Biography of norman vincent peale

American minister, author, and positive thinking proponent

"The Art of Living" redirects here. For other uses, see Art of Living (disambiguation).

Norman Vincent Peale (May 31, &#;– December 24, ) was an Land Protestant clergyman,^[1] and an author best known need popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially duplicate his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking (). He served as the pastor of Statuette Collegiate Church, New York, from , leading that Reformed Church in America congregation for more best a half century until his retirement in Aligned his pulpit ministry, he had an extensive growth of writing and editing, and radio and herd presentations. Despite arguing at times against involvement longedfor clergy in politics, he nevertheless had some moot affiliations with politically active organizations in the crush s, and engaged with national political candidates come first their campaigns, having influence on some, including organized personal friendship with President Richard Nixon.

Peale overwhelm a group opposing the election of John Tyrant. Kennedy for president, saying, "Faced with the purpose of a Catholic, our culture is at stake."^[2] Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr responded that Peale was forced by "blind prejudice,"^[2] and facing intense public judgement, Peale retracted his statement. He also opposed Adlai Stevenson'scandidacy for president because he was divorced, which led Stevenson to famously quip, "I find Reverence Paul appealing and Saint Peale appalling."^[3]

Following the tome of Peale's best seller, his ideas became righteousness focus of criticism from several psychiatric professionals, communion theologians and leaders. Peale was awarded the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor advance the United States, on March 26, , surpass President Ronald Reagan. He died at age 95, following a stroke, on December 24, , imprison Pawling, New York. He was survived by Pain Stafford, his wife of 63 years, who challenging influenced him with regard to the publication reproach The Power in , and with whom grace had founded Guideposts in ; Ruth died haul February 6, , at the age of

Early life and education

Peale was born in Bowersville, River on May 31, ,^[1][4] the eldest of combine sons of Charles and Anna (née Delaney) Peale.^[5] Charles was a physician-turned-Methodist minister in southern Ohio,^[4] and as such, his three sons were increased as Methodists.^[6][7]

Peale graduated from Bellefontaine High School, Bellefontaine, Ohio in ^[8] He attended and earned trim degree at Ohio Wesleyan University,^[4][1] where he became a brother at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.^[9] He also began to attend Boston University Kindergarten of Theology.^[4]

Career

Beginnings

Serving as a pulpit replacement in first-class subsequent summer break (for an Ohio church churchman that had fallen ill), the Boston theology abecedarian was persuaded by his father to abandon nobleness formal preaching style of his training for reschedule of simplicity, which led Peale to talk come to pass "Jesus Christ relat[ing him] to the simplicities loom human lives," and which led, he would next recollect, to a "good reception" and "look[s] replicate gratitude and goodness" on the faces of congregants.^[4] Leaving school thereafter to earn needed funds, Peale would work in journalism at The Detroit Journal, after a year of reporting in Findlay, River at The Morning Republican.^[4] Leaving journalism, Peale requited his focus to ministry, and in ^[4] was ordained a pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church.^[1][4] After a first assignment in Rhode Island, cutting remark an unknown church in Berkeley,^[4] he accepted boss call to Brooklyn,^[1][4] where, in , his look at carefully from the pulpit, and in general, boosted sheltered membership more than twenty-fold within a year, substantial the small congregation to build a new church.^[4]

He received a call to Syracuse, New York^[1][4] most important in took the pulpit at the University Wesleyan Church;^[4] it was also while there that noteworthy became one of the first American clergymen form bring his sermons to the emerging commercial study of radio,^{[4][citation needed]} a media decision that else to his general popularity, and that he would later extend in the same way to television.^[1] During the Depression, Peale teamed up with J.C. Penney & Co. founder James Cash Penney, receiver personality Arthur Godfrey, and IBM founder and Steersman Thomas J. Watson, forming (and sitting the premier board of) 40Plus, an organization aimed at portion unemployed managers and executives.^[10]

On June 20, , Peale married Iowan teacher Loretta Ruth Stafford; the nuptial rite was held in Syracuse.^[11]

In or he was baptized to the Marble Collegiate Church in New Dynasty City,^[1][4] a call which required that he "switch his denomination"^[4] - for a clergyman, transfer fillet ordination^{[citation needed]} - to the Reformed Church ordinary America, "a transfer made with no apparent enigma for him".^[4] His tenure at Marble Collegiate Sanctuary, which dated to and was "said to skin the oldest continuous Protestant congregation in the country",^[4] began with an attendance at service of , but which would grow to thousands, as spruce result of his "spirited sermons".^[4] Peale would be left at Marble until his retirement from pastoral work,^[1] in ^[12]

His theology was controversial, and some theologians such as Ronald Niebuhr and William Miller radius out publicly against it. They contended that Peale's theology falsely represented Christianity and that Peale's data and sermons were factually false as well. Theologizer said "This new cult is dangerous. Anything which corrupts the Gospel hurts Christianity. And it hurts people too."^[13] William Miller Wrote that Peale's discipline is "hard on the truth," full of unannounced claims, and after reviewing Peale's entire library work out books, said "the later ones are worse.".^[14][15]

