Not so "Secret" after all...
Okay Kids, its time to see what Big Daddy P. is reading. It’s been a few weeks, and life goes on. First, I want to give an update on “The Secret” which I finished. I enjoyed reading this book, but only to a degree. During the whole reading, I felt this great sense of conflict in me. At first I thought that it must have been my own frustration of not being able to concentrate the way I perceived they were talking about in the book. Then I realized that I had fallen into the trap that I had warned others about, and that was GREED! That’s right, it just goes to show you that this lame duck is human after all. Not only did I feel the greed, I spent energy on “thinking and feeling” material things. Sure, I wanted the good things in life too, but it was the material things that I found myself wanting. ONE, that is because I have a corruptible heart. TWO, it was because of the way that the book is structured. Although there seemed to be a relative positive message in “The Secret”, in the end, it taught that material things are good, IF you find your inner peace first. Well, due to my devotion to God, that can’t happen. God rejects the world, as do I. I know that there are well-to-do Christians, and in fact, biblically they serve a purpose, and perhaps one day I’ll be one, but I know that I have to earn it. I think this because it would mean an honest earning, and not a conjured one, that I could faithfully prevail spiritually at that point; which leads me to my next point. After slowly, thoroughly, and carefully reading the Secret, I have come to the conclusion that to apply the basic principles, as prescribed in the book, is toying with black magic and conjuring. What? That’s right. I know that it is a far cry from my last entry, and I’m not even saying that the law of attraction doesn’t work. Scripturally, nowhere does it say that magic doesn’t work, it’s just that God makes it clear that the “Practice of magic” is a sin, and deplorable to Him. In this spirit, and many other reasons that lay in the bible and in the writings of the early Christians, I believe that using the law of attraction, as notably prescribed in the book, is a type of conjuring i.e. black magic.
Now, that doesn’t mean that positive thinking is a bad thing, or even focusing on positive things is wrong. I’m not some sadist who hates all things of what the earth has to offer, and a loather of comfort, far from it. In true Christian form, Paul writes that we should think positively about things: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” This is a fantastic scripture. But it is a far cry from fantasizing yourself rich. I know, advocators of the Secret will say it is much more than fanaticizing. It is acting and believing what you want is to be real. But the Secret teaches that there is nothing wrong with being a millionaire, when God specifically said that it is hard for the rich to be faithful. The Secret says not to live a sacrificial life for it creates resentment—this couldn't be farther from the truth if it is done in the name of Christ and for the purpose to the Cross. The core of Godly love is self sacrifice, servitude and sacrament. Self sacrifice builds resentment if you are doing it for selfish reasons, and that is the core of “The Secret”, selfishness.
Now with THAT being said, I am about to start reading “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. I bought an old paperback copy at an estate sale Friday, and I just started it this morning. I am also reading “How To Write for Television” by Madeline Dimaggio; “The Russians’ Secret” by Peter Hoover and Servuei V. Petrov; and “How to Invest $50 to $5,000: The Small Investor’s Step-by-Step Plan for Low-Risk, High-Value Investing” by Nancy Dunnan (which is really a really good and empowering read). My therapist is convinced that “Lost” the television show is based on Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, so I am starting that this week also. Later today I should wrap up “Do Followers of Jesus fight?”. It is a nice little booklet, but I have been reading it too on and off, I just need to finish it. It is very interesting. It teaches and has a good argument for non-resistance. BUT, from what I remember from “The Politics of Jesus” by Obery M. Hendricks, Jr. that Jesus wasn’t just non-resistant, he was passive-resistant. There is a difference, really a big difference. However, at this point I feel that I am getting a much more rounded feeling and thinking for the issue. I am starting to become interested in the Anabaptist and what their history and teachings are all about. No, I’m not interested in becoming a Mennonite, but, never-say-never. I still might someday end up back in the ICOC? Who knows (I doubt that very much, but, never-say-never. I guess that would depend on how much false doctrine they shed.)
Well, that is it for now, as far as my reading material. What are you reading?
Now, that doesn’t mean that positive thinking is a bad thing, or even focusing on positive things is wrong. I’m not some sadist who hates all things of what the earth has to offer, and a loather of comfort, far from it. In true Christian form, Paul writes that we should think positively about things: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” This is a fantastic scripture. But it is a far cry from fantasizing yourself rich. I know, advocators of the Secret will say it is much more than fanaticizing. It is acting and believing what you want is to be real. But the Secret teaches that there is nothing wrong with being a millionaire, when God specifically said that it is hard for the rich to be faithful. The Secret says not to live a sacrificial life for it creates resentment—this couldn't be farther from the truth if it is done in the name of Christ and for the purpose to the Cross. The core of Godly love is self sacrifice, servitude and sacrament. Self sacrifice builds resentment if you are doing it for selfish reasons, and that is the core of “The Secret”, selfishness.
Now with THAT being said, I am about to start reading “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. I bought an old paperback copy at an estate sale Friday, and I just started it this morning. I am also reading “How To Write for Television” by Madeline Dimaggio; “The Russians’ Secret” by Peter Hoover and Servuei V. Petrov; and “How to Invest $50 to $5,000: The Small Investor’s Step-by-Step Plan for Low-Risk, High-Value Investing” by Nancy Dunnan (which is really a really good and empowering read). My therapist is convinced that “Lost” the television show is based on Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, so I am starting that this week also. Later today I should wrap up “Do Followers of Jesus fight?”. It is a nice little booklet, but I have been reading it too on and off, I just need to finish it. It is very interesting. It teaches and has a good argument for non-resistance. BUT, from what I remember from “The Politics of Jesus” by Obery M. Hendricks, Jr. that Jesus wasn’t just non-resistant, he was passive-resistant. There is a difference, really a big difference. However, at this point I feel that I am getting a much more rounded feeling and thinking for the issue. I am starting to become interested in the Anabaptist and what their history and teachings are all about. No, I’m not interested in becoming a Mennonite, but, never-say-never. I still might someday end up back in the ICOC? Who knows (I doubt that very much, but, never-say-never. I guess that would depend on how much false doctrine they shed.)
Well, that is it for now, as far as my reading material. What are you reading?
posted by P. Allan Frederick at 6:42 AM
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