Bill O'Reilly can give it - but he sure can't take it. After O'Reilly's movie version of his book, "Killing Jesus," received some negative reviews, Bill blamed it all on the war on Christians which, like the war on Christmas, is being waged only in O'Reilly's mind, such as it is.
On March 30th, O'Reilly brought out all the guns in his culture war arsenal. He began by crowing about how "Killing Jesus" killed in the ratings. He resurrected (badda boom) one of his popular tropes with his claim that "secular-progressives" resent these good ratings because "they see Christian expositions as a threat to their political agenda." Bill made the oh, so logical point that because Christians oppose abortion, drug legalization, gay marriage and other "libertine" things. (LOL, this, from the lord of the loofahs!), this is seen as a "danger to the agenda of the left."
As an example of how Satan's minions work, he quoted from "The Guardian" which opined that O'Reilly puts a Tea Party slant on history. (Now that's gotta hurt!) O'Reilly, who once waxed poetic about how Jesus causes tides, pontificated that the Guardian's statement is "the most idiotic thing" he ever read" in his "entire life." After quoting from a "leftist" Boston Globe critic who, OMG, referred to O'Reilly as a "blowhard" (ya think!), O'Reilly read part of a positive review from the right wing Boston Herald.
Bill bloviated about how, while some critiques are legit, others promote an ideology. He attacked a "denigrating" NY Times review which OMG referred readers to a source that OMG says that the gospels are "myths and legends." This, according to O'Reilly, is quite offensive. (Note - The NY Times links to a 2014 review of his book, in Salon, which does reference how the gospels are based on myths and legends.) He quipped that the "only myth is that the NY Times is an objective" news source.
O'Reilly dragged out the tired old "culture war" trope in ascribing blame for this effrontery to Bill O'Reilly cinematographic abilities. He played a clip of a discussion, on Meet the Press, about the impact of evangelical voters - a discussion which, according to Bill, was a "cheap shot" at evangelicals. He whined about being mocked after his "60 Minutes" interview during which he discussed his nocturnal visits from the Holy Ghost. In channeling the liberal mind, he claimed that his critics believe that Holy Ghost inspiration, which he possesses, is a "foolish superstition." He asked if these blasphemers would mock Islam.
O'Reilly told us "the truth" which is that "it is open season on Christians in America." (Oh, I know, the pograms, the closing of churches - oh wait, that's not happening...) He lamented that faith "is not held in high esteem" in NY media and praised his work as "a noble endeavor" even if you disliked it. He said that the movie is "a powerful motion picture concept" in that it shows "how a good man" who preached "loving your neighbor" was abused and murdered "right before your eyes."
Despite the fact that the "Judeos," who are overwhelming liberal, are not complaining, Bill asserted that there is an ongoing attack on "Judeo-Christian values" and that American Christians are "marginalized" and "mocked" which is precisely what Fox News does to atheists! He whined that Christians are being branded as "bigots" (Ya think!) and that "Killing Jesus" might disabuse the haters of that notion.
But seriously, don't these "Killing Jesus" haters know that O'Reilly is divinely inspired and you don't mess with God - or God's messenger Bill O'Reilly?
Typical BOR – blaming others and playing the victim. It never seems to occur to him that he doesn’t really put out quality product. Someone doesn’t like his work? It must be because they are left-wingers who hate Christians! (eye roll) His ego is his downfall.
Well, first of all, BOR is really cherry-picking the criticism. He’s only calling out the critiques that come from the so-called “liberal media” who has long been his favorite punching bag. If he wasn’t such a liar and coward, he’d also be reporting that there’s plenty of valid criticism coming from the Christian online community (about the movie AND the book). Yeah, that’s right, BOR – criticism from the very same people you claim to be speaking for. But let’s not report that to your viewers, eh, BOR?
I don’t see his “Killing Jesus” stuff to be especially noble. His movie is a “powerful concept”? Apparently BOR is unaware that there are already several TV dramas that documents Jesus’ life and death quite well? There is also the suggestion that he basically got the, ahem, “concept” for these “Killing” books from an author named Jim Bishop (who wrote books titled “the Day Christ Died”, “The Day Lincoln Died” and “The Day Kennedy Died”). I find it rather self-serving and attention seeking of him to go public with the claim that the “Holy Spirit” told him to write “Killing Jesus” (especially since he was no doubt already on track to write another “Killing” book about someone the folks hold in high esteem). It smells more like he was pandering to the FOX “news” viewer base while trying to work in a bit of his own political/anti-tax agenda via the story of Jesus. And the way he threw in so much fictional dribble just to make it more entertaining/more Mickey Spillane-ish is laughable. I’m of the mind that the “Holy Spirit” has more important things to do than telling BOR to write a book that cherry-picks historical facts/data while deliberately downplaying much of the Bible’s divinity of Jesus.
And, BOR’s describing Jesus as “a good man” is part of his problem with Christians that he refuses to admit. While BOR goes out of his way to say that “Killing Jesus” is written to be from a historical viewpoint, over the years, people have noticed that BOR doesn’t say that he believes Jesus to be the Savior and/or the Messiah. Instead, he chooses to call Jesus a “good man”, a “philosopher” and a “teacher”. This rubs some Christians the wrong way (as I’ve talked to some of them) and his downplaying of Jesus’ mission is one reason so many of them have problems with his book/movie.
Finally, if faith “is not held in high esteem”, perhaps BOR needs only to look to himself and other conservative “christians”. Their hypocritical and piss poor examples of Christ-like behavior comes to mind as at least part of the reason why faith is being held in lesser esteem. Don’t point fingers at others, BOR – start by examining your behavior. And, no, your “Killing Jesus” book/movie aren’t going to lock-in a spot for you inside the pearly gates.
I DO, however, blame Bill’s parents, the Catholic Church (for banning contraceptives and abortions) and whatever brand of liquor was involved the night Bill was conceived.
