REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

"Is this the most embarrassing interview Fox News has ever done?"l

POSTED BY: NEWOLDBROWNCOAT
UPDATED: Saturday, August 3, 2013 17:00
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VIEWED: 3325
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 9:05 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/07/29/reza_aslan_book_sale
s_zealot_author_knew_what_he_was_doing_on_fox_news_that.html



Mrs BC told me about this- she writes about, and follows writing about, religion. Apparently, there's been a lot of discussion in various media.

A Muslim guy named Reza Azlan has written a book about Jesus called Zealot(the Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth). It's supposed to be about the Historical Jesus.-- I haven't read it yet, but intend to. Seems he appeared on Fox News and they got all over him, claiming he had no right to write about Jesus because he's a Muslim.

Mrs BC assures me that he's a respected writer on history and religion.

I'm reporting this ALL third hand-- I didn't see the interview, nor yet read this piece from Slate, but I don't see how him not being a Christian disqualifies him from having AN opinion about Christ, especially from a historical POV. If he wants to debate the theology of Christianity, or argue AGAINST its morality, maybe, MAYBE, he'd have to be one to dispute its beliefs.

But opposition to him sounds like what I'd expect Fox, the "bigoted and biased" network.

E-T-A: came back to correct the subtitle.

I looked at the first 2 1/2 minutes of the video interview. Watched the guy establish his credentials twice, while being subjected to ignorant, inflammatory questions from the news lady. Gonna go back and view the rest, but I gotta give my stomach a rest first.

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 9:25 AM

AGENTROUKA


I watched the video atop the article. Hilarious!

He came there angry and ready to fight. And he does, successfully. Smugly, like he's talking to a child. It's.. entertaining and uncomfortable at the same time. It's sad how ill-prepared the interviewer was. And how biased. I mean, if you're going to try and frame his book in a bad light, at least do your homework first?

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 10:05 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


an editorial, with a transcript of the interview, and some commentary


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/07/29/fox-news
-must-apologize-to-reza-aslan
/

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 2:35 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!



The lady doing the interview appears wholly unprepared.

The author of the book seems hell bent on trumpeting his credentials, so as to dismiss any possible negative questioning of his work. Even historians can have agendas.

He's over selling himself, and seems perplexed as to why ANYONE would doubt him. He may be justified, to some degree, in his annoyance, but whining about it to this gal won't do him any favors.

No one was questioning his RIGHT to author such a book, as he so claims.

Again, the FOX interviewer is really out of her element here. Not sure whose bright idea it was to put her up to this interview. ( obviously, the producer, but still... )

His premise as to where he starts w/ the story of Jesus, leading up to the crucifixion, sounds reasonable. I like how he sets the table by trying to put us into the world in which existed at that time. ( The Sunday school version so often repeated to Christians never really told me much )

She seems hell bent on getting in a list of pre-determined questions designed to discredit the author and his point of view. ( She seems all the world more like an msnbc employee than one from FOX )

He nails her with the remark that she's not read his book ( which seems clear )

He pwns her on the claim that he doesn't reveal that he's a Muslim. If this were a fight, her side would throw in the towel at this point.

She hadn't read the book. She was given a template by which to interview this guy, and it was comically inaccurate, dismissive and unprofessional.

Definitely an interview FAIL.









Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

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" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013 2:36 PM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


I've seen articles on this in several places, but haven't bothered to read much about it. What I have read didn't surprise me. I got a giggle out of some of the "suggestions" flying around, like an interviewer asking a veterinarian why he treats ANIMALS ("After all, you're a HUMAN") or why someone's focus of study is on the ocean ("But you live on LAND"), etc.

Funny. But, as I said, not surprising.


Just saw this: "She seems hell bent on getting in a list of pre-determined questions designed to discredit the author and his point of view." Omigawd, surely not on fair-and-balanced FauxNews?!?! Pshaw, they'd NEVER do such a thing!


