It’s no secret (ha! I am already making puns) that Oprah Winfrey is many an American’s spiritual guide. There is even a book, “The Gospel According To Oprah” by Marcia Z. Nelson, that “praises Oprah for using her entertainment pulpit to promote such positive spiritual values as gratitude, empathy, forgiveness and self-examination.” And, earlier this year, my fellow Idol Chatter blogger Todd Havens even followed Oprah’s “The New Earth” web event, taking almost all of her weekly classes that centered around the chapters of Eckhart Tolle’s best-selling book of the same name.
But what would it be like to literally live as if Oprah was your spiritual guide? Your ultimate guru? What if you followed her advice to the letter?
Ask Robyn Okrant, a yoga teacher from Chicago, who is eight months into her year-long commitment to do just this–and blog about it (and ideally then write a book about it, of course.) In the New York Times article, “Life in the Time of Oprah,” about Okrant’s effort to live 2008 according to Oprah, reporter Jessica Grose explains:
“Ms. Okrant…watches ‘Oprah’ every day and reads the monthly magazine cover to cover. She follows the commandments of Ms. Winfrey with an exacting attention. If Oprah were to tell viewers that they must see “27 Dresses,” “I go do it,” Ms. Okrant said…”With some of the things, like the clothes, in the beginning I was like, ‘How dare she tell me what to wear! I’m an individual!’ Ms. Okrant said. ‘But recently, when I went shopping with my mom, I was really excited to fulfill some of the rules. I felt kind of proud of myself. It takes a huge amount of pressure off to be handed a spiritual path.’…There’s almost nothing Ms. Okrant doesn’t consult Oprah about…Ms. Okrant says she embarked on the project because she saw many women believing that every word of Ms. Winfrey’s was gospel. She hoped to learn why her words carried such weight, even when they were contradictory at times. In the show’s celebrated ‘Favorite Things’ episodes, the audience is showered with stainless steel refrigerators and flat screen television sets. Yet, against these displays of materialism, Ms. Winfrey also freely dispenses spiritual advice.”
How’s that for devotion?
posted August 22, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Please!!! Oprah is a diva not a Divine Prophet.
posted August 22, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I admire Oprah’s climb from poverty to successful woman. However do I live for her every word? No. She is generous with her money and that is good. However, do I think she is a guide for my life? No.
posted August 23, 2008 at 3:42 pm
i think is is off her nut the only way to god is through christ who is belive in she has too much many its gone to her head she thins she can rule the world id think not i admire she is generous and giving but she is taken it too far i wont listen to anything she has to say i will go to the main source which can nver ever dissapoint you but something you should cherish use i every day life and know it will effect your heart in a positive way that the bible. is this what the world is coming to o my
posted August 24, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I don’t watch her show. But, if she beleives that the only way to God is through Christ Jesus she’s fine with me. Other wise, she’s just another rich woman looking for happiness.
posted August 24, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Never read the book myself but have gone to the web page and have talked and emailed with Christians who know about the book, heard about it thru Oprah’s website and or her show. I am not a Christian and do not care but most of those I have talked to who were real fans are disapointed at least and at most are no longer fans and some are really angry. They say what she is suggesting in following the ideas set forth in this book is anti-Chistian and anti-Jesus Christ and anti the way a Christian is supposed to look at life and religon.
I would suggest anyone interested to go to the “New Earth” or perhaps if there is one the book mentioned above’s website and check it out and let us who are either interested or just cuirous know what your opinion is.
Hugs
Laura
posted August 24, 2008 at 8:23 pm
the website I once went to is gone now as far as I can tell-maybe your best bet would be to go to Oprah.com and go from there.
when I went originally they were looking for students I seem to recall or it may have been the book-the gosepel according to oprah.
good luck
Laura
posted August 25, 2008 at 4:09 pm
It is so hard to believe that Oprah would think that she got rich on her own. God is in control of our life. It is almost like she is an idol to these people that follow her belief. As a few in the comments have said, there is only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ. I think we all should pray that Oprah will see the light and realize that what she is teaching is so wrong. Please pray for her.
Joyce
posted August 26, 2008 at 10:30 am
I agree with the previous posters in that we should be praying for Oprah. She has been deceived of spiritual truths and that deception is leading her to pervert the one true gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We all must make a decision about who and what we listen to. We will all stand before Jesus and be held accountable for our life on this Earth. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to salvation and heaven. Anyone that teaches otherwise is a false teacher and has fallen away from the Truth of the Bible. I will be in prayer for Oprah also to see the truth, but I will be praying for the church as well. One of the biggest problems facing this nation is that 86% of the population claims to be Christians, but they do not stand up for what the Bible calls Christians to be. If the Church would stand for what they believe in…it would be much harder for the masses to be deceived by false teachers and many more people would come to know Jesus Christ and be saved from the pits of Hell…anyway…I do not hate Oprah, but I am very disappointed in her teachings and I’m even more disappointed by how many Christians have been led astray by her teachings. Our works or good deeds will not get us to heaven…to believe so is to believe a lie…
posted February 7, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Oprah needs to repent beforethe Lord. She is leading people into eternal damnation by her false and pervert teaching.The bible says,the wicked shall be turned into hell and all nations that forget God. AndOprah was deined Jesus as only way to heaven.(John 14:6) Paul, saythe if we or an angel preached any othergospel to you than what we have preached to you let be accursed.(Gal 1:8-9)Oprah Winfrey is preaching things againstthe true Jesus ofthe Bible. Pray that she repent beforethe Lord or she will be lost in hell forever.
posted February 7, 2010 at 8:50 pm
We believe Jesus is only way to heaven John 14:6. St. John 3:16. Any other way brings death Pro 14:12.