Outrage After Fox News Interview With ‘Zealot’ Author

Blatant Fox News bigotry
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Charges of anti-Muslim prejudice flew thick and fast following Fox News anchor Lauren Green’s interview with Reza Aslan, a religious scholar and the author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth in which she repeatedly asked Aslan why, as a Muslim, he is interested in writing about Jesus’ life.

Aslan emphasized that he is a historian, answering, “Well, to be clear, I am a scholar of religions with four degrees, including one in the New Testament, and fluency in biblical Greek, who has been studying the origins of Christianity for two decades, who also just happens to be a Muslim.”

Green, host of the online show Spirited Debate, went on to suggest Aslan hadn’t disclosed his Muslim identity during previous media interviews. Aslan countered that he mentions his faith on the second page of the book.

A post at Buzzfeed asked “Is This The Most Embarrassing Interview Fox News Has Ever Done?” and The New Yorker’s Emily Nussbaum called it “demented.” The Twitter hashtag #foxnewslitcrit was spawned, full of mock interview questions such as, “Ms. Rowling, what gives you, a muggle, the right to write a book about wizards?”

But as The Atlantic Wire’s Connor Simpson notes, all of this could be good for Aslan: Zealot rose to the top spot on Amazon following the interview. (You can also hear Aslan speak to Fresh Air’s Terry Gross and Weekend Edition’s Rachel Martin about Zealot.)

More: Book News: Outrage After Fox News Interview With ‘Zealot’ Author : The Two-Way : NPR

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366 comments
1 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 7:21:17am

Using this Foxtard “logic”, the RWNJs are not allowed to write about or comment on Muslims or Islam since they they are not Muslim or Islamic.

2 CuriousLurker  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 7:47:26am

re: #1 Dr. Matt

Using this Foxtard “logic”, the RWNJs are not allowed to write about or comment on Muslims or Islam since they they are not Muslim or Islamic.

Heh, you’ve got a point there.

3 elizajane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 8:25:29am

Although Fox viewers are not to be informed of this fact, Jesus is a rather important figure in the Muslim faith and is mentioned numerous times in the Quran. He is one of the great prophets and performed miracles. There is every reason for any Muslim to be interested in him.

4 HappyWarrior  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 10:50:06am

So no one Christian can write books about Islam or Judaism huh Fox? Seriously fucked up logic you’ve got there. Stop it with this bullshit please. And as said, Christ is important in Islam which is a fact that I think would shock most Fox viewers or really most Americans for that matter too.

5 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:09:26am

Look, there’s only so many times I can replace neurons with technology. STOP IT FOX.

6 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:09:41am

re: #3 elizajane

Although Fox viewers are not to be informed of this fact, Jesus is a rather important figure in the Muslim faith and is mentioned numerous times in the Quran. He is one of the great prophets and performed miracles. There is every reason for any Muslim to be interested in him.

Jesus is referred to explicitly as ‘Jesus the Messiah, son of Mary’, in the Qur’an.

7 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:10:58am

re: #1 Dr. Matt

Using this Foxtard “logic”, the RWNJs are not allowed to write about or comment on Muslims or Islam since they they are not Muslim or Islamic.

Repost from downstairs:

8 jaunte  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:12:50am
Zealot rose to the top spot on Amazon following the interview.

OWN GOAL!

9 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:13:00am

“Mr Congressman, as a man, why are you so interested in the health of women?”

10 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:13:01am

I’ve never read any books by Reza Aslan, although I do follow him on Twitter.

After all these freakouts over his book, I feel obligated to throw it into my next Amazon purchase. Thumbing my nose at the bigots and imbeciles who think a Muslim can’t write about Jesus is just an added perk.

11 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:13:11am

re: #7 Lidane

Repost from downstairs:

[Embedded content]

My beard is fashionable, making me the true expert on beards.

12 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:13:53am

Note:

Zealot rose to the top spot on Amazon following the interview

Obviously, Aslan knew what would happen if he went on Fox News, and he did it as a marketing move. Doesn’t make the bigotry any less real, though.

13 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:14:01am
14 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:14:26am

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Note:

Obviously, Aslan knew what would happen if he went on Fox News, and he did it as a marketing move. Doesn’t make the bigotry any less real, though.

15 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:14:38am

re: #13 darthstar

What is this I don’t even.

16 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:14:57am

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Note:

Obviously, Aslan knew what would happen if he went on Fox News, and he did it as a marketing move. Doesn’t make the bigotry any less real, though.

And FoxNews kicked the ball in their own goal anyways.

17 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:15:27am

re: #13 darthstar

[Embedded content]

I…uh…um…okely dokely.

18 HappyWarrior  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:15:46am

re: #13 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Can we discuss how the Teenage Mutant Turtles shaped Chris Christie’s eating habits too?//

19 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:15:47am

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Note:

Obviously, Aslan knew what would happen if he went on Fox News, and he did it as a marketing move. Doesn’t make the bigotry any less real, though.

I have to applaud him for using their bias to his favor.

20 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:16:02am

re: #15 Lidane

What is this I don’t even.

I think it’s a parody account. Pretty funny shit.

21 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:16:22am

re: #20 darthstar

I think it’s a parody account. Pretty funny shit.

22 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:16:41am
23 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:16:56am

Oh thank zod.

24 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:17:29am

Of course…this is probably close to what she actually believes:

25 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:17:49am

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Oh sure. He knew what would happen on Fox News.

If anything, the RWNJs should be impressed with his shrewdness. He deliberately went in expecting a hostile interview, kept his calm, and walked out of it with a huge increase in book sales and a bunch of people facepalming Fox News for suggesting that Muslim can’t write about Jesus. It’s win-win.

26 Ian G.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:18:15am

Wanna make a wingnut’s head explode? Tell them that if Muslims are unqualified to write about Jesus, then Christians are unqualified to write about anything in the Old Testament.

So all that stuff about how Sodom & Gomorrah was God’s way of punishing teh gay? Yeah, go shove it.

27 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:18:16am

Today I will defend Reza Aslan. Tomorrow he’ll insult atheists. Seems like a fair trade. //

28 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:18:21am

INEZ JUST PISSED THAT HER INVISIBLE KNAPSACK OF PRIVILEGE IS ONLY LOUIS VUITTON NOT JUDITH LIEBER

29 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:18:32am

Day 2: Talking like Matt Berry still proceeding as planned. Wife and kids really annoyed now.

30 Charles Johnson  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:19:01am

re: #19 Kragar

I have to applaud him for using their bias to his favor.

Yup, it was a smart play. He turned their bigotry into cash.

31 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:19:22am

re: #28 Vicious Babushka

INEZ JUST PISSED THAT HER INVISIBLE KNAPSACK OF PRIVILEGE IS ONLY LOUIS VUITTON NOT JUDITH LIEBER

[Embedded content]

So I guess she’s going to take her student loans cosigned by daddy and leave school.

32 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:20:07am

Well, somebody corked up in a spectacular manner.

This is the 4th Spectacular Train incident in as many weeks.

33 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:20:30am
Invisible Knapsack of Privilege

Bags of Holding are better.

34 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:21:14am

re: #30 Charles Johnson

Yup, it was a smart play. He turned their bigotry into cash.

and that is a welcome change of pace, the trolls being trolled.

35 drool  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:21:18am

You would never see the dimbulbs on Fox question Pam Geller’s motives/credibility regarding her ravings about Islam.

36 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:21:35am

re: #33 Varek Raith

Bags of Holding are better.

All the cool kids have Heward’s Handy Haversack.

37 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:22:06am

re: #27 Gus

Today I will defend Reza Aslan. Tomorrow he’ll insult atheists. Seems like a fair trade. //

Brought up from the previous thread:

38 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:22:40am

re: #31 Kragar

So I guess she’s going to take her student loans cosigned by daddy and leave school.

She’ll just stay in school and write essays for Koch front groups like TEH INVISIBLE HANDBAG OF PRIVILEGE U CAN’T SEE IT WHAT GOOD IS IT IF U CAN’T HAVE 1 TO MATCH EVERY OUTFIT???

39 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:23:19am

re: #37 wrenchwench

Brought up from the previous thread:

[Embedded content]

I love being a member of the Most Feared Group to Ever Have and Will Exist.

40 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:23:25am

re: #38 Vicious Babushka

She’ll just stay in school and write essays for Koch front groups like TEH INVISIBLE HANDBAG OF PRIVILEGE U CAN’T SEE IT WHAT GOOD IS IT IF U CAN’T HAVE 1 TO MATCH EVERY OUTFIT???

What colors for the outfit? //

41 Carlos Diggler  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:24:58am

I’ve never felt this powerful in my life. Though I’ve yet to make a dime, atheism beats being on the Zionist Payroll.

42 jaunte  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:25:34am

re: #40 Gus

“Let’s look at the Pantone collection first, then move on to Sherwin Williams.”

43 SpaceJesus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:26:16am

gonna buy this book

44 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:26:28am

re: #42 jaunte

“Let’s look at the Pantone collection first, then move on to Sherwin Williams.”

PANTONE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

45 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:26:38am

What right do you, George Lucas, have to write a Star Trek spec script?

46 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:26:44am

re: #43 SpaceJesus

gonna buy this book

You Zealot.

47 Mattand  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:27:04am

re: #37 wrenchwench

Brought up from the previous thread:

[Embedded content]

Figures.

Thanks, Aslan. You’re doing nothing to dispute my observation that the one thing that unites many of the faithful, regardless of creed, is their ignorance/distrust/hatred of atheists.

48 kerFuFFler  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:27:49am

re: #26 Ian G.

Wanna make a wingnut’s head explode? Tell them that if Muslims are unqualified to write about Jesus, then Christians are unqualified to write about anything in the Old Testament.

Their heads will only explode if they can follow the reasoning in something as complex as an analogy. A is to B as C is to D is way past what most RWNJ’s seem capable of processing.

49 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:28:16am

It’s International Tiger Day.

I ask that we take a moment of of silence to reflect on what this means to each of us.

50 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:28:20am

DERP

51 SpaceJesus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:28:21am

re: #46 wrenchwench

i hope he talks about the outer space part, everybody kind of forgets about it

52 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:29:04am

re: #51 SpaceJesus

i hope he talks about the outer space part, everybody kind of forgets about it

“How many corgis did Jesus own?”

53 jaunte  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:30:00am
54 SpaceJesus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:30:15am

re: #52 Gus

all of the apostles were actually corgis, this is a little known fact that has been swept under the rug at nicea

55 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:31:06am

re: #53 jaunte

My surprise, etc.

56 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:31:25am

I think there have been several books about Islam and the Prophet by Christians. At least, English speaking books.

57 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:31:34am

re: #54 SpaceJesus

all of the apostles were actually corgis, this is a little known fact that has been swept under the rug at nicea

So it was actually 30 pieces of kibble, then?

58 HappyWarrior  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:31:57am

re: #53 jaunte

[Embedded content]

They never ask their self styled Islam experts either. Really Aslan seems to be an ass but he can write a book about whatever he wants to just like idiots like Geller and Spencer can.

59 HappyWarrior  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:32:27am

re: #56 FemNaziBitch

I think there have been several books about Islam and the Prophet by Christians. At least, English speaking books.

Several is probably a conservative estimate.

60 jaunte  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:32:36am

The fourth ecorgiumenical council at Chalcedon.

61 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:33:23am

re: #56 FemNaziBitch

I think there have been several books about Islam and the Prophet by Christians. At least, English speaking books.

Look what all those books on tape have done to you!

62 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:35:06am

re: #50 Vicious Babushka

Eric son of Erick just wants to play the victim card.

