Oprah: Spinner of New Age Spiderweb

1. here's an article about Oprah, Marianne Williamson, and:

Oprah Winfrey will be letting out all the stops on her XM Satellite Radio program this coming year. Beginning January 1, 2008, “Oprah & Friends” will offer a year-long course on the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles.1 A lesson a day throughout the year will completely cover the 365 lessons from the Course in Miracles “Workbook.”

2. here's an article about Oprah, Eckhart Tolle, and:

I stared at the huge stack of books in the Barnes & Noble bookstore. The title of the book was A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life Purpose. The title sounded like a new book by Purpose-Driven pastor Rick Warren, but it was actually the latest selection in Oprah’s Book Club. A colorful orange and blue paper band around the book invited the reader to “Join Oprah and Eckhart for a worldwide web event… Every Monday night beginning March 3, 2008 for 10 weeks… Register at Oprah.com/anewearth.” A personal message from Oprah stated: “Get ready to be awakened.”

It was clear to me that Oprah was no longer content to just popularize New Age beliefs, she would now teach them. This was a bold move by a woman who was obviously willing to do everything in her power – which is considerable – to convert the world to her New Age worldview.

3. here's an article from 2007 about Oprah, The Secret, and:

While most people may view the new DVD promoted by Oprah as a safe and effective method to reach their goals and aspirations, what they do not know may hurt them spiritually. Rhonda Byrne, the author of The Secret, is a disciple of a couple named Jerry and Esther Hicks. In the Acknowledgements of The Secret, Byrne thanked the Hicks and the teachings of Abraham. Abraham is a group of spirit guides that Esther Hicks channels for guidance on spiritual issues. On their website, they state:

Abraham, a group of obviously evolved teachers, speak their broader Non-physical perspective through the physical body of Esther [Hicks]. Speaking to our level of comprehension, from their present moment to our now, through a series of loving, allowing, brilliant yet comprehensively simple, recordings in print, in video, and in sound - they guide us to a clear connection with our Inner Being--they guide us to self-upliftment from our total self [god- self].

Because Oprah (who is one of the most influential people in the world right now)is giving The Secret a huge thumbs up, this could potentially accelerate the paradigm shift we are going through which is racing the world into such deception as never seen before and what the Bible predicts will take place before Jesus Christ returns.

4. here's an article about Oprah, Gary Zukav, and:

Oprah's current promotion of the DVD, The Secret, is not the only time she has promoted an author who turns to spirit guides for spiritual direction. Gary Zukav's book, The Seat of the Soul, has been one of her favorites for some time. But in Zukav's book, he talks about the non-physical guides he uses. These non-physical guides are referred to in the Bible as demons. Ray Yungen elaborates on Oprah's fascination with such spirituality:

Without question, the most influential practical mystic today is talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Her predominantly female audience, numbering in the tens of millions, looks to her as the source of spiritual inspiration-even more so than church, in many cases. I realize speaking critically of someone as warm and caring as Oprah might stir angry emotions in many of her viewers. Nonetheless, please keep in mind that with Oprah, as with the others I have written about, her obvious good qualities are not the issue here. While I might admire Oprah as a person, I am gravely concerned about what she promotes.

Somewhere during her career, Oprah read a book titled Discover The Power Within You by Unity minister Eric Butterworth [another on her favorites list]. In line with Unity teaching, the book expounded on the Divinity of Man as perceived through mystical practice. Oprah embraced these views so earnestly that she advocated:

"This book changed my perspective on life and religion. Eric Butterworth teaches that God isn't "up there." He exists inside each one of us, and it's up to us to seek the divine within."

Her talk show has launched many New Age authors into national super-stardom--authors such as Marianne Williamson [A Course in Miracles], Sarah Ban Breathnach, Iyanla Vanzant, and Cheryl Richardson.

One such author propelled into prominence by Oprah, with regard to New Age teaching, is Gary Zukav. Zukav became a regular guest on the Oprah show following his first appearance in October of 1998. Afterwards, his book titled The Seat of the Soul became a constant fixture at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for an astounding two years! The Seat of the Soul, pure and simple, is a spiritual primer or manual for New Age thought. It has gained such popularity even though it lacks the elements that have traditionally attracted a wide readership (i.e., novels, biography, scandal, health, etc.). The book's basic message is, "Dwell in the company of your nonphysical Teachers and guides [spirit guides]."2 The Seat of the Soul has struck a resonant chord with an enormous number of people. The notion of nonphysical guides and teachers is now considered perfectly acceptable by a vast number in the reading public. When such a book is embraced by so many for so long it means the New Age is already here. Clearly, our society is not heading toward the cliff concerning New Age spirituality--we are already over it! Oprah's 2005 book, Live Your Best Life, highlights various areas of her philosophies. In the chapter on spirituality there is a story about Spiritual Energy. In it, there is a positive reference to a Reiki master who supports Oprah's view that "we [humanity] are all interrelated."3 This underlies Winfrey's spirituality, that ALL IS ONE. Despite her charming personal manner, there is little doubt her viewers and readers are still being fed a consistent diet of New Age spirituality. (Ray Yungen, A Time of Departing, 2nd ed., pp. 102-104)

Now with Oprah's open zeal about The Secret, New Age philosophy (which so contradicts the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ alone) will be further propelled into the lives of millions of Oprah viewers.

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here's a youtube video featuring the audio from a full hour of the "Crosstalk" radio show about Oprah, Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and the "New Spirituality" movement.

here's a youtube video about Oprah's New Age belief of there being "many paths to God"