Secrets of the universe. What is it about secrets that get us humans so titillated? Is the God who made the universe so powerless that He cannot impart His requirements and communicate His love to His creation that we need to go digging for secrets? Is the truth hidden? Of course not, the Bible records for us that Jesus is HIMSELF the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no truth outside of the person of Christ, and it is surely no secret. But if a person were not interested in the truth as revealed by Jesus, well, then it’s time to find something that suits our ego and THE SECRET surely falls into that category.
It amazes me that people are so narcissistic that they think the world and its secrets exist to meet their felt needs. But such is our generation, and they want it all NOW (see my previous article, “In Demand”.) It amazes me that they think they can claim to be anything or anyone and it will magically become so. How arrogant! It also amazes me that people are so gullible that they will fall for this and not recognize the charlatans who prey on them, their needs, their fears and their hard-earned money. If The Secret blows through the church with any force, (and in reality it has been with us for decades in the disguise of the name-it-and-claim-it prosperity teachings) it will have one outstanding feature, and that will be a denial of the existence of sin and the human’s sin nature. The idea of sin is too negative for this movement, and would only serve to derail the entire concept of the power of our thoughts and speech. But it has already affected the church, and will continue to deflect from the gospel as all false teaching does, as it is designed to confuse and detour the unsaved from the finished and atoning work of Christ. Gee, doesn’t anyone remember the Jabez fiasco? Oh, I guess that was about 40 days of purpose ago…
When I read about the latest deceptions blowing around the globe, both in and out of the church, I tend to think to myself, ‘how can people believe in this?’ My thinking is that some of them are so silly and patently false that surely they must have a shelf life, or an expiration date at least. But the closer we get to the coming of Jesus the more I need to remind myself that we are in an age of rampant deception, and that God will allow this judgment-ready planet to be given over to all sorts of vile practices and teachings that defy spiritual and common sense both. People are spiritual beings, and no one lives in a spiritual vacuum so try as they may to claim they are atheists or that just because they believe or don’t believe something, that somehow the heavens are moved to comply with their subjective truths– but the real truth is that everyone believes in something. Let God be true and every man a liar on the day that people have to give an account for what they did with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
Below I am posting an excellent article by Berit Kjos regarding the latest ridiculous deception blowing around the world. She has really done her homework and I think she covers the subject well.
A NEW MASK FOR AN ANCIENT SECRET
By Berit Kjos
February 4, 2007
NewsWithViews.com
As above, so below!’ The Emerald Tablet, circa 3000 BC.”[1] Starting page of “The Secret.”
“This phrase [above] … embraces the entire system of traditional and modern magic which was inscribed upon the tablet in cryptic wording by Hermes Trismegistus. The significance of this phrase is that it is believed to hold the key to all mysteries. All systems of magic are claimed to function by this formula. ‘That which is above is the same as that which is below.'”[2]
“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8
Cheered by Oprah Winfrey and Larry King, an enticing book and corresponding DVD have stirred widespread enthusiasm. “It’s making headlines around the world,” announced Oprah’s website, “and buzz just keeps building. Some say it’s the secret to creating the life you truly want—losing weight, making money, finding love.”[3]
Yes, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne teems with tempting promises and positive affirmations. But it omits all facts that could sound negative, since “summoning what you want” demands an intentional focus on what’s positive. “The law of attraction doesn’t compute ‘don’t’ or ‘not’ or ‘no,’ or any other words of negation.”[1]
So while the next quote mentions the historical roots of this Secret, it doesn’t tell us that those roots include the ancient Egyptian mystery religions, the occult Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Rosicrucianism, and Hermetic magic. Nor does it warn us that its more recent branches include Unity,” Science of Mind, and the “New Thought” movement that swept through the Christianized world over a century ago.[4]
“Fragments of a great secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it. In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.”[5]
What does that imply? That our God is obsolete? That real spiritual empowerment means replacing the Bible with The Secret? As Byrne tells us, she unlocked a secret that has captivated aspiring occultists, conjurers and magicians for thousands of years.