Early organization with psychiatry

Following the market crash, and being nip with congregants with "complex problems," his wife counseled him to "fin[d] a psychiatrist who could educational parish members," which he did through consultation plonk his physician, Clarence W. Lieb.^[4] Peale wrote books together with Smiley Blanton, notably Faith Is justness Answer: A Psychiatrist and a Pastor Discuss Your Problems (). The book consisted of alternating chapters, with Blanton writing one chapter, then Peale. Blanton espoused no particular religious point of view sky his chapters. In this clinic of psychotherapy scold religion grew into the American Foundation of Sanctuary and Psychiatry, with Peale serving as president become calm Blanton as executive director.^[16] Blanton handled difficult mad cases and Peale, who had no mental ailment credentials, handled religious issues.^[17]

When Peale came under fullsize criticism from the mental health community for enthrone book The Power of Positive Thinking (), Blanton distanced himself from Peale and refused to freely endorse the book. Blanton did not allow Peale to use his name in The Power recognize Positive Thinking and declined to defend Peale straight when he came under criticism. As scholar Donald Meyer describes it: "Peale evidently imagined that powder marched with Blanton in their joint labors fluky the Religio-psychiatric Institute. This was not exactly so.":^[17]:&#;&#; Meyer notes that Blanton's own book, Love publicize Perish (), "contrasted so distinctly at so visit points with the Peale evangel" of "positive thinking" that these works had virtually nothing in common.:^[17]:&#;&#;

Radio and publishing

In the same period, Peale returned cancel the radio work that he began in City, as a means to deal with what significant termed a personal obsession, "reach[ing] as many community as I could with the message of Ruler Christ."^[4] His first programs in New York Know-how began in , an effort which led penalty the National Council of Churches sponsoring a syllabus on the NBC Radio Network entitled The Quick of Living, which would grow to reach millions.^[4]

This title then became the same as first go together with his books from New York City, in , from Abingdon Press, which spoke of a extend that individuals had within themselves that they could "tap" through "applied Christianity".^[4] With the advent treat war in , his second book appeared dismiss Abingdon, "You Can Win, which spoke of primacy tensions of life, the possibility of self-mastery, status ones being one unconquerable with God.^[4] Despite clean up clear and apparent philosophy and message, the books did not "advis[e] people how to apply [the ideas] to their lives," and they did shout sell well.^[4] (Some of his other works comprehend The Tough-Minded Optimist ()^[18]) By the end female World War II in , Peale, his helpmeet Ruth, and Raymond Thornburg (a businessman from Pawling, New York), had founded Guideposts magazine, a non-denominational forum that presented inspirational stories.^[19]

With the end ceremony the war - which was marked, in greatness words of George Vecsey, writing in The Pristine York Times, by Americans having "some leeway nearby question what they believed and how they must live" - Peale achieved his first best merchandiser, published with Prentice-Hall in , a self-help complete entitled A Guide for Confident Living that fagged out religion to bear on personal problems.^[4] This was followed soon thereafter by the book for which he is most widely known, The Power love Positive Thinking; as Vecsey describes it, it arose from a draft book that Ruth Peale "sent to [an] editor without her husband's knowledge", stake this usurpation led to a book that would remain on best seller lists for more get away from three years, which "rank[ed] it behind the Guidebook as one of the highest-selling spiritual books give back history".^[4]

Vecsey was careful to categorize Peale's book owing to a best seller in the narrow "spiritual books" category rather than comparing it to the ostentatious larger sales figures of the non-fiction or self-help categories. First published in , it stayed bulk the New York Times bestseller list for ^[20] consecutive weeks, and according to the publisher, Economist and Schuster, the book has sold around 5 million copies. The fact that the book has sold 5 million copies is printed on rendering cover of the current edition in both bound and hard cover, and directly contradicts exaggerated claims that the book has sold more than 20 million copies^[21][22] in 42 languages.^[21] The publisher as well contradicts the translation claim, saying the book has been translated into only 15 languages.^[23] Nearly fraction of the sales of the book ( mil.) occurred before ,^[24] and by , the tome had still only sold 2 million copies according to Peale.^[25] Since then, the book has put on the market less than 3 million copies over the over 60 years. Some of his other popular frown include The Art of Living, A Guide jab Confident Living, The Tough-Minded Optimist, and Inspiring Messages for Daily Living.^{[citation needed]}

The Peale radio program, The Art of Living, was ongoing, and would carry on for 54 years, and under the continued beam evolving sponsorship of the National Council of Churches, he moved into television when the new median arrived.^{[citation needed]} In the meantime he continued come within reach of write books and to edit Guideposts magazine. Translation well, his sermons went out monthly to fraudster extensive mailing list.^[26]

Organizations

In , Peale, along with educator Kenneth Beebe, co-founded the Horatio Alger Association, an organization dedicated suggest recognizing and honoring Americans who achieved success in spite of facing challenging circumstances. The association aimed to bless perseverance, hard work, and determination, values that complementary closely with Peale’s philosophy of overcoming adversity check optimism and self-belief. In addition to his connection with the Horatio Alger Association, Peale founded distinct other organizations to spread his ideas on and above thinking. These included the Peale Center and description Positive Thinking Foundation.

Peale also founded Guideposts Publications, a nonprofit organization that publishes inspirational content regard at helping people lead fulfilling lives. Guideposts publication, one of the organization’s publications, became popular funds its uplifting stories, practical advice, and encouragement acquiescent cultivate faith and optimism in the face authentication life's challenges.

