The Secret, and more….
Were the Virginia Tech victims responsible for their own murders? Were their deaths a result of their own self-created destinies? If you buy into the philosophy of a film called The Secret, you just might think so. Here’s what I mean…
The Secret, a documentary-type film by an Australian named Rhonda Byrne, supposedly reveals a secret method, passed down through the ages, to get everything you’ve ever wanted, including…
- wealth
- health
- job
- love
- new car
- big house
- weight loss
- joy
- happiness
Have you heard of The Secret? Everyone seems to be talking about it, including Oprah, Larry King, Newsweek, and the Washington Post. It’s a bestseller, with a film sequel and a TV series already in development. So if you haven’t already, you’ll probably hear friends talking about something called "the law of attraction," which is, well, THE SECRET.
So what’s the law of attraction, you ask? It goes like this.
You want something … maybe a new car or house or some money. Then you think about it. Really, really hard. And that’s the secret. If you think really hard about whatever it is that you want, it’s yours.
One of the The Secret’s biggest proponents is Joe Vitale, a self-help guru and internet marketing genius. Here’s his explanation of the power behind The Secret: "It’s like the universe is a giant catalog and all you have to do is place your order." Or it’s a genie and all you have to do is wish. According to the film, the law of attraction is a universal law that you can use for your own ends.
It’s interesting: this idea that you can control the power and energy of the universe is also one of the bottom line beliefs of goddess worship and wicca. I wrote about that in my very first post on this blog.
Bottom line of The Secret? It’s all up to you. You are responsible for your own happiness, you control your own destiny, you are responsible for your own success and health and prosperity. If you fail in these key areas, then you have been practicing negative thinking.
Is it just me, or is that a horrible burden to take on? That means if I get downsized, it’s a result of negative thinking. Breast cancer? Not enough positive thoughts. An abusive marriage? Sorry, all my
fault. Car accident? I guess I’m just not harnessing that universal energy well enough.
See what I mean? I don’t want the stress and burden and strain of believing that I can control every negative and positive circumstance with my own mind.
So what about the murdered Virginia Tech students? The people living under repressive dictatorships? The children born into poverty? The thousands displaced by the New Orleans hurricane? The families drowned by last year’s tsunami? Where’s their genie? Why can’t they order from the "catalog of the universe?"
Sorry, but The Secret is not for me. Today I’m trusting One who is greater than me with all of that responsibility … A personal God who cares, who knows what it’s like to live on this earth in the dust and strain and stress and pain. Who understands what it’s like to be poor, to be homeless, and even to face death.
I want a Savior, not a "Law."
Want to read more? A few links:
- Newsweek article: Decoding The Secret, by Jerry Adler, 3/5/07
- Washington Post article: Self-Help’s Slimy Secret, by Tim Watkin, 4/8/07
- Wikipedia article (a good overview)
if you’re a subscriber, and would like to comment on this post or read the comments, click here to go to the Unmasking the Goddess blog.
6 Responses 
Leave a Reply 
SUSY FLORY is a New York Times best selling author, speaker, and journalist who searches out big stories with happy endings. She's I'm always looking for true stories that inspire and challenge her readers to embrace a life of passion, boldness, & adventure. 
Haven’t you always wondered why some people seem to succeed without trying and other people seem to have bad luck? Do you believe that those lucky people are really lucky, or that they know something you do not know? Or maybe they do something you do not do. Some people naturally have the mental clarity needed to picture their goals and attain success, but for the people that need a little help. Go here for my FREE report.
http://www.< >
Bob Proctor
*******************************
Blog readers:
Please note that Bob Proctor is one of the key self-help gurus featured in The Secret DVD, and this is a good example of “comment spam.” He’s probably sent this same comment to thousands of blogs, in hopes that more people will come to his website and purchase his products. Because of that, I’ve removed the link, although you can easily find his website, if you really want to (and would like him to slim down your bank account). Beware.
Blessings,
SUSY
*******************************
hi,
Does the law of attraction work?
I have been reading about it for a while and find it very ironicle.
Is this a mind game or some hocus pocus stuff?
found a link that talks about this. Anyone care to comment?
http://www.< >
cheers,
rene
*******************************
Dearest Blog Readers:
I removed the LINK inside Rene’s comment, because this is an example of what bloggers call “comment spam.” This comment is actually a sales ploy to get you to her website to buy more stuff related to The Secret. There’s another example of comment spam, in the comment above, from “Bob Proctor,” one of the featured self-help gurus in The Secret film. Judge these people’s motives for yourself … and tread carefully before purchasing their products.
Blessings,
SUSY
*******************************
I’ve been thinking a lot about a vacation to Disney World and those cute shoes I saw at the mall yesterday. I guess I just need to think harder. This “name it and claim it” attitude is pervasive in our material-driven culture. Like you said, I find it much easier and more rewarding to trust Him to provide for me, protect me and prolong my life.
*******************************
Kristy,
When my husband saw a little bit of The Secret (I was watching it on my laptop in bed while he watched the news), he immediately thought of the “name it and claim it” movement he’d heard about in his church growing up. Might make a good future blog post….
Blessings,
SUSY
*******************************
Hi Susy,
Before I forget.
I agree that The Secret or Law of Attraction is not something new. It’s true that Law of Attraction has been around since the history of mankind, just in different term.
In fact, Law of Attraction is stated in the Bible. Matthew 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The “Force” in The Secret is God!
I have a post about this in my blog: Did God Teach Us About Law of Attraction From The Bible?
*************************************
Dear Aldian:
God did create laws, but the Law of Attraction was not one of them. Take a look at what Jesus says in the chapter just before:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (from Matthew 6)
So, we all choose who or what we’re going to serve. Why not be honest? The Law of Attraction is about serving Money. Of course, we’re all free to choose who we want to serve. But I think you’ll find that Money is a cold, hard, unloving god.
SUSY
*************************************
thankyou for posting this information. I love the law of attraction and will come back to see what else you have to say. I have bookmarked your law of attraction post, thanks. I love it and will come back to see the others posts that you have here. The law of attraction is real but making it work is hard.
This is my second visit to this blog. Resources like the one you mentioned here will be very useful to me! Thanks and have a good day.