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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
The Secret	stacey	Friday, October 3, 2008
Question: Since I am a total bookworm, one of my favorite pasttimes is hanging out at our local bookstore(a large national chain). I read alot of books in the Catholicism section. They recently rearranged the whole religious section a few weeks ago. In the same section where they keep the Catholicism books, I've noticed some new books that seem occultic. One book was called The Secret. When I picked it up and started to skim through it made my skin crawl. It is very similar to the Abraham books by Esther and Jerry Hicks which I used to own before I became a Christian and got rid of them. What is really scary is how similar it is to the prosperity teaching in the Charismatic movement aka the likes of Kenneth Copeland and others. I can see that it also has a lot in common with the positive confessionism movement in that it teaches that our words create our reality. They used to keep all of the occult books seperate in a section in the back of the store but now I can see that some of them are being mixed in with genuine christian literature and it really bothers me. This stuff is so deceptive especially since there is a grain of truth to it. I do believe that if you think depressing thoughts and feed your mind with trash then you will attract that and the same goes for thinking and meditating on good things like God's word. This seems to go overboard in suggesting that we can totally direct and control our own reality-in other words be like God. If that is true then why do we need a savior if we can supposedly do it ourselves? Is there anything Christians can do short of boycotting the store to keep this stuff seperate and away from literature that is genuinely inspired by God?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Stacey: What you can do is to write the manager of the store to express your concerns about mixing occult or non-religious books with Catholic and other Christian books. This letter needs to be business-like and rational, not emotional. Do not get into theological issues, or argue the details of the books The Secret. Instead use a professional review of the book that shows why it is not Christian. Your point is to state that The Secret is contrary to Christian thought and should not be located with Christian books. If the manager does not respond or responds inadequately, then send a letter to the national office of the book chain. If the national people do nothing, then you can write a Letter-to-the-editor to your local newspaper to express your concerns. Also recruit others to write letters to the bookstore. None of this may be successful, but you will have done all you can do. But, do not assume this will not work. Sometimes it only takes one person to make a difference. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

The Secret

stacey

Friday, October 3, 2008

Question:

Since I am a total bookworm, one of my favorite pasttimes is hanging out at our local bookstore(a large national chain). I read alot of books in the Catholicism section. They recently rearranged the whole religious section a few weeks ago. In the same section where they keep the Catholicism books, I've noticed some new books that seem occultic. One book was called The Secret. When I picked it up and started to skim through it made my skin crawl. It is very similar to the Abraham books by Esther and Jerry Hicks which I used to own before I became a Christian and got rid of them.

What is really scary is how similar it is to the prosperity teaching in the Charismatic movement aka the likes of Kenneth Copeland and others. I can see that it also has a lot in common with the positive confessionism movement in that it teaches that our words create our reality.

They used to keep all of the occult books seperate in a section in the back of the store but now I can see that some of them are being mixed in with genuine christian literature and it really bothers me. This stuff is so deceptive especially since there is a grain of truth to it. I do believe that if you think depressing thoughts and feed your mind with trash then you will attract that and the same goes for thinking and meditating on good things like God's word. This seems to go overboard in suggesting that we can totally direct and control our own reality-in other words be like God. If that is true then why do we need a savior if we can supposedly do it ourselves?

Is there anything Christians can do short of boycotting the store to keep this stuff seperate and away from literature that is genuinely inspired by God?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Stacey:

What you can do is to write the manager of the store to express your concerns about mixing occult or non-religious books with Catholic and other Christian books.

This letter needs to be business-like and rational, not emotional. Do not get into theological issues, or argue the details of the books The Secret. Instead use a professional review of the book that shows why it is not Christian. Your point is to state that The Secret is contrary to Christian thought and should not be located with Christian books.

If the manager does not respond or responds inadequately, then send a letter to the national office of the book chain.

If the national people do nothing, then you can write a Letter-to-the-editor to your local newspaper to express your concerns. Also recruit others to write letters to the bookstore.

None of this may be successful, but you will have done all you can do. But, do not assume this will not work. Sometimes it only takes one person to make a difference.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.