A New Mask
for an Ancient Secret
Click to go to our Home Page
"'As above,
so below!' The Emerald Tablet, circa 3000 BC."[1] Introductory page of The Secret. "This phrase [above] ... embraces the entire system of traditional and modern magic
which was inscribed upon the tablet in cryptic wording by Hermes
Trismegistus. The significance of this phrase is that it is believed to hold
the key to all mysteries. All systems of magic are claimed to function by
this formula. 'That which is above is the same as that which is below.'"[2] "Beware lest anyone cheat you through
philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to
the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8 Cheered by Oprah
Winfrey and Larry King, an enticing little book and corresponding DVD have
stirred widespread enthusiasm. "It's making headlines around the
world," announced Oprah's website, "and buzz just keeps building.
Some say it's the secret to creating the life you truly want—losing weight,
making money, finding love."[3] 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] "We are the creators not only of our own
destiny but also of the Universe.... We are all connected, and we are all
One."[1, p.
175] Sounds fantastic,
doesn't it? But what does it 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] The
"masters" -- living or dead -- who inspired Byrne's occult views
included mythologist Joseph Campbell,
Wallace Wattles (author of The Science
of Getting Rich), 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": "Abraham, a group of obviously evolved
teachers, speak their broader non-physical perspective through the
physical body of Esther [Hicks]. Speaking to our level of comprehension... they
guide us to a clear connection with our Inner Being...."[6] "New
Thought" and Ancient Mysteries Byrne introduces
Prentice Mulford (1834-1891) as "one of the earliest writers and
founders of the New Thought
movement... [who] has influenced countless writers and teachers."[1] This quote
from Thoughts
are Things summarizes his "mental and spiritual
laws:" "There is no limit to the power of the
thought current you can attract to you nor limit to the things that can be
done through the individual by it. In the future some people will draw so
much of the higher quality of thought to them, that by it they will
accomplish what some would call miracles. In this capacity... lies the secret
of what has been called 'magic."[7] During the 20th
century, such thinking inspired "positive thinking" gurus like
Norman Vincent Peale who, in turn, converted Robert Schuller and countless
other leaders who are now pastoring churches or marketing the deception
through church-related programs around the world. John Maxwell
and other global change agents demonstrate the subtle influence of this
feel-good, self-empowering ideology. "Nothing," Byrne assures us,
"can come into your experience unless you summon it through
persistent thoughts."[1 p.43] Our sovereign Biblical God has no place in
this man-centered philosophy. But other religions are acceptable -- including
a compatible
distortion of Christianity: "Religions, such as Hinduism, Hermetic
traditions, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and
civilizations, such as the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, delivered it
through their writings and stories. Recorded throughout the ages in all its
forms, the law can be found in ancient writings through all the centuries. It
was recorded in stone in 3000 BC."[1 p. 4-5] The last reference points back to ancient
mystery religions and to the words inscribed on the fabled Emerald
Tablett. Remember, Byrne used those words, "As above,
so below," to set the stage for her book. An occult website decodes
their meaning: "The universe is the same as God, God is
the same as man, man is the same as the cell.... [M]an is the counterpart of
God on earth; as God is man's counterpart in heaven. Therefore, it is a
statement of an ancient belief that man's actions on earth parallel the
actions of God in heaven.... "The purpose of all rituals in ceremonial
magic is to unite the microcosm with the macrocosm to join
God... with the human consciousness. When such a supreme union is
achieved the subject and object becomes one.... Aleister
Crowley [a satanist member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn],
claimed that when the magician reaches this ultimate peak of altered
consciousness the miracles are no longer important, the extreme goal becomes
the direct union with God."[2] Now as then, those
dark Luciferian teachings have become shining lights to post-Christian
cultures inspired by "false apostles and deceitful workers" --
servants of Satan, the "evil one" who masquerades as "an angel
of light." (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) After all, The Secret offers
gullible seekers everything under the sun. And its promises sound good, don't
they? Consider these examples: "There isn't a
single thing that you cannot do with this knowledge. It doesn't matter
who you are or where you are, The Secret can give you whatever you want."[1, p. xi] "The law of attraction is the law of
creation....You create your life through your thoughts."[1, p. 15] "With this powerful knowledge, you can
completely change every circumstance and event in your entire life..."[1, p. 17] "You are the master of the Universe.
You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life. And now
you know the Secret."[1, p. 183] Do those affirmations remind you of Lucifer's
attempted bargain with Jesus in the wilderness? Now, compare them with the
next tempting promise. Notice the cost, which Byrne never mentions: "...the devil,
taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in
a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, 'All this authority I will
give You.... Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be
Yours.' And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Get behind Me, Satan!
For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you
shall serve.’ ” Luke 4:5-8 Risky Attractions "The Secret is the law of
attraction!" declares Byrne. "Everything that’s coming into your
life you are attracting into your life. And it’s attracted to you by virtue
of the images
you’re holding in your mind. It’s what you’re thinking...."[1, p. 4] This "secret of
attraction" has a simple explanation. When we seek forbidden thrills and
forces, Satan is ready to answer. In Old Testament days, God protected His
people from the full onslaught of such forces as long as the nation followed
Him and His loving guidelines. But when they rejected His guidelines and
sought the occult thrills of pagan neighbors, He withdrew His protection.[8] Left to
their own meager resources, the nation was destroyed by Babylonian armies. Would God ever
withdraw His protection over America? Back in the nineties, I received a phone call
from a Canadian psychologist. He had read A
Twist of Faith and wanted to discuss the swelling tide of seekers
visiting his scenic community. Hoping to find their personal spirit guide,
they would participate in Indian sweat lodge ceremonies and spirit quests. In
former decades, few "succeeded," but recently something had
changed. Now almost everyone "meets" their demonic guide.
