Looking for The Secret?

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secret bryne 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.

There Are 21 Responses So Far. »

Comment by Christine :

A member of a bible study I used to be in emailed all of us about it and seemd excited about the Oprah show it was featured on. She is an immature Christian and was easily ensnared by it. I clearly defined the dangers of it, much like you did here, and it opened her eyes to see the new-agey beliefs behind it and how they hid behind bits of scripture. This post is wonderful and so well researched! Brava!
Comment by Loni :

YIKES! Red flags indeed! Thanks for sharing these warnings that certainly are needed. I had not heard of the book, yet, but thanks for the heads up!

Loni
Comment by Bill Muehlenberg :

Thanks Robin for the warnings on The Secret. It is a mischievous book indeed. My two takes on the book can be seen here and also here.

Keep up the good work.
Bill Muehlenberg, Melbourne, Australia
Comment by Lyn :

Robin, You’ve done a great job with red flagging the quotes in The Secret that are definitely anti-biblical. And your approach with others (gentle, but explanatory) is excellent. People want to know the secret and are open to talking about spiritual things… this is a great opportunity to speak the truth in love. Thanks for dropping by Thought Renewal with your thoughts. Lyn
Comment by Dolores :

Robin, your blog under this headline is TERRIFIC!!!!

I LOVE those red flags, and the list of specific quotes from the book is so clear!!!

You go, Girl!!!!
Comment by Dolores :

and….You know, when we are first introduced to a new idea, it can be difficult at first to recognize that something may be missing… and if we do recognize that something is amiss, it can be hard to define what it is that is missing because some things are often only implied rather than explicitly stated.

The Bible does teach the principles in The Secret. But The Secret leaves Jesus Christ out, and without Jesus Christ, “God” is really just a “god”…an idol…something we can either take or leave, which can lead people to the sin of idolatry and/or leave/keep them there.

God’s principles are facts and, like His laws (both physical and spiritual) they always work. People who practice the principles of The Secret may get the results they are pursuing, but they will not get Truth, they will not get Life, and they will not get the Way into God’s Kingdom. They will be deceived into exchanging their eternal inheritance for a temporal/temporary bowl of porridge.

Truth is about Jesus Christ. He is the Real Secret.
Comment by Angela :

Thanks Robin for standing up for the truth. I have been hearing of so many christians who are being taken by this. One of my dear friends sent me a dvd of the secret. I hadn’t been able to find any info on what it was at the time. So I started to watch it to see what I had been sent. I was shocked that another believer in christ would give me this. I felt sick to my stomach. There is nothing new about”the secret” just new marketing on the same old lie!
Comment by Lyn :

I agree with Dolores that many of the principles that the “self-help” movement espouses are biblically based, but then become devoid of the God who inspired them. This is true with anything, really. All things are created good, according to Paul to Timothy. What we do with that good is often marred by sin. Keep the discussion going. lgp
Comment by Kelly :

Thank you for the warning! This is confirmation for me as recently, while looking up Organic/raw food cookbooks on amazon, I noticed the book by Esther Hick “The law of attraction: the basic teachings of Abraham”. The names Esther and Abraham caught my attention but I was puzzled that Abraham(immeadiately thinking,our forefather) actually had any teachings about the topic of Attraction. I didn’t click on it to peruse because the Holy Spirit quickened me to avoid it. FYI, I have discovered that in the arena of alternative medicine and organic products we christians need to be prayerfully careful to avoid the abundant mystical, New Age type influences as we glean the health benefits. Again, Thank you so much and may G-d Bless you!!
Comment by Cindy Fields :

I read The Secret and you are correct–it is an old secret and it is based on anciet world philosophies; however I like the message, if it can be taken in the right way…that our thoughts and perceptions do create and/or color our realities, but I think it needs to be taken with a grain of salt as well. Wishing for a new house to just come into our belonging takes more than just positive thinking and The Secret does explain that if read with a careful eye.

I also was surprised to see churches and ministers using The Secret and attending The Secret workshops! And as far as Esther and Jerry Hicks–I picked up their books as well and promptly returned them…a little too coocky for my liking LOL Just a tad out there…and that ABRAHAM character is really misleading if you ask me…too Biblical and yet their message is far from the teachings of the Bible.

I took look forward to your book!
Comment by onecrazymom :

This just seems to keep popping up! I just posted last month about this same idea being taught in the public school! I will be very interested to read your book. Thank you for showing the fallacy of this idea. Here is the link to the post I wrote:

http://homeschoolblogger.com/UnderHisConstruction/279522/
Comment by Andy Kaufman :

This is a great post, Robin. Thanks for getting the word out so clearly and passionately.
Keep speaking the truth Robin! Blessings to you and yours!
Comment by K Nakagawa :

Hi, I was searching about the danger side of “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. And I find your page.
Thank you for give warning to people about this book.

