The Law of Attraction - Pros and Cons

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Darrin_Donnelly

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I wanted to get some feedback on what everyone thinks of this “Law of Attraction” stuff that is now dominating self-help and success circles. Personally, I think the way this “law” is being taught is actually very dangerous to people (religious or not).

I love to discuss success philosophies and evaluate them from a Catholic perspective. Therefore, I’m currently working on a report that looks into this “Law of Attraction” concept that has become so popular in recent years. I’d love to hear as many opinions as possible on this topic. Certainly there are SOME pros to this overall concept, but I personally don’t think they come close to out-weighing the cons.

What do you all think?
 
Never heard of it, sorry, but I’m out of a lot of loops. Link(s) please!
 
There are no “Pros” to it, unless you consider asking the devil himself for favors and he grants them. It is an evil, warped teaching that has nothing good in it what so ever. It teaches some people not to act and do the legwork they need to do, fooling them into just thinking what ever they need into place, thus they fall into sloth and this inaction ruins their lives. Those that do make it work, find that it doesn’t work the way it’s described, you are idolizing what ever desire you have in mind, placing God to the side in the matter and what ever gain you achieve is demonicly given, literally from the devil himself, and when you make a deal with him, you will pay a very high price, then pay back what ever was given to you with interest.

There is a real law of attraction, those that can be easily exploited attract people that exploit them, that’s about it in my book.

I’m warning everybody to stay away from this teaching in the same way I warn people to stay away from the occult, you just do not know what door you are opening up and it takes massive efforts to close it again.
 
bbentrup said:
Never heard of it, sorry, but I’m out of a lot of loops. Link(s) please!
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It’s a new self-help craze made popular by the DVD, The Secret, which was featured on Oprah, Larry King Live, among many other media outlets.

Basically, this “law” states that you have the power in you to attract everything that happens to you with your thoughts. Whatever you think about, you manifest into your life.

Most of the people teaching it seem to be rooted in a Pantheistic view of the world. The view that everything is energy and all energy is actually God, which is why we should be able to manifest experiences as well as physical objects with the thoughts we emit.

Not only is this a New Age thing, but success gurus like Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul guy) are now really pushing it.
 
Basically, this “law” states that you have the power in you to attract everything that happens to you with your thoughts. Whatever you think about, you manifest into your life.
Tell it to Auschwitz!
 
 
I think it is bad. And I am in a way surprised that people like Oprah buy into it, because when you get down to the nitty gritty, it suggests that people deserve what they get.

I do think there is some truth to the general idea, which is why it is so popular - people recognize that their attitude affects their experience. But many bad ideas have a kernel of truth to them which makes them compelling to the unwary.

I have also noticed that many who follow this philosophy are very uncharitable - as soon as someone or something is “bringing them down” they drop it, because it must be a manifestation of a bad attitude that can be corrected, with no moral implications about leaving the situation behind.
 
Sounds good to me. Who ever succeeded without confidence they would succeed? Keep your goals in mind and have confidence you will meet them. Believe they will happen. Believe you can do it. Believe you can make it happen. It doesn’t matter what you call the technique.
 
WillieWonka said:
Sounds good to me. Who ever succeeded without confidence they would succeed? Keep your goals in mind and have confidence you will meet them. Believe they will happen. Believe you can do it. Believe you can make it happen. It doesn’t matter what you call the technique.
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Being confident and out right lying to yourself are two different things. A person may believe they can fly, jump off of a cliff and die. There is nothing wrong with having confidence, it’s entirely different to believe in anything that will happen in the future, for God is the only one that knows the future, which is why we tend to say as Christians, God willing, for our plans, not just believe it will happen and expect it to, for he might have different plans for you here.
 
prodigalson12 said:
Being confident and out right lying to yourself are two different things. A person may believe they can fly, jump off of a cliff and die. There is nothing wrong with having confidence, it’s entirely different to believe in anything that will happen in the future, for God is the only one that knows the future, which is why we tend to say as Christians, God willing, for our plans, not just believe it will happen and expect it to, for he might have different plans for you here.
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I disagree. If you want soemthing, firmly believe it will happen. It’s motivating and sets you up to do what needs to be done to achieve what you want. Believe it will happen and believe you will do everything necessary to make it happen. Have confidence in yourself. Some folks let things happen to them, while.others make them happen. It’s a choice.
 
