If I go far enough in time, I find a 12-year-old-boy standing on his balcony in Cairo. The little boy is me, and I am looking at the night sky.

What a glorious spectacle this was: The sky was lit by the light of myriads of stars; a blanket of diamonds stretched across the heavens; God’s poetry in light. And all this was long before light and air pollution stole the night sky away.

At the time, this was more than a light-show for me. These countless celestial bodies stirred deep emotions in me. Every one of them could potentially be a world with people like us. (I was unaware at the time that these were suns similar to our own sun). I knew there was a creator in charge of this immense universe; I was also aware of the fact that there were rulers called the Ancients of Days who acted on God’s behalf.

* * *

There were at the time, people and events that were gradually shaping my budding soul.

David was my father’s cousin. He was a very learned man having read the Talmud, the Kaballah, and the Zohar in the original Hebrew, and if necessary in Aramaic.

Since I was curious about all things spiritual, I peppered David with questions. It seems that there were many worlds out there with people like us. That the universe was a gigantic administration, not unlike our government, but on a much larger scale. The top rulers were three administrators called the Ancients of Days; but there were also other administrators having their own specific functions. Were they angels? No, angels exist to minister to us. Was there a hell? No, this was a place invented by malicious minds to keep humans in line! Was there a heaven? Yes, and it’s a very beautiful place; but souls do not sit there for all eternity doing nothing! There is a lot of work to do, and a tremendous amount of learning to be acquired, (Being young at the time, and hating school, this information was not welcome news!)

Ultimately, what I obtained from David were only meager information. However, he left me with a thirst that needed to be quenched. And this happened many years later when I held the Urantia Book in my hands and gradually became acquainted with the amazing revelations it contained.

We were not particularly religious in our family, but from time to time, my dad took me to the synagogue. Later on, I went on my own. A few things bothered me. For example, we needed to pay for our seats during the High Holidays; along the same line, we paid for the privilege of being called to the Torah. (I did not appreciate at my age that, like any other institution, a house of worship cannot be maintained and run without money!) What bothered me the most was that the God we were praying to was often described as an angry and vindictive Deity. Somehow, this did not square with my concept of the Creator.

For my Bar Mitzvah, I had a learned teacher (the aforementioned Solomon) who set the record straight. The God in the prayer book was how people conceived him some 3,000 years ago. When the Jewish people received the commandments, the world was a barbaric place with vengeful gods that had to be placated. It’s not surprising therefore that the God of Israel was thus presented.

Another example. In one of the prayer, I am thanking God for having created me a man! The explanation given by this wonderful teacher made sense. Historically, women bore a heavier burden than their male counterparts. They had more work and more responsibilities. (Modern women will tell you that not much has changed!) The prayer was also taken out of context; the Talmud gives a complete picture when it explains why because of their heavier load, women were excused from most religious duties.

Within the constraints of time and place, my parents were open-minded people. Thus, I was encouraged to accept other nationalities; other religions; and in general, other differences.

I would find out on one occasion how far I was allowed to stray from my Jewishness. I was 10 years old when I read a French book called L’evangile d’une Grande-Mere by La Comtesse De Segur. (The Gospel According to a Grandmother). It retold the gospel stories and was of, course, written at a child level. I was captivated by this book and utterly fascinated by the man called Jesus. I had a lot of questions, but could not go to my mother for I had read a “Christian” book on the sly. There was, however, one question which obsessed me, I had to have an answer for it: How could Jesus be Jewish and Christian at the same time? And so it was that, hat in hand, I eventually went to my mother, admitted that I had read a “forbidden” book, and asked my question. Her response was that he was born a Jew, lived as one, and died Jewish. It was his disciples that later on, building upon His Wisdom and His Ministry, founded Christianity. My mother made it clear that I had done nothing wrong; that I can investigate other religions, and that I should always widen my horizons. And so I did for the rest of my life!

One of the most remarkable things about my native country is the extent of its spirituality. God is everywhere. He is in the air we breathe! He is constantly in our thoughts. He reigns supreme in the hearts of men. Nothing happens unless He wills it. Thus the Egyptians will always say Inshallah (God willing) before planning anything.

When I look back upon my early years, I credit the deep respect the Egyptians have for their Creator for the spiritual person I am today. You may accuse me of exaggeration, but I’ll say it anyway: If you’re born in Egypt, it’s impossible for you to be an atheist; agnostic, maybe, but even that would be difficult. If you tell an Egyptian that there is no God, she will look at you wondering if you’ve lost your marbles! “Who do you think created the universe and all that’s in it?”

Finally, I believe that an advanced Thought Adjuster has entered into a partnership with this human. This fragment of God has guided me towards my Creator and always reassured me as to my place in the universe. If only I could get in touch with Him; some people on Earth (and certainly on more advanced planets) can. As for me, I will probably have to wait for the time when we will meet on the First Mansion World. May that be in the far future, for I have so much more to do right here on my native planet. (This healthy attitude is also espoused by the readers I have met in study groups. Until the life energies have been exhausted, we enjoy our life here, difficult as it often is. It is so incredibly short, and life in the flesh teaches us lessons that cannot be taught later on on future universe stations).

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