In the course of her prodigious career, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has been branded many things, from saint to sinner, to lesbian, to the worst thing ever to happen to human beings ever since their fall from grace. I'm sorry to be the one who breaks this piece of news, but there you have it: those of you who thought they had in fact heard everything there was to hear about Miss Winfrey were completely wrong. A Baptist website now claims that Oprah and her New Age doctrine are in fact so harmful to Christian beliefs that anyone who pays attention to the "Course in Miracles" promoted by the talk show host will end up going straight to Hell.
These claims stem in fact from the fact that Oprah has embarked on a wide campaign promoting New Age guru Marianne Williamson and her book A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles. Williamson was a guest on Oprah's talk show and on her "Oprah & Friends" channel on XM Satellite Radio, which made Baptist author James A. Smith Sr. brand Oprah as the "pied piper of heresies". In an attempt to warn those he believes are in danger of burning in hell for paying attention to Oprah's teachings, Smith Sr. has even come up with a catchy slogan: "It's time for Christians to just say no to the big O", he claims. Or else, we're all headed for the large pit of fire.
"Contrary to the Bible's clear teaching that our guilt is the result of the fact that we truly are sinners, separated from God by our sin, and rightfully under God's judgment for our sin, 'A Course in Miracles' teaches that we must realize 'all guilt is solely an invention of your mind' and in this realization is salvation," the Baptist site claims. Among the Oprah-endorsed New Age beliefs which may cause the biggest dangers to our chances of going to heaven are Williamson's claims that there is no such thing as sin and the fact that "The name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol…. It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray".
Given that the same Baptist author who claims Oprah is evil also declares himself against including gays in Baptist events, opposes stem cell research, and wants creationism to be taught in school, we can safely assume he won't be making too big an impact among the middle class female masses - but then again, we can never know for sure.
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