The Power of Positive Thinking was a minister. He writes that Peale's books have no connection to Christianity and that they “influence, mislead and often disillusion sick, maladjusted, unhappy or ill-constructed people, obscuring for them the Christian realities. They offer easy comforts, easy solutions to problems and mysteries that sometimes perhaps, have no comforts or solutions at all, in glib, worldly terms. They offer a cheap 'happiness' in lieu of the joy Christianity can offer.” While contemporary theologians and mental health experts criticized Peale's teachings in "The Power of Positive Thinking," the general public praised the self-help book. The "Los Angeles Times" estimates that “legions
The Power of Positive Thinking picture yourself as succeeding, think a positive thought to drown out a negative thought, minimize obstacles, do not attempt to copy others, repeat “If God be for us, who can be against us?” ten times every day, work with a counselor, repeat “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” ten times every day, develop a strong self-respect, affirm that you are in God's hands, and believe that you receive power from God. The next chapter describes the importance of creating a peaceful mind, which can be done through inspirational reading, clearing one's mind, or visualization. Peale continues