Law of Attraction and Mormonism

[_nebosite]

I’m a lifelong, believing member who discovered the Law of Attraction about five years ago. I find the ideas in LOA not just compatible with my beliefs as a Mormon, but LOA has become informative to me, deepening and broadening my beliefs.

After Googling “Mormonism and Law of Attraction”, I was surprised that I didn’t find more writing about it, so I started a blog today to talk about how Law of Attraction ideas figure heavily in the Book of Mormon: https://loabom.blogspot.com/

I am curious to know if anyone here has had experiences with LOA similar to mine? I've never met another member who even knows anything about it, so I am hoping to hear from a few members on this forum who may have had experience with it and are interested in talking about it and sharing notes.

-n

[_DrW]

I have spent some time on your blog and as a result have categorized LOA as DOA. It is nothing more than new, or not so new, woo woo.

[_Maksutov]

I’m a lifelong, believing member who discovered the Law of Attraction about five years ago. I find the ideas in LOA not just compatible with my beliefs as a Mormon, but LOA has become informative to me, deepening and broadening my beliefs.

After Googling “Mormonism and Law of Attraction”, I was surprised that I didn’t find more writing about it, so I started a blog today to talk about how Law of Attraction ideas figure heavily in the Book of Mormon: https://loabom.blogspot.com/

I am curious to know if anyone here has had experiences with LOA similar to mine? I've never met another member who even knows anything about it, so I am hoping to hear from a few members on this forum who may have had experience with it and are interested in talking about it and sharing notes.

-n

It's a fraud that was promoted by Rhonda Byrnes via Oprah. It's for people who can't grasp confirmation bias. If you're willing to believe that, you'll believe anything. Hand over your credit cards, your vehicle titles and your house deed to trusted family members. Best of luck.

[_Fence Sitter]

Man people have short memories.

This is just The Power of Positive Thinking or The Secret all over again.

When you think about it, it does tie directly into the Mormon style of finding "truth". All one has to do is think positively about anything and it becomes true. Unfortunately this same mechanism also leads to discovering that Scientology is true or any other religion.

One thing you will not find is any believer using the LOA to discover if Mormonism is false? Or even to discover if any religion besides Mormonism is true. So this is just another example of Moroni's promise on steroids.


Can you imagine where we would be today if science used this approach?
Well we wouldn't be using computers, that's for sure. The world would still be flat, the center of the galaxy (what universe?) and only about 6000 years old.

Hey nebosite, the best way to actually learn is to challenge what you believe, not try and confirm it.

By the way there was a guy who thought a lot like you who strongly and faithfully believed he could prove the Book of Mormon to be true through archaeology by the name of Thomas Stuart Ferguson. You might be interested in reading his story.

Link is to a pdf file.

The Odyssey of Thomas Stuart Ferguson

[_Maksutov]

It's as illogical as Moroni's Promise.

[_nebosite]

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm not familiar with this forum and I think I've done a poor job framing my request for discussion. I feel a little "written off" before we've even had a chance to get going.

I know about "The Power of Positive Thinking" and "The Secret" and I find myself deeply skeptical of those works. It may also surprise you to know that I don't think the Book of Mormon is historical. My background is in science and engineering, so it's been clear to me for a long time that I need to take a broader view than the carefully packaged religion I got in my youth.

That said, I also notice the complete failure of logic and science to describe fundamentals of existence, such as consciousness or even existence itself. I can use critical thinking to make a decision about what car to buy, but when it comes the thinking about the meaning of life, we all have to make bets. Pascal's wager, of course, touches on this idea but it's illogical to conclude a bet on Christianity. The furthest one can get in the wager's line of logic is to bet that there is productive path that is knowable, but only through irrational means, such as feelings. It's not my purpose to discuss that in this thread - just wanted to give a little background.

Regarding Law of Attraction:

All one has to do is think positively about anything and it becomes true.

Yeah, that's not Law of Attraction. That's what a lot of people sell to get money and it's bogus. The real thing is much subtler. At the heart of the real LOA is a Zen practice of acceptance and allowance. The art of receiving what is wanted is not a struggle or a thing to be won by force of will, but rather an alignment and appreciation for what is. Interestingly, this idea is reflected in D&C 121:46 "thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever".

So there, is still this basic idea of desire shaping reality. A Book of Mormon example of that is found in Alma 29:5: "... to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience."

Now, my purpose in pointing this out is not to prove something about the Book of Mormon. I've studied the Book of Mormon to the point that I hold very unconventional views about it to the point that it doesn't matter to me who authored it. It could (and may) have been Sidney Rigdon for all I care. As a spiritual seeker, what I notice about the book is that I like it. When I started to study LOA, I found that I liked that too, and it had a practical positive impact on me. When I noticed the similarities between LOA and what I like about the Book of Mormon, I decided I wanted to see if any other Mormons also saw the connection.

So, my purpose in launching this thread is to find other spiritual seekers like myself. I'm not looked for some packaged Mormon belief, but for others with similar experiences who'd like to share and discuss what they are finding that is productive and meaningful in their spiritual quest.

Does that make sense?

[_Fence Sitter]

Does that make sense?

Yes and I apologize for misjudging you. I am still not much swayed by claims that science completely fails at explaining the fundamental of existence but to each his own.

I am of the opinion that science has much better answers than does any sort of religion or mysticism.

Welcome and good luck.

[_Fence Sitter]

By the way, this forum does not get nearly as much attention as the Terrestrial forum. You might try reposting in that form but it is a little less regulated.

[_win-win]

I've asked a question to LOA'ers but have never received an answer. Maybe you could help me out with a few questions.

LOA says what you focus on materializes.

LOS (Law of Science) says opposite attracts, think 1st grade magnet and metal filings experiment.
LOS says that an inherent balancing act ignites to keep a status quo. A great example of ecological balance is the predator-prey relationship between the Canadian lynx and snowshoe hare. ... This reduced food availability causes the lynx population to eventually drop. This cycle continues over and over with each species keeping the other species population in check.

How does the LOA fit into the LOS examples in real time biology and science.

[_moksha]

After Googling “Mormonism and Law of Attraction”, I was surprised that I didn’t find more writing about it,...

I found a few stanzas from an old song...

You are 14 going on 15
Baby, it's time to think
Better beware
The Law of Attraction
Baby, you're on the brink

You need someone
Older and wiser
Telling you what to do
I am 37 going on 38
I'll take care of you.

I am 14 going on 15
I know that I'm naïve
Prophets I meet may tell me I'm sweet
And willingly I believe.

I need someone
Older and wiser
Telling me what to do
You are 37 going on 38
I'll depend on you.

Law of Attraction
Law of Attraction
I will marry you
Cha, cha, cha!