O God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality

by Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett

Book Overview

O God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality, provides an in-depth look at one of the greatest media influences of all time: the empire of Oprah. Between The Oprah Winfrey Show and O Magazine, millions of people are exposed to Oprah's spiritual beliefs. Christians and those of other faiths are asking tough questions and looking for answers.McDowell and Sterrett approach the spirituality of Oprah by means of a fictional narrative featuring...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1935071173
• ISBN13: 9781935071174
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: WND Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A MUST READ!

In a culture so widely accepting of various beliefs but at the same time so extremely empty and aimless, Josh McDowell's and Dave Sterrett's book, ""O" God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality" could not be more timely or more applicable. In this fictional dialogue between two graduate young women, the authors uncover the rampant influence of Oprah's philosophy on the minds of millions. Although some would claim her voice as subtle, this book reveals how clear she is in regard to her spirituality. Throughout the book, the authors distinguish between the relativism Oprah speaks of versus the absolute truth in which she is completely opposed. The reader becomes aware of the danger in pluralism as well as the ultimate need to discover the Truth. This book in no way attacks Oprah as a person, but it does reveal how her "spirituality" influences others in a very deceptive way. The main theme of the book is geared toward Christians who need to be encouraged to know what they believe and why they believe it. This is a "must read" especially for women.

"O" God is as captivating as a novel can get!

I started reading my copy of "O" God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality last night, and it was so hard to put the book down I finished the book today. We're talking detailed imagery to where you are living the novel as you read it, and concise explanation of historical facts all intertwined in a novel depicting the truth of the real Jesus of the New Testament and the falsehood of the teaching of the many 'spiritual gurus' out there today. I love the points made in the reality that: - Pluralism is just as exclusive as exclusivism, because it excludes any belief that doesn't agree with it. - Jesus is the embodiment of Absolute Truth. - The 10 commandments remind us of what is already written in our hearts by God. - The Trinity of unity and diversity within God has always been, but 2000 years ago Christ took on a human nature and came to this earth as the person of Jesus. - There's too much historical evidence that Christ lived on earth, claimed to be God, and died on the cross to rescue us from hell. - God's Holiness demands justice. - The one remedy to our sin problem and failure to measure up to God is that: God must come down to man's level, take on flesh, and pay the price Himself for human sin. The bridge man was unable to build to God, God has built for man. - Christ overcame death in history. This novel is clearly the BEST novel I have read in my life, all I'm saying is, "When is the movie coming out?!" :-) Fabulous job Mr. Sterrett and Mr. McDowell!

Oprah's Spirituality vs. Truth

"O" God- A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality is written in a conversational fashion. It covers key apologetic topics such as absolute truth, the problem of evil, and the reliability of the New Testament. The topics are presented in an easy to understand way that makes this book the ideal choice for someone who is seeking to know truth. Oprah is such a key figure in most households which makes this book very relatable. Those who watch Oprah will recognize the key concepts sprinkled throughout the book that she presents in her spiritual teachings. This book is helpful in understanding both the appeal of her beliefs while starkly contrasting them with the truth. The narrative form of this book makes it an easy read, ideal for those that are searching out faith. New Christians will greatly benefit from the introductions to tough topics in Christianity. And all followers of Christ can benefit from the conversation ideas that are useful in evangelistic settings.

Great read for seekers and believers alike - very well done!

There is no denying the fact that Oprah's popularity is pervasive in our culture today. From her immensely popular daytime TV show to her magazine, website, satellite radio show, book club selections and online spiritual sessions, Oprah is one of the most visible and influential persons today. Her influence spilled over into the political arena this past election as well. But the primary concern isn't political, it's Oprah's position on matters of religion that caused Sterrett and McDowell to coauthor this much-needed examination of what Oprah is actually promoting and endorsing. "O" God is written as a narrative - a story of the spiritual journey of a young woman named Lindsey, a law student at the University of Texas, and her friends and family. The narrative is both interesting and insightful, but the best part of the book is the apologetics, which are well reasoned and easy to understand. Without attacking Oprah or her beliefs, McDowell and Sterrett are able to raise some very significant issues such as the existence of absolute truth, the reality of the resurrection of Christ, the concept of evil, and dozens of other critical concepts. They do a great job of exploring the concept of religious pluralism and its self-refuting tolerance of all things but Christianity. The book gives just a taste of some of the leading Christian apologetics from William Lane Craig to Dinesh D'Souza weaving them into the story line while maintaining the interest of the narrative. I think this is an outstanding book to give to any person interested in spiritual matters or religious issues, especially women who are probably more significantly influenced by Oprah on matters of faith than they might first imagine. While the book is relatively concise, just over 100 pages, and very enjoyable to read, the authors do a great job of diving into some of the most important and controversial issues of our day giving clear, relevant, and reasonable arguments and evidence for the truth claims of Scripture and the deity of Jesus Christ. Great book for a book study, great gift for a friend, and an important read for Christians wanting to learn how to defend their faith in a winsome and intelligent manner.

Engaging, informative and respectful

Obviously, Oprah is huge. She is influential. She has a book club. She has done a great deal of good for humanity. I could go on in describing Oprah, but I'm guessing you've heard of her. So, I will turn my attention to the book instead. First off, this book isn't going to make Oprah's book club. The reason is that it challenges the teachings of Oprah and her friends. It does so, however, in a respectful way. The book is only 128 pages (including discussion questions at the back) and breaks down complex questions in an enjoyable and easy to understand manner. Through fictional conversations amongst female graduate students, the book tackles questions such as: * Why worship a jealous God? * Is there one or many paths to God? * How can open-mindedness lead to another type of exclusivism? * How to recognize and address self-defeating statements (i.e. "People can't know any truth about reality." - How can you know this? "People shouldn't be imposing their beliefs on others." - Isn't that a belief? "Judge not!" - Isn't that a judgment? "I can't stand intolerant people." - You are intolerant of intolerant people?) * How can the truth be known? * What might the Apostle Paul say about the book The Secret? * Is God a part of us or different? * Is there such a thing as right and wrong? * Is "Let it Rain" or "I Could Sing of your Love Forever" the most obnoxious Christian worship song of all time? (This is not in the book. This is a joke.) * Do we have any evidence for an afterlife? * Will the real historical Jesus please stand up? Overall, I got into this book more and more as it went along. It is written in a spirit of love and presents some excellent rebuttals to the teachings of popular spiritual leaders of our day. The characters are easy to relate to and the book is current. There are also many excellent quotations from other sources. Rather than straight-up apologetics, the conversational dialogue makes the material much easier to digest and I was drawn in by the characters and the story. I learned new things and other material was presented in a unique and fascinating way. I really enjoyed this book. Regardless of what you think or how you feel about Oprah, it is definitely worth checking out what McDowell and Sterrett have to say. The book was a great idea and the authors follow through with very good execution. This book was provided for review by WND Books.