Product Description

Is it possible to believe in both God and the law of attraction? A core argument of Rhonda Byrne's best-selling book The Secret, the law of attraction says that thoughts are magnetic. Anyone can have whatever they want, be it good health, wealth, or even relationships. They need only train their minds to dwell on what they desire. But is this true?

In this companion audio book to the current media storm, author Ed Gungor believes there is more to the story. Respecting the real needs that have caused so many to seize on Byrne's program of mental self-help, Gungor uncovers a more accurate representation of the power of the mind by examining the role God plays in the equation. His goal is not to attack, but to correct what he says is misguided advice in a manner both compassionate and compelling. His results may surprise you!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #117467 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780849919787
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

Reviewed by Jim Melcher
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.

Clarity to confusion and doubts created by "The Secret"
While I can appreciate the idea and the intended message that was the purpose behind "The Secret," I am alarmed by many of its projections; particularly the fact that your thoughts create your ENTIRE reality. As a parent of a child with a chronic medical illness, I received words of caution from professionals in regards to exposing him to "The Secret." After reading Ed Gungor's EXCELLENT book, his writing on the subject of "The Law of Attraction" has provided relief, compassion, and an enlightening response to the confusion and concern that I was feeling after reading "The Secret." I greatly appreciate the fact that the author took the time to share his light with others and I do hope he is able to reach a wider audience to act as a compliment Rhonda's book.

Good argument with the law of attraction.
As well as other people, I have the "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne. I also got the movie. While Rhonda Byrne's book was probably two stars, I felt that Ed Gungor's book put the "law of attraction" into perspective and into a biblical basis that we all need as Christians. Like others, I stumbled on the book by accident. I read it on a Sunday morning and couldn't put it down. I have since let the minister at my church borrow my copy because I thought that he would get a lot out of it. The so called "law of attraction" is simply having a strong faith in God and what he can do for you in your life and this is what this book does. Although Rhonda Byrnd does have a couple of scriptures in her book, Ed Grungor shows the readers that God is the one to look to; not a low of attraction. We need The Law of Attraction that God shows us in the Bible. I strongly recommend to anyone who has read "The Secret" to read this book. It is a fast read and can be done in one setting. Whether you are a Christian or not, this book will put God into perspective.