I’ve been meaning to post on this to warn all of you of a storm I’ve seen brewing for awhile. Then Oprah covered it and the whole world knows. I would have looke like I was totally in the know, but now have to settle for this. Anyways, a few months ago I was watching the “Ellen Show” and she had a couple of guys on to talk about a book and movie that has changed her life. They were talking about ‘The Secret’.
The Secret is basically a name-it, claim-it message. They teach that if you truly believe that you will get something, then the universe will supply it for you. I guess that originally it was the DVD and the book is a testimony edited by Rhonda Burne about how it changed her life.
They teach that you get whatever you focus on. If you are in debt and all you think about is debt, then that’s what you’ll get. But if you focus on money, you will be in tune with the universe and be delivered from your debt. Byrne says, “Nothing [good or bad] can come into your experience unless you summon it through persistent thoughts.” God is replaced with the universe.
What I don’t understand is how someone like Ellen, who is famous for being from New Orleans and has been very involved in the restoration project there, can say that she believes this. How can she look at the people of New Orleans and say either, “You were thinking about doom, so that’s what you got.” or “If you just thought more positively, your city and home wouldn’t be like this.”
This system is very much a breed of gnosticism. It is an elite few who have a higher knowledge, and for $19.95, so can you! It teaches people that they are the highest authority and have all control of their life.
Here are a couple of excerpts:
You are God in a physical body. You are Spirit in the flesh. You are Eternal Life expressing itself as You. You are a cosmic being. You are all power. You are all wisdom. You are all intelligence. You are perfection. You are magnificence. You are the creator, and you are creating the creation of You on this planet
The earth turns on its orbit for You. The oceans ebb and flow for You. The birds sing for You. The sun rises and it sets for You. The stars come out for You. Every beautiful thing you see, every wondrous thing you experience, is all there for You. Take a look around. None of it can exist, without You. No matter who you thought you were, now you know the Truth of Who You Really Are. You are the master of the Universe. You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life. And now you know The Secret
I would normally say that this will pass and no one will be talking about it in a year, but the reality is, is that it is leading people down the wrong path right now. Everywhere I turn, people are reading this, and just like Scientology, they are making their way into the homes of America through celebrities. Just beware.
For more reading, Don Whitney has this to say. Here’s the perspective of of someone who embraces the teaching. You can check out the first 20 minutes here.
Ramblings, Rumblings, and Ruminations 
yikes!
Thanks for this timely posting. Just last night at church, during Mark’s last evangelism class, someone asked him if he knew anything about this woman, as she has become a popular topic at work. I have sent them, and Mark & Randy, a copy of Don Whitney’s review. Good timing, Tim! (even if you didn’t beat Oprah)
There has been a lot of speculation towards this book because some people think it’s a get rich and stay rich book. The movie I do think it based on a lot of material things but isn’t that how our socity is? Is that what the writers and producers are looking for? Connection between the people in society and their message? Their message runs deeper than saying “HEY, If you think positive everything will come to you”…..or “hey people of New Orleans you deserved what happened.” HELL NO. Of course they didn’t deserve it. The Secret is a universal language. It is an outlook and form of your personality that no one else can control but you. It is how you handle something. It’s what you do with what has been given or down to you in your life. The people of New Orleans didn’t deserve it or wish it upon themselves. It was Life that happened to them–things in life happened that we can’t explain or feel like we can’t move on from. The Secret can be applied to your ATTITUDE towards what happens in your life. If something goes wrong more than likely you don’t deserve it but it is HOW you handle it that will help you with your outcome. If you are negative and down about it then it will never be resolved(in some to most cases) and if you are positive and motivated that YOU have the POWER to change it, it will change. We, as human beings are more powerful than we know or give each other credit for. The teachers of The Secret don’t want to push a believe or want you to not believe in God(or vise versa), they want you to flourish in your life and have the energy to have a positive worthy of changing attitude. No one deserves to go through a horrible life changing tradegy, but it could and may happen to all of us at one point in our lives–if we all were negative and depressed NOTHING would get done and the people of New Orleans wouldn’t have been picking up the pieces and working together to make home, “HOME” again.
Thank you for your comments Christine! Your insights are helpful, but I’m not sure that you have completely satisfied my question. you say that the secret can be applied to your attitude towards what happens in life, and if you think positively about the things that happen, then you realize you have the power to change it. So here’s a scenario: a guy has a business in Kansas, he’s very well liked, very successful. One night his business gets robbed clean, but he will not be deterred, and remains positive. he’s working at rebuilding his popular business, only to have a tornado rip through and completely destroy his business and his home. The Secret fails to clearly explain the reason for suffering and the reason that, according the people, ‘bad things happen to ‘good’ people.’
One of the big problems with The Secret is its claim that it is a ‘law’. A law is something that can be proven without a doubt. Like the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics or the Law of Gravity. This is not a law, because it does not apply all the time. Its common sense to say that people with positive attitudes are normally more successful than those that are constantly pessimistic. But you can’t say its a law. If this were truly a law, then there could be NO failures.
