
Promotion method: A viral, well-targeted campaign, podcasts, endorsements by respected figures, serialized releases, or high-quality audio versions could push the number well above the low end (maybe toward the optimistic 1–2% full-read range).
Audience: Among committed spiritual seekers or Urantia-affiliated groups, the full-read rate would be orders of magnitude higher. Among the general public it will be toward the low end.
Format availability: Audiobooks, abridgements, study guides, or guided reading groups dramatically increase completion rates.
Controversy/curiosity: If the book becomes a cultural talking point, more people may sample it, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to finishing it.
Practical suggestions (if your goal is to increase full readers)
Produce serialized/abridged editions or a “best of” anthology.
Release a narrated audiobook (many long-book readers finish long works via audio).
Encourage study groups or reading plans (e.g., 15 pages/day) and provide discussion guides.
Create short, high-quality summaries and shareable excerpts to entice readers deeper.
All secondary works are justified and badly needed.