# The Secret movie. Is this a cult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329 "2007-12-08T22:25:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/1 "2007-12-08T22:25:53Z")
One of my friends seems to have become an avid fan of a movie called, “The Secret.” I’ve looked on their [website](http://thesecret.tv) . I can’t find any ties to a cult. Is this related to Scientology or some other cult? ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/2 "2007-12-08T22:29:50Z")
As far as I understand, it’s not a cult, just some person or persons getting obscene amounts of money selling the idea (the secret in question) that if you want something enough you’ll get it. The particular presentation is historical in nature, claiming that various well known smart and/or powerful people in the past believed and used this idea to their advantage. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/3 "2007-12-08T22:40:36Z")
It’s ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ repackaged, as happens once a decade. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/4 "2008-04-10T15:36:57Z")
I was just “introduced” to this today, by a friend. Someone joined their “community/networking group” and immediately e-mailed everyone the [link](http://thesecret.tv/) and some life-changing inspirational verbiage. I am inclined to dismiss it as “kooky” and was curious as the the Dopers’ stance… not much discussion to date, so I thought I would bump the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/5 "2008-04-10T15:43:36Z")
Isn’t this the same secret as the recent book? The same ‘secret’ that was featured on Oprah. Not really all that secret. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/6 "2008-04-10T15:48:01Z")
Tossing a quarter into a wishing well is just as effective and only costs a quarter. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/7 "2008-04-10T16:24:32Z")
It’s not a cult so much as some really scummy people taking advantage of some really gullible people. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/8 "2008-04-10T16:25:15Z")
Oh, hey. My roommate brought home a copy of the DVD the other day, and I was wondering what the hell it was. It’s exactly like everyone says - the whole deal is that if you “will” something, it’ll happen. There’s a boatload of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo about the universe and magnets and attraction and your personal power spilled all over it, but that’s the basic idea. The DVD is actually _hilarious_, and I had to leave the room while my roommate was watching it because I was about to burst out laughing. I got the impression that it’s targeted toward people in artistic fields, since the video consisted of a bunch of testimonials from people with titles like “writer” and “actor” under their names (nobody even remotely famous, of course) babbling on about how “the secret” changed their lives. There was a segment where they talked about the story of Aladdin, complete with CGI genie. The point when I had to leave the room was when they started justifying the power of “the secret” by talking about the “universal principles of magnetism” or some such nonsense. I almost “willed” root beer to come out of my nose. Afterward, I asked a friend about it, who said that the program was touted on Oprah (figures; my roommate buys into every bit of metaphysical nonsense that comes out of that woman’s mouth) and exploded after that. I recently went out on a date with a guy who said that he’s been trying to live his life by the program. That was our only date. \*Edit: I found [a clip](http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-secret-james-ray-genie-clip/3495089618) of the scene where they talk about Aladdin. Seriously, this thing would be fantastic to watch with friends while high. ---
**Author:** ![chocolatefrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@chocolatefrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chocolatefrog)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/9 "2008-04-10T16:26:46Z")
It’s too obvious and un-hierachical to be a cult. No big entity to worship at the top other than some woolly cosmic will. Pity, because I think a few virgin sacrifices would make the entire thing cooler. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/10 "2008-04-10T16:35:33Z")
Can’t believe my ex-wife hasn’t sent me a link to this stuff. She already tried to sell me on multi-level marketing and therapeutic magnets. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/11 "2008-04-10T18:18:46Z")
Ah, so that’s what my dental hygienist was playing on her stereo while she was scraping away at my teeth the other day. That was a weird experience. I felt a bit cheated because my half hour was up and I never got to hear The Secret, although I suspected that it was going to be complete bollocks, as indeed it seems to be. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/12 "2008-04-10T18:41:12Z")
[Here’s a link](http://www.slate.com/id/2165746/pagenum/all/#page_start) to a very funny story about what happened when _Slate_ reporter Emily Yoffe tried living according to the principles in _The Secret_. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/13 "2008-04-10T18:43:57Z")
