Twenty years before the Occupy movement began, author, musician, activist, visionary, spiritual leader, and co-founder of one of the world’s largest EcoVillages, Gabriel of Urantia, started teaching civil disobedience against evil and injustice, encouraging people to quit “wrong jobs” with companies based on greed – particularly working for banks, nuclear plants, and weapons factories – to find like-minded individuals, form communities, grow your food, have a good water source, and trust the Creator to provide a job in service to humanity or a career within the community you joined or founded.

In 1996 Gabriel of Urantia developed his concept of  ”Spiritualution (SM) – Justice to the People,” a spiritual revolution for and by the earth’s citizens – not the raising of arms but the raising of consciousness and each individual’s commitment and willingness to change, to quit “wrong jobs” or go on strike.

To Gabriel, true spirituality involves action and being your brother’s/sister’s keeper – not necessarily belonging to a church but actively fighting evil, wherever it exists. His teachings on unity without uniformity challenge dogmatic, antiquated religious thinking and concepts.

Many who follow Gabriel of Urantia’s teachings believe they’re the inspiration for the Occupy/99% movement sweeping the world. “Gabriel of Urantia’s wisdom and fidelity to teaching truth have placed him into a distinct position as a leader among people hungry for change,” said Zarath Giannangelo, a protester at New York’s Occupy Wall Street in Zucotti Park, one of thousands taking part in the Spiritualution.

“I have great respect for him because his activism is not tokenism; he lives and breathes it. His actions are clear indications of his lifelong struggle to bring positive and lasting global change.”

Susan Sarandon, actress, activist, and participant in the Occupy Wall Street movement, when asked her thoughts on Gabriel of Urantia’s Spiritualution message and the need for radical unity among people, said, “There’s not much choice other than looking at it that way, and if we can’t start to blend in a positive way, the earth will get rid of us just like a little pus ball and regenerate itself in a better way. ‘Radical unity,’ that’s good!”

Chris Hedges, journalist for truthdig.com and also a participant in the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations, when interviewed in New York by Amadon DellErba of Global Change Television, said this about Spiritualution, “When you stand up against injustice, and you are willing to put your life on the line to see that justice is done, that for me embodies true spirituality.”

In 1989 Gabriel of Urantia co-founded Global Community Communications Alliance and Avalon Organic Gardens & EcoVillage, currently with 100 international change agents. Gabriel encourages people to come to the Creator and follow His voice over institutionalized churches or religions. Worldwide people need to escape the stronghold religions and corporations have upon them. They can only do this with a faith in the Creator.

For more information: http://spiritualution.org or contact BenDameean Steinhardt, (520) 576-2890,info@spiritualution.org.

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Occupy demonstrations have been a somewhat peaceful trend. However, students protesting at the University of California, Davis were doused with pepper spray by campus officers. According to Linda Katehi, UC Davis’ chancellor, Thursday night, the protestors were asked to leave the Quad area. This space, central to the campus, would be closed over the weekend.

“Driven by our concern for the safety and health of the students involved in the protest, as well as other students on our campus, I made the decision not to allow encampments on the Quad during the weekend, when the general campus facilities are locked and the university staff is not widely available to provide support,” Katehi said in her letter.

However, many of the protestors did not leave the area. By afternoon, campus police had arrived. In order to disperse the students gathered on the Quad, police used pepper spray, said the letter. Since the events on Friday, Katehi has assigned a “task force” of faculty, students and staff to “review the events and provide to me a thorough report within 90 days,” said the letter.

Two campus police officers have been placed on administrative leave, according to a statement released by Katehi. The names of the two individuals have not been released. “Through this letter, I express my sadness for the events of past Friday and my commitment to redouble our efforts to improve our campus and the environment for our students,” as Katehi ended the note.

As the New York Times reported, students were able to broadcast the events of the protests through Internet sites. Students shared pictures over social media sites and videos over sites such as YouTube.

Some of the sites feature documents for visitors to sign to show their support of the protestors. Believers in the cause could also donate money and tents, according to the New York Times article. Occupy protests began on New York City’s Wall Street in September. The group stressed the “99 percent,” a reference to the growing gap between the rich and poor in the country.

Since then, many other branches of Occupy protests have sprung up along the nation, even inspiring some countries and cities within them to model similar protests. Occupy initiatives have also been in England, Chile and Jordan, among many other countries.

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