Day 1 of Oprah Show

Just to recap, Heather and I are watching Oprah for a week. Heather asked me if I would participate in checking this new stuff out on Oprah, but also to see what it is about her that draws millions of viewers, so many women, Christian and non-Christian, to her 5 times a week. Heather pointed out that many Christian women will defend her to the death, and are more faithful to watching her than they are to church or Bible Study. Anything that is that big of a deal, we should probably carefully evaluate what we're thinking.
So this week I am watching and evaluating. I have NOT read Heather's post about Day 1 yet. I want to give my honest thoughts, and then we'll see what both of us are taking from this.

Her first guest was Jamie Lee Curtis. I like her. I like her children's books. They are not a source of biblical truth or anything, but I like them. She has adopted kids. I like that too.
Here's one of my first thoughts, interjected here:
It's okay to like lost people.
It's okay to like Oprah. It's okay that I like Jamie Lee Curtis. I used to like Rosie O'Donnell and her show way back when. (I was pregnant and on bedrest with Jax, so I watched it daily for a while.) I know Rosie is a lesbian. I know Oprah is an adultress. I know Jamie Lee Curtis showed her boobs in movies. They're lost. I could be any one of those things but for the grace of God. I was a sinner in need of a Savior, just like them. I think it's arrogant of us to think differently.
Lost people are likable too. They can be funny, entertaining, and smart, like saved people.
However, we can't idolize them. We can't be so enamored with them that we start allow their ideas and views to seep into our minds as acceptable and good.
This is a fine line we need to be aware of.
Jamie Lee Curtis had some good things to say about aging, and not being caught up in the outward appearance. I've heard her talk about this before on a talk show. I like that! What a rare message in Hollywood! But she and Oprah agreed that it's all about finding your "authentic self." Be who you are, and whoever that is is okay. Whatever works for YOU, in all the choices you make in life, is part of your authentic self, and that is the god you bow down to. (I don't think they put it quite that way. My interpretation.)
That's not true. We can't say what ever feels right for US is okay. Sin can feel good and right. When we gratify ourselves, it feels good. When we make ourselves the boss and the king of our lives, the world will applaud, with Oprah starting the standing ovation. That doesn't mean they don't do altruistic and wonderful humanitarian things. They do! That's what's tricky about it. But I know enough of the Oprah religion to know that being the best YOU you can be can mean making decisions that don't honor God. We're either for Him, or against Him. If we're for ourself, we're against God. We can't serve two masters. But we as Christians know, He's for us, and that's where our authentic, unique, true self is found. Our identity in Christ, not in self-promotion and being empowered as a woman in the worldly sense. It's an illusion promising happiness and self-fulfillment. It's not real. Our only joy and peace is found in putting God on the throne of our lives.


The second guest was Salma Hayek. It's hard to find pictures of these people without their boobs hanging out! (Hey, I just wrote boobs two times in this one post. That's funny!)
She is so beautiful! I love her accent as well.
She had some things to say about motherhood that I liked and didn't like.
I liked that she was enjoying motherhood.
I hated that she said that it was ideal to wait until you are older and find yourself, achieve things, love yourself basically, first.
That's a lie. We can argue that case on many points.
When the topic turned to marriage (or lack thereof for she and Oprah alike) it bothered me even more.
I've heard this same coversation many times before in past years about marriage on her show.
Salma says being a woman is hard. I think being a woman is great. Let's stop acting like being female is a hardship. In this day, it certainly is not!
This is what I was hearing about marriage:
Marriage, it's so optional. It's far from necessary in their eyes.
We are good enough and strong enough as women on our own, and don't need the validation of a man. One of them said you "keep your power" by not marrying a man.
It's "sexy" not to marry, but once you marry you lose the spark and excitement.
Salma and her fiance live across an ocean from each other, but it's so good, because she has more time to devote to her baby, herself, and her career.
Of course, we as Christians should know the truth about marriage.
But do we? Do we filter this message immediately through the Word of God, or do you allow it to wander around in your brain, look for a weak spot to infiltrate, like a disease looking for a weak immune system. How strong is our spiritual immune system?
The older I get and more I mature in my walk, the better I think. But not rock solid at all times, in every moment.
I remember watching an Oprah show about the evils of spanking when I was a young mother, and it terrified me. I thought I was a child abuser. I called my friend Leanna (Godly counsel) and said "remind me why we do this?" She brought me to God's Word, and I was reminded of what loving discipline can look like in that context. But it shook me up! It confused me! I was vulnerable there. I was a young Mom and I had a weak spot.
Where are your weak spots? Where is your spiritual immune system low? If your marriage is experiencing trouble and you struggle with contentment and satisfaction because of it, stay far, far away from media like this!!! The messages about marriage, self-empowerment and fulfillment, your authentic self, being true to you, will beat down that weak spot until it can't stand it anymore.
God's Word can stand the test! He can give you an answer for what you believe, but if you're feeding your flesh with this stuff more than you're feeding your Spirit with His Word and prayer, then you won't make it!
I was talking with a friend last night about her experiencing a deep depression brought on by a medicine she was taking. It brought her to a crisis in her faith. She felt purpose-less, doubting everything she knew to be true about God. How hard would it be for the Enemy to take a person in this position, and twist their thinking? Not hard.
We must guard ourselves! We must guard our hearts and minds.
I'm interested to see this "New Earth" business on Wednesday, "awakening to life's purpose." I'm scared already.
I didn't get to it today, but I want to write later on about the dangers of celebrity worship.
That concludes my Monday Oprah thoughts. There you have it.