Government

In the Urantia Book

Believers’ relation to government

it behooves us to afford no stumbling block for the authorities (157:1.2,4)
In everything related with peace plans, we must submit to the government. In these matters we must do what they bid us and observe the essentials of the law 140:8.9 175:1.8 177:3.7
we just have to conflict when rulers require worship which belongs only to God 133:4.3 178:1.3 181:2.10
The last great speech of Jesus in our world was a long speech of almost two hours that he gave before fifty followers about sonship with God and citizenship in earthly governments. 178:1
Jesus forbade apostles to become embroiled in politics 120:3.4 (137:7.5,12) 139:11.9 140:8.9 167:5.6
Jesus did not teach rules of government 140:6.6
he urged them to make no denunciations of government 138:5.4 178:1.16
we should never make the mistake of identifying Jesus’ teachings with any political or economic theory, with any social or industrial system. 140:8.9-31 140:10.6 142:7.17 194:3.9
So long as the rulers of earthly governments seek to exercise the authority of religious dictators, who believe the gospel can expect only trouble, persecution, and even death. 178:1.9
It is the believer’s duty to render to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and to God the things which are God’s. 140:8.9 156:5.16 174:2.2 178:1.3 181:2.10
cosmic citizenship is a matter of responsibility and morality and so it is therefore taught in heaven 39:4.9
with respect to the various religious groups and the political parties of Palestine, Jesus’ words always were, “We are seeking to win all of them, but we are not of any of them.” (137:7.5,12)
Jesus said: “When you are brought up before governors and rulers, it shall be for a testimony of your faith and to show your steadfastness in the gospel of the kingdom. And when you stand before judges, be not anxious beforehand as to what you should say, for the spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should answer your adversaries.” 176:1.1
The Urantia Book contains excerpts from lectures delivered by Jesus at Urmia on political sovereignty, though adapted to be applicable to twentieth-century political conditions. 134:5-6

Celestial government | Urantia:celestial government

affairs of all worlds are divinely supervised 3:1.1
In his contact with the post-Havona creations, the Universal Father does not exercise his infinite power and final authority by direct transmittal but rather through his Sons and their subordinate personalities. The Father rules through his Sons; on down through the universe organization there is an unbroken chain of rulers ending with the Planetary Princes, who direct the destinies of the evolutionary spheres of the Father’s vast domains. 3:5.1-2
The various subadministrations of the universe have assigned to them certain special domains of responsibility. For example, a system government looks after biologic problems. 33:6.3
Concerning the government of the central universe, Havona, there is none. In every requirement of Havona there is disclosed the reason of righteousness and the rule of justice. 14:3.1-2 14:5.3
As persons you may conceive of the Universal Father and the Eternal Son as separate individuals, for they indeed are; but in the administration of the universes they are so intertwined and interrelated that it is not always possible to distinguish between them. 6:8.3
The administration of the Eternal Son in the superuniverses, being exclusively spiritual and superpersonal, is not discernible by creature personalities. 7:2.4
Most Highs rule in kingdoms of men. This rule of the Most Highs in the kingdoms of men is not for the especial benefit of any especially favored group of mortals. There is no such thing as a “chosen people. ” 3:5.2 43:3.4 43:9.4 50:2.6 52:3.11 97:8.5 134:5.4 136:9.6 175:1.8 175:3.2

Democracy

Democracy is an ideal form of government, but it is a product of civilization, not evolution, and it is not without its dangers. The dangers of democracy are: 71:2.1-6
# Glorification of mediocrity.
# Choice of base and ignorant rulers.
# Failure to recognize the basic facts of social evolution.
# Danger of universal suffrage in the hands of uneducated and indolent majorities.
# Slavery to public opinion; the majority is not always right.
Popular elections may not always decide things rightly, but they represent the right way even to do a wrong thing. 71:2.8
In ancient times, priestly positions and kings were considered fetishes. Today men have also made a fetish of democracy, the exaltation and adoration of the common man’s ideas when collectively called “public opinion.” 88:3.4

