While she was recalling her childhood memories, celebrated talk show host and movie producer Oprah Winfrey sparked an online debate about the Holy Trinity when she said that she once considered Jesus Christ as her brother.
She made the statement in a Facebook video post that has already received more than one million views and over 2,000 comments in less than 24 hours since it was first posted on Monday. The OWN network CEO said she had that notion in her mind when she was three to seven years old.
"For the earliest part of my life, I didn't know my father," Winfrey said. "Not growing up with a father, I heard in church that God was my Father and that God was the Father of us all and that Jesus was God's son. So in my imagination, my way of thinking about God was 'God is my Father and Jesus is His Son, so I am His child, which makes me His daughter, which makes Jesus my brother.'"
Winfrey received mixed reactions after she made that statement. Some fans were touched by Winfrey's understanding of faith even when she was just a little girl. However, others asserted that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are but One.
"Well Oprah, why do I have to break it down to you that Jesus Is not your brother? He is God, therefore He is also your Father," someone commented, to which Winfrey replied "I was 3-7 years old when I thought that way. Give me a small break will ya."
Others weren't as harsh to correct the media personality. "What I love about this is as a child you knew God was your Father and then believed that Jesus was your brother. I would imagine that God just loved that fact you, a child, found comfort in Him. I'm not sure why everyone is trying to correct you," someone noted.
"We are daughters and sons of a King. I also understand God and Jesus are one. However, when a child claims God as her Father and Jesus as her brother — I would imagine that the God I serve would be so touched and beaming with love," the fan said.
Winfrey seemed touched by the comment. She replied, "Thank you. I've felt God beaming with love since I was that little girl."