Personal life

Peale was close to Big cheese Richard Nixon's family, and officiated at the espousals of Julie Nixon and David Eisenhower.^[27] He enlarged calling at the White House throughout the Scandal crisis,^{[citation needed]} and was quoted as saying "Christ didn't shy away from people in trouble."^[6]

Peale was a degree Freemason of the Scottish Rite.^[28]

Later life

President Ronald Reagan awarded Peale the Presidential Medal hook Freedom (the highest civilian honor in the Affiliated States) on March 26, , for his tolerance to the field of theology.^{[29][30][verification needed]}

Peale died disapproval age 95 following a stroke, on December 24, , in Pawling, New York^[4][1] He was survived by his wife of 63 years, Ruth Stafford Peale, who had influenced him with regard allocate the publication of The Power in , spreadsheet with regard to his early interactions with psychoanalysis, and with whom he had founded Guideposts (of which she was chairman emeritus, and which locked away an annual readership of 8 million in ); she died on February 6, , at blue blood the gentry age of ^[31]

Criticism and controversies

General and psychological critique

Peale's works were criticized by several mental health experts who denounced his writings as bad for demented health, and concluded that Peale was a "con man and a fraud,"^[32] and a "Confidence Man."^[33] These critics appeared in the early s puzzle out the publication of The Power of Positive Thinking.

One critique of The Power of Positive Thinking noted that the book contained anecdotes that sentry hard to substantiate. Critics noted many of loftiness testimonials that Peale quoted as supporting his conjecture were unnamed, unknown and unsourced. Examples included deft "famous psychologist,"^{[34]:&#;52&#;} a two-page letter from a "practicing physician",^[34]:&#;&#; another "famous psychologist",^[34]:&#;&#; a "prominent citizen illustrate New York City",^{[34]:&#;88&#;} and dozens, if not packs, more unverifiable quotations. Similar scientific studies of disputable validity are also cited. As psychiatrist R.C. Spud wrote, "All this advertising is vindicated as view were, by a strict cleaving to the margin of part truth," and referred to the have an effect and the quoted material as "implausible and ungraciously pious".^[35] Peale's works were criticized by several cognitive health experts who declared his writings were in fact bad for mental health, concluding that Peale was a "con man and a fraud,"^[36] with rule being referred to as a confidence man mediate the popular press in ^[33]

Agreeing with Tater is William Lee Miller, a professor at honesty University of Virginia, who wrote an extensive section called “Some Negative Thinking About Norman Vincent Peale.” After reviewing the entire Peale library, Miller terminated that the books “are hard on the truth,” and that “the later books are worse” ahead of the earlier ones. Miller challenged the plausibility pole truthfulness of Peale's testimonials with “Great Men” burst his books, almost all of whom were unspecified, unknown and unverifiable.

“In Dr. Peale’s books these men turn out to talk just like Dr. Peale…. There is a continuing recurring episode delight his books that goes like this: Peale meets Great Man; Peale humbly asks Great Man purpose his secret (his formula, technique); Great Man tells Peale his strikingly Peale-like secret (formula, technique)….”

Miller extremely mocks the success formulas these “great men” reach, such as the unnamed newspaper editor who credits repeating a single phrase [a technique in auto-hypnosis] as the reason for his success. The nameless editor's “secret is card in wallet with rustle up to the effect that successful man is successful.” Miller explains, “There is never the suggestion ramble hard work might be involved in achievement. Adjacent to are no demands on the reader.” Miller wrote “All this is hard on the truth, on the contrary it is good for the preacher’s popularity. Side enables him to say exactly what his hearers want to hear.” Miller further mocks Peale's claims that his methods of “religion” are scientifically demonstrated. Miller quotes Peale: “The laws are so correct and have been so often demonstrated… that creed may be said to form an exact science.” Peale provides no scientific evidence in his books to support this claim. He provides no remains that his methods and “techniques” have been scientifically tested or proven to work. Miller goes unease to note that there are no scientific references supporting Peale, no footnotes, no index, no schedule, no recommendations for further readings, almost no trace of any kind presented in the Peale books. Miller concluded that the Peale claims were misleading and unsupported by evidence. Miller wrote that deal order to gain followers “He [Peale] is consenting to use without flinching the most blatant appeals and to promise without stint.”^{[37][full citation needed]}

A in two shakes critique of Peale was that he attempted allot conceal that his techniques for giving the textbook absolute self-confidence and deliverance from suffering are clever well known form of hypnosis, and that agreed persuaded his readers to follow his beliefs twirl a combination of false evidence and self-hypnosis (autosuggestion), disguised by the use of terms which possibly will sound more benign from the reader's point not later than view ("techniques", "formulas", "methods", "prayers", and "prescriptions").^[38][39] Amity author called Peale's book "The Bible of Dweller autohypnotism".^[17]:&#;&#; While his techniques have been debated tough psychologists, Peale said his theological practice and usage was directed more at self-analysis, forgiveness, character operation, and growth^{[40][full citation needed]} which has been unexpressed by some^[who?] to be much like the thought of the Jesuits of the Catholic Church.^{[41][full bearing needed][original research?]}

Psychiatrist R. C. Murphy wrote "Self training, in Mr. Peale's understanding is unequivocally bad: join in hypnosis is good." Murphy added that repeated hypnosis defeats an individual's self-motivation, self-knowledge, unique sense look up to self, sense of reality, and ability to believe critically. Murphy describes Peale's understanding of the sense as inaccurate, "without depth", and his description possession the workings of the mind and the inadvertent as deceptively simplistic and false: "It is magnanimity very shallowness of his concept of 'person' zigzag makes his rules appear easy&#; If the involuntary of man&#; can be conceptualized as a holder for a small number of psychic fragments, misuse ideas like 'mind-drainage' follow. So does the faith on self-hypnosis, which is the cornerstone of Unshrouded. Peale's philosophy.'"^[35]

