Authored By :
Bill Kochman
Published On :
January 3, 2012
Last Updated :
January 3, 2012
NOTE: This article or series has not been updated recently. As such, it may possibly contain some outdated information, and/or ideas and beliefs which I no longer embrace, or which have changed to some degree.
Oprah Winfrey's Rise To World Fame, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah's Apostasy, Her Damnable Heresies And False Doctrines, Eckhart Tolle's New Age Spirituality, Actual Quotes From The Oprah Winfrey Show, Satanic All Paths Lead To God New Age Doctrine, Jesus Christ Is The Only Way To Obtain Salvation And Our Only Mediator, Billy Graham Claims People Can Be Saved Without Knowing Jesus, Cardinal Ratzinger Claims That People Can Be Saved Without Knowing Jesus, U.S. President Barack Obama Embraces "Many Paths" Doctrine, Obama's View Regarding Jesus, Obama Denies Divine Wrath And Punishment, God's Righteousness Love And Mercy, Obama's View Regarding Heaven, A Works-Based Religion Or A Faith-Based Religion, Obama's View Concerning Sin And The Consequences Of Sin, Human Values Or Bible-Based Values, God's Unchanging Word
Oprah Winfrey. Very few Americans have not heard of her; and her name is recognized in some one hundred and forty-nine other countries around the world where her popular talk show has been syndicated; surprisingly, even in Iran. Born in the American state of Mississippi in 1954, this outgoing woman of African-American heritage rose from southern poverty to eventually become one of the most influential Black women of late 20th Century and early 21st Century America.
Millions of Americans and other nationalities have watched her show -- The Oprah Winfrey Show -- since it first aired nationally in the U.S.A. in September of 1986. After running for twenty-five consecutive years, the show aired its last segment on May 25, 2011. According to online sources, The Oprah Winfrey Show has become the highest-rated talk show in American television history. With her fame also came great wealth, and Oprah also holds the position of Chairwoman and CEO of both her production company -- Harpo Productions -- and her television channel -- the Oprah Winfrey Network -- or OWN, as it is also known.
While I am not a television viewer, and haven't been since 1997, and really take very little interest in television and radio personalities, movie stars, sports figures, politicians, etc., recent information which has come to my attention has compelled me to write this current series. While The Oprah Winfrey Show followed the standard talk show format, in more recent years, Oprah began to steer her show more towards what has been termed "self help", as well as spiritual issues. It is the latter topic which has alarmed me as I have become more familiar with some of the things which Ms. Winfrey has been promoting. Her level of apostasy should shock any true, Bible-believing Christian.
While diehard Oprah Winfrey fans will no doubt take offense at my words, I must be candid with my readers and tell you that the so-called "spirituality" which is being promoted by this woman can only be classified as damnable heresies, lies and deceptive false doctrines. The spirituality which Oprah and her New Age guru and mentor -- Eckhart Tolle -- promote has absolutely no Scriptural basis and is in fact antichrist.
Why do I call it antichrist? Because it doesn't promote the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, or support our core Christian belief which states that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, and the Only Way to Salvation and Eternal Life. Winfrey's and Eckhart Tolle's doctrine is spiritual poison for the soul. It is simply New Age psychobabble and strong delusion which does not lead to Salvation, but rather to damnation.
While publicly, Oprah Winfrey claims to be a Christian, some of the things which come out of her mouth totally contradict her claims. In thinking about her, and what she is doing, I am reminded of the self-proclaimed false prophetess Jezebel, who the Lord condemned in the Book of Revelation, because she seduced the Lord's servants into doing things which were contrary to God's Laws. Consider this verse:
"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."
Revelation 2:20, KJV
In similar fashion, it seems that Oprah Winfrey has seduced a lot of people who trust in her word, with her misguided doctrines. Sadly, this has included a number of gullible Christians as well.
We need to remember that with great power and great fame also comes great responsibility as well. It is my view that Oprah Winfrey has failed in this regard. She has not acted responsibly with the power and fame that she has been given. Of course, she doesn't see it this way, but that is because she is deceived. Furthermore, whether she realizes it or not, due to her extremely high profile and popularity, she makes Satan's perfect ambassador and mouthpiece. Whereas Oprah could have been a great spiritual beacon by promoting the Light of Jesus Christ, she has done the exact opposite instead, along with her false prophet New Age guru, Eckhart Tolle.
