The Strange Gospel of Oprah Winfrey
17 Jan 2006
Not only did they opt for the wrong side of the Jordan (Numbers 32:1-33), but the tribe of Gad also turned their disobedience of an Old Testament prohibition into a profitable business. Instead of keeping the law by keeping themselves from swine (Leviticus 11:1-8), the Gadarenes became pig farmers. This explains why Jesus cast a legion of demons out of the demonic of Gadara and into a herd of swine (Mark 5:1-20). Afterward, the possessed porkers, preferring “sueycide” to being deviled ham, ended their lives with a “swine dive” off a steep cliff.
Reminiscent of the Gadarenes, Oprah Winfrey has parlayed disobedience to a Biblical prohibition into a television dynasty, making herself one of the wealthiest people in the world. Whereas the Bible prohibits women from neglecting their domestic responsibilities in order to give themselves over to idleness, gossip, trivialities and empty talk (1 Timothy 5:13-15), Winfrey’s television show, along with a host of others, such as Dr. Phil and Judge Judy, result in women doing the very thing the Bible prohibits, namely, neglect their homes and spend their days idly listening to gossip, trivialities and empty talk.
In an attempt to preempt a bunch of nasty email from infuriated females, permit me to plead my case against Oprah. With a television show seen in 112 countries and viewed by more than 22 million people, the vast majority of which are women, Oprah Winfrey is undoubtedly one of today’s most influential people. Often referring to her television show as a ministry, Oprah daily preaches in houses around the world a generic spirituality that suggest all religions are equally valid paths to God. While guests on her show preach everything from Zen Buddhism’s karmic destiny to Hinduism’s reincarnation, Oprah herself boldly proclaims from her TV pulpit: “One of the biggest mistakes humans make is to believe there is only one way. Actually, there are many diverse paths leading to what you call God.”
Oprah, a former professed Christian, has certainly broken away from the traditional Christian faith, preaching in its place a strange gospel of positive thinking spirituality. The faith she now espouses has nothing to do with the faith founded by Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul predicted that one of the characteristics of the “perilous times” of the last days would be “silly women” who “never come to a knowledge of the truth,” in spite of the fact that they are “ever learning” from those who daily “creep” into their houses (2 Timothy 3:1-7). Although millions of “silly women” today are “ever learning” from the Oprah Winfreys of our world who daily creep into their houses via television, these female couch potatoes will “never come to a knowledge of the truth” watching daytime TV. They’ll never hear Oprah, Dr. Phil or Judge Judy say, “Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by [Him]” (John 14:6).
Don Walton
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