Of COURSE MSNBC does it, as do many others, but the idea that Rap can't even recognize that FoxNoise does is hysterical! --Cancel that, actually only "mildly amusing", given it's no more surprising than the original interview.


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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 5:10 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:



He pwns her on the claim that he doesn't reveal that he's a Muslim. If this were a fight, her side would throw in the towel at this point.




No, this is the point in the fight where she whips out her gun, kills him, and claims it was self-defense.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 5:37 AM

BYTEMITE


Guys, AU conceeded it was an unfair and kinda biased interview. Let's give the guy some credit. Maybe let snarks about msnbc or kinda unintentional implications go now and then.

Seriously that's about as good a concession as you're ever going to see from him. No reason to hammer on the point.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 5:57 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
Guys, AU conceeded it was an unfair and kinda biased interview. Let's give the guy some credit. Maybe let snarks about msnbc or kinda unintentional implications go now and then.

Seriously that's about as good a concession as you're ever going to see from him. No reason to hammer on the point.



Ah, the voice of reason! You're right. Thank you.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 6:23 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


You are, of course, joking. I cut Rap slack every single time he ever says anything reasonable, and I cannot remember the last time Rap EVER cut ANYONE on the left ANY slack for ANYTHING. So let's get real, shall we? Respect is EARNED, not given away 'cuz just this one time he actually admitted one person on FauxNews did something stupid.

It's called "you get as you give" and I for one am far more reasonable toward Rap all the time than he ever is toward me or anything or anyone he considers "left". Can you honestly say otherwise?


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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 7:18 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Niki - on what points do you disagree with my analysis of the interview ? What'd I miss?

Tia

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 7:27 AM

BYTEMITE


Quote:

You are, of course, joking. I cut Rap slack every single time he ever says anything reasonable, and I cannot remember the last time Rap EVER cut ANYONE on the left ANY slack for ANYTHING. So let's get real, shall we? Respect is EARNED, not given away 'cuz just this one time he actually admitted one person on FauxNews did something stupid.

It's called "you get as you give" and I for one am far more reasonable toward Rap all the time than he ever is toward me or anything or anyone he considers "left". Can you honestly say otherwise?



He conceded which is actually pretty reasonable.

Insulting him after he conceded is up to you.

I take things on a case by case basis. This is one of those times where he didn't actually start anything. In this instance, you'd be the one starting the fight, by responding to him in the same way you usually do, in the way that you think he deserves because he has not "earned" your respect.

As a side note, he has not yet attacked you back.


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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 7:44 AM

STORYMARK


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:


Seriously that's about as good a concession as you're ever going to see from him. No reason to hammer on the point.



He one time concedes one tiny thing, and what, we should applaud him for, for one moment, being a reasonable adult - knowing it'll last less time than it takes to read the post?

Yeah, right.




Excuse me while I soak in all these sweet, sweet conservative tears.

"We will never have the elite, smart people on our side." -- Rick "Frothy" Santorum

"Goram it kid, let's frak this thing and go home! Engage!"

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 7:54 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Byte, where do you get that Rap "conceded" anything? He agreed with everyone else that the interview was bad, which should be obvious to anyone, simple as that. That's not a concession, if you're truly taking things on a "case-by-case basis". But you're not; you're giving Rap points for conceding that someone on FauxNews did something wrong and considering it a "concession" because he always defends Fox.

His remark "She seems all the world more like an msnbc employee than one from FOX" was an obvious and blatant snark at "the left"--totally unnecessary, but being Rap, he had to stick it in there, it's his M.O. I mocked it.

I find your condemnation pathetic, given the fact that if you ever bothered to count how many times I have actually AGREED with Rap, even on some things regarding the left, or have debated him on the issues rather than personality, and contrasted it with his unending, consistent and nasty snarks at/about and attacks ON me on literally anything having to do with politics, you'd recognize the unfairness of claiming I "insulted" him. How often have I merely put up something, only to have Rap come in immediately and make a personal snark?