There have been a deluge of Christian authors writing about Islam, and they go on hate-radio and fundamentalist outlets all the time, and how often are they asked about their invalidity to write on Islam because they are Christian?

63 Jack Burton  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:35:40am

Nearly all the bad reviews of this book on Amazon look like this:

The author of this book conceals his being a Muslim on interviews, and when challenged about this, would conveniently point out that he disclosed this on the second page of his book. Well, the second page of his book does NOT speak out during interviews. Perhaps if he constantly discloses he is a Muslim at the beginning of every interview, I might give him more credit.

This author calls Jesus a “political troublemaker”. I wonder how Muslims would react if a Christian wrote a book about Mohammed and describes him as a “political troublemaker”. This author’s credibility is tainted by his dishonesty and deceptiveness. Trashy book.

Attacking the messenger, saying little or nothing about the actual content of the book or the writing… I’m shocked…. just… shocked!!11!
/

64 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:35:42am

re: #50 Vicious Babushka

DERP

[Embedded content]

re: #53 jaunte

Thanks…just sent that to Erickson.

65 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:35:43am

re: #61 wrenchwench

Look what all those books on tape have done to you!

Yes, it’s a conundrum.

66 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:35:52am

re: #51 SpaceJesus

i hope he talks about the outer space part, everybody kind of forgets about it

East Outer Space, wasn’t it? Or am I thinking of the Jesus who pronounces it the Spanish way?

67 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:36:02am

re: #50 Vicious Babushka

DERP

He’s trying a bit too hard to troll the left.

68 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:36:44am

Christians and Muslims writing about Jesus, the Jew.

I just don’t care.

69 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:36:59am

re: #67 Dr. Matt

He’s trying a bit too hard to troll the left.

Erickson is one of the most ineffective trolls since Andrew Breitbart.

70 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:37:32am

Image: 944573_10151318878709229_1183153165_n.jpg

71 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:38:10am

re: #68 FemNaziBitch

Christians and Muslims writing about Jesus, the Jew.

I just don’t care.

If they aren’t destined for Valhalla, I don’t give a damn.

72 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:38:33am

I know this was referenced in the top of the thread, but I love this tweet:

73 Shiplord Kirel  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:38:34am

This interview was just one long ad hominem attack. The Fox fool showed no interest at all in Aslan’s conclusions, or his sources, or his qualifications. She focused “laser-like” on his Muslim faith.

74 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:39:06am
75 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:39:18am

re: #69 darthstar

Erickson is one of the most ineffective trolls since Andrew Breitbart.

I dunno, I’d be willing to relocate him under a bridge and let him eat goats for a couple of years to find out….

76 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:39:52am
77 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:40:11am

re: #74 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Speaking of Othello

78 Jack Burton  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:40:12am

re: #68 FemNaziBitch

Christians and Muslims writing about Jesus, the Jew.

I just don’t care.

Crom laughs at their trinity and 5 pillars.

79 jaunte  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:40:24am

Welfare moochers!

80 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:40:30am

re: #73 Shiplord Kirel

This interview was just one long ad hominem attack. The Fox fool showed no interest at all in Aslan’s conclusions, or his sources, or his qualifications. She focused “laser-like” on his Muslim faith.

It was easier than reading the book. And may have earned a bonus for all the publicity she generated.

81 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:40:31am

re: #75 piratedan

I dunno, I’d be willing to relocate him under a bridge and let him eat goats for a couple of years to find out….

Relocate him underneath the Ambassador Bridge and watch Matty the Bridge Troll gobble him down.

82 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:41:04am

re: #78 Jack Burton

Crom laughs at their trinity and 5 pillars.

Cthulhu has Bibles for breakfasts, along with a nice Qur’an sauce.

83 Carlos Diggler  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:41:15am

But Mr Man, how can you write about women when you have no boobs or uterus?

84 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:41:51am

re: #63 Jack Burton

New rule: All Muslims must come-out, i.e. self-disclose, as Muslims in all TV and newspaper, magazine, and Internet interviews. Because. ///

85 Carlos Danger  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:42:21am

Once chanced across a book about the crusades written by a former National Review columnist. Probably the sloppiest book I ever read. It was written by a certain Paul L. Williams.

The guy writes his share of anti-Islam stuff too. That’s how I found this site back in the day, on a google search of the author.

Yeah, I stayed away for a while. Glad things came around here.

86 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:43:32am

re: #72 darthstar

Someone should ask Stan Lee how he can write about super heroes if he’s not one himself. That would be fun.

87 Ian G.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:43:36am

re: #63 Jack Burton

From that one review:

This author calls Jesus a “political troublemaker”.

Wait….do wingnut Christians actually dispute that he was a political troublemaker? How the hell did he end up crucified if he wasn’t causing problems for the Roman authorities? The Sanhedrin didn’t crucify people, only the Romans did that, and why would they bother intervening in a Jewish theological dispute if Jesus was nothing more than a Jewish heretic?

I guess I’m asking too much of wingnut Christians to actually think critically about who Jesus was.

88 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:43:44am

Why is Aslan hiding his Muslim identity by hiding his affiliation in his books?!11 We haz Concerns….

89 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:43:51am
90 Jack Burton  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:44:52am

re: #88 Bulworth

Why is Aslan hiding his Muslim identity by hiding his affiliation in his books?!11 We haz Concerns….

He should stick to writing about Narnia!

91 Carlos Danger  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:45:01am

How can Pat Robertson talk about Hell without having been…

Okay, maybe that isn’t the best example.

92 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:45:08am

OK, now I’m wondering what this EDL protest poster is really about. When I saw it on the #AskTommyRobinson twitter feed, I thought it was just another unfortunate EDL spelling error…

93 Carlos Diggler  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:46:50am

Waiting for the Fox Interview of Robert Spencer:

“Mr Spencer, how can write a book about Islam when…”

94 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:46:54am

Speaking of people who wear their fail on their sleeve…

95 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:47:47am
96 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:48:21am

Very cool:
Youtube Video

97 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:48:23am

Cruz: Republicans Are Too ‘Scared’ To Defund Obamacare

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said Monday that the GOP has a chance to defund Obamacare within 60 days — if only the GOP establishment would get behind the idea.

“The problem right now is we don’t have Republicans willing to stand up and do this,” Cruz told the conservative radio program “The Andrea Tantaros Show.” “We need 41 Republicans in the Senate or 218 Republicans in the House, to stand together, to join me, to join Mike Lee, to join Marco Rubio, all of whom have said, we will not vote for a single continuing resolution that funds even a penny of ObamaCare.”

Cruz told the radio program that he believes some Republicans are too “scared” of the left’s criticism that defunding the national health care law entails shutting down the federal government.

98 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:49:43am

There are several, reasoned, critical reviews of Aslan’s latest book available. Unfortunately that is not what happened on Faux News.

Aslan’s claims can probably be picked apart by academics - he’s not the go-to expert on the subject of “Jesus” or 1st century Roman Palestine life.

Still, it’s telling that Faux News can’t even reach out to a legitimate critic of Aslan, but instead go with a hit-n-run piece.

99 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:49:51am
Well, the second page of his book does NOT speak out during interviews.

Wingnut translation: We can’t go to page 2 of your book because we don’t read books or anything like that, we just watch Fox News and we get all our facts and news from Fox News interviews and commentary.

100 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:49:56am

re: #97 Kragar

Cruz: Republicans Are Too ‘Scared’ To Defund Obamacare

Or too hypocritical not to try. John Thune, who apparently sent a letter requesting Obamacare funds for his state, is on the “shut down the government to kill Obamacare” bandwagon.

101 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:50:06am

re: #64 darthstar

One of the great historians of the Middle East, Bernard Lewis, is Jewish, and yet is considered a preeminent scholar on Islam.

Fact is that in order to study the Middle East in a political context, you’ve got to know something about all the religions and cultures of the area you’re studying - doesn’t matter if you’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, atheist, or Baha’i. And it doesn’t make his views wrong, simply because he’s a Muslim talking about Christianity any more than a Baptist was talking about Muslim practices, or a Jew was talking about Muslim views.

102 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:50:57am

re: #24 darthstar

Of course…this is probably close to what she actually believes:

[Embedded content]

no it’s definitely a parody account.
And it’s the #foxnewslitcrit hashtag people have been having fun with since the Aslan interview.

103 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:50:58am

Remember when immigrants used to anglicize their names in order to better assimilate and we didn’t know who was originally Mohummand or Wong?

104 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:51:38am

re: #72 darthstar

Mr. King, how can you write about life under the dome when you’re living outside it? #FoxLiteraryCritics

105 Carlos Diggler  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:52:09am

Mr Christ, how can you write a book on Christianity when you’re a Jew?

106 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:54:11am

re: #103 FemNaziBitch

Remember when immigrants used to anglicize their names in order to better assimilate and we didn’t know who was originally Mohummand or Wong?

Pre-WWI, the maternal side of my family were the Brauns.

From 1916 onwards, they were the Browns.

107 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:54:54am

re: #95 Lidane

[Embedded content]

O_o

108 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:55:47am

Popcorn fodder:

109 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:56:24am

re: #95 Lidane

Another reason to support Cory Booker then… /as if I wasn’t already backing him.

110 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:57:21am

Journalists endorsing political candidates out in the open.

111 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:57:52am

re: #110 Gus

Journalists endorsing political candidates out in the open.

Shouldn’t there be some quote marks around that?

112 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:58:10am

re: #103 FemNaziBitch

Remember when immigrants used to anglicize their names in order to better assimilate and we didn’t know who was originally Mohummand or Wong?

And all too frequently they got the Wong Muhammed.//

113 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:58:24am

This Faux News’ anchor’s brilliant outing of well-known scholar and Muslim, Reza Aslan, as a Muslim (Confirmed. FACT) has probably put her into contention with Hoft for the next Accuracy In Media award. //

114 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:59:06am

re: #111 freetoken

Shouldn’t there be some quote marks around that?

Was going to but I remember that Greenwald says “I’m a journalist” all the time. :O

115 b.d.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:59:25am

re: #95 Lidane

[Embedded content]

Greenwald to appear at town hall for N.J. Senate candidate Rush Holt

will participate Tuesday in an online town hall the candidate is hosting

Online town hall?

116 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 11:59:28am

re: #96 FemNaziBitch

Very cool:
[Embedded content]

This is actually worth watching.

117 BeenHereAwhile  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:00:10pm

re: #100 darthstar

re: #97 Kragar

Cruz: Republicans Are Too ‘Scared’ To Defund Obamacare

Or too hypocritical not to try. John Thune, who apparently sent a letter requesting Obamacare funds for his state, is on the “shut down the government to kill Obamacare” bandwagon.

Coming soon to your state or a state near you:

A little noticed law passed by [Florida] state legislators this year deregulates any new health insurance policies for the next two years and requires insurers to send customers a disclosure form spelling out how much of the cost of the policy is attributable to the Affordable Care Act.

Proponents say it is a necessary component of enacting the federal health care reform and will shift regulation of new health care policies to the federal government, including policies emerging from the federal health care exchange.

“No one should be afraid of the truth,” said Sen. David Simmons, R-Maitland, sponsor of the bill. “You can’t make intelligent decisions unless you have accurate facts.”

But opponents say the federal government doesn’t have the resources nor the ability to regulate insurance rates in Florida and, without those protections, rates could soar. If rates rise, they said, the disclosure form will mislead the public into concluding that the increased costs are all associated with the health care reform while any reductions in costs won’t be recorded.

miamiherald.com

118 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:00:46pm

re: #112 Vicious Babushka

And all too frequently they got the Wong Muhammed.//

An anagram of which is “Hmm Gun Made Ow” - which is very American.