Request:
About your “A Few Quotes from the Book”
- I wish you put page number - so I can easy to spot them and show them to my friends.

I find the good way to warning people about the book (or any book you can think of).
Go to Amazon.com about “The Secret” and write a review.
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1582701709/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-5994361-3904012?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186201644&sr=8-2

I did write a review, I left a review about “Music And Morals” by Kimberly Smith.
http://www.amazon.com/Music-Morals-Dispelling-Myth-Amoral/dp/1579217656/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-5994361-3904012?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186201239&sr=8-1

As a Christian, this is one of thing I could do. And everybody could.

Thanks again.

In our LORD, Jesus Christ

Koji
Comment by Caroline :

Hello,

My name is Caroline; I’m with a media production company in Baltimore and I thought folks who were disappointed in The Secret might be more interested in our blog.

The Euphoria Stream is a video blog made by Lee Boot, who asks the question: In a country built for the pursuit of happiness, is it working? Are you happy? It’s a new sort of art-documentary about what makes you (personally) happy. We’re trying something new, and we hope it’s thought-provoking and meaningful. Anyway, if you have a minute, check out The Euphoria Stream (and if you are feeling so moved, it would be great if you would leave a comment on the site telling us what you think!)

http://www.theeuphoriaproject.com

Thanks!

Caroline
Comment by John :

I’m a Christian and I can tell you for a fact the stuff in “The Secret” is real.
I’ve been doing it for years and I didn’t even realize it. It really works.
While I do not agree with the books saying that we are gods. I do agree with a lot of what is in the book. There really is something to this “Law Of Attraction” thing. Maybe not exactly as the books says. But something close. One of us Christians out there needs to write a Christian version of The Secret. One that puts Jesus in the picture and gives him the praise he deserves.
Comment by dirtysilver :

…or it also could be that the law of attraction is a fact itself
(as I am typing buttons) and this people is just putting it on a higher level. this doesn’t deny God. God is so good that allows you decide for what you want (or you think you want), this doens’t prevent God operating in your life depending also on the choice you make
. Jesus said something about how life is a table full of food at which we can serve ourselves (or something) didn’t he?
isn’t this the law of attraction? isn’t this the secret?
I think that sometimes Christians are blinded by their own cult of the Book.
they use the Law as a shield but sometimes they abuse it and as a result of that they can’t see the whole picture like in this case…they just focus on the “no compatibility” issue.
…but that’s the same for a lot of Gentiles (baptised, reborn, catolics, atheists, false idols follower, protestant, satanists, bla bla bla)and Jewish people…they all tend to see the worse in other people at some point for self-defence.
Comment by Michael :

I want you to look at a post by a very weak Christian who makes assumptions and tries to lead you to believe that this new age philosophy is in line with scripture but does a very poor job of it. I have purposely left in the mis-spellings, not to say that this person is stupid or un-educated but to keep the linear feel of the post:
I’m a Christian and I can tell you for a fact the stuff in “The Secret” is real.
I’ve been doing it for years and I didn’t even realize it. It really works.
While I do not agree with the books saying that we are gods. I do agree with a lot of what is in the book. There really is something to this “Law Of Attraction” thing. Maybe not exactly as the books says. But something close. One of us Christians out there needs to write a Christian version of The Secret. One that puts Jesus in the picture and gives him the praise he deserves. Or it also could be that the law of attraction is a fact itself (as I am typing buttons) and this people is just putting it on a higher level. This doesn’t deny God. God is so good that allows you decide for what you want (or you think you want), this doens’t prevent God operating in your life depending also on the choice you make.
Jesus said something about how life is a table full of food at which we can serve ourselves (or something) didn’t he? Isn’t this the law of attraction? Isn’t this the secret?
I think that sometimes Christians are blinded by their own cult of the Book.
They use the Law as a shield but sometimes they abuse it and as a result of that they can’t see the whole picture like in this case…they just focus on the “no compatibility” issue.
…but that’s the same for a lot of Gentiles (baptised, reborn, catolics, atheists, false idols follower, protestant, satanists, bla bla bla) and Jewish people…they all tend to see the worse in other people at some point for self-defence.
Just to take this point by point.
a. Christians did write a book about this. It is called the New Testament. Reference Matthew 6:19-21, 24 and Matthew 6:25-33. We are told plainly what to focus on. This Christian needs to get more into the Word than these New Age books.
b. “Or it also could be that the law of attraction is a fact itself (as I am typing buttons) and this people is just putting it on a higher level. This doesn’t deny God. God is so good that allows you decide for what you want (or you think you want), this doens’t prevent God operating in your life depending also on the choice you make.” Who is this person trying to convince? What does he/she mean by “higher level”? Is there a higher level than God? This gets into a dangerous area that leads people to look outside of the Word for answers instead of seeking God through His Word. This does deny God because the central theme of the book is making yourself a god and to say that God is so good that he allows us to just decide what we want is erroneous at best and heresy at worst. God has already outlined what he wants for us in the scriptures, what we want doesn’t apply and this type of thought should be avoided because of the New Age mentality it focuses on. The Lord will continue to work in our lives as this poster suggests but it will be in a way that leads us back to and more in line with scripture.
c. Jesus said something about how life is a table full of food at which we can serve ourselves (or something) didn’t he? Isn’t this the law of attraction? Isn’t this the secret? Now the poster is begging the question and again pulling scripture out of context to try to fit it with the book.
d. I think that sometimes Christians are blinded by their own cult of the Book. What cult is this person talking about? What book? The Bible? If this is true then this “Christian” is in more trouble than he/she realizes. If we cannot take the Bible as the Word of God and inspired as said in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 then what are we supposed to take it as? Are we to look in other places for “secret knowledge” as this person seems to have done. This attack on other Christians and the attack on the Bible is a big warning sign that this person is not following the teachings of Christ and is looking to outside sources for guidance. This shows the immaturity of this “Christian”.

