Oprah Winfrey's Crusade To Reshape Religion In America

Over the past few years Oprah Winfrey has gone from being just a talk show host to being one of the world's most influential spiritual leaders. According to Forbes, Oprah is worth 1.4 billion dollars, but these days she seems much more interested in spiritual matters than in building her empire.

In fact, Oprah has become such a spiritual icon in America that USAToday has called her "a spiritual leader for the new millennium, a moral voice of authority for the nation."

In an unscientific poll conducted on Beliefnet.com, 33% of the 6,600 respondents said that Oprah has had "a more profound impact" on their spiritual lives than their pastors or priests.

Oprah's massive television audience of ten million viewers each day and her magazine readership of over 2.7 million each month gives Oprah a tremendous platform with which to influence American culture.

Without a doubt, Oprah Winfrey is one of the most highly regarded and listened to celebrities in the world:

futurestorm.blogspot.com...

Oprah certainly does inspire the masses. But, is there another side to Oprah?

With Oprah Winfrey, the intersection of politics and education is making for strange bedfellows. Federal tax returns and other reports confirm that she’s accepted at least $5 million for her self-named South African girls’ school from perhaps Barack Obama’s single greatest political enemy.

She threw him a lavish launch party, endorsed him on her show, stumped for him in the early primaries, and cried — as captured by photographers — in a Chicago park when he won the election. Her loyalty seemed fierce. But it turns out that Winfrey is very close friends with Dallas billionaire named Harold Simmons, a leading Republican donor and supporter of John McCain.

This past August it was revealed that Simmons was the single donor to a 527 committee called American Issues Project. Its only issue: to run ads linking Obama to William Ayers, the political activist who was once part of the Weather Underground.

Obama for America wanted to take Simmons to court over his donations to the AIP group. Simmons has been fined multiple times by the FEC going back to 1988- 89 and Oprah has been friends with Simmons and his wife since at least 2001. Simmons also spent a mint to help deflate Kerry's campaign.

Is this a two faced Oprah? I would think that such a die hard Obama supporter wouldn't keep such strange bedfellows. Just food for thought.

Man I hate celebrities!!!!
Oprah???Give me a break!!!!

her biological clock has kicked in full swing. she probably really believes she's doing something importatn.

Great!!!Thats just what we need...another well meaning idiot!!
Don't we already have enough of those ignorant schmucks preaching their dumb views and opinions on the air??

reply to post by DrumsRfun


Dumb views? Just because you think they are dumb views, doesn't mean it is so.

It seem's to me you have a real personal issue with Oprah or someone doing well for themselves and standing by what they believe.

Oprah doesn't regard herself a celebrity. She is self made. She believed in herself and she opened her career from her just been Oprah.

She never intended to be a celebrity. People warm to her, because she was one of the few woman in the 70s that spoke out about certain issues on live air that no one else ever dared to bring up.

This shows she's coragous and innovative. This is the reason she is sucessful today. Don't knock her, just for the fact she has celebrity status.

What does Oprah believe in?

She certainly is not shy about taking money from and befriending Simmons. Simmons fought to the tooth to get Bush elected and fought to attempt an Obama defeat. Oprah is a staunch Obama supporter. Or at least she pretends to be.

She has created a production studio, magazines, a girls school with $60 million of her own money, tv networks etc. You can't create an empire that large and not consider yourself a celebrity. When you travel with an entourage you are a celebrity. Look at Donald Trump.

reply to post by MandM

Oprah Winfrey's Crusade To Reshape Religion In America

With all the 'talk' about Oprah saying 'I love african American' and 'I love the black people'...I am NOT being racist, because I stoped watching Oprah because of all that talk. I swear! If Oprah has her own 'version' of the bible, then people would see african Americans in the bible somewhere.

Celebrity status is just a title to show fame of a certain person.

Celebrity today is taboo cus you have idiot's like Paris hilton protraying fame to be superfical and attention seeking.

Oprah believe's in herself. She started out as a jounalist. She was not just one ordinary journalist. She was humanitarian, she was outspoken, powerful, wise and emotional. She had the gift to home people and viewer's in. She had a very traumatic upbringing. She wanted to better herself, and she did!. She now wants to better the world.

So what if she's a celebrity. It has zero relevance to this topic anyhoo.

Obama is a celebrity too, what's the big deal?

reply to post by mind is the universe

Celebrity today is taboo cus you have idiot's like Paris hilton protraying fame to be superfical and attention seeking.

Yeah! You said it. Notice the top quote and the quote below. Ohh.

Obama is a celebrity too, what's the big deal?

reply to post by gordonwest


I have to agree with you there, she does seem kind of hypocritical and biased at time's. Especially In relation to race.

I remember she was also a big fan of Hillary when she was showing signs of running for the whitehouse and even when she was first lady. Over the years she always wanted a woman's president to be a reality and that it was a really important milestone for America. Been a powerful woman herself, it's something she had always made defeniate that America should have a female president this time around. She had Hillary on her shows a few times prior to the Presidental race. (I haven't seen these shows though)

When she realised Obama was suddenly in the race, she dropped the whole female nominee race agenda out of the hat, I mean literally. She had Hillary many times on her show, and she showed great admiration for her, as been a powerful influnencial woman like herself. Once Obama was on the scene, she hasn't really directed any public attention towards Hilary since.