119 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:01:17pm

re: #115 b.d.

Online town hall?

Greenwald to appear on a big screen at online town hall. Big screen just like 1984.

120 Ian G.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:01:42pm

re: #106 Kragar

Pre-WWI, the maternal side of my family were the Brauns.

From 1916 onwards, they were the Browns.

Amazing that, almost 100 years before the fact, they had the foresight not to have their name associated with that cheater in Milwaukee.
//////

121 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:03:04pm
122 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:03:06pm

Who Knew?

The name “moyamoya” means “puff of smoke” in Japanese and describes the look of the tangle of tiny vessels formed to compensate for the blockage.

I learned on fb a friend’s husband is in another state undergoing surgery for this condition. Unbelievabley scary.

Surprised the name wasn’t anglicized.

123 b.d.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:03:10pm

re: #119 Gus

Greenwald to appear on a big screen at online town hall. Big screen just like 1984.

Big Brazilian Brother

124 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:04:30pm

re: #108 Lidane

Popcorn fodder:

Beck is going to out Reza Aslan as the secret author of No god But God, a top-secret, best selling book about Islam, which Reza Aslan’s has admitted writing and in fact has his name right on the book’s cover. An earth-shattering revelation. //

125 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:04:37pm

re: #112 Vicious Babushka

And all too frequently they got the Wong Muhammed.//

Baba, how is the fire sale going in Detroit?

126 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:04:49pm

Tom Hanks needs to stop making movies about WWII and space since he has never been to either.

127 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:05:22pm

re: #125 FemNaziBitch

Baba, how is the fire sale going in Detroit?

I’ll let you know when they get to your old block, maybe you can put in a bid on eBay.

128 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:05:53pm

re: #123 b.d.

Big Brazillian Brother

Image: ABC_glenn_greenwald_this_week_jt_130728_16x9_608.jpg

129 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:05:55pm

re: #127 Vicious Babushka

I’ll let you know when they get to your old block, maybe you can put in a bid on eBay.

From what I understand, it’s already at rock bottom.

130 b.d.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:06:04pm

re: #124 Bulworth

Beck is going to out <em>re: <a href=”/showc/124/10112701” class=”rep”>#124</a> Bulworth</em>

<blockquote>Beck is going to out Reza Aslan as the secret author of No god But God, a top-secret, best selling book about Islam, which Reza Aslan’s has admitted writing and in fact has his name right on the book’s cover. An earth-shattering revelation. //</blockquote>

Reza Aslan as the secret author of No god But God, a top-secret, best selling book about Islam, which Reza Aslan’s has admitted writing and in fact has his name right on the book’s cover. An earth-shattering revelation. //

Aslan secretly ghost wrote wrote The Audacity of Hope!!!1!!

//

131 b.d.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:06:46pm

re: #128 Gus

Image: ABC_glenn_greenwald_this_week_jt_130728_16x9_608.jpg

Snicker, snicker, snort.

132 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:07:02pm

re: #130 b.d.

Aslan secretly ghost wrote wrote The Audacity of Hope!!!1!!

//

Or worse — he translated it from its native Arabic.

///////////////////////

133 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:07:32pm

Greenwald as the new and improved Max Headroom

134 BongCrodny  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:09:54pm

re: #45 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

What right do you, George Lucas, have to write a Star Trek spec script?

What right do you, Isaac Asimov, have to write about robots?

135 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:11:27pm

re: #127 Vicious Babushka

I’ll let you know when they get to your old block, maybe you can put in a bid on eBay.

Actually, I just looked on Zillow, it’s not nearly as bad as they make it out to be.

136 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:12:14pm

re: #134 BongCrodny

What right do you, Isaac Asimov, have to write about robots?

What right to women have to choose their own health care?

137 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:12:20pm

FWIW, the longer HuffPoLive interview of Aslan:

live.huffingtonpost.com

is pretty much just a fluff piece.

So Faux goes in accusatory, and HuffPo fluffs… but no one does a critical analysis. What is needed is an interlocutor who is knowledgeable about the subject, but I suspect Aslan wouldnt’ want that.

138 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:12:52pm

re: #133 Kragar

Greenwald as the new and improved Max Headroom

Max Greenwald

139 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:13:26pm

So, I’m reading Aslan thru the last few posts and thinking of the Lion of C.S. Lewis fiction.

How Freudian is that?

140 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:13:38pm

I think I’m going to start call HuffPo as FluffPo.

141 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:13:51pm

re: #137 freetoken

FWIW, the longer HuffPoLive interview of Aslan:

live.huffingtonpost.com

is pretty much just a fluff piece.

So Faux goes in accusatory, and HuffPo fluffs… but no one does a critical analysis. What is needed is an interlocutor who is knowledgeable about the subject, but I suspect Aslan wouldnt’ want that.

Searching … .book TV etc. as we speak.

142 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:14:41pm

re: #140 freetoken

I think I’m going to start call HuffPo as FluffPo.

They deposit a lot of chips in the Favor Bank.

143 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:15:11pm

re: #133 Kragar

Greenwald as the new and improved Max Headroom

Youtube Video

No, Max is still cooler. Way cooler.

144 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:15:32pm

re: #134 BongCrodny

What right do you, Isaac Asimov, have to write about robots?

Maybe he knew Romney back then…

145 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:15:49pm

re: #141 FemNaziBitch

Searching … .book TV etc. as we speak.

NPR

146 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:16:25pm

re: #139 FemNaziBitch

So, I’m reading Aslan thru the last few posts and thinking of the Lion of C.S. Lewis fiction.

How Freudian is that?

Not Freudian, that’s just the pop culture context you are used to associating Aslan.

Wait for all the Photoshops.

147 Dave In Austin  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:16:26pm

re: #43 SpaceJesus

gonna buy this book

If you have a tablet, you can pull the 1st 70 pages. I’m into it now

148 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:16:29pm

re: #139 FemNaziBitch

are you reading it in the voice of Liam Neeson?

149 Joanne  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:17:44pm

re: #99 Bulworth

Wingnut translation: We can’t go to page 2 of your book because we don’t read books or anything like that, we just watch Fox News and we get all our facts and news from Fox News interviews and commentary.

Here’s the big Aslan controversy that the right is salivating over.

150 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:18:03pm

re: #28 Vicious Babushka

INEZ JUST PISSED THAT HER INVISIBLE KNAPSACK OF PRIVILEGE IS ONLY LOUIS VUITTON NOT JUDITH LIEBER

[Embedded content]

Once again, what a fucking moron that woman is! I went through the ‘knapsack’, and although there are a few entries that seem redundant, there wasn’t one that I could dispute.

More to the point, since many of them refer to the absence of experiences people of other races than mine have, HOW could I dispute them? “No, that didn’t happen to you.”

And interestingly, a lot of the white folks who WOULD dispute those experiences, and mistrust the black person who related them, swallowed whole George Zimmerman’s version of events, which actually lends credibility to the list.

151 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:18:22pm

Some references to Pam Geller and Robert Spencer in this interview with loonwatch.

LW: Who in this relationship, between him and Geller, who holds more sway?
RA: Are you kidding me! I’m surprised that in pictures of the two of them that she is not holding a leash.

152 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:19:44pm

re: #119 Gus

Greenwald to appear on a big screen at online town hall. Big screen just like 1984.

Image: 5835089825_75a8f7b27f.jpg

153 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:19:50pm

As I’ve pointed out before, there’s always more money to be made with Je$u$.


Especially in America.

154 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:19:58pm
155 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:02pm

re: #150 Mateo Scourge

Invisible Napsack of Privilege is just an awesome title, whatever it is.

156 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:10pm

re: #148 piratedan

are you reading it in the voice of Liam Neeson?

I didn’t know that!

157 Justanotherhuman  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:28pm

So, I’m pretty neutral on this whole shebang, but it’s interesting that FN wants to create a kind of “mini-Crusades” without the intellectual equipment.

158 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:36pm

re: #119 Gus

Greenwald to appear on a big screen at online town hall. Big screen just like 1984.

Can we have some fit woman with a sledgehammer run down the aisle and chuck the hammer at the screen?
//

159 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:43pm

hmmmm…

160 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:43pm

re: #153 freetoken

As I’ve pointed out before, there’s always more money to be made with Je$u$.

Especially in America.

Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Pay Pal, casn and Legacy Annuities always welcome.

161 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:20:52pm

It’s ALL fucking partisan “journalism,” the objective fact-based journalism is pretty much obsolete.

162 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:21:39pm

re: #154 Vicious Babushka

ummm…Glenn, “journalists” would not include you…

163 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:21:56pm

re: #161 Vicious Babushka

It’s ALL fucking partisan “journalism,” the objective fact-based journalism is pretty much obsolete.

When did it ever exist?

(having some memories of Federalist and Anti-Federalist newspaper wars)

164 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:22:06pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

Creepy beyond creepy.

This way they can out the PTSD veteran. Hope they then feel shitty about themselves. They won’t.

165 Randall Gross  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:22:55pm

re: #139 FemNaziBitch

So, I’m reading Aslan thru the last few posts and thinking of the Lion of C.S. Lewis fiction.

How Freudian is that?

Why does Fox hate Narnia?

166 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:23:07pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

Horrifying.

167 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:23:30pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

hmmmm…

[Embedded content]

Poorshaming, a grand tradition just like slutshaming.

168 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:23:47pm

Aslan is going to do a Reddit AskMeAnything in one hour:

reddit.com

169 BeenHereAwhile  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:24:03pm

re: #144 Backwoods_Sleuth

re: #134 BongCrodny

What right do you, Isaac Asimov, have to write about robots?

Maybe he knew Romney back then…

Romney violates the 1st Law Of Robotics:

“A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.”

170 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:25:00pm

re: #169 BeenHereAwhile

Romney violates the 1st Law Of Robotics:

“A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.”

As Captain Barbossa said, “They’re more guidelines than actual rules.”

171 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:25:06pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

Another FAKE QUOTE. Actually said by some dude named Alexander Tytler, that nobody ever heard of or gives a fuck about, so they attach this quote to Franklin or De Toqueville.

172 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:25:27pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

hmmmm…

[Embedded content]

I’ve got 30% disability from the government based on military service. Partial hearing loss, damage to my back and knees, exposure to hazardous chemicals, and respiratory damage. By themselves, each one is minor and not that noticeable, but combined, they add up.

Please Artemis, come by and explain to me how I don’t appear disabled enough to you.

174 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:25:49pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

I’m sure that they got this intel from one of Snowden’s leaks, correct?

although my alternate response would be….

“dear Artemis, you set foot on my property again,. I will shoot you down as a trespasser and potential burglar”…..

176 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:27:18pm

re: #175 Gus

Guilty of Being Black.

177 geoffm33  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:27:28pm

re: #171 Vicious Babushka

Another FAKE QUOTE. Actually said by some dude named Alexander Tytler, that nobody ever heard of or gives a fuck about, so they attach this quote to Franklin or De Toqueville.

How dare you, a person not alive in the time of Franklin, post about the validity of something Franklin may have said?

178 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:28:06pm

re: #173 Gus

Unarmed Man Shot by Deputies Inside His Own Car Outside His Own Home

Hey, he was holding a pack of cigarettes, and those things can kill you.

/laughratherthancry.

180 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:29:40pm

From that Reddit link, one of the questions:

schrankage 1 point 18 seconds ago
Will you ever give the first and last (for you) of the big three monotheisms (Judaism) a try? Third time’s the charm.

