In a recent entry that my son Adam posted, he mentioned religion, “The Secret” and the phrase “…cult-like following of obsessive, overly-positive thinking…” To say all of this irritates him is putting it mildly.
I absolutely respect (as does he) an individual’s right to believe as they choose. But like Adam, I too have big issues with organized religion in much the same way Jesus did. Oddly, this is not a subject Adam and I ever discussed at length.
While a much broader discussion is certainly warranted on the subject and the consternation it can create, my focus is on the two words Adam mentioned that got my writing juices flowing: The Secret.
The premise of the film is that we attract our good/bad based on our thoughts and behavior. It’s called “The Law of Attraction.”
Many people have misconstrued this as a “cure-all” for their lives. Their (false) perception is you can attract wealth by simply believing you will be wealthy. The same goes for good health, love, happiness, relationships and so on. Those taking this over-simplified path are ignoring the most important element: the Law of Attraction is much more about changing behavior than learning a thought process, which obviously makes it far more complex.
When I was the administrator of our church, we showed “The Secret” in our Fellowship Hall one Sunday after services. We really promoted the event. Combined with the hype it received nationally, we packed the hall. Afterward, there was a Q & A held by our minister, who had a very good understanding of the concept. She answered many questions in much the same way as she taught from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. The underlying theme throughout the afternoon was, “It won’t work unless you work it.” Unfortunately, many walked away with the perception that “working it” meant if you pray for it everyday, believing that you will receive it, it will arrive.
Not so.
The truth is the Law of Attraction is no secret. It has been a mainstay in spiritual and religious teachings since long before Jesus walked the earth. Then after He arrived, was chastised and ultimately crucified for His teachings of spiritual principals, some in civilized society decided maybe He was on to something, They tried to capture these teachings with 66 books in a collection we’ve come to know as the Bible.
Sadly, most of us have yet to grasp the concept which is – Biblically speaking – “You reap what you sow.” We go to church, read from one of the 50+ versions of the Good Book, celebrate Christmas and Easter and then give someone the finger when they cut in front of us on the freeway. We buy self-help books by the millions and still have no peace in our lives. 
We try everything to get to a better place in life, but nothing works, and yet we never ask “Why?” Instead, we move on to the next set of books, CDs and DVDs hoping the “guru” who developed them has our path to wealth and happiness – two elements of life that should never be conflated.
Occasionally, one of us breaks through the madness. We receive the proverbial a-ha moment (usually a critical, possibly life-threatening event, followed by thoughtful, quiet retrospection) that sinks in. We re-assess our life, make the necessary adjustments and then give ourselves the “What-was-I-thinking?” smack on the head for not realizing it years sooner.
Very slowly, our life begins to change. We don’t focus on problems, we focus on solutions. We quit worrying. We become attracted to the good in a situation, regardless of the challenge it may present. We are thankful for who we are, for the good that is in our life and for those around us who truly care about us. We distance ourselves from people or situations that negatively affect us. We see life, not through rose-colored glasses, but through the realistic lens of what is and isn’t important realizing that much of what goes on around us does not have to adversely affect us.
As Adam said in that same entry, you can’t control the pitch. Similarly, my grandmother used to say “Everything is already written.” (The pitch will be thrown). We have no control over it. (When, where or how it will be thrown). We can only live in the moment, enjoying life each day, no matter what is thrown at us, and know that there is far more good in the world than many would have us believe.
If you want peace in your life, you must first learn to be peaceful. The same is true for happiness, kindness, love, appreciation, forgiveness, understanding and discernment. As these attributes begin to permeate your being, you will attract the same from the world around you.
No secret there.
Sincerely,
I found myself enjoying the “celebration” of many contemporary services: rooms mildly decorated, some with non-descript stained glass windows and often without the traditional large cross; gospel choirs and small vocal groups with drums, bass, guitars and keyboards; people standing up, clapping in time to the music – on 2 and 4 for a change – filling the room with joyous sounds and once the songs ended, offering thunderous applause; messages that lifted people up, instead of asking them to get on their knees; ministers, dressed in business casual or even casual attire, asking questions and challenging the congregation to respond, engaging them to think not only with their minds, but with their hearts.
During this time I realized I had to make a decision on what (not who) “God” is (for me) and why the man from Nazareth came to be the most quoted yet misunderstood (my opinion) person in Christianity. For three decades, being a member of a church was not a top priority. From time to time, I read about the teachings of different denominations, realizing that none have a lock on Christianity, although many would have us believe they do.
A couple points need to be made before I go on. First, I realize that although it is absolutely not my intent, I may upset some of my Greek Orthodox, Methodist and Evangelical family members and friends. And second, I want to make it clear that these are my personal thoughts, and not those of my church or our minister.
I think not.
Rants and Observations by Michael Kontras 