But the biggest thing that I have wrong with The Secret is its claim that the great provider in life is ‘the Universe’. That is such a nebulous, general claim that has no basis. You say that the creators of the Secret (side note: if it is a law, how can they be creators. They could be publicizers, but not creators. Isaac Newton didn’t create gravity, he discovered it) don’t want to discourage people from believing in God, but they have redefined who God is. In this system, God=universe. You’ve defined who God is and the nature of God. and this definition and character completely falls short of who God really is.
The great thing is that God offers us something that is so much more valuable, even when we’re not desiring it. God offers us forgiveness while we are still His enemies. God provides grace while we don’t deserve it because the worst possible thing happened to the best possible person, that is Jesus Christ. And this free gift is something that lasts longer than any house, boat, car, or human relationship. It is an eternal gift that allows you to enjoy Him forever. call me crazy, but that’s more than I could imagine.
I really enjoy your outlook. I am a Christian and I truly believe God is the way the truth and the light–but also appreciate the outlook and message of The Secret.
First, there is no reason as to why that successful man had to lose his business for the second time and on top of that lose his home. It isn’t The Secret’s responsibility to provide a reasoning as to why things happen. Just as God. We all may go through something in our life and ask..”God, why, why is this happening to me?” God can not come down and explain to us as why we lost our friend in a car accident, why our house was blown away in a hurricane, or why do I have to go through the pain of chemo because I have cancer. The Secret is a guide to life, I think. An inspiration to people when they have no where to turn. I know I continually struggle with my search of God and my relationship with Christ. I know, for me, if I didn’t have The Secret to apply to my life–my faith I misplaced would have been a lot harder to find again.
Second, Law of Attraction. It’s a Law. These people are not the “creators” as you said, but they are teachers of The Secret. Just as fellows Christians we are teachers of Christianity and we represent what Jesus died for. In no way did they create it. They teach and taught this. And just because it is a “law” doesn’t mean it can’t fail. Look at child protection laws. They fail everyday when children are taken away from parents who beat them. They are then placed in Foster Care where they are suppose to be protected and yet they are beaten behind doors. The “Law” failed. Traffic laws, courts law have all failed at least once.
Third, I got to meet James Arther Ray who is a teacher of The Secret and one of my first questions to him was why wasn’t God mentioned in this book? He said I can’t tell people who or what to believe in but I can’t guide them to a better, fulfilled life and if that involved God, more power to you, if it doesn’t more power to you.
People are free to what and who they want to believe in. As a Christian, I respect other peoples beliefs and don’t try and push what I think is right onto someone. I can help guide them if they want it–that’s what The Secret does. It’s only a guide–there is no mention of God. What do do with or without him in your life–there is no indication of them pushes that on who ever wants to know about God. They leave it up to you, your beleifs and goals.
Lastly, I am a Christian and proud of it. I use The Secret in my life because it has helped me. And just like God, The Secret isn’t for everyone. Hope you are having a great weekend!
1. The Law of Attraction is a different type of law than you are illustrating. It is not a legal law, created by men, as you later stated. The illustration totally breaks down. Child protection laws are created by men as legal restrictions. You are saying that the Law of Attraction is a ‘natural law’. Natural laws never fail, that’s why they are laws. Laws created by man are created to contain and maintain society, while natural laws are recognized for what they already do.
2. I say it is ‘the secret’s’ responsibility to answer for these things, because you are attributing all things that are good to this. This is more than a nice book and a warm, fuzzy theory. This is about something claiming to do what God does. This is attributing the power and characteristics of God to the nebuluos ‘universe’. If the Secret does claim that the Universe does supply these things for mankind, then the Universe is in charge, and the questions we ask of God must be asked of the Secret.
3. What authority do these people operate under? Is their only authority saying that the recognize the Law of Attraction, which actually can’t be proven or defended? Like I said earlier, it cannot stand up under serious testing. There are too many exceptions. You can say it is common sense that people normally have things work out better if they are positive minded.
4. My authority is the Word of God, which is sufficient for all things to counsel the heart of man. As a Christian, you don’t need to turn to these other things that man has to offer, because the Word of God is sufficient for that. Why would you turn to the Universe to give you what you want, when as a Christian you are a child of God? God has something that is so much more valuable to offer to mankind. Man and woman have a bigger problem than their financial or relational standing with each other. man stands condemned before God, as Ephesians 2 says. Man is guilty before God and will eternally experience separation from God if they do not realize that they can do nothing but throw themselves at the mercy of God.
5. Did you read through my other post and how I held up the teachings of the Secret to the Word of God? Do you disagree with how the Word of God is being used in those situations? You say that the Secret isn’t for everyone, and God isn’t for everyone. I ask you another question: Do you really believe that Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life and that no man or woman comes to the Father, except through Jesus Christ? Because that’s the biggest issue, and one that everyone must hear. I agree that God isn’t for everyone, because some will reject them, but I don’t think I’m content to say that you can take it or leave it. we must challenge people to realize where they stand before God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. would you agree with that?