181 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:30:38pm

re: #169 BeenHereAwhile

Romney violates the 1st Law Of Robotics:

“A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.”

Thus, Asimov was impelled to write the Laws of Robotics.
Apparently, Romney was one of the rogue ones…

182 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:31:13pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

Ah, let the neighborhood “decide” who is disabled….just like Killerman decided that Trayvon was a criminal. Brilliant.

183 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:31:50pm

re: #178 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

Hey, he was holding a pack of cigarettes, and those things can kill you.

/laughratherthancry.

Luckily it was one cop with bad aim. 7 rounds would mean he or she emptied his clip.

184 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:31:54pm

re: #171 Vicious Babushka

Another FAKE QUOTE. Actually said by some dude named Alexander Tytler, that nobody ever heard of or gives a fuck about, so they attach this quote to Franklin or De Toqueville.

still…pretty damned creepy that someone is leaving crap like that on people’s porches.

185 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:33:19pm

re: #183 Gus

Luckily it was one cop with bad aim. 7 rounds would mean he or she emptied his clip.

apparently, his mother’s car took most of the bullets.

186 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:34:20pm

re: #184 Backwoods_Sleuth

still…pretty damned creepy that someone is leaving crap like that on people’s porches.

Irony: The person threatening to disclose private information using a pseudonym

187 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:35:56pm

re: #183 Gus

Two of the responding officers fired their weapons. Both have been placed on administrative leave.

A neighbor had called in to 911 seeing someone suspicious in/near their home. The responding officers confronted and then opened fire on the man. At least one witness said that the man didn’t resist, nor was he doing anything wrong at any point - they simply opened fire.

I smell major lawsuit, and rightfully so to boot.

188 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:36:18pm

re: #184 Backwoods_Sleuth

still…pretty damned creepy that someone is leaving crap like that on people’s porches.

I’m willing to make a Romney bet that the “author” of that letter is a diehard Fox fan and uses the terms “libtard” and “Obozo” as part of his/her daily lexicon.

189 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:36:56pm

*sigh*

190 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:37:01pm

re: #187 lawhawk

Nonsense. They were just standing their ground.
//////

191 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:37:28pm

re: #189 Lidane

*sigh*

[Embedded content]

Pedophile says what?

192 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:37:48pm

What ever jag-off is doing this needs to go to jail.

193 Joanne  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:38:03pm

re: #173 Gus

Unarmed Man Shot by Deputies Inside His Own Car Outside His Own Home

From the comments:

Good thing Obamacare is rolling out before the insurance companies can make being black in Florida a pre-existing condition.

194 First As Tragedy, Then As Farce  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:38:13pm

re: #186 Kragar

Irony: The person threatening to disclose private information using a pseudonym

while demonstrating himself to be mentally disabled…

195 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:38:18pm

re: #183 Gus

Luckily it was one cop with bad aim. 7 rounds would mean he or she emptied his clip.

Must have been packing a 1911 or a subcompact because most modern day semi-autos have magazines that hold 12+ rounds.

196 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:38:18pm

re: #187 lawhawk

Those police officers were just standing their ground.

Why do you hate America?

////

197 steve_davis  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:38:53pm

re: #12 Charles Johnson

Note:

Obviously, Aslan knew what would happen if he went on Fox News, and he did it as a marketing move. Doesn’t make the bigotry any less real, though.

Anyone else find it ironic that Fox News got beaten down by someone named Aslan? It seems fitting, somehow. “So tell us, Aslan, what gives a lion the right to——umppphhhhh—help! He’s eating my legs! He’s———”

198 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:39:21pm

Because the obvious can never be overstated?

199 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:40:12pm
200 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:40:14pm

Right Goes Giddy Wild Over (Not) Catching Reza Aslan in a Lie

… flipping around Twitter a few moments ago, I noticed that the right-wing blogs are all giddy about supposedly catching Aslan misrepresenting his academic credentials. So they’ve got him, and all that.

I first saw it here at First Things. But it seems to go back to this post by Joe Carter at Get Religion. The gist of the attack is that Aslan lied about his academic credentials, specifically his academic degrees which give him some basis to write authoritatively about religion.

But when you read into it, it’s based on a kind of embarrassing lack of understanding of the intersection of various fields of study, particularly when it comes to the study of religion.

The big ‘lie’ is that Aslan says he’s “a PhD in the history of religions”. But, but … he got his PhD in a sociology department!!!!! Liar!

I’m sorry. This is silly. Plenty of ‘historians’ - as in working academic historians - have degrees in sociology. How common that is generally depends on methodological framework you work in. This is especially so in the academic study of ‘religion’ since people study the topic sometimes in History Departments, other times in separate Religion Departments and sometimes in Sociology or Anthropology Departments. And this doesn’t even get to programs of religious instruction where you’re possibly studying theology but might also be studying from a history-based disciplinary focus. This is not a ‘lie’ unless you’re really clueless or just hunting for gotchas.

201 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:40:40pm

re: #174 piratedan

I’m sure that they got this intel from one of Snowden’s leaks, correct?

although my alternate response would be….

“dear Artemis, you set foot on my property again,. I will shoot you down as a trespasser and potential burglar”…..

Aretmis Fowl?

202 Slap  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:41:39pm

re: #133 Kragar

Greenwald as the newdebased and improvedmorally decrepit Max Headroom

without the humor….

FTFY!

203 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:41:53pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

hmmmm…

[Embedded content]

Expanding on the ‘poorshaming’, the downside of the way that Free Market Fundamentalism provides the believer with justification of his own worth is that it provides justification for shitting on the poor, and making them feel that they deserve their unhappy lot.

So much of what the Right seems to want revolves around punishing people for perceived failures or misdeeds. Thus we get the push to ban not only abortion, but also contraception, and the insistence that employers not have to ‘pay for’ contraception if they don’t ‘agree with it’. Thus also the Right doesn’t believe in Welfare, or Medicaid, or Food Stamps, and insist that those in need should go to charities. But we know how well that works - “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?”

Further, there seems to be an obsession with ensuring that not one single undeserving person gets any help, going far beyond any possible savings to the program. This seems to me to be related to their obsession with destroying the power of unions - the belief that by organizing, workers are getting ‘more than their due’.

At the same time, there is an unhealthy near-worship of the rich, and the belief that, no matter how much a rich person has, he must be worth it (unless it’s a ball player), and the insistence on reducing their taxes to the point where they pay a lower percentage of their income than most middle class people - and simultaneously demanding that people who don’t make enough to pay Federal Income Tax should pay more, to ‘have some skin in the game.’

It’s not just selfishness, but rather seems to reflect a view of humanity that I just don’t get.

204 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:41:54pm

re: #195 Dr. Matt

Must have been packing a 1911 or a subcompact because most modern day semi-autos have magazines that hold 12+ rounds.

As an expert in firearms from watching plenty of TV, I know most revolvers hold between 10 to 15 rounds at a minimum.

205 Joanne  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:42:13pm

re: #200 Kragar

Semantics. Purely bulshit in my mind. I posted the original blog post above.

206 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:42:16pm

re: #199 Gus

what crappy reporting, no one has said whether the cigarette was smoked or harmed… //

207 SidewaysQuark  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:42:21pm

Christians don’t “own” Jesus. Muslims believe he is a Prophet, and other faiths have differing beliefs about him too. (Incidentally, Muslims don’t own Muhammad either, as any Bahá’í or Sikh will tell you.)

208 Joanne  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:42:44pm

re: #201 FemNaziBitch

Aretmis Fowl?

Is that a Carlos Danger name generator thingie? :-D

209 b.d.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:43:24pm

re: #192 ProTARDISLiberal

What ever jag-off is doing this needs to go to jail.

[Embedded content]

Do we not have security guardsat our national monuments or were their jobs sequestered away?

210 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:43:47pm

re: #201 FemNaziBitch

referring to the nome de plume on the note listed in the tweet….

211 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:43:53pm

Image: 20130729post-laurengreen1.jpg

212 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:44:15pm
213 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:44:24pm

re: #208 Joanne

Is that a Carlos Danger name generator thingie? :-D

A great series of books. I thoroughly enjoyed the audio (in the car with my kid).

Ahh, memories. Now he is driving and won’t listen to anything but sports.

214 Hercules Grytpype-Thynneghazi  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:44:39pm

re: #108 Lidane

Popcorn fodder:


Is he going to send a copy into space so the Man in the Moon can read it?

215 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:45:05pm

re: #204 Kragar

As an expert in firearms from watching plenty of TV, I know most revolvers hold between 10 to 15 rounds at a minimum.

HA! :)

Unless you’re the villain of course….then you never have to reload.

216 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:45:22pm
217 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:45:30pm

re: #203 Mateo Scourge

It’s sociopathy made into an ideology.

218 lawhawk  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:46:02pm

re: #200 Kragar

Someone studying religion could be doing so from any of the following disciplines: religion, history, political science, psychology (comparative or social), anthropology, etc. and that person getting a PhD can rightfully claim to have a PhD in religion. The field is sufficiently vast that there’s any number of ways of approaching it.

219 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:46:16pm

Speaking of activist “journalism” here’s Lauren Green on the topic:

Journalists’ first obligation is to seek truth, and the only way absolute truth can be found is by measuring humanity’s idea of truth against God’s standards, she said. Therefore, the only way for a journalist to achieve ultimate success is to hold to the Christian faith, Green said.

By having compassion on people and informing them of the truth, Christian journalists can change the world, she said.

“That’s my challenge to all of you — the only way to be true to your craft is to go deeper into your faith,” she said. “You can’t abandon your faith, because this world will try to help you see a different light. (The world will say), ‘There’s a different truth out there.’

“No. The law of God stands firm. There is no other truth but that. And so the only way to really understand and really do your job better is to get out there and to understand what the real truth of the world is and to never back down from it.”

220 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:47:45pm

re: #195 Dr. Matt

Must have been packing a 1911 or a subcompact because most modern day semi-autos have magazines that hold 12+ rounds.

My Taurus .357 revolver holds 7 rounds, but I don’t know how many LEOs carry wheelguns nowadays.

221 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:47:54pm

re: #218 lawhawk

Someone studying religion could be doing so from any of the following disciplines: religion, history, political science, psychology (comparative or social), anthropology, etc. and that person getting a PhD can rightfully claim to have a PhD in religion. The field is sufficiently vast that there’s any number of ways of approaching it.

Don’t be silly. Only Christians can study religion and the only reference you need is the Bible.
/

222 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:48:26pm

re: #211 Gus

Image: 20130729post-laurengreen1.jpg

gee…but it’s fine and dandy for Xtian pharmacists and employers to refuse to provide birth control?

223 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:48:43pm

re: #212 Gus

[Embedded content]

*Wha-whaaaw*

224 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:49:07pm

re: #219 Gus

Speaking of activist “journalism” here’s Lauren Green on the topic:

Holy shit.

225 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:49:43pm

re: #215 Dr. Matt

HA! :)

Unless you’re the villain of course….then you never have to reload.

And never deliver a monolog before you shoot the guy, it guarantees you’ll be out of ammo.

226 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:51:17pm

re: #200 Kragar

re: #218 lawhawk

As someone who possesses a doctorate, it doesn’t matter what department you attended while receiving your degree or even what is actually printed on the degree itself. Ph.Ds will almost always cite the field of study/the topic of their dissertation as their concentration and expertise. Their fake outrage is just more proof that RWNJs have never set foot on a college campus.

227 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:51:53pm

re: #224 wrenchwench

Can someone remind how the current conservative movement in the US is any different than the Muslim Brotherhood?