WillieWonka said:
I disagree. If you want soemthing, firmly believe it will happen. It’s motivating and sets you up to do what needs to be done to achieve what you want. Believe it will happen and believe you will do everything necessary to make it happen. Have confidence in yourself. Some folks let things happen to them, while.others make them happen. It’s a choice.
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But, let’s say, put in this hypothetical situation. You are competing with me in business, both of us believe that we will become the dominating company, yet only one can take that roll. No matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you believe, one will always win over the other. This can be applied to that stupid LAO, where two people are trying to think/believe they will marry the same person, only one of them can.

I’m going to give you guys fair warning on this subject, especially with the secret book, I have unfortunately had to learn the hard way along it, it has given me quite the education along it’s nature, how it works, there is a solid basis from where I come from upon it, not through ignorance, through experience, it’s bad, really bad, even taking snippets from it is bad, and believe me, I tried to support some parts of it with the bible, it’s no way near the same teachings on any level.
 
prodigalson12 said:
But, let’s say, put in this hypothetical situation. You are competing with me in business, both of us believe that we will become the dominating company, yet only one can take that roll. No matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you believe, one will always win over the other. This can be applied to that stupid LAO, where two people are trying to think/believe they will marry the same person, only one of them can.

I’m going to give you guys fair warning on this subject, especially with the secret book, I have unfortunately had to learn the hard way along it, it has given me quite the education along it’s nature, how it works, there is a solid basis from where I come from upon it, not through ignorance, through experience, it’s bad, really bad, even taking snippets from it is bad, and believe me, I tried to support some parts of it with the bible, it’s no way near the same teachings on any level.
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In your hypothetical, I’m not going to pay any attention to what you think. How do I know your interior attitude. Of course one will win, and it will be me.
 
Bluegoat said:
… I do think there is some truth to the general idea, which is why it is so popular - people recognize that their attitude affects their experience. But many bad ideas have a kernel of truth to them which makes them compelling to the unwary. …
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That’s my view of it. All other things being equal, a person with a positive, optimistic outlook is more likely to succeed than someone with low expectations. But the “law of attraction” crosses over into magical thinking when its proponents maintain that simply wanting something a whole lot can, without more, cause that thing to happen.

Speaking more generally, I think it’s partly a symptom of spiritual hunger. People who, for whatever reason, have given up on traditional religions, but who are also unable to go all the way with naturalism (for lack of a better term), cast about for some sort of higher power to give meaning or at least order to life.
.
 
Langdell said:
Speaking more generally, I think it’s partly a symptom of spiritual hunger. People who, for whatever reason, have given up on traditional religions, but who are also unable to go all the way with naturalism (for lack of a better term), cast about for some sort of higher power to give meaning or at least order to life.
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A lot of the self-help Oprah-esque stuff comes from that, I think. It rather reminds me of stoicism or one of the other Epicureanism after Platonism. Average people wanted a philosophy to live by, in a practical way, without getting into the rigors of a really substantial philosophical worldview, and those schools provided that.

Now peeople want something that will give them advice on how to live without making a real intellectual commitment to a religion or philosophy.
 
It is a great question.
Not knowing much of the subject other than what is offered here i would say it is important to believers.

Who has enough faith to have a mountain move into an ocean?
Who is called to have that much faith?

Those that know if we pray together they will be healed are healed.
Those that have no faith go to the doctor and revive My Fathers grace.

