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We must begin to see Jesus as the great discoverer of the innate Divinity of Man, the supreme revealer of the truth about man, the pioneer and way-shower (Discover the Power within You, pp. 23, 137). Butterworth's Jesus learned how to recognize his divinity through contact with eastern gurus. Butterworth denied sin, evil, and the devil. One of Butterworth's books was _title_d Celebrate Yourself. Maya Angelou has appeared on Oprah numerous times. She promotes unity, tolerance, and the divinity of man. She and Oprah share affection for the New Age teaching of the late Eric Butterworth. Angelou said of him, He has been, is now, and shall forever be my teacher (http://ericbutterworth.com/html/eric_bio.html). Gary Zukav has been a regular guest on Oprah's program since his first appearance in 1998. He is the author of The Seat of the Soul, which shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller list after Oprah recommended it. She called it one of my favorite books. Zukav teaches karma-driven reincarnation and promotes attunement to spirit guides. He says, Each human soul has both guides and Teachers. Zukav says Jesus is the most evolved of our species (The Seat of the Soul, p. 21). Zukav encourages his readers to dwell in the company of your nonphysical Teachers and guides (p. 239). In August 1999, Winfrey featured Iyanla Vanzant, a New Age life coach who preaches a gospel of self-esteem. She has published a number of self-help books, has her own institute, Inner Visions Worldwide, and a line of Hallmark cards. Oprah says Vanzant is one of the world's most admirable spiritual leaders. She is an ordained minister in the Yoruba priesthood. This is a polytheistic, ancestor-worshipping religion of western Africa. Vanzant recommends the spirit-channeled A Course in Miracles. Vanzant says: Universal love, God's love, is the only real love that exists. ... Universal love has no conditions. It accepts all as is, because All is the true identity of God (In the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want, 1998, p. 190). On page 6 of her book, in the acknowledgement section, Vanzant acknowledges her Self. In 2001 Cheryl Richardson promoted centering meditation on Oprah's show. She described it as spending time with yourself just turning your vision inward. Oprah calls this centering up for myself. It uses guided visualization in an attempt to connect with one's higher self or spirit guides for wisdom and direction. Richardson suggests that the practitioner relax and then, imagine that you are inhabiting yourself ... imagine someplace where you feel comforted ... Just relax into this place ... As you rest in this place, just ponder the question: Why am I here? ... You may see an image or hear a word. Just sit with this question: Why am I here? What are you called to do? What's calling you in your life. Simply notice anything that comes to mind, and enjoy this time with yourself. The meditation concludes with thanking oneself. When you're ready, thank that wise part of you for being there, for allowing you these few moments of peace and connection. In February 2007 Oprah featured Brian Weiss, a psychiatrist and the author of Many Lives, Many Masters. He uses regression therapy to help patients heal in the present by digging up events from their past lives. He said that his New Age journey began when he put a female patient under hypnosis 27 years ago and asked her to describe when her psychotic experiences began. She described a past life 4,000 years ago. He became a firm believer in reincarnation and has since helped more than 4,000 patients dredge up alleged past life experiences. When Oprah described the criticism she received when she first started interviewing New Agers, Weiss replied that it's fear that keeps minds closed and likened the resistance to New Age thought to the idea that the earth is flat. Weiss says that heaven is all around us and hell is something that you don't experience after you die unless you expect it (http://www.oprah.com/xm/oprah/200703/oprah_20070301.jhtml). I guess you would call that the ultimate in the power of negative thinking! In July 2007 Oprah had a conversation with Laura Day about the power of intuition. Day is the author of The Circle: How the Power of a Single Wish Can Change Your Life. She claims that one's intuition is unmistakable knowledge and direct oneness with the energy that is in all of us. She says that once you start listening to your intuition, you will tap into abilities you never knew existed and thus improve your life. Oprah responded enthusiastically to this teaching, saying that intuition told me that I needed to own myself. In April 2007 Oprah had a channeling session with Esther Hicks, author of The Law of Attraction. While Hicks channeled her spiritual teachers known collectively as Abraham, Oprah asked them questions. Hicks told Oprah, Everyone gets to create their own reality and Abraham's not interested in telling us what we should create
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