And don’t tell me violence, we have already had a number of attacks by conservatives on Liberals. And the influence of the Tea Partiers and their ilk on Breivik means I count Utoya as a violent episode.

228 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:53:05pm

Oh, look at what is on top of the pile of questions at that Reddit AMA of Aslans:

Slagathor91 36 points 30 minutes ago
Is there any hard evidence that Jesus of Nazareth existed? I think many people just take it for granted that he existed and that the Bible itself is more than enough evidence. Is there anything else?

229 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:53:15pm

re: #204 Kragar

As an expert in firearms from watching plenty of TV, I know most revolvers hold between 10 to 15 rounds at a minimum.

“Now I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he fire 15 shots, or only 14?’…”

230 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:53:16pm

re: #220 Mateo Scourge

My Taurus .357 revolver holds 7 rounds, but I don’t know how many LEOs carry wheelguns nowadays.

Good point. I forgot there are a few 7 round wheelguns out there.

Edit: And Escambia County is pretty redneck so I wouldn’t doubt there are some wanna-be cowboy LEOs packing revolvers in that neck of the woods.

231 Mattand  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:53:49pm

re: #109 lawhawk

Another reason to support Cory Booker then… /as if I wasn’t already backing him.

OT NJ politics questions:

1) What exactly is Booker’s record as far as helping turnaround Newark? Good, bad, indifferent? I’m leaning heavily towards him come Nov, but I need to do some more research.

2) Didja see where Christie’s replacement senator, Jeff Chiesa, signed on to that letter where he and 11 other senators basically said “Kill Obamacare or we’ll make you pay”? So much for moderation.

232 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:55:50pm

re: #230 Dr. Matt

Good point. I forgot there are a few 7 round wheelguns out there.

“Now I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he fire 6 shots, or only 5?’ To tell you the truth, in all the excitement, I kind of lost track, myself. But seeing as this is a 7-shot revolver, you’re fucked either way.” - Not Dirty Harry.

233 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:57:54pm

re: #227 ProTARDISLiberal

Can someone remind how the current conservative movement in the US is any different than the Muslim Brotherhood?

And don’t tell me violence, we have already had a number of attacks by conservatives on Liberals. And the influence of the Tea Partiers and their ilk on Breivik means I count Utoya as a violent episode.

The current conservative movement in the US has been wielding power from all three branches of government for years. The Muslim Brotherhood has mostly functioned outside of official channels of power, until their recent, short-lived episode in Egypt. The power they wield in Gaza is also non-official, since Hamas is the recognized entity.

Next question?

234 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 12:58:37pm

Unforgiven (Yurusarezaru mono) Official Full Trailer

Youtube Video

235 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:00:41pm

re: #233 wrenchwench

Okay, point.

Ideologically, how are they different?

I should note the Muslim Brotherhood is in power in Tunisia through the Ennahda Party, and in Algeria by being one of the 3 parties to support the current corrupt government.

236 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:01:46pm

re: #233 wrenchwench

The current conservative movement in the US has been wielding power from all three branches of government for years. The Muslim Brotherhood has mostly functioned outside of official channels of power, until their recent, short-lived episode in Egypt.

I believe this is the key difference. The fact that the Conservative movement has such a big seat a the table, and has had for so long, is one reason why, violent as their rhetoric is, it is rarely backed up with actual violence. Take away their seat at the table for any period of time, and that is subject to change. I see this as the potential downside for everyone else of the demographic problem the Conservative movement faces.

237 Bear  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:03:01pm

Another train wreck. bigstory.ap.org

238 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:04:18pm

re: #228 freetoken

Oh, look at what is on top of the pile of questions at that Reddit AMA of Aslans:

To be brutally objective, if Jesus existed, and if he was executed by the Romans as a troublemaker - which should be obvious, as the alleged sign posted on the crucifix read Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum, and I’m pretty sure the Sanhedrin didn’t that up there - then why doesn’t Pontius Pilate mention him in some letter to the Emperor? Pilate was the governor, after all.

Or could it be something as simple as a centurion saw him making a fuss at the Temple, and had him sentenced to death on the spot? A Centurion - a commander of 100 men - certainly had that authority, thereby forgoing any trial before Pilate. And why would Jesus, who was not a Roman citizen, after all, merit a trial before Pilate?

There’s tons of unanswered questions. When I’m being ruthlessly logical, I’d say the following: I believe the incident at the Temple with the vendors very likely happened, a Centurion was called, and he sent Jesus off to be executed as a troublemaker at the Temple during Passover. He may have found a translator, questioned Jesus, and thus the whole INRI thing as a way of mocking said troublemaker.

239 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:05:48pm

re: #235 ProTARDISLiberal

Okay, point.

Ideologically, how are they different?

Nuances of difference in How to Herd Cats Humans.

240 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:06:13pm
241 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:07:01pm

re: #234 Kragar

Unforgiven (Yurusarezaru mono) Official Full Trailer

[Embedded content]

Epic. I’ll have to look for it here in Europe.

242 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:07:07pm

Ted. Rall.

243 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:08:18pm

re: #242 Gus

Ted. Rall.

I was just gonna type; I don’t know where to begin either, but I know where to end. Right after reading that name.

244 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:10:31pm

re: #240 Gus

We’re doomed. /

245 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:11:07pm
246 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:12:49pm

re: #244 Bulworth

We’re doomed. /

“NSA surveillance is worse than cancer.”

247 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:14:18pm

re: #245 NJDhockeyfan

[Embedded content]

You’re free to have an opinion, so long as you make it evident in your writing that what you’re expressing is an opinion and not fact. If one wishes to express nothing but opinion, then there’s place for that: The editorial columns.

248 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:18:27pm

re: #219 Gus

Journalists’ first obligation is to seek truth

Well, that much of her screed I can agree with. But then she proceeds to immediately abandon any kind of “seeking” for truth so that she can be an Apologist. I know this pretty well. It’s what my faith demanded of me, and I eventually realized I couldn’t do it.

249 elizajane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:18:46pm

re: #173 Gus

Unarmed Man Shot by Deputies Inside His Own Car Outside His Own Home

I don’t understand! Haven’t we all just decided that there is no such thing as racial profiling in Florida, except maybe by blacks who follow our “racist-in-chief”?

Honestly, this story deserves a page, and national media attention. It’s revolting and sadly unsurprising, and nobody on the right will ever read it or derive any lesson from it. As my own father would probably say, “that guy should have known better than to get a cigarette out of a car after dark!” (which was pretty much his reaction to Trayvon Martin, I am ashamed to admit)

250 Bulworth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:19:10pm

re: #246 Gus

“Old-school fascist Chris Christie…”

251 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:19:18pm

re: #247 Targetpractice

At some point in the last 15 years, Tomorrow Never Dies went from being just an action flick, to being an in-depth look into the media of today.

252 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:25:45pm

So, I just made my first cuppa with my new Aeropress I must say, I’m very happy.

253 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:26:11pm
254 A Mom Anon  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:27:00pm

re: #159 Backwoods_Sleuth

Beyond how totally damned disgusting that letter is, how does this person know who collects disability in the neighborhood and who doesn’t collect disability? Are they going through the mailboxes of their neighbors? Are they the mail delivery person? That’s illegal isn’t it? I’d want to know who the hell printed those letters and delivered them and what the fuck their deal is. That’s trying to pit neighbor against neighbor and that should be weeded out fast.

255 ProTARDISLiberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:27:02pm

re: #253 Gus

Enough of these, and Greenwald will show how big a nut he is.

256 Targetpractice  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:28:52pm

Too bad I’ll probably be working during the time on Wednesday when Greenwald “testifies” to Congress via Skype. Why Congress is allowing him to do that shit rather than requiring him to be in person, I’ve no idea.

257 EPR-radar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:29:16pm

re: #254 A Mom Anon

Beyond how totally damned disgusting that letter is, how does this person know who collects disability in the neighborhood and who doesn’t collect disability? Are they going through the mailboxes of their neighbors? Are they the mail delivery person? That’s illegal isn’t it? I’d want to know who the hell printed those letters and delivered them and what the fuck their deal is. That’s trying to pit neighbor against neighbor and that should be weeded out fast.

Neighbor vs. neighbor is the GOP model of governance.

258 Mattand  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:29:52pm

re: #238 Dr Lizardo

To be brutally objective, if Jesus existed, and if he was executed by the Romans as a troublemaker - which should be obvious, as the alleged sign posted on the crucifix read Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum, and I’m pretty sure the Sanhedrin didn’t that up there - then why doesn’t Pontius Pilate mention him in some letter to the Emperor? Pilate was the governor, after all.

Or could it be something as simple as a centurion saw him making a fuss at the Temple, and had him sentenced to death on the spot? A Centurion - a commander of 100 men - certainly had that authority, thereby forgoing any trial before Pilate. And why would Jesus, who was not a Roman citizen, after all, merit a trial before Pilate?

There’s tons of unanswered questions. When I’m being ruthlessly logical, I’d say the following: I believe the incident at the Temple with the vendors very likely happened, a Centurion was called, and he sent Jesus off to be executed as a troublemaker at the Temple during Passover. He may have found a translator, questioned Jesus, and thus the whole INRI thing as a way of mocking said troublemaker.

I’m in that boat as well. It’s entirely possible there was a political rebel named Jesus in Jerusalem who got executed by the Romans for his troublemaking. I think that the Jesus in the Bible is the recipient of one of the biggest profile overhauls in human history.

The Jesus with magic powers that everyone know today? Quite frankly, a fictional Bronze Age superhero.

I read somewhere once that the Romans were master historians. They documented Spartacus and the slave rebellion. Why wouldn’t a Roman historian note a single man who supposedly caused that much chaos in their world?

259 Dave In Austin  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:34:20pm

re: #258 Mattand

I’m in that boat as well. It’s entirely possible there was a political rebel named Jesus in Jerusalem who got executed by the Romans for his troublemaking. I think that the Jesus in the Bible is the recipient of one of the biggest profile overhauls in human history.

The Jesus with magic powers that everyone know today? Quite frankly, a fictional Bronze Age superhero.

I read somewhere once that the Romans were master historians. They documented Spartacus and the slave rebellion. Why wouldn’t a Roman historian note a single man who supposedly caused that much chaos in their world?

This is almost verbatim what is written in Aslan’s intro to “Zealot”….

260 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:34:40pm

re: #258 Mattand

I’m in that boat as well. It’s entirely possible there was a political rebel named Jesus in Jerusalem who got executed by the Romans for his troublemaking. I think that the Jesus in the Bible is the recipient of one of the biggest profile overhauls in human history.

The Jesus with magic powers that everyone know today? Quite frankly, a fictional Bronze Age superhero.

I read somewhere once that the Romans were master historians. They documented Spartacus and the slave rebellion. Why wouldn’t a Roman historian note a single man who supposedly caused that much chaos in their world?

As I understand it, Saul needed something to do … .

261 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:35:03pm

re: #258 Mattand

I’m in that boat as well. It’s entirely possible there was a political rebel named Jesus in Jerusalem who got executed by the Romans for his troublemaking. I think that the Jesus in the Bible is the recipient of one of the biggest profile overhauls in human history.

The Jesus with magic powers that everyone know today? Quite frankly, a fictional Bronze Age superhero.

I read somewhere once that the Romans were master historians. They documented Spartacus and the slave rebellion. Why wouldn’t a Roman historian note a single man who supposedly caused that much chaos in their world?

Indeed. If Jesus was such a big deal, if he’d be haled in front of Pontius Pilate - the Governor no less - then there’d be some historical record of such an event in Roman histories.