You say you take things on a case-by-case basis, but you sure don't speak up when that sort of thing happens, you most often pop in when you think someone's done something "unfair" to someone on the right. You may not be aware of your bias, but it's visible, and your explanation in some cases is that you either don't think the person at fault is worth bothering with, or they had a bad childhood or some other reason which you feel makes them not worthy of censure.

You're entitled to your opinion; I'm entitled to mine. You're free to be judgmental of whomever you choose. End of story.


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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:13 AM

BYTEMITE


Seriously? You don't think I've stood up for people on the left when I think something is unnecessary or has gone too far? You don't think I've called out behaviour that I thought was inappropriate from the right wing? You don't think I get flak on this from EVERYONE? I can guarantee you that the right wing is just as frustrated with me as how frustrated you guys on the left are with me, and I'm pretty frustrated with everyone.

Look, I'm not asking for kumbayas or anything. Chances are the moment one side of this board declares a truce, the other side will take the opportunity to come down twice as hard until they provoke a retaliation. I know. I've seen it.

I know that these constant insults are actually venting steam, that if we all tried to put a lid on it, the pot would just boil over even worse.

Heck, I even know that I'm guilty. There are some people on the board who I absolutely will not talk to unless there are some serious extenuating circumstances. I get that my no talking rule is the flip side of the same coin when people get into the mood to just bash each other.

But everyone is always asking, "why do some board members get so nasty? why does it get so BAD around here?"

Well, Niki, you just said it. You "give what you get."

Maybe the problem around here is that's exactly what BOTH SIDES are doing. There's no respect on either side, because they get no respect. It's just insults insults insults. Even when it's not warranted, even when they actually AGREED on something.

And if someone comments on it, they get their credibility called into question.

Everytime I come back to the board, I go about a day of managing to interact normally with everyone, then something like this always happens and I get hurt and frustrated again and I mope around for like a month.

So, all right, I'm sorry Niki. It seems like I have no lessons to teach. Instead, I have a lesson to learn.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:24 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


You have, in my opinion, totally lost perspective, so this will be my last attempt.

My initial snark was at FauxNews, please note, and the ONLY remark I made about Rap was "the idea that Rap can't even recognize that FoxNoise does is hysterical", etc. AFTER I "conceded" (if you want to put it that way) that MSNBC does it too. In other words, Rap's comment was that this woman was acting more like MSNBC than a good Fox News interviewer; my comment was to mock the fact that Rap was saying MSNBC does it but Fox DOESN'T. Some insult!

I have agreed with you about the nastiness here more than anyone else, and have made more effort than most here to abide by civility in the face of PURE, unadulterated viciousness. Rap NEVER gets what he gives from me; his attack on me, his demeaning of me is CONSISTENT and personal. My responses are never as ugly as what he hurls, and if you paid attention, you'd see that. This thread has been jacked sufficiently into personalities, I will not encourage it further.


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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:37 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

No one was questioning his RIGHT to author such a book, as he so claims.




first question from the transcript of the interview
Quote:



You are a Muslim, so why did you write a book about the founder of Christianity?




second question, maybe 10 seconds (one paragraph) later

Quote:



Why would you be interested in the founder of Christianity? (1)




While neither question bluntly asks about this right to write about the subject, I find that both imply, "What business is THIS of YOURS?" and by extension, "What right do you have to write about THIS?"

Why wouldn't, "This is a subject that has interested me, and I thought I could make some money writing a book about it," be a sufficient answer?

Let alone, "I am a scholar of religion. It's in my field of study. I lecture about it. So I converted my lectures to a book."

What more justification does he need to have, or make?


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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:41 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Niki - you have me confused with someone else.

And nobc - I've heard that the author's credentials are less than what he claims on matters of history & religion. I've yet to follow up though. I'd like to hear the interviewer ask if he plans on writing any books on the divinity of Mohammed.
Or even better , his views on whether a Christian has the " right " to write such a book.


Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:43 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by Niki2:
I've seen articles on this in several places, but haven't bothered to read much about it. What I have read didn't surprise me. I got a giggle out of some of the "suggestions" flying around, like an interviewer asking a veterinarian why he treats ANIMALS ("After all, you're a HUMAN") or why someone's focus of study is on the ocean ("But you live on LAND"), etc.





or even, "Why should Churchill have an opinion about Hitler?" Which would be a legitimate reason to write such a book, but someone would have to PROVE that that reason colors the books FACTS and CONCLUSION, not just suggest it and dismiss the work up front.

E-T-A: which I why I'm gonna buy the book, and read it. Sounds like some of it conforms with opinions of MINE. Not soon, not "this week" soon, anyway, or "this month" soon, cashy money being kinda seldom, but eventually.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:43 AM

BYTEMITE


Since when are YOU synonymous with msnbc, Niki? Because his snark was at msnbc. Why did that warrant you making a personal attack on HIM?

And yes, it WAS an insult. Saying that people are delusional and unable to properly perceive reality generally qualifies as an insult - even if that person does tend to attribute things to the mainstream media that they don't attribute to Fox News.

In any case, AuRaptor's snark about msnbc wasn't even RELEVANT to anything. Why then even dignify it with a response and mock it? All that was going to accomplish was to START A FIGHT.

But, whatever, I have been consigned to the same bin as AuRaptor and Jongstraw and the others I see, I lack perspective and am biased towards them, therefore, I am them, and nothing I say warrants consideration.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:52 AM

BYTEMITE


I yell at jongstraw on his posting binge, and I get yelled at for my trouble. I come back a few months later and I've "LOST PERSPECTIVE" and I'm apparently tying up the laces and sounding my Republican Elephant Trumpet. I'm just so biased.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 9:00 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

And nobc - I've heard that the author's credentials are less than what he claims on matters of history & religion. I've yet to follow up though. I'd like to hear the interviewer ask if he plans on writing any books on the divinity of Mohammed.



One of his degrees is in Sociology. And he has written a book on Mohammed and/or Islam. Not sure where he stands on the divinity of Old Mo, but I've got that book, as well as his one on the War on Terror, both on order from my local public library. He's apparently a well known and acknowledged scholar on the ancient Greek language, and has written and published several books on ancient subjects.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 9:49 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
I've heard that the author's credentials are less than what he claims on matters of history & religion.



from Wikipedia

Quote:



Aslan 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.




don't know how much more he needs to claim about religious credentials-- Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School.
as to history, perhaps he holds no degree in the subject, but his studies are certainly relevant.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 11:43 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Master of fine arts from U of Iowa's Writers workshop ?

Relevant ?

Huh.


Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 7:26 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Master of fine arts from U of Iowa's Writers workshop ?

Relevant ?

Huh.





It does suggest that he CAN write: you know, string several words together into a complete sentence, according to the recognized academic rules for grammar and correct usage.

And I don't see you commenting on the question of whether his other degrees and studies qualify him to write about history or religion, which was your original complaint.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 7:34 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


2 of the 4 degrees he boasts about have nothing to do with religion OR history. He's a professor in neither of those two fields.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 7:45 AM

BYTEMITE


Um, he's still a professor of religion. Only TWO of the Four are irrelevant, the others aren't. And I'd argue the sociology degree probably does have overlap with the theology aspects - sociology is the study of human organizations, institutions, and behaviours, such as religion.

Not really a professor of history though I'll grant you. So you're half right.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 7:51 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Where is he a prof of religion? He teaches creative writing is what I heard. And if 2 degrees are relevant to the matter of religion, why claim 4? He does have them, but so what?

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 7:54 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


What a joke...how many degrees do thousands of people have who write books? Even books on religion...that people are "debating" whether he's got "enough" degrees, or even enough "relevant" degrees to write a book...you really ARE joking, aren't you?

oh, no, wait, I understand; you're playing into Rap's game: "Question anything and anybody I don't like". Play on.