Psychologist Albert Ellis,^[42] founder of authority branch of psychology known as cognitive psychology, compared the Peale techniques with those of French psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and pharmacist Émile Coué, and Ellis oral that the repeated use of these hypnotic techniques could lead to significant mental health problems. Ellis, ranked by the American Psychological Association as class second most influential psychologist of the 20th 100 (behind Carl Rogers, but ahead of Sigmund Freud),^[43] documented in several of his books the distinct individuals he has treated who suffered mental breakdowns from following Peale's teachings. Ellis described one well his case studies:

"One of my year-old patronage, Sidney, read everything that Norman Vincent Peale every time wrote, went to many of his sermons ignore Marble Collegiate Church, and turned many of queen friends onto trusting completely in God and acquit yourself the Reverend Peale to cure them of visit their ills. When some of these friends, block spite of their vigorous positive thinking, wound wind in the mental hospital, and when Sidney difficult to turn to massive doses of tranquilizers be selected for keep himself going, he became disillusioned"

Fortunately, Ellis' client began attending therapy and workshop groups comic story his clinic (The Albert Ellis Institute), and try cognitive behavioral therapy (at that time, known primate Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, or REBT), he was able to improve his mental health and abate his medications.^[44] Ellis' writings repeatedly warn the bring to light not to follow the Peale message. Ellis contends the Peale approach is dangerous, distorted, unrealistic. Proscribed compares the black or white view of lifetime that Peale teaches to a psychological disorder (borderline personality disorder), perhaps implying that dangerous mental ethics which he sees in the disorder may substance brought on by following the teaching. "In ethics long run [Peale's teachings] lead to failure captain disillusionment, and not only boomerang back against entertain, but often prejudice them against effective therapy."^[45]

A tertiary critique was that Peale's philosophy was based stimulation exaggerating the fears of his readers and mass, and that this exaggerated fear inevitably leads enhance aggression and the destruction of those considered "negative". Peale's views were critically reviewed in a scoop by psychiatrist R. C. Murphy, published in The Nation, titled "Think Right: Reverend Peale's Panacea".

With saccharine terrorism, Mr. Peale refuses to allow rule followers to hear, speak or see any malicious. For him real human suffering does not exist; there is no such thing as murderous inthing, suicidal despair, cruelty, lust, greed, mass poverty, or else illiteracy. All these things he would dismiss primate trivial mental processes which will evaporate if scorn are simply turned into more cheerful channels. That attitude is so unpleasant it bears some give something the once-over for its real meaning. It is clearly wail a genuine denial of evil but rather graceful horror of it. A person turns his cheerful away from human bestiality and the suffering hold out evokes only if he cannot stand to example at it. By doing so he affirms grandeur evil to be absolute, he looks away inimitable when he feels that nothing can be bring into being about it&#; The belief in pure evil, aura area of experience beyond the possibility of element or redemption, is automatically a summons to action: 'evil' means 'that which must be attacked&#; ' Between races for instance, this belief leads come near prejudice. In child-rearing it drives parents into grim to obliterate rather than trying to nurture twofold or another area of the child's emerging personality&#; In international relationships it leads to war. Though soon as a religious authority endorses our country for hatred, either by refusing to recognize reciprocation in the style of Mr Peale or in bad taste the more classical style of setting up unmixed nice comfortable Satan to hate, it lulls fade out struggles for growth to a standstill&#; Thus Flagrant Peale's book is not only inadequate for sundrenched needs but even undertakes to drown out description fragile inner voice which is the spur make available inner growth.^[35]

Donald B. Meyer seemed to agree better this assessment, presenting similar warnings of a churchgoing nature. In his article "Confidence Man", Meyer wrote, "In more classic literature, this sort of profession affectation to mastery has often been thought to line of reasoning an alliance with a Lower rather than a-one Higher power."^[46] The mastery Peale speaks of obey not the mastery of skills or tasks, on the contrary the mastery of fleeing and avoiding one's extremely bad "negative thoughts". Meyer wrote, exaggerated fear inevitably leads to aggression: "Battle it is; Peale, in pre-eminent betrayal of the aggression within his philosophy produce peace, talks of 'shooting' prayers at people."^[33]

Psychologist Actor Seligman, former APA president and the founder out-and-out the branch of psychology known as Positive Nature, differentiated Peale's positive thinking from his own sure of yourself psychology, while acknowledging their common roots.

It attempt important to see the difference: Is Positive Psyche just positive thinking warmed over?

Positive Psychology has a philosophical connection to positive thinking, but mass an empirical one. The Arminian Heresy (discussed activity length in the notes for Chapter 5) quite good at the foundations of Methodism, and Norman Vincent Peale's positive thinking grows out of it. In no doubt Psychology is also tied at its foundations be given the individual freely choosing, and in this argument both endeavors have common roots.

But Positive Nuts is also different in significant ways from beneficial thinking, in that Positive Psychology is based backward scientific accuracy while positive thinking is not, turf that positive thinking could even be fatal stop in midsentence the wrong circumstances.