If, as a Christian, you think that I am being too harsh on this woman, then allow me to share with you -- word-for-word -- some of the devilish beliefs which she has been publicly promoting to millions of her viewers. If you doubt my word, I invite you to verify the accuracy of the following quotes by viewing taped segments of her shows online. If you are a Bible-believing Christian, you will no doubt be shocked by the following quotes. I offer my personal commentary, along with Scriptural refutation, after each quote.
----- Begin Quote -----
"One of the mistakes that human beings make is believing that there is only one way to live, and that we don't accept that there are diverse ways of being in the world, that there are millions of ways to be a human being, and many ways, many paths to what you call "God". Her path might be something else, and when she gets there, she might call it the light, but her loving and her kindness and her generosity brings her . . . if it brings her to the same point that it brings you, it doesn't matter whether she called it "God" along the way or not . . . There couldn't possibly be just one way . . . There couldn't possibly be."
----- End Quote -----
The previous quote is extremely subtle, because like so many of the things that Satan promotes, it starts out with a half truth which many people will agree with. Of course there are many ways of living in the world. Of course there are many different types of human beings. Who would possibly disagree with such statements? But then Oprah goes down the very same path of deception that we have seen other notable figures go down when she promotes the "many paths to God" doctrine. In case there is any doubt as to what Oprah means, in another taped segment, Oprah plainly states the following:
----- Begin Quote -----
"There are certainly many more paths to God than Christianity."
----- End Quote -----
How many times have we heard this New Age nonsense before? Oprah is obviously not the first person to make this claim, and neither will she be the last. When we take the previous two quotes together, what we can clearly see is that when Oprah states that "There couldn't possibly be just one way", what she is really saying is that Jesus Christ is not the Only Way, and that "There are certainly many more paths to God than Christianity." But what does God's Word tell us? Consider the following sample verses:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 14:6, KJV
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Acts 4:12, KJV
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;"
1 Timothy 2:5, KJV
"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."
Hebrews 8:6, KJV
"And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."
Hebrews 9:15, KJV
"And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
Hebrews 12:24, KJV
So who are we to believe; Jesus Christ and His Apostles, or Oprah Winfrey, Eckhart Tolle and their New Age ilk? I know who and what I believe; how about you?
As I said, Oprah Winfrey is by no means the first person to promote the satanic, antichrist "many paths to God" doctrine. There are many other high-profile individuals -- such as the much-revered American preacher Billy Graham -- who have also embraced and promoted this very same lie. As I mention in my 1998 article entitled "Modern False Prophets and Worldly Ecumenism", in May of 1997, Billy Graham made a disturbing comment while engaging in an interview with Reverend Robert Schuller, who is the founder of the Crystal Cathedral Church in Garden Grove, California, and until 2006, was the voice of the Hour of Power television show. Consider what Graham had to say during that interview:
----- Begin Quote -----
"I think everybody who knows Christ, whether they're conscious of it or not, they're members of the Body of Christ . . . God's purpose is to call out a people for His name, whether they come from the Muslim world, Buddhist world, the Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the Body of Christ, because they've been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus . . . and I think they are saved and that they are going to be in heaven with us."
----- End Quote -----
Once again we see the very same devilish tactic on display. We can all agree that God is indeed calling out a people unto Himself from all around the world, from many different backgrounds, and from many different religions. But you see, that is not what Graham is saying. While God expects all of these people to abandon their false, deceptive religions, and to embrace Jesus Christ alone as the only Savior of the world, Billy Graham is saying that these people belong to the Body of Christ, even if they have never heard of the name of Jesus. Now tell me friends, how can a person truly be saved, and be assured of Heaven, if they don't even know who Jesus is? Thus we see that Graham's belief is in total contradiction to the Scriptures that I shared with you a minute ago.
As I mention in my 2005 article called "Cardinal Ratzinger's Rebellion", the current pope of Rome is another high-profile figure who has apparently been deceived by the satanic "many paths to God" doctrine. In September 2000, the conservative Catholic website zenit.org published an interview with then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger entitled "Are Believers Of Other Religions Saved?". In the interview, the future pope states in part the following:
----- Begin Quote -----
". . . we are in agreement that a Jew, and this is true for believers of other religions, does not need to know or acknowledge Christ as the Son of God in order to be saved, if there are insurmountable impediments, of which he is not blameworthy, to preclude it."
