Editing The Urantia Book (section)

== Comparisons ==

=== Comparison to Christianity ===
More than one third of the content of ''The Urantia Book'' is devoted to a narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus, and the [[Judeo-Christian tradition]] is given an importance exceeding any other.{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=131}}{{sfn|House|2000|p=254}}{{sfn|Godwin|1998|p=351}} The book's teachings claim to be a clarification and expansion of Jesus’s teaching.{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=143}} However, numerous differences are noted between its teachings and commonly accepted Christian doctrines.{{sfn|House|2000|p=254}}{{sfn|Gardner|1995|pp=24–32}}

[[Jesus]] is held in high regard by ''The Urantia Book,'' as he is in the New Testament of the [[Bible]].{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=131}}  The following are attributed to him in both texts:
* He was both human and divine,{{sfn|House|2000|p=263}} the Son of God incarnate who was born to [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Mary]], whose husband was [[Joseph the Betrothed|Joseph]].{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=142}}
* He performed many of the miracles described in the Bible, such as the resurrection of [[Lazarus of Bethany|Lazarus]], the turning of water into wine, the feeding of the five thousand, and numerous healings of the blind, diseased, and infirm.{{sfn|Gardner|1995|p=28}}
* He taught twelve apostles, [they were disciples or students. Paul was an apostle] most of whom went on to spread his teachings.
* He was crucified, and on the third day after his death, rose from the dead.
* He will return to the world again some day.

Some differences with Christianity include:
* Jesus' crucifixion is not considered an [[atonement in Christianity|atonement]] for the sins of humanity.{{sfn|House|2000|p=273}} The crucifixion is taught to be an outcome of the fears of religious leaders of the day, who regarded his teachings as a threat to their positions of authority.
* Jesus is considered the human incarnation of "Michael of Nebadon," one of more than 700,000 "Paradise Sons" of God, or "Creator Sons." Jesus is not considered the second person of the [[Trinity]] as he is in Christianity. The book refers to the Eternal Son as the second person of the Trinity.{{sfn|House|2000|p=262}}
* Jesus was born on Earth through natural means of conception instead of a [[Virgin birth of Jesus|virgin birth]].{{sfn|House|2000|p=264}}
* Some of the miracles described in the Bible Jesus did not perform, for example walking on water.{{sfn|Gardner|1995|pp=27–29}}

=== Comparison to Seventh-day Adventism ===
Gardner notes similarities between [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventism]] and the teachings of ''The Urantia Book'', and sees this as evidence that William Sadler and Wilfred Kellogg had a role in editing or writing the book, since they both were one-time believers in Adventism.{{sfn|Gardner|1995|pp=225–226}} For instance, two basic Adventist beliefs that distinguish it from mainline Christianity are the doctrines of [[soul sleep]]ing and [[annihilationism]], both of which ''The Urantia Book'' also supports.{{sfn|Gardner|1995|pp=226–233}}{{sfn|House|2000|p=272}} Lewis notes that from the perspective of the book being a "revelation," it could be claimed the "celestial beings" simply found areas of Adventist belief to be accurate and therefore presented and expanded on them.{{sfn|Lewis|2007|p=210}} While the book supports aspects of Adventism, it also is mixed with teachings that are heresies to Adventists.{{sfn|Gardner|1995|pp=225–226}}

=== Other comparisons ===
The book can be seen as belonging in the genre of spiritual literature that includes ''[[A Course in Miracles]]'' and ''[[Conversations with God]]''.{{sfn|Gooch|2002|pp=17–18}} Gardner compares it with ''[[Oahspe]]'', noting that though ''Oahspe'' is "vastly inferior to the UB both in ideas and style of writing," they are similar in claiming to have been written by celestial beings channelled through a human conduit, teaching that there is "one ultimate God who oversees a vast bureaucracy of lesser deities" while both outline an elaborate [[cosmology]].{{sfn|Gardner|1995|pp=161–178}} The book's claimed supernatural origin has been compared to similar claims of the [[Book of Mormon]], [[Science and Health]], the [[Quran]], and the [[Bible]],{{sfn|Gooch|2002|p=15}}{{sfn|Gardner|1995|p=10}} with belief in it not being seen as necessarily a greater leap in reason.{{sfn|Lewis|2007|p=210}}{{sfn|Gooch|2002|p=15}}

Incorporated in the book itself are comparisons with facets of various [[world religions]] including [[Buddhism]], [[Islam]], [[Taoism]], [[Judaism]], [[Hinduism]], [[Shinto]], and [[Confucianism]]. For example, Paper 131, "The World's Religions" discusses the aspects of these religions that are in common with what the book claims is the "religion of Jesus." The stance of the book is that "There is not a Urantia religion that could not profitably study and assimilate the best of the truths contained in every other faith, for all contain truth."{{sfn|The Urantia Book|1955|p=1012}}