Whats the Deal With the Church of Oprah?

I really don't know much about it except from what I've seen on this video, but the subject hasnt seemed to touch ATS.

Apparently Oprah Winfrey is involved in some new age church with over 2million members.
My mom is a big Oprah fan, and an even bigger Christian.
I, on the other hand, am not a fan of either. I dont have any feelings towards Oprah, but after watching the video can relate to a lot of the new age philosophies in her books.
I showed my mom the video, and she had heard of the books Oprah is endorsing.
She wasnt a big fan of the video, but also wasnt like some of the "nuts" commenting on the video and condemning her and her followers to hell.
She simply replied, "I can't judge what shes doing now, but she need to be careful since she's in a high place of power."

anyway, here is the video on youtube:


I would like to hear what the ATS audience thinks of all this.

one fallacy I find with the video is that they say every session opens with a trance, and that the church conducted a mass trance...
well, to me, their definition if trance is my definition of meditation...

anyway, what is everyone's thoughts on this?

I would also recommend some of the comments people have left, they are ridiculous imo:

This is pure CRAP! Oprah I hope I am not standing next to you on Judgement Day !
Look At all the souls you are leading to Hell!

What a perfect example of an AntiChrist spirit...The Bible says there will be many in the last days...and here we are !

... and so on...

[edit on 4-4-2008 by Odessy]

so am I the only one who thinks this is news?

lol. guess so.

Are you talking about that 'course in miracles' she's pumping out?

It's a new age fad. It teaches things like 'jesus isn't necessary' and 'you don't need the rugged old cross'.

The person who invented it died in a very odd way.... in complete dispair and exclaiming hopelessness. I read that last week someplace. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Info on 'A Course in Miracles' .... (stuff Oprah doesn't tell ya')

Helen Schucman was a Columbia University professor of medical psychology. She claimed to channel a spirit starting in 1965. This lasted 7 years. The inner voice claimed to be Jesus. She published these teachings through 'the Foundation for Inner Peace'.

The course says that there is no sin. That Christ Crucified has little relevance, our focus should be on our own power, there is no need for salvation, and evil doesn't exist. that finding God is through finding self, that our focus should be on our own limitless power, that there is no need for salvation, that the Name of Jesus is a "symbol," and that evil -- at least in the way Christians view evil -- does not exist. At least that's what people who took the course claim. I haven't read it and I dont' care to.

Helen Schucman had a husband named William Thetford. He was also a Columbia professor. He was a 'rare books expert'. He also had a reputation for being 'sinister'. It is claimed by him that he was employed as an agent of the CIA -and that he was present at the first fission experiment conducted by physicists assigned to the Manhattan Project.

During the last years of her life, Schucman fell into a "black hole of rage and depression" (According to author Father Groeschel) "She spewed psychotic hatred for all things spiritual, even her own Course in Miracles."

Also according to author Father Groeschel - at the end of her life a priest came to visit her and sat on her bed. When he did, "she cursed in the coarsest barroom language you could imagine, 'that book, that [---] book.' She said it was the worst thing that ever happened to her. I mean, she raised the hair on the back of my neck. It was truly terrible to witness."

So anyways ... that's about the author of The Course in Miracles that Oprah is pushing. Is that what you are referring to? That course?

Oprah is a dumb millionaire. She just got lucky.

Its foolish for her to be endorsing anything else than her radio show and tv show. She's gong way overboard, and feels has absolute power thru her magazines, books, endorsing this, endorsing that.

Shut up Oprah. Do what you do and leave people to do their own thing.

I think its time for me to send her Master Reiki Healing.

She cant even find happiness within.

[edit on 4-4-2008 by dgtempe]

I agree, it's more new age fad. Thanks for posting the video.

Oprah does have a cult-like following for sure.

I found it hilarious when she started her magazine. Not that she started a magazine, but that she's on the cover of every issue. How's that for some self-love? That still makes me laugh.

Cult Oprah has started I guess, now that she has her own "church." I am not an Oprah fan so that's probably why I didn't know this before. The scary part of it is the power in numbers she wields. When she announces her book club pick, I have seen news articles that say immediately Amazon.com is SWAMPED with orders.

Remember when she talked how bad red meat was from a health stand point? I guess it caused sales to drop so badly that the Cattlemen or some sort of Meat Industry entity sued her. Now that's some power I'd say, will be formidable when paired up with some new age religion...don't drink the kool aid!!!

Also I just remembered this, when she got behind Camp Obama...I remember thinking, if Oprah ever gets political or decides to run for office, she'd easily be voted in. Scary indeed.