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Thursday, August 1, 2013 8:30 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
Um, he's still a professor of religion. Only TWO of the Four are irrelevant, the others aren't. And I'd argue the sociology degree probably does have overlap with the theology aspects - sociology is the study of human organizations, institutions, and behaviours, such as religion.

Not really a professor of history though I'll grant you. So you're half right.



Saw a reference yesterday, somewhere, and I wish I could cite it, to the notion that history, ancient languages, anthropology, sociology, literature, philosophy and several other fields are all applicable component parts of religious studies, and that conversely, religious study requires research in and knowledge of, all those fields and several more.

But I wouldn't bother making that argument with Rap.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 8:58 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Apparently the FauxNews guys think she did a bang-up job:
Quote:

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.

Ironically, Aslan appeared on MSNBC shortly before Bozell's appearance on Fox and actually expressed sympathy for Green.

"Look, I feel really bad for Lauren Green," Aslan said, suggesting that the anchor was simply parroting questions from a producer. http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/fox-news-defends-anchor-wh
o-grilled-aslan-video



What I would be interested in knowing is how many Christian authors of books on Islam FauxNews might have had on, and how many times they asked them if their faith caused them to have a bias in writing the book. I have a feeling the answer to that question might be telling.


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Thursday, August 1, 2013 9:01 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


from Wikipedia
Quote:



Aslan holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop, where he was named the Truman Capote Fellow in Fiction.

In August 2000, while serving as the Truman Capote Fellow at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Aslan was named Visiting Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Iowa, becoming the first full-time professor of Islam in the history of the state.



So maybe he's not teaching religion at a University right now, but he has.


And what is the qualification of this news lady, Lauren Green ?

She's a former Miss Minnesota; 2nd place for Miss USA, Miss America, whatever it is. Lost to Vanessa Williams, who only won because the judges didn't want to vote against somebody who was black, Miss Green claims. (Never heard an argument like that one before, have we?) NO wonder she works for Faux News.

OH, her college majors were Journalism, and Music.

He's better qualified to talk about religion than she is to ask about it.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 9:02 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by Niki2:
What a joke...how many degrees do thousands of people have who write books? Even books on religion...that people are "debating" whether he's got "enough" degrees, or even enough "relevant" degrees to write a book...you really ARE joking, aren't you?

oh, no, wait, I understand; you're playing into Rap's game: "Question anything and anybody I don't like". Play on.




Niki - HE offered the # of degrees as proof of his cred on this topic. Do try to follow along, dear.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 9:06 AM

BYTEMITE


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Where is he a prof of religion? He teaches creative writing is what I heard. And if 2 degrees are relevant to the matter of religion, why claim 4? He does have them, but so what?



He's not a DOCTOR of religion. He's still a professor. He has masters degrees in the relevant field and has been hired by an academic institution for his expertise.

Hell if we only let people who have pHDs say they have expertise in their field, then I would be woefully unqualified for environmental cleanup with just my baccalaureate degree. Or what about all the masters of engineering who design cars and rockets?

EDIT: Oh wait, I think I misunderstood the question. I took "where is he a professor of religion" to mean "How is he a professor of religion." But that was probably asking "at what school is he a professor of religion," like what NOBC was thinking.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 9:11 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Thanx for the giggle, NewOld. This whole thing just wasn't that interesting, but watching people snipe back and forth as if it WAS has been mildly amusing.


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Thursday, August 1, 2013 10:16 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


I missed this, buried in Niki's post from livewire ,

Thursday, August 01, 2013 8:58 AM

Quote:



Green, who is a religion correspondent for Fox News,




SO here's a guy with at least 2 degrees that are directly relevant, being questioned about HIS qualification to speak on the subject, and a former Miss Minnesota MUSIC major is a "religion correspondent", and woefully unprepared, who was spoon-fed her questions and folks are letting her have a free ride.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 10:28 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:

EDIT: Oh wait, I think I misunderstood the question. I took "where is he a professor of religion" to mean "How is he a professor of religion." But that was probably asking "at what school is he a professor of religion," like what NOBC was thinking.



