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I also have to consider this uncomfortable truth. Jesus did say,

Truly, I say to you, whosoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours (Mark 11:23-24).

I learned long ago (especially in seminary) how to water down Jesus' bold statements with scholarly nuances and rationalistic qualifications. Yet I know that how I think goes a long way in shaping how I live. One example from sports: I'm going to be a better hitter if I step up to the plate believing I can hit the pitch.

That's not just true in the little joys of life. I've worked with Christians even whose low self-confidence, manifold fears, and general negativity made it impossible for them to welcome the love of God fully into their lives.

Still, from a Christian perspective, The Secret is a heretical book. It takes a simple truth—that mind affects matter—and pushes and pulls it until it takes an ugly shape (one example: the poor are poor because of their negative thinking). And it is a dangerous book. If taken literally—and some people will take it so—it will deeply disappoint; it will prompt some to browbeat themselves for, well, being too negative. A few rounds like that, and one begins to spiral into despair. In short, life is more complex and interesting than The Secret lets on.

Then again, most pragmatic Americans will read the book with a good measure of common sense (though maybe after some initial over-the-top enthusiasm). My friend, for instance, is not abandoning her evangelical church, nor will she cease thanking God for sending Jesus to die for her sins on the Cross, despite the seeming negativity of the message. As she says, "I don't buy everything in The Secret."

While acknowledging the reality of human folly, we should also recognize that most of the time, we're not dealing with buffoons who should know better, but with sheep without a shepherd. These readers, like me, need a Savior who, yes, died on a cross, a shepherd who seeks out lost sheep long before they know about any secrets, a humble Lord who will stoop to use any means to awaken us to deeper spiritual realities that infuse this friendly Universe.

Mark Galli is managing editor of Christianity Today and author of Jesus Mean and Wild: The Unexpected Love of an Untameable God (Baker). You can comment on this article below or on his blog.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

The Secret says it is an "astonishing program"—a DVD (trailer available) and book—that "reveals The Great Secret of the universe. It has been passed throughout the ages, traveling through centuries … to reach you and humankind." A blank check from the Bank of the Universe is also available on their website.

Oprah's website promotes the book in a slideshow, with photos, information on author Rhonda Byrne, and testimonials.

The Secret is at the top of the New York Times bestseller list (hardcover). This is its fourteenth week on the list. The NYT Book review's "Inside the List" comments on the book's popularity.

Other responses to the book include:

Self-help gone nutty | A craze called 'The Secret' blends Tony Robbins with 'The Da Vinci Code,' telling people to have it all without trying. (The Los Angeles Times)

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May (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51