DEFAULT

Q: As regards to universe administration, since we've learned that a Lanonandek Son like Caligastia could default in his mission, but no Creator Son has ever defaulted, it seems to me there's a built-in safety device into the way all that works, because it allows for default up unto a certain level of administration, into administrivia, but not above a certain level, is that true or false?

A: The issue of default is one upon which there is a great deal of, what you would call on this planet, research or literature at a higher level. You are, in part, correct in your speculation that beyond a certain level of universe administration it is increasingly unlikely that default will occur. However, there is no entity in all of the universes - or even in Paradise - which could not default if that were the will. Now many, many entities are created perfect and of course could not willingly default, but they could be led astray by a commander who defaulted because in their perfection they would unquestioningly follow authority.

But default as you refer to it, that is, the free will decision to knowingly and with vigor go against the will of God as did Caligastia, that is a rare occurrence in the universes, but does indeed happen, and is in fact part of the greater plan for all of creation, and probably is actually necessary in the long run. All systems need challenge and testing on occasion, and that is the purpose that default serves in the greater administrative structure of the universes. And each instance of default is studied in enormous depth and much new information is gained thereby that proves useful in future administrative instruction.

As one ascends the levels of universe administration the rigor of qualifications required to be a full and practicing member of one's order necessarily increases and it is most likely due to this fact that no Creator Son has ever defaulted because the rigor of qualification to become a full Creator Son is so intense that those areas of weakness that ultimately lead to default would almost certainly have revealed themselves. You will note that it does not state in the Urantia Book that all aspirants for the position of Creator Son have in fact met the qualifications.

Q: That delineated by a Master Creator Son?

A: Yes, who has met the qualifications, some of which are outlined in your book, and others of which are not. But many aspirants fail to qualify. They are not discarded, but instead are allowed to matriculate in lower levels of administrative capacity for which they are deemed well suited.

Q: It is my understanding that Caligastia is responsible to some degree for some of the health problems which we are now facing, and I was just wondering if you would be permitted to clarify some of that. I'm just frankly aghast that such a high being, even in default, would do something so pernicious.

A: Yes, it is most unfortunate. Every newly ascended being from the material plane in this local universe has as one of their first lessons in depth instruction on the Caligastia rebellion, for there are many a lesson therein. You must understand that Caligastia did not embark upon his course because he wished pain and suffering to come to man on Urantia. Rather he thought he knew better than the Father and the Father's administrators who were his directors. And his wilful actions to go against instruction were undertaken in that spirit of pride. All of us have done such things. But none of us has been in a high level of universe authority where our actions could have such enormous repercussions, and therefore each of us has not been directly responsible for the suffering of untold generations of beings on a number of planets as has Caligastia.

It takes such a small amount of difference in direction on the universe scale to have the enormous effect over the course of time. A fraction of a degree difference in direction, that is all that Caligastia's behavior affected, and yet the result was to essentially derail the basic plan leading toward the establishment of Light and Life on Urantia quite severely.

The major impact of Caligastia's disobedience was the severance of the universe circuits to Urantia and other planets involved in the rebellion, because when this severance occurred man was left far, far more to his own physical being than would have been the case otherwise. If you starve a living creature of one essential nutrient the creature will live, but its function will be impaired. A good example is vitamin or mineral malnutrition. This is analogous to what happened when the universe circuits were severed to contain the rebellion. Man continued to live but did not thrive as had been intended because of a stunting of spiritual growth.

Yes, prayers were still answered, but through a detour - if you will - and less expeditiously than otherwise would have been the case. Yes, there were beings - are beings - here to help you, Midwayers and beyond. But because of lack of access to the universe circuits it was immeasurably harder for these helpers to assist man as he sought daily guidance in spiritual growth.

On the large scale of time Caligastia's effect on man has been little more than a drop in the ocean. That is, I know, difficult to believe because of the time scale on which your material lives are based, but the problem was fixed almost as soon as it happened on a universe scale - quite quickly.

The effects on personal heath, yes, that is true. Caligastia's uprising, his disobedience, did indeed have profound effects on the health of humans - and animals, I should note - on Urantia. Not only was the full power of spiritual and intellectual recourse to bodily disfunction greatly hampered, but also, because this is an experimental planet, certain - there is a certain lability about the effects of environmental agents, including sunlight, extraneous radiation, chemical effects, on the physical body that these - this lability could have been managed far better had not the universe circuits been severed. However, because of the spiritual malnutrition - if you will - that has occurred over the ages on Urantia, mankind is now in the position of suffering from many disorders such as cancer that could have been handled far more easily in the pre-Caligastian state. Does that answer? (Yes, thank you.)

Q: Rayson, we have heard that when Caligastia heard the results of the adjudication of the case Gabriel v. Lucifer he found that they had deposed him as Planetary Prince and said “If I cannot be Planetary Prince, neither can anyone else” and designed certain diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, etc., which were designed to wipe out the population of the earth. Is that correct?

A: What do you think, my son?

S: Since I have heard it from the celestials, I think it probably is true.

R: Hm. Moment. I am permitted to comment in this fashion. Yes, Caligastia had certain powers, however Life Carriers and Physical Controller answer to a higher authority than a Planetary Prince, and when instructed to follow a dubious course they always seek higher guidance. To attribute animal behavior to a Lanonandek Son is lacking in understanding of what a Lanonandek son is, and what an animal is. The disobedience of Caligastia was not disobedience in the sense that a human would disobey, or an animal. And the details of such disobedience were far more concerned with administrative structure than with such emotions as rage, spitefulness, even ego. Caligastia's illness, if you want to call it that, was cosmic insanity.

It is conceivable that he may have designed illnesses, but highly unlikely, particularly without the assistance of the life Carriers and Physical Controllers. You must also remember that once freewill creatures had been established upon Urantia the role of the Life Carrier here became very much circumscribed, and the administrative structure governing their actions was altered as well.

I am instructed that at this point a direct answer to this question is not in the best interest of this mission, but it would be better for your group to discuss the matter that you bring up and to attempt to reach a consensus. (Thank you.) You are welcome. (05/22/93)

"Michael est toujours au Volant."

(Michael is always at the Steering Wheel.)

11:11 Angels