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I watched this segment this morning with a huge smile on my face. ESPECIALLY when Aslan called Fox "a commercial enterprise" that knows how to "sell a product."The response, including that since the interview the book has rocketed to the top of the best sellers list, is reminiscent of other times that the Fundamentalists have freaked out over a book or movie and suddenly EVERYBODY wants to see what all of the fuss is about.
It happens all of the time, but they just don't learn, do they?
Of course it should come as no surprise to ANYONE that the folks at Fox News are circling the wagons to protect their anchor Lauren Green:
Fox News brought on conservative activist Brent Bozell on Wednesday afternoon to mount a spirited defense of the anchor who's come under fire for questioning why an Islamic religious scholar dared to write a book about Jesus.
Always eager to take on the "liberal media," Bozell, the founder of the conservative Media Research Center, joined host Shannon Bream in providing cover for anchor Lauren Green, who grilled author Reza Aslan last week over his book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.
"I'll be the first one to stand up and applaud Lauren Green for the question that she asked," Bozell said. "It was the exact, correct question that needed to be asked."
Bream said the "liberal media has been quiet on the subject matter" of Aslan's book but it "cannot control its outrage" over Green's question. Green, who is a religion correspondent for Fox News, repeatedly asked Aslan why, as Muslim, he would write a book about Jesus. The interview has drawn Fox widespread mockery.
But both Bream and Bozell insisted that Green is being treated unfairly. Bozell said Green is a "good, good woman" and Bream called her colleague is "fantastic."
"I often encounter her in the halls and have always found her to be a very fantastic colleague, somebody who does care about what's at the root of these stories and asks those questions," Bream said.
Oh yeah she is a "fantastic colleague." A journalist? Yeah, not so much.
What he meant to say was she has a nice rack. That's the only reason most of the talking head females are on Fox
ReplyDeleteSo I guess when a Christian writes a book about Mohammed, we can ask the same inane question of him or her? I thought these folks wanted to convert everyone to their supposed belief in Jesus? Wouldn't it be a GOOD thing for people of other faiths to learn about him? Or is He only for the born into Christianity white folks?
ReplyDeleteHey, careful with the logic there, it confuses the FAUXBOTS
DeleteTurns out Green was one of Ailes first hires. She still has a tony office but is rarely on the air. Nice woman but she sucks as an interviewer and was obviously just handed questions by the producer and probably never read the book.
ReplyDeleteFaux . . . we cover our incompetence all the time because its all we have.
She's just another former beauty queen, perfect as a "religion correspondent" because she knows nothing (not even plain English) and clearly doesn't even have common sense on her side.
ReplyDeleteIt's more likely that Fox talking heads have a standardized inhouse hearing system and don't hear anything that doesn't fit their agenda.
Right? They might as well have Carrie Prejean as a 'correspondent' there.
Delete"A good, good woman"? They sure know how to heap praise on their anchors. Did he pat her on the head after he said that?
ReplyDeleteI know. Weak.
DeleteAnd besides being a "good, good woman", she's not just fantastic, she's "very fantastic."
DeleteAsking why someone wrote a book is reasonable. Lying about his credentials.is.NOT! He has a degree in SOCIOLOGY, not Religion! And he does NOT have 4 PhD's!!! If anyone wroteabout Muhamned, they would be beheadded if in the middle east. Here, we ask, why? And until someone exploded over a standard question. Get OVER it America, and let's see how many jobs we can create.
ReplyDeleteYou are an utter idiot. Your familiarity with higher education credentials is utterly Palinesque in its paucity.
DeleteBigot, you need to watch the video again (and this time try to comprehend - if you speak English)... and then take your home-schooled spelling and your ignorance somewhere else.
DeleteHe never stated that he has 4 Ph.D.'s. He stated that he has four degrees, which is true. He never stated that he is a religious scholar with a degree focusing on the new testament, which, again, is true. Two of his degrees are in theology/religious studies, just not his Ph.D. But he never said, nor implied, that it did. And even though his Ph.D. is in sociology, it focuses on religious influences on of social movement.
DeleteHe is well-studied and a religious scholar. And this is not the middle east. Get over it.
aslanghazi!
Delete6:32 he said he is a Professor of Religion and from wiki"
DeleteAslan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in religions from Santa Clara University, a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop, where he was named the Truman Capote Fellow in Fiction. Aslan also received a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.[7][8] His dissertation was titled "Global Jihadism as a Transnational Social Movement: A Theoretical Framework".[9]
*****
And he wrote about Islam and was threatened. So what's your point? Maybe fixed news is more your speed? Tell your precious congress to stop trying to repeal Obamacare and get off their asses and create jobs. What does that have to do with Azlan's book?
You do realize, surely, that you can have a degree in Religious Studies that is a subsection of the Sociology Dep't., don't you? Oh, perhaps you don't......
DeleteNot really following you here 6:32. What?
DeleteHas he claimed he has four PhDs? No, just four degrees, ("I am a scholar of religions with four degrees"),which is true:
DeleteBA in Religion from Santa Clara University
MA of Theological Studies from Harvard
MA of Fine Arts in Fiction from Univeristy of Iowa
PhD in Sociology of Religion from UC Santa Barbara
Are you arguing that because his PhD is in Sociology of Religion he didn't legitimately study religion at the Doctoral level? A quick look at UCSB's Department of Religious studies reveals at least one faculty member who specialized in Sociology of Religion. In other words, yes, Aslan did study religion at the Doctoral Level.