Yepper, that's what I meant.

Hey, I'll bet that at this Iowa university where he was an irrelevant Truman Capote Fellow in the writing program, and a Chair of Islamic Studies, they taught him how to write clear questions that his readers would not misunderstand.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 11:09 AM

BYTEMITE


Quote:

Originally posted by NewOldBrownCoat:
I missed this, buried in Niki's post from livewire ,

Thursday, August 01, 2013 8:58 AM

Quote:



Green, who is a religion correspondent for Fox News,




SO here's a guy with at least 2 degrees that are directly relevant, being questioned about HIS qualification to speak on the subject, and a former Miss Minnesota MUSIC major is a "religion correspondent", and woefully unprepared, who was spoon-fed her questions and folks are letting her have a free ride.



In fairness, it's not like the science correspondents at most news places are actually rocket engineers when they interview someone from NASA. Or neuroscientists and etc.

And I also doubt ANYONE in journalism actually reads a book before they interview the author. Considering how many authors they interview they'd be having to read a book every few days.

While she is part of the news organization who messed up so badly on this, I think that Reza Aslan is correct in blaming the producer who was managing her for having a particular agenda.

I'm also slightly uncomfortable about snarking about this lady just because she was in beauty pageants. I HATE beauty pageants, yes, but that's how some women get scholarships.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 11:40 AM

MAL4PREZ


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
In fairness, it's not like the science correspondents at most news places are actually rocket engineers when they interview someone from NASA. Or neuroscientists and etc.

In such an interview, when professionally done, the interviewer concedes to the expert instead of trying to out argue them. The interviewer won't tell the rocket scientist that his/her research is wrong, or make accusations that the scientist is lying about or hiding their "true" motivation for doing their work.

Quote:

And I also doubt ANYONE in journalism actually reads a book before they interview the author. Considering how many authors they interview they'd be having to read a book every few days.
The GOOD ones do, or at least they have an idea of what is in the book. How long does it take to glance through the intro, especially when you plan the interview to focus on what is in that introduction? Green didn't even know what was on page 2!

If they don't read the book, which does often happen on the Daily Show, for example, a professional interviewer allows the writer to explain without cutting them off and saying: "No, that's not what's in your book and that's not why you wrote it."

Sure, the producer who put her up to this (if that's how it happened) is certainly to blame, but she is not in any way a good journalist for allowing herself to be in the situation. She presented herself as a pretty face with no content behind it. Shame that she did nothing but further the stereotype of beauty pageants.

This whole thing does pretty clearly illustrate Faux news, though. Especially the fact that they are still supporting it. *facepalm* What a nightmare it must be to work there, when a hot mess like this is considered "good."


*---------------------------------------*
The French Revolution would have never happened if Marie Antoinette had just given every peasant an iPhone.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 11:59 AM

BYTEMITE


Quote:

In such an interview, when professionally done, the interviewer concedes to the expert instead of trying to out argue them. The interviewer won't tell the rocket scientist that his/her research is wrong, or make accusations that the scientist is lying about or hiding their "true" motivation for doing their work.


True.

Quote:

The GOOD ones do, or at least they have an idea of what is in the book. How long does it take to glance through the intro, especially when you plan the interview to focus on what is in that introduction? Green didn't even know what was on page 2!



Huh. I guess I assumed that most of the industry didn't read the books and just relied on cliffnotes from interns that had done the research for them and the loaded questions from the producers.

Like how on news websites the writers of an article aren't usually the ones who put it up unless it's on their commentary blog. Instead, interns do that, and sometimes they mess up like the recent cat test front page for the Chicago tribune.

http://gizmodo.com/the-chicago-tribune-has-made-the-best-internet-mist
ake-964073520


Or the idiot news reporters on one station who reported very incorrect "names" for the pilots of the Asiana flights that crashed because one of the interns pranked them and no one double checked the script or the prompter.

