What is "The Secret"?

Warning: This blog will reveal spoilers to the book, "The Secret." So, if you don't want to know the secret of "The Secret," I would suggest not reading any further. Otherwise, don't say I didn't warn you...

One of the books on the #1 best sellers list right now is "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne, and it's companion DVD has sold over a million copies since its release in February 2007. "The Secret" is basically a self-help book that claims to have the ultimate key to achieving success and happiness. The book and DVD give off a Da Vinci Code feel and boast that this "secret" has been known and used by some of the greatest minds in history, but for eons, "the secret" has been hidden from the public... until now.

On the Watchman Fellowship website, there is a video clip of an interview on the Today Show with one of the teachers quoted in the book & DVD, James Arthur Ray, along with Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist and Today Show contributor.

What is the secret? It's three simple steps: Ask... Believe... Receive.

The author claims that based on the "Law of Attraction," if you think about something, your mind gives off energy and vibrations that are capable of bringing external objects to you or away from you. For instance, one woman says that when she found out she had cancer, she used the secret and imagined that the cancer was out of her body. Later, she found out she was healed. Others have claimed that they have become wealthy using the secret. However, with all these lofty claims, you have to ask yourself, "Doesn't this sound a bit too good to be true?" Even the TV show, Boston Legal, showed that "The Secret" may have "some kinks to iron out."

During the Today Show interview, Mr. Ray claimed that the secret is based on quantum physics, but this has yet to be proven by the scientific community. For something to be considered scientific, it must meet the following criteria.

1. Must be based on data.
   
2. Must be observable.


3. Must be able to be tested.
   
4. Must have reproducible results.

"The Secret" can claim none of those. Dr. Saltz stated that there is nothing wrong with thinking positively, but claiming that this "Ask... Believe... Receive" concept is a science, is both deceitful and potentially harmful. I also think that the statement made by Prof. Robert Thompson of Syracuse University is very revealing. He said, "It's amazing how we really are a nation of, at best, great optimists, and at worst, real suckers."

The concept behind "The Secret" is Gnosticism, which has been around for at least 2000 years, and the secret itself, the knowledge and power that is being promised, dates back to the first sin of Adam and Eve, the desire to be God. Basically the secret tries to convince you that you can control your own future by being your own god.

Sadly, this lie has been deceiving people for centuries, and it has caused countless disappointments and ruined lives. Jerry Adler, Senior Editor of Newsweek magazine wrote an article about the book and said, "The message isn't new; the packaging is what's new.... The book is potentially psychologically harmful, ethically deplorable, and scientifically nonsense."

Acts 17:11 reminds us that we shouldn't believe everything that we read. We should always compare "secret knowledge" to what the Bible says. If it's contradictory, then it is false. We should be as careful as Beareans... "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." And when compared to Scripture, "the secret" doesn't hold water.

A good resource that will help you learn more about "The Secret," its origins, and dangers, is the new book, "The Truth Behind The Secret." Click here to read the press release.

Is Rev. Moon the Second Coming?

In March 2004 at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in the presence of a large audience of congressmen and other "well-to-do's" in Washington D.C., Rev. Sun Myung Moon was presented with maroon robes, crowned "King of Peace," and proclaimed himself to be "none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent." His wife was by his side and was also presented a robe and bejeweled crown.

Up until a few weeks ago, I never knew that this had taken place. I was absolutely shocked. Though, after doing some more investigating, we come to find out that most of the people who were in attendance that night came under false pretenses. Most came under the guise that they were going to be honored for their humanitarian efforts and for being "Ambassadors of Peace." Low and behold, they were blindsided when at the close of the evening they were the unintentional witnesses to an erroneous coronation.

On the Watchman Fellowship website, I found an article that has a lot of good information on Rev. Moon and his cult, otherwise known as the Unification Church. Just in case you had doubts, Rev. Moon is not the Second Coming, unless you are comfortable with and confident in a Messiah who is an ex-con, adulterer, and is heavily involved in spiritualism (i.e. he claims to receive new revelations by projecting himself into the spirit realm and talking with Jesus and other dead saints).

Here are just a few of the aspects of Moonie theology:

• Pantheism: God is not a Person, but is a self-generating energy that became creation. God is all, and all is God.
  
• God was not happy or complete being alone, until it created people. It needs relationships.
  
• God created Adam and Eve to be the perfect parents, but God's plan was thwarted when Eve had sexual relations with the archangel, Satan, and then with Adam.
  
• God came up with a new plan. He created Jesus (who was only human), and intended for him to get married. Then Jesus and his bride would become the perfect parents and raise sinless children. But once again, God's plan was ruined when Jesus got crucified before he could get married and have a family.
  
• God's final plan is being accomplished through Rev. Moon and his perfect family. Salvation and access to the Kingdom of God solely depend on the Moon Family. Everyone must be grafted into his perfect, God-center family.
  
• Rev. Moon claims that he is God's mouth-piece and only through him can "heaven on earth be literally achieved."