It's racist without a doubt. It was so blatantly obvious, it was purely about skin colour. It almost appears, even if Obama was worse off and not up for the job, it was like she had it set in her mind and she wanted a black president NOW regardess of the actual job and whether he was suited for the job.

That was absurdly inappropriate IMO.

This the only big negative thing that I really disliked about her over the years. It annoyed the poo out of me to be honest. I don't understand why she would be so biased and personal about skin colour, when afterall it is Oprah one who wanted all humanity to be one and leaving gender, race and skin colour aside. Something she preached for so many years on her show.

[edit on 4-12-2008 by mind is the universe]

reply to post by MandM


Maybe I am missing something, but apart from the fact that you and Jibeho obviously don't like Oprah, what exactly are you accusing her of?

Is it that she's trying to undermine Christianity with her religious views?

Is she a pawn of the New World Order?

Does she take money from bad guys and give them to little schoolgirls in Africa?

C'mon guys this is a conspiracy theory website. Let's hear your theory!

...or do you fear her mighty wrath

For the people knocking Oprah, have any of you actually ever read Eckhart Tolle?
If you had, you would realize that there is nothing in there but pure unconditional love.
It is not a religion nor does it require faith and it certainly is not a threat to anyone. Unless of course you're addicted to suffering.

reply to post by schrodingers dog

For the people knocking Oprah

I noticed how you wrote 'faith' and not 'race'. If Oprah was about 'faith', then she would 'love thy neighbour as thyself'. And there are other quote and commands that as a belivier in God, should be done. Oprah has soo much $$$, do you really think that she would help the african Americans in America with problems? No, why? Oprah is about 'all hype' and no filling. I really hope Oprah doesn't run for President.

Only in America could a chat show host turn spiritual leader. TV is GOD and all that. One for the sheeple. Well I suppose it's better than the English equivalent of Trisha and we have got David Ike too

Originally posted by gordonwest
reply to post by mind is the universe

 

Celebrity today is taboo cus you have idiot's like Paris hilton protraying fame to be superfical and attention seeking.

Yeah! You said it. Notice the top quote and the quote below. Ohh.

Obama is a celebrity too, what's the big deal?

Since your not objective, you failed oblivian as to what my point was.

People are attacking Oprah for been a celebrity.
Because Celebrity today doesn't have a good sterotype. Since Celebrity is not about talent it's about the fame. Paris hilton and Britney spear's are examples.

Obama and Oprah are not a representation of today's celebrities. That was my point.

Oprah doesn't represent fame. She represent herself, a global figure who shows her true self and talent. She is a self made realist. People admire her for that, thats why shes well known.
Obama is a public figure who has talent and intellgence also. He's considered a celebrity also now. Does he get knocked down like Oprah? Should he be associated with Paris and Britney.

Man you need widen your perception's A LOT.

reply to post by tigermoff


She didn't just wake up one day at 12 year's of age and said BAM

I'm gonna be on T.V and I'm going to be a rock chick spirtual leader on my show. It's gonna rock out etc (punk style langauge added to lighten this bitching on this thread )

Give the woman a break ffs. Seriously it's mostly men here bitching about her just because she is successful. I was going to say something else about those people who are "bitching". But I won't

[edit on 4-12-2008 by mind is the universe]

I don't care if she is male or female...she's just another self-important talking head on TV that thinks they know what is best for everyone else.

Originally posted by gordonwest
reply to post by schrodingers dog

 

For the people knocking Oprah

I noticed how you wrote 'faith' and not 'race'. If Oprah was about 'faith', then she would 'love thy neighbour as thyself'. And there are other quote and commands that as a belivier in God, should be done. Oprah has soo much $$$, do you really think that she would help the african Americans in America with problems? No, why? Oprah is about 'all hype' and no filling. I really hope Oprah doesn't run for President.

For someones sayin' it's not about race you sure seem to talk a lot it, even when no one else is.

And Oprah does tons of charity work giving tens of millions away every year, and I'm sure a lot of this goes to African Americans.

I can understand if you don't like her show and think she has an annoying attitude, but I don't understand why you seem to think she's some huge force of evil in the world

Spill the Beans... What's really irking you about Oprah?

reply to post by mind is the universe



She is actually the person that intorduced Obama to the masses. She asked him on her show to run for President, or if he was going to. She didn't start supporting him after he entered the race, but long before.


To Jibeho...are you saying that someone can not befriend tow seperate people who have to seperate belief systems? Are you saying that if someone DOES do so, they are a hypocrite?

Do ALL of the people you consider friends have the same belief system, support the same politicians, go to the same church, etc? I have very dear friends who supported McCain, while I support Obama, voted Yes on Prop 8, while I voted No, and was very outspoken about it, are fanatical Christians who dance in churches and speak in tongues, while I don't attend Church at all. My life is rich and full because of the variety of friends I have, am I a hypocrite because I befriend them, and support them on a friendship level, while not agreeing with certain things? I think not.

As far as celebrity goes, of course she is a celebrity, there is nothing wrong with being a celebrity or famous. Fame has been distorted because of the likes of Paris Hilton and other (non) Celebrities that have done nothing but show their T&A on camera, while the people who deserve celebrity status like Oprah get shamed for it. Sad state of affairs.