“I’d been given a glimpse of a Great Secret,” she tells us in the foreword. “Why doesn’t everyone know this?”
The answer is simple. When Christianity spread, the forbidden forces behind magical arts went underground. Rarely mentioned in public, they were hidden in secret societies until the 20th century, when books, movies, television and universities re-introduced them to a thrill-seeking, Biblically illiterate nation ready and eager to revive the mystical powers of the past. Byrne herself illustrates this fascination:
“A burning desire to share The Secret with the world consumed me, and I began searching for people alive today who knew The Secret. One by one they began to emerge. I became a magnet as I began to search, one great living master after another was drawn to me.”[1]
Her inspiring “masters” — living or dead — included mythologist Joseph Campbell, Wallace Wattles (The Science of Getting Rich), Jack Canfield, Neale Donald Walsch (who published his occult messages from a counterfeit “god” in Conversations with God), and Jerry and Esther Hicks. The Hicks’ website introduces us to a cluster of demonic spirit guides called “Abraham:”
“Abraham, a group of obviously evolved teachers, speak their broader non-physical perspective through the physical body of Esther [Hicks]. Speaking to our level of comprehension… they guide us to a clear connection with our Inner Being….”[6]
NEW THOUGHT AND ANCIENT MYSTERIES
Byrne introduces Prentice Mulford (1834-1891) as “one of the earliest writers and founders of the New Thought movement… [who] has influenced countless writers and teachers.”[1] This quote from Thoughts are Things summarizes his “mental and spiritual laws:”
“There is no limit to the power of the thought current you can attract to you…. In the future some people will draw so much of the higher quality of thought to them, that by it they will accomplish what some would call miracles. In this capacity… lies the secret of what has been called ‘magic.”[7]
During the last century, such thinking inspired “positive thinking” gurus like Norman Vincent Peale who, in turn, converted Robert Schuller and countless other leaders who are now pastoring churches or marketing the deception through church-related programs around the world. John Maxwell and other global change agents demonstrate the subtle influence of this feel-good, self-empowering ideology.
“Nothing,” Byrne assures us, “can come into your experience unless you summon it through persistent thoughts.” [p.43]
Our sovereign Biblical God has no place in this man-centered philosophy. But other religions are acceptable — including a compatible distortion of Christianity:
“Religions, such as Hinduism, Hermetic traditions, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and civilizations, such as the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, delivered it through their writings and stories. Recorded throughout the ages in all its forms, the law can be found in ancient writings through all the centuries. It was recorded in stone in 3000 BC.” [p.4-5]
The last reference points back to ancient mystery religions and to the words inscribed on the fabled Emerald Tablet. Remember, Byrne used those words, “As above, so below,” to set the stage for her book. An occult website decodes their meaning:
“The universe is the same as God, God is the same as man…. [M]an is the counterpart of God on earth; as God is man’s counterpart in heaven. Therefore… man’s actions on earth parallel the actions of God in heaven…. The purpose of all rituals in ceremonial magic is to unite the microcosm with the macrocosm to join God… with the human consciousness…. Aleister Crowley claimed that when the magician reaches this ultimate peak of altered consciousness the miracles are no longer important, the extreme goal becomes the direct union with God.”[2]
Now as then, those dark teachings have become shining lights to cultures inspired by “false apostles and deceitful workers” — servants of Satan, the “evil one” who masquerades as “an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) After all, The Secret offers gullible seekers everything under the sun. Consider these examples:
“There isn’t a single thing that you cannot do with this knowledge. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are, The Secret can give you whatever you want.”[xi]
“The law of attraction is the law of creation….You create your life through your thoughts.”[p.15]
“With this powerful knowledge, you can completely change every circumstance and event in your entire life…”[p.7]
Do those affirmations remind you of Lucifer’s attempted bargain with Jesus in the wilderness? Now, compare them with the next tempting promise. Notice the cost, which Byrne never mentions:
“…the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You. … if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.’ And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Luke 4:5-8
RISKY ATTRACTIONS
“The Secret is the law of attraction!” declares Byrne. “Everything that’s coming into your life you are attracting into your life. And it’s attracted to you by virtue of the images you’re holding in your mind. It’s what you’re thinking….”[p. 4]
This “secret of attraction” has a simple explanation. When we seek forbidden thrills and forces, Satan stands ready to answer. In Old Testament days, God protected His people from the full onslaught of such forces as long as the nation followed Him and His loving guidelines. But when they rejected His guidelines and sought the occult thrills of pagan neighbors, He withdrew His protection.[8] Left to their own meager resources, the nation was destroyed by Babylonian armies.