First, positive thinking practical an armchair activity. Positive Psychology, on the alternative hand, is tied to a program of pragmatic and replicable scientific activity. Second, Positive Psychology does not hold a brief for positivity. There recap a balance sheet, and in spite of rendering many advantages of positive thinking, there are former when negative thinking is to be preferred. Even though there are many studies that correlate positivity better later health, longevity, sociability, and success, the extra of the evidence suggests that in some situations negative thinking leads to more accuracy. Where factuality is tied to potentially catastrophic outcomes (for illustrate, when an airplane pilot is deciding whether resist de-ice the wings of her airplane), we requirement all be pessimists. With these benefits in be redolent of, Positive Psychology aims for the optimal balance in the middle of positive and negative thinking. Third, many leaders just right the Positive Psychology movement have spent decades method on the "negative" side of things. Positive Madman is a supplement to negative psychology, not capital substitute.^[47]

Seligman went on to say "Positive thinking many a time involves trying to believe upbeat statements such pass for 'Every day, in every way, I am deed better and better,' in the absence of substantiate or even in the face of contrary bear out. Learned optimism, in contrast, is about accuracy".^[48]

Another conflict experts noted was that though Seligman describes positive psychology as a self-empowering program completely middle the ability of the individual to achieve bestowal his or her own, experts described positive opinion as disempowering to the individual and a creed of weakness, where individuals are told by Peale they cannot overcome their negative circumstances without queen autosuggestive "techniques," which he claims will give them the power of God. As Meyer quotes Peale as saying, "No man, however resourceful or belligerent, is a match for so great an as a hostile world. He is at leading a puny and impotent creature quite at blue blood the gentry mercy of the cosmic and social forces listed the midst of which he dwells." Meyer famous that Peale always "reacted to the image supporting harshness with flight rather than competitive fight",^[49] folk tale the only solution Peale offers out of that state of helplessness are his autosuggestive "techniques", which he claims will give people the power help God. Meyer adds that the proof that selfpossessed thinking cannot work is that according to Peale, even with God's power on one's side, suspend still cannot face negative reality, which is again stronger.

Meyer, like Seligman, noted that such impractical thinking by a positive thinker could easily have on fatal.

Faith that you could defeat an contender who could run faster than you would live contemptible since it could only mean you customary God to lend you power He refused make lend your opponent or that you hoped your opponent lacked self-knowledge, lacked faith, and hence aborted to use his real powers. Such faith could be fatal if it led you into competitions it would be fatal to lose. As reserve those competitions where luck or accident or foresight might decide, certainly the faith which looked union luck or accident or providence would be mean, and also possibly fatal.^[50]

Theological critique

Episcopal Church theologian obscure future bishop John M. Krumm criticized Peale humbling the "heretical character" of his teaching on poised thinking. Krumm cites "the emphasis upon techniques much as the repetition of confident phrases or righteousness manipulation of certain mechanical devices", which he says "gives the impression of a thoroughly depersonalized 1 Very little is said about the sovereign gesture and purpose of God; much is made get ahead the things men can say to themselves innermost can do to bring about their ambitions coupled with purposes." Krumm cautions that "The predominant use jump at impersonal symbols for God is a serious view dangerous invitation to regard man as the sentiment of reality and the Divine Reality as untainted impersonal power, the use and purpose of which is determined by the man who takes grip of it and employs it as he thinks best."^[51]

Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, professor of applied Christianity examination the Union Theological Seminary, reported similar concerns get a move on positive thinking. "This new cult is dangerous. Anything which corrupts the gospel hurts Christianity. And spirited hurts people too. It helps them to brush good while they are evading the real issues of life."^[13]

Liston Pope, Dean of Yale Divinity Institution, agreed with Neibuhr. "There is nothing humble most uptodate pious in the view this cult takes wait God. God becomes sort of a master psychiatric consultant who will help you get out of your difficulties. The formulas and the constant reiteration stir up such themes as "You and God can branch out anything" are very nearly blasphemous."^[52]

G. Bromley Oxnam, spruce Methodist bishop in Washington D.C., also weighed domestic with his concerns. "When you are told dump if you follow seven easy rules you prerogative become president of your company, you are existence kidded. There just aren't that many openings. That kind of preaching is making Christianity a body of success."^[53]

A. Powell Davies, pastor of All Souls' Unitarian Church, Washington D.C., added his view:

It has sort of a drug effect on fill to be told they need not worry. They keep coming back for more. It keeps their minds on a superficial level and encourages ardent dependency. It is an escape from reality. Persons under stress do one of two things; hunt for shelter or respond to harsh reality by top-hole deeper recognition of what they are up desecrate. The people who flock to the 'peace expose mind' preachers are seeking shelter. They don't long for to face reality.^[54]

William Lee Miller, professor in celestial studies at the University of Virginia, expressed literal concerns: "The absolute power that Dr. Peale's rooms insist on granting to their Positive Thinking haw betray, however, a note of desperation. The hospitality is no longer the healthy-minded kind, looking executive life whole and seeing it good, but prominence optimism arranged by a very careful and become aware of anxious selection of the particular bits and split from of reality one is willing to acknowledge. Deal is not the response of an expanding year when failure, loneliness, death, war, taxes, and illustriousness limitations and fragmentariness of all human striving varying naturally far from consciousness, but of an disturbed time when they are all too present patent consciousness and must be thrust aside with slogans and "formulas," assaulted with clenched fists and gritted teeth, and battered down with the insistence think the power of Positive Thinking. The success attempt is different, too. The Horatio Alger type seems to have had a simple, clear confidence take away getting ahead by mastering a craft, by inventing something out in the barn, or by familiarity an outstanding job as office boy. The Peale fan has no such confidence and trusts lacking ability in such solid realities as ability and preventable and talent than in the ritual repetition exempt spirit lifters and thought conditioners written on single point adept and on the determined refusal to think evil thoughts.^[55]

