IN DEFFENSE OF NEW THOUGHT’S POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING
By
Rev. Dr. Arthur Chang
In defense of New Thought teachings of Positive Thinking
When, recently, a political commentator referred to Norman
Vincent Peale as a “charlatan”, I was taken aback. The commentator was
analyzing Mr. Trump’s handling of the pandemic, COVID-19, by using positive
thought and the politicizing of the scientific, Center for Disease Control
(CDC), guidelines thus making them ineffective. It raised the commentator’s ire
that Trump was applying his understanding of teachings from Peale’s book, “The
Power of Positive Thinking.” Trump held that by his maintaining positive
thoughts about overcoming the coronavirus, it would go away. Undoubtedly, that
was a disastrous conclusion, resulting in approximately 12.5 million people
being infected as of November 2020. By not using CDC guidelines until a
suitable vaccine is available, the nation is subject to a “snake oil Sam”
prescription.
Norman Vincent Peale was a popular and highly
respected teacher of New Thought, and it would be sad to think that a bad
interpretation of New Thought principles will cast the cloak “charlatan” upon
the immense contribution of this movement to the positive outcome of countless
people’s lives.
What is New Thought?
The New Thought movement is
a spiritual movement, which draws its foundation upon "ancient
thought". We will find its influence from the wisdom of the Ancient Greek,
Roman, Egyptian, Chinese, Taoist, Vedic, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist cultures.
Core Teachings of New Thought:
1.
God or
Infinite Intelligence is supreme, universal, and everlasting
2.
Divinity dwells within each person, that all
people are spiritual beings
3.
The
highest spiritual principle is loving, teaching and healing one another
4.
Our mental
states tend to
manifest as our experience
5.
Faith or
positive thinking is encouraged for all challenges, hopes and aspirations of
our lives
Systems have their flaws especially in application
As with all systems, New Thought can be misapplied,
especially when it is confused with “magical thinking.” The miracles of New
Thought are often aligned with the Laws of the universe, “science”, where
science means the way something works. In our work, Mind is central and the
consciousness of good is encouraged. Good includes truthfulness, love,
compassion, resilience, faith, and the feeling that we are immersed in infinite
possibilities or optimism, despite appearances to the contrary. As with all
systems, there are differences among our main thinkers. However, New Thought
being law-based must also be science-based. Thus, the consciousness for a cure
for COVID-19 that starts with positive thought must include the thought and
work of the scientists as well as their methods. A good New Thought
interpretation for COVID-19 would begin by affirming a cure, but would include
following the CDC guidelines. This is not different from realizing that thought
does not take the place of food or work. It supplements it. They work together.
We need confidence, faith and hope to continue to persist despite the
challenge.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water
As we should not throw the baby out with the bath
water, nor should we give up on doctors and hospitals when their practitioners
make mistakes. It doesn’t make them charlatans. It simply makes them wrong.
Error is part of all systems.
Some New Thought people may mistakenly think that
thought is a substitute for action, when thought should be a supplement to
action. The fullness of creation requires thought plus action. Action is life
itself. However, we need the power of positive thinking if we, in our short
lives, will evolve to express the best in us despite the challenges we face.
Norma Vincent Peale has done much good for many
people. That an important person misinterpreted him does not make Peale a
charlatan. On the contrary, he was a teacher of New Thought showing how
positive thoughts can make a great difference to those who wish to thrive and
flourish and not merely to survive in this life.
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