By now you have probably heard or seen the bizarre interview of Reza Aslan on Fox’s Spirited Debate, hosted by Lauren Green, which aired this past Friday. The uncomfortable episode featured a jaw dropping string of ignorance that lasted nearly 10 minutes.
Over the last 4 days since the interview, the Internet has been buzzing from both sides of the dysfunctional family we call politics with outrage and criticism over the whole ordeal. Some are even demanding that both Fox News and Green apologize publicly to her guest, renowned religious scholar Reza Aslan, who had appeared on the show to discuss his recent book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.
The book, which was released July 16, was to debut at No. 4 on The New York Times hardback best sellers list. Two days after the Fox catastrophe, the book has moved to the No. 1 slot in spite of the numerous false claims and negative publicity about the book. The interview which was originally first reported by Buzzfeed has now been viewed nearly 5 million times, and Aslan’s Twitter feed has quickly gained an additional 5,000 followers.? The book is featured at No. 1 on Amazon and The Westbourne Press has now signed rights to market the book in the UK and the Commonwealth as a US best-seller.
The publisher of the book, Random House, has stated that since the interview the books sales have increased 35 percent. Random House is rushing to meet the surge in demand. Monday, they announced that an order for another 50,000 copies had been placed, bringing the total so far to 150,000 copies to be filled by the end of this week.
Positive reviews keep pouring in regarding the book. Tablet magazine published a glowing review written by Adam Kirsch, who stated that the book offered a “coherent and often convincing portrait of who Jesus was and what he wanted.”
Negative receptions are coming in as well though. A majority of those are people who have never read the book and fall into an Islamaphobic group that seems more offended by Aslan’s personal faith than they do of his writing style. Some seem more ignorant and uneducated than others.
“The book has an underlying tone of sarcasm, it’s subtle, but it’s there. I find it amazing that this one gentleman seems to think that he has found the answers as to what Jesus of Nazareth was doing, and what He was thinking during the periods of His life that aren’t explained in the New Testament. This book is a feeble attempt at explaining Jesus of Nazareth away as a rebellious politico.” Some are just plain crazy…
A commenter identified as “Christian” writes:
“This is a tactic the devil has been using since the beginning of time?write a book attacking the greatest man who’s ever lived and watch sales fly through the roof. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Hope you enjoy all the money you’re making Mr. Aslan as it will be short lived?JESUS CHRIST OWNS THIS WORLD”
Uhm…Okey dokey, then!? I will go grab the aluminum foil from the kitchen, and everything will be OK.
The Atlantic Wire managed to pull a number of these comments off the Fox News website regarding John S. Dickerson’s article which sparked the mass attack against the book to begin with. Dickerson has not read the book either, but apparently he believes himself qualified to write a review of the book as well as attacking Aslan’s many, many degrees and credentials. It’s ironic that he feels threatened that a Muslim with extensive education in religion should not be writing about a man who sparked Christianity, yet he himself can write an article about a book he has never read by an author he obviously doesn’t know anything about.
?I hope that people recognize that your faith, as Jesus said, is supposed to be built on a rock, not on sand,? stated Aslan. ?I guess my message is: Relax.?
Monday, Piers Morgan invited Reza Aslan to his show via satellite to congratulate him on the success of his book and discuss the growing controversy surrounding it. When asked about his interview hosted by Lauren Green on Fox News, Aslan still exuded class in his reply.
“I just want to say, I completely understand where?Lauren Green?is coming from. I kind of feel bad for her. The truth of the matter is that when you write about religion like I do, you’re writing about something that people take very seriously,” he explained. “A lot of people, whether it’s Muslims or Christians or Jews or what have you, feel sometimes that academics like myself are attacking their faith, attacking their very identity. But nothing can be further from the truth.”
If you are looking for this book yourself, and are having trouble finding it in stock in stores, it is possible to order it online and have it shipped directly to you.
Related articles from Liberal America:
Photo of Reza Aslan from Patheos.Com.
edited/published by eap
