A New Mask for an Ancient Secret, by Berit Kjos, is an article we keep at all of our outreach tables to share with people who believe they are gods.
Some excerpts:
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 and selective focus only 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 gives us a glimpse into the tantalizing roots of this Secret, it doesn't tell us that those roots include ancient Egyptian mystery religions, the 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 That our God is obsolete?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 in her fast-selling book, 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 and occult orders 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]
Those "masters" included mythologist Joseph Campbell, 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 [or "legion"] of demonic spirit guides called "Abraham"...
(Read full article here.)
Some excerpts:
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 and selective focus only 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 gives us a glimpse into the tantalizing roots of this Secret, it doesn't tell us that those roots include ancient Egyptian mystery religions, the 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 in her fast-selling book, 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 and occult orders 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]
Those "masters" included mythologist Joseph Campbell, 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 [or "legion"] of demonic spirit guides called "Abraham"...
(Read full article here.)
