“Twitter has officially hit the mainstream,” said Megan Calhoun, founder of TwitterMoms, a social networking community for Web-savvy mothers. “People who have never even heard of it will be really intrigued and join. A whole new demographic will be introduced to Twitter.”

via With Oprah Onboard, Twitter Grows – NYTimes.com.

Oprah's first tweet was a scream.

Or in other words, “If Oprah’s doing it, then so must I!”  Bill Keller, an Internet Evangelist has said that Oprah is probably the most dangerous woman in the world.  He is probably right.

Just how much influence does Oprah Winfrey have on society?  As I’m writing this (4/17/09 @ 9:39 pm), @Oprah has 208,738 followers.  By the time you read this, that number could be quite obsolete.  But if that number doesn’t raise your eyebrows, try to comprehend this; there were over a million protesters that rallied together for tea parties on tax day, and a Google News search for “tea party” only nets you about twice as many articles as  the same search for “Oprah Twitter.”  Keep in mind that as I’m writing this, the tea parties are two days old.  Scary.

However, it’s not just Oprah’s power of influence that is dangerous, but moreover, it’s the message that she is delivering to millions.  Lately, much of Oprah’s focus is New Age spirituality.   Her talk shows, online classes, and book club promotions have literally transformed her into a New Age Americanized guru/priestess.

Perhaps you are not familiar with the New Age Movement, or maybe you don’t think it’s all that dangerous.  If that’s the case, then certainly you are unaware of it’s origins and what it really is.  It wasn’t all that long ago that the ear-tickling philosophy of the New Age ensnared me.  All of it sounds great on the surface, even to many Christians who lack discernment.  These teachings aren’t new, and they are not a “Secret” as Rhonda Byrne, Bob Proctor, Bob Doyle, Neale Donald Walsch, and others would have you believe.  The Secret book and film emotionally and mentally captivated me for some time, altering my worldview without a real intellectual consent on my behalf.   Realize that what Oprah’s been preaching, as is what is taught in the Secret,  is a repackaged version of Theosophy and eastern mysticism, which is deeply rooted in the occult.  Whether it’s spam, ham, bacon or sausage, it’s still pork.  And though mind altering drugs come in many packages, all are jeopardous and can at long last be fatal.  (Not that I’m calling pork a mind altering drug or anything.)

Contrary to those (e.g. Eckharte Tolle, an Oprah fave) who absolutely torture the text of the Bible to convey Scriptural backing on New Age teaching, the Word of God is in total opposition to “oneness,” power of self, etc.   And the Jesus or Christ presented to the masses is without doubt not the same Jesus Christ written of by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  However, we indeed do find New Age philosophy in the first few chapters of the Bible.

Genesis 3:1-7

¹Now ^(A)the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”²The woman said to the serpent, “^(B)From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;

³but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”

^4(C)The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!

⁵“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and ^(D)you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

^6(E)When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

⁷Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they ^(F)knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

The spiritual entity that deceived Eve into thinking she could be like God is still selling the lie.

I recommend that every one watch this film, but if you are a Christian go into watching this prayerfully, as even the sound clips can affect your mental state. If you are not a believer in Christ and love popular music, I urge you to watch this and keep an open mind to what is being shown to you. I watched all of it on YouTube, and I’ll link you to Part 1. You should be able to follow the series from there.

Part 1 on YouTube

It’s extra-ordinary how once deception has been exposed and the veil has been lifted off of your eyes, how your discernment will exponentially increase. I was at work a few days ago, and the radio was left on from a previous shift. I heard a song I’ve heard so many times : Drift Away by Dobie Gray. But for the first time, the words actually meant something deeper and darker to me.

Drift Away

DOBIE GRAY

(Mentor Williams)

Day after day I’m more confused

So I look for the light in the pouring rain

You know that’s a game that I hate to lose

I’m feelin’ the strain, ain’t it a shame

Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul

I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away

Oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul

I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away

Beginning to think that I’m wastin’ time

I don’t understand the things I do

The world outside looks so unkind

I’m countin’ on you to carry me through

And when my mind is free

You know a melody can move me

And when I’m feelin’ blue

The guitar’s comin’ through to soothe me

Thanks for the joy that you’ve given me

I want you to know I believe in your song

Rhythm and rhyme and harmony

You help me along makin’ me strong

The beat of the music puts you in a trance state whereto the lyrics can then permeate into your subconscious. If you really sit down and decipher the lyrics to secular music, it is all about “Do What Thou Wilt,” which, by the way, is the “whole of the law” according to Aleister Crowley who wrote the demonically inspired Book of the Law and is the father of the New Age Movement.

It’s very easy to see how music has spawned societal revolution and influences the belief of a generation. Yet the subtlety in the deceit is the lack of realization of how the music affects each of us individually. We are involved in a spiritual war people.

By the way there are awesome sounding alternatives to secular music.  Christian music has something for everyone, whatever genre interests you.  Check out Red in the Del.icio.us Bookmarks section.