76 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jim Melcher, July 13, 2007
This review is from: There is More to the Secret: An Examination of Rhonda Byrne's Bestselling Book "The Secret" (Paperback)
One of the most popular recent nonfiction books in the United States is Rhonda Byrne's The Secret, which argues that a natural law, the Law of Attraction, is the secret to a happy and prosperous life. The latest work by Ed Gungor, There Is More to the Secret, examines The Secret and the Law of Attraction from a Christian perspective. Gungor defines the Law of Attraction as "everything coming into your life is the result of what you have been attracting to your life"-not just in positive things, but negative ones as well. It is at minimum a rejection of the idea that one's destiny is predestined or is in the hands of fate. The Secret seeks to take this law and apply it to everyday life.
The Secret is certainly an idea that can take some things on a secular sort of faith, and one might well expect Gungor, a Christian minister in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to have some issues with the idea of "The Secret", and he makes very clear from the beginning that he is skeptical of some aspects of The Secret theory and particularly in how people apply it. Among his strongest arguments is that even assuming that the Law of Attraction works, if different people are all using it on their own behalf at the same time, some of the things people wish for may be cancelled out (suppose, for example, that two different people imagine getting the same rare item at an auction, or are competing for the same job).
Some recent books analyzing books or movies from a Christian perspective make an all-out attack on their subjects, as is the case with several Christian books that are fiercely critical of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. But while Gungor is skeptical of some elements of the Law of Attraction, he undoubtedly surprises some of his readers by arguing not only that there is something to the Law of Attraction and therefore the Secret, but that it is compatible with Christian belief. Indeed, Gungor-whose command of both the Bible and of popular culture is very strong-makes the argument that the Law of Attraction is reflected in multiple cases in the Bible. Gungor exhorts his Christian audience to use The Secret for good to produce positive change and to free oneself from fatalistic inertia. he ends the book with a call to readers to use The Secret but to see the benefits of a conscience about one's actions, bring oneself closer to an acceptance of the will of God and to follow Jesus.
It is precisely because Gungor believes there is something to the Secret that his key line of attack on the idea as articulated by Byrne isn't that there is no such thing, but that it does not go far enough and leaved out the hand of God in these matters (this is much of why the book is titled There is More to the Secret). Gungor rightly fears that people will use The Secret for selfish purposes without considering how to use it in line with God's will for His people. As in his previous book Religiously Transmitted Diseases, however, Gungor is able to make his critiques with both humor and command of popular culture in a way that saves his arguments from coming off as shrill or tiresome. He is an entertaining writer, and the book, at 124 pages, is long enough to make its point without becoming overly polemical.
While I agree with the Reverend Gungor that what one believes and does affects how things turn out in one's life and in the world, I am not completely convinced by Gungor's argument on behalf of the existence of the Law of Attraction-even as I agree with how he uses his understanding of it to fine tune the arguments of The Secret. However, his work has moved me to consider its possible applications on my own Christian journey. With the widespread popularity of The Secret, Gungor's work deserves a wide audience, and readers of There Is More to the Secret are likely to find Gungor's arguments, well, attractive.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Much-Needed Reality Check, November 16, 2009
This review is from: There is More to the Secret: An Examination of Rhonda Byrne's Bestselling Book "The Secret" (Paperback)
"Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." ~ Jesus
I've read "The Secret" book and have seen the movie. Since then I can't seem to get enough of books about The Secret and have been reading all the books I can find on the subject. It is interesting to see how it applies to all areas of life as we know it.
This book in particular addresses an intriguing conundrum. Can we believe in God and also believe in the law of attraction? Didn't Jesus say that we should ask and receive? Then there is the whole subject of becoming too materialistic. Many Christians are turned off by the thought of "greed" or lusting after money (read up on the seven deadly sins). The Bible clearly states that we can't serve God and money at the same time. So what is a Christian to do? Should they reject the whole idea of the law of attraction or put it to good use? After all, didn't God create all the laws of the universe? Doesn't he allow humans to be part of the creative process?
Ed Gungor takes on all these topics and more. While some may see this book as an attack on Rhonda Byrne's bestselling book I found it to be more of a thoughtful exploration that leads to serious spiritual considerations. This book is a much-needed reality check! I found Ed Gungor's thoughts to mirror some of my own. Does "The Secret" also have a dark side? If you have been wondering about how "The Secret" could be used for evil purposes then you need to read this book.
"... are you using the law of attraction to have what you need in order to change the world for God?" ~ Ed Gungor
In my own life the law of attraction has drawn things that are good and bad into my life. I can see a direct correlation between negative thoughts and negative experiences and positive thoughts and positive experiences. So I believe that the law of attraction is at work in our lives. I like how Ed Gungor explains that we don't use this law in a vacuum. There are other players and other forces in motion. So when disaster strikes it isn't necessarily all your own fault. God can also play a role in your life allowing or not allowing you to become wealthy. In this book Ed Gungor explains how we should also be living in God's will. There are apparently other forces that are greater than the law of attraction.
So while I've been intrigued with "The Secret" I must say that this book answered a lot of my nagging questions. I've always had better luck praying for what I want. After all, Jesus is the one who tells us to pray for our desires. This book is a great addition to all the other secret books and I like that it is a pastor's take on the subject. I think you will find this to be instantly compelling; at least it kept my attention for hours right up till the last page.
If you are very interested in this subject here is a list of books on the Law of Attraction that I think you will enjoy (they explore the subject more deeply):
The Secret of The Secret: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Runaway Bestseller
The Secret
The Science of Wallace D. Wattles: The Science of Getting Rich, The Science of Being Well, The Science of Being Great
Secrets of Attraction: The Universal Laws of Love, Sex, and Romance
The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life
Develop Irresistible Attraction
Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
~The Rebecca Review
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Too negative, May 25, 2010
A Kid's Review
I'm a big fan of the Secret and I was thinking this book will be a positive review over the book but instead the book just said negative things and going beyond the line. I'm cosidered myself very religious and I thought this book will be like the secret applying to the religion side but no at all. the author explain the logic things of you don't have to believe literary but to me reading the secret it was logic, you can't sit in your bed and say I'm going to be skinny and you don't do anything or you will expect things change just thinking or "calling your thoughts". To me the secret was just a guide of how to be positive in front of any circunstances and fight for what do you wan, how to be strong and positive.
Did not like at all, if you like the secret do not buy this book
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