There's no
denying that The Secret has become a
cultural phenomenon. But is its simplistic message harmful
to LGBT people?
In the opening
segments of the smash hit The Secret, the
filmmakers demonstrate how the negative thoughts of
gays attract homophobic attacks. A gay man experiences
harassment and assaults at work and on his way home.
He wants to be a stand-up comedian, but he's met only
with ridicule. It's suggested that his problems
will go away once he rids himself of negativity by focusing
on good thoughts. Next thing you know, the man is seen
smiling at work, flirting with someone on his way
home, and knocking them dead at a comedy club.
I found it
painful to watch the gay-bashing scenario followed
by the proposed simplistic solution. Homophobia
is a dangerous and very real problem. LGBT people are
attacked and killed in this country. They are executed
in Iraq and Iran, with tacit and sometimes even explicit
government approval. Attackers cause hate crimes, not
victims.
The premise of
The Secret is that bad thoughts attract bad
things, while good thoughts lead to wealth (specific
individuals cited are among the world's richest
5%, a group that controls 80% of the world's
wealth), rewarding careers, and fabulous relationships
(no same-sex couples are depicted). Poverty and
disease would vanish, according to this premise, if the
poor and sick would just harbor good thoughts.
The materialistic
and narcissistic messages of The Secret belittle
whatever superficial spiritual teachings it hopes to
offer. The movie makes no mention of loving one's
neighbor or enacting justice. It makes no overtures toward
feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, sheltering the
homeless, or caring for the sick. The power of
positive thinking will apparently take care of that.
For example, a woman testifies that she cured herself
of breast cancer not with radiation or chemotherapy but
with good thoughts and funny movies. The
implication is clear: If she did it, so can you. This
miasmic view of disease blames patients for their
illnesses. It's an old argument that's still used to blame
gay men for AIDS. I have been living well with HIV for
22 years by the grace of God, positive thinking,
and the medical miracle of highly active
antiretroviral treatment.
The Secret does impart a few worthwhile
spiritual practices. But its simplistic advice perpetuates
antigay thinking—and invites criticism of
the poor and the sick besides.
Have a different take on The Secret?Let us know by writing a letter to Advocate.com.
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