e. They use the Law as a shield but sometimes they abuse it and as a result of that they can’t see the whole picture like in this case…they just focus on the “no compatibility” issue.
…but that’s the same for a lot of Gentiles (baptised, reborn, catolics, atheists, false idols follower, protestant, satanists, bla bla bla) and Jewish people…they all tend to see the worse in other people at some point for self-defence. What “whole picture” are we supposed to be seeing? If a new age book uses scripture to make itself valid to Christians or appear more Christian so that Christians buy it then it does have to pass the “compatability test”. Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Sounds like the Bereans had the right idea. It wasn’t enough that Paul had all the outward signs of being a Christian, the Bereans tested every word that he taught them to make sure it aligned with the scriptures. We get a clear warning that most “Christians” these days keep choosing to ignore. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. It seems this person falls in line very well with this scripture.
You must continue to guard your hearts against the assault that the secular world is continuing to wage on us. This book and others like it continue to pop up and take Biblical scripture out of context to peddle their own new age garbage. But if you do the “compatibility test” you will see that these books always falls short of what the Lord wants for us.
Comment by Pastor Kelly :

John I believe you are one of those weaker christians that these people are talking about. You do need to not only read but study the Bible for all it’s worth. Satan understood the law of attraction also in the Garden of Eden when he attracted Adam and Eve with the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He also said that they would be gods and everything would be theirs. Satan tried to attract Jesus in the wilderness with the law of attraction when he told Jesus to turn stones into bread and jump off the temple etc. and He (Jesus) could have everything if He did. People are right when they say the secret is not new and it’s not. It’s as old as satan himself. Jesus said to be weary and on the alert because satan comes as an angel of light decieving even the very elect. Jesus said either you’re 100% for me or you’re against me. He also said that anything that isn’t from the Father is not worth having. This book IS NOT worth having or spending your time with. Spend it wisely read and study your Bible. God Bless
Comment by Robin :

Michael, I can’t believe you just referred to someone as a weak christian. A christian is a christian. One may be a christian longer than another. The Secret is what I’ve always been taught. I’ve never abided by it because my faith is weak, obviously. Though it wasnt called “The Secret” when taught, it was called asking God and haveing faith.
I am sometimes ashamed of Christians, not all, but the ones who try to find something wrong in everything. The Secret isn’t anything new. It is all in the Bible. Let those who want to read it read it and those of you who don’t or thinks it is wrong don’t read. Simply put.
Comment by Mark | hereiblog :

Good post. My wife and I watched most of this DVD until we couldn’t stand it anymore.

There seems to be another biblical dilemma. Did the Apostles not know “the secret” yet? Seems like they would have. If so, was their faith so weak that they desired to take upon themselves the physical violence by those who hated Christ? Unto death?

If this was the case that they wanted such violent acts did they use “the secret” to attract them? If so, shouldn’t we Christians today do like wise by following their example?

Just a thought.
Comment by tekhelet :

That author and her book are the worst. Makes me mad to read the red flag stuff. Christians need to stay close to G-d, stay in His Word, fix there eyes on Yeshua/Jesus and never take their focus off Him.