When thinking about Oprah Winfrey's approach to the metaphsyical, writes Indiana Unviversity professor Kathryn Lofton, it's important to make a distinction between religion and spirituality:
The only way religion or religious belief works for Oprah is if it is carefully coordinated with capitalist pleasure. Thus, the turn to 'spirituality' -- the non-dogmatic dogma that encourages an ambiguous theism alongside an exuberant consumerism," Lofton said.
In Winfrey's view, Buddhism isn't about meditation and renunciation, it's about beaded bracelets and fragrant incense. "Christianity isn't about Christ's apocalyptic visions or the memorization of creeds, it's about a friendly guy named Jesus and his egalitarian message. As long as you can spend, feel good about yourself and look good, your religious belief will be tolerated on Planet O. The religion of Oprah is the incorporated faith of late-capitalist America," Lofton said.
Spend and feel good. Works for me.
Comments
"Spend and feel good. Works for me."
I hope Leo is just kidding, but with him, it's hard to tell.
Much of the New Testament is not about Jesus but about Paul. Study of the dead sea scrolls and the community at Qumran called "The Poor" suggests that Jesus was raising funds for a paramilitary group to overthrow Roman rule of Israel.
Matthew 10:34 tends to be problematic for many people. I admit that, at times, I am one of those people.
There was a scholar, some years ago, who came to the conclusion that Shakespeare was not written by Roger Bacon, but by a man of the same name. Sometimes, I wonder if modern Christianity really has much to do the bastard son of a carpenter named Joseph.
It shouldn't invalidate the faith, either way. Christian churches obey the First Commandment and worship God instead of Jesus, right?
Lordy Jesus look at what threads are on Oprahs website about Obama
http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/48373