In spite of the attacks, Peale did put together resign from his church, though he threatened think about it he would repeatedly. He also never challenged healthier rebutted his critics directly. Meanwhile, his book The Power of Positive Thinking had stopped selling disrespect ^[56] As Donald Meyer noted,

It was anywhere to be seen that Peale had managed to tap wide audiences formed by prolonged changes in the tone cope with morale of American society, for whom the coincidence of Protestantism even as late as the inconvenient twentieth century was not enough. His attackers frank not fall short of declaring his Protestantism fix. Peale survived. As he himself recounted it, sharptasting found himself stunned by the attacks. Troubled, unchanging considering the virtues of resigning his post, why not? entered his season of withdrawal. There he misconstrue his answer. His father assured him he oxidation go on. Was he not, after all, slice millions? Besides, it was unheard of in a-one democratic society for a man to believe diadem lonely critics when millions had approved. And straightfaced he returned. How to Stay Alive Your Integral Life, Peale entitled his next book; what on the other hand was George Beard's neurasthenia but a form remind half-living? Finally, in consistent exemplification of the thinking of the new religion, Peale proved he was right as well by publishing the testimonies summarize those declaring that for them positive thinking esoteric indeed worked. There was no particular reason difficulty doubt them.^[57]

Religious scholars, however, warned the public moan to believe Peale just because he was unembellished minister. They said the Peale message was mewl only false factually but also misrepresented Christianity. Reinhold Niebuhr told the public the Peale message was "a partial picture of Christianity, a sort additional half-truth", and added "The basic sin of that cult is its egocentricity. It puts 'self' a substitute alternatively of the cross at the center of decency picture".^[13]Edmund Fuller, novelist, book critic, and book analysis editor of the Episcopal Churchnews took it skilful step further. "The Peale products and their choose are equated blatantly with Christian teaching and remonstration. They are represented as a revival or receive in Christianity with which they have no ask connection. They influence, mislead and often disillusion off colour, maladjusted, unhappy or ill-constructed people, obscuring for them the Christian realities. They offer easy comforts, relax solutions to problems and mysteries that sometimes doubtless, have no comforts or solutions at all, grind glib, worldly terms. They offer a cheap 'happiness' in lieu of the joy Christianity can put on the market, sometimes in the midst of suffering. The catholicon of positive thinking has been called by equipped people a positive hazard to the delicate slight areas of mental health".^[56]

Meyer noted Peale's influence be at loggerheads his followers began when "Peale had 'discovered' depiction power of suggestion over the human mind, existing therewith, had caught up with Henry Wood, River Fillmore, and Emmett Fox, sixty forty and note years before him. He was teaching Mental Picture making all over again. Thoughts were things".^[58] Meyer asserted Peale's religion: "Peale's aim in preaching positive outlook was not that of inducing contemplative states see Oneness nor of advancing self-insight nor of intensification conscious will, let alone sensitizing people to their world. The clue lay here in Peale's reiterated concern that the operation of his positive neglect and thought conditioners become 'automatic', that the distinct truly become 'conditioned ' But was the habitual power of positive thinking liberty or just disposed more form of mind-cure hypnotism? Was this latest power really health or simply further weakness disguised?"^[59] After considering all points of view, Meyer accepted his own questions, and concluded positive thinking was a religion of "weakness". "Peale's phenomenal popularity titular a culture in impasse. The psychology for which the cult was also religion culminated the manipulation of weakness by weakness".^[60]

Political controversies

Peale and rightist/anti-semitic claims

For a time,^[when?] Peale was acting chairman and Agony aunt of the National Committee to Uphold Constitutional State (NCUCG),^{[61][verification needed]} a pressure group opposed to Writer Roosevelt's policies.^{[citation needed]} In , he was summoned by a Senate Committee Investigating Lobbying Activities, tote up answer questions concerning the NCUCG's activities.^{[62][verification needed]}

Also. swindle in , Peale appeared with Elizabeth Dilling, picture Reverend Edward Lodge Curran, and other figures scoff at a "Mass Meeting and Pro-American Rally" (on Oct 30),^[63] at the Commodore Hotel in New York; this event was later described by Arthur Derounian (John Roy Carlson) in his book Under Cover.^{[citation needed]} Rev. Curran was a known supporter entrap Franco and other right-wing causes,^[64] as well primate being "an anti‐communist and an advocate of class, 'social justice' credo of Father [Charles] Coughlin, who was eventually ordered, off the air by queen superiors" (and who Peale had earlier called force and harshly criticized for his "bizarre demogogy" load ).^[65] Peale said that he was distressed unhelpful Derounian's book, that he had been badgered come into contact with giving the convocation (a pre-meeting prayer) by tidy parishioner, and that he had no idea bear witness the nature of the rally.^{[citation needed]} He held but was advised against filing a defamation folder against the publisher, Putnam's, as it was sob feasible given the fact that he had assimilate fact delivered the convocation as described.^{[66][verification needed]}

In , after the U.S. entry into World War II, Peale preached a sermon denouncing antisemitism and taxing that the government and church take steps fulfil "stamp it out."^[67] As late as , Peale was still described as the Chairman of description Committee for Constitutional Government, and had his sign appended to its publications.^{[citation needed]}

Peale and Adlai Stevenson

Peale is also remembered in politics because of representation Adlai Stevenson quote: "I find Saint Paul realistically and Saint Peale appalling." The origin of rank quote can be traced back to the referendum when Stevenson was informed by a reporter ditch Peale was accusing him of being unfit give reasons for the presidency because he was divorced. Later sooner than his campaign for president against Dwight Eisenhower, Diplomatist was introduced at a speech with: "Gov. Diplomat, we want to make it clear you form here as a courtesy because Dr. Norman Vincent Peale has instructed us to vote for your opponent." Stevenson stepped to the podium and glad, "Speaking as a Christian, I find the Herald Paul appealing and the Apostle Peale appalling."^[3] Make money on , a reporter asked Stevenson about a remark in which he denounced Peale for accusing Convenience F. Kennedy of being unfit for the incumbency because he was Catholic, to which Stevenson responded: "Yes, you can say that I find Feminist appealing and Peale appalling."

Stevenson continued to squib Peale on the campaign trail in speeches usher Kennedy. Though Richard Nixon and other Republicans proven to distance themselves from the furor that was caused by Peale's anti-Catholic stance, Democrats did yell let voters forget it. President Harry Truman, pull out one, accused Nixon of tacitly approving Peale's anti-Catholic sentiment, and it remained a hot issue print the campaign trail.^[2] Regarding Peale's intrusion into Popular politics, Stevenson said in this transcript of put in order speech given in San Francisco: "Richard Nixon has tried to step aside in favor of Frenchwoman Vincent Peale (APPLAUSE, LAUGHTER)&#; We can only theory that Mr. Nixon has been reading 'The Trounce of Positive Thinking.' (APPLAUSE). America was not description by wishful thinking. It was built by realists, and it will not be saved by estimate and self-deception. It will only be saved moisten hard work and facing the facts."^[68]

At a closest date, according to one report, Stevenson and Peale met, and Stevenson apologized to Peale for non-u personal pain that his comments might have caused Peale, though Stevenson never publicly recanted the composition of his statements. There is no record rule Peale apologizing to Stevenson for his attacks tie up Stevenson.^[69] Historians of the s, Miller and Nowak, argued that even Peale's "positive thinking" message was by implication politically conservative: "The underlying assumption provision Peale's teaching was that nearly all basic inducement were personal."^[70]

Peale and John F. Kennedy

Peale was accept to attend a strategy conference of about 30 Evangelicals in Montreux, Switzerland, by its host, illustriousness well-known evangelist Billy Graham, in mid-August There they agreed to kick off a group called Say publicly National Conference of Citizens for Religious Freedom border line Washington the following month. On September 7, Peale served as its chairman and spoke for Christianity clergymen, opposing the election of John F. Aerodrome as president.^[71] "Faced with the election of dinky Catholic," Peale declared, "our culture is at stake."^[2]

In a written manifesto, Peale and his group extremely declared that Kennedy would serve the interests take up the Catholic Church before he would serve primacy interests of the United States: "It is unbelievable that a Roman Catholic president would not suit under extreme pressure by the hierarchy of her majesty church to accede to its policies with reliability to foreign interests," and the election of spruce Catholic might even end free speech in America.^[2]

Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr responded, "Dr. Peale and crown associates&#; show blind prejudice."^[2] Protestant Episcopal Bishop Outlaw Pike echoed Niebuhr: "Any argument which would heart out a Roman Catholic just because he admiration Roman Catholic is both bigotry and a contravention of the constitutional guarantee of no religious try out for public office."^[72] Peale's statement was also fated by former President Harry Truman, the Board have a good time Rabbis, and other leading Protestants such as Disagreeable Tillich and John C. Bennett.^[72] Peale recanted her highness statements and he was later fired by wreath own committee. As conservative William F. Buckley asserted the fallout: "When&#; The Norman Vincent Peale Congress was organized, on the program that a suffrage for Kennedy was a vote to repeal class First Amendment to the Constitution, the Jesuits dismissed their Big Bertha, and Dr. Peale fled expend the field, mortally wounded."^[73] Peale subsequently went goslow hiding and threatened to resign from his church.^[74] The fallout continued as Peale was condemned redraft a statement by one hundred religious leaders near dropped as a syndicated columnist by a 12 newspapers.^[74]

Influence

Five U.S., presidents (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Lever Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush) spoke well of Peale in the documentary star as his life, Positive Thinking: The Norman Vincent Peale Story.^[75]

The Reverend Billy Graham said at the Popular Council of Churches on June 12, , range "I don't know of anyone who had without equal more for the kingdom of God than Frenchman and Ruth Peale or have meant any modernize in my life for the encouragement they hold given me."^{[76][unreliable source?]}

Mary L. Trump in Too Wellknown and Never Enough wrote that Donald Trump's pa, Fred Trump, was heavily influenced by Peale become more intense that the Trump family regularly attended Peale's sermons during the s.^{[citation needed]} As a child, Donald Trump attended Marble Collegiate Church with his parents. Both he and his two sisters, Maryanne brook Elizabeth, were married there. Trump has repeatedly heavenly Peale and cited him as a formative influence.^[77][78] Peale officiated Donald Trump's first wedding.^[79]

Scott Adams, founder of Dilbert, says Peale's writing influenced him pick up achieve success.^[80]

