In addition to being one of the richest women in America, Oprah Winfrey is one of the most admired women in this nation and in the world. When you know of her humble origins, it is easy to admire her success. She was from a divorced family, raised mostly in East Nashville by her father, abused by a male relative when she was a small girl. She was given her real start in Nashville when Chris Clark hired her as a reporter on Channel 5 news. From here she went to Chicago and had a local network afternoon talk show. The rest is history.

Oprah is one of the most powerful individuals in this country. She can make careers, such as that of Rachel Ray, Dr. Phil, and Dr. Oz. Her recommendations for a book can make it an instant best seller. She can accomplish a lot of good with that kind of power, but if it is improperly used she can do a lot of harm. Her programs have probably helped a lot of people with many personal issues. However, she is now venturing into the area of spiritual instruction, and it is here that Oprah can do irreparable damage. She has been called "The most influential spiritual leader in America today."

On January 1, 2008 on her daily radio program, Oprah began a year long course on the New Age Christ for 365 days. It is based on a workbook called "A Course in Miracles." Oprah said this was one of her favorite books. She bought thousands of them to hand out to her studio audience. Listeners to her program will be encouraged to purchase the book and an audio version on CD read by Richard "John Boy" Thomas which will be available. Popular author, Wayne Dyer, told his PBS audience that the "brilliant writing" of this book would produce more peace in the world. The book proudly states that "This is a course in mind training" and is dedicated to "thought reversal." It is allegedly a "new revelation" which began to be "channeled" in 1965 to a Columbia University Medical Psychology Professor, Helen Schucman who claimed she received messages from "an inner voice" from a person calling himself Jesus, and he asked her to write them down. The messages from this "Jesus" bear no resemblance to Jesus Christ of Scripture.

Here are some of the dangerous doctrines that can be found in this book. "There is no sin..." A "slain Christ has no meaning." "Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.’" "The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless’ journey." "The name of Jesus Christ is just 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." "The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation."

Oprah has made several statements similar to these on her programs. She said, "What you are requires no belief." She said she took "God out of the box." "God isn’t something to believe in. God is a feeling experienced not a believing experience." "My mind is part of God. My holiness is my salvation – it comes from me." She said, "Christians are confused," and a big mistake many Christians make is to believe "there is only one path to God" and "There couldn’t possibly be only one way to God."

Jesus still says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).