I received an email yesterday regarding the new Oprah "church," or better known as her online class on the book A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. I have been skeptical of this book the entire time that I have been hearing about it, and just had a strange sense that it couldn't be good.
Included in the email was a video from YouTube that showed different clips from the classes that she has held online. After watching the video I was just in shock. I sat here in disbelief as I listened to Oprah and Eckhart Tolle talk to the millions of people watching. Thats what is so scary, there were millions of people watching.
One girl called in with a question about how A New Earth does not align with Christianity. She asked Oprah how she justifies the beliefs in this book against her Christianity beliefs. (We all know and have seen where Oprah openly denies that Jesus is not the way to the cross...if you haven't I will be glad to post the video.) Oprah tells that she grew up in a Baptist church and she said that one day her pastor was talking about how God was omnicient and omnipresent and then the pastor says that God is a jealous God. Oprah says these words "Why is an omnipresent God jealous of ME?"
Does Oprah really really believe that God is jealous of HER? Is that what she really thinks?? Our marvelous God IS omnicient and omnipresent, AND yes, He is jealous. God is not jealous of me or you or any other person in this world, He is jealous of the things that we put before Him. God plainly stated in his 10 commandments that there should be no other gods before Him. That means that we should put NOTHING before Him. How could Oprah think that an all-powerful God would be jealous of HER? She said that when the pastor said this, that is when she began looking for other doctrines to believe in, because this just didn't "settle" well with her.
Also in the video it talks about how as a person, you are holy and you are your own salvation. She also goes on to say that "God is a feeling experience, not a believing experience. And if your religion is a believing experience, if God for you is still about about a belief, then its not truly God." Those are her exact words.
Can someone help me understand who this Eckhart Tolle is, and where is he getting his information? Is it some theory that he has dreamed up? Why are so many people giving this man so much credibility? What has he ever done to deserve all of the credibility that he is being given? Why is everyone so sure that Eckhart Tolle's way is the right way? Why is everyone now throwing out God, for this "stream of consiousness" idea?
I really don't know much about this book except for what I have read online. As a Christian, a devout lover of Jesus, this raised many emotions with me, and honestly broke my heart. Oprah is sharing this lie with millions of people, and people are listening. I can't stand it; I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless.
I really want to hear how other people feel about this book and its teachings. I want to know if I am the only one that feels this way. Please don't be shy about your comments, help me better understand this. Come one, come all.
**If you don't want to post a comment I will give you my email address so you can email me.
6 comments:
Haley, I haven't heard anything about this book, but just from reading your post I can tell it isn't a good thing! I don't know why people are so attracted to things like this, but I have to say I think it's because most people are searching for something to believe in. I think the only thing we can do as Christians is pray that God will use this as an opportunity to draw people near to Him. When people are seeking He has that opening, and lots of times people are finally open to Him through things like this. I don't think as humans we are able to understand things like this, but we always know that God has a plan!
Oprah is obviously very very lost. I feel sad for her. I think as followers of Jesus, we have to pray like crazy and educate ourselves so that we can be a light in this world. People just need something to believe in, and they want it to fit them and be comfortable for them. The thing is, if they keep looking inside themselves, then they will never find what they are searching for. It is a void that ONLY Jesus can fill.
I hadn't heard anything about this before your post because I live in a Noggin Bubble with Pre-school television right now.
It saddens and scares me! Thankfully I find comfort in knowing we serve a mighty God who is in control.
I watched the same thing today and was outraged! (Thank you Terri for the forward!!) I had no idea that Oprah felt this way. I knew about her new book club book. Some women at my school were talking about how "new age" it was and how they were going to have to stop watching and supporting Oprah now. I didn't believe them or agree with them...UNTIL TODAY! I, too, feel sorry for Oprah and will be praying for her salvation, but I am also very upset that someone with such pull in society would chose to confuse and corrupt the WORLD population with her crazy and FALSE views of God and religion. My jaw dropped when I heard her talk about God as a "feeling" and not a belief. I don't know anything about this Eckhart Tolle person is either, but I plan on doing some of my own research on him! He also needs our prayers.
As Christians, we do need to spread the word about this and help people see the TRUTH about Jesus Christ!!
I heard about this several weeks ago and was saddened but not surprised. Like you said, it's been obvious for some time that Oprah is not a Christian. She breaks my heart, because she is so kind, loving, and gracious, yet so very lost. There are so many things I'd like to ask her! But back to the point, I agree with Annie that Tolle's version of religion makes people feel good and comfortable. And we all know that the secular world is about anything that gives pleasure.
There is only one source of absolute truth...the unchanging Word of God. This is the source all Christians should go to in order to determine truth or reliability of anything. I did not watch your video, but from reading the comments of your other readers, I would say there is nothing of eternal worth in this literary work.
I received a similar email last week with the link to the video. I wondered about some things Oprah did but when I saw that video it became clear she was very New Age. I personally have chosen to ban as much as I can anything from Oprah. That is the only way I feel I have a voice. This morning on Fox News they reported that Oprah's rating have gone done in the last month and they are suggesting it could be from her endorsement of Obama. I believe her involvement with Tolle and her outwardness of her true ways are also costing her ratings because the truth has come out. I guess for a while she hasn't had to say her views one way or the other but only report on others...now its out in the open.
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