The danger is for the heathens, there are other spiritual forces with us. What happens when your god is money or self.

No protection of love for what you want to attract.

Satan will appear to you as the answer but has nothing eternal to offer.
 
Steven_John said:
It is a great question.
Not knowing much of the subject other than what is offered here i would say it is important to believers.

Who has enough faith to have a mountain move into an ocean?
Who is called to have that much faith?

Those that know if we pray together they will be healed are healed.
Those that have no faith go to the doctor and revive My Fathers grace.

The danger is for the heathens, there are other spiritual forces with us. What happens when your god is money or self.

No protection of love for what you want to attract.

Satan will appear to you as the answer but has nothing eternal to offer.
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This is a good point - if we do not choose well what we are trying to attract, then we are really no better off than we were before. If we choose something that is indeed evil, then we may well attract evil forces our way. It sounds a bit crazy to say it like that, but I think it is probably true,

What is interesting to me is that in many ways, the law of attraction is very similar to what is meant by trying to perform magic. I think it has many of the same moral pitfalls and dangers.

The whole Law of Attraction thing really reminds me of a novel I read once, The Little Country, by Charles DeLint. It’s an enjoyable little book, popular fiction rather than a great novel, but it deals with this exact subject.
 
At the heart of the matter. . . this what I call the Lie of Attraction . . . is a mantra of “My will be done.” I don’t find this idea anywhere in sacred scripture or sacred tradition. This is clearly a form of idolatry and very dangerous. The most deceptive of sins are simply a rejection of the first commandment. Positive Mental Attitude is one thing, but the lies of “The Secret” go way beyond positive mental attitude.

No where in “the Secret” or any of this new age mumbo jumbo will you hear or see Phill. 4:11-13 exponded on. There is no desire to be content in bad time and in good times, and there is no desire to seek communion with “the One” who strengthens, Christ Jesus!
 
Hello all,

This subject disturbs me greatly for many reasons so, please bear with me as my thoughts are few and my explanations may jump here and there.

1–The Secret is to me, another form of Satanism. Yes, yes, the branding does seem a bit strange but, given that The Secret embodies and espouses all three lies Satan gave to Adam & Eve in the garden, I think, Satanism fits the Secret VERY WELL.

2–There is NO Gospel message in the doctrines or virtues of the Secret

3–There is no God in the Secret. Thus, by denouncing God, this gives the Secret the perfect foundation from which to promote self as Lord and Master. Thus, the self is God. CLEARLY UNBIBLICAL!!!

4–No salvation nor Mediator to salvation, the self does not need salvation because, since the self is God, there is no sin. Since there is no sin, all is relative and it follows that from no sin, a saviour is unnecessary. CLEARLY, this is PROOF the Secret is from Satan himself.

5–What would a Secret adherent say about the homeless, starving and malnourished living in Third World countries? What would a Secret follower say was the cause/reason for that life? Clearly, our God of Mercy and Grace would have far more sympathy, benevolence and compassion than a follower of the Secret would. Clearly, a Secret follower’s perspective serves the self and thus, gives glory to Satan, again.

Bluntly and plainly put and sad to say, the Secret is yet another form of Satanism plain and simple.
 
Thanks b to YHWH you see this for what it is.

A councillor is a hired Shepard, they can never truly tend to te need of the lost. Their words will only help the sheep not to feel lost, delude them to believing they are in control.

Self assurance never lasts, none can argue against this statement for the self assured are surley to die.

The word is not paid, those who speak out of it to the lost show them a way home.

Brethren be troubled not over this thing they do, they must do it for the false prophet to be seen clearly for the last days.

But be warned, keep it from your communities and churches for already it has crept in.
Be a guardian of the spirit and loudly denounce its presences.
Better you do this and be outcast than permit such grow in our house.

Best you be safe in the arms of My Father than in your own arms among the unbelievers.

I will be that i will be,
you have free will to see me as you choose
 
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