At the core of the book is the “Law of Attraction” in which, according to its author, like attracts like — and since you deserve all good things, your good thoughts about all you deserve will bring you all you deserve.Posted on 11/23/2009 8:10:34 AM PST by NYer
“I don’t have to go to church — God comes to me. He’s with me and around me wherever I am.”
Those words, offered by a mother to her son, contributed to the apparent self-actualization of best-selling author — I’m talking been-on-the-New York Times-bestseller-list-for-hundreds-of-weeks-best-selling — Neale Donald Walsch. His books, which all revolve, in one form or another, around the very appealing premise of “Conversations with God,” speak to people in ways that apparently rival Sacred Scripture; however, Sacred Scripture they are not.
This prompts the question: How do millions of Christians get duped into believing the ramblings of New Age messengers like Neale? What is the draw that sends books like Neale’s to the top of the New York Times bestseller list for 100+ weeks?
Before answering, consider the more recent phenomenon that was catapulted to the top of the New Age heap after being hawked by Oprah: The Secret . This book by Rhonda Byrne rivaled Neale’s in appeal and sales. At the core of the book is the “Law of Attraction” in which, according to its author, like attracts like — and since you deserve all good things, your good thoughts about all you deserve will bring you all you deserve.
Maybe it’s the Catholic in me, but when I think of what I deserve… yikes !
Needless to say, these sorts of books have a lot in common. At the heart of teaching is the underlying belief that we each make up and are responsible for our own reality. We are able to work independently of an Absolute Truth for there are no absolutes, only relative absolutes where every person is entitled to a great and wonderful life experience.
Every situation can be read from your own perspective.
A neighbor irritated with your late night parties can be ignored because the problem is his, not yours. (Maybe he hasn’t bought the book yet.)
The promotion you lost wasn’t because of your lack of skills or ability but rather was the fault of your supervisor who was blind to the gift that is you.
No harm, no foul, right?
Wrong.
I readily admit that on a blistering cold, winter Sunday morning in Michigan, the philosophy of Neale’s mother is mighty appealing — I would love to stay wrapped up in my jammies and let God come to me versus braving the cold to go see Him. But when I begin to make up my own rules about attending Church I am in disobedience to God who has clearly called me to worship Him on Sabbath and keep the day holy. Once I start sliding down that slippery slope it is only a matter of time before other commandments fall by the wayside as I more easily accept my own shortcomings and see no need to address them in a way that develops virtuous habits.
Along with the likes of Neale’s book Conversations with God (which he says was intended to be his own letter to God but then he found the pen moving of its own accord), it has long been my own personal belief that the teachings found in the popular, ungodly Oprah-touted book, The Secret, played a role in the recent collapse of our American economy. The book’s philosophy goes something like this: I will “see” the promotion that I want and will help actualize it by buying things based upon this new promotion that I “see.” When the bills begin piling up I will “see” the money in my checkbook — I may even write out checks to help the vision become clearer, more “real.”
I can’t help but wonder: how many people followed this “Law of Attraction” to their economic suicide? I’m no statistician but I believe that if one were to look at the number of books sold against the number of economic disasters in the months that followed there would be some sort of direct correlation.
Sure, maybe some people were greedy but let’s assume that most simply wanted a nicer home or a second car or a vacation. Let’s be honest, it is quite easy to succumb to New Age messages.
I have a dear friend whose husband got hold of a Joel Osteen book that was dripping with prosperity doctrine. According to my friend, her unemployed husband, after reading Osteen’s message of God’s deliverance from pain and despair, took that to mean that God would blow a job in through an open window and thus the husband sat, waiting patiently, for the miracle to arrive. He trusted God because, well, God is good and wouldn’t want his family to starve or get evicted.
Yes, God is indeed good; but He values virtuous living in the form of trust combined with diligence. Faith goes hand in hand with action.
Was this the intention of Osteen? I do not necessarily believe that to be the case and yet Osteen’s book is a great reminder that in the wrong hands or with a misguided frame of mind, even a good-intentioned Christian message becomes toxic.
As Catholic Christians we ought not to forgo the Cross set before us. This is part and parcel of our faith – and most certainly why our numbers have dwindled over the past couple of self-indulgent decades. Who wants to pick up a cross when a pot of gold is right around the corner? Who wants to own up to personal responsibility when a new perspective can change things in our favor? When faced with a difficult challenge or particularly heavy burden, very few of us would embrace a Cross or personal responsibility with eagerness.
However, our salvation is not separate from our earthly sojourn. The intention is that we are able to — and ought to — work out our salvation in fear and trembling; the crosses we bear and the burdens we carry are joined to Christ, not for His good, but for ours.
In part two: An interview with Sharon Lee Giganti.
Excellent point! Too many Catholics are seeking the highway to heaven not the rocky path to which our Lord pointed.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NASB) “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
Our Lord provides.....to those who use the talents He gives us to make our lives successful.
To me, the existence of this ridiculous junk is further proof of the existence of God. The nature of humanity is to have a noticable gap in your life when God is not present. Misguided people attempt fill that void with every random superstition and ridiculous “religion” or “ism” under the sun.
Its all people seeking meaning to their lives. They’re seeking the Almighty, and getting distracted by shiny objects.
SnakeDoc
Jesus said that narrow and hard is the way to life and few be those that find it. Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many go that way.
The grace that God offers at the cross is not cheap due to the heavy price that was exacted for the forgiveness of our sins. It is also the way through which God’s power and nature is passed upon to the believer. The New Age movement offers greasy and easy grace which appeals to lazy and complacent people of which there are way too many.
There is nothing new about New Age. In Genesis, the Serpent said to Eve “Ye shall be as gods”.
Ahhh yes ... a "bling" out ;-)
Excellent point!
The term New Age really covers a very broad range of spiritual works and I would argue that not all of them are bad. But yes there are many that are pretty bad. Basically I am not a Christian though I have called myself a new age conservative hippie more then once in the past. More so I just consider myself to be more spritual than religious.
What started my path into certain areas of New Age was who some consider the grandfather of new age. George Gurdjieff a somewhat mysterious type of character who considered his work to be a type of esoteric Christianity. I started reading books on his work at about 17.
Though I am not religious I still though have a great deal of respect for religion and a affinity with Christianity. Much more so then I do for most new age works.
No big point to make just thought I would share abit.
Bleepin’ Yanni.
You make an excellent point. In fact, when we apply our God given abilities to assist others, the graces begin to flow. I learned this great lesson (the Parable of the talents), when I began to assist at my parish. The more I gave, the more I received, be it financial or in personal time. Naturally, the more I gave, louder grew the voice that told me to "stay home and relax; let someone else do it this time" ;-)
I also recall what St. Faustina wrote in her diary on this topic.
>>”stay home and relax; let someone else do it this time” ;-)<<
I get that too!!!
I just love you to death.
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