by Steven Waldman, Beliefnet Editor-in-Chieft was gratifying to see our users as divided as we were. In our members' polls, no finalist got more than 19%, a reflection of the extraordinary nature of all of these individuals.
Oprah Winfrey received the most votes-and one need only read the words of those who nominated her to sense the profound positive impact she has had on millions of people. "Oprah Winfrey has been the most inspiring person in my life," wrote Beliefnet member bluedragonfly2. "She has helped me discover myself, and my spirituality. She has helped me ask myself the important questions, to look deeper, and to become a stronger woman." Oprah is indeed an extraordinarily powerful and influential woman who has used that power to help people.
Pat Tillman, the Arizona Cardinals football player, who gave up a multimillion contract to join the Army, provides a dramatic counterpoint to the other athletes who compete to set new marks of greediness. How many of us would walk away from millions of dollars to further a cause in which we believed?
Oprah received the most votes, followed by Voice of the Faithful, Asma Hakimi, Christopher Reeve, and Lisa Beamer.
Christopher Reeve's persistence enabled him to make unexpected progress in his personal struggle to regain movement, and he has used his celebrity status to fight for causes like medical research and insurance coverage for the disabled. Celebrities who are willing to spend their credibility capital to uplift as well as entertain-people like Oprah, Tillman, and Reeve, and, for that matter, Bono and Michael J. Fox-are worthy of praise.
This year, though, we have a bias toward ordinary people who took extraordinary steps. The example of John Holland-McCowan, who started an effort to help homeless kids when he was five years old, is a dazzling reminder that no one is too humble, too busy, too old, or too young to help others. Five years old!
We were inspired by the faith of the Pennsylvania miners and the collaborative spirit of their rescuers. Lisa Beamer, whose husband perished on Flight 93, harnessed her unwanted celebrity status into an effort to raise money for children of trauma-a graceful example of turning tragedy into something positive.
Asma Hakimi risked her life to run a secret girls' school in Afghanistan... continued »
CREDITS--Nominee profiles: Johanna Skilling and Wendy Schuman. Design: Joanna Choy. Photo credits: UNICEF (Afghan schoolchildren); Arizona East Valley Tribune (Pat Tillman); Karen Sacharc (Sherron Watkins); Anne Holland-McCowan (John Holland-McCowan); U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration (Quecreek rescue); Corbis (Oprah Winfrey).
t was gratifying to see our users as divided as we were. In our members' polls, no finalist got more than 19%, a reflection of the extraordinary nature of all of these individuals. 
