Oprah's book - nothing new here

A few weeks ago Oprah gave and enthusiastic endorsement to Echart Tolle’s new book, A New Earth. She also announced she would be hosting a 10-week on-line course conducted by Tolle. Over two million people are participating in this! The other day while having a meeting at Barnes and Nobel I saw the book in the window.  I noticed that the sub-title was "Awaking to Your Life's Purpose" and I decided I had to read it. I recently finished it (the good news for me I already resold it on Amazon)  Anyway, the following is what I found.

Well first I didn't find anything new.  This book is little more than the typical eastern form of spiritualism. I will say that Tolle is a really good communicator.  He names the problems of most people very clearly so that you feel like he is speaking right to you.   However his solutions are the same old stuff of New Age and others of the Easter slant.  I was specifically I was struck by the fact that Tolle uses the illustration that the Hindu guest on our religion panel used to describe being "one with the universe." If you remember the illustration of the waves and the ocean.  The solution is to loose your individuality and become "one with life."

Although Tolle and Oprah say that they are not promoting a belief system the opposite is true.  Oprah says this book is compatible with whatever belief system you hold.  She says "it's like seasoning on meat."  Ironically, every page of Tolle's book contains beliefs. For example, when Tolle announces that the belief that “God is love" is incorrect, he is obviously announcing a particular (mistaken) belief.
He goes on to state the mistaken belief that evil is not real and it is relative - that too sounds like a statement of belief about the nature of evil.  He makes statement that anyone who believes "only your religion is the truth" is "using it in the service of the ego".  That is a religious belief and one that he clearly believes is the only true one!

I would encourage anyone who wants to read this book to do so with a very critical eye - testing the spirits as we are told in the Bible.  Your real purpose in life is not to become one with the universe.  You are made to be in loving relationship with God and with other people.  Your Life's Purpose will be lived out of that core.