----- End Quote -----
Now, I don't know what kind of impediments Ratzinger was referring to -- perhaps opposition from other family members or from the majority religion in their country, such as Islam or Judaism -- but it doesn't change the fact that his basic premise is absolutely wrong, unbiblical, and will only serve to encourage people to not embrace Jesus Christ, as they will think that they are okay with the false religion that they currently embrace.
As many of you will know, since he was elected as president of the United States in 2008, Barack Obama has been heavily criticized by his opponents, particularly by his political opponents, meaning the Republicans. Part of the campaign against Obama has included widely-circulated stories about his alleged false or doctored birth certificate, as well as the claim that he is in reality a Muslim. While I prefer to remain outside of all of the propaganda, I have written my fair share of commentary regarding Obama's views which are in opposition to our Christian faith. Sadly, it appears that Barack Obama is another high-profile figure who embraces the "many paths to God" doctrine. This becomes apparent when we consider some of the statements that he has made over the years.
In a much publicized 2004 interview with Cathleen Falsani -- who at that time was the religion reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times -- Mr. Obama -- who was still a state senator from Illinois -- stated the following when Ms. Falsani asked him what he believes:
----- Begin Quote -----
"So, I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people."
----- End Quote -----
As a Bible-believing Christian, I am having a difficult time understanding how Barack Obama can claim to be "rooted in the Christian tradition", and then in the very same breath say that "there are many paths to the same place", meaning to God. He sounds just like Oprah Winfrey, Billy Graham, Pope Benedict XVI, and a number of other people who promote this very same lie. Didn't Jesus clearly say "no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"? And didn't the Apostle Peter say "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"? And didn't the Apostle Paul write that there is "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"?
The motivation behind the 2004 interview was that at that time, Cathleen Falsani was in the process of writing a book called "The God Factor: Inside the Spiritual Lives of Public People". According to Falsani, Barack Obama believes that "All people of faith -- Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone -- knows the same God." I'm sorry, but personally, I am not convinced that the Jews, Muslims, animists, Hindus, Buddhists, or anyone else for that matter, believes in the same God as I do if they reject His Word -- the Bible -- and don't embrace Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
If you are a Bible-believing Christian, and if you take the time to read the 2004 Falsani interview with Barack Obama in its entirety, I assure you that the red flags will go up. On the surface, Obama tries to come across as a spiritual man who is deeply rooted in the Christian faith, but the subtle, deceptive, vague nature of some of his responses is readily apparent. For example, consider the following excerpts:
----- Begin Quote -----
FALSANI:
Who's Jesus to you?
(He laughs nervously)
OBAMA:
Right.
Jesus is an historical figure for me, and he's also a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith, and one that I think is powerful precisely because he serves as that means of us reaching something higher . . . And he's also a wonderful teacher. I think it's important for all of us, of whatever faith, to have teachers in the flesh and also teachers in history.
----- End Quote -----
Why would a sincere Christian laugh nervously when he is asked who Jesus is to them? Notice carefully that while Mr. Obama refers to Jesus as a "historical figure", "a bridge between God and man", and "a wonderful teacher", nowhere does he come right out and refer to Jesus as the Son of God, or as the Savior of the world. Notice also how he carefully points out that Jesus is "a bridge between God and man, in the Christian faith", my emphasis being on the phrase "in the Christian faith". I suspect that his remark regarding having teachers "of whatever faith" may be a hint that he even respects the false teachers and prophets of other non-Christian religions.
Later on in the same interview, we also find the following very revealing segment, which again reveals Obama's serious lack of understanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures:
----- Begin Quote -----
OBAMA:
There's the belief, certainly in some quarters, that people [who] haven't embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior, that they're going to hell.
FALSANI:
You don't believe that?
OBAMA:
I find it hard to believe that my God would consign four-fifths of the world to hell . . . I can't imagine that my God would allow some little Hindu kid in India who never interacts with the Christian faith to somehow burn for all eternity . . . That's just not part of my religious makeup.
