Joe Vitale, San Diego Fires & The Law of Attraction
Dr. Joe Vitale has a post about the fires in San Diego that can be read as blaming the victims of the fire for what happened to them. He actually is saying that certain people whose homes were not lost were saved because of their belief system – and, after spending some time on his sites, I think he’s talking about the Law of Attraction, particularly as it’s expressed in the movie The Secret.
I think of Joe as a master of copy writing hype. But apparently he’s changed his pitch. Although I’ve hardly done an extensive study of his methods, I feel save in saying, as he does in an article called A “Crazy” New Way to Increase Sales — from Zero, “You get what you feel.”
That’s just another way of saying “your thoughts create reality,” which leads straight back to the Law of Attraction which can be stated “you get what you think about; your thoughts determine your experience.” More often applied to getting rich than protecting (or not) your home from fires, it’s one of those old new thought ideas that’s been around for ages. It’s hugely attractive because it sounds so easy and because it has, I believe, a grain of spiritual truth.
I know I’ve sucked into this notion from time to time. I have, for example tithed in order to get – that doesn’t work. I have pasted affirmations about wealth on my mirror and spend hours chanting them, only to end up without enough money to pay the rent. What I’ve discovered is that when I tithe out of greed or do affirmations out of fear, they don’t work, which shouldn’t be any surprise, but it was.
It’s not that tithing is wrong, when it’s done from gratitude rather than a desire to get. Nor is there anything wrong with affirmations as long as they are truly affirming rather than based in fear.
The real problem with The Secret and other misapplications of the Law of Attractions, is they are based not in love and in a real desire to make the whole world a better place, but in a sort of hidden selfishness that says “I deserve more…” “I deserve more” is not a Spiritual principle as I understand real Sprituality.
My own experience tells me not so much do I create my own physical reality as I’m allowed to choose my own response to what is going on. My path has led me to, finally, accept that G*d, however I choose to name that numinous other that’s so much larger than I can even begin to understand, is the Source of all, including my income, and, not so by the way, also the fires in San Diego.
It truly is a mystery and I stand humbled and in awe, and in recognition that I truly don’t know what’s going on. My job is simply to love the best way I can.
Here are some resources that work for me:
- Debtors Anonymous – for those with unsecured debt and who under earn.
- United Centers For Spiritual Living, particularly their Global Heart Vision.
- Heart of Business – a spiritual approach to business and Mark Silver’s Blog.
- The Real Secret – an article in Ode Magazine worth considering.
So, no, I don’t think Joe Vitale is right… I don’t think people’s homes were saved because they think and acted positively, nor do I think that if only everyone had believed and acted in a particular way, no one’s homes would have burned. I didn’t agree with Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell about 911 or Katrina either. None of these positions reflect what I understand to be truth or reality.
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12 opinions for Joe Vitale, San Diego Fires & The Law of Attraction
Rugmoisture.Com » Joe Vitale, San Diego Fires & The Law of Attraction
Oct 28, 2007 at 1:57 pm
[...] and Josh wrote an interesting post today on Joe Vitale, San Diego Fires & The Law of AttractionHere’s a quick [...]
Dougray Quintane
Oct 28, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Thank you - I believe in positive thinking and positive acting, but bad things do happen to everyone occasionally for no reason at all.
Best wishes.
Anne Wayman
Oct 28, 2007 at 4:59 pm
yes, it certainly seems that way doesn’t it.
Maiaoming
Oct 29, 2007 at 9:54 am
Anne - YES, yes, yes. I personally detest this kind of thinking - I guess the Holocaust victims got what they deserved, using this type of thinking? Some Buddhists believe this way, too - you cause your own suffering (or at least did in another life). But what you say about choosing your response to the world - THAT is what I have found, and what spiritual thinkers I have come to trust advocate as well. This was a beautiful and thoughtful piece - thanks so much for the post. Very much resonated with me.
Anne Wayman
Oct 29, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Thanks Maiaoming.
Geoff Young
Oct 30, 2007 at 10:56 am
Wow. May he be fortunate enough never to encounter personal tragedy. The experience could shatter his belief system…
Michael A. Stelzner
Oct 30, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Hi Anne;
I also live in San Diego and was effected by the fires as I live spitting distance from Rancho Bernardo.
To say that people attracted the fire is simply absurd and a real slap in the face to those of us here in San Diego.
I think Joe’s ideas are wrong and downright dangerous.
Full confession, I am a devoted Christian. I believe the Lord is the one in control.
You can’t think good thoughts and hope that the fire passes over your house.
Joe and his support for the The Secret will turn out to be one of the largest “false” religions of this century and will continue to lead to the moral decline in this nation.
My story regarding the fire is here: http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/10/24/tested-by-fire/
Anne Wayman
Oct 30, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Michael, I’m grateful you’re safe!
Want To Get $300 For Christmas?
Nov 1, 2007 at 8:03 am
I wonder if the law of attraction really works… any quick tips or links where to find out more about this topic?
I believe more in giving first without asking anything in return.
If you have any other suggestions
or comments, let me know :)
Cheers,
Codrut Turcanu.
“How To Succeed Against All Odds!” Break The Ice!
Anne Wayman
Nov 2, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Codrut, you can google it and get more information than you’ll ever use. Catherine Ponder’s books are probably the basic texts.
“How to Succeed Against All Odds!” Break The Ice!
Nov 3, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Thx, thought about that, but forget to do it :)
Take care.
Codrut Turcanu.
“How To Succeed Against All Odds!” Break The Ice!
Goal Setting That Works
Dec 16, 2007 at 1:12 pm
[...] and missed it, it’s a web movie and book that tout the law of attraction. I blogged about it here. It’s tricky because although I don’t believe we create our own reality, at least not [...]
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