Oprah has always had some off the wall ideas. I was watching a clip on her site the other day or maybe it was on tv, where she was telling about buying a car for her father and had the dealership open for her on a Sunday, when they are normally closed for business. She made reference to wanting to get out of going to church with him. I dont know where her beliefs stand now, I dont watch her that often and always end up missing the good shows, but her shows in general reflect what is going on in her life and as her beliefs have changed we have heard her make different comments and statements. As she evolves you will see it come out in her topics. Everyone is on a journey, everyone is at a different place of understanding, I hope she has gotten it together tho. As far as watching her, I take wisdom where I find it, even if it comes from an "non-Christian" source. However just because a source is MOSTLY trustworthy and accurate, doesnt mean it is ALWAYS trustworthy and accurate. If can benefit from some of her shows, and gain knowledge and understanding I do so, but I dont take everything she says as gospel, as she can err just like everyone else. Its our responsiblity to filter the information we receive and discern truth.
Now, as far as the author she mentioned, Marianne Williamson. She is an author who writes spiritual books based on A Course in Miracles. Years ago my sister brought these books home, and she was really excited about them. She had been reading them, following their principles, and was happier than I had ever seen her. Naturally I'm curious and she had offered to buy me a copy. I skimmed through the Course in Miracles, and all of it appeared to be sound, giving advice based on biblical principles. God is good however, and just as I was thinking I'd like to have my own copy, the book fell open to a passage that basically stated that Jesus was a CONCEPT. That there was no heaven or hell in the sense that there is an after life and a God to pass judgement. It basically said that we make our own heaven or hell based on how we live our life and our level of enlightenment. Now, biblical principles work for ANYONE. God said do "A" and "B" will happen, so if you do 'A', 'B' WILL happen. You reap what you sow, whether you are Christan or not. This course is giving folx almost everything they need for victorious living: sound principles to guide their lives, how to resolve conflict with others and live in peace, principles that will prosper them because they are based on Gods law. Everything EXCEPT for Jesus.
The enemy is cleaver. You cant tell folx who have followed these principles that they wont work because they are seeing and living the results. However a lie is most effective when it is mixed with truth and if deception was easy to spot you wouldnt have so many people deceived. I probably could have benefitted from the course itself, because it gives examples and puts the concepts in laymans terms that when you read it a light goes off and you think "so thats how that works!". I never read it though because I didnt want to get mixed up in something because of more subtle deception. God showed me what was wrong with it from jump, so it was my responsiblity to walk away from it. I did end up with Mariannes book but I threw it out. As far as my sister, I dont know what to think, I believe at one time she had accepted Christ, and I feel even if you backslide you cant lose your salvation. God has promised salvation through so many generations and I know my grandfather was a praying man of God, so I pray for her and leave it in Gods hands.
In the old testament before Christ came, obedience to God was counted as righteousness. There was paradise and I think hades or gehenna. The saints were sent to paradise and the sinners to hades, after Christ came the saints went to heaven. God is a fair, just and righeteous God. I'm sure that He will be able to show when you had a chance to accept Him, and that everyone will be given clear opportunity to. God is not powerless, and trust me He speaks. Its not His will that any should perish but we are given free will to choose our own way. I personally have my own ideas about some of these things, like what happens to children who die before they are mature enough to accept Christ, but I dont have scripture to quote to support it, its just my own ideas so I'm not going to go into them here. Just know this, God isnt trying to trap us, or punish us. Jesus came for us to be SAVED. Hes NOT the bad guy.
Finally, there is nothing wrong with Oprah or anyone questioning God or what happens to folx who havent accepted Christ. God encourages us to question, not just blindly follow. Our faith should not just be based on concepts, but with our experience with God, our relationship. We have to trust God and know that He will do what He says He will do. Know that He loves us and that He isnt out to "get" us or catch us messing up. However, and this has been pointed out several times,
IF she is claiming she is a Christian, to state that there are MANY paths to God not only goes against the biblical teaching that there is only ONE (Jesus), it is also is putting her in a position to cause others to fall because of her power and influence. (You saw what one lil comment about beef sparked off.) If there were another way Jesus wouldnt have had to die in the first place. I too have respect for the beliefs of others, HOWEVER, I am not going to sit and agree with someone that they are going to heaven when the bible teaches otherwise. If someone says they are Christian and says that there is another way they are either deceived or deceiving you.