History of government (70) (71) | civilization

Onagar, almost a million years ago, instituted an efficient tribal government, the like of which was not attained by succeeding generations in many millenniums. Never again, until the arrival of the Planetary Prince, was there such a high spiritual civilization on earth. 63:6.8
at some point every evolution of government brings with it the abolition of slavery 71:8.5
The first party government was “the strong” vs. “the weak. ” In ancient times a change of administration only followed civil war, abundant proof that the weak had become strong. 70:7.17
Every human institution had a beginning, and civil government is a product of progressive evolution just as much as are marriage, industry, and religion. From the early clans and primitive tribes there gradually developed the successive orders of human government which have come and gone right on down to those forms of social and civil regulation that characterize the second third of the twentieth century. 70:5
the red man never managed to create a state. The closest thing was the Iroquois, who created a federation, but which lacked the essentials of modern government. 71:1.3-11
The intellectual keenness, economic wisdom, social cleverness, and moral stamina of a people are all faithfully reflected in statehood. 71:8.1
Early communism was one more evolutionary step in government | communism
The first real governmental body was the council of the elders of the clan. 70:5.2
ever-present danger of suffering an external aggression stimulates development of state 79:8.1
Government is an unconscious development; it evolves by trial and error. 70:0.2-3 71
The development of industry demands law, order, and social adjustment; private property necessitates government. 69:9.17 70:0.1
in the primitive government the dictators were the ones who prevailed 70:12.2
The early states were small and were all the result of conquest. 71:1.2
Effective state rule only came with the arrival of a chief with full executive authority, the monarchal government 70:6
the executive power arose from the need to organize the war or from the healers and priests 70:5.5-9
The weak and the inferior have always contended for equal rights; they have always insisted that the state compel the strong and superior to supply their wants and otherwise make good those deficiencies which all too often are the natural result of their own indifference and indolence. 70:9.16
In the past, institutional religion could remain passive while the upper strata of society turned a deaf ear to the sufferings and oppression of the helpless lower strata, but in modern times these lower social orders are no longer so abjectly ignorant nor so politically helpless. 99:1.5

Other worlds

The Urantia Book describes how the most prominent country on a neighboring planet, which currently enjoys a representative republic, is governed. 72
In this nation on the neighboring planet, governmental servants supported by tax funds are, for the periods of such services, disenfranchised. 72:9.4
in the worlds that are in the stages of light and life the government gradually disappears 52:7.5 55:3.2 55:5.4
in the epochs of light and life there are mortal chief executives who serve as joint administrators associated with the Planetary Sovereign, thus freeing the Adam and Eve of the planet from their positions of government 55:4.15

Principles of government (70) (71) (72) | competition; courts; human rights; industry; justice; law; military; profit; taxation

These are the principles that should govern all forms of human government:
* Slavery, serfdom, and all forms of human bondage must disappear. 71:2.10
* Adjudication is the highest function of any government, and those who are intrusted with verdict rendering should be chosen from the highest and most noble types of the most experienced and understanding individuals. 22:4.3
* best government is balance of power between executive, legislative, and judicial branches 70:12.1 71:8.1
* the ideal state should bestow its highest honors, in recognition of services rendered, on its civil and social officials 71:3.12
* must take care of the unfortunate 71:4.10
* That state is best which co-ordinates most while governing least. 71:3.9 71:5.2
* education must be compulsory 71:4.7 71:8.7 72:4.1
* employment must be compulsory 71:3.7 71:4.8 (72:6.4,6)
* The conquest of dialects must be sought—the triumph of a universal language. 71:8.12
* it is necessary to establish a control mechanism for public servants 71:2.18
* citizens must have the ability to control the tx levying. 71:8.6
* divine ideal for government must be slowly discovered 70:12.20
* a free people must be educated—taught to think intelligently and plan wisely—or else freedom usually does more harm than good. 71:2.11
* effective government can be had only by conferring power on a personality, not by endowing an idea. 70:6.1
* The prime mission of government is the definition of the right, the just and fair regulation of class differences, and the enforcement of equality of opportunity under the rules of law. 81:5.6
* essentials are liberty, security, education, social co-ordination 71:1.3-11 71:3.1
* ethics is seed and secret of continued and purposeful growth of society and government 39:3.7
* federalism. If there is a union of states, they must be free. 71:8.8 72:2.1
* Civil government must be founded on justice 132:4.8
* there must be freedom of speech. Representative government is unthinkable without freedom of all forms of expression for human aspirations and opinions. 71:2.13
* organized society had every right to employ force in the execution of its just mandates. The state has the right to defend itself as it sees fit, including the death penalty 133:1.5 133:4.12 140:8.4 178:1.2
* The ideal state is organic, and every free and intelligent group of citizens represents a vital and functioning organ within the larger governmental organism. 72:9.7
* ideal state has few laws; has passed into the era of the positive progress of individual liberty consequent upon enhanced self-control 71:3.7
* The ideals of statehood must be attained by evolution, by the slow growth of civic consciousness, the recognition of the obligation and privilege of social service. 70:9.17 71:3
* goverment must preserve individual liberties 70:12.5 71:4.3 71:8.4
* The survival of democracy is dependent on successful representative government; and that is conditioned upon the practice of electing to public offices only those individuals who are technically trained, intellectually competent, socially loyal, and morally fit. 71:2.19
* men and women must hold posts jointly. In all worlds in light and life always happens this way 55:3.9
* when fifty per cent of a nation is inferior or defective and possesses the ballot, such a nation is doomed. Dominance of mediocrity spells the downfall of any nation. 72:9.8
* national survival requires military preparation, but also a religious idealism that prevents the preparation from being prostituted and turning into offensive operations against other peoples 71:4.17
* It is not what a state is but what it does that determines the course of social evolution. 71:3.1
* goverment must be of the people, by the people, and for the people 71:2.19
* The only sacred feature of any human government is the division of statehood into the three domains of executive, legislative, and judicial functions. (71:8.1,3)
* the great problem of statehood that must guarantee peace and quiet in industry, pay the taxes to support state power, and at the same time prevent taxation from handicapping industry and keep the state from becoming parasitical or tyrannical 71:5.2
* the good government must promote science and art 71:4.12
* achieve the protection of the home 71:4.4
* must care of race improvement 71:4.11
* The reign of law. The will and whims of human rulers must be replaced by legislative enactments in accordance with accepted fundamental law. 71:2.12
* Representative government is the divine ideal of self-government among nonperfect beings. 45:7.3 52:4.6 70:12.1-2
* The right of petition. Representative government assumes the right of citizens to be heard. The privilege of petition is inherent in free citizenship. 71:2.15
* The right to rule. It is not enough to be heard; the power of petition must progress to the actual management of the government. 71:2.16
* Security of property. No government can long endure if it fails to provide for the right to enjoy personal property in some form. 71:2.14
* The due recognition of sex equality and the co-ordinated functioning of men and women in the home, school, and church, with specialized service of women in industry and government. 71:8.10
* government should foster science and vanquish disease (71:8.9,11)
* should provide fair, peaceful opportunities to all 70:9.17
* must provide social welfare programs | charity:by government
Universal suffrage. Representative government presupposes an intelligent, efficient, and universal electorate. 71:2.17
* the final consummation of political growth is the government of all mankind, by all mankind, and for all mankind. 134:5

