Looking for The Secret?
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, a New Age self-help book on the law of attraction, remains on the best-seller list at at Amazon and New York Times.
The Secret is the latest form of New Age positive thinking run amok. The main premise of the book is the law of attraction in three steps–”ask, believe, receive.” You are a magnet. If you think about good things you attract good things. By mastering the Secret you can have anything and everything you want: unlimited joy, health, money, youth, relationships, love, etc. If you worry about negative things you receive negative things.
The book can be summed up as the same lie Satan told in the Garden of Eden. When you have the right knowledge you can change the world.
I felt a great concern when I heard about the book. Scripture was twisted to fit with the Secret. “Ask and Ye Shall receive, ” “Whatsoever a man thinks, so is he…” “Think on whatsoever is good…” With these subtle inferences the book was bound to cross over into the Christian communities and be accepted by immature Christians.
I became more alarmed when I received a weekly newsletter from a digital scrapbooking company. I always enjoyed the newsletter which makes frequent bold references to the author’s Christian beliefs. One newsletter focused on The Secret in a positive light. I was shocked. At first I thought the danger is so subtle that no one is recognizing it. But how can a Christian see anything that completely leaves God out as good? This prompted me to do more research. I’ve been compiling a series of articles revealing the dangers of this book and philosophy (to be here on this blog).
The other day I went to JC Penney’s to get a haircut and had the book with me taking notes for an upcoming article. One hairdresser immediately started raving about the book. I explained my view tactfully. She was young and seemed completely unaware of the Christian worldview; it was a chance to witness.
Later another hairdresser, a Christian, spotted the book. She confirmed my biggest fears when started explaining how the book was powerful and based on Biblical principles! I explained it appeared on the surface to be in agreement with Biblical principles and that’s why it is so dangerous. The woman then shyly admitted she had an uneasiness about the book.
Secret Claims
Byrne claims some of the most prominent people in history: Plato, Galileo, Beethoven, Edison, Carnegie and Einstein, along with other renowned inventors, theologians, scientists and great thinkers have lived the secret.
A Few Quotes from the book:
“Thoughts are magnetic and thoughts have a frequency. As you think, those thoughts are sent out into the Universe, and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to its source. And the source is you.”
“You are the most powerful magnet in the Universe! [notice the capital U?] You contain a magnetic power within you that is more powerful than anything in this world, and this unfathomable magnetic power is emitted through your thoughts.”
“Every negative thought, feeling, or emotion is blocking your good from coming to you, and that includes money.”
“Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus were not only prosperity teachers but also millionaires themselves, with more affluent lifestyles than many present-day millionaires could conceive of.”
“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 Creative Process used in The Secret…was taken from the New Testament in the Bible. …Perhaps you’ll recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:7-8. There Jesus said, “Ask , and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”
“If you are seeking an answer or guidance on something in your life, ask the question, believe you will receive, and then open this book [The Secret, not the Bible] randomly. At the exact place where the pages fall open will be the guidance and answer you are seeking.”
It’s no surprise that many other follow-up books and teaching tapes have come on the scene explaining the Secret. One claims:
You will learn how to use The Secret in every single area of your life. You will hear from modern-day teachers – men and women who have used The Secret to achieve health, prosperity, relationships and happiness…. incredible stories of using The Secret to eradicate disease, acquire massive wealth, overcome obstacles, and achieve what many would regard as impossible. Through them, you will begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that is within you, and the true magnificence that awaits you in life.
Public school libraries are quick to add The Secret. Some teachers are reading the book aloud or showing the movie in the classroom. One site said:
“The Secret should be made compulsory listening as part of every school curriculum. This is too powerful not to be shared .” James McConnell www.MoneyMagnetSecrets.com
I’m Looking for Feedback
I’d like to hear from you. Have you had friends or family interested in this book? Has the topic come up in conversations at church? the dentist? Anywhere else? Please comment below or email.