Would God ever withdraw His protection over America?
Back in the nineties, I received a phone call from a Canadian psychologist. He had read A Twist of Faith and wanted to discuss the swelling tide of seekers visiting his scenic community. Hoping to find their personal spirit guide, they would participate in Indian sweat lodge ceremonies and spirit quests. In former decades, few “succeeded,” but recently something had changed. Now almost everyone “meets” their demonic guide. Some therapists had expressed their surprise, he said, by the current explosion of what they only knew as multiple personality disorders. Many seekers were terrorized by strange voices and felt they had lost control of their own minds to entrenched foreign personalities.
The demonic realm, which used to be distant and non-threatening, now crouches near. Occult books, games and movies show children how to empower themselves by summoning demons. Yet we shouldn’t be surprised. America has silenced God’s warnings and compromised His truth. The consequences could bring unthinkable heartbreak. But God warned us!
“…when you have eaten and are full… [when] your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. … you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’… If you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods… you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 8:10-20
MIRACLES HAPPEN — BUT WHAT’S THE SOURCE
In response to the DVD version of The Secret, “stories of miracles began to flood in,” wrote Byrne. Her fans “wrote about healing from chronic pain, depression, and disease…. Some of the most magnificent stories we have received have come from children using The Secret to attract what they want…. There are Secret parties being held in homes around the world, as people share the knowledge with loved ones and families…..”[1, p. x-xi]
Many forget that “the angel of light” is a shrewd deceiver, not a kind giver. God has allowed Satan a measure of authority for a season of time, but his power is limited to that which serves God’s overall purposes. Our loving Father allows trials in our lives to train us to rely on His strength and wisdom, not our own.[9] That’s the exact opposite of Byrne’s New Thought message. She may boast of miracles from the hand of the deceiver, but there’s a cost. And the devil never fails to claim his due.
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The Truth is No Secret
Secrets of the universe. What is it about secrets that get us humans so titillated? Is the God who made the universe so powerless that He cannot impart His requirements and communicate His love to His creation that we need to go digging for secrets? Is the truth hidden? Of course not, the Bible records for us that Jesus is HIMSELF the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no truth outside of the person of Christ, and it is surely no secret. But if a person were not interested in the truth as revealed by Jesus, well, then it’s time to find something that suits our ego and THE SECRET surely falls into that category.