----- End Quote -----
I can only wonder what Barack Obama thinks of the following New Testament verses. Would he simply tear them out of the Bible because they don't agree with what he has chosen to believe?:
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
Matthew 7:13-14, KJV
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
Hebrews 10:26-27, KJV
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God . . . For our God is a consuming fire."
Hebrews 10:31, 12:29, KJV
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Revelation 20:15, KJV
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Revelation 21:8, KJV
Concerning Obama's remark concerning the "little Hindu kid", as I point out in some of my other articles, personally, I firmly believe in the righteousness and fairness of God's judgments. I also believe in God's Love and Mercy. As such, I have the faith and am convinced that He has a special plan for every single person who has ever lived. I believe that somehow, somewhere, and in some way, God will give everyone an opportunity to hear about the Forgiveness and Salvation which comes through Jesus Christ alone. I don't believe that people can be held accountable, if they have never heard the Gospel of Salvation. Being the righteous God that He is, He obviously knows this as well; and that is why I believe that no one will end up in the Lake of Fire until they have been given an opportunity to either accept, or to reject, Jesus Christ.
Barack Obama's response to the question regarding whether or not he believes in Heaven is also very vague and disturbing. His response clearly reveals how he is being very careful, and endeavoring to appeal to his entire audience, and not just to Christians:
----- Begin Quote -----
FALSANI:
Do you believe in heaven?
OBAMA:
Do I believe in the harps and clouds and wings?
FALSANI:
A place spiritually you go to after you die?
OBAMA:
What I believe in is that if I live my life as well as I can, that I will be rewarded. I don't presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. But I feel very strongly that whether the reward is in the here and now or in the hereafter, the aligning myself to my faith and my values is a good thing.
When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I've been a good father to them, and I see in them that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they're kind people and that they're honest people, and they're curious people, that's a little piece of heaven.
----- End Quote -----
Notice carefully how Obama emphasizes that being rewarded "in the hereafter", as he puts it, is based not on faith in Jesus Christ, but rather on how well one has lived in this current life. In other words, Obama's response gives the impression that he believes in a works-based religion, and not in a faith-based religion which depends on the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone. Obama's response sounds so similar to other religions which emphasize personal goodness, including Buddhism and Roman Catholicism. In fact, you may recall that earlier in our discussion, Oprah Winfrey seemed to suggest the very same thing. At one point Oprah said "but her loving and her kindness and her generosity brings her . . . if it brings her to the same point that it brings you, it doesn't matter whether she called it "God" along the way or not."
Obama's response to the question regarding whether or not he believes in sin also falls short of what one would expect a Bible-believing Christian to say. Consider the following:
----- Begin Quote -----
FALSANI:
Do you believe in sin?
OBAMA:
Yes.
FALSANI:
What is sin?
OBAMA:
Being out of alignment with my values.
FALSANI:
What happens if you have sin in your life?
OBAMA:
I think it's the same thing as the question about heaven. In the same way that if I'm true to myself and my faith that that is its own reward, when I'm not true to it, it's its own punishment.
----- End Quote -----
While we can assume that when Obama says that sin is "Being out of alignment with [his] values", he actually means with his Christian values, we don't know that for certain. But no matter how we choose to interpret his response, as I explain in other articles such as the series "Obama, McCain and the Bush Legacy", some of Obama's views are most certainly not Christian positions by any means. For example, as many of you will already know, he supports abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and gay and lesbian rights, to name a few.
Being as Obama is an imperfect human being, just like the rest of us, his value system is also corrupt and imperfect. Rather than determine what sin is based on his own personal values, he needs to base his understanding of what sin is on God's Word and God's Laws, because the Bible plainly tells us that sin is breaking God's Laws, as we see by this verse:
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
1 John 3:4, KJV
So, unless we are really familiar with and accept God's Word as the Ultimate Authority in our lives, we can very easily fall under the delusion of determining what is right and wrong based upon our flawed personal value system, which can in fact change from day to day and year to year. God's Word, on the other hand, is constant and immutable; that is, it never changes. Consider the following verses:
"LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."
Psalm 119:89, KJV
"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."
Ecclesiastes 3:14-15, KJV
"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"
Isaiah 46:9-10, KJV
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
James 1:17, KJV
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:"
2 Peter 1:19, KJV
Please go to part two for the continuation of this series concerning the apostasy of Oprah Winfrey.
⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .