No Excuses Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/is-this-the-most-embarrassing-interview-fox-news-has-ever-do Reza Aslan, a religious scholar with a Ph.D. in the sociology of religions from the University of California and author of the new book Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, went on FoxNews.com’s online show Spirited Debate to promote his book only to be prodded about why a Muslim would write a historical book about Jesus. The interview right from the start will make you cringe. I haven't read the book (probably never will), but to take scholarly work and make a mockery of it because of blatant prejudice... Fox isn't even trying to hide it anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Fox panders to the typical white male christian over 40 demographic. There general contempt for (and blatant stupidity towards) anything other than that really shouldn't surprise anyone anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I think you left a rather key qualifier out of the demographic, amigo. And I know my comment's a great set-up for anyone who wants it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rictus58 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I think you left a rather key qualifier out of the demographic, amigo. And I know my comment's a great set-up for anyone who wants it. *raises hand* Cowboys fans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 My goodness that was painful to listen to. I’m not sure about “worst” because there are certainly plenty to choose from. But yes it was a joke. This is why it’s pointless for intellectuals to agree to Fox interviews, because they are catered exclusively to the lowest common denominator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Nuts, I can't get the vid to run on my droid...will have to wait til I get home. I've seen Reza Aslan on a couple other shows recently. I am guessing from his name he is Persian, but I thought he was actually a Christian convert? From the description he gave on CNN, I don't think there's anything particularly new in his book. Scripting Jesus, Jesus A Life, or Jesus a Revolutionary Biography have all covered the same material, at least that's the impression I got from listening to his description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Aslan handled it perfectly, I must say. He kept his cool and he explained why he wrote the book - as a scholar of religion and not as a Muslim boogeyman - in terms a 6 year old could understand. Too back the Fox News lady couldn't seem to grasp that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I think you left a rather key qualifier out of the demographic, amigo. And I know my comment's a great set-up for anyone who wants it. Uneducated? Actually..I tend to think that would be a tad unfair because I know plenty of educated people who are still stupid enough to buy into Fox News. --- BTW and totally unrelated, doesn't Aslan (the Lion) represent Jesus in C.S. Lewis's books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebluefood Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Don't mind us. Just being the last bastion of hope for American TV journalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Don't mind us. Just being the last bastion of hope for American TV journalism. Those hippies? Nah, I like my news told to me while using the word "Liberal" to define anything McCarthy didn't approve of... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebluefood Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Don't mind us. Just being the last bastion of hope for American TV journalism. Those hippies? Nah, I like my news told to me while using the word "Liberal" to define anything McCarthy didn't approve of... HA! Too funny. And yeah, I know I beat the PBS drum a lot, but it really bugs me how many people complain about the 24 Hour News cycle and yet they don't even consider the NewsHour. It is, in my opinion, the best news broadcast by a mile. But about the interview in the first post, it is the kind of cringe worthy "journalism" we've all come to expect from Fox News. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 So your religious upbringing and beliefs exclude you from having scholarly interest and/or writing a book about another religion? Yeah that was embarrassing for the host and all watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsmarydu Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I think you left a rather key qualifier out of the demographic, amigo. And I know my comment's a great set-up for anyone who wants it. *raises hand* Bushmaster owner? Btw, Aslan was on Bill Maher this past week. Check it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bliz Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Compare: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-17-2013/reza-aslan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 People with intelligence really ought to just decline to appear on Fox. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 People with intelligence really ought to just decline to appear on Fox. ~Bang Why? How did appearing there hurt him? Yeah, I assume that a lot of Fox viewers think he really got pwn3d. But they weren't gonna care about his book, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeluCopter29 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 People with intelligence really ought to just decline to appear on Fox. ~Bang Why? How did appearing there hurt him? Yeah, I assume that a lot of Fox viewers think he really got pwn3d. But they weren't gonna care about his book, anyway. I enjoyed your use of the "Pwn3d." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Why bother? they don't get it, they absolutely dot WANT to get it, their audience doesn't want to hear them be wrong, why feed into their ridiculous narrative? Why would anyone with any sense subject themselves to being on the other side of whatever it is they've already decided? their audience won't listen, they'll boo and jeer like a professional wrestling crowd. it's a waste of time. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Would you say the same thing about Republican candidates and The Daily Show? (And no, I'm not saying that the shows are similar. Simply contrasting the reasoning) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 No. i don't think the left exhibits the same sort of close-minded approach. (they might to a candidate, but this guy is an academic who wrote a history book.) besides, TDS has a history of treating people fairly, til they blow it themselves. for example, john McCain used to be very popular on the show, til he changed into the tea-party panderer that he is now. Cantor was on there and was treated fairly. At least with Stewart, even if he disagrees with the answer he's given, he's going to pursue the matter in a reasonably intelligent fashion. I've seen him respectfully debate Boehner, , etc . there's no doubt which side he's on, but he tries to either be fair, or be honest in trying to get an explanation out of them. This fox interview focused on muslim = bad, christian = good. why are you taking shots at Jesus?.. no matter how many time he told her his credentials and his intentions, she allowed no room for her stupid, unthinking buzzword driven 'interview" to be anything other than the joke it was. and I would bet my bottom dollar that folks who constitute her regular viewers never considered what he had to say either. it's like trying to explain to a dog why spinach is better for him than this handful of raw ground beef. There is no point he can make that will be understood by anyone other than those who put the interview up to mock it, such as we have found it. It's as if all it is worth is to be able to once again show how ignorant and close-minded Fox is, and that is a waste of his time. we know that's what it is, and those who don't, don't care. There's no one left on the fence when it comes to Fox. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I think you left a rather key qualifier out of the demographic, amigo. And I know my comment's a great set-up for anyone who wants it. Several ways you could go. Stupid. Racist. Actually, that about covers it. It's depressing how relentlessly anti-intellectual they are. Lot of that going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I actually have greater respect for someone who is willing to go up against a host/network/reporter with obvious bias and opposite views. It's easy for a Right winger to go on Fox or a Left winger to go on MSNBC. This particular guy was neither. The host was desperately trying to make an issue, but he stood his ground. Bravo to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I finished reading the book last week before the "controversy' from FOX erupted. What is funny is this is clearly NOT a book in line with traditional Muslim thinking on Jesus. The doubts about the virgin birth (a key tenent in Islam as well) and the crucifixion are not in line with the Quran. This is truly a book in the genre of exploring the historical Jesus, not "let me put facts together that supplements the Muslim story on Jesus" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grego Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I don't really watch fox, so maybe I'm not hip to their games, but, generally, I think it's ok to question an authors personal viewpoint. Obviously, he has a bias due to his faith, just as William lane Craig would be writing about Islam. But he was responded like he should have. It did seem like she hadn't read the book and didn't seem to cite specific parts, only reading other authors criticisms, so if that's the issue with the interview, I would agree it was flawed. Weird that he agrees Jesus was crucified. I had read in Islamic texts that that was not their belief. Guess I gotta brush up on my religious studies. What is funny is this is clearly NOT a book in line with traditional Muslim thinking on Jesus. The doubts about the virgin birth (a key tenent in Islam as well) and the crucifixion are not in line with the Quran. This is truly a book in the genre of exploring the historical Jesus, not "let me put facts together that supplements the Muslim story on Jesus" Ok. Shf, that's what I was thinking. Is it weird for a Muslim to believe Jesus was crucified? How does that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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