Good afternoon, everyone. After my colleagues’ introductions, it’s now my turn to share some of my experience promoting The Urantia Book through presentations, interviews, and events in general.
Sooner or later, all of us who have adopted the book’s teachings as our guide through “the uncertain maze of life” (UB 144:5.21) find it natural to share its contents. Its teachings seem like such a wonderful gift to us that it seems almost immoral to keep them to ourselves; hence, we want to share them with as many people as possible.
However, it doesn’t take long before we realize that it’s not easy to spread our enthusiasm for books. Aside from the fact that not everyone is looking for or ready for books, it could also be that our way of introducing them isn’t adequate. Because, as with almost everything in life, the form matters as much as the content.
Since any of you may one day have the opportunity to present the book to a group of people, I’d like to share with you some things I’ve learned from the experience, and others I’ve learned from books and the Internet.
Of course, there are many more details and lessons to share than I’m going to share below. But, since I’m not trying to bore you or overwhelm you with too much information, here’s what I consider the most important thing I’ve learned and what I want to share with you.
First, I wanted to mention a TED Talk (www.ted.com) that I found extremely interesting regarding how to convey the book’s content. The talk actually focused on how leaders in any field (political, economic, social, etc.) “sell” a product, but our goal isn’t too different and is perfectly applicable to what we pursue: to effectively disseminate the teachings of The Urantia Book, which provokes in truth seekers a desire to learn more.
The main theme of this meeting emerged from this talk, and it is important to highlight the following:
If we “only” limit ourselves to describing the book and listing its contents, people will interpret it as if we are conveying knowledge, and even if they pay attention, our words will only provoke a superficial response. The information we are providing will remain in the purely intellectual part of our minds and will go no further. Those who listen will likely think we are trying to sell them yet another of the many sales pitches out there, and they will turn a deaf ear.
However, if we begin our presentation by saying “why” we’re introducing the book, we’re entering the realm of values, a much deeper part of our mind, where the triggers that motivate people to act the way they do are activated, which make those who hear us identify with us and therefore want to reach where we have reached. You yourselves have experienced this on numerous occasions, although you probably weren’t aware of it.
So, first of all, it’s good to do some preliminary reflection, to ask ourselves why we do what we do. And then, to convey our reasons to those listening as the first step in the presentation. Because those very reasons are what can trigger the mechanism in other people that sparks their interest, through identification with our motives.
Here are three examples of those whys:
a. We want a better world.
b. We want to share what we’ve learned from the book, because it has made us better people.
c. We firmly believe that the book offers the tools to overcome the current crisis of values and advance toward a new stage of peace and scientific, philosophical, and spiritual progress.
Once we have specified “why” we do what we do, the next step would be to explain “how” the book manages to offer a guide for life. At this point, it may be interesting to briefly outline our personal experience reading the book, as well as highlight the way the book explains all of reality, beginning with God the Father and descending level by level until reaching the human being and his story. It may also be interesting to outline how its content was revealed, to avoid all kinds of sensationalism, veneration, and idolatry, and with the intention that potential readers focus on what is truly important: the content.
Finally, once we’ve framed the book within the values that lead us to act in a certain way, it’s time to explain the “what” of the book. That is, its most important content. At this point, it’s important to say that we shouldn’t be exhaustive in any way: let’s start from the premise that it’s impossible to give a comprehensive summary of 2,097 pages in a one-hour (or less) presentation, and that there will be many things left out. This is even more so if it’s an interview, because then we don’t have a 100% decision on what we’re going to talk about. But that’s not the point either! We don’t want (or shouldn’t want) to tell everything, because in that case, all we’ll do is bore the audience. Keep in mind that each person must discover The Urantia Book at their own pace and in their own way. All we have to do is give them a few brief outlines to make them curious and motivated enough to start reading. As the English saying goes, you can’t make a horse drink, but you can make it thirsty and drink. Therefore, we must awaken the true “thirst” in those who listen to us, so that they feel compelled to drink from the fountain we offer!
As a sample, here is an example of an outline that I have used in some of my presentations:
My personal experience: how I came to know The Urantia Book.
What the book means to me:
The answer to the great questions of existence: Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?
A road map of the universe: from Earth to Paradise.
A story of our true origins.
A guide to personal growth, with the sublime example of Jesus of Nazareth.
What books can do to improve the individual and, by extension, society.
But, of course, it’s not the only approach, nor the best one. In fact, other friends of ours have given excellent presentations in which the approach was different and other points were emphasized. What we must be clear about is that, no matter how much a common script is followed, there are as many presentations as there are people. And not even one person gives the same presentation twice.
Finally, and with this I conclude this presentation, I would like to encourage you to find an opportunity to present the book to a group of people. It doesn’t matter if you have no experience giving talks or if you think you’re not good with words. From my own experience, I can tell you that if you put yourself in the hands of the Father, the words will flow from your mouth with a fluidity that will surprise you. Our invisible friends help us in ways you can’t even imagine.
It also doesn’t matter whether you’re listening to three people or three hundred; when it comes to dissemination, we’re not looking for quantity, but quality. Sometimes, we may feel discouraged because so few people came to a talk. But who knows if one, two, or three of those who attended will later be the catalysts that give a new impetus to the book’s dissemination in that area? This revelation will spread slowly, and we’re unlikely to see spectacular and immediate results; we’ve commented on this on numerous occasions. The important thing is to sow the seeds.
Remember what the book says: “The act is ours; the consequences belong to God” UB 48:7.13.