April 12, 2007

The Secret: it's grace.

There's been a lot of buzz recently about The Secret, a new-age movie out on DVD, extolling the virtues of "The Law of Attraction." Admittedly, I have not yet seen the film, but I've been involved in New Age religious circles enough to get the gist of it: The Law of Attraction is about creating our own reality, as "co-creators" with God, with the power of our intentions.
Now, without wading into the dozens of philisophical questions this theory proposes (and oh, there are many), I'd like to just point out the one huge glaring ommission -- the thing that has always left a bad taste in my mouth -- when it comes to the religious philosophies based on this theory. Scientology, Christian Science, Religious Science and others all claim this concept as the basis of their religous teachings. God wants us to have what we want (especially skads of money, in the case of Scientology), and we have the power to make it all happen. In essence, we are gods.
Now I have no doubt that there is enormous power in our intentions. I have witnessed this firsthand in my own life. But when I make an affirmation for my life, when I pray, when I ask the universe to deliver whatever it is that fulfills my needs -- I do so without an arrogant belief that I have created this reality. Instead, I recognize the key component to manifesting our desires -- and that is the gift of grace. Without the gift of grace -- the intersession of God -- we would have no power to create. Some may call this the divine intention -- but I think that it is important to recognize and acknowledge that the divine intention -- the gift of grace -- is in all that we ask for. "Not my will, but thine be done." This makes our intentions a powerful act of submission, which I frankly think scares the pants off of many in New Age circles. It's an admission that we are, in fact, not in control. We can only ask, and receive. And afterward, hopefully, give thanks.
A week ago, I asked for a list of things, and by the power of Grace, all was delivered to me by weeks end. It would be the height of arrogance for me to believe that *I* was able to manifest all of my wants and desires by some force of my own will. No, it is in submission that we receive, and someone better let the rest of the world in on that secret.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Grace falls from heaven, like rain.