I’m sure there was an actual Jesus, and sometime after his death, he was essentially deified with a nice healthy dose of Greco-Roman paganism.

Christianity - as a religion - was the last great creation of the Classical pagan world.

262 Mattand  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:35:50pm

re: #259 Dave In Austin

This is almost verbatim what is written in Aslan’s intro to “Zealot”….

Wow. I swear, I literally had never heard of this guy or his book until yesterday.

263 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:36:42pm

His Only Begotten Daughter is a great take on events.

If anything, it shows the effects of propaganda and how much people seem to want it.

264 Mattand  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:37:07pm

re: #260 FemNaziBitch

As I understand it, Saul needed something to do … .

That one went over my head. Got me some Googling to do…

265 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:37:39pm

re: #264 Mattand

That one went over my head. Got me some Googling to do…

hint: he changed his name to Paul.

I could be wrong, but that has always been my take on things.

266 sagehen  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:37:43pm

re: #227 ProTARDISLiberal

Can someone remind how the current conservative movement in the US is any different than the Muslim Brotherhood?

Beards.

267 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:38:12pm

re: #266 sagehen

Beards.

neck ties.

268 Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:38:25pm

re: #261 Dr Lizardo

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend the documentary “The God who wasn’t there”.

269 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:38:59pm
270 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:39:57pm

re: #254 A Mom Anon

Beyond how totally damned disgusting that letter is, how does this person know who collects disability in the neighborhood and who doesn’t collect disability? Are they going through the mailboxes of their neighbors? Are they the mail delivery person? That’s illegal isn’t it? I’d want to know who the hell printed those letters and delivered them and what the fuck their deal is. That’s trying to pit neighbor against neighbor and that should be weeded out fast.

I suspect it’s some outraged sad sack who is outraged that someone is getting free stuffs while claiming to be disabled even though they don’t LOOK disabled.
My youngest son is retired USAF after more than 20 years of service and has a 90% disability. You wouldn’t know it just by looking at him, but it’s life and death every time the gastrointestinal bleeding starts (which is several times a year). And no one, other than his wife and daughter, sees it when the muscle paralysis suddenly shows up…nor when a multitude of other completely internal body processes decide today is the day they decide to go haywire.
Lots of people don’t hide the fact that they are on disability. Granted, some are gaming the system but many times the disability isn’t in-your-face obvious and there are some people out there who don’t believe it.

271 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:39:57pm

I think the history of Mary Baker Eddy is also interesting. Person has a personal revelation and goes on to market a religion. Helps some people.

It’s the marketing that makes the religion.

Add to that Political and Judicial powers —then, well, you’ve won!!!

272 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:42:01pm

re: #256 Targetpractice

Too bad I’ll probably be working during the time on Wednesday when Greenwald “testifies” to Congress via Skype. Why Congress is allowing him to do that shit rather than requiring him to be in person, I’ve no idea.

yep…kinda blows out of the water his excuse as to why he won’t step foot inside this country he allegedly loves so much…

273 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:43:20pm

re: #272 Backwoods_Sleuth

we’re worth saving, just not worth living in, supposedly :-)

274 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:43:59pm

re: #265 FemNaziBitch

hint: he changed his name to Paul.

I could be wrong, but that has always been my take on things.

You are correct…that’s the same guy.

275 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:44:13pm
276 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:44:40pm
277 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:45:48pm
278 Slap  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:45:59pm

re: #261 Dr Lizardo

I am reasonably close to being functionally illiterate in these matters, but I coulda sworn there was a Jewish historian named Josephus (b. 37 C.E.) who made several mentions of the Nazarene in his work.

en.wikipedia.org

Perhaps someone more scholarly than I can provide deeper info? Fellow thoughtful Lizards?

279 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:47:11pm

re: #278 Slap

I am reasonably close to being functionally illiterate in these matters, but I coulda sworn there was a Jewish historian named Josephus (b. 37 C.E.) who made several mentions of the Nazarene in his work.

en.wikipedia.org

Perhaps someone more scholarly than I can provide deeper info? Fellow thoughtful Lizards?

I have Josephus in my queue, but haven’t managed to download. I can only handle so much ancient history in a decade.

280 William Barnett-Lewis  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:47:44pm

re: #259 Dave In Austin

This is almost verbatim what is written in Aslan’s intro to “Zealot”….

Which is nothing new. That’s one of the 4 primary theses’ involved in historical Jesus study. Wiki has a good overview: en.wikipedia.org

Personally I find the “charismatic healer” archetype more convincing.

281 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:47:45pm

re: #258 Mattand

I’m in that boat as well. It’s entirely possible there was a political rebel named Jesus in Jerusalem who got executed by the Romans for his troublemaking. I think that the Jesus in the Bible is the recipient of one of the biggest profile overhauls in human history.

The Jesus with magic powers that everyone know today? Quite frankly, a fictional Bronze Age superhero.

I read somewhere once that the Romans were master historians. They documented Spartacus and the slave rebellion. Why wouldn’t a Roman historian note a single man who supposedly caused that much chaos in their world?

The alleged mention of Jesus in the works of Josephus is thought to be bogus, inserted centuries later by monks copyists. Josephus wrote only about royalty (because they PAID HIM to write flattering stuff about them) he did not give a shit about some peasant carpenter who caused a commotion in the shouk.

Josephus was the 1st century equivalent of today’s celebrity gossip reporters.

282 calochortus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:48:17pm

I have only skimmed the comments, but has anyone pointed out that Aslan came from a nominally Muslim family and converted to Christianity in his teens? He attended Santa Clara University (a Jesuit institution) where one of the Jesuit fathers suggested he should look into his own religious roots in Islam, which lead to his becoming Muslim.

283 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:48:23pm
284 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:48:48pm

re: #282 calochortus

I have only skimmed the comments, but has anyone pointed out that Aslan came from a nominally Muslim family and converted to Christianity in his teens? He attended Santa Clara University (a Jesuit institution) where one of the Jesuit fathers suggested he should look into his own religious roots in Islam, which lead to his becoming Muslim.

Jesuit trained Phd in religious studies…

Yeah, I wouldn’t argue with him.

285 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:48:56pm

WTF INEZ
Zimmerman can just totally go and shoot them.

286 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:49:20pm

re: #277 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Wolf Blitzer ✔ @wolfblitzer
So @HillaryClinton has lunch w/ @BarackObama & will have breakfast tomorrow w/ @JoeBiden We’ll have the latest @CNNSitRoom 5-7PM ET

Is Wolf going to report every meal Hillary has from now on?

287 calochortus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:49:37pm

re: #284 FemNaziBitch

Jesuit trained …

Yeah, I wouldn’t argue with him.

No kidding!

288 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:50:13pm

re: #286 NJDhockeyfan

Is Wolf going to report every meal Hillary has from now on?

Only the ones that indicate a possible run in 2016.

289 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:50:22pm

re: #277 darthstar


290 William Barnett-Lewis  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:50:28pm

re: #278 Slap

I am reasonably close to being functionally illiterate in these matters, but I coulda sworn there was a Jewish historian named Josephus (b. 37 C.E.) who made several mentions of the Nazarene in his work.

en.wikipedia.org

Perhaps someone more scholarly than I can provide deeper info? Fellow thoughtful Lizards?

There are strong arguments that every mention in Josephus were added long after the fact by those in need of historical evidence.

291 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:51:24pm

re: #289 Backwoods_Sleuth

If Wolf reports it, he’ll do so breathlessly.

292 Vicious Babushka  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:51:28pm

re: #278 Slap

I am reasonably close to being functionally illiterate in these matters, but I coulda sworn there was a Jewish historian named Josephus (b. 37 C.E.) who made several mentions of the Nazarene in his work.

en.wikipedia.org

Perhaps someone more scholarly than I can provide deeper info? Fellow thoughtful Lizards?

See #281.

293 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:52:07pm
294 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:52:28pm

re: #238 Dr Lizardo

I guess my point is there are various kind of authors and their goals.

Regarding “Jesus”, is the author:
(1) trying to push forward the scholarly debate on the origins of Christianity, or
(2) ca$hing in on the Je$u$ thing?

From my quick perusal of Aslan’s book, it seems like the latter. It’s mostly a cut and paste of ideas others have done before, and he references Crossan several times, but not in a way that either supports Crossan or provides counter-claims and evidence.

Aslan mentions Schweitzer once (without anything to add), but doesn’t give any mention to Ehrman, which tells me he’s competing with Ehrman.

295 Dr Lizardo  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:53:00pm

re: #284 FemNaziBitch

Jesuit trained Phd in religious studies…

Yeah, I wouldn’t argue with him.

It was a retired Jesuit priest in Germany that led me to Islam, via Sufism. I was curious about Islam, and he recommended to me a friend of his, a Sufi Sheikh. Between the Sheikh and the priest, I got a balanced interpretation of Islam.

296 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:53:03pm

re: #274 Backwoods_Sleuth

You are correct…that’s the same guy.

Thus, Paul a/k/a/ Saul became the first Pope. Founding the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today.

some hundreds of years later, the New Testament was written down and became the TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD. Although not directly dictated to the scribes by G-d, as was done with the 10 Commandments (300+?) with Moses.

And, all those working in Jesus name, now take Mastercard, Visa, Amex, PayPal, Cash and Legacy Annuities.

Marketing!!!

297 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:54:59pm

re: #281 Vicious Babushka

The alleged mention of Jesus in the works of Josephus is thought to be bogus, inserted centuries later by monks copyists. Josephus wrote about royalty (because they PAID HIM to write flattering stuff about them) he did not give a shit about some peasant carpenter who caused a commotion in the shouk.

Much like the KJV of the Bible (the TOTAL inspired word of God!) was just a collection of translations of things centuries after Christ, compiled by a bunch of King James’ toadies trying to keep in favor by producing a “Bible” that would support his supremacy as King.
And James had final approval over the finished product…
gah…

298 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:56:00pm

re: #296 FemNaziBitch

Thus, Paul a/k/a/ Saul became the first Pope. Founding the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today.

some hundreds of years later, the New Testament was written down and became the TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD. Although not directly dictated to the scribes by G-d, as was done with the 10 Commandments (300+?) with Moses.

And, all those working in Jesus name, now take Mastercard, Visa, Amex, PayPal, Cash and Legacy Annuities.

Marketing!!!

Actually, this makes for an interesting study of Unintended Consequences and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. If I had the time, I’d research it. I have a feeling much as been written.

299 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:56:04pm

re: #293 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Ha! But it’s largely true, and mostly because he made such a big deal out of becoming exactly what he thought was most useful at the time. In the end, there was no there there. At least Dukakis had that memorable picture in the tank, and the John Lovitz SNL moment “I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy.” Romney? I think no candidate in modern times has come so close to being nobody.

300 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:56:34pm

re: #278 Slap

There was such a scholar. And there isn’t a claim that Jesus had actually caused a ton of trouble for the Romans, so there’s no real reason they’d write about him. He didn’t launch a revolution, his followers were basically pacifists. Compared to other Jewish leaders, he wasn’t really a big deal in terms of threat to Rome.

The historicity of Jesus is not actually very important; there probably was a guy named something close to Jesus who was an apocalyptic Jewish prophet. Proving the actual historicity of any of his actions or sayings is basically impossible, though.

301 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 1:57:41pm

re: #300 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

There was such a scholar. And there isn’t a claim that Jesus had actually caused a ton of trouble for the Romans, so there’s no real reason they’d write about him. He didn’t launch a revolution, his followers were basically pacifists. Compared to other Jewish leaders, he wasn’t really a big deal in terms of threat to Rome.