So, tell us again, how did he lie about his credentials?
I'm also amused by your contention that anyone writing about Muhamned [sic] would be beheadded [sic] if they were in the Middle East. Simply and utterly false. There are lots of people writing about Muhammed, even people who live in the Middle East. Even if you wanted to argue that some people might get into trouble--maybe even lots of trouble--for writing what could be seen as blasphemous in some Muslim countries, what does that have to do with Aslan writing about Jesus in the United States? Should we be glad he only got attacked by an unprepared Fox news anchor and wasn't crucified? Aslan should count his blessings or something?
"Asking why someone wrote a book is reasonable."
DeleteThat was not her question. Her question was why, as a Muslim, would write a book about Christianity. Then she chewed the question like a bone.
What made her question particularly stupid and insulting was that fox routinely interviews so-called Christians who have written, spoken, blogged, preached, etc., about Islam and it is never suggested that there is something odd about a Christian claiming to be able to discuss Islam.
You are a fool with very little reading or thinking ability.
Right, Bozell, Green might be a "good, good woman," but as a journalist, she appears to be as dumb as a box of rocks. Her lack of knowledge about Reza Aslan's background and his book is the reason millions of us are laughing at her.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't Green provide full disclosure about what her faith is? Why didn't Bozell? Why should we believe anything Pamela Gellar says about Islam because she's not Muslim?
ReplyDeleteExactly.
DeleteAnonymous 6:32, perhaps you should clear the wax out of your ears & the fog out of your brain. He never lied about his credentials. He stated he had four DEGREES, not four DOCTORATE DEGREES. And he NEVER SAID he had a Ph.D. in Religion. He has a Masters degree in Theology (translation for you: the study of religion) from Harvard Divinity School and a Ph.D. of Philosophy in Sociology -- which, if you knew anything about the current scope of graduate studies in Sociology, most definitely includes the study of religion.
ReplyDeleteHow many Christian authors of books on Islam has Fox given similar questioning?
ReplyDeleteFox got played? Bwaaaahaaaa! Reza Aslan is a genius for allowing this "good, good (two goods are always better!) woman" to question his ability to write a book about the "Real Jesus" while being a Muslim.
ReplyDeleteI hear Sarah is all for shutting down the governnment to get rid of the evil ACA. Can she not read? Is no one around her even conscious? The ACA is NOT discretionary spending, and will be funded no matter what the cons pull. Shutting down the government hurts all of us, but the GOP really doesn't care, do they? Nope...they have theirs, and f*** the rest of us. 2014 can't get here soon enough...away with the GOP!
ReplyDelete6:32 What is your problem?
ReplyDelete'I am a scholar of religions with four degrees' ... Reza Aslan.
Where is he lying? See his wiki.
Well, those are resounding endorsements and unquestionable verification of her credentials as a 'journalist.' [rolls eyes]
ReplyDeleteThat is embarrassing. Wow. Bubble gum league defense there.
ReplyDelete"Oh yeah she is a "fantastic colleague." A journalist? Yeah, not so much."
ReplyDeleteAnother 100 points to Gryphen-dor. Too bad there's not a 'Nailed It' Olympics too. Thank you for the daily reality chats, keeps many of us a bit more sane knowing we are not alone.
Sadly the Palin saga lingers but I so appreciate being able to come here each day. There's ALWAYS something interesting going on around here. Thank you sir. I'm not sure we tell you enough for your labors and (whew) daily dedication.
Gryphen-dor... I like that School of Thought!
DeleteFirst we get a guy (Joe McGinnis) from Massachusetts writing a book about another biblical figure (Queen Esther) from Alaska, and now a Muslim writing about Jesus. Next thing you know, we'll have some journalist writing about Fox News.
ReplyDeleteFox News whines ‘far left media’ making fun of our ‘most embarrassing interview’ ever
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/31/fox-news-whines-far-left-media-making-fun-of-our-most-embarrassing-interview-ever/
I despise Fox with a passion,but I also do not like Aslan's book so far. He makes some pretty broad assumptions at times and I beg to differ with him on some issues. I don't question his ability to write because he is a Muslim and I guess formerly a Christian who converted as a teen according to what he has said of his religious past. Anyone can write a book on any subject and the readers of those books may agree or disagree with the authors. At least Aslan is educated unlike a family of Alaskan grifters who try to write cheesy books for quick cash.
ReplyDeleteI despise Fox with a passion,but I also do not like Aslan's book so far.
ReplyDelete*****
Ummm ya right. And you despise sarah palin also...too!
Bot!
You at 9:33 are an idiot,,I hate Sarah Palin more than anyone besides Ted Nugent and Ted Cruz. Just because I don't like Aslan's book as in he makes the assumption that Jesus was illiterate because all the poor people were back then and he assumes that Pontius Pilate did not have any trouble dispensing with Jesus because he was a brute. He may have been a brute, but it doesn't mean that he was in this particular case. Now tell me Anon 9:33, how much of Aslan's book have you read???? I read this blog and Malia's every day and nothing would please me more than to see Palin go down. I have read The Lies of Sarah Palin, Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin and The Rogue. I bought them all. You call me a bot in your assumption, you are an idiot.
ReplyDelete