[edit on 4-4-2008 by LateApexer313]

Ya'll need to take notice - the woman who invented the Course in Miracles - her husband claims to have been CIA and involved in The Manhatten Project. (at least according to the book)

William Thetford was his name.

CIA
Manhatten Project
The wife hears voices for 7 years.
In the end - she acted possessed.

There could be something very odd here .. ya' know?

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.


This is nothing new. Traditional Christianity is intolerant of many things. In PC terms, tolerance is to be desired above everything including traditional Christianity.

Originally posted by LateApexer313
I found it hilarious when she started her magazine. Not that she started a magazine, but that she's on the cover of every issue. How's that for some self-love?

I thought the same thing about her girls schools in Africa.
It's a good thing and all - but take a look at a picture next time.
It says in HUGE letters - Oprah Winfrey's .. and then in smaller
letters ... academy for girls.

These are the signs on the buildings.
EVERYONE has to know that it's Oprahs building and Oprahs money.

Self love. Yep. I laughed too.

reply to post by FlyersFan

Self importance and self ove...just the right amount to

make her very dangerous!!!

A Course in Miracles is all about self love ..and self power ... (and no salvation .... and no cross .... etc ) It fits her personality. However, the way the woman who invented it died .. yikes.

A Course in Miracles reminds me a bit of scientology.
scientology is much more controlled and run by big business.
But it reminds me of it for some reason.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Oh no way, does it really? I am laughing so hard here. Well that figures. When she started that school in Africa and someone asked her...

Why Africa, why not help out the African American community here in our country, she answered something like "They don't appreciate help here" or something to that affect, and I was stunned she had the 'eggs" to say that, and also wondered why the African American community wasn't outraged.

I guess it's her money and she can do as she pleases, but I took from that one thing: She gets a huge boost to her gigantic ego when she goes over to Africa and the kids fawn all over her...why should it matter if the inner city kids here don't fall all over her and "appreciate" her?

Oh well, glad I wasn't the only one that can't believe she puts herself on the cover of her magazine every issue

reply to post by FlyersFan


How completely bizarre Flyers...I never knew any of that and didn't even know she had a "Course in Miracles" I can do nothing other then shake my head...

And here Oprah is, getting on Tom Cruise's case ...these "celebrities" kill me.

AMEN dgtempe...well said....Shut up Oprah and go buy some more houses or something lol.

Originally posted by LateApexer313
Why Africa, why not help out the African American community here in our country, she answered something like "They don't appreciate help here"

I found the quote ... here is an article. The quote is that Americans are too materialistic to appreciate it. Coming from a woman who is making a living off of materialism .. that's funny!

Originally posted by LateApexer313
she had a "Course in Miracles"

She didn't write it. She's just pushing it.
Like she's pushing THIS . The secret.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Yes, she pushed The Secret too I remember that, because my mom is a die hard Oprah fan, and I had never even heard of The Secret until I got the DVD from good ole' Mom

Wow, thanks for that info FlyersFan!

Like I mentioned before, I don't really know what to believe when it comes to religion...
but you do have to take into consideration who actually wrote or started it.

Take Scientology for instance.
Personally, I wouldnt go for a religion that was written by a know fiction author.
thats just me.

I do agree with the whole inner consciousness thing... to the extent that we all have a conscious we should try and connect with, but that does not mean there is no god either.

reply to post by LateApexer313


my mom is the same way, die hard Oprah fan.

she doesnt, however, like this new direction Oprah is taking.

oh and yeah, I believe the inner city thing was something like, "If you ask kids in the inner city what they want, they say iPods or new shoes." or something like that.
lol if you ask what African children need, I'll bet they say food.

Originally posted by Odessy
if you ask what African children need, I'll bet they say food.

According to the article I posted - Oprah had a huge feast for the kids when the Academy opened. The girls had never seen so much food so they ate and ate until they vomited everywhere. And they snuck food into their uniforms and into their bras to take home to their starving families. They ruined their uniforms with hoarding food.

Oprah may be black, but she doesn't understand what it means to be African.

Oprah wants gratitude on a planetary level. She's not happy with all the businesses she has, she wants to cover the globe.
What she doesnt do is have humility. Instead of Plastering her picture, and her name everywhere, she should feed the children and provide if she wants to...anonymously.
That's what is considered a true act of kindness and giving.

Next we'll be calling her Mother Oprah! There's nothing wrong with "giving" and even attaching a name, but when you have your fingers in so many pies, i really think the time to just give for the sake of giving would behoove her more.

She wont stop until she gets a Country named after her, schools, better yet a statue someplace. I think she's pretentious and she's doing all this stuff for the wrong reasons.

[edit on 4-4-2008 by dgtempe]

[edit on 4-4-2008 by dgtempe]