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Women Living Well Blog: Oprah On Spirituality

Women Living Well Blog

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Oprah On Spirituality

If you watch Oprah, then you know that she is doing a series on "How to Live Your Best Life." Yesterday she focused on her - (this is a quote) "favorite subject - spirituality." Oprah has previously said that she grew up a Southern Baptist - she went to church every Sunday, Wednesday night and even sang in the choir. But around the age of 24 she had a "spiritual awakening" where she began to question organized religion.
From there she became a seeker - and through the years she has arrived at this panel of people - who are her "spiritual teachers." I listened to her "world simulcast web classroom" last night to get clarity on where Oprah is trying to lead her millions of viewers. If you are confused as to what Oprah believes (she portrays herself as a Christian at times)- let me warn you that most of her panel is Unitarian. They believe all religions lead to the same path. They do not take the Bible literally and they have no creeds.


Oprah said on her simulcast that she no longer prays to the "Heavenly Father" but she has evolved spiritually and prays to "all that is God." And when she prays she believes the "universe answers you". That's not very reassuring in my assessment! Then Oprah had a famous A-ha moment - and brace yourself for the reinvention of God's holy word. One of her "spiritual teachers" said this direct quote..."the Bible is not God's holy word - but it's the inspired word of man about God." Oprah said - "I just had an A-ha moment - say that again!"


Nope Oprah - your spiritual teacher is wrong!!! 2 Timothy 3:16 says "All scripture is God breathed" and 2 Peter 1:20 and 21 says "No scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." The Bible IS the Holy word OF God not man!


Then her panel said something that boggles my mind - they said " we are all seekers not finders, we do not know the answers." I thought - "so why are people following them?" Then they said, "Old school religion has church as it's authority, -but new school religion lets you be the authority. You are in control of your spirituality emerging. Obey your inner voices" Then Oprah said "My goal this year is to have a closer walk with me."


I hope you are seeing the flaws in all of this psychology - but in case you don't, God says in Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things". And in Noah's times - people decided to let their hearts be their own authority and in Genesis 6:5 it says "The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." They followed their hearts and ended up with the great flood!


We do not want to follow our own heart - it is inclined to evil! It will deceive us and take us away from God rather than to him if we choose to listen to it. We must let God be our authority and submit our hearts to him for both salvation and spiritual growth.


Also, her panel continually judged organized religion for being too judgemental - that itself was an oxymoron! I guess it's okay for them to judge, just not others - I sensed elitism.


I will close this blog which is getting too lengthy - by saying that Oprah said her "show is her ministry" and that is why she has changed her show. But Oprah is deceiving her audience - there is no hope offered from this fake spirituality. A woman called in who had recently lost her job, house, and mother and asked where she could find hope and her "wise" panel answered "pull on your inner power." That fell flat with me and the lady who asked the question. Basically, if you believe what Oprah does - you are all alone in this world. You are God - you are your own authority and own power. And you are left to seek forever answers to your purpose in life. Pray for Oprah that her eyes would be opened to the truth of God's word.
"There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways." 2 Peter 2:1,2.
You are not alone - Walk with the King!

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This was Excellent Courtney!!

January 15, 2009 at 10:26 AM  
Blogger Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

Thanks Vickie. I was hesitant to make such a negative post like this - I have watched Oprah for years and have enjoyed her. But in the past few years she has begun to cross over the line with her "spiritual panels" and she herself has become a "spiritual rolemodel" for millions. I just felt compelled today to say something - and tell the truth.

She needs prayer and the real Jesus!

January 15, 2009 at 10:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bravo, Oprah! You can see beyond dogma and the "letter which killeth" to the "spirit which giveth life"! Bless you!

January 15, 2009 at 2:08 PM  
Blogger Morgan said...

Courtney- great job saying it like it is. A life without God offers no hope at all- just emptiness. So many people follow her (which seems the better term nowadays rather than just watching)- including Christians. I just don't get that.

Anyway, thanks for your article. It's always refreshing to hear someone to speak the truth even when it goes against mainstream.

January 15, 2009 at 2:34 PM  
Blogger Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

Ron - You are translating 2 Corinthians 3:6 incorrectly. The "letter that killeth" is the Old Testament law. No one can be perfect and keep the letter of the law - the law reveals that we need a savior and that savior is Jesus - and His spirit gives us life.

Jesus said he is the bread of life and he that believeth in me will never go hungry or thirsty. His word is my life source. It permeates every part of my life from my motherhood, to homemaking, to my friendships and service.


And what spirit exactly is Oprah offering that gives life? She offers me nothing - just an empty lonely life where I must look inside myself for all strength. She doesn't even know who or where the God is that she prays to? She prays out into the universe.

We can all know God personally and intimately simply by reading his word - the Bible - he has revealed himself to man through the Bible and through Jesus' life. I hope that you will someday know him intimately too - it's the greatest joy and pleasure on earth!

Walk with the King of Kings!
Courtney

January 15, 2009 at 7:54 PM  
Blogger Jamie said...

Wow I never knew that about Oprah. Glad you posted that, not that I am a big fan, but she has millions that are. Anyways, I love your site and blog so much I am putting your button on my other blog http://weightytimes.blogspot.com

It is a blog me and my sister put together about our weightloss. Anyways, thanks for the post.

Jamie
http://learninghisbook.blogspot.com
http://weightytimes.blogspot.com

January 16, 2009 at 11:34 AM  
Blogger Courtney (Women Living Well) said...

Hey thanks for adding my button to your site! I've enjoyed your "learning his book" site - way to go on taking the memory verse challenge!!! And I will check out your other site too! You're so sweet! Thanks!
Courtney

January 16, 2009 at 2:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting this Court!That woman is beginning to drive me nuts with her spiritual talk and I feel sad that she beleives it all and so do may of her viewers now!Thanks for speaking the truth.

January 16, 2009 at 4:34 PM  
Blogger Deanna said...

Wonderful post! I did not know that about Oprah, but I stopped watching her years ago. Thanks for the post!

January 18, 2009 at 5:38 PM  
Anonymous Michelle said...

A comment, better late than never, huh? I stopped watching Oprah years ago. The thing I could not stand about her is that she would give advice on things she had never gone through - marriage, kids, etc. I always found her very hypocritical. I think of people who really believe in her "panel" of spiritual "experts" and I find it really sad. What if a person seems to only have trouble follow them around and Oprah would say "look at your inner self and pull strength from that". Devastation. A person would just give up, I think or think that the "universe" is against them. Whenever we look to ourselves, we fail. We lose. We miss the big picture. God has a gift...nothing earned, nothing merited. It's free. And He takes it all from us - burdens, stress, worries. It is sad that Oprah is leading so many astray. Thanks for posting this though. I think more people should be made aware of Oprah's belief system.

August 20, 2009 at 5:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I simply don't watch her. I think I figured her 'spirituality' out after reading a book or two on her recommended list. I'm so sorry she has allowed herself to be mislead. I pray she will have another 'aha' moment and return to the God of her childhood. God is not the universe. He created the universe.

We knew her before she became a big name. We didn't know her personally, but we lived in a town where she was an anchor on one of the local channels. We really liked her and were so saddened to see her leave for bigger pastures...pastures that have led her astray. So sorry. So sorry.

October 12, 2009 at 10:05 AM  

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