[QUOTE=shy guy] It’s exactly like everyone says - the whole deal is that if you “will” something, it’ll happen. There’s a boatload of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo about the universe and magnets and attraction and your personal power spilled all over it, but that’s the basic idea. [/QUOTE] And the reverse corrollary, which of course they talk much less about, is that if _bad_ things happen to you, why then, you must either (a) actually have subconsciously willed it to happen, or (b) at the very least, not sufficiently willed its opposite (the good thing) so as to avoid the bad thing. Since good thoughts lead to good things, bad things indicate bad thoughts, or at least insufficient dedication to good thoughts. Not only is the assertion facile, it can be incredibly demoralizing (and blaming) to people who are struggling with hardship through no fault of their own. My mom is fighting cancer, and two well-meaning if empty-headed friends have given her copies of _The Secret_. I loathe that book with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/14 "2008-04-10T18:58:31Z")
I remember 4 years ago when this was titled _"What The Bleep Do We Know_" Shit is shit, no matter how you package it. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/15 "2008-04-10T19:14:38Z")
This is just to distract people from the _real_ Secret: when pulling on pants, you must go right leg first. When taking them off, you must pull your left leg out first. Duh! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/16 "2008-04-10T19:47:28Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] And the reverse corrollary, which of course they talk much less about, is that if _bad_ things happen to you, why then, you must either (a) actually have subconsciously willed it to happen, or (b) at the very least, not sufficiently willed its opposite (the good thing) so as to avoid the bad thing. Since good thoughts lead to good things, bad things indicate bad thoughts, or at least insufficient dedication to good thoughts. Not only is the assertion facile, it can be incredibly demoralizing (and blaming) to people who are struggling with hardship through no fault of their own. [/QUOTE] If Emily Yoffe’s article on it is to be believed, according to _The Secret_, not only have people who are suffering from misfortune willed those bad things to happen, but the rest of us should stay away from them, lest we be affected by their negative thoughts. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/17 "2008-04-10T20:37:50Z")
[QUOTE=fiddlesticks] This is just to distract people from the _real_ Secret: when pulling on pants, you must go right leg first. When taking them off, you must pull your left leg out first. Duh! [/QUOTE] :smack: So thats the reason my house burnt down, my dog ran away, my wife cheated on me and my kids murdered the neighbors. I’ve been going left leg first. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/18 "2008-04-10T20:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] If Emily Yoffe’s article on it is to be believed, according to _The Secret_, not only have people who are suffering from misfortune willed those bad things to happen, but the rest of us should stay away from them, lest we be affected by their negative thoughts. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] This is truly what the book recommends. Also, stay away from fat people: it’s contagious. My mother was a huge fan of _The Secret_ about two years ago and I had to listen to this crap every moment of every day. While I was trying to keep our restaurant going, she and my sister were sitting around visualizing cars in the parking lot. They’d talk about how grateful they were, now that the restaurant was such a huge success. They were so _grateful_ for all of the money that was pouring in. Why, they should truly embrace the visualization and act as though they already _had_ the money. And so, of course, they bought houses and went on vacations. And I was unhappy and overworked not because I was the only person who hadn’t shoved her head up her ass, but because I wasn’t visualizing happiness and success. The idea that reality is altered by our beliefs and thoughts is the most asinine magical thinking imaginable. If it were true, lunatics would be supermen and teenagers would be immortal. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/19 "2008-04-10T20:58:15Z")
[QUOTE=CaerieD] Why, they should truly embrace the visualization and act as though they already _had_ the money. And so, of course, they bought houses and went on vacations. [/QUOTE] Lemme guess- somebody with a financial interest in credit-card companies, home-equity loan companies, or bankruptcy lawyers wrote this book :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329/20 "2008-04-10T21:50:06Z")
B.S. like this really insults my intelligence and I can’t believe people buy into such crap so easily. However there never seems to be an end to the sheep who will line up and spend their hard earned $$$ on this shit. Same crap, different package. About 10 years ago I won a sales competition at the company I worked for. What was first place? A weekend long Tony Robbins seminar. It was the “walk on burning coals” one. It started on a Friday afternoon and it was all “rah-rah” testimonials with “you have the power within yourself”, “turn to the person next to you and compliment them”, “now lay on the floor as we all mediatate.” I could not believe people were paying $1000+ to attend this thing. And they were loving it. All wide eyed with big grins. Even during intermissions they were trying to get people to sign up for future seminars for $1000s more and people were doing it. By midnight we got to walk on the coals which I wanted to do just so I could say I did it (fun, interesting, but not the mind-over-matter-power-of-positive-thinking BS they told you it was). We were supposed to return for an all day 18-hour Saturday session and another 9 hours Sunday. I checked out of the hotel and drove home. Worst “prize” I ever won. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-secret-movie-is-this-a-cult/429329.md?page=2)