operaghost on 9/2/2008 at 21:15
Someone that I know lent me this DVD, and it's frightening that people actually believe this crap. In case you haven't heard of it, it claims that if you believe something then you release a magnetic field into the universe that gives you anything you want, if you believe it. You attract all suffering and basically brought it on yourself. One guy on Larry King said some little girl who was molested and murdered attracted it... willed it, if you may. So, if you rape a woman you can use "The Secret" in your defense and say she willed it. That's such a toxic attitude. Without exception, you attract all the good and bad things into your life. So I guess kids that were molested brought it on themselves.
It says all suffering is brought about by negative thoughts. Jesus must have been a pretty negative guy. And don't get me started on the Holocaust victims, they willed that too (yeah right). It's different than a more rational belief that the real test is to get back up when suffering happens, and not despair.
Some guy in the video was taping million dollar checks to his ceiling, and now "checks just keep coming in"...durrrrr...
Positive attitudes are good. They're the first step in developing a lifestyle and body language conducive you what you want. But thinking that beliefs release a magnetic field that physically changes the universe and gives you anything you want like a genie is complete B.S.
jtr7 on 9/2/2008 at 21:18
The worst part to me is that it's all about marketing an ancient concept as new, a secret that never was in fact secret. How the hell can my attitude cause the universe to love or hate me? How the hell is my attitude powerful enough to override everybody else's, so that their own attitude is no longer valid, and I reap the consequences? If the people around me were truly positive, then my negative attitude shouldn't cause them to become jerks. The cause and effect here are reversed. If I have a bad attitude it's because another person with a negative attitude took it out on me. Displaced anger. I didn't have a negative attitude to start with and bring that upon myself. Too much New Age-y garbage. Just a corrupted variation on the Golden Rule that has less to do with positive interaction with others in spite of internal negativity, and more to do with being positive with the universe so good things come to you. Selfish.
Muzman on 9/2/2008 at 21:32
So it's sort of like "What the Bleep do we know" but with rape?
jtr7 on 9/2/2008 at 21:37
Yeah. I keep thinking how insular this crap concept is. All the millions of babies the world over being born into hellish existence because they have a bad attitude and the universe is giving them what they deserve. I'm reminded of the falacious belief in some cultures that a child is born with a disability because the parents did something to deserve the burden, only now this Secret says it's the babies negativity that brought it upon itself, AND the parents, too.
BrokenArts on 9/2/2008 at 22:51
I'm all for the glass is half full, as with anything, moderation is key. Some of that stuff is over the top. Pick and choose what works for you.
For me personally, if I think my life will be shit sometimes, it will be. I try to really keep a positive attitude, you have to, or I'd go insane. And sometimes in life, shit just happens, positive attitude or not, life happens.
fett on 9/2/2008 at 22:51
There's a christian version of this as well, sometimes known as the 'name it and claim it' theology. Guys like Kenneth Copeland and Robert Tilton have gotten filthy stinking rich from it.
BrokenArts on 9/2/2008 at 22:56
Why didn't we do it first? pfft.
Tocky on 10/2/2008 at 00:38
Because we are decent human beings who believe there is more to life than money and we wont permanently shit stain our character and thus have to live with the stench of it the rest of our lives?
fett on 10/2/2008 at 02:20
Actually, I just want the money.
Tocky on 10/2/2008 at 03:23
Damn. I knew I was doing it wrong.
