LifeBrook International

Mick Turner

I had an interesting discussion with a new friend a couple of days back. The topic of our talk was initially the value of the New Thought Movement and its impact on contemporary Christianity. My new friend Jill has spent quite a number of years on the fringes of Religious Science and firmly sees that the teachings of the New Thought Metaphysicians such as Ernest Holmes, Christian Larson, Ralph Waldo Trine, Thomas Troward, and many others can readily be found in the teachings of Norman Vincent Peale, Robert Schuller, and the vast majority of the Word of Faith teachers.

I agree with Jill in that New Thought has had an impact on the Christian faith, both in terms of official New Thought denominations such as Unity, Religious Science, and  Divine Science, as well as the streams of the faith that she mentioned. Unlike many folks, I don’t see this as a bad thing. When you get right down to it, New Thought is at its base more physics than it is anything else. The impact that it has had on the faith, at least in my view, is a fairly healthy one with the possible exception of some of the more bizarre manifestations of the Word of Faith Movement and the Prosperity Gospel.

Our converstaion eventually turned to the Law of Attraction in general and Rhonda Byrne’s book, “The Secret.” Later on I found myself reflecting a bit on the Law of Attraction and realized that more than anything else, “The Secret” is warmed over New Thought, boiled down to its secular essentials, re-packaged and cleverly marketed. Does that make it untrue? No, not in the least.

The Law of Attraction or its equivalent under other names has been well-known for thousands of years. Buddha asserted, for example, that a man’s life is created by his thoughts. The Advaita School of Vedanta (Hindu) also contains many similar teachings.  In the West, Egyptian metaphysical religion and the Greek Hermetic teachings detailed the Law of Attraction as well as other metaphysical principals that have been passed down through the centuries.

 

During the 19^th Century, the New Thought Movement stressed the power of thinking as its major tenet and, within the many schools of that movement, continues to develop similar teachings right up through the present. Science of Mind, Divine Science, and the Unity School of Christianity are but a few contemporary examples of New Thought.

 

 In Christian tradition, the Law of Attraction and associated principles have been seen in such well-known figures as Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Schuller. Today, the most significant home of these principles, at least under the Christian umbrella, can be found in the Word of Faith Movement, the fastest growing segment of the church.

 

From a biblical perspective, Solomon tells us in Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” On one level, what Solomon was getting at was the reality that a person’s consistent thoughts, especially his deepest thoughts (in his heart) tend to define who that person is. On another level, this verse, as well as much psychological research, tends to point to the fact that our thoughts have a magnetic quality, drawing to us the things we think about most. In practical terms, the Law of Attraction boils down to a simple principle: thoughts become things.

 

Looking briefly at Genesis 1, we can see that God created the world through his thoughts. The biblical text states that the world came into being at God’s verbal command – his words. In a sense, he spoke them into existence. And what are our words? Words are expressions of our thoughts. The Law of Attraction, from a biblical perspective, is related to the fact that we were created in the image of God. In a sense, we possess similar characteristics as those possessed by God. By thinking repeated thoughts they grow stronger, and, according to proponents of the Faith Movement, when we speak them, they grow even stronger. Through repetition, taken with faith in a positive outcome, what we are speaking will eventually come into manifestation.

 

Whether you believe the teachings of the Faith Movement is not the issue here. The important thing is that we not throw the baby out with the bath water. The Law of Attraction, like the law of gravity, is a natural part of God’s creation. Our capacity to use the Law was placed in us by the Creator and we should use it in accordance with his laws and his purposes.

 

Unfortunately, many teachers, especially those associated with the Prosperity Gospel, have appropriated the Law of Attraction to be used for the accumulation of wealth. I don’t personally think this is a biblical position, but I am not the sole source of authority on this. You have to evaluate whether or not God wants you to be rich for yourself. The problem here is the fact that many people who are opposed to the message of these prosperity teachers throw out the method because they feel it is being used for material purposes. I believe this is a mistake.

 

Our thoughts contain creative power and can be of great assistance to us in pursuit of godly character and spiritual development. Further, we can use the Law of Attraction to help bring about the Kingdom on earth. If we have within us a creative power that can help with manifesting God’s desires on earth, then we should use it in his service. The key principle to follow is: make sure you are using it for the betterment of yourself and all creation.

(c) L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved