A best selling book, The Secret edited by Rhonda Byrne, has spawned a new craze and presented a new ‘gospel’ or teaching; which isn’t really new at all but admittedly has roots that go all the way back to the Babylonian religion. The book is promoted and touted as having an answer for every problem on the Oprah show. Here is a great article by Mel Lawrenz posted on Christianity Today.
Here are a few quotes:
“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 the source. And that source is you.”
“The secret is simply “the law of attraction.” Think about wealth, and you will become wealthy. Think about that new car, and it will come. Think about getting a good parking spot, and one will open up. …”
“Whatever happens to you—the good and the bad—was attracted by your thoughts. Appendicitis? Auto accident? Poverty? You brought it on yourself.”
“The Secret, you see, is all about the self—it’s for the self, obsessed with the self.”
Reactions:
This is Humanism par excellence. According to The Secret you are the center of the universe and everything works according to your thoughts and biddings. In reality, you are your own god. Forget Babylon, this teaching really goes back to Genesis and the serpent (AKA Satan). This is a substitute ‘gospel’ and a different kind of ‘revival’.
Here is a great quote by Professor Robert Thompson of Syracuse University:
“The Secret promises this heaven on Earth in one fell swoop by simply desiring something, by simply wanting it. It’s amazing how we really are a nation of, at best, great optimists, at worst, real suckers.”
This nation is so desperate for revival that anything will do, even a false gospel, a false faith, and a false hope. Particularly if we are personally in charge of the whole thing and it offers to give us everything we want and we get to worship ourselves. What could be better than that?
Well, how about the real God, real faith, and real Revival? *Top
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Do they want revival, or a self-serving spirituality? A means to assuage the guilty conscience without having to live in God’s way? What we need is for God to grant us repentance or as you said,
“Well, how about the real God, real faith, and real Revival? “
Within the last two weeks, a woman in our church offered to do a women’s book group featuring The Secret. It wasn’t for worldview/apologetic purposes – but because the principles in this book are quite attractive to many. I blogged about my surprise, my response and the final result.
I’m a writer and encourage just about everyone I know to read widely (and to read things with which we disagree) in order to be wise and gentle in our discourse with others. I am stunned, however, at how many Christians are jumping on The Secret’s bandwagon. It is a symptom of a weak, self-centered “gospel” in our churches and culture –
And even the most brilliant apologist delivering great information will not change a self-centered human heart. Only God can do that. Oh Lord, send revival….
Why should anyone be shocked? This sounds like a Word of Faith sermon to be honest.
They say the exact same thing every single day with no outcry.
Thanks for commenting!
SLW: Self serving for sure and self centered.
Michelle: Thanks for visiting. Good comments and great article on your blog.
JC: What can I say, right on as usual. It is ‘word-faith’ but without God.