DO YOU THINK OPRAH HAS A SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE ON THE WAY AMERICA THINKS ABOUT GOD AND TRUTH?
Check out these quotes about Oprah in a recent USA TODAY article by Ann Oldenburg, 05/11/06:
"She's a really hip and materialistic Mother Teresa," says Kathryn Lofton, a professor at Reed College in Portland, Ore., who has written two papers analyzing the religious aspects of Winfrey. "Oprah has emerged as a symbolic figurehead of spirituality."
In a November poll conducted at Beliefnet.com, a site that looks at how religions and spirituality intersect with popular culture, 33% of 6,600 respondents said Winfrey has had "a more profound impact" on their spiritual lives than their clergypersons.
Cathleen Falsani, religion writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, recently suggested, "I wonder, has Oprah become America's pastor?"
One of Winfrey's most appealing subtexts is that she's anti-institutional, says Chris Altrock, minister of Highland Street Church of Christ in Memphis. He says Winfrey believes there are many paths to God, not just one. After doing his doctoral research three years ago on postmodernism religion, a religious era that began in the 1970s as Christians became deeply interested in spirituality and less interested in any established church, he came up with what he calls "The Church of Oprah," referring to the culture that has created her.
"Our culture is changing," he says, "as churches are in decline and the bulk of a new generation is growing up outside of religion." Instead, they're turning to the Church of Oprah.
photo courtesy images.google.com & quotes courtesy usatoday.com, 05/11/06
4He died for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5That is why all glory belongs to God through all the ages of eternity. Amen.
There Is Only One Good News
6I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way 7that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.
WHAT IS PAUL'S WARNING IN TODAY'S SCRIPTURE?
The Judaizers (people who preached good works rather than Jesus as the way to get to Heaven) were twisting the truth about Christ. They claimed to be Christians, but denied that receiving Christ as Savior was enough to have your sins forgiven and go to Heaven. Paul tells us that their motives were self-centered, because they wanted to be popular and have people follow them.
HOW DO YOU SEE PEOPLE IN OUR CULTURE TODAY TWISTING THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS?
It's often more difficult to spot a twisting of the TRUTH than an obvious lie about a Biblical faith that is based on God's Word and knows that salvation comes through Christ and Christ alone. Celebrities, politicians, and "religious" leaders are "so anxious to win your favor" that they will twist the truth in order for you to hear what they think you want to hear. For example, it is politically correct and popular to be religious as long as you don't go to the extreme of claiming to follow Jesus Christ who claimed that He is "the way, the truth and the life".
(Sorry Oprah!) Whether you are a student or an adult reading this Devo, all of you know about Oprah. Please know that I really admire Oprah. She's incredibly gifted and entertaining, plus her hard work and ambition is a great success story. BUT, Oprah is completely wrong about ultimate TRUTH. There are not many ways to Heaven - salvation comes through faith in Christ and Christ alone.
False teachers are often respectable and very persuasive. That is why before we follow any leader or accept the teachings of any group (political or church), we must check out their words, beliefs and values according to God's Word. If their claims or teaching does not match the TRUTH about Jesus Christ and Scripture, then it is twisted.
- Make sure that you study God's TRUTH every day, so that you grow spiritually and are able to spot the twisting of TRUTH.
- Every day, pray for your life to be a balance of God's grace and TRUTH - meaning that you lovingly stand up for Christ.
- Pray for Oprah Winfrey to recognize the exclusive TRUTH about Jesus Christ being the only way to Heaven.
- Use today's Devo as a conversation starter with someone at your school or at work, who needs to know God's Story.
Daily Devos is published Monday through Friday. Archives can be found at YFC.ORG. Its purpose is to help you apply truths from God's Word every day.
Our writer, Byron Emmert, has been involved with Youth For Christ for 30 years. He's served as Campus Life Staff, as a writer, and in leadership for the DCLA Conferences. Byron is married to Linda and their family includes two married sons and daughters-in-law, and a daughter in college. He loves sports, deep dish pizza, and spending time with his family.