Quote:

"No, that's not what's in your book and that's not why you wrote it."



Also true.

Quote:

This whole thing does pretty clearly illustrate Faux news, though. Especially the fact that they are still supporting it. *facepalm* What a nightmare it must be to work there, when a hot mess like this is considered "good."


Doublethink blackwhite. Malquoted rectify go.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 12:34 PM

MAL4PREZ


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
Huh. I guess I assumed that most of the industry didn't read the books and just relied on cliffnotes from interns that had done the research for them and the loaded questions from the producers.

Yeah, I suspect you're right. There's just not time for them to read everything they cover. But at least most of them refer to cliff notes, or have capable interns! Seem that none of that happened in this Faux interview. They had a preconceived conclusion about the book that they wanted to push on the basis of hearsay only. It's more effective to do this when the interviewer is not so blatantly ignorant. If she had said: "On page 153 you say such-and-such about Jesus..." then she might have gotten somewhere. Even if an intern found that quote for her.

Quote:

Like how on news websites the writers of an article aren't usually the ones who put it up unless it's on their commentary blog. Instead, interns do that, and sometimes they mess up like the recent cat test front page for the Chicago tribune.

http://gizmodo.com/the-chicago-tribune-has-made-the-best-internet-mist
ake-964073520



OK. That is awesome LOL!

Quote:

Or the idiot news reporters on one station who reported very incorrect "names" for the pilots of the Asiana flights that crashed because one of the interns pranked them and no one double checked the script or the prompter.
Yeah, I try to avoid that one. It's just so bad it makes me shudder a little.

Quote:

Doublethink blackwhite. Malquoted rectify go.


LOL! Spot on.

*---------------------------------------*
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Thursday, August 1, 2013 12:58 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:

EDIT: Oh wait, I think I misunderstood the question. I took "where is he a professor of religion" to mean "How is he a professor of religion." But that was probably asking "at what school is he a professor of religion," like what NOBC was thinking.



Yes, I meant at what school is he teaching religion ?

He said he makes his living teaching religion. MY understanding is that he's currently a creative writing teacher.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 1:06 PM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Just sayin': Jon Stewart reads the books of the people he interviews. I could name a couple more, but that's probably more than enough to instigate something from Rap, and the others I'd list would do it even quicker.

There's a whole back-story to FauxNews and how it became the way it is, it's actually fascinating, but really sad. There were once real journalists there, trying to do a decent job.


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Thursday, August 1, 2013 1:13 PM

BYTEMITE


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:

EDIT: Oh wait, I think I misunderstood the question. I took "where is he a professor of religion" to mean "How is he a professor of religion." But that was probably asking "at what school is he a professor of religion," like what NOBC was thinking.



Yes, I meant at what school is he teaching religion ?

He said he makes his living teaching religion. MY understanding is that he's currently a creative writing teacher.




Okay.

Somehow in my head reading that I conflated the question you were actually asking with an assumption that you were asking "where are you getting that conclusion?"

Brains are weird sometimes. Sorry about that.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 1:18 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by Niki2:

Just sayin': Jon Stewart reads the books of the people he interviews. I could name a couple more, but that's probably more than enough to instigate something from Rap, and the others I'd list would do it even quicker.



Not sure what point you're attempting to make. I already stated that the gal from FOX was ill-prepared and that Aslan ( hee hee ) really pwned her in the interview. Even brought up the part about her NOT reading his book, and how it showed.

Quote:


There's a whole back-story to FauxNews and how it became the way it is, it's actually fascinating, but really sad. There were once real journalists there, trying to do a decent job.




Had they done their job properly, they'd know what a true Left wing radical this guy was, instead of trying to put him the box of merely being a " Muslim " - gasp!

In some ways, he's much worse.


Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 1:23 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:
Okay.

Somehow in my head reading that I conflated the question you were actually asking with an assumption that you were asking "where are you getting that conclusion?"

Brains are weird sometimes. Sorry about that.



