This will probably be the hottest book about Jesus this year. Erik Wemple explains why in the Washington Post:
Fox News has done a great deal to promote Reza Aslan’s new book, “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.” How so? An interview conducted by Lauren Green on FoxNews.com managed to so thoroughly insult and trash Aslan’s motives in writing the book that the whole world is clicking on the tete-a-tete.
The Fox News interview is available on many sites The YouTube version (below) has had over two million viewings in just two days. Cable and online excerpts extend bits of the interview to several more million people.
Erik Wemple prepared a transcript of the interview, which I enjoyed better than the video – but you have to see at least some of the video. This has to be the stupidest television interview ever.
Right now, thanks in large measure to the interview, Zealot is the number 1 best seller on Amazon. That is simply unbelievable for a scholarly historical book about Jesus – come to think of it scholarly or historical about anyone. The book is also, as of a few minutes ago, number 1 on the New York Times non-fiction list. It is sold out in many retail stores. Amazon is requiring extra days for handling and shipping. Your best bet may be Kindle or, if you like to listen to books, Audible.
I just did a scan of the book at Google books. Although Jesus’ burial and tomb are discussed, there is no mention of the shroud – not that I expected it.
The term Fox News is an oxymoron.
you prefer MSNBC brainwash?
Nope. CNN, BBC and the independent blogosphere.
“Do not think I have come to bring peace on earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Is that not an example of “support for violence” by Jesus?
Jesus was not a warlord inciting others to kill.. What we fail to understand is that Jesus always speak in parables. For instance “I am the good shepherd”, ” you are the salt of the earth” ” you are the light of the world” “When you do a charitable deed, do not let your right hand knows what your left hand is doing” ” The harvest is great but the labourers are few” ” I am the light of the world” It is in parable when he said “turn your other cheek” meaning be gentle with the aggressor. Jesus did not turn his cheek when the Chief Priest’s guard slap him on his cheek. Jesus spoke gently to him. In this manner Jesus said ” I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Here Jesus means division in the families, in the churches, because of him. If anyone in a family chooses Jesus, while others are worldly, there is a sword in the family. Even in a Christian family one is Pentecostal and the other is Catholic. It will be worse in a non-Christian family if one chooses Jesus. This ‘sword’ is a worldwide phenomena. There are more than 55.000 Christian denominations (divisions) in the world. Jesus was speaking in parable when he said ‘turn the other cheek” meaning be gentle with the aggressor. Jesus did not turn his cheek when High Priest’s servant slap on Jesus cheek. He spoke gently with him. The facts support Jesus gentleness. The people of other faiths are hardly persecuted in 130 countries where Christians are majority. I incline to think only chosen people can understand Jesus. Jesus said “many are called but few are chosen”. “Not everyone seeing sees; not everyone hearing hears”