Is Oprah God?

She has given away millions. She has started the nation reading again. For years, she has brought us the stories that made us laugh, cry, and cheer--right there over folded laundry and half-prepared dinners. She is Oprah. In a recent article about this phenomenon was Jamie Foxx's not so tongue- in-cheek assertion that when we all die, we will be waiting for God and discover that it is Oprah! I am guessing that no one takes this too seriously, but the extent of her influence leaves me really unsettled. Believe me, I was once a great Oprah lover. I would sit at her knee and listen with great affection she told me from her big, comfy chair that I was empowered, beautiful, amazing, etc. With every self-affirming thought, though, I could feel myself being lulled into the "If Oprah says it, it must be true" crowd, and quite frankly, I want out!

The ironic thing about Oprah is that she tells us she wants us to be independent, free-thinking, love-giving beings; but the reality is that she wants us to fall in lock step with her thinking. And the sad truth for us is that until we can embrace the universe and all its power and energy with her, we are close-minded, empty shells of being who haven't learned to live yet. She tells me that if I believe in God, then I don't really know God. She tells me that we are all righteous and have no need of a Savior. She tells me that because she has opened her mind, she has discovered that there are many ways to God. So according to Oprah, Jesus is a liar--because what He says is contrary to what she believes. She tells me that if I wince at the thought of a transgendered male having a baby, then I have not fully opened my mind to real diversity. She is generous, but it seems that every generous act is not merely celebrated by the media--it is given full coverage on its own television special!

Well, as I have grown quite comfortable in my own skin, I have found that I am an Oprah disciple gone astray. I do believe in God, and it is this belief, that He loves me and wants the best for my life, that has brought me closer to Him. I have wondered that if we are all righteous on our own, then where do child molesters, rapists, and murderers fit in? And who decides the standard of righteousness--Oprah? I have discovered that it is not okay with me to watch the very unnatural act of a man carrying a baby and say simply, "He deserves to do as he pleases." I have discovered that I, too, believe in generosity, but not the self-aggrandising kind. What ever happened to the quiet gift of love? You remember--the one that was given to bring honor to the recipient, not the giver? Since I have embraced the power of my thoughts, I have discovered that they do not line up with Oprah's. And I have learned that just because she has taken on the role of pontificating from every platform she is given, does not mean that she is right.

Contrary to Oprah's assertions, many of us believe that someday we will have to give an account for our lives. Somehow when I think of all of our life's choices played out before us, I do not think the excuse, "Oprah made me do it," will suffice.