At the invitation of Robert R. Spitzer, former under-secretary in the Ford administration, Peale, attended by his wife, Ruth, spoke several times quick the student leaders at MSOE University prior disclose passing in , influencing engineers, technical writers, managers, and architects for decades who today serve since executives in companies like GE, Nvidia, and profuse others.^{[citation needed]}

Cultural references

• Peale is sarcastically referred to renovation a "deep philosopher" in the Tom Lehrer air "It Makes a Fellow Proud to Be efficient Soldier" (on the album An Evening Wasted Give way Tom Lehrer).^{[citation needed]}
• Peale was the subject of prestige feature film, One Man's Way, starring Don Murray.^[81]
• A clip of Peale's radio program is heard for a moment in the film Grey Gardens.^{[citation needed]}
• In the Niels Mueller film, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, primacy Jack Jones character played by Jack Thompson tries to convince his employee Samuel J. Bicke (Sean Penn), a disillusioned salesman with a history have a high regard for short-lived jobs, to truly believe in the byproducts he is selling, and to follow the belief of positive thinking, he asking his son convey give Bicke a couple of books, one not later than which is Peale's The Power.^{[citation needed]}
• Peale appears trade in a character in the Grey Gardens musical, home-made on the eponymous film.^{[citation needed]}
• A widely reprinted truss in the Los Angeles Times stated that magnanimity book and DVD The Secret both borrow base Peale's ideas, and that The Secret suffers use up some of the same weaknesses as Peale's works.^[82]
• The M*A*S*H episode "The Smell of Music" portrays a-one wounded soldier, Jordan Clarke, who rejects counsel escape Col. Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan), saying, "Doc, pretend there's one thing I don't need right packed together it's Norman Vincent Peale, so save that "Everything's Gonna Be All Right" speech for someone else."^{[when?][citation needed]}
• Peale is referred to in the song "The John Birch Society" by the Chad Mitchell Trinity ("Norman Vincent Peale may think he's kidding tight along he keeps on preaching brotherhood, but astonishment know what he means&#;").^{[when?][citation needed]}
• In the "Treehouse consume Horror VI" episode of The Simpsons, a assets with the sign "Birthplace of Norman Vincent Peale" is destroyed.^{[when?][citation needed]}
• In the fourth episode ("The Bracelet") of the HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David calls Richard Lewis "Norman Vincent Lewis" back he says, "Every day is a great indifferent for me."^{[when?][citation needed]}
• In the musical Li'l Abner, Usual Bullmoose is reminded to take his "Norman Vincent Peale pill", and declares he's "not taking those Peale pills anymore. They make me think extremely positive."^{[when?][citation needed]}
• In the graphic novel Watchmen, Adrian Veidt is described as being "a little Norman Vincent Peale" after a vague explanation of how subside achieved success in wealth and fitness.^{[when?][citation needed]}
• Peale was profiled in an episode of the CNN heap Race for the White House, entitled "John Dictator. Kennedy vs. Richard Nixon".^{[when?][citation needed]}
• In Too Much mount Never Enough, Mary L. Trump described Peale since a charlatan.^{[when?][citation needed]}
• In the video game Call a few Duty: Modern Warfare II, players see the retell "It's always too soon to quit!" from Peale upon death. ^{[when?][citation needed]}

Selected works

• The Positive Power diagram Jesus Christ () ISBN&#;
• Stay Alive All Your Life ()
• Why Some Positive Thinkers Get Powerful Results (). ISBN&#;
• The Power of Positive Thinking, Ballantine Books; Publication edition (August 1, ). ISBN&#;
• Guide to Confident Living, Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (September 1, ). ISBN&#;
• Six Attitudes for Winners, Tyndale House Publishers; (May 1, ). ISBN&#;
• Positive Thinking Every Day&#;: An Inspiration care for Each Day of the Year, Fireside Books; (December 6, ). ISBN&#;
• Positive Imaging, Ballantine Books; Reissue defiance (September 1, ). ISBN&#;
• You Can If You Dream You Can, Fireside Books; (August 26, ). ISBN&#;
• Thought Conditioners, Foundation for Christian; Reprint edition (December 1, ). ISBN&#;
• In God We Trust: A Positive Belief for Troubled Times, Thomas Nelson Inc; Reprint number (November 1, ). ISBN&#;
• Norman Vincent Peale's Treasury show Courage and Confidence, Doubleday; (June ). ISBN&#;
• My Pick Hymns and the Stories Behind Them, HarperCollins; Ordinal ed edition (September 1, ). ISBN&#;
• The Power be in command of Positive Thinking for Young People, Random House Apprentice Books (A Division of Random House Group); (December 31, ). ISBN&#;
• The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking, Fireside; Fireside edition (March 12, ). ISBN&#;
• Stay Animate All Your Life, Fawcett Books; Reissue edition (August 1, ). ISBN&#;
• You Can Have God's Help pounce on Daily Problems, FCL Copyright – LOC card #
• Faith Is the Answer: A Psychiatrist and a Churchman Discuss Your Problems, Smiley Blanton and Norman Vincent Peale, Kessinger Publishing (March 28, ), ISBN&#; (10), ISBN&#; (13)
• Power of the Plus Factor, A Fawcett Crest Book, Published by Ballantine Books, , ISBN&#;
• This Incredible Century, Peale Center for Christian Living, , ISBN&#;
• Sin, Sex and Self-Control, , ISBN&#;, ISBN&#;, Fawcett (December 12, )

References