Godlike gabber
IS Oprah Winfrey the next L. Ron Hubbard? The touchy-feely talk show titan is the leader of a new American religion, says University of North Carolina professor Kathryn Lofton. Oprah's 20 million followers seek spiritual transformation by following a way of life and rituals designated by her - including reading specific texts, writing and shopping, Lofton says. The professor defines Oprahism's primary tenets as "self-indulgence and relaxed reflection."
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Church of Oprah
Oprah Winfrey certainly has a loyal following, but is she a religious leader?
A religion scholar gave a presentation at the annual convention of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion this month, in which she discussed how the talk-show host has become a spiritual leader with her own religious following of sorts.
Oprah "has a process of rituals that she [encourages] her followers to practice" to achieve a certain way of life and peace of mind, Kathryn Lofton of the University of North Carolina told The Scoop. But, she added, "I'm reluctant to discuss this." Lofton is still perfecting her thesis, which will be presented in an academic paper in about two years.
But she's not the first to see Winfrey as a spiritual leader. Earlier this year, Christianity Today declared Winfrey a "postmodern priestess" with a "congregation of 22 million."
Winfrey's office didn't return calls for comment.