Newsweek magazine has a new article for its May 12, 2008 issue that studies talk show queen, Oprah Winfrey's reasons for leaving the church she once shared with Barack Obama-Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
The article states that Winfrey left the church primarily due to the antics of Reverend Jeremiah Wright. However upon further inspection, it doesn't appear to be Wright's belligerent racism or his apparent hate for the country that has afforded Oprah so much opportunity that lead to her departure. It appears her concerns centered more around her bank account and the desire to start her own cultic movement.
Forbes ranked Oprah as the wealthiest women in entertainment and noted that she was the only "black female billionaire." They estimated her net worth at $1500 million and that she pockets an estimated $225 million annually from TV (including shows starring Dr. Phil McGraw and Rachael Ray, produced by Oprah's Harpo Productions), satellite radio, magazines and other multimedia endeavors.
Unlike her friend Obama, Oprah apparently preconceived the idea of what an alliance with Wright could possibly do to her public image and hence her empire.
"Oprah is a businesswoman, first and foremost," said one longtime friend, who requested anonymity when discussing Winfrey's personal sentiments. "She's always been aware that her audience is very mainstream, and doing anything to offend them just wouldn't be smart," states the Newsweek article.
Oprah did not have the same foresight when she jumped aboard the Obama campaign train that was reluctant to leave "Wright Station." She has been in constant backlash from her fans due to her campaign activities and loud support for the presidential campaign for Sen. Barack Obama. A simple search of the term "Oprah backlash" in Google will load hundreds of thousands of pages.
As for the spiritual side of Oprah, it appears that she left Trinity with plans to build her own "church" that centered less around the wacky beliefs of Jeremiah Wright's and more around the wacky beliefs of her own mind.
In conversations with a former business associate, who also asked for anonymity, Winfrey cited her fatigue with organized religion at the time of her departure from Trinity . "There is the Church of Oprah now," said her longtime friend. "She has her own following," the Newsweek article states.
Oprah now offers her followers online courses in her own new age religion that mostly centers around a book titled "A Course in Miracles. " The book was written by Dr. Helen Schucman, an atheist and psychologist, that wrote the course under the direction of an "inner voice."
She also uses her talk show as a pulpit for her beliefs. She recently told viewers that she doesn't believe there is one God, and is currently pushing and promoting study on a book that says man made God.
Long gone are the days of Oprah respectability.
-------------------------
ref: http://www.forbes.com/2007/01/17/richest-women-entertainment-tech-media-cz_lg_richwomen07_0118womenstars_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=15000
http://www.newsweek.com/id/135392
http://www.webcommentary.com/asp/ShowArticle.asp?id=westm&date=080504, http://www.wapt.com/news/16162260/detail.html
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Something's seriously not "Wright" with Oprah.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hey -
In all fairness to Oprah whom I have not written three articles on, her leaving because of the bottom line was the right thing to do because as a business person, building and protecting a brand is very important. Phil Cooke wrote a book, Branding Faith, and he talks about how we brand something is how we are perceived. The fact that Oprah understands that enough to stay away from Wright is actually to her credit.
Sadly, what really bothered me about this story (and I think was insinuated between the lines) is that Oprah left the church because of Wright. Because of his rhetoric, Oprah not only left the church, but left God. Wright will one day have to answer for that.
We should be praying for Oprah to find her way back and the millions who are leaving the church seeking a much friendlier God as well.
As for her respectability, I don't harbor any ill will towards her in regards to Obama. That was a personal decision, right or wrong for her. In addition, how many of our "Christian" brothers and sisters are backing Obama? I have been shocked to find out how many people I know that ARE backing him.
Anyway, for me, I will continue writing about her and praying for her.
Great, absolutely great!
http://www.federalistnowandforever.wordpress.com
Post a Comment