Hello Urantians

There may be others beside Phil G. who post about what was actually accomplished in the courtroom, but let me take a moment to paint you a little picture of the personalities that were there; to me, they are in many ways more meaningful than the legal machinations will ever be.

When I turned the corner to the hallway that led to the courtroom, there were Kristen, Eric, and Stan, the same three that were there the other two times; it was odd that I arrived at three separate hearings to see the same exact people out in the hall, but there it is. Stan is a soft spoken man of 56 years, with a graying braid of hair down his back. I have always thought of him as perhaps the wisest Urantian I have ever met; it was somehow appropriate to see him next to Kristen and Eric.

Eric was referred to as having a "steady gaze" in one of the newspaper articles. It's true; he looks at you with steady, unblinking blue eyes, always a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. He too is very soft spoken, but his voice in powerful and strong. Kristen on the other hand, is a resolute sister with the same steady gaze, but a high lilt of a voice that is often punctuated with laughter.

Within a minute or two a steady stream of Urantians start to turn down the corridor, all walking towards us with great smiles on their faces. There are only one or two faces I do not recognize, many of them faces I've known for many years now. The hallway quickly fills up, and continuous hugs are exchanged and lively chatter fills the air.

There is spiritual camaraderie in the air , something these men and women always elicit when they gather; it's what less perceptive, less articulate minds can only conceive of as the "Boulder gang."

In a moment the two attorneys for the Foundation, wearing dark blue suits and blank stares, along with an aid in a brown leather jacket and a scowl, wade through this group of Urantians; they look ill at ease.

The judge is a half hour late.

Urantians talk softly about all kinds of things. There is a short moment of silence so that we might all join in the prayers of others sent our way this day. True to form, the secret that its my birthday leaks, and I'm treated to a mercifully subdued chorus of "Happy birthday."

A few minutes later the gavel is swung, and Judge Daniel enters.

He's all business today. In the past, when there were only two visitors in the gallery, he had joked with Eric over the color of pen ink Eric used; red. But today when the gallery chuckles, he is overly sensitive and threatens to remove us all. At two other junctures, he makes it clear that this is a "secular courtroom" and the "Kingdom of Heaven" is not recognized here. I reflect that it was not always so; "Do you swear to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" But another group of religionists complained that their religion does not allow them to swear, and the court's recognition of a higher power faded away.

The Foundation attorney speaks slowly and distinctly, and is polite not only to the judge, but also to Kristen, handing her documents on a couple of occasions that Kristen couldn't find. This has the affect of actually drawing more attention to him when he accuses Kristen of being "disingenuous."

The feeling I get from time to time, despite the judge's recognition and understanding of Kristen and Eric's limited legal knowledge and pro se defense, is that they are at a tremendous disadvantage. If this were a game of Monopoly, (if the pun fits wear it), it's as if the Foundation has Boardwalk all sown up, as well as all the utilities and the railroads, and Kristen and Eric have Baltic Avenue, no money, and are no where near "Go." Every time the judge addresses them, you can hear the dice roll; and when he says he's going to grant their argument with such and such a stipulation for NOW, you realize they again landed one square away from disaster...

And so it went. The trial may come. It may not. Anyone who supported Kristen may be branded and rounded up, and shipped off to Keeler's KopyRight Ranch. He may barbecue us all, just as he wishes. He may also choke on his subpoena sandwiches...

But one thing is certain. He cannot win the cooperation of his fellows by suing us into his slaughterhouse; and his money cannot defeat the will of our Father, should he find himself fighting against God himself.

I think the day is fast approaching when the Foundation, as well as the Fellowship "shall speedily come to an inglorious end." I see an interesting parallel to the situation descibed in the following quote:

"Thus did the Master elect to discuss and expose the folly of the whole rabbinic system of rules and regulations which was represented by the oral law-- the traditions of the elders, all of which were regarded as more sacred and more binding upon the Jews than even the teachings of the Scriptures. And Jesus spoke out with less reserve because he knew the hour had come when he could do nothing more to prevent an open rupture of relations with these religious leaders."

Terry Kruger