Some therapists had expressed their surprise, he said, by the current
explosion of what they only knew as multiple personality disorders. Many
seekers were terrorized by strange voices and felt they had lost control
of their own minds to entrenched foreign personalities. Now they longed for
freedom. The demonic realm, which used to be distant
and non-threatening, now crouches near. Occult
books, games and movies show
children how to empower themselves by summoning demons. Yet we shouldn't be
surprised. America has silenced God's
warnings and compromised His truth. The consequences could bring
unthinkable heartbreak. But God warned us! "...when you have
eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them... your
heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God. ... you say in your
heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’...
If you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods...
you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before
you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of
the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 8:10-20 It does matter what you think and
imagine. When we set our minds on self-empowerment and self-focused idolatry,
the consequences can be devastating. Again and again, God's Word shows His
concern over the corrupting influence of our rebellious thoughts: "GOD saw that the wickedness of man was
great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5 Though God is amazingly patient with us, the
time comes when He must deal with human depravity. Long ago, He promised
faithful Abraham (not the counterfeit spirit mentioned earlier) that his
descendants would "be strangers in a land that is not theirs... for four
hundred years." They could not enter the promised land until "the
iniquity of the Amorites was complete." (Gen 15:13, 16) Our patient and caring Lord would not replace
the corrupt Canaanites with Abraham's descendants until their cruelty,
idolatry, child sacrifice and perverted sex rituals had reached intolerable
proportions. Nor did He allow the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem until --
centuries later -- the depravity of Israel was ripe for His judgment: Seventy
years of exile. “The Lord will judge His people," warns
the Bible. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God." [Hebrews 10:30-31] Yet, the masses -- whether in ancient Israel or in our own
times -- pay little attention. Nor do they fear the consequences. Miracles happen - but what's the source In response to the DVD
version of The Secret, "stories of miracles began to flood
in," wrote Byrne. Her fans "wrote about healing from chronic pain,
depression, and disease.... We have received thousands of accounts of The
Secret being used to bring about large sums of money.... Some of the most
magnificent stories we have received have come from children using The Secret
to attract what they want, including high grades and friends.... There
are Secret parties being held in homes around the world, as people share the
knowledge with loved ones and families....."[1, p. x-xi] Many forget that
"the angel of light" is a shrewd deceiver, not a kind giver. God
has allowed Satan
a measure of authority for a season of time, but his power is limited to
that which serves God's overall purposes. Our loving Father allows
trials in our lives to train us to rely on His
strength and wisdom, not our own.[9] That's the
exact opposite of Byrne's New Thought message. She may boast of miracles from
the hand of the deceiver, but there's a cost. And the devil never fails to
claim his due. "The coming of
the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power,
signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among
those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that
they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion,
that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not
believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians
2:9-12 We cannot afford to be
ignorant these days. The Bible tells us to "be strong in the Lord and in
the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of
God, that you may be able
to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11 Why? "For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6:12-13 To avoid experiencing
evil, we need to discern evil. Many of Byrne's esoteric concepts have
already been adapted to the "Word of Faith" teachings, contemplative
disciplines, holistic health and other familiar practices. They sound good to
those who are blind to the "wiles of the devil." May God show us
how to prepare ourselves and our families for the spiritual warfare ahead! "Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith...." 1 Peter 5:8-9 See Comments on The Secret (See a personal explanation in
the box near the top of this page) The Secret - Christianity or New Age
| The Secret: A New Era for
Humankind The secret things are no
longer secret Clothed with His Truth (First
lesson in a Bible study on the Armor) Note: We hope to finish a chart on this topic by September
7. You can see our progress here: Ancient Occultism poisons postmodern
Churches Endnotes: 1. Rhonda Byrne, The Secret (TS Production Limited
Liability Company, 2006), Foreword, page 14. 2. "As above, so below," www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/a/below_above.html 3. The Oprah Winfrey show at www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/200702/tows_past_20070208.jhtml 4. New Thought - its roots and close cousins
at www.crossroad.to/Quotes/spirituality/global/new-thought.htm 5. Oprah's promotion of The Secret: www.oprah.com/tows/booksseen/200702/tows_book_20070208_rbyrne.jhtml 6. http://www.holisticpage.com.au/_Esther_and_Jerry_Hicks.php 7. http://newthoughtlibrary.com/mulfordPrentice/thoughtAreThings/tat_047.htm 8. Isaiah 22:8, Ezra 5:12, Nehemiah 9:30 Psalm 81:12 and
106:41, Ezekiel 39:23, 1 Corinthians 10:1-11, Romans 1:18-32 9.See www.crossroad.to/HisWord/verses/topics/suffering.htm
and www.crossroad.to/HisWord/verses/topics/trust.htm
|
|||||