The historicity of Jesus is not actually very important; there probably was a guy named something close to Jesus who was an apocalyptic Jewish prophet. Proving the actual historicity of any of his actions or sayings is basically impossible, though.

There was some writer who said that Jesus wouldn’t show respect to the “Roman” G-ds and pissed-off someone as a result ….

??

302 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:00:30pm

Aslan on Reddit:

xcerj61 178 points 58 minutes ago
Dr. Aslan,
Has studying religion influenced your faith? Do you find new things that change your view of the things you believe?

[–]grant0 52 points 31 minutes ago
Following up on this: as a scholar of religion, do you believe in one true faith? (In your experience, do most religious scholars?

What are your thoughts on individuals reading holy texts as historical texts?

[–]RezaAslan[S] 308 points 11 minutes ago
I think the Buddha said it right: If you want to draw water you do not dig six one foot wells. You dig one six foot well. Islam is my six foot well. I like the symbols and metaphors it uses to describe the relationship between God and humanity. But I recognize that the water I am drawing is the same water that every other well around me is drawing. And no matter the well, the water is just as sweet!

If you like your religion “lite”, Aslan is just your guy.

303 William Barnett-Lewis  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:00:51pm

re: #296 FemNaziBitch

Well, no, Paul was never pope. And there was already a church in Rome before he got there - that was the whole concept of the Letter to the Romans after all. Simon Peter was the mythical first pope.

Beyond Paul there were many others who were involved in creating a religion out of the a small Jewish sect.

We have plenty we can be legitimately dinged for; please stick to those sins of omission & commission.

304 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:01:23pm

People seem to need their myths. Christianity has been successful in providing them. It’s a very effective tool for those in power.

I’ve yet to hear how the basics are any different from any other relatively valid religion or code of ethics on the planet.

It’s the “ONLY MY VERSION” that get’s people in trouble. IMHO. Of course, there is more profit in that marketing plan.

305 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:02:55pm

re: #301 FemNaziBitch

There was some writer who said that Jesus wouldn’t show respect to the “Roman” G-ds and pissed-off someone as a result ….

??

Who?

306 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:02:57pm
307 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:04:00pm
308 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:05:04pm

re: #300 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut

There was such a scholar. And there isn’t a claim that Jesus had actually caused a ton of trouble for the Romans, so there’s no real reason they’d write about him. He didn’t launch a revolution, his followers were basically pacifists. Compared to other Jewish leaders, he wasn’t really a big deal in terms of threat to Rome.

The historicity of Jesus is not actually very important; there probably was a guy named something close to Jesus who was an apocalyptic Jewish prophet. Proving the actual historicity of any of his actions or sayings is basically impossible, though.

And proving the actual historicity of his actions is what folks whose faith is weak do. I had a discussion about this with a friend whom I think of as a skeptic’s mind trapped in a True Believers body. After most of a decade discussing a wide range of religious topics with him, I concluded that he cannot allow ANY deviation from complete biblical literacy, because if he did, he would not be able to stop himself from discounting all of it. But he can’t just accept it on faith, he needs to feel that any possible contradiction is disproved.

Meanwhile, lots of Christians are comfortable with the Bible being simultaneously a divinely inspired holy book AND the work of humans with political motives. They believe in a Creator AND in Evolution and they don’t need to disprove the latter to maintain their belief in the former.

309 Lidane  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:05:33pm

re: #296 FemNaziBitch

Peter was the first Pope, not Paul.

310 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:06:26pm

re: #286 NJDhockeyfan

Is Wolf going to report every meal Hillary has from now on?

Could be his new “continuing news feature”…

311 Dave In Austin  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:06:38pm

re: #309 Lidane

Peter was the first Pope, not Paul.

And Mary was his bi… Sorry……

312 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:07:26pm

re: #311 Dave In Austin

And Mary was his bi… Sorry……

..ggest fan?

313 FemNaziBitch  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:08:43pm

It’s a migraine day and I’m at my limit.

back to bed.

have a great day all!

314 piratedan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:10:00pm

re: #312 Mateo Scourge

..ggest fan?

and where in the hell is Puff, their Magic Dragon? //

315 Gus  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:10:15pm

Mime mungry.
— Dog

316 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:11:04pm

re: #310 Backwoods_Sleuth

Could be his new “continuing news feature”…

317 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:11:22pm

re: #296 FemNaziBitch

Thus, Paul a/k/a/ Saul became the first Pope. Founding the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today.

some hundreds of years later, the New Testament was written down and became the TRUTH, THE WORD OF GOD. Although not directly dictated to the scribes by G-d, as was done with the 10 Commandments (300+?) with Moses.

And, all those working in Jesus name, now take Mastercard, Visa, Amex, PayPal, Cash and Legacy Annuities.

Marketing!!!

well, supposedly Peter is the “first pope” (on this rock I build my church” or however that saying went) and the Vatican says so as well…
But, again, history is written by those who win…

318 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:13:45pm
319 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:14:55pm
320 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:15:23pm

Here’s an answer, on that AMA, from Aslan which illustrates why I don’t take him seriously as far as scholarship on religion:

[–]RezaAslan[S] 4 points 2 minutes ago
Monotheism is actually a very recent phenomenon. In the hundred thousand year history of human religious experience, monotheism is perhaps three thousand years old. That’s because the idea of a single god being responsible for both good and bad, light and dark, is something that the ancient mind had a very difficult time accepting. And no wonder! The only way that monotheism finally “stuck” is thru the concept of angels and demons. In other words, it was only when all the other “gods” were demoted into spiritual beings responsible for different aspects of the human condition that people were able to accept the idea one GOD in charge of all the lower spiritual beings.

The assertion “In the hundred thousand year history of human religious experience…” is complete made up. First, for anyone serious about history, one has to deal with the question of whether there can be history before writing (in any form, including just pictures.) Secondly, there is absolutely no evidence on what people believed before the neolithic, as far as religious beliefs can be construed regarding “god” of any sort, monotheistic or not.

Aslan is just making this stuff up.

321 Absalom, Absalom, Obdicut  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:18:08pm

re: #320 freetoken

Also, most people don’t actually act as though Christianity, Islam, or Judaism is monotheistic.

322 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:18:24pm
323 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:18:29pm

re: #318 darthstar

Re-messaging… how does it work?

324 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:19:02pm

re: #323 freetoken

Re-messaging… how does it work?

Not the way the Republicans think it does.

325 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:19:29pm

re: #318 darthstar

[Embedded content]

“Republicano compara a inmigrantes con ratas”

I don’t speak Spanish, even with all those Facebook ads with the pictures of the pretty young non sequiturs, but I can tell what that says.

So, let’s see. He wants to re-criminalize adultery, blowjobs and buttsecks. He wants to criminalize climatology. And he just called the fastest-growing voting demographic in America rats.

And he’s NOT the craziest guy on that ticket.

326 Mattand  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:20:21pm
327 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:20:39pm

re: #319 darthstar

[Embedded content]

Here is a pic of the paint on the Washington National Cathedral organ.

328 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:23:57pm
329 darthstar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:26:19pm
331 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:27:02pm
332 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:27:02pm

I hate those days when work gets in the way of doing my job.

333 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:27:24pm

re: #330 Varek Raith

Steve King: In Private, Republicans Actually Agree With My ‘Cantaloupe-Sized Calves’ Comments
Rebranding!

All the more reason to toss the lot of them.

334 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:29:06pm

re: #329 darthstar

[Embedded content]


Is that a Palin Greenwald smear on the organ in the National Cathedral?

335 EPR-radar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:30:59pm

re: #299 Mateo Scourge

Ha! But it’s largely true, and mostly because he made such a big deal out of becoming exactly what he thought was most useful at the time. In the end, there was no there there. At least Dukakis had that memorable picture in the tank, and the John Lovitz SNL moment “I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy.” Romney? I think no candidate in modern times has come so close to being nobody.

My preference is for Romney to not be forgotten. After all, if we start with the GOP and magically remove the more florid symptoms of GOP derangement, what is left is pretty much going to be a Romney —- a greedy, soulless top 0.001% hack.

336 Ian G.  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:31:15pm

re: #325 Mateo Scourge

“Republicano compara a inmigrantes con ratas”

I don’t speak Spanish, even with all those Facebook ads with the pictures of the pretty young non sequiturs, but I can tell what that says.

So, let’s see. He wants to re-criminalize adultery, blowjobs and buttsecks. He wants to criminalize climatology. And he just called the fastest-growing voting demographic in America rats.

And he’s NOT the craziest guy on that ticket.

Criminalize climatology? I figured the GOP would eventually respond in this way to science continuing to show that reality has a liberal bias, but still….

Galileo is laughing at us.

337 Spocomptonite  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:32:28pm

re: #3 elizajane

Although Fox viewers are not to be informed of this fact, Jesus is a rather important figure in the Muslim faith and is mentioned numerous times in the Quran. He is one of the great prophets and performed miracles. There is every reason for any Muslim to be interested in him.

Yeah, I thought the stupidest part of the interview was that question, not because of the implication that only christians can discuss or be knowledgeable about Jesus, but that they didn’t realize Jesus is a part of Muslim faith. Christianity and Islam are really like religious siblings instead of completely dichotomous faiths.

338 Dr. Matt  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:32:29pm

re: #327 NJDhockeyfan

Here is a pic of the paint on the Washington National Cathedral organ.

First on CNN: Photos of the green paint splatter on the Bethlehem Chapel at the Washington National Cathedral. pic.twitter.com/4h71rE691E
— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) July 29, 2013

How in that town can someone get away with that and NOT get caught on camera!?!?

339 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:33:31pm

re: #320 freetoken

Here’s an answer, on that AMA, from Aslan which illustrates why I don’t take him seriously as far as scholarship on religion:

The assertion “In the hundred thousand year history of human religious experience…” is complete made up. First, for anyone serious about history, one has to deal with the question of whether there can be history before writing (in any form, including just pictures.) Secondly, there is absolutely no evidence on what people believed before the neolithic, as far as religious beliefs can be construed regarding “god” of any sort, monotheistic or not.

Aslan is just making this stuff up.

Not sure I agree with your conclusion. Many ancient civilizations had multiple gods. Celts, Mayan, Aztec, Incan, Sumarian, Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, Nordic, Germanic and more.
Many ancient cultures also recognized god as nature spirits (lots of evidence of that in Christian texts attempting to take over pagan holidays and rituals and remake them in a “Christian” aspect).
Evidence of neolithic burials are an indication, to me, that there was some sort of thinking process of respect for the dead, rather than just dragging the dead body out of the communal cave or wherever to keep the place from stinking up.
I suspect that your definition of proof for religion/god/gods (written/picture) is rather narrowly defined.
And I say that as someone who wishes truly there was an afterlife, but sees no evidence there is such. I hope to be pleasantly surprised with a grand new adventure when my time here on earth is finished, but I don’t waste my limited time here worrying about all the widely varying religious rules for a nebulous “heavenly reward”.

340 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:34:42pm

Televangelist Pat Robertson Affirms Transgender Identities

ROBERTSON: I think there are men who are in a woman’s body. It’s very rare, but it’s true — or women that are in men’s bodies. And they want a sex change, and that is a very permanent thing — believe me, when you have certain body parts amputated and you are shot up with various kinds of hormones. It’s a radical procedure.

I don’t think there’s any sin associated with that. I don’t condemn somebody for doing that.

Wait, Pat Robertson says something that makes sense?

WHAT IS GOING ON?!

341 122 Year Old Obama  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:36:02pm

re: #340 Kragar

Televangelist Pat Robertson Affirms Transgender Identities

Wait, Pat Robertson says something that makes sense?

