Earlier this week, Fox News aired an interview of religious scholar, Dr. Reza Aslan. The interview was supposed to be about his new book “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth”. Instead, the interview was about his motives as a Muslim, for authoring the book.
In the days that followed the interview, news sources and forums across the nation discussed the interviewer’s, Lauren Green’s, tactics and utter refusal to address the issues and arguments raised in the text. Instead, the interviewer chose to focus on his religious background. It was an obvious attempt to stir controversy and interest at best; at worst, it was an attempt to marginalize the scholar’s arguments based on his personal alignment.
Now Fox News is arguing that the interview and interviewer did a good job of addressing the main issues and concerns surrounding the book.
The book: “Is the current, religious perspective of Jesus Christ Anachronistic?”
Fox News: “Why would you, a Muslim, write a book about Jesus?”
(You can decide which is a more interesting and important question)
In the wake of the interviews and attacks, Aslan has come out to express that he feels “really bad” about what’s happened to Lauren Green. However, the doubling-down of Fox on the fear mongering and ostracization of others is nothing to be taken too lightly.
Aslan on MSNBC
Fox News Discussing Aslan Interview
Joshua is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire. Follow him on Twitter @Joshual33.