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Every human in
our world experiences moments of self-reflection, doubt and skepticism.
We search for answers that help us define God's role in our lives and
our relevance to the universe and beyond. These are not new questions.
The Urantia Book can be a valuable source of enlightenment and comfort
when a soul is faced with Life's Toughest Questions. Click on a question
you've struggled with and discover The Urantia Book's perspective on
some of life's most difficult and frequently-asked questions.
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How is one to proceed when trying to discuss Urantia with a Christian, and why, of all names, is our local system named Satania?
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I think all devoted Urantia Book readers want to share our beloved
revelation with others. Sometimes we're successful and sometimes we're
not. I have been a reader/student for 25 years, and I still have spotty
success, so first of all, don't be discouraged.
I have discovered that when trying to share any spiritual truth, it is
important to understand where the other person is, spiritually
speaking. Is s/he searching? Is s/he a truth-seeker? Or is s/he secure
and content with the spirituality s/he already has? If it is the
latter, you may have a more difficult time showing this person the
truth that you have found. Many times, new spiritual truth is only
perceived when a person is in some amount of spiritual turmoil, or is
actively seeking a different way.
However you proceed, try to direct your conversation to the Spirit that
indwells the mind of your friend. Follow the lead of Jesus, as in this
passage from The Urantia Book:
Always the burden of his message was: the fact of the heavenly Father's
love and the truth of his mercy, coupled with the good news that man is
a faith-son of this same God of love. Jesus' usual technique of social
contact was to draw people out and into talking with him by asking them
questions. The interview would usually begin by his asking them
questions and end by their asking him questions. He was equally adept
in teaching by either asking or answering questions. As a rule, to
those he taught the most, he said the least. Those who derived most
benefit from his personal ministry were overburdened, anxious, and
dejected mortals who gained much relief because of the opportunity to
unburden their souls to a sympathetic and understanding listener, and
he was all that and more. And when these maladjusted human beings had
told Jesus about their troubles, always was he able to offer practical
and immediately helpful suggestions looking toward the correction of
their real difficulties, albeit he did not neglect to speak words of
present comfort and immediate consolation. And invariably would he tell
these distressed mortals about the love of God and impart the
information, by various and sundry methods, that they were the children
of this loving Father in heaven.
(132:4.2)
Everybody has problems and concerns - and everyone loves to talk about
themselves. Learn, as Jesus demonstrated, how to ask questions that are
meaningful, and then be a good listener. Practice the Golden Rule
always in dealing with others. Really listen, and try to put
yourself in their shoes, so you understand how they feel. Practice
non-judgmental listening, and try to develop real compassion for those
with whom you speak. You can then address the problems as Jesus did,
with the Truth that you
understand it to be. Always go into a conversation with prayer
beforehand, asking for inspiration from your own indwelling Spirit; ask
this good Spirit to speak for you if you get confused. Remember to put
your small "self" aside...and then relax.
As for the second part of your question about the name of our local
system: I will quote from an answer given to another reader's
question about Lucifer in our FAQ section of Truthbook.com,
which you
can read HERE.
This answer was written by one of our Truthbook team. The passage I
want to
share is this one:
"Because Lucifer was such a high spirit being, he delegated authority,
as do all executives. In Lucifer's case, he delegated much of his
authority on this planet to a very familiar figure:
Satan
In fact,
this system, of which our planet is a part, was given the name Satania,
in honor of this selfsame Satan. This name was given before the
rebellion, however, when Satan was still loyal to the Father. Thus, the
name "Satania" has no sinister meaning, once this fact is understood."
It is unfortunate that the name "Satania" is still attached to our
universe, but once you understand the circumstances, it becomes far
less charged. You can share this with others by explaining the Lucifer
Rebellion, and you'll find that the link I have given you above is a
pretty
comprehensive explanation. I find this story to be a really good one to
share with Christians, as they are familiar with it; they know of
Lucifer, and of course, Satan, but they are
always amazed at the depth and the real facts of the story, as told to
us in The
Urantia Book. This story puts so many things into perspective, and sets
the stage for explaining more about the true mission of Jesus of
Nazareth.
Thank you very much for your questions, and I wish you all the best in
your efforts to share The Urantia Book with your Christian friends. But
more important than getting someone to read the book itself, is to
share the amazing truths of the book; namely the
Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Also, do your best to
actually LIVE the truths you have discovered, and as people see these
truths demonstrated in your life, as they experience the
fruits of the
spirit in your dealings with them,
they will
inevitably be drawn to your
spiritual fragrance.
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