WHAT IS GOING ON?!

Who is this guy and what has he done with Pat Robertson?

342 Varek Raith  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:36:52pm

re: #340 Kragar

Televangelist Pat Robertson Affirms Transgender Identities

Wait, Pat Robertson says something that makes sense?

WHAT IS GOING ON?!

Checking for space-time distortions…

343 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:37:05pm

re: #341 122 Year Old Obama

Who is this guy and what has he done with Pat Robertson?

Is the sky still blue? Did I get transported to a mirror universe?

344 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:39:46pm

Nope, same universe still.

Obama’s “real mother” is a domestic terrorist

On the lam since 1985, F.B.I. Most Wanted Fugitive Domestic Terrorist “Elizabeth Ann Duke” is the living, biological mother of United States President “Barack Hussein Obama II”. “Elizabeth Duke” is one of her multiple known identities.

In early October 2012, Private Investigator Neil Sankey identified F.B.I. Most Wanted Fugitive Domestic Terrorist “Elizabeth Duke” as likely the same person as the woman identified at Terrible Truth as Jo Ann Newman the actual - and living - mother of the man who fraudulently presents as “Barack Hussein Obama II”.

Terrible Truth Investigative Report II reflects ten months of dedicated research into Ms. Duke and her interconnections with Jo Ann Newman and “Stanley Ann Dunham”, the synthetic mother presented by “Obama” to occlude his mother’s actual identity, political posturing, and criminal history.

345 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:40:33pm

re: #338 Dr. Matt

How in that town can someone get away with that and NOT get caught on camera!?!?

They might have…

New Lincoln Memorial witness photographs group shortly after vandalism before police arrived

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) - New witnesses who seem to have information that U.S. Park Police could use in their investigation of the Lincoln Memorial vandalism case talked exclusively to WUSA9.

The witnesses have photos and may be the first to spot the wet green and white paint that someone threw on the famous statue in the early morning hours on Friday.

Erin Gilliss of Parker, Colorado took photographs that show her Northern Virginia friend and their family members along with a group of unidentified people in the background prior to when police arrived.

Her friend, Jamie McDaniel of Stafford, Va. expressed concern that police did not interview her or review what she believes might be important photographic evidence.

…Photographs distributed by Getty Images appear to support the woman’s claims that she saw white paint too. She also says she saw soda cans and bottles filled with paint.

She says she saw a group of young people surrounding the Lincoln Memorial and felt U.S. Park Police dismissed her reports.

“My friend and I discovered the vandalism and alerted police about the Lincoln Memorial,” says Jamie McDaniel. “I was surprised there was no mention of the footprints we found.”

The woman was giving a Colorado visitor a late night tour of the memorial when they came upon the vandalism.

None of the subjects in the pictures are being identified as suspects.

347 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:51:10pm


“Please, pay no attention to the last 50 years.”

348 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:51:18pm

re: #336 Ian G.

Criminalize climatology? I figured the GOP would eventually respond in this way to science continuing to show that reality has a liberal bias, but still….

Galileo is laughing at us.

Look up Cooch’s attacks on Michael Mann. IIRC, he tried to force UV to turn over ALL of Mann’s email traffic while he worked their. The University told him to go pound sand, and the courts agreed.

349 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:52:54pm

re: #340 Kragar

Televangelist Pat Robertson Affirms Transgender Identities

Wait, Pat Robertson says something that makes sense?

WHAT IS GOING ON?!

Blind pig. Acorn.

350 wrenchwench  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:54:02pm

re: #344 Kragar

Nope, same universe still.

Obama’s “real mother” is a domestic terrorist

So the man who isn’t really Barack Obama had a mother who wasn’t really Barack Obama’s mother. No problem.

351 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:54:58pm

re: #342 Varek Raith

Checking for space-time distortions…

somebody crossed the streams…

352 EPR-radar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 2:59:27pm

re: #349 Mateo Scourge

Blind pig. Acorn.

Maybe just half an acorn. If Robertson is prepared to admit the fact of TG identity, then his position is almost certainly that sex-change surgery (or complete celibacy) should be mandatory in such cases.

353 NJDhockeyfan  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:02:24pm

More on the green paint attack in DC…

…The entire lower level of the cathedral was closed while police search the building. After more paint was found in the Children’s Chapel on the main level and in a third room, the entire cathedral was closed.

The suspect was found in one of the rooms where paint was found with paint on her clothing and hands and a container of paint in one of her bags, sources told News4’s Mark Segraves. She exchanged words with officers but did not resist arrest.

354 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:03:10pm

re: #344 Kragar

Nope, same universe still.

Obama’s “real mother” is a domestic terrorist

Wait - what?

So, a woman who became a fugitive in 1985 had a child when she was 19, but knowing (in 1961!) that 20 years later she’d be a radical, so she pretended to be someone called Jo Anne Newman. Meanwhile, the State of Hawaii, the hospital where Obama was born, and two local newspapers colluded to hide the fact that Jo Anne Newman gave birth to Barack Hussein Obama Jr. by inventing a woman named Stanley Ann Dunham, and backfilling all the public and private records, and hiring somebody whom Barack Hussein Obama Jr. would eventually grow up to strongly resemble to play his grandfather, for the rest of his natural life, not to mention hiring that man’s wife to play his grandmother.

That about cover it?

355 Kragar  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:05:15pm

re: #354 Mateo Scourge

Wait - what?

So, a woman who became a fugitive in 1985 had a child when she was 19, but knowing (in 1961!) that 20 years later she’d be a radical, so she pretended to be someone called Jo Anne Newman. Meanwhile, the State of Hawaii, the hospital where Obama was born, and two local newspapers colluded to hide the fact that Jo Anne Newman gave birth to Barack Hussein Obama Jr. by inventing a woman named Stanley Ann Dunham, and backfilling all the public and private records, and hiring somebody whom Barack Hussein Obama Jr. would eventually grow up to strongly resemble to play his grandfather, for the rest of his natural life, not to mention hiring that man’s wife to play his grandmother.

That about cover it?

Yes.

356 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:06:53pm

re: #339 Backwoods_Sleuth

Please read my post again. I said before the neolithic. And Aslan is claiming in the last 100,000 years. The civilizations you mention are from the last 5000 years.

357 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:08:29pm

re: #355 Kragar

Yes.

Well, alrighty then.
//

What kind of soft, spongy intellect does it require to buy into these things, when the simplest use of logic makes it clear just how ridiculous they are? I mean, treat Conspiracy Theories the way we treat any theory (common usage - in Science we’d call it a hypothesis) - they make predictions, and those predictions are testable.

358 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:11:01pm

re: #356 freetoken

Please read my post again. I said before the neolithic. And Aslan is claiming in the last 100,000 years. The civilizations you mention are from the last 5000 years.

Right. 100K years includes the last 65,000 years of Neanderthals, and pretty much the whole time after Homo Sapiens left Africa, and we have knowledge of the last maybe 5% of it for part of the world.

359 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:44:39pm

re: #356 freetoken

Please read my post again. I said before the neolithic. And Aslan is claiming in the last 100,000 years. The civilizations you mention are from the last 5000 years.

I saw that 100,000 years. Hyperbole? Perhaps. Who of us can know for sure and my feeling is: 5,000 or 100,000 years…so what? Is the neolithic era somehow more valid than humanity that came before?
You are dismissing ALL of what Aslan writes because of that one point, and that’s what I took issue with.

360 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:46:03pm

re: #358 Mateo Scourge

Right. 100K years includes the last 65,000 years of Neanderthals, and pretty much the whole time after Homo Sapiens left Africa, and we have knowledge of the last maybe 5% of it for part of the world.

thank you.

361 freetoken  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:53:09pm

re: #359 Backwoods_Sleuth

You are dismissing ALL of what Aslan writes because of that one point, and that’s what I took issue with.

Looking over Aslan’s various comments, a couple of his interviews, a couple of reviews of his book, and my own quick perusal of his latest book - all lead me to conclude that he’s just riding the wave of authors writing pop books on “Jesus” intended to rub the large segment of devout American Christians the wrong way, just enough to generate some heat and thus to sell more books.

If Aslan wants to sell himself as a historical scholar then he ought to act like one.

362 GeneJockey  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 3:58:56pm

re: #361 freetoken

Looking over Aslan’s various comments, a couple of his interviews, a couple of reviews of his book, and my own quick perusal of his latest book - all lead me to conclude that he’s just riding the wave of authors writing pop books on “Jesus” intended to rub the large segment of devout American Christians the wrong way, just enough to generate some heat and thus to sell more books.

If Aslan wants to sell himself as a historical scholar then he ought to act like one.

Interesting point. I think that writing a book on Jesus for the Best Seller List, followed by the very clever marketing tool of going on Fox and responding to crazy shit with cool rationality suggests he’s less a historical scholar and more a cynical bookseller.

BTW, your post reminds me of the scene in Ghostbusters,

Dana: “You’re not like a Scientist.”

Venkman: “Yeah, most of them are pretty stiff.”

Dana: “You’re more like a game show host.”

363 JeffFX  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 4:04:27pm

re: #168 freetoken

Aslan is going to do a Reddit AskMeAnything in one hour:

reddit.com

It’s now the top-rated thread on the Reddit home page.

364 moderatelyradicalliberal  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 4:08:13pm

re: #173 Gus

Unarmed Man Shot by Deputies Inside His Own Car Outside His Own Home

I don’t even have to click on the link to know that he was black.

Sigh.

365 steve_davis  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 4:20:29pm

re: #258 Mattand

I’m in that boat as well. It’s entirely possible there was a political rebel named Jesus in Jerusalem who got executed by the Romans for his troublemaking. I think that the Jesus in the Bible is the recipient of one of the biggest profile overhauls in human history.

The Jesus with magic powers that everyone know today? Quite frankly, a fictional Bronze Age superhero.

I read somewhere once that the Romans were master historians. They documented Spartacus and the slave rebellion. Why wouldn’t a Roman historian note a single man who supposedly caused that much chaos in their world?

Because Jesus was a minor footnote in the region, which had been filled with Jews claiming to be the messiah. He was so minor that the whole thing got pushed back on Pontius Pilate by Herod. If Herod had thought it was a big deal, he MIGHT have bothered someone in Rome about it, but Rome was a LONG way away, and governors had enormous discretion to deal with stuff like that on their own, without bothering senators back in Rome.

366 Backwoods_Sleuth  Mon, Jul 29, 2013 4:26:37pm

re: #361 freetoken

Looking over Aslan’s various comments, a couple of his interviews, a couple of reviews of his book, and my own quick perusal of his latest book - all lead me to conclude that he’s just riding the wave of authors writing pop books on “Jesus” intended to rub the large segment of devout American Christians the wrong way, just enough to generate some heat and thus to sell more books.

If Aslan wants to sell himself as a historical scholar then he ought to act like one.

well, there it is. I don’t profess to be a historical scholar (other than having a minor in history along with my master’s degree in media communications) and really wouldn’t recognize what you call a “pop book on Jesus” unless it was “written” by one of the usual devout Christian suspects to scare the already frightened flock that is ready to throw their money at anything to validate their fears.
And if devout American Christians get rubbed the wrong way with Aslan’s book, I really don’t care one way or the other since most of the American Christians I know are already busy being all bent out of shape about other Christians who don’t think the same way they do.
It’s good that you can make your judgements based merely on “looking over Aslan’s various comments, a couple of his interviews, a couple of reviews of his book, and my own quick perusal of his latest book”. Personally, my opinions of someone’s scholarship or lack thereof is based on a somewhat more than a cursory glance and other people’s opinions.


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