The Secret Revealed: Exposing the Truth About The Law Of Attraction

In this presentation, I will consider the book entitled The Secret Revealed: Exposing the Truth About The Law of Attraction.

I came upon this book, read it, and then contemplated what about it I wanted to write in this bookblog. I thought about the Easter holiday given the comments made by the authors. I then thought about the word “hope” because of the spring season and its association with new beginnings. Please go to “The Word Is…” on my website for an audio presentation on “hope” and my thoughts on Senator Barack Obama. In keeping with the Easter tradition, I will begin my review of this book with a quote that is used at the book’s beginning:

Christ…was chosen before the creation of the world,
but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
−1 Peter 1:20

What is inspirational to many Christians about this quote is that it gives them hope for their own life. And the Easter holiday gives hope due to the redemptive value of Christ’s crucifixion.

Before I go further, I must make clear that I am not an expert on religion, philosophy, history, science, or literature and so cannot (and will not) address all of the issues brought up by the authors which may require such expertise. Instead, I will limit myself to sharing my thoughts to some of the critiques by the authors through the lens of my own personal and professional experiences. Because of the many issues that I would like to address, this book will be the focus of the next several entries in this bookblog. Please also note that although I have seen the film The Secret, I have not yet read the book of the same name. It may seem unusual to make comments about a book which critiques The Secret without first reading The Secret, but this book is the first upon which I came. So, this book is the first of which I will write. Future entries will be on The Secret, a book written by Rhonda Byrne in 2006, which continues to be a bestseller.

The original film and book The Secret makes reference to the “Law of Attraction.” This refers to your ability to get what you want based on your thoughts and actions. The authors contend this concept is flawed for a number of reasons. Therefore, they refer to the “Flaw of Attraction” instead. Primarily, there is no evidence that a “secret” for success was ever withheld from the masses and that Rhonda Byrne has misquoted and misused a number of her sources. These points may be true and I will not attempt to refute them. There are other issues which the authors bring up which I will address instead.

In this initial entry I will first look at an implied assumption by the authors that everyone’s belief system should be the same. The following is the next quote used in the book:

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
−John 8:32

The authors acknowledge that there are paradigm differences. In other words, they understand that people see things differently in substantial ways. People will have different views on what is their purpose in life, or even if there is a purpose? People will have different views on whether or not there is evil in the world? These are examples of how people may differ in their world views.

The authors make reference to the philosopher Aristotle who posited “…that there was no knowable right and wrong, that every generation had to decide its own standards and morals, which gave birth to relativism…” The authors insinuate that the worldview of the proponents of The Law of Attraction align themselves with Aristotle. The authors appear to be more in alignment with Plato. “Plato…believed in absolute truth and abstract right and wrong.” Therefore, the primary problem with both the proponents of The Law of Attraction and the authors is that both believe they are right. Rhonda Byrne knows the “secret” and the authors know the “truth.”

This opposition can be seen in politics, relationships, and businesses. There is a “thesis” which is one view and an “antithesis” (anti-thesis) which is diametrically opposed to the thesis. The ability to come up with a melding of the two, or “synthesis” balances out the direct opposition of the first two. Could this be the answer to all of life’s problems? Is there a theory of everything? I don’t know. But, we clearly see the difficulties associated with an inability of people to see another person’s point of view whether within our own families, neighborhoods, or around the world.

One of the issues the authors have with The Law of Attraction is the simplification of getting what you want by “wishing” away your problems or “wishing” for things. I don't think the basis for the law of attraction is that wishing alone is enough at all times or in all situations. Take a moment and think about something in which you excel or something that you have received. Did you just wish it to be true and you immediately became proficient or in possession of what you wanted? I think that you will find that not only did you need the “wish,” but you may also have needed concentration, determination, focus, skill-building, information gathering, seeking help from others, money, timing, opportunity, hope, and faith. Any, and maybe all, may have been necessary for you to succeed. But, the road to success would not have been taken at all had you not “wished” for something to be different.

So, go ahead. Wish for a better life, good health, or loving relationships. It is the season of hope and new beginnings. What better time to wish for something, hope that it comes true, take the action needed to succeed, and then have faith that you will.

Thank you. May this book be influential in your life on your own road to success. Please contact me if there is a particular book you would like me to read and review.