It amazes me that people are so narcissistic that they think the world and its secrets exist to meet their felt needs. But such is our generation, and they want it all NOW (see my previous article, “In Demand”.) It amazes me that they think they can claim to be anything or anyone and it will magically become so. How arrogant! It also amazes me that people are so gullible that they will fall for this and not recognize the charlatans who prey on them, their needs, their fears and their hard-earned money. If The Secret blows through the church with any force, (and in reality it has been with us for decades in the disguise of the name-it-and-claim-it prosperity teachings) it will have one outstanding feature, and that will be a denial of the existence of sin and the human’s sin nature. The idea of sin is too negative for this movement, and would only serve to derail the entire concept of the power of our thoughts and speech. But it has already affected the church, and will continue to deflect from the gospel as all false teaching does, as it is designed to confuse and detour the unsaved from the finished and atoning work of Christ. Gee, doesn’t anyone remember the Jabez fiasco? Oh, I guess that was about 40 days of purpose ago…
When I read about the latest deceptions blowing around the globe, both in and out of the church, I tend to think to myself, ‘how can people believe in this?’ My thinking is that some of them are so silly and patently false that surely they must have a shelf life, or an expiration date at least. But the closer we get to the coming of Jesus the more I need to remind myself that we are in an age of rampant deception, and that God will allow this judgment-ready planet to be given over to all sorts of vile practices and teachings that defy spiritual and common sense both. People are spiritual beings, and no one lives in a spiritual vacuum so try as they may to claim they are atheists or that just because they believe or don’t believe something, that somehow the heavens are moved to comply with their subjective truths– but the real truth is that everyone believes in something. Let God be true and every man a liar on the day that people have to give an account for what they did with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
Below I am posting an excellent article by Berit Kjos regarding the latest ridiculous deception blowing around the world. She has really done her homework and I think she covers the subject well.
A NEW MASK FOR AN ANCIENT SECRET
By Berit Kjos
February 4, 2007
NewsWithViews.com
As above, so below!’ The Emerald Tablet, circa 3000 BC.”[1] Starting page of “The Secret.”
“This phrase [above] … embraces the entire system of traditional and modern magic which was inscribed upon the tablet in cryptic wording by Hermes Trismegistus. The significance of this phrase is that it is believed to hold the key to all mysteries. All systems of magic are claimed to function by this formula. ‘That which is above is the same as that which is below.'”[2]
“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8
Cheered by Oprah Winfrey and Larry King, an enticing book and corresponding DVD have stirred widespread enthusiasm. “It’s making headlines around the world,” announced Oprah’s website, “and buzz just keeps building. Some say it’s the secret to creating the life you truly want—losing weight, making money, finding love.”[3]
Yes, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne teems with tempting promises and positive affirmations. But it omits all facts that could sound negative, since “summoning what you want” demands an intentional focus on what’s positive. “The law of attraction doesn’t compute ‘don’t’ or ‘not’ or ‘no,’ or any other words of negation.”[1]
So while the next quote mentions the historical roots of this Secret, it doesn’t tell us that those roots include the ancient Egyptian mystery religions, the occult Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Rosicrucianism, and Hermetic magic. Nor does it warn us that its more recent branches include Unity,” Science of Mind, and the “New Thought” movement that swept through the Christianized world over a century ago.[4]
What does that imply? That our God is obsolete? That real spiritual empowerment means replacing the Bible with The Secret? As Byrne tells us, she unlocked a secret that has captivated aspiring occultists, conjurers and magicians for thousands of years.
“I’d been given a glimpse of a Great Secret,” she tells us in the foreword. “Why doesn’t everyone know this?”
The answer is simple. When Christianity spread, the forbidden forces behind magical arts went underground. Rarely mentioned in public, they were hidden in secret societies until the 20th century, when books, movies, television and universities re-introduced them to a thrill-seeking, Biblically illiterate nation ready and eager to revive the mystical powers of the past. Byrne herself illustrates this fascination:
Her inspiring “masters” — living or dead — included mythologist Joseph Campbell, Wallace Wattles (The Science of Getting Rich), Jack Canfield, Neale Donald Walsch (who published his occult messages from a counterfeit “god” in Conversations with God), and Jerry and Esther Hicks. The Hicks’ website introduces us to a cluster of demonic spirit guides called “Abraham:”
“Abraham, a group of obviously evolved teachers, speak their broader non-physical perspective through the physical body of Esther [Hicks]. Speaking to our level of comprehension… they guide us to a clear connection with our Inner Being….”[6]
NEW THOUGHT AND ANCIENT MYSTERIES
Byrne introduces Prentice Mulford (1834-1891) as “one of the earliest writers and founders of the New Thought movement… [who] has influenced countless writers and teachers.”[1] This quote from Thoughts are Things summarizes his “mental and spiritual laws:”
During the last century, such thinking inspired “positive thinking” gurus like Norman Vincent Peale who, in turn, converted Robert Schuller and countless other leaders who are now pastoring churches or marketing the deception through church-related programs around the world. John Maxwell and other global change agents demonstrate the subtle influence of this feel-good, self-empowering ideology.