Rev. Moon claims that his is the only perfect God-centered family on earth. Let's take a look and see how accurate that statement is. This video clip is from an interview with the daughter of Rev. & Mrs. Moon (aka "The Perfect Parents") as well as Nansook, the wife of Hyo Jin, Moon's eldest son. In 1995 when she could not endure her husband's cocaine addiction, infidelity, and physical abuse any longer, Nansook fled with her 5 children, and divorced her husband of 14 years. In 1998, she wrote a book titled In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family, which is about her experiences as a member of the Moon family.



As you can clearly see, Rev. Moon and his family are anything but perfect, and they certainly do not qualify as the "Perfect Parents" or being divine. Every family is dysfunctional to some extent and the Moon family is no exception.

No matter what fallacious claim Rev. Moon may make, it certainly does not line up with Scripture. "Jesus did not claim to be a partial way, half the truth, or some of the life. He did not leave room for others to complete or fulfill his work. Jesus stated in no uncertain terms, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.' (John 14:6)" (Excerpt from Watchman Fellowship article) Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, true Messiah, Lord, and Savior of the world.

For more information about Moonieism, click here to access other articles that are available on the Watchman Fellowship website.

Boston Legal vs Freedom of Religion

When the TV show "Boston Legal" came on the air in 2004, I was not impressed by the premise of the show nor by its leading actor, William Shatner. But every now and then, even the most loathsome TV show can make you turn your head and give applause.

Episode Synopsis: James Spader's character Alan Shore is defending the owner of a law firm who fired one of its attorney's for being a out-spoken Scientology fanatic.

Watch this snippet from the 2006 episode "Whose God Is It Anyway?"











After watching the video, there were a couple of observations that I made. While the lady attorney does make some valid points about freedom of religion, one statement that she makes regarding Muslims is not the whole truth. She lists several religions that do "wacky things" such as Christian Scientists don't go to the doctor; Jehovah's Witnesses won't buy Girl Scout cookies; and that "radical Muslims blow themselves up to meet virgins in heaven." This last statement is added so nonchalantly, but she's leaving out one vital part. Muslims do suicide bombings with the intent of killing infidels (i.e. non-Islamic people). If Muslims just had to commit suicide to get to heaven, I doubt there would be a single Muslim left on the planet. I was rather shocked to hear her include that with the implication that we should be tolerant and accepting of people who believe and do that sort of thing. So, in essence, she is saying the the tragedy of 9-11 shouldn't be condemned because the radical Muslims were just doing what their religion told them was ok.
Not only that, but her comment about Christian Scientists not going to doctors has resulted in countless deaths of children and adults who have died needlessly from illnesses that could have been easily treated with a simple antibiotic or saved by a blood-transfusion.

I don't know about you, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching James Spader's character explain Scientology! Even though his presentation was dripping with sarcasm, it didn't need much. The truth about Scientology is so ridiculous; any rational person can clearly see that it was created by a science-fiction-writer-turned-cult-guru with a very overact imagination and big dollar signs in his eyes. I also think that the character's closing remarks are brilliantly penned:

"How about we scale back on the Freedom of Religion dogma exalting it as all get-out?.... Now [your client] is trying to cloak himself in an amendment that is as overplayed as it is misapplied.... The founding fathers of this country set out to prevent persecution, not to license it."

I have to applaud the writers for making that statement!
Hopefully, more people will become aware of what Scientology teaches; so we as believers can be better equipped to help show them the truth and encourage them to leave the science fiction on the shelf.

To find out more about Scientology and receive a FREE Watchman Fellowship profile on this religion, click here.

One Way or Many Ways?

Before you read this review, you have got to watch this video of a segment from one of Oprah Winfrey's shows. Oprah makes a statement that she believes that there are many paths to "The Light/God" and then she is challenged by a Christian audience member. Watch what happenes: Click here to watch the video.

If you were unaware of Oprah's spiritual beliefs, you have now heard them with your own ears. Oprah is undoubtabley a New Age believer... the video as well as the article about her on the Watchman Fellowship website confirm that.

She is considered to be one of the the most influencial women in the world. Her TV show has a viewing audience of 15-20 million, and it is broadcast in at least 132 countries. Plus, if you are the author of a book that she selects to be highlighted in her Book Club (many authors are also fellow New Age & Unitarian believers), you are guarenteed to sell at least 1 million copies. With all her influence and media exposure, it is scary to realize how much of her warped sense of "spirituality" she spreads to so many people worldwide.

Regarding the video, I applaud the Christian lady for speaking out and challenging Oprah, but like any good skeptic, Oprah did bring up a tough argument: if you never hear about Jesus, can you still go to heaven? Unfortuately, the Christian lady was not well prepared to answer Oprah.

Here's what Jesus Christ says:

John 14:6 -- "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
John 10:30 -- "The Father and I are one." (in other words, Jesus is God!)
John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Matthew 7:13-14 -- "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
John 10:9 -- "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture."

These are just a few of many passage in Scripture that Jesus makes some very serious claims about Himself. Most New Agers would say that Jesus was a good man and teacher, but that's all. However, Jesus clearly claims that He is God and is the only means by which we can be saved and go to heaven. But if Jesus was just a man, then he wouldn't be a good teacher, he'd be a liar and/or lunatic... OR... He is who He says He is... He is the LORD.