The Secret!

[Nossa]

Hello everyone,
I was watching a program this morning discussing the idea that the book "The Secret" was based on, Law of Attraction. I personally think that it's nonesense, you can't say that if something wrong happened to someone, that the victim is the one to blame. I understand that the author probably meant well when she started off in writing the book...but for one of the people who contributed in the book, to appear on the Larry King show and saying that a little girl ( I think she was 10) who was murdered, that she attraced the her killer, is just something that I found not just a piece of crap, but also insulting.
I wanted to know your thoughts and opinions concerning this book.

[papayahed]

I haven't read the book but I did see the movie. I thought it was pretty interesting. The whole idea was to focus on the good thoughts; Instead of thinking and worrying about the worst case scenario focus on the best case scenario.

I'm not sure if I buy into it completely (I definately don't buy into Nossa's example of the 10 year old girl being murdered) but I think it is still a good idea to follow.

Example: I was out of work for 4 months, my biggest worry was that I would have to move back home to my mom's. I thought about that quite frequently. Some time during that time I saw the movie and decided anytime I started thinking about moving home I would instead think of finding another job. I found another job and didn't have to move back home. Now I know my schooling, skills, and experience got me that job, it didn't just fall in my lap because I thought about it, but I was much happier during my time off by not focusing on moving back home.

[Nossa]

I agree that positive thought makes you move on in your life better than negative thought, that's called being optimistic. My problem with the idea so far, is the fact that they say that even if something bad happened to you, it's YOU who's to be blamed. And that example was actually said on the program (Larry King show that is), Larry King told him about the girl, and the man said that we all can attract bad things, no exceptions.
I do think it's an interesting way of seeing life, but on the other hand, I'm not convinced that someone who for instance got cancer, attracted the disease!!
Correct me if I'm understanding this wrong.

[papayahed]

I don't think the movie specifically said you're to blame for all the bad stuff that happens, but I can't say how close the book and the movie are to each other, so I'm not really sure on that part....

My take on the movie is that bad things happen regardless so if you think positive thoughts you will attract positive things. (Which I'm not so sure I believe either)

[NikolaiI]

I haven't read it yet, only a summary, but it's on my list because of a very strong recommendation from a friend of mine. She loves it and has quotes of it on her wall and has read it a few times. I would say you should give the book a try before discounting it, nor should you judge it by two people debating it who didn't write the book.

I don't know about the law of attraction. I believe in karma, in my opinion good karma is something you make, and one big part of it is good conscience. I don't know anything about the 10-year-old girl example.

[Dark Star]

That book is New Age garbage. Avoid, avoid, AVOID.

The whole idea of this is that thinking something is true makes it true.

For example: You're fat. If you just THINK you're not fat you won't have to go on any diet or exercise plan and you'll magically lose weight. :rolleyes: Or cancer....or wanting a certain parking space....or winning the lottery...

And if it doesn't work it just means you aren't thinking hard enough. This sort of garbage is no better than 'faith healers' and it sickens me that people will be conned into forgoing real medical help, diet, and exercise in the name of 'if you think it, it will occur'.

It's bull**** circular reasoning, in other words; no different than the kind that people use when prayer doesn't work.