www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall The divine Miss Winfrey?

Too Much!

"In Ellen DeGeneres' stand-up comedy act several years ago, she included a joke about getting to heaven and finding that God is a black woman named Oprah."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-05-10-oprah_x.htm?POE=LIFISVA

O my...

Timely considering Michelle Arnold's recent blog [jimmyakin.org] about "Mother Oprah."

Gurus come and gurus go. In 2,000 years no one will remember her name.

CDL

Oprah and Ellen? A plague on both their houses.

I like Oprah. I don't watch her that much because I don't watch television that much anymore, but I see nothing wrong with her. When I do see a bit of her shows, they are generally good. She is likeable, charismatic, empathetic and compassionate.

The blog link was very hard on her and on her viewers. Whether we like it or not, we are not monastics, most of us do live in the secular world and there is nothing wrong with a healthy balance of the spiritual world and the secular world.

Infact, being 'hip' like Oprah, but living spiritually, intellectually, and with integrity may be more inspiring in leading others to God and religion than a holy monastic is. People need to be able to emulate and relate.

(For instance, a woman may look at Blessed Mother Theresa and admire her work with the poor, and her vow of poverty, but know that she cannot take the same steps in her life...but look at a celebrity with integrity and faith and say, 'you know, I can start taking my faith in God and my spiritual life more seriously, and I can live out my life at work and with others that I meet with more integrity, love and compassion.)

There are few celebrities these days worthy of that, and Oprah isn't perfect, but in a media that generally hates God, because she is a Black American, she can get away with talking about Him-- and thank the Heavens above for that!

It seems that Black Americans are the ONLY celebrities who are allowed by Hollywood, to talk about God, Jesus, and their Christian faith without prejudice or consequence.

As for Ellen De Generis...no comment.

In Christ,
Alice

I'm not a regular viewer of Oprah Winfrey's show, but I have seen it from time to time.
I skimmed the article, and it seemed to be silly and wrong.

Oprah Winfrey is a talk-show host. She is good at what she does. And so, she is also a celebrity.

But, happily, she takes her status as a role model seriously. To this I say "Thank God!" in an era when most celebrities feel entitled to break every standard of morality and decency.
She also openly acknowledges God and Jesus Christ. I heard her openly say on one of her shows that she is a Christian. To this I also say "Thank God" in this time when God seems to be an embarrassment for most celebrities. She isn't a perfect human being, but who is ? Our religion is for people who are not perfect.

She also has overcome huge challenges in her life --especially being a victim of child abuse and also being a black woman in an America that is still often racist. She has nevertheless achieved success and prosperity. And she tries to tell other people who are facing challenges that they can overcome them too.

In short, Oprah Winfrey is a talk show host and a celebrity --not a guru-- who is a Christian and who is trying to be a good role model, especially for women who face huge challenges.

-- John

Dear John and Alice,
I agree with you guys 100%. Oprah is a good role model. She has done so much for black women everywhere. I also think that it is good that her show has not sunk to the same levels as other daytime "talk shows". At least on her show you don't get these "I slept with my boyfriend's best friend and now I dont know who my baby's father is" shows. Oprah is a classy person in a not so classy tv lineup these days. She's not a guru. She has problems like everyone else does. She's really not so bad.

--Katie g

Don't worry, Ellen won't be going to heaven anytime soon. There are many years of purgation ahead of her.

Who says she's even getting into Purgatory (I mean...Final Theosis!)?

No single person is guaranteed salvation.

Logos Teen

As the moderator:

Responding acolytejim's post: I find it highly inappropriate to speak in any public venue, including this forum, of the present and/or future state of an individual's soul.

Responding to LT's post: I would be careful how you phrase your comments regarding salvation. The Church has always declined to state definitvely which particular person is actually condemned without the hope of salvation.

Father Deacon,

Actually, the first time I wrote it I said "The salvatin of no one is guaranteed," but that could be really misunderstood.

Anyway, what you say is of course correct and my statement is not at odds with that whatsoever. The Church has also been careful to never proclaim that someone is in Heaven, except for the canonized.

The long and short of it is that we don't know who's in Heaven and who's in Hell, except that we know that canonized saints are in Heaven.

Logos Teen