Ha-ha. No worries. Not only am I guilty of doing that ( from time to time ), I've seen others do the same. Even where I'm not involved in a thread, and am just skimming what's been posted. Folks often misread things, or type out sentences with words missing. I think that happens often when folks just type on the fly, not proof reading, and such. The brain works too fast for their fingers to catch up, I suppose.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 1:33 PM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Byte,

mostly what Mal said.

But, she's (Laura Green, not Byte) supposed to be a religion correspondent, not just a general assignment reporter. That implies a specialization, some study if not expertise. Even the weather girl is a Meteorologist now-a-days. If you're the tech beat journalist, you don't just show up for the broadcast and read the tech story handed to you by someone else. You read the magazines, go to the trade shows, went to computer school, maybe had a job with a computer company. You work with the cell phone, digital camera, notebook computer before you go on the air. TV News or talk people often haven't read the book they talk about, but when they haven't, they don't attack the author, they help him plug it.

She should be reading the book anyway, on her off-screen time, to increase her knowledge in the field, if she's a real religious correspondent.

There's a religion correspondent feature on either CNN.com or Slate.com. Appears about weekly-- I read it most times. The guest columnists are often actual ministers, they've been trained in the subject and actually know what they're talking about.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 5:46 PM

MAL4PREZ


Quote:

Originally posted by NewOldBrownCoat:
But, she's (Laura Green, not Byte) supposed to be a religion correspondent, not just a general assignment reporter. That implies a specialization, some study if not expertise.



Nails.


*---------------------------------------*
The French Revolution would have never happened if Marie Antoinette had just given every peasant an iPhone.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 9:38 PM

FREMDFIRMA



Erm.
Just a tiny wee little note here.

You DO realize I have on paper, zero professional qualifications, yes ?
I'm of the mind that the paper means a bit less than actual knowledge of the subject material, which of course, in this case is all but moot given that at least one participant displayed damn-near-none, but still...

I dun put so much stock in that paper, as there's plenty of pretty damn smart folk out and about in the world who can't AFFORD that paper, just sayin.

-Frem

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 10:55 PM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by FREMDFIRMA:

Erm.
Just a tiny wee little note here.

You DO realize I have on paper, zero professional qualifications, yes ?
I'm of the mind that the paper means a bit less than actual knowledge of the subject material, which of course, in this case is all but moot given that at least one participant displayed damn-near-none, but still...

I dun put so much stock in that paper, as there's plenty of pretty damn smart folk out and about in the world who can't AFFORD that paper, just sayin.

-Frem



Well, I don't, in fact, know that about you. I think I know things about you from what you've posted here, I know the places I trust or respect your opinion-- "I could be wrong now/ But I don't think so..."

But I do know what you mean. In my trade, I look like gose on paper, have zero certification or paper trail in the skills I use every day. But I been doing my job for over 30 years, in many different industries and with many companies. When looking for a job, I've gotta get past paper to face-to-face interview. Then I can usually make a truthful impression. And once-- if-- I get hired, I can usually prove my worth in the first week.

But it's a trifle hard to do that with a college professor or writer. That's why I', gonna buy this guys book,read it and judge for myself.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 11:06 PM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Quote:

Originally posted by BYTEMITE:


I'm also slightly uncomfortable about snarking about this lady just because she was in beauty pageants. I HATE beauty pageants, yes, but that's how some women get scholarships.



Hey, I've WORKED Beauty pageants, back in the days when I was a stagehand/ stage manager/ techie/ designer. I've seen first hand the good, the bad, the smart, the dumb, the talented, the gorgeous, the co-operative and the self-centered, among contestants and organizers/judges.

One of the dumbest, most annoying people I ever worked with onstage was an organizer/chaperone. Almost whacked her with a flashlight during a scene change during a performance, when we had 30 seconds to get our job done, which we had done several times during rehearsal, because she was asking question doubting our skill while this was her first day on the set.

The contestant she was chaperoning, on the other hand, was polite, talented and smart.

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