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Reza Aslan is an internationally renowned writer, commentator, professor, producer, and scholar of religions. His books, including his #1 New York Times Bestseller, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth,[…]
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Reza Aslan is inspired by a calling.

Question: What inspires you?

Reza Aslan:    I’d like to sit here and pretend that, you know, I had sort of a flash of light come down upon me and a heavenly voice that said, “You must now go forth and explain me to the world.”  But I didn’t.  And in a way I sort of feel like this position, you know, as a public explainer of religions, just sort of came to me.  And it was a responsibility that I really felt I could not get away from.  I mean it does feel like a calling to me in some ways, and so I treat it as a calling; but that said, I couldn’t image doing anything else.  I mean I love my life.  I love being able to think out loud and being able to affect the way other people think.  I think, you know, you could only hope for a better job than that.

 

July 23, 2007

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