“Nothing,” Byrne assures us, “can come into your experience unless you summon it through persistent thoughts.” [p.43]
Our sovereign Biblical God has no place in this man-centered philosophy. But other religions are acceptable — including a compatible distortion of Christianity:
The last reference points back to ancient mystery religions and to the words inscribed on the fabled Emerald Tablet. Remember, Byrne used those words, “As above, so below,” to set the stage for her book. An occult website decodes their meaning:
Now as then, those dark teachings have become shining lights to cultures inspired by “false apostles and deceitful workers” — servants of Satan, the “evil one” who masquerades as “an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) After all, The Secret offers gullible seekers everything under the sun. Consider these examples:
Do those affirmations remind you of Lucifer’s attempted bargain with Jesus in the wilderness? Now, compare them with the next tempting promise. Notice the cost, which Byrne never mentions:
RISKY ATTRACTIONS
“The Secret is the law of attraction!” declares Byrne. “Everything that’s coming into your life you are attracting into your life. And it’s attracted to you by virtue of the images you’re holding in your mind. It’s what you’re thinking….”[p. 4]
This “secret of attraction” has a simple explanation. When we seek forbidden thrills and forces, Satan stands ready to answer. In Old Testament days, God protected His people from the full onslaught of such forces as long as the nation followed Him and His loving guidelines. But when they rejected His guidelines and sought the occult thrills of pagan neighbors, He withdrew His protection.[8] Left to their own meager resources, the nation was destroyed by Babylonian armies.
Would God ever withdraw His protection over America?
Back in the nineties, I received a phone call from a Canadian psychologist. He had read A Twist of Faith and wanted to discuss the swelling tide of seekers visiting his scenic community. Hoping to find their personal spirit guide, they would participate in Indian sweat lodge ceremonies and spirit quests. In former decades, few “succeeded,” but recently something had changed. Now almost everyone “meets” their demonic guide. Some therapists had expressed their surprise, he said, by the current explosion of what they only knew as multiple personality disorders. Many seekers were terrorized by strange voices and felt they had lost control of their own minds to entrenched foreign personalities.
The demonic realm, which used to be distant and non-threatening, now crouches near. Occult books, games and movies show children how to empower themselves by summoning demons. Yet we shouldn’t be surprised. America has silenced God’s warnings and compromised His truth. The consequences could bring unthinkable heartbreak. But God warned us!
MIRACLES HAPPEN — BUT WHAT’S THE SOURCE
In response to the DVD version of The Secret, “stories of miracles began to flood in,” wrote Byrne. Her fans “wrote about healing from chronic pain, depression, and disease…. Some of the most magnificent stories we have received have come from children using The Secret to attract what they want…. There are Secret parties being held in homes around the world, as people share the knowledge with loved ones and families…..”[1, p. x-xi]
Many forget that “the angel of light” is a shrewd deceiver, not a kind giver. God has allowed Satan a measure of authority for a season of time, but his power is limited to that which serves God’s overall purposes. Our loving Father allows trials in our lives to train us to rely on His strength and wisdom, not our own.[9] That’s the exact opposite of Byrne’s New Thought message. She may boast of miracles from the hand of the deceiver, but there’s a cost. And the devil never fails to claim his due.
About Mary
I have been a believer since 1981. Everything else before that is relatively meaningless. My heart has, from day 1, always been toward the subject of bible prophecy and I have seen the Lord do amazing things in my life through simply studying the Word and applying it to my life. I am a wife, grandmother and work full time in ministry. Life is full, and full of learning curves and seasons.