Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Oprah Ain't My Girl

I may be one of the few women in this country who is a unOprahite. I don’t watch her show, I don’t buy a book because she has told me to, I don’t vote a certain way because she promotes someone or something, and I don’t purchase her magazine.

While she is one of the more important cogs in our popular culture Oprah is heading down the wrong path of discovering the meaning of life. While many choose to follow along behind her, I’d rather go another way.

While I choose to not hang on every word Oprah says, and I choose not to run out and purchase every product she promotes, I am not calling for Oprah to be taken off the air or run out of town on a rail because I find some of her views off the mark and contrary to Scripture.

At this point a large question mark may be forming in your mind.

Well, that Social Studies teacher in me…..that lover of the Constitution in me prevents that. Ms. Winfrey has a right to promote anything and say anything she wishes. I have the right to change the channel when she comes on, and I do.

Recently a fellow Georgia blogger that I have met through my site Georgia on My Mind, where I have an extensive list of Georgia bloggers, emailed to me some information regarding Carrington Steele.

Carrington Steele is a former magazine editor turned author. She has written Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid: Oprah, Obama and The Occult (see the press release from Earned Media). The Occult is discussed through Oprah’s love affair with Eckart Tolle’s book A New Earth. Millions have logged onto Oprah’s weekly class regarding Tolle’s book.

Tolle’s official website tells me he believes that the New Testament contains deep spiritual truth as well as distortions. Those distortions are due to a misunderstanding of Jesus’ teaching or because people had an agenda (wanting to fit Jesus into their preconceived notions, wanting to make converts, etc.)

Soon after I heard that Oprah would be presenting her webinar regarding Tolle’s book I picked it up during a weekly trip to my local bookstore and read the first chapter. It didn’t take me long to see that it was not a book for me. I put it back on the shelf for someone else to thumb through.

Hmmmmmm….Mr. Tolle criticizes the Bible due to what he calls distortions at the hands of those with an agenda. I’d have to say Mr. Tolle has an agenda as well, but that's just my opinion.

Sadly it didn’t take long for Carrington Steele (not her real name I gather) to admit that much of her work in her Kool-Aid book was taken from other sources, and those sources were not given appropriate credit. It would seem that a magazine editor would understand this very simple practice of credit where credit is due. You can review some of the information concerning this here (scroll down a bit), here, and here. You can listen to an interview between Carrington Steele and Brannon Howse at Christian Worldview Network here.

As a Christian and as someone who believes in the inspiration of Scripture I would hope that I remain watchful regarding the bombardment of information that is available to consumers today. While Oprah’s view of salvation is non-Scriptural (see video below) it seems we have to be wary of those who want to get the word out regarding non-Scriptural views as well.

The best resource you have is your own inner walk with God and your own search for information....not following popular culture blindly.

6 comments:

jquiltmaker said...

Thanks for the post on Oprah. I stopped watching her for the reasons you posted!! It has bother me for years that she promotes, through her life style, that it doesn't matter to God if you aren't married. Maybe she's been staying with the same mate for years but promoting that it is ok to live together can be a soap box that spreads like a virus. I believe with my whole heart that she has influence thousands if not millions to make that decision. Some may have forgotten a show she did with Britney Spears years ago.
When Britney Spears started out she professed to be a virgin, then I am not sure if there was talk in the media about her life style or not but she ended up on Oprah. Oprah sat beside her and said that it was Britney's choice to remain a virgin or not and it was her business. Instead of encouraging her to continue the stand she had taken. This was before Oprah became more and more involved with the "new age" sort of faith and delusions. When your life style does not fit your faith and you can not justify it, you find one that will.

Dorci said...

Ugh. Oprah. All I can do is shake my head when I think of what she stands for and not only that, but how many people she is leading astray.

The thing that showed me just how limited and arrogant her thinking is, is when she said that when she heard that God was a jealous God, she took that as meaning that God was jealous of her rather than for her.

I was floored that she actually believed that she was so great that Almighty God would be jealous of her. She just didn't get that God is jealous for us when we turn away to other gods because He knows the devestation that will bring into our lives.

She is spiritually blinded, though, and needs our prayers as much as anyone.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen Oprah's show either, and I have no plans to do so. Not for the reasons you give -- I'm simply not interested.

Anonymous said...

We need to pray for Oprah. All this talk about Oprah denying Jesus should remind us to pray for her as we give God the honor and glory when He saves her. Just think. If we posted a short message asking people to pray for her, on every YouTube video about her do you think that Oprah's new religion could stand, at least in her heart? Wouldn't our prayers be far more important than our condemnations? Jesus didn't come to condemn so why do we think we have the right. Jesus came to save. It is up to us to pray for these people. That's how many have come to be saved. Search Evel Kneivel on YouTube at the Crystal Cathedral giving his testimony. Many, many people were praying for him.
Mimi

Unknown said...

I do watch Oprah, once in a while and I have read Eckhart Tolle's book A NEW EARTH. I fear you judge him too harshly. His book brought me out of my depression and Egoic thinking. It taught me how to live in the PRESENT moment so I could stop fearing what happened in the past (which is an illusion now) and also what will happen in the future. Just because you don't personally agree with all that he says doesn't make the other parts on his book invalid or unhelpful. I am spiritual but not religious. I do pray to God everyday. I believe the angels are here to help us also if we just ask since they are an extension of God. (Eckhart doesn't speak of Angels.) Many parts of his book speak the truth about religions in general. Such as: "All religions are equally false and equally true, depending on how you use them." and
"If you believe only your religion is the Truth you are using it in the service of the ego. Used in such a way religion becomes ideology and creates an illusory sense of superiority." (Yes Mam you DO sound superior in your blog.!)

Please read the WHOLE book next time.. he quotes Jesus often.

Anonymous said...

Why did you choose to use the word "Ain't" in the title of this particular article? As an african american woman I would like to find a safe place, free of innuendo.

Don't mind me though...apparently.

There is "intentional" teaching which this article does; and the "unintended" message which over shadows any good intent.

I guess this blog "ain't" for me.

May God continue to bless your (other) good work.

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