Stages to evolution of government

There are ten steps, or stages, to the evolution of a practical and efficient form of representative government, and these are: 71:2.9-19 71:8.2-15
# Freedom of the person.
# Freedom of the mind.
# The reign of law
# Freedom of speech
# Security of property
# The right of petition
# The right to rule
# Universal suffrage
# Control of public servants
# Intelligent and trained representation

Quality of the state

strongest state has common language, mores, and institutions 71:1.1
system is of value only if it enhances welfare of individual and mankind 134:5.2
a sovereignty that transcends all minor struggles and group differences is the characteristic of the true state 71:1.23
The state is a territorial social regulative organization, and the strongest, most efficient, and enduring state is composed of a single nation whose people have a common language, mores, and institutions. 71:1.1
The status of any level of civilization is faithfully portrayed by the caliber of its citizens who volunteer to accept the responsibilities of statehood. 71:3.10-12

Warnings

these are the dangers to be avoided: 70:12.6-12
* we have to avoid control by ambitious and clever dictators 70:12.12
* we have avoid domination by vicious minorities 70:12.11
* we must not seek to promulgate truth nor to establish righteousness by the power of civil governments or by the enaction of secular laws. 152:6.2-4 159:3.2 178:1.12
* Citizens are not born for the benefit of governments; governments are organizations created and devised for the benefit of men. 71:0.2 134:5.16
* government cannot be run by a debating society 70:5.5
* idleness and poverty should not be tolerated 71:3.8
* Ignorance and selfishness will insure the downfall of even the highest type of government. 71:3.1
* No government can long endure if it fails to provide for the right to enjoy personal property in some form. 71:2.14
* no great social or economic change should be effected suddenly 81:6.40
* oppressive taxation and regulation interferes with individual liberties 70:12.15 134:6.10
* secularism sells man into bondage into slavish bondage to the totalitarian state 195:8.4
* the union of church and state must be avoided. One of the great peace moves of the ages has been the attempt to separate church and state. 70:1.14 70:12.17 71:8.4 72:3.6 178:1.9
* The subnormal man should be kept under society’s control; no more should be produced than are required to administer the lower levels of industry 68:6.11 | eugenics; inferiors
* The great weakness of the Roman Empire and the cause of its end was the provision to emancipate boys at twenty-one, and to free young women to marry a man of their own choosing or wander the country indulging in immorality. 71:1.22 195:3.8-9
* With planetary fertility, the serious problem of overpopulation soon arises. The wise nation knows when to stop growing 81:6.12

Self-government

heavenly orders in which their own members participated in their own creation are candidates for a heavenly type of self-government 35:1.3
self-government is the highest type of representative government 52:4.6

World government

Adam made a heroic and determined effort to establish a world government, but he met with stubborn resistance at every turn. Adam abandoned all effort to establish representative government, and before the collapse of the Edenic regime he succeeded in establishing almost one hundred outlying trade and social centers where strong individuals ruled in his name. 74:5.5-7
The individual will enjoy far more liberty under world government. Today, the citizens of the great powers are taxed, regulated, and controlled almost oppressively, and much of this present interference with individual liberties will vanish when the national governments are willing to trustee their sovereignty as regards international affairs into the hands of global government. 134:5.13-15 134:6.8-11 134:6.10
world-wide peace cannot prevail until creation of a planetary government 72:12.5 134:5.12
War on Urantia will never end so long as nations cling to the illusive notions of unlimited national sovereignty. There are only two levels of relative sovereignty on an inhabited world: the spiritual free will of the individual mortal and the collective sovereignty of mankind as a whole. (134:5.2,5)
Under global government the national groups will be afforded a real opportunity to realize and enjoy the personal liberties of genuine democracy. The fallacy of self-determination will be ended. 134:6.11

Bible parallels

Passages that the paragraphs cited above parallel, quote or reinterpret, from Duane Faw’s Paramony cross-references. Hover a reference to read it.

Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's 140:8.9 — Mt 22:21; Mk 12:17; Lk 20:25.
Most Highs rule kingdoms of men 175:1.8 — Dn 4:17,25,32; Dn 5:21.
Obey even crooked leaders 175:1.8 — Mt 23:3-4.
Weighty burdens 175:1.8 — Lk 11:46.
Leave house desolate 177:3.7 — Mt 23:38; Lk 13:35.
Those who sit in Moses' seat 177:3.7 — Mt 23:2.
Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's 178:1.3 — Mt 22:21; Mk 12:17; Lk 20:25.
Regarding divorce 140:6.6 — Mt 5:31-32; Mt 19:3-9; Mk 10:2-12; Lk 16:18.
Universality of religion of Jesus 194:3.9 — Mt 28:19-20; Jn 14:26; Acts 2:1,42.
Render to God and Caesar 156:5.16 — Mt 22:21; Mk 12:17; Lk 20:25; Ro 13:7.
Jesus questioned by students 174:2.2 — Mt 22:16-21; Mk 12:14-17a; Lk 20:21-25.
Jesus is no respecter of persons 174:2.2 — 2 Ch 19:7; Job 34:19; Sir 35:12; Mt 22:16; Mk 12:14; Lk 20:21; Acts 10:34; Ro 2:11; Ga 2:6; Ga 3:28; Eph 6:9; Col 3:11.
Destruction of Jerusalem 176:1.1 — Mt 24:4-14; Mk 13:5-13; Lk 21:8-17.
Persecution and danger 176:1.1 — Mt 10:17-20; Lk 12:11-12.
Gospel of the kingdom 176:1.1 — Mt 4:23; Mt 9:35; Mt 24:14; Mk 1:14-15.
Betrayed by kinfolk 176:1.1 — Mt 10:21-22.
In heaven above, earth below 3:1.1 — Dt 3:24; Dt 4:39; Jos 2:11.
Where go to avoid God? 3:1.1 — Ps 139:7.
Father and Son one 6:8.3 — Jn 1:1; Jn 5:17-18; Jn 10:30,38; Jn 12:45; Jn 14:7-11,20; Jn 17:11,21-22.
Son is “word” 6:8.3 — Jn 1:1.
Earth is Lord's, and fullness 3:5.2 — Ps 24:1; 1 Co 10:26,28.
Removes, sets up, kings 3:5.2 — Dn 2:21.
Rule in the kingdoms of men 3:5.2 — Dn 4:17,25,32; Dn 5:21.
He who dwells in secret place 43:3.4 — Ps 91:1.
The Most High rules 43:3.4 — Dn 4:17,25,32; Dn 5:21.
Most Highs rule kingdoms 50:2.6 — Dn 4:17,25,32; Dn 5:21.
“Temptation” to control kingdoms 136:9.6 — Mt 4:8; Lk 4:5.
Council of elders 70:5.2 — Gn 50:7; Ex 3:16-18.
Jesus knocks and men open 159:3.2 — Rev 3:20.
Golden Rule 178:1.12 — Mt 7:12; Lk 6:31. *Golden Rule (negative)*: Tb 4:15.

Where it appears

Government is linked in 44 paragraphs of the text; the first 40 are listed.

Type	Concepts and teachings
Facts indexed	137
Linked in text	44 paragraphs